Birth control pills are messing me up

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-26-2004
Birth control pills are messing me up
4
Thu, 02-26-2004 - 2:12pm
Maybe somebody can help me out here. I haven't fully explored this site yet, I just happened to stumble across it. I am 19 years old. I started to take Nordette in December 2002/January 2003. And I had no side effects at all. Never spotted, no weight gain, etc. I stopped taking them in October or November of last year (2003) for no particular reason except that I was having financial troubles. I got frustrated with my period being so heavy, so I started taking them again last month. I started to take the Nordette again and right after I started taking them, I started bleeding. Now since I had never spotted before I didn't know what it was like. so I thought it was just a little blood here and there for a day or two. But I kept bleeding for 3 weeks straight. It was light bleeding, but too light to wear a tampon, which prevented me from swimming and such. I had my period which was just as light as the rest, but it was time for my period.

So i was finally relieved when I stopped bleeding. I went to planned parenthood to see if I could save money on the pills. They didn't have Nordette so had to give me Ortho Tricyclen Lo. Which she said would be almost the same thing. So I started taking that this month. So I got through a weeks worth of pills, and started on the second shade of the blue pills, and here I am bleeding again. I had cramps when I started bleeding, and still have them. It's been 3 days now that I have been bleeding. This has become a real inconvience. Is this supposed to happen? Should I stop taking them, or will that make it worse? I know you spot when you change to pills with a different level of hormones, but what I don't understand is why didn't I before? And When can I be panty liner free for 3 weeks out of a month again? Instead I'm bleeding for 3 weeks and off for one, it seems mixed up to me.

Thanks
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 02-26-2004 - 10:47pm
Hi goldenchild, welcome!

Our bodies change, so mid cycle bleeding when you restarted Nordette is not that unusual, even though you didn’t bleed when you first began taking it. I’m not an expert but I thought that OTC-lo and Nordette were quite different pills. The Progestins are different and Nordette is a monophasic pill, with 21 days of the same dosage of hormones, while OTC-lo is a triphasic pill that has a different dosage in each of the three weeks of active pills. It could take you 3 packs of OTC-lo for your body to become accustomed to the different hormones. You should not stop taking your pills. If OTC-lo is a good pill for you the side effects will disappear in about 3 cycles. I know it it’s a real hassle going through all this but try and hang in there.

Good luck and hugs,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Fri, 02-27-2004 - 10:32am
I am no expert at all but I just wanted to tell you that even if you light.. that if your going somehwere or doing something where you could wear a tampon then you should.. of course don't wear them for reg everyday stuff but don't force yourself to not go swimming or anything like that.. it won't hurt you for a couple of hours to wear one for your own piece of mind. I an a spotter too and although I have had the same tampon box for almost 6 months I still keep them around for those exact times when I just need to use it. I just didn't want you missing out on stuff b/c of this. :) Chris
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-01-2003
Sat, 02-28-2004 - 5:19am
On a side note, on the spotting. I think its very painful to remove a tampon even 8 hours after inserting it if I am spotting, so I find myself in the same position as the poster and understand it. However, another option is the Instead menstrual cup. You can wear it 12 hours and it doesn't cause pain when you removed it like the tampons do if your flow is too light.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 02-28-2004 - 5:31am

Yeah, it can hurt...I think the tampon manufacturers suggest not wearing one if things are very light - if the tampon is too dry, you can cause some vaginal abrasions when removing it.

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