Question about the patch and bleeding

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-2004
Question about the patch and bleeding
1
Sat, 07-24-2004 - 8:02pm
Hi all! I'm new to this board and so my question may have been answered before but I'm freaking out right now. Here's my story: I just went to the gyno for the first time last week and explained to her that I wanted to go on birth control in order to lessen the pain from my period. The first two days are ridiculously painful for me and I usually have to take off from work due to the pain and nausea. So she told me my options and explained to my that the patch (ortho evra) had less side effects than the pill so I went with the patch. I have a low threshold for pain and so the lesser the side effects, the better. So I got my period last Saturday and so I started the patch that day as it says in the booklet. Saturday I was fine but Sunday I got really bad dizzy spells and nausea. I wasn't sure if it was from my period so i didn't think anything of it. On Monday, the same thing happened and on Tuesday, I almost had a fainting spell b/c i got really dizzy. I called Ortho Evra and they told me that dizziness is not common and that i should call my doctor. My doctor wasn't in so i did nothing. Then Tuesday night I started getting pains in my legs. I read the packet and it said that if you get pains in the legs or groin, to contact your doctor immediately. So what I did instead is I took the patch off. Now, I've had it off for nearly 4 days and although no more pain in the legs, I'm still dizzy and I'm stll bleeding. The reason I'm worried is because on Tuesday, my period was ending and my period usually only lasts for a maximum of 5 days. I'm now on my 8th day and I'm feeling weak and dizzy and very tired. I just want to know if this is normal and for how much longer am i gonna be bleeding like this? Its not just a tiny bit of blood either...it's not like a heavy amount but its enough, much more than a light flow. I'm just getting nervous and unsure of what to do! Thanks for listening :)
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 07-24-2004 - 11:06pm
Hi lizzynyu, welcome!

We have had a number of first time patch users post about severe side effects when starting Ortho Evra. Most side effects will go away after the body adjusts to the hormones in the method (pill/patch/ring) in about three cycles. Were you ever able to talk with your doctor about the problems you were experiencing?

What you are experiencing (the prolonged bleeding) is what usually happens when a user stops using a hormonal contraceptive in mid-pack. You were on the patch for four days and than took it off. You body got four days worth of hormones from the patch and then they were withdrawn. Your body saw this drop in progestin from the patch as the signal to begin your period all over again, and it did. You may continue to bleed for a few more days but it should stop fairly soon. If you haven’t already, you should talk with your doc. and tell her what happened. If you are still interested in hormones to help ease your periods, have you considered NuvaRing?

NuvaRing: http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp? is a small plastic ring that is worn in the vagina for three weeks and removed for one for your period and it has the lowest amount of estrogen (15 mcg) of any combined method available in the U.S. If the ring is a problem during IC, which rarely happens, it can be removed for up to three hours at a time and there are enough hormones in one ring that it can be worn continuously for four weeks and will still be effective which gives the wearer some flexibility in shifting her periods if necessary. Ring wearers report more discharge during their cycles, not necessarily a bad thing if one tends to be a bit dry, and on balance I think we have had more positive comments about NuvaRing than negative ones. Let us know how you’re doing, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill