Breakthrough bleeding - help needed!!! - Birth Control Message Board

sunshine84 · 06-17-2009, 07:23 PM

Hi -

I'm on Yaz, but I've taken my pill packs nonstop for 3 months.. In the 3rd month, and going to get my period in a week and a 1/2. I've had absolutely no problems until today when breakthrough bleeding started.. I thought it would go away (light, brown blood) but I just checked and it's now red as well..

I'm going on vacation next week and FREAKING out. I don't know whether to double up on pills, or to take a 3 day break from pills and I guess have a period? The reason why this method worries me is that even though I'm on Yaz my period usually lasts about 5 days, into the beginning of my new pack when I take the placebo pills.

Any advice on this is MUCH appreciated!!!

marie1987 · 06-17-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshine84

Hi -

I'm on Yaz, but I've taken my pill packs nonstop for 3 months.. In the 3rd month, and going to get my period in a week and a 1/2. I've had absolutely no problems until today when breakthrough bleeding started.. I thought it would go away (light, brown blood) but I just checked and it's now red as well..

I'm going on vacation next week and FREAKING out. I don't know whether to double up on pills, or to take a 3 day break from pills and I guess have a period? The reason why this method worries me is that even though I'm on Yaz my period usually lasts about 5 days, into the beginning of my new pack when I take the placebo pills.

Any advice on this is MUCH appreciated!!!

hmm ive had something like that happen to me when i was on the pill.
i would just carry on as normal, continue taking your pill each day and let your body sort itself out.
The pill can sometimes cause you to be irregular so maybe this month you are just comming on your period earlier then expected

sunshine84 · 06-18-2009, 01:23 PM

Hi -

I've also had breakthrough bleeding happen before, but this time as I said I'm trying to stop it/prevent it from getting worse as I'm leaving for vacation in a week.

Could anyone let me know what's the better method? Doubling up on pills (and for how many days?) or the 3 day break?

Thank you!

tgrobar75 · 06-20-2009, 09:44 AM

Neither. A 3 day break from active pills dramatically decreases the effectiveness of the pill. You could double up on pills (which may commonly be done for bleeding), but one early cycle is not abnormal. When doubling up on pills, you still need to continue active pills for the same length of time. For example, if you have six active pills left in your pack, and you take 2 per day for the next 3 days, what do you do when the active pills are gone? True, it may stop your bleeding for a very short period of time, but any withdrawal, or decrease in hormone levels may cause the bleeding to return. Does this make sense.