Spotting in Between Periods

I had the same exact problem. I was on Ortho tryclen at first, then they put me on low and then we tried another pill. Nothing made a difference until I stopped taking the pill all together. I never had any problem with the pill before the birth of my oldest daughter, but after she was born I started having difficulties. I would say it is the birth control. I quite taking mine all together, but after my second daughter was born I had my tubes tied, so I don't really have to worry about it now! I hope this helps a little bit!

Just to be a different voice in the conversation, I would encourage you to investigate the long-term effects of birth control pills and other forms of estrogen on your body. It sounds like you are estrogen-dominant, which most women are unless they take care to avoid estrogens in the environment, in meat & dairy, and in other foods & drugs. Dr. John Lee's books ("What your doctor may not tell you about pre-menopause," etc.) and the website about his work would probably be very eye-opening. Yep--I'm a natural freak, and I've found this subject compelling enough to avoid birth-control pills and injections in spite of their convenience. Maybe you won't want to bother, but I feel like I need to speak up anyway when I feel the medical establishment is keeping women ignorant about things that could cause them great harm.

one word - vascectomy!! we tried it and it is working great for us. It was a simple proceedure. My hubby was off his feet for 1 day and now no worries.

Are you taking your pills at the same time every day? When I don't take my pill regularly (sometimes even a few hours late), I spot. It's the same thing you are describing. Maybe check with your OB/GYN though. Birth control pills are hormones, so maybe it has something to do with your hormone levels?

J.,
why not try to reschedule your annual appt to late May or early June? I understand not wanting an extra trip to the dr, but you should talk to them asap. Don't put it off. If it is just the pill then they could change it and everything would be better sooner. If it isn't just the pills, whatever is wrong will only continue to get worse until you go in July. Why spend an extra month or so, worrying about something that you can take care of now. If it was one of your daughters you probably wouldn't wait, so don't wait for yourself.

I had a few years of trial and error with birth control pills. When I was originally on the pill, I was on Ortho Novum...it worked great for years and then all of the sudden, I started having the spotting in between periods. I made my OB/GYN aware of the situation and we switched birth control pills. She put me on one with an Iron supplement included. It worked for a little while and then the same thing...spotting. We went through this about 3 times or so and finally we got to Ortho Cyclen and it's been great. I was on it for a few years before we tried to have a family with no problems. I went off of it for about 3 years - took us about 2 years to get pregnant (ovulation issues / progesterone levels being low is why it took 2 years to get pregnant)...and I've been back on it for about 1.5 years with no problems.

Sometimes, it's just trial and error to get the right dosage of hormone and the right combination of hormones. Talk with your OB/GYN and explain the situation...hopefully, he/she will keep working with you until you find the right one for you :-)

I was on Birth control for years and had to stop taking them because of the same problems.Evidently I was not started on them at the proper time and it threw my whole system off.I would call your OB/GYN and get to the bottom of it.

I went on the pill after our last child was born and for a year I spotted for 2-3 weeks before my period would start every single month. (I was on the pill when I was much younger and did not have this problem) My OB GYN ordered a pelvic ultrasound and it showed nothing. I finally just got my tubes tied, went off the pill and the problem cleared up just like that! If you have had this problem with other forms of the pill it sounds like it's the same type of situation. If you need peace of mind, maybe ask the doctor to take a peek on an ultrasound but I am willing to bet another form of birth control would be the way to go. Good luck J.!

I have experienced this as well my OB calls it breakthrew bleeding. -- Basically the birth control you are on is not working or may not be strong enough. You should change birth control.. I had this about 3 months ago and my dr. changed my birth control and now I am fine. Also if the birth control you are on is not working or is not strong enough you may end up pregnant. Breakthrew bleeding is how I got our third child. Just a warning
Best of Luck

Yes, I would say it is the pill. I was on the same pill, and it worked for the first year after my son was born, but then the spotting started. My GYN put me on NUVA Ring, which has worked great! No spotting, no migrains, no mood swings. You will hear alot of mixed reactions to the ring, but it has been a life saver for me personally. And until we can afford a "snip-snip", I'm staying on it!! Good luck.

Responding to your question:
I have had that problem for about 14 years. After having my second child I was getting my period for three days and then went away for about 9 days and then I began to spot. I became very weak. I didnt' make a big deal about it. I got pregnant again with my third. The problem was still there. I never said anything. After a year that my son was born I spoke up and told the doctor. First thing that came out of her mouth was to have a Hysteretomy ? but we tired A DNC. After the DNC she told my husband I still needed a Hysteretomy ? I wasn't happy and went for a second opinion and this doctor put me on the same birth control that you are on. I started to feel much better and even lost some weight. He said it was my hormones going crazy on me. He tired another birth Control now I am on Aviane Generic Brand. I only spot maybe once or twice a month not a big deal. I even tried going off several years ago and I decided to stay on. I do believe it is my hormones going crazy and some months are worse than others but I can deal with it not a big deal. I now how you feel. I would call the doctor and get an ultra sound done. You might just be like I am. Don't worry. I had a great friend tell me to change doctors and go see hers. That's what I did. Until I felt comfortable with how I felt. Paula

This is what I know as a nurse, since you are on a low dose estrogen birth control you are spotting. You are not getting enough estrogen to completly stop your periods and therefore have spotting. I have seen this in a lot of the patients, especially after you have children and get older our bodies change and so do our hormone needs. Run this by your doctor just to make sure. I hope all works out, best wishes.

Hi. Im 40and have been on bc for like 20 yrs. crazy right? well i have 3 kids and i had so many problems like my last 2 i had placenta acretia. anyway i couldnt get fixed due to bleeding after giving birth. i take a pill called microgestin fe 1/20.u will have light periods, maybe go 1 or 2 days and if u want u can take this pill everyday and never have 1. good luck

If I were you I would be high tailing it to the Dr. I had friend who started having heavy periods that would last for
ever, I don't want to scare you but they finally figured out
what was going on she had leukemia, She passed away about 1 yr
after she was dignoised. She had a 14yr old & 11 yr old.
That was 10 yrs ago. Hopefully your problem isn't as serious
as hers was, so go the Dr, Call them right now, and get in as
soon as you can. ASAP.(as soon as possible).
I will be thinking about you.
K.

I don't have any advice but I have always had the same trouble with progesterone-only BC pills and shots (depo). Since I can't breastfeed and use anything but the mini pill or depo, I'm looking in to all my options but may resort to strict condom use and "natural" family planning like charting.
I feel for you. There's no better birth control than the forced-abstinence that spotting and break-through bleeding induce. I hated having to clean up after every time we had sex and stopped having sex except the week or 2 every 6 weeks that I didn't spot.
Good Luck:)

I had this going on for 6 months with ortho-lo the only thing that stopped it was getting off that birth control. It's breakthrough bleeding. At one point I went and talked to my doc. and she said it was normal for it to happen to some people. Don't get offended but are you overweight? I've read that alot of people that are overweight, the lo doesn't work for since it's low amounts of hormones. This could be the reason for the breakthrough. Also, are you taking it at the same time, are you missing any days? When I'd miss one day it'd start and not stop for awhile. So this could also influence it. Either way, I'd go talk to my OB/GYN to see if you can be switched since it's obvious the pill isn't working well.

I have been having similar issues. I recently posted a similar question. Here was my post and my story...

"I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen for several years before deciding to get pregnant with baby #2. Got pregnant, had the baby, and then at my 6 week postpartum appointment, I had ASCUS (Atypical Cells of Undetermined Significance) pap results. Doctor wasn’t concerned since it was HVP negative, so she just told me not to skip the next years annual.

I went back on the Ortho Tri-Cyclen after my 6 week appiontment, and immediately had problems. My face broke out, and I had mid-cycle bleeding/spotting every single month. After several months of this, I called my OB/GYN. They put me on Loestrin 24 FE. No spotting during the first month and a period that only lasted 3 days. I thought it was great. Then month #2 on the Loestrin, no spotting again, but I had no period at all!

I got online to do some research about Loestrin 24 FE, and I saw that women everywhere were not having periods while on this pill. One woman wrote she hadn’t had a period on 6 months. I know some woman would love that, but I prefer to have monthly periods. So, I decided to go back on the Ortho Tri-Cyclen until I have my annual doctor’s appointment in the beginning of July. This is my first month back on Ortho Tri-Cyclen , and unfortunately, I am having mid-cycle bleeding again. This month heavier than spotting.

I understand that your body and hormones change after having a baby, but this is all very frustrating. Has anyone had similar experiences? Any good suggestions on BC pills (although I know they work differently in different people)? Should I be concerned about the ASCUS pap results I had June 2007?"

So anyway, that is my story. Very similar to yours. I decided not to call my OB/GYN again and just to wait until I have my annual in the beginning of July. That way we can sit down together, and I can tell her what it is exactly that I want in a birth control pill. Also, perhaps we will know more after I have my pap.

Don't know if any of that helps, but at least you know you are not alone. I will tell you when I did call my OB/GYN her nurse told me the spotting was due to the pills. That doesn't mean you should have to just deal with it every month. I would call, and they can try to find a pill that works for you. It will probably be a long process. I know I am preparing myself for having to go through many months of sampling pills until I find the one that is right for me. They say you have to be on a pill for 3 months before you can tell how your body/emotions will react. :(

On a side note, just curious, what tests did they do when these issues started?

Hi J. L,
I am also on the Orth Tri-lo and had the same problem. My Gyny put me on estragen for 7 days starting at the first day of my irregular bleeding. Mine was usually on or about day 15. He said that my uterus lining was too thin and that's what caused the bleeding. He said the estragen would thicken it up and hopefully solve the problem. Hope this helps!
J. G

i was on the same exact pill for close to 10 years. I had the same issue. I had been on others too and still spotted inbetween. More than likely it is just due to the pill. Of course I am not a doctor so if you really feel there is a need for concern I would call and ask them.

I'm with Stephanie L, that happened to me every time after I'd been on the same birth control for a year or two, so I just had to switch kinds. Good luck!

I have the same issue myself. I have not gone to the doctor to find out yet what it is caused from. I am not on any type of birth control because I had my tubes cut, tied and stitched after the birth of my last child. I never had this issue when I was on the pill though. The pill can cause spotting in between though for some people. I never had this problem until after my last child and after my tubal ligation. Sometimes a lot of stress can cause this as well. I would call your ob/gyn though and set up an appointment just to be sure there is nothing else going on. They may try a different pill and see if that helps any. Good luck.

D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7 and 4.

I've had the same problem for as long as I can remember. I usually switch birth control every year because my body seems to get acclimated and then wants to do its own thing. Usually I'll still be on active pills but my period will start, and normally once I switch to a different type of pill I'm fine for another year until i get acclimated again.

I have recently switched back to the ortho tricyclen since its the one I was on the longest with no issues. For me, I'm not married, so the birth control I feel like is unavoidable. Sure the naturalists say "just use condoms" instead, but when you've been with someone for a long time...wheres the fun in that? LoL, maybe talk to your doctor and see what he/she says, I bet its just the pills but your GYN might be able to talk to you more about the types of hormones in different pills and you can decide together what to try out for you.

I can TOTALLY relate to your problem! I have had the same issues for the last two years and finally gotten some relief (I think!). I, too, was told to try going off the pill which I did. It helped for a while but then started up again. After almost 9 months of trying other things, I ended up having a D&C a month ago. It is an outpatient procedure that was very quick and a fast, easy recovery. Not a big deal at all. There is a 70% chance this should permanently fix the problem. I just had my first period last week since the surgery and it was one day of light spotting, one day that was pretty heavy, and then one day of very minimal spotting and that was it! I had my one month check up yesterday and I was told that in two more months, that will be how my periods should stay so I can't tell you yet the end result but so far I have had no irregular bleeding at all and a very short period.
End result for you? I would make an appointment with your OB/GYN and see if this might work for you too.

Maybe your pill isn't strong enough.

Lucky me, never had that problem, have friends who have had it. They may need to increase your dosage, you may need a DNC, I would talk to my doctor about it. It could be you need to change the type of birth control you are using.
It could be (you don't mention your age) the begining of a real fun thing, like menopause. I wasn't on any birth control and started having 2 to 3 periods (to mini's and a normal one) when I was 35. After a year of it I had a DNC and things were normal for a year and then it started up again. Had a second DNC about a year later, and after that I had 1 period and that was the end. I haven't had another one since I was 42.
Again, I would talk to my GP and an OB-GYN. A second opinion wouldn't hurt and it might help.
P. R