In case it helps, about 3 years ago I decided to go on a birth control pill for several reasons. Firstly, I had incredibly painful periods, totally debilitating and very heavy. Painkillers were generally ineffective. I was also in a relationship and although we used condoms I liked that the pill provided greater pregnancy protection.

My doctor first prescribed Brevinor for me, but unfortunately this caused me to bleed constantly for over 2 months. No period pain on the plus side. My doctor wanted me to wait a full 3 months but I was starting to get light-headed from all the bleeding so I went to see another doctor and she said I should change to Levlen ED. That seemed to work well for over 2 years, I had some break-through bleeding especially if I skipped one period or didn't take my pills exactly on time but I don't think I really had any other side-effects. I was in a bad relationship at the time, and so I'm not sure if I lost a lot of my sex-drive because of that or if the pill had something to do with it. At any rate I'm in a new relationship now but my sex drive still isn't what it used to be. It's good enough though.

I had always bled slightly after sex, and well almost slightly all the time really since I'd been on birth control pills. It just showed when I wiped, and was usually a browny colour, but only a tiny bit.

However recently in my new relationship, I started bleeding badly after sex. It was red too, and lasted for about 2 days afterward. I went to the doctor and he advised that I switch to Loette-a lower dose pill immediately. I was mid-cycle but he said that was ok. So I changed, and started having like a full period, just bleeding constantly again. Still no pain though. I went to another doctor after about 5 days of constant bleeding, and she prescribed me primolut n (a progesterone only pill) to take 3 times a day (so 15mg a day). This stopped the bleeding within a day and I didn't even bleed after sex. She also advised that I switch back to levlen ED, which I did. I took the primolut n for 10 days and then although it said I should bleed after stopping taking it, I didn't because I was on my pill at the same time and had a week left before I moved onto sugar pills. End of the second day on sugar pills and period has started.

She also tested me for every STD, liver function, blood levels etc like so many tests it wasn't funny. Everything came back normal and clear.

She also suggested an ultrasound, which I had, and this showed no signs of endometriosis or problems with my ovaries. On the scan my endometrium lining was thin and normal-possibly the result of the progesterone pills I was on. They gave me a normal pelvic ultrasound and then also one via my vagina, whilst everything appeared normal, the probe thing had some brown blood on it when they took it out, only a tiny bit.

My doctor also examined me internally whilst doing a pap smear, and again everything looked normal, except in doing the pap smear again there was some blood on the thing she took the samples with. I have a retroverted uterus.

My new boyfriend is much larger than anyone I've ever slept with before, and the sex lasts for longer so that could have something to do with it. I do not generally have any pain with sex, but if it goes on for longer-like the second time or whatever, it does start to hurt, even if I'm enjoying it and um sorry for being gross but well lubricated and stuff.

My doctor has now given me a prescription for Yasmin to try just because I have friends who are on that (including my sister) who like it. But she has given me a referral to see a gynecologist if the bleeding continues.

My mother had trouble with the pill, always had break-through bleeding and eventually gave up on it. My mother like me has always had very heavy periods and at about 48 they found fibroids so she had a hysterectomy but left the ovaries. I do not have fibroids at this stage, as shown by the ultrasound.

Sorry for such a long post, but just wondering if anyone has any idea what's going on. I do not bleed inbetween periods or after sex when I'm not on the pill, so I can only assume the pill is the cause. Anyone have any ideas? As I don't want to stop taking the pill as I then have painful periods, and to be honest constant bleeding is actually not as bad as the period pain, but I would love to have neither.