When you start bcp your cycle changes completely.... There's 21 active pills and you should get your period at the end of those - on day 22 or 23, so the fact that it's earlier then before really isn't surprising. In fact if you were getting it on the 28th day then that would be a problem.
When your body is adjusting to pills (especially triphasic pills such as otc) it is very common to experience breakthrough bleeding (read: bleeding when you're not expecting to) as your body adjusts to the hormones in the pill. It can be a little rough - no one likes a 9 day period, but you're supposed to give your body 3 months to adjust to it. If you're still having problems after that then it probably means that that particuliar pull isn't right for you. You may want to switch to a monophasic pill which have an even level of hormones and are less likely to produce breakthrough bleeding. However, the dowside of this is that monophasic pills contain higher levels of hormones and do not mimic the body's natural cycles as triphasic pills do.
Best of luck to you
~laura

When you start bcp your cycle changes completely.... There's 21 active pills and you should get your period at the end of those - on day 22 or 23, so the fact that it's earlier then before really isn't surprising. In fact if you were getting it on the 28th day then that would be a problem.
When your body is adjusting to pills (especially triphasic pills such as otc) it is very common to experience breakthrough bleeding (read: bleeding when you're not expecting to) as your body adjusts to the hormones in the pill. It can be a little rough - no one likes a 9 day period, but you're supposed to give your body 3 months to adjust to it. If you're still having problems after that then it probably means that that particuliar pull isn't right for you. You may want to switch to a monophasic pill which have an even level of hormones and are less likely to produce breakthrough bleeding. However, the dowside of this is that monophasic pills contain higher levels of hormones and do not mimic the body's natural cycles as triphasic pills do.
Best of luck to you
~laura

Heh, i'm on ortho tri cyclen lo as well and also on my first cycle so I can compare notes. :d

i was on depo before this, though, and i'm not sure if it's still having an effect on me while i'm on the pill. Anyway, i'm on my last week of active pills and started having breakthrough bleeding on monday, a week before my scheduled period. It's nothing to bad, a dime of red blood about twice a day for monday thru wed, nothing yesterday( today is friday, of course) and just brown gooey stuff today. So I guess you're not the only one.

Anyway, here's some reading up on specifically otcl:

less then 1 in 5 people on it have breakthrough bleeding the first month (so less then 20%)

of those people, 1/3 to 1/2 of them won't have any breakthough in their 2nd month. So atleast things will hopefully get better.

Of course, if you have it byu the 3rd you may want to consider switching.

That's all from ortho's website based on a study so i'm not sure if it's near the real life occurances but it's good to know anyway. I'd say stick with it for 3 months. Or if you don't want to be on it because you're not having sex then tell you're mother to screw off. It's a perscription medication that you shouldn't have to use if you don't want to and have no reason to.

Thanks, i'm not having sex, but I most likely will soon and that way I know i'll be protected. I thought it was a good idea when my mom asked me if I would go on it.

My period started a week early and lasted like 12 days. I talked to my doctor and he said its normal for the first month. Since going on the pill just last month, i've lost 15 pounds, and my dr said this was normal also. If I keep losing tho, I will have to get off it because I have gone from 147 pounds to 132.