Withdrawal bleed

[moonlightbae]

Wanted to ask:
if I get my "period" after 3 days on the 7-day break on COCs, it means that I did not get pregnant on previous cycle?

[Heather]

Withdrawal bleeds and periods are the same in this respect: both usually only occur when people have not become pregnant in the previous cycle.

[moonlightbae]

Thanks!
But is it normal that I was bleeding two days (first was kinda heavy and very VERY painful) and then 2-3 had some brown spotting?
I'm usually bleeding all 4: from heaviest to lightest.
Sorry, just trying to get used to my body when on COCs!

[Heather]

Am I correct you only recently started the pill?

If so, there's no "usually" here, because how your period went and how your withdrawal bleeds will go are not going to be the same. They're just different things. Too, as your body adjusts to the pill, you'll probably have at least a couple of months where things are different than they will be later on.

If this is about pregnancy concerns, then I know you know the drill: if you're worried, you can always take a test. And if you're not feeling like the pill alone gives you the confidence you need, you can always back up with condoms (which is often a good idea anyway, particularly if you're not in something long-term that's mutually exclusive). And if the pill AND a backup still don't do it for you in terms of total confidence, then our best advice is to rethink having that kind of sex until you can get to the bottom of what's got you worried and what you need to remedy or manage that.

[moonlightbae]

Yes, you're correct.
I took two tests 13-14 days after intercourse. Don't know if it showed me correct results, they were negative. I'm taking one tomorrow, even though I had my "period". Just to be sure

[Heather]

Personally, I'd suggest you stop and instead see if you can't seek out professional help with this anxiety with that time and energy instead. Taking a whole bunch of pregnancy tests is generally only going to keep you focused on this instead of helping you to manage this and STOP being so hyperfocused on it. Anxiety is a lot like yeast: if you feed it, it grows.