lots of questions....

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2004
lots of questions....
5
Thu, 06-17-2004 - 4:53pm

Hi ladies, this is probably going to be somewhat of a long story, but I'm hoping someone might be able to help me out...


I've been on Ovcon35 for almost 2 years (will be 2 in August). I have never had any breakthrough bleeding, have always gotten my period on time (i'm a Sunday starter and get it on Tuesdays)....I take the BCPs religiously on time...never more than 2 hours off schedule, but typically very precise...to the minute.


At the end of last year, I had 2 abnormal paps and was scheduled for a culposcopy...in between pap 1 and 2, BF and I were together and I think he was exceptionally deep, b/c I experienced some slight bleeding...but it never happened again after that.


Culposcopy and 3rd pap came back normal.


Last month, I got my period on Monday instead of Tuesday....


This month, during my 3rd week of active pills, I forgot my Tuesday pill for about 12 hours, so I took it as soon as I remembered...then took Wed's pill @ regular time... BF and I were together that Wed, and right after he said that secretions looked a little yellow...


I wound up having brown, pink, or red staining off and on every day since that Wed.... at first, I thought it was just especially deep penetration again, but it lasted for days...then on Monday it seemed like I got my period as usual...though a little heavier (since i"ve been on the pill it's been VERY light, but occasion months will be heavier...and there's no rhyme or reason to which months those are)...


So...what's going on? Should I be concerned??? I am a little bit, but I do have a gyno appt on the 21st, so at least I can get this cleared up quickly...


The other thing that kind of frazzled me was that I've been reading Fran Drescher's book, Cancer Schamancer, and I feel like i have some of her symptoms! (bleeding between periods, for virtually the 1st time, sometimes pain during intercourse, and AWFUL mood swings)...but I think I'm kind of young (almost 26) for uterine cancer...


*sigh* So, what do you all thinK?
Thanks for the insight!


Best wishes,
V

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 06-17-2004 - 10:11pm
Hi veildancer9, welcome!

You are right to ask your Gyno about your experience. However, it is perfectly normal for some women to have irregular bleeding after missing (more than 12 hrs. late is a miss) a pill. Your body is expecting a dose of hormones every 24 hours to maintain their levels at optimum. When you miss a pill the levels drop, then you took 2 pills within 12 hours of one another and the levels rose above normal and then 24 hours later when the next pill was taken, the dose was only ½ that of the previous one. I think that hormone level fluctuation destabilized your endometrium and you began irregular bleeding which continued on until your regular pill-period. The FDA is now suggesting that back-up be used for 7 days even if only one pill is missed, but I think you are probably fine there.

Discomfort during IC can occur if he thrusts into your cervix, or if you are very dry. If you are dry then a good water base lube such as Astroglide will work wonders. But, if it’s more than that you should talk with your Gyno about it.

The mind can play tricks on you. Personally, I think you psyching yourself out after reading Fran Drescher’s book. You should ask your Gyno about the possibility of cancer but I would think it is very slight if there is no history of it in your family. A good talk with him or her should put your mind to rest. Hang in there and don’t freak out on us! Let us know how you’re doing, ok?

Hugs,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 8:23am
I agree with Jill--remember, there are LOTS of reasons that women get bleeding between periods, mood swings, etc.! Bowel disturbances are a symptom of colon cancer but you don't start thinking you've got cancer if you go have bad Mexican, do you? ;)

Irregular bleeding and mood swings can be a side effect of the pill too. We do "outgrow" them sometimes, as our hormonal needs change as the years go by, and sometimes a pill we've been on won't have the right mix of hormones to meet our needs after a while. It is fairly common, though, to have some spotting after missing even one pill.

Take care! I bet everything is going to be fine...

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2004
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 3:57pm

Oh, dear! I didn't use backup!!! Eeeekk, now what? *sigh* Well, hopefully everything will be fine. Thank you for your response!


Best,


~V

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Fri, 06-18-2004 - 4:05pm
Outgrowing a pill doesn't mean that it stops working, it just means that those little benefits, like maintaining you uterine lining stop working. it also means that side effects that didn't happen before can start in, like loss of libido, mood swings, hair growth, etc. it simply means that your body chemistry changed and doesn't respond to the pill's secondary characteristics the same way as before. even if this happens the pill's primary effects will work. it will inhibit ovulation, implantation and make unfriendly CM. Don't worry!
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2004
Tue, 06-22-2004 - 2:40pm

Hi all, thanks again for responding. Just wanted to follow up:


I went to the gyno, and she said that most likely the spotting had to do with the missed pill for 12 hours. She said that it doesn't mean that the pill wasnt' working, and didnt' seem too concerned about it.


I also asked her about that pain/discomfort that I experience on my left side sometimes, so she checked me out...she said that she couldn't feel anything abnormal--it could just be the placement of my left ovary, but she suggested I get a sonogram just to make sure. I think I feel a lot better doing that instead of just ignoring it, especially since it doesn't seem like it's just going to go away. ;-)


Well, thanks again, and hope all is well with all of you!