spotting

[happycarrot]

I'm on the pill and have been for almost 10 years. I've been on this particular pill for 2 years. I had some problems with spotting between periods when I first started taking it, but that cleared up and I haven't had any problems since then, until now. I have been having some brownish discharge occasionally, not very much, just enough to be noticeable. I've also been having some cramps and my acne has gotten bad, both things that typically happen around my period, but it's not time for my period. (I'm on a 3 month pill, so I only have 4 periods a year on it.)

Can the pill be causing this even though I've been on the same pill for a while? I haven't taken any antibiotics or anything like that recently, and I'm very good about taking my pill at the same time every day. I have an appointment for my smear test next week so I'm going to ask the doctor then, but in the meantime, should I be worried about it?

---------- Post added at 11:14 ---------- Previous post was at 08:09 ----------

Anyone? Please? Should I be worried enough to move my appointment up to this week? Or is it nothing to be too concerned about?

[Stormsky]

Im sure its probably nothing, and you have your smear next week, so just wait until then to talk with your gp about it all..

[swgrl09]

Hey, I have been dealing with some spotting on my pill in recent months too. I have been on my current pill for about 2 years and about 2 months in a row this fall I had spotting. I realized that taking lots of vitamin C supplements because I was getting sick was causing it, because I noticed on my pill pamphlet it said that. But it could honestly be from anything, stress, if you took one pill late or something, anything that could cause your hormone levels to change a little. I had to switch a few years ago because my pill just wasn't strong enough for me anymore.

I really freaked out though about it, so there are threads on here somewhere in female problems where everybody helped me out. I even called my doctor on call (he was upset lol) and said it is normal to happen when you are on the pill, and unless it is consistent every cycle you should be ok.

[happycarrot]

Thank you! I have just been on the pill for so long that it's kinda scary for anything different to happen. I am thinking of ditching it and getting an IUD. One more question though, should I have my husband use a condom if I'm having spotting or am I still protected against pregnancy? I don't think it's really necessary but I don't want to get pregnant either.

[swgrl09]

You know, the doctor told me I still would be protected, but I still doubled up anyway just to be safe ... hate to risk it, ya know?

[happycarrot]

I know what you mean. I don't want yet another thing to worry about!

[happycarrot]

Sorry to be annoying (and this is probably TMI) but I had some stomach upset over the weekend--diarrhea on Saturday, then that cleared up on Sunday but I still had pain and gas/bloating. Then I started having this bleeding on Monday. Could that be what's causing it? That's the only thing I can think of that's been out of the ordinary recently.