Scarleteen

Hi,

I have just started taking birth control pills and I am on the Yasmin 21 pills pack. My first pill was taken on 16 November, which is the first day of my natural period. Since then my period has ended on 19 November but I now am experiencing spotting today, on 21 November. The blood is very dark brown, not a lot, probably enough for a panty liner and I wonder if that is a side effect of Yasmin? Is that something I need to be concerned about? When will the spotting stop? I am travelling this weekend on the 23 November and I don’t wish be to wearing a panty liner

It does take our bodies a little while to completely adjust to hormonal changes, even when those hormonal changes are prompted by and controlled by something like birth control. Spotting can last for up to 3 - 4 months when you first start birth control. After that, your body should adjust, and any random spotting then is usually due to missing/skipping pills. If you're still spotting pretty regularly after a couple months, then it would definitely be worth it to bring up to your doctor and discuss changing pills to find something better suited to you and your wants and health. Medication and/or hormones can impact us all differently, so just because you're spotting now doesn't mean the spotting will last for months, but there's just no way for us to predict how exactly your body is going to react.

So, completely normal and nothing to be worried about (spotting can be inconsistent and may stop anytime within a couple of days to a couple of months from now), but unfortunately, you may find more peace of mind traveling with panty liners this time around. Sorry! I completely understand your frustration. I've never really spotted on the pill before until recently when I switched from multiphase to monophase pills. Even though it's minor in the grand scheme of things, it was certainly annoying and unwanted!

Thank you for the response.
Since I have been taking them religiously everyday, do you know if the pills are already effective? How do I know for sure though?

Also, since I am on birth control, how do I know if I get pregnant since we don’t have our usual period cycles anymore. Do I still wait a minimum of 14 days after the “risk” before testing or do I wait till after I miss the withdrawal bleeding since that is considered my period?

Oh and also, if I do get my withdrawal bleed during my non pill/rest period, does this confirm that I am not pregnant?

Hi Juliaho,

So, since you did what's called a "first day start" the pill may be effective as early as that first day, but waiting one full cycle before going without a backup is strongly advised.

When you're on the pill, it helps treat your withdrawal bleed like a period when it comes to pregnancy. So, if you get your withdrawal bleed, you can assume you're not pregnant. If you're withdrawal bleed isn't coming and you know you engaged in something that poses a pregnancy risk, then you'd want to take a pregnancy test (when to test depends on the specific test you buy). Too, since you've just started the pill, keep in mind that your withdrawal bleed may be a bit unpredictable and not come the exact day you expect it. Does that help clarify things?

Thanks Sam.

For most pregnancy kits, they say to test on the day of the missed period or after the day of your expected period. But since i am on the pill and won’t be having an actual period, if I want to check, do I take the pregnancy test during the week of my expected withdrawal bleeding, which means it will be the pill free week? Or do I just take the test minimum 14 days after the “risk”? Is it still whichever comes first as stated on your website?

Sorry it’s a bit confusing for me since most pregnancy test kits manufactures are writing it from a point where the female isn’t on oral contraceptives.

Hi Julia,

Like Sam said, withdrawal bleeding is pretty much the same as a period, so you should ideally wait a day or two into that pill-free week, and if you still haven't shown any bleeding/spotting by then, that would be the time for a pregnancy test. If you get a period (or have a withdrawal bleed), you can be assured that you're not pregnant, because when the body becomes pregnant it releases hormones that interrupt that cycle and prevent that period. (For more info on that, check out On the Rag: A Guide to Menstruation.)
But as Sam said, since you're just starting out on these oral contraceptives, things may not work exactly like clockwork, because your body is still adjusting to the medication. That's one of the reasons why we recommend using a backup method like condoms, because there may still be some variation in your cycle as your body adjusts.

Thank you.

Another question : I had diarrhoea on Sunday morning, 5 minutes after taking the pill. There was no vomiting and I have not eaten food for the morning. Has absorption in this case been compromised then? 5 minutes technically is not enough for the pill to get to the large intestine and then get expelled from my body and I think what was expelled was probably food from the night before? I did not take any extra pill on Sunday because I thought it should be alright. Also wasn’t in a position to check with a doctor. So if this happens again, is that something I should take an extra pill for?

Hi Juliaho90

A single loose stool won't affect the efficacy of your birth control. Diarrhoea is a pattern of loose stool over a longer period of time, and has to be pretty severe to impact on your pills.

Thank you everyone! It has been really helpful.

One last one though, sorry!

If I don’t get my withdrawal bleed on the expected week, and home pregnancy tests are negative, is that a concern? Or should I be waiting for the “period” to start before the new pack? Or do I continue a new pack on day 29?

You should start the new pack as soon as you are done with the previous one, rather than wait for your withdrawal bleed. Too, as was mentioned earlier, since you've just started the pill, your cycle may need a little time to adjust, which can cause your withdrawal bleed to not arrive exactly when you expected it to.

Awesomee, thank you you guys are really helpful.

In terms of withdrawal bleed, is the amount of bleeding equals to what looks like a period? Like enough to fill a pad? I am having the side effects of spotting on and off now because I just started the pill. It doesn’t stain my underwear much, just a bit but when i wipe, there are dark brown deposits or stains. Is that spotting, because I assume it is? My first ever pill was on 16 Nov and I have been spotting ever since..is that normal? I am kind of worried. I am also just cautious that I wouldn’t know if I had my withdrawal bleed when it comes because of the pill effect. Is there a difference in terms of blood quantity in withdrawal bleeding vs spotting?

Yes, "spotting" is meant to refer to relatively small amounts, while a withdrawal bleed is going to look and feel much more like a period (although some people on the pill find their withdrawal bleeds are lighter overall than their periods were). And yes, the spotting you're experiencing now is most likely a side effect of the pill. However, if it's causing you a lot of concern, you can always ask your healthcare provider about it.

Thanks Sam!

With regards to protection against pregnancy, I know that it is recommended to take one cycle of birth control pills before going without a second birth control method. Does this mean each time I finish a pack of 21 pills, I rest for 7 days and go without pills, I have to finish another 21 pills before it is safe to have unprotected sex? Or does it start counting from day 29 when I start the new pack of pills? Hmm does my question makes sense? Let me know if it doesn’t and I can rephrase it.

Hey Juliaho90:

Yes, your question makes sense, and no, you don't have to wait til the end of *each* pack - just the first one! So you will be under the full protection of the birth control pill on day 29, assuming you took it consistently that first month.

Thank you.

I’m so sorry, I just have two last questions.

If I take 1 pill every day for 21 days (3 weeks) in a row. Then don’t take any pills for seven days (week 4). I am supposed to get my withdrawal bleed during the fourth week while i am not taking any pills.

1. Does the pills I took for the past 3 weeks prevent pregnancy even if I have sex during the week Where I don’t take any pills? How does that happen because I thought if I don’t take any pills, it will trigger an ovulation? That’s why we are told to take it everyday and never miss a pill? Just confused about the mechanics and how it works. It will be great if you can enlighten me on that. Thanks!

2. If I have sex during week 4 when I am supposed to get my withdrawal bleed, but I somehow end up not getting my withdrawal bleed, can I do a pregnancy test then and it will be accurate? Or do I have to wait for another 2-3 weeks before testing?

Hi Julia,

It totally seems counterintuitive to still have pregnancy protection during a week where you’re not taking pills, I know. But the explanation is pretty simple: by that 4th week, you’ve already gone through the stages of the menstrual cycle and the ovulation has already been prevented, so there’s no egg for the sperm to fertilize. Heather explains this really well here: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advic ... ebo_period

For your second question, the answer is that no matter when you get your period, you’ll need to wait at least a few weeks to get an accurate result on a pregnancy test, because they’re looking for a hormone that reaches detectable levels in the body about 3 weeks after fertilization. You can read all about it here at Peeing on a Stick: All About Pregnancy Tests.

Since this does seem to be a continuing source of some concern - have you ever thought about or tried using a backup method with your birth control to reduce pregnancy risk?

Thank you for the response!
I am not having penis-in-vaginal sex but I am just paranoid when I get intimate with my partner.

Is it normal to have PMS like cramps before my withdrawal bleed like how I have it during my normal period? I am currently on day 17 of pills and I am expecting the withdrawal bleed to happen next week.

Hi Juliaho,

Yep, you can still experience some PMS symptoms, such as cramps, around your withdrawal bleed while on the pill.

Thank you! That’s amazing, I didn’t know that I would still have pms symptoms although technically I am not having a “natural” cycle.
Is there any reason why we would still feel the pms symptoms like how one would normally experience them in a natural cycle?
I’m so sorry I have so many questions! Just curious

So, how the pill interacts with PMS symptoms varies from person to person. For some, the fact that the pill is preventing "natural" hormones fluctuations from occurring means their PMS symptoms decrease (or that certain symptoms go away entirely). For others, their body interacts with the hormones in the pill in a way that makes it seem like certain PMS symptoms (like mood swings) are getting worse.

Hi Juliaho,

Just wanted to say I commend your curiosity!! It is great to want to be informed about what you are taking and how it works.

Hi guys,I am so sorry, it’s me again with questions.

So, I have competed my 21 pills, and am now in the no pill week. Today is day 24, 3 days after not taking any pills... but I have yet to receive my withdrawal bleed. I have had spotting for the entire month on my first pack and I did spot a bit more yesterday (but just for a few hours) and then now it’s back to minimal spotting. I did not have vagina intercourse, nor was there any direct genital contact, but was intimate (making out, fingering, dry hump with pants on) on 23 November and on 8 December. What should I do now though? I took a pregnancy test on 6 December and it was negative.

It can take your body a couple months to adjust to the hormone regimen that birth control pills are. You may experience odd spotting and late/no withdrawl bleeding (as well as other symptoms like nausea, sore breasts, etc.) until those few months are up. You may even find after that time that you have light bleeding that's more like spotting or no withdrawl bleeding at all. It all depends on your body and your typical cycle.

Not getting your withdraw bleeding is not a clear sign that you're pregnant, especially since you got a negative test and did not seem to actually partake in any activities that could get you pregnant. Keep counting days and start your new pack of pills when you finish the placebo pills. You should be fine. =)

Juliaho,

Wanted to confirm that not getting your withdrawal bleed immediately is totally normal. This is especially true during the first few months while your body is adjusting to the hormones. You may not have a withdrawal bleed at all, or you may even start it a couple days before or even during the new pack of pills. This can seem strange but is no cause for alarm.

Basically your own hormonal cycle is interacting with the hormones from the pill and it can take a little bit for everything to harmonize, if you will, but don't worry--if you are taking as directed (and it sounds like you are!) you are protected from pregnancy even during this "harmonizing" period. Like horriblegoose said, just start your new pack on time and proceed as usual.

Typically your cycle will normalize within 6 months of starting a new form of hormonal birth control. By then you will start to get a sense of what's usual for you on this pill in terms of when you start your withdrawal bleed, how heavy it is, etc. (For example, I'm on an extended-cycle pill and I only have a withdrawal bleed every 15 weeks, and it's VERY light and starts very late. This didn't become clear until I had gone through a few 15-week cycles).