Birth Control Blues

[Bronze_Idle]

Hello all,

I've recently started taking birth control I'm only about 2 weeks in, I started my placebo pills early on hopes of getting period early ( I did discuss this with a doctor before I did it). But now I have one more placebo pill left and still haven't got period. Is this normal? I'm definitely not pregnant. I just really don't know what do to at the moment.

[Heather]

I'm not sure why your doctor would have suggested that, or that it would have that effect.

So, for sure, not having a withdrawal bleed now -- or the way you have done this -- is not unusual. In fact, I'd have been pretty surprised if you did. In terms of what to do, there's really nothing to do, nor anything to worry about. What you'll just do is take your pills as directed moving forward, starting your new pack of active pills tomorrow. It can take a few cycles of pill for your body to sync up with it in terms of withdrawal bleeds, and spotting in the first few packs is also more likely. Given how you started taking this, you might just also want to prepare yourself for any of that being more erratic than it would be otherwise.

[Bronze_Idle]

Yes I'm not having any bleeding at all, I am having cramps like my period should be coming but it just hasn't. And about the doctor, I even tried calling back to get a second opinion but I kept getting her on the line and she kept telling me it would be okay to do that. Also, I was wondering if it would be okay for me to just wait until the end of July- beginning of August to start my new pack instead because I will be taking a trip in the middle of September and I'd rather not be on my period then. I'm not worried anout being protected yet because i'm still a virgin. I know it isn't for sure my period will come on time but it's pretty likely right? I just don't want to mess up my body anymore than I already have.

[Heather]

Well, I'm sure it was okay to do, I'm just not sure why anyone would suggest you do it. Or perhaps you suggested it (again, not sure why), and they just said it was fine? Either way, again, the idea two weeks of BC pills then a break would force a withdrawal bleed isn't sound. And do be aware that you now shouldn't figure your pill will be fully effective until the end of this NEXT pack, since you ended your active pills before you were supposed to when it comes to proper use.

I don't understand the why of starting the pill two weeks ago, then stopping, and now waiting again to start it. If that's about trying to make a period come at a certain time, know that the pill can't do this the way it sounds like you think it can. For sure, when people have been using it consistently, skipping the placebo period most often (but not always) will result in a skipped withdrawal bleed (but then often in light spotting sporadically after). But that's not what you're asking about doing.

So, if what you want is to do what you can to get your cycles more synced up and regular, and you DO want to be using the pill, then I'd start taking them as directed with this new pack tomorrow. If you don't want to be on the pill yet, then not taking it until you want to, and letting your own cycles do their thing, is the way to go.

I'm also happy to tlk with you about how to get more comfortable having periods or withdrawal bleeds at any time in your life, and not feeling like they are any kind of barrier to travel or anything else, if you like.

[Bronze_Idle]

I suggested it because I didn't know it would change your period, my doctor said nothing about it. I didn't find out until after I already started the pills. I wanted to get my period because I knew I was due for it. So your saying since I was on the bc 2 weeks then went to the placebo pills I should of had a withdrawal bleed? I only wanted to wait on my period when I travel is because I'll be seeing my boyfriend in September so I didn't want to have a period to worry about.

[Heather]

No, that's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that you should NOT have expected that at all, because in just a first two weeks on the pill, you haven't accumulated enough hormones into your system for your body to likely even register that you stopped taking them. In other words, again, doing what you did causing a bleed would be UNlikely, not likely. Again, I'm still not really getting why you asked the doctor if you could take it for two weeks then stop in the first place.

Do you want to talk about why you feel like you can't see your boyfriend and have your period at the same time? Especially since, frankly, it's very unlikely anything you try and do is going to be able to engineer it the way it sounds like you want to. Realistically, whatever you do or don't do with the pill as you're just starting it like this -- or if you stop now -- you should just figure a period is a maybe for this visit.

[Bronze_Idle]

That's why I tried talking to my doctor about it first but doesn't seem that was so helpful afterall. I asked my doctor if I could do this because I wanted my period to stay on schedule the way it has been at the beginning of the month if possible. I don't want to be on my period with my boyfriend because I may want to have sex that's why..

[Heather]

Sounds like there was probably a misunderstanding with your doctor.

So, with your visit with your boyfriend, you are aware that when people have a period, they still can -- and plenty of people do -- engage in sex with partners, yes?

[Bronze_Idle]

Yes I am aware, but sex while I'm on my period doesn't sound too appealing.. But I'll just wait it out and see what happens during that time. Thank you for all your help

[Heather]

Sure thing.

And if you'd like to talk more about how to shift your thinking with sex and periods -- often this is really about people's attitudes and ideas, and body shame, not anything else -- I'm happy to do that with you. After all, this is part of the body you have, so it's probably going to be part of the body you share with someone else.

[Bronze_Idle]

Hi Heather it's me again, I just got my period but it's brown, it was like this last month too before I even started the bc pills. Could this be from stress possibly? I have been really stressed these past months.

[Heather]

The color of menses or spotting can range from pink to black (and that isn't about stress, which doesn't itself have an impact on cycles, really, this is just just normal variations). Brown doesn't mean anything is wrong, and it's just more common at the start or end of periods or withdrawal bleeds.

[Bronze_Idle]

So what if the whole time my period is brown and never turns red/pink?

[Heather]

Then that's how it went this time.

Since it sounds like you just got the pill, I assume that means you are current with your sexual healthcare, like pap smears, if needed, and a general exam to check for infections. That'd be the only real concern with menses looking way different than you're used to.

[Bronze_Idle]

Okay thank you, they did test my urine and the doctor said I'm pretty healthy so I'm guessing I don't have any infections or anything like that.

[Heather]

Indeed, if they suspected an infection was an issue, they'd have talked about that with you.