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Mid-cycle bleeding
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amberlina29307 posted:
I am 33 years old and have been taking Ortho-tricycln-lo for years. I have never had problems with bleeding outside of the placebo week. However, last month my pack of pills looked different, the doctor explained it was just new packaging and there was no difference in the actual pills. I began my period during the 2nd week of pills and it lasted 5 to 6 days, much longer than my usual 3 to 4. I did not have a period during the placebo week. I attributed the odd timing to stress. However it has happened again this month. I am in week 2 of my pills and my period has returned. it lasted 5 days. I am a bit worried about the abrupt changes in the timing, but have not been able to find any information on this. I have taken a pregnancy test, to double check and it came up negative.
1 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Mid-cycle bleedingI am 33 years old and have been taking Ortho-tricycln-lo for years. I have never had problems with bleeding outside of the placebo week. However, last month my pack of pills looked different, the doctor explained it was just new packaging and there was no difference in the actual pills. I began my period during the 2nd week of pills and it lasted 5 to 6 days, much longer than my usual 3 to 4. I did not have a period during the placebo week. I attributed the odd timing to stress. However it has happened again this month. I am in week 2 of my pills and my period has returned. it lasted 5 days. I am a bit worried about the abrupt changes in the timing, but have not been able to find any information on this. I have taken a pregnancy test, to double check and it came up negative.
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Jane Harrison Hohner, RN, RNP responded:
Dear amberlina: You did the right thing in ruling out pregnancy first. Once that is established then one is left with hormonal causes of the breakthrough bleeding (BTB). In your specific case it sounds like you are only having one bleed a month, but it is now during week 2 instead of during the placebo week.

Your OrthoTri-Cyclen-Lo has 25 micrograms of synthetic estrogen in all active pills. The amount of synthetic progesterone rises from .18 mg to .215 moving from week one to week two (week three has .25 mg). It is hard to know why this shift has suddenly become a focus for the BTB--and at no other time. Honestly, many women have written us that stress can seemed to prompt BTB among birth control pill users. Yet there is no published data or studies to examine/confirm this.

Bottom line, BTB on hormonal methods of birth control is a nuisance side effect. The protection from pregnancy should still be in effect. If your poor cycle control persists you should return to your GYN or clinic. Often a change in the brand, or formula, of birth control pill will fix the problem. Some women will also elect to stay on their current Pill and just know that their "Pill period" will come in mid-pack. ..Hopefully your poor cycle control will resolve as abruptly as it began.


Yours,
Jane

Report This| Share this:Mid-cycle bleedingDear amberlina: You did the right thing in ruling out pregnancy first. Once that is established then one is left with hormonal causes of the breakthrough bleeding (BTB). In your specific case it sounds like you are only having one bleed a month, but it is now during week 2 instead of during the placebo week. <br /><br />Your OrthoTri-Cyclen-Lo has 25 micrograms of synthetic estrogen in all active pills. The amount of synthetic progesterone rises from .18 mg to .215 moving from week one to week two (week three has .25 mg). It is hard to know why this shift has suddenly become a focus for the BTB--and at no other time. Honestly, many women have written us that stress can seemed to prompt BTB among birth control pill users. Yet there is no published data or studies to examine/confirm this.<br /><br />Bottom line, BTB on hormonal methods of birth control is a nuisance side effect. The protection from pregnancy should still be in effect. If your poor cycle control persists you should return to your GYN or clinic. Often a change in the brand, or formula, of birth control pill will fix the problem. Some women will also elect to stay on their current Pill and just know that their "Pill period" will come in mid-pack. ..Hopefully your poor cycle control will resolve as abruptly as it began.<br /><br /><br />Yours,<br />Jane<br /><br />
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