TMI Birth control question

Blackbird230

I've been on Low Ogrestel pills for 6 months now. Last month, I decided to skip the inactives because of my sister's wedding. Everything was fine and dandy and I start taking inactives again this Sunday. However, yesterday I started getting brown spotting. I thought spotting because of not taking the inactives was supposed to happen the week you should have taken them, not 3 weeks later? Should I be worried? I googled like crazy and everything that comes up is that brown spotting is attached to pregnancy or STDs. Should I grab a pregnancy test or look into getting retested for STDs just in case? I'm a worrywort. Ladies, please help!

queenofhearts1728

You're fine. Skipping a period throws off your cycle a bit, so it's normal to have breakthrough bleeding. It's only brown because it's oxygenated. 

ETA: Did you skip the placebos and continue on as normal or did you not take pills at all for that week?? 

Blackbird230

@queenofhearts1728 so I should have a regular period next week like usual? (hopefully?)

CASK85

When I've skipped inactive pills and gone straight to the new pack in order to skip a period I have experienced breakthrough bleeding in the few days/week before the end of the second pack (shortly before my normal period should have started, and then did start). 

Blackbird230

@cschiano it feels so good not to be alone right now. Love you all so much.

queenofhearts1728

Kait said:

@queenofhearts1728 so I should have a regular period next week like usual? (hopefully?)

If you skipped the placebos and continued on with your active pills, you'll likely have breakthrough bleeding and your period again when you hit your placebos. So really, you wouldn't have a full period for 6 weeks.

If you skipped the palcebos and didn't continue with your active pills, it's hard to say. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it sounds like you just stopped taking the pills for a week and then took your placebos (which would have given you your period.) Your cycle will most likely be messed up for a bit until you're on a full month again. 

If you did stop taking any pills for a full week and you had unprotected sex, I'd take a pregnancy test to be sure. But that's just me... I'm paranoid about babies. I once took a pregnancy test after taking my pill an hour later than normal lol

Blackbird230

@queenofhearts1728

I just did back to back packs, skipping the placebos. So I just went from end of Week 3 on one pack to Week 1 on the other.

queenofhearts1728

Kait said:

@queenofhearts1728

I just did back to back packs, skipping the placebos. So I just went from end of Week 3 on one pack to Week 1 on the other.

Then you're golden! haha I wouldn't worry at all. the spotting is totally normal.

phira

Yeah, you should be fine. Sounds like typical spotting!

loves2shop4shoes

I think you're fine.  Breakthrough spotting happens.

psychbabe314

I think you're good. I get breakthrough spotting when I skip my inactive. My doctor once told me that the darker brown color is just due to the fact that it has been sitting longer and is no longer "fresh".

phira

I was in a rush to get to class earlier, but I thought I'd say a little more.

I didn't spot a lot on the pill because I rarely skipped the placebos, but since getting Mirena, I spot occasionally. For me, it's like getting half a period (I still break out and get breast tenderness and stuff, but then just spot a tiny bit). I think my body is trying to have a normal period, but it gets confused.

Either way, I've only ever worried about irregularities--lots of tenderness, lots of spotting--when we've been super active. And that's only because I think I might be pregnant, and not because I think my period's broken or anything.

queenofhearts1728

phira said:

I was in a rush to get to class earlier, but I thought I'd say a little more.

I didn't spot a lot on the pill because I rarely skipped the placebos, but since getting Mirena, I spot occasionally. For me, it's like getting half a period (I still break out and get breast tenderness and stuff, but then just spot a tiny bit). I think my body is trying to have a normal period, but it gets confused.

Either way, I've only ever worried about irregularities--lots of tenderness, lots of spotting--when we've been super active. And that's only because I think I might be pregnant, and not because I think my period's broken or anything.

I hope this isn't offensive in any way, but this phrasing made me laugh out loud. I love it.

phira

@queenofhearts1728 No offense taken

psychbabe314

If it makes you feel any less worried, my doctor also told me that any type of spotting (more than just the implantation bleeding which only happens for a very, very, very brief time) is a reason to assume you are not pregnant. If you find spotting for more than a day or two, it is considered a "light period".

This may be TMI, but I have had a "light period" for ~3 days now. When I wipe, I find red or darkly colored blood. But, it is not heavy enough for me to wear a tampon/pad or even a panty liner. It only shows when I wipe. :-)

Stina51286

My doctor just recently put me back on three months at a time. In the middle of month two I had the same thing, but it didn't stop until I completely stopped the pills and waited for my period to stop. I've had this happen before and my dr. said to just stop the current pack, throw it away and wait to start the new one and start it all over.