Spotting Still? What's going on?

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Spotting Still? What's going on?
6
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 4:59pm

I've been on birth control for almost two months now. I had spotting every day when I first started the pill. I just had a checkup with my doctor a few days ago and I told him that I'd been having spotting every day so he switched me to a different bc pill that's a higher dose of estrogen, he said that should stop the spotting. Well, it's been a few days and I still have spotting.

I'll tell him this again durring my next checkup (in about 2 more months again), but I'm wondering if it's going to go away or will he put me on a higher dose? And also..am I still fully proteced? I'm wondering because does switching make the pill less effective for awhile or should I be okay?

I'm in a committed relationship and we know that we both don't have STD's and condoms are just trouble for us. I want to make sure the pill is fully effective before he ejaculates in me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 9:10pm

Hi stephanien719, welcome!


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Mon, 09-25-2006 - 9:24pm

Thanks so much for the quick reply! I'm hoping for some more advice in the future too! :)

I'm not the one who decided to switch to a different pill, it was my doctor that said "Well you know there's a way to get rid of the spotting, which would be to move you to a higher dose estrogen pill." So that's what we did and are trying now. My spotting is a little lighter than the last pill gave me, but I still seem to have it a little. My first pill was the lowest dose of estrogen out there (Lessina) now I'm on Portia which is like Nordette. I have a check up with him again in two months but I don't know what to do. The spotting is very frusterating. Does that mean the pill is working or isn't when you spot? Does it mean I'm protected and it's okay to use it and have sex like I normally would? I don't understand why my body is doing the whole spotting process.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
Wed, 09-27-2006 - 7:20am

The pill does a couple of different things for you.


1.

Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Wed, 09-27-2006 - 7:57am

Okay, I'm getting it now. :)

So since I haven't had a period for a few months and my doctor said I might not have one again until I stop taking the pill, does this mean that no ovulating is going on since I'm not having my period?

Also, is it okay to have sex while spotting? And how much does the pill protect you against sperm. For example if you've both been tested for STD's and are free of them and aren't worried about the STD's anymore so you don't use a condom so you're just using the pill, how much is the pill going to be effective? The leaflet that came with both my Lessina and Portia both say that you only need to use a back up form/method for the first week and/or month that you're on the pill and if you miss a pill, but other than that it doesn't tell you that you have to use a back up method, just for STD purposes.

Thanks for all your help!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Wed, 09-27-2006 - 1:11pm

If you aren't having periods then you shouldn't be ovulating. Break-through ovulation rarely occurs but if it does the other two hormone related contraceptive mechanisms, thickened cervical mucus and thinned endometrium make a pregnancy very unlikely.


      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Wed, 09-27-2006 - 2:37pm
Thanks so much! You guys are great and have been able to help me and answer all my questions! Thanks for all your help! :)