Question...

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-09-2003
Question...
4
Tue, 06-01-2004 - 10:29am
Hi,

I'm fairly new to the board, I'm sort of a floater...Anyways I had a question about my birth control. I have been taking it for about a year and a half and have so far been on 2 different brands. The past 2 months I have noticed something a little strange. The week before my period is supposed to begin, its almost like my period wants to start but it doesn't. It's just a brownish liquid that I have and I'm not really sure what it is or why it is happening. The only thing that I can think of is I started taking the generic brand of my BC last month and this month so I didn't know if that would have something to do with it or not. I talked to some friends and they were saying that some people just can't take the generic brand. Any input would be great :) Thanks.


P.S. We also use condoms just to be sure so I'm not worried about getting pregnant.


Thanks,

Lacee

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-26-2004
In reply to: l_carver
Tue, 06-01-2004 - 11:17pm
When using the generic brand of birth control, there are side effects that come with them. Breakthrough bleeding is one of those side effects. That sounds like what you are experiencing. It is just your body getting used to the different dose and regulation of hormones. Nothing to worry about :o)

Good Luck!

Sarah

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: l_carver
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 8:03am
Some women tolerate generic pills a little bit differently than the name-brand pills of the "same" formulation. They're very close in dosage, but not necessarily absolutely identical, so you may have to allow for some adjustment, which can include breakthrough bleeding. Though what you're seeing doesn't seem the right color, it is--when blood is exposed to oxygen in the air, after a period of time it turns brown, just like when you have a cut on the outside of your body. If you're not having much bleeding, it can take long enough to leave your body for that chemical reaction (the iron in your blood with the oxygen) to take place, many of us have brown spotting before and after our periods for that reason.

No worries! And if the late cycle bleeding (third week) continues past the first couple of months on the generic, you might think about switching back to the name brand if that was all right before. It doesn't compromise your protection, it can just be annoying.

Good luck!

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: l_carver
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 12:06pm
The FDA states that they require generic drugs to be as strong as the branded equivalents:

http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/generics_q&a.htm

The only difference in formulation is in non-essential things like added colors or coatings. the actual active drug content has to be as strong as the regular version.
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: l_carver
Fri, 06-04-2004 - 8:34am
I posted a link to an article from Contraception Online in the last generic pill discussion where this is discussed....unless I truly misunderstand the article, there is a possibility of a slight difference in the active ingredients due to the tolerance indicated for "bioequivalence". From the last discussion: http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-bhcontracept&msg=11768.12&ctx=128


Judie

Co-cl for Birth Control Cl for Vulvodynia Support

    

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." Albert Einstein


Edited 6/4/2004 8:39 am ET ET by cl-judie_rae

Judie Cl for Birth Control