Abnormal Period

[notreadyforthis]

I have been on the birth control Tri-Sprintec for just over a year now. This pill has 21 active pills followed by 7 inactive pills. I have never missed a pill, and the most variance I have had in timing is no more than 5-6 hours. I don't take any other medications, the only supplements I take are multivitamins and cranberry pills, and the occasional dose of ibuprofen.
Birth control is the only form of protection I use in order to keep myself from getting pregnant, therefore my boyfriend and I do not use condoms and he does ejaculate inside me.
My period normally lasts around 4-6 days, starting off light and then having approximately 2 heavy days before it tapers off and dissipates. I got my period on December 10th or 11th and it lasted until around December 16th to December 17th. My boyfriend and I had sex a couple times in the week following that, and for some reason I got my period again on January 1st.
This period was an entire week earlier than I expected, in other words I still had an entire week of active pills left on my birth control. I should note that my kidneys have been bothering me on and off for the past few months and that is why I take the cranberry pills. I have to take the cranberry pills before and after intercourse otherwise going to the bathroom becomes miserably painful.
With this period being a week early, it also lasted a total of 11 days. Far longer than I have ever had. The entire week of active pills it was fairly stable flow with both brown and red discharge. I had to wear tampons and I changed them what seemed like a normal frequency. As soon as I got to the placebo pills the flow became heavier than I am used to, where I was changing my tampon what seemed like more often than normal. After that it tapered very quickly and having just taken the third placebo pill today, it has completely gone away.
Therefore I am not really sure what this means for me, should I realistically worry about pregnancy or should I be worrying about another condition?

[Sam W]

Hi Notreadyforthis,

It's not unusual to have irregularity or variation in periods from time to time. However, if you get your next period and it also lasts ten or eleven days, I'd suggest checking with a healthcare provider to rule out any underlying causes.

You mention taking the cranberry pills and that otherwise you have pain when going to the bathroom. Is that something you've talked with a healthcare provider about, and were the cranberry pills their suggested treatment?

It sounds like you're feeling some anxiety from only using the pill as a birth control method. If that's the case, have you considered looking in to a second method you could pair it with? We generally recommend pairing the pill with condoms as that increases your level of protection against pregnancy as well as protecting you from STIs.

[notreadyforthis]

The cranberry pills were my idea, because I figured it was a kidney infection or UTI. That pain only occurs when we've been having intercourse recently. Otherwise I have no pain.
I am only having anxiety, because this period was extremely abnormal. Otherwise, I would have no anxiety towards this issue.
Being that today was my fourth day of placebos, my bleeding has started again. Yesterday however I had nothing except a little pink discharge, and had nothing during the course of the night.

[Sam W]

If you think you have a kidney infection or a UTI, I would check in with a healthcare provider to confirm what's going on and make sure you're getting all the treatment you need. If the pain during intercourse does not seem to be connected to a lack of lubrication or to feeling tense, you might want to mention that to them as well.

Just to check, are you and your partner up to date on your STI testing?

[notreadyforthis]

The pain is not during intercourse, it only occurs in the following hours/days when I use the restroom. During intercourse, there is no pain at all.
We are not up to date on testing, however he is my only sexual partner, as well as I am his only sexual partner.

[Heather]

Testing is something all of us who are sexually active ideally need to do regularly, like, say, getting our teeth cleaned regularly. Being in a sexually exclusive relationship doesn't mean we don't need testing.

But like Sam said, it sounds like a visit to a healthcare provider is a good idea regardless in terms of these symptoms. Cranberry tablets, for the record, can help prevent UTIs, but once you have one, they are very unlikely to cure it. And if and when someone has a kidney infection, they need healthcare ASAP, as that is actually quite serious. Cranberry pills and other DIY approaches aren't going to be able to tackle a kidney infection, and even taking time to try those instead of getting care right away isn't wise.

[notreadyforthis]

My main concern at this point is why I have been bleeding on and off for so long and whether these pains could have altered my menstrual cycle any?

[Heather]

We can't possibly know the why for your bleeding pattern. The only person who might be able to determine that is a healthcare provider who can talk with and examine you in person. So, again, for several reasons, I'd suggest you see a sexual/reproductive healthcare provider. And since you are sexually active and haven't yet started with testing, I would also ask for that to be included when you make your appointment.

Do you have access to that healthcare? If not, would you like help finding that care?

[notreadyforthis]

I believe I can get access to that care. I just really want to know if pregnancy should be a real concern? Being that I have taken my pills consistently.

[Ashleah]

We will not answer ANY questions about pregnancy fear or anxiety in our direct services from users who are not pregnant or who are not or have not otherwise been directly involved with an actual pregnancy.

Please do not post this kind of question. If you are seeing this text, and your thread is locked, it is because you have posted this kind of question.

We CAN and WILL talk about things like:
• choosing and using a method or methods of contraception for any future sexual activity
• creating your own sexual limits and boundaries based on your needs and/or presenting them to any partners
• making sexual choices that suit your own needs, abilities and limitations, including your own readiness for certain possible risks
• help locating or using emergency contraception if and when you have had a pregnancy risk
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• help with anxiety like locating mental health services, sound self-help or asking for support from friends or family

For help dealing with a scare (including what poses a risk and your next steps based on your unique situation), you may use our tool on site built for this purpose: The Pregnancy Panic Companion.
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