**disclaimer:: (To protect my a$$) - I'm not a doctor, though sometimes I feel like I should be. I am not giving medical advise. This is all fact. Before making any and all medical decisions about BCPs, please consult your doctor.**
Ok, really quickly I'm going to post this. Everyone seems confused by their BCP and it's really ok, I promise you all!! I'll explain why:
When you get your period, your body sheds the endometrium, which is the lining of your uterus (pending you are not pregnant). This happens due to a very interesting rise and fall of two hormones: progesterone and estrogen. Every month your body expects you are going to become pregnant, so there is a HUGE rise in progesterone. When the egg does not attach to the uterus, your progesterone and estrogen levels fall causing your period.
BCPs make your body think its pregnant. Most of you are on a combo pill, which is a mixture of estrogen and progesterone. Essentially, the pill keeps you from ovulating. When you stop taking the pill for your non-active week (aka placebo pill), you are actually having what is called a 'withdrawal bleed.' You have not ovulated, so this is not technically a 'real' cycle. Simply, the lack of hormones from the placebo pills have caused you uterus to weaken which turns into a bit of bleeding. This is why with every "period" on the pill it gets lighter. With every month, the pill thinning your uterine lining, causing your "periods" to be lighter and less pain full.
Break through bleeding, which is what I bet a majority of you ladies have experienced, is as normal as it gets. It's a side effect of nearly ALL pills. It usually stops by the 3rd or 4th month. However, if this bleeding last longer than 3-4 days and is abnormally heavy, I'd call your doc.
Ok - I need to go shower, but trust me: I've been on every pill under the sun and than some. I've done so much research on this crap my head could explode. HTH!
DX stage 4 endo 4/2005
Lap #2 7/2007
Lap #3 8/2009 uterus, tubes & cul-de-sec fused. partial bowel resection.
LUPRON
Surprise BFP 4/2010
Layla Grace 11/17/2010
Surprise BFP 12/2011 - stick baby stick!
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