Breakthrough bleeding with BCP's--constant!!!

clogle · 04-25-2005, 04:00 PM

I have always had horrible experiences with BCPs. I now know it has to do with the PCOS, but nothing has changed. I've tried about 15 different kinds of pills and every one causes me to bleed constantly. My doc insisted that I try them again to get my hormones under control. I have been on them for about 2 mos and started bleeding my 9th day on them. She put me on Provera for 30 days to stop the bleeding, which is did--for about 2 weeks. I started bleeding again last week and finished the Provera yesterday.

I go back in to see her in 2 1/2 weeks, but I know she is going to tell me to stick with it. She thinks after 3 mos that it will fix itself, even though it never has in the past.

Also, I have been so irritable that most of my friends just try to steer clear of me. It has been bad the whole time I have been on the BCPs, but it got 5X worse with the Provera. I am hoping it calms down a little now that I am finished with them.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had problems with the irritability and bleeding and what can be done about it.

dachshundqueen · 04-25-2005, 04:06 PM

Sounds like it's time for you to see an RE. When I went and gave up on the OB/GYN, I was as frustrated as you are and had the wonderful 6 week long period with a 2 week break. Switching BCPs did not hold the answer for me. Perhaps a complete blood work up could lead your doctor in the appropriate direction.

Metformin straightened out my cycles and led to some normalcy in my life, although I'm not IR.

HTH
Liz

clogle · 04-25-2005, 04:35 PM

I'm already on the Metformin and I've lost about 25 lbs, but all my others symptoms seem to be getting worse. My acne is horrible and my periods have gotten crazy. Even before I started the pills, I would be on a few days, off a few days and so on. That was going on for about 3 mos. That's why the doc really wanted me to try the pill again. What is an RE? At this point, I am ready to try anything......

dachshundqueen · 04-25-2005, 04:45 PM

An RE is a reproductive endocrinologist. Their specialty is figuring out what the heck is going on with your hormones/metabolism/etc., treating it, and trying to get this to some semblance of normalcy.

HTH Liz

clogle · 04-25-2005, 04:59 PM

Okay, thank you. I definitely think I need to try something else.

Fleegle4 · 05-06-2005, 12:18 AM

I'm about to start my fourth brand. My experiences so far:

Pill 1: Zovia (which I'm told is generic Demulen). Lots of breakthrough bleeding, and fairly heavy. Nix to this pill.

Pill 2: LoOvral. No breakthrough bleeding. I've been on this pill twice -- I tend to take pills for 6-9 months to jumpstart menstruation. What I really hated about this pill is that it made me feel dead inside -- just 'not right'. I probably had no libido, but that wasn't an issue at the time, so I didn't worry about it too much. I did notice that I had vaginal dryness, too. I think this one also had serious breast tenderness. However, if no bleeding is your number one concern, you might want to try this one.

Pill 3: Ovcon. For this cycle, having no libido would be a very negative side effect, so my doctor put me on this one rather than taking LoOvral again. Overall, I liked this pill a lot, EXCEPT for the breakthrough bleeding. Although all the bleeding was light, my cycle on this was one week clear, one week bleeding -- basically doubling up on periods. This has proven to be inconvenient, so today the doctor took me off this and is putting me on...

Pill 4: Yasmin. Hopefully I won't have the mood swings that others have reported.

I have found that if I can keep my weight in a normal-ish range (for me, sizes 4-14 US), I menstruate regularly without pills. When my weight goes outside that range, I need BCPs to jumpstart my system. I also have never gained weight on them; in fact I find it easier to lose on them. I have found that following a strict low-carb diet keeps me menstruating and ovulating on my own. However, when I cannot control my own diet and must eat what's available (such as being stationed overseas in war zones), I go over my high weight, and when I'm in control of my diet TOO much I can get down below size 4 -- in both of those cases, my periods stop. Back to the pills.

soldierbride · 05-08-2005, 03:56 PM

I can't answer any of your questions, but I can say I know how you feel. I started BCP a week and a half ago and I have been spotting the last few days. This will continue till I stop the Pill. I was just wondering why this happens?