Did I mess my period up by skipping so many pills?

[Sun.rs]

Hello. I have been on sprintec birth control for four years to regulate my period. It worked perfectly until the fourth year I got kind of sick of taking them and started slacking off. I would take like one pill every week. My period went back to being very irregular. The packs are a mess of pills and no pills. I took them only when I remembered and didn't bother taking two if I forgot. I guess I didn't see the point.. I realize I might've put my hormones in some sort of chaos... Is that right? What I'm saying is, I took some of my birth control pills but Only a few every week and never at the same time or anything. This month however, I took them correctly. One every day at the same time. when I first started the pill four years ago I had no side effects. This month however, the first month in nearly a year I take these pills correctly, I experience almost every side effect of the pill. Now I'm on day four of the sugar pill. No period, no sign of a period. Is this because I didn't take my pills properly those months before?? Did I cause an imbalance in my hormones by being so careless with my pills that would cause this? Is that why I've yet to get my period?

What are the dangers of doing what I did with my birth control?
Am I okay?
Sorry if that was confusing or long... I'm quite worried...

[Mo]

Hi there, and welcome to Scarleteen.

It's entirely possible that the symptoms you're describing have come from your erratic pill schedule; not taking the pills as directed can cause some irregularity and side effects, and then getting back in the habit of taking them regularly can also cause side effects. This isn't something that's likely to have any long-term impact on your health, though. Since it sounds like you aren't super happy with this form of birth control anymore, you may want to check in with your doctor to see what other options you might have that would be easier for you to keep up with - and if you're still having significant side effects from the pill you could bring them up then.

Just to be clear on this point, have you been sexually active during the time that you weren't taking your pill as directed?

[Sun.rs]

Thanks! That means that if I keep taking them as instructed I should go back to normal, right? Also I wasn't sexually active at all during those months. I've been intimate with my partner once this past month two weeks into taking birth control properly and we used more than one form of protection. He also never came and it was only once so I'm honestly not too concerned that my delayed period is pregnancy.

[Mo]

How someone's body reacts to hormonal birth control can shift over time, so we can't say for sure that you'll notice things going back to normal as you continue to take your pills as instructed, but I think it's fairly likely.

[Sun.rs]

Thank you!

[Sun.rs]

Thank you!
I also heard stress can delay your period? Is that so? Cause I've been extremely stressed lately about many many family problems that have happened recently. Could this be a cause ?

[Heather]

Again, your cycle is going to be a hot mess with the way you have been using your pill, no matter what.

Just to check: do you want to be using the pill? Sounds like you might not, and if you don't take them as directed, there really is no point. If you want to talk about other options, we can do that with you.

[Sun.rs]

I don't mind taking them. I think during that fourth year I just got tired of having to rely on them for a normal period. i know there are other birth control options.. But Can any regulate periods like the pill? That's why I started birth control in the first place. Except now I think my cycles more irregular than it was to begin with

[Karyn]

The pill doesn't actually regulate your period: what it does is create an artificial cycle, which is what makes your withdrawal bleeds (the 'period' you get on the pill) predictable. It can't permanently change your cycle, so when you go off the pill, your body is going to go back to doing whatever it did before you started using the pill, if that makes sense.

As far as similar methods go, things like the vaginal ring (Nuvaring) and the patch all work pretty much the same way, so if taking a pill every day is not something you want to do, those are options to explore. If you're considering switching to a different type of birth control, this piece can help you narrow down which ones might be a good fit for you: Birth Control Bingo!

[Sun.rs]

What? Wow I was under the impression it did for four years! thanks for clearing that up for me !

[Karyn]

Glad to help!