Spotting before my period, while on the pill

Scared · Guest

Hi

I am currently on 'the pill' and am sexually active. Last week [exactly] I had sex [with a condom] and a few days ago I started having brown spotting. It isn't much, I usually only see it when I wipe. I should have my period in a week. Is spotting before your period when you're on the pill normal, or is there a chance I could be pregnant? Most days I take my pill between 9:00-12:00 at night, but the past couple days I have been working late and haven't gotten it until about 2:00 to 4:00 in the morning. Perhaps this is the reason? How soon would a pregnancy test give an accurate answer? I really need help... a pregnancy is not something I want.

Carifairy · Veteran Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2727

Hi there!

DO NOT worry, taking the pill late WILL cause the spotting you mention.You did not take it 24 hours late, so you are still protected!

Just in case though, you can take an early pregnancy test 5 days before a peirod should show up. You must get an early test though, it will say it on the box =)

Scared · Guest

Yesterday the spotting became more of a discharge, and more 'period like' so to speak. It was still brown but a little bit of it was red. I haven't had any more of it though. So this is just a result of taking a few of my pills in a row 3-5 hours later than usual? Implant spotting wouldn't last for over 3 days and become heavier.. right? I talked to a friend who is nurse, and she said that since I used a back up method that all my bases should be covered and that it's just the start of my period. I'll still get my period next week though when I finish this week's active pills right? I know it's a lot of questions, but I just want to make double sure that this would be the result of something OTHER THAN a pregnancy.

Carifairy · Veteran Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2727

You only get 1 period while you are on birth control, it is your "placebo' week, ANY other bleeding is breakthrough bleeding.

Yes, you may continue to bleed or spot until your next period.

YOU only took your pills a few hours late, so ovulation is still very very unlikely.

Scared · Guest

Alright, I think I understand all of this now. I know nothing about implant spotting (except that it's when the embryo attatches to the lining of the uterus) so when I got on here and started reading about it, I thought that's what it could have been. Could you tell me a little bit about it for future reference? The only time I've ever had break through bleeding was the result of completely skipping two pills a couple months ago. I didn't know that taking them a few hours late would cause spotting. I suppose it shouldn't worry me, because I hadn't missed any pills [or been overly late] at all before I had sex last wednesday (28th), and then the saturday following was the first day that I started taking them LATE, then I took late ones on sunday and monday. I took all of the other ones besides those in a regular time window. Plus, we used a condom and it did not break. So you think that this is just break through bleeding as a result of taking a few pills late? Gosh I feel like such a pain in the butt asking all these questions! I just want to know the facts of it all, and try to calculate my chances of actually being pregnant so I'm not stressing myself out all the way into next week when my period is scheduled to come.

Carifairy · Veteran Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2727

Hmmm... Implantation bleeding does not happen to ALL women, it is a very individual occurence.

Many women will have implantation bleeding 6-14 days after sex, because that's how long implantation can take. This is also close to the time of a real period, so women may mistake this as an actual period.

Scared · Guest

So.. do you think this could be implantation bleeding that I'm having.. even when using a condom and taking my pills on a normal basis BEFORE I HAD SEX...?

thenewguy · Newbie Joined: 11 Jan 2007 Posts: 1

I just came across this forum thought id ask. Me and my girlfriend had sex and neither one of us likes a condom so it wasnt involved. she is also on birthcontrol and has been since May but shes freaking out because she hasnt started spotting and her placebo week is this coming monday. She thinks she may be pregnant, oh i also forgot that i never ejaculated inside her i pulled out each time, but should i be worried that she isnt brown yet. I know absolutely nothing about periodsso please someone shed some light on this subject for me thanks.

Carifairy · Veteran Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 2727

Women actually SHOULD NOT regularly spot the week before a period, every once in awhile is normal, but the ONLY regular time to have bleeding is during a PERIOD.

If she takes her pill everyday, then she has a 99% chnace of NOT being pregnant.. That's basically as good as you can get..

adyttude · Newbie Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 1

I am on the the patch, and I had sex like a month ago of so (Dec. 21.2006) and we used a condom adn i was on birth control. How ever my period for the month was heavy so I had to start my patch a week later (Jan.8.2006) However now a week later I am spotting... could this be from just an irregular restart of the patch. meaning my body had a two week break not a one? Please let me know I am kinda freaking you here.

Spotting before my period, while on the pill

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