BC and Abnormal Bleeding?
 

I just started Ortho Tri-Cyclen on Oct. 7th. For the last several days (around 4 now), I have been bleeding as if I'm having a light TOM. Is this something I should have a doctor look at since I'm not due for my TOM until November 2nd?

At what point does it become something for the doctor to look at?

Thanks,
indieFan

Last winter I bled on BC for 2 straight months with bleeding that was so bad it met the criteria of "hemmorhaging" (soaking a pad in less than ten minutes). I could not get any gyn practice to see me until April (4 months into the future) and they told me it was not bad enough to go to the ER so I just gave up. You're fine.

Thanks for the response. Sorry to hear about your horrible experience.

I emailed the doctor's office that prescribed the BC and received the news that this is "break through bleeding and should go away after the third pack."

Not happy that I may have to put up with this for several months, but at least I'm not worried about it anymore.

The two months that I was on BC (biphasic, 50-to-1 progest/estro ratio) I bled every other week. Doctor said this was normal until my body adjusted to it, and to "not worry" unless it was still abnormal after three months. I stopped taking as it was stalling me, made me feel terrible and from what I've read hormonals have some screwy long-term effects. YMMV.

I don't take BC anymore (too old) - but when I was younger, anytime I was on a new BC, I had the same problem. It usually took me a few months for my body to adjust and then things went back to normal.

On the upside, for myself anyway, BC always helped me lose weight - whether I was trying to or not!