Breakthrough bleeding, cramps, tissue, Seasonale, worried?

Augustdnc · Newbie Joined: 04 Aug 2006 Posts: 6

I've been taking seasonale for 9 weeks now, and for the the last part of the 8th week and the entire 9th week I've been experiencing breakthrough bleeding that is light, like I would be on the last few days of my period. I've also have been cramping, the cramping I'm having is from mild to a strong cramp where I have to stop whatever I'm doing to catch my breath. I've never missed a pill and I take in the morning it at the same time everyday. And also during sex the bleeding seems heavier. I know on Seasonale 1 out of 3 women will experience breakthrough bleeding for up to 20 days for the first few months they are on Seasonale, so I wasn't really worried. However yesterday I saw tissue on the pad I was wearing, I know you pass some tissue during a normal period, however, this is the first time I've seen it and it didn't seem like a normal amount/thing, it was kind of the size of quater. And then this morning the bleeding seemed heavier, and so far I've had only mild cramps. I was wondering if anyone has had an experience like this while on Seasonale or on birth contorl, I will be calling my doctor, however I can't get an appointment till next week due to work and the doctor's office houes, so I'm hoping some one might have some insight into what might be going on.
Thanks!

Guest · Guest

I was on seasonale for 3 months i did the one cycle, and i bled the entire 3 months i switched to depo provera and i've had no bleeding for two years! some women do not do well on the pill

Guest · Guest

I have been on seasonale for 3 mos and the break thru bleeding has been awful. I have now been bleeding for over 20 days. As I sit at my computer writing this email, I am almost doubled over with cramps. I have stopped taking the drug!

Guest · Guest

As i read your posts i am becoming more concerned. see i am having almost the same symptoms. The mild to strong cramping, the breakthrough bleeding and a large amount of tissue discharge. The pain after the discharge with the cramping was so out of the blue and strong i went to the er. They sent the tissue out to be tested and i have not heard back yet. now the strange part of this is i have never been on the pill. i have been on the depo since i was 16 which is 10 years minus the 2 years for the birth of my 2 daughters. i have been back on the depo after having my second daughter for 2 months now and was wondering if you ladies had found out any real information on this. The tissue discharge even had the er doctor in surprise. He said it was not any kind of skin from my receint c-section and it looked more like new skin or baby skin. I have an appointment with my doctor. will keep everyone updated and would love to hear others experience with this issue.

Guest · Guest

Im having the exact same problem on seasonale and this is my 3rd pack!
I'm thinking of asking my doctor if I can switch!

martham62277 · Newbie Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3 Location: Albany, NY

I was Seasonale for 2 years solid. I did experience the breakthrough bleeding during my first two cycles of it, but I was on it continuously. I did not have a period for 1 year and 10 months. I had to come off of it due to a possible mini-stroke aka Transient Ischemic Attack on June 17, 2007. I was then placed on a generic called Camila (progesterone only) and had a regular period when I started it. After I was given the A-ok to switch back to Seasonale, I didn't have any breakthrough until the 9th week of this pack. NEVER ONCE did I have any odd tissue like discharge other then thickened cervical mucus one month or egg-white like discharge the following month during the 2 years and 2 months I was on it. I'm wondering what was the color of the tissue discharge you experienced. My mother had told me when she miscarried one time that she could visibly see a grayish tissue matter in her menstrual flow, which was heavier than usual.

I was a smoker during the 2 year duration and that can alter the effectiveness of birth control, as well as certain medications. Aside from being told that antibiotics can reduce the effectiveness of BC, I was on a migraine medication for over a year and wasn't told that it can reduce the pills efficacy, until I went back on it. The medication is known as Topamax, and can cause birth defects if taken while in early pregnancy. As recently as 2/8/08, I quit smoking with the aid of Chantix. I stopped taking my Seasonale on 2/11/08, to allow for me to have a regular period, since the breakthrough is a nuisance. While experiencing light breakthrough, my S/O and I had unprotected sex on 2/18, no withdraw, at what I thought was the end of my "period" and again a few days later, in which he did withdraw. I didn't stop bleeding for another full day after 2/18. I've yet to take a HPT because I'm unsure of what exactly my cycle will be like. (It was between 28/29 days.) Although, I've experienced pregnancy like symptoms, they can also be quite similar to PMS. I had the smell aversion, nausea, cramping/twinging on one side and back pain. Aside from extremely sensitive breasts, I've never filled out a bra quite like this before. But I always get sore boobs with PMS, never fully fill the bra cups though. It's possible that I am pregnant, but I'll have to wait to see. We are actively TTC, but weren't planning on conceiving until April or May. So this may not to overly welcome news if it turns out I am, as per, he'd prefer a 2009 delivery for financial reasons.

To be back on point, as of yet, no one I've ever known has experienced tissue discharging, just clotting, sometimes very heavy clotting with the use of Seasonale or Seasonique. I hope that they can give you some answers as to the tissue sample. Most likely they are going to biopsy the tissue. Did they do any blood work to test you for levels of hCG? I wish you the best of luck and hope that you are doing well now.

Guest · Guest

I have been on Seasonale for 3 years. To this day I experience break-through bleeding that can last for two weeks...I paid really close attention to my habits and realized this: when I am stressed, working on a project that disrupts my sleeping cycle suddenly and for a prolonged amount of time, it doesn't matter if I take my pill in the regular 1-hour window I give myself...I will get the bleeding.

ALSO, at a completely different time a year ago, I wanted to get healthy. I went vegetarian for a month, eating lots and lots of soy, just about every meal (Morning star 'sausage' patties for breakfast, tofu stirfry for lunch, soy shakes, etc.). WELL, the estrogen-like properties of soy *freaked* my body out- I was eating so much of it for so long- that my period came sooner and heavier and longer.

I have had no tissue discharge, no cramps, though. Sometimes, though, When I'm sitting at my computer for a long time or when I just get up from bed in the morning, I do get that jelly-blob coagulated menstrual blood...could that be the 'tissue' you guys are experiencing? Maybe the doctor could give you one of those urine collection cups to collect the tissue to see what it really is.

sullivan852 · Newbie Joined: 08 Jul 2008 Posts: 2

I'm on my second pack of seasonale and I'm having a lot of problems. Before I started the pill I never got cramps, except very mild ones while I have my period. For both packs I have had severe cramps for the last four weeks before my period. It's been horrible, I have had to stop doing things because I have been in so much pain. I have also noticed some spotting and on my first pack I figured that was normal. But now I'm not so sure...it's not just some light bleeding; it's like I have my period. It started last week (4 weeks before the white pills) just as if I was at the end of my period. But then yesterday it's gotten worse, I actually had to use a tampon because I was bleeding so heavily. The pill is all my husband and I have been using for protection. There's no way I could be pregnant and this is a reaction or something?? I'm just not sure what to do; should I stop taking it or keep going until I'm done this pack? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Breakthrough bleeding, cramps, tissue, Seasonale, worried?

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