Hi everyone...... I'm on ortho tri-cyclen
low and last month I had an episode of
breakthrough bleeding about 2 weeks before
my period, and I think it might have been
due to forgetting to take one pill on time
later in the cycle. I called planned
parenthood to see what I needed to do, and
they told me to continue taking my pills
as I normally would being sure to take the
missed pill and everything would be fine.
2 weeks after the breakthrough bleeding I
ended up getting my period as usual but it
was shorter.
Earlier today I noticed some very light
breakthrough bleeding, and i'm really
scared... I've been taking my pills as
i'm supposed to and I haven't missed any,
so I don't understand why this is
happening. Is there a good possibility
that i'm pregnant? I've also been sick
twice this month and have been under
considerable stress, and I didn't know if
that had anything to do with it either...
Either way, I wanted to ask what the
cause of this might be before I jump to
conclusions.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Nicole
|
wakkochic17
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 01 Mar 2004 Posts: 494 Location: South Carolina
Posted: 09-09-04 12:59pm
Stress can certainly mess your cycle up..
It used to do that for me. It may also
be the level of hormones. I tried a low
estrogen pill for a couple of months one
time and was fine for awhile, but then
after a few months I was getting the same
breakthrough bleeding your describing and
then a light period. I had to go up to
the higher dose of estrogen again. Also,
I would get breakthrough bleeding if I
missed a pill early in the pack, even if I
remembered to take the missed pill the
next day. So I would not worry about
pregnancy, but I would go to your doctor
and look at changing pills if it keeps up
for the next month or so.
|
rabiddustbunnie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Posts: 73 Location: PA, USA
Posted: 09-09-04 13:09pm
Thanks for replying! Yeah, i've been
reading a lot of posts here on the forum
and a lot of women have experienced the
breakthrough bleeding with ortho tri
cyclen lo.... Knowing i'm not alone
makes me feel a lot better.
much like you, i've been taking ortho for
quite awhile then all of the sudden i'm
experiencing breakthrough bleeding! I
started taking the stuff in january.
Anyway, I contacted planned parenthood
yesterday and they put me on a different
pill, alesse. I start taking it next
month. It actually has a lower level of
estrogen, but a higher level of
progesterone. Ortho tri cyclen lo also
made my pms 10 times worse! Ever since I
started taking it i've been getting
depressed very easily. I'm hoping I have
better luck with alesse.
Ugh this morning I was so worried about
the breakthrough bleeding that I actually
went to giant eagle and purchased a
pregnancy test. Lol I know some women
experience implantation bleeding when they
are in the early stages of pregnancy (and
i've been having some syptoms which are
very similar to those a pregnant women
has). Thank goodness the test results
were negative since i'm not ready for a
baby yet.
nicole
|
Cassy
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 06 Jun 2004 Posts: 103
Posted: 09-12-04 15:35pm
Oh oh! Dustbunnie, I have a question!
I was on orth tri cyclen lo for about 3
months and had periods that were 10 days
long. So they switched me to alesse as
well. Everyone seems to say that more
estrogen is better, not less. Do you have
any idea why they change dus both to
alesse to try to help with the bleeding?
Will higher progestrone really help? I
just started alesse today so I guess i'll
find out soon...
|
rabiddustbunnie
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 20 Mar 2004 Posts: 73 Location: PA, USA
Posted: 09-13-04 08:32am
I was confused by that too cassy. it didn't make much
sense to me either... I know the main
reason they switched me is because ortho
tri cyclen lo made my pms 10 times worse
than when I wasn't on birth control. It
also caused me to get very depressed.
They figured a lower level of estrogen
won't make me go as crazy every month.
Lol progesterone I believe is the hormone
which thickens the lining of the uterus.
So having a higher level of progesterone
allows a pill to have less estrogen... I
believe estrogen is the hormone that
causes more problems with us women
overall. Some women can't tolerate it
very well.
Please let me know how you're feeling in a
couple of weeks. I don't start taking
alesse until next month.
