Birth control symptoms

[carly150699]

Hello,
I just started birth control about a month and a half ago. I started using Sprintec and during the first full month of taking the pill, I only received minor breast tenderness as a symptom. My period came and went just fine during the placebo pills and I’ve been fine. I haven’t been using condoms during sex due to an allergy to latex and I find non latex condoms very uncomfortable. Anyways, today I started receiving minor cramping and spotting. I realize they are common symptoms when starting birth control but I just found it weird that I didn’t receive anything like this during the first month on it. I’m currently on the third week of my second month of taking birth control. Tomorrow actually marks the third week of my second month taking it. That makes next Wednesday the first day of taking the placebo pills again. I was curious as to if this is normal and if I shouldn’t worry about what’s happening.

[Heather]

Can I ask if you're current with your screenings for STIs given you aren't using barriers? I'm asking this to check in and see if we need to be concerned about these symptoms possibly being due to infection.

[carly150699]

I haven’t had any tests for STIs no, but I was using condoms up until about a month or so ago when I found out I was allergic. I have had the same partner since about April and am 100% positive I wouldn’t have gotten anything from him. I was thinking the bleeding would be cause by my recent start in using birth control.

[carly150699]

I also haven’t experienced any of that today yet

[Heather]

The thing is that there is always some STI risk, there just is. The only way we can know our risks are small if if and when we and your partners stay current with our testing and our tests tell us we're (if we are) all clear.

Even if you weren't having these symptoms, since you're having sex without safer sex -- and it doesn't sound like you and maybe this partner are in the habit of getting tested -- I'd suggest you get a screening soon. STIs most often don't present obvious symptoms, so we want to get tested on the regular no matter what, you know? But since you're having some things happening that could *possibly* be symptoms, and you have had STI risks just by virtue of being sexual with someone else, and higher ones because of ditching condoms, I'd suggest now would be a wise time to do it.

If this isn't about an STI, you can also talk to your healthcare provider then to make sure it is just BC side effects or something else you don't need to do anything about or have concern around. You can probably see the same healthcare provider for testing as you did to get your pills.