Personal Question

[Deleted User]

So I have a kind of personal question for you ladies. I have been spotting off and on for the past week. Nothing major, but I have noticed. I am not supposed to be on for another week and a half! I've been on the same birth control pills for the past 4 years and have not had any slip ups with it. I've never had spotting before...ever. I'm trying not to jump to conclusions here; I'm sure i'm not pregnant - but how can you really be sure? Anyone able to think of another reason this may be happening or have an experience to share?

This is a bit of a post and run, I have a meeting for about an hour here...but i'll be back around 2:30 to read up on comments and answer any questions. Promise!

hetshup

Pee on a stick. Keep in mind you've lost a pretty significant amount of weight and it will change your bidy's reaction to BCP.

Blue & White

I agree, you don't really know until you pee on a stick (and I'm kinda psychotic, so I wouldn't believe the first stick, frankly...)

BUT there are lots of non-preggo reasons for spotting too. 

Hazel_B

I agree about the pregnancy test, however if everything was fine with your last cycle, it is too early to test anyways, right?

bsidebella

What kind of BC are you on? I was on Yaz for about a year when I started spotting , at first on and off, and then consistantly for the next seven months. It only stopped when my gyn. put me on estrogen for 30 days. A week after that, the spotting started again. I stopped spotting a week after I quit Yaz. My body just did not handle being on BC well.

bourgehm

When I was on birth control, I would spot on and off randomly too. Just take a pregnancy test if you're worried about it, and possibly call the gyn if you're worried.

marleylikeair

Like PPs, have said, lots of things can cause spotting. Call your gyno and ask if he/she thinks you should stop taking the pill until it's been long enough to take a pregnancy test. Just to be safe, don't drink until you know you're not. NOT saying I think you are, though! Like we said, spotting happens for plenty of reasons, including no discernable reason at all. You said you've had no slip-ups with the pill; does that mean you've taken it at the same time every day consistently? Once, I missed a pill for a full 24 hours (didn't take it until the next night, along with the pill I was scheduled to take that night), and that caused some spotting, almost like a full period.

[Deleted User]

Thanks ladies. I thought you couldn't get accurate results on a pregnancy test until after a missed period?? That is why I haven't worried about that yet...Guess i'll know in about a week here if I need to do that.

hetshyp - I am thinking it is probably weight loss/working out related. At least that's my logic...and i'm sticking to it!

bella - i'm on ortho-tri-cyclen and i've never had any issues before with it.

Thanks for responding ladies! I was just a little worried since I've never had spotting between cycles (on or off of BC) in the past. I know it can be caused by all kinds of things...but just wanted to see what you all might think.

Elle1036

I was going to mention the weight loss thing, too.  I lost a lot of weight my freshman year in college, and it threw my cycle off for a while.

It could also be due to something else random that you haven't thought of.  If you have a certain female friend that you've been hanging out with more often lately, or if you've been eating differently...  the list could go on and on.  The point is, little things can sometimes throw your body off a little, and it's generally not cause for alarm.  Give it another week and if things aren't back to normal, take a pregnancy test and call your doctor.

skyler1108

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I was on a pill for 2 years and started to spot. I too freaked out a little and went to see my doctor. He told me I was not pregnant and that it is common to have some spotting when you have been on the same pill for a long time because your body becomes use to that pill. He switched me to the ring and I have been good for 4 years and counting with no spotting. I would see your doctor and see if he can recommend another bc for you that will get rid of your spotting.

SopChick

I used to take ortho-tri-cyclen, and was on it for a couple of years before having spotting out of the blue too. The spotting started around the same time that I lost a significant amount of weight (...which I subsequently put back on, but that's another story for another time!) and the solution my doctor had was to change the brand of pill.

Congrats on the weight loss!

Beads921

I randomly spotted a few months ago (6? maybe?) after 2 years on the same pill. Freaked me out, but it went away. Still not sure why it happened, but these things do sometimes.

I'd be inclined to blame the exercise/diet change/subsequent weight loss in your case though.

futuremrstje

Stress can cause spotting too... Not sure if you're stressed out at all but that's another possibility. I've been on the same BC for 2 years now, never had any problems and things have been crazy for the last few weeks at work, and there's some stuff going on with my mom that's causing me a ton of stress and I had some spotting...