Period FAQs

why is my period lasting so long on birth control

by Jared Kertzmann Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Hormonal birth control pills alter the body's natural hormone levels. Although many people use hormonal contraceptives to shorten or regulate their periods, they can sometimes result in heavier or prolonged periods. Abnormal periods are common during the first few months of taking a new hormonal medication.Aug 19, 2019

Full Answer

Will birth control make my period last longer?

Birth control pills containing melatonin alter the body’s natural hormone levels in a way that is not beneficial to the body. The use of hormonal contraceptives can sometimes result in heavier or longer periods, even though many people use them to shorten or regulate their periods. It is common for abnormal periods to occur during the first ...

Does birth control completely stop your period?

Take a moment to do a little happy dance because, according to Dr. Shepard, the answer is yes, it's totally safe to use birth control to skip your period.

Is prolonged bleeding normal after starting birth control?

This is not abnormal. Breakthrough bleeding (anything from light brown discharge up to bleeding like your regular period) is the most common side effect for women beginning birth control. Just continue using your birth control as normal and give your body time to adjust to the birth control you are using.

What are long term side effects of birth control?

  • Heart attacks
  • Cancers
  • Anaphylaxis
  • Sudden total or partial blindness
  • Pulmonary embolisms
  • Early unintended abortion
  • High blood pressure
  • Dizziness and fainting
  • Abdominal discomfort, bloating, and pain
  • Gall bladder problems, including gallstones

More items...

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Why is my period not fully stopping?

Having long periods frequently can indicate one of several potential conditions, such as endometriosis or uterine fibroids. A doctor can help diagnose and treat these conditions. Often, taking hormonal birth control pills or switching the type of hormonal medication can help people find relief.

Is it normal to have a period for 2 weeks?

How long is too long? Generally, a period lasts between three to seven days. A menstrual period that lasts longer than seven days is considered a long period. Your doctor may refer to a period that lasts longer than a week as menorrhagia.

Why have I been bleeding for 10 days on the pill?

It may simply take time for your body to adjust to the hormones in the pill or for your uterus to transition to a thinner lining (endometrium). You're more likely to experience breakthrough bleeding if you: Miss a pill. Start a new medication, such as certain antibiotics, or take supplements, such as St.

Why is my period not stopping after 10 days?

Uterine polyps or fibroids Uterine polyps happen when endometrial tissue grows on the lining of the uterus. Fibroids, similarly, are growths of fibrous tissue and muscle in the wall of the uterus. Both fibroids and polyps can cause periods to be heavy, full of clots, and last longer than a week.

How long is too long for a period?

Menstrual flow might occur every 21 to 35 days and last two to seven days. For the first few years after menstruation begins, long cycles are common. However, menstrual cycles tend to shorten and become more regular as you age.

Is it normal to have periods for 12 days?

Anyone experiencing menstrual bleeding that lasts longer than 7 days or requires them to change their pad or tampon every hour for multiple hours in a row should speak with a doctor. The doctor can help diagnose the cause and provide treatment.

Should I go to the hospital if my period won't stop?

Heavy menstrual bleeding, called menorrhagia, is fairly common but may lead to serious complications. Untreated heavy menstrual bleeding can cause anemia. If you experience weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pain along with heavy menstrual bleeding, it's recommended that you seek medical attention.

Why have I been bleeding for over a month?

Long-term spotting could be the result of fibroids or polyps. Fibroids occur on the uterus and are the result of overgrowing muscles. Polyps are overgrowths that occur in the uterus or cervix. Both of these conditions are benign, but they can cause discomfort when you urinate as well as cause irregular bleeding.

How Do I Put On The Birth Control Patch

How long does it take to have regular periods again after stopping birth control?

When Will My Periods Return After I Stop Taking The Pill

It takes a while for your periods to come back after you stop taking the pill. Most women will have a period around two to four weeks after stopping the pill, but this depends on you and what your cycle is normally like.

How Many Days Will Sperm Survive In A Woman On Birth Control

I started birth control a month and a half ago. Me and my boyfriend had unprotected sex for two weeks, I was taking my pill perfectly the entire time, exact time and everything. However, I begin to get an extremely irregular period that lasted about 2 weeks .

Birth Control Pills And Period: Your Questions Answered

Laurel is a linguist at heart and studying to become a Certified Spanish Interpreter and Translator. She believes in making quality healthcare accessible, and is proud of PlushCare’s mission to do so.

Combination Birth Control Pills

If a combination birth control pill is started for the first time on the Sunday after your period begins, your period should occur about 25 days later. Ask your healthcare provider which day is the best to start your specific pill pack. If your period begins on a Sunday, you can start the pill pack on that Sunday.

Removal Of The Lining Of The Womb

Another option is to remove the lining of the womb . Here the tissue is removed using surgical instruments or destroyed, for instance using laser beams or microwave energy . After the procedure, the woman often stops having periods, or her periods are much lighter. This makes pregnancy unlikely.

Your Period Can Change Over Time

Maybe you used to get a heavy flow during your periods, but now theyre lighter. Or maybe some periods are lighter and others are a little heavier. This is pretty normal, Zhang says.

Delaying Your Period With Birth Control Pills

How To Shorten Your Period ? How To Make Your Period Lighter And Shorter

What Are The Treatment Options For Heavy Periods

There are various treatment options available for women who have very heavy periods, including medication, hormonal contraceptives and surgery. Knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of each can help make it easier to choose an appropriate treatment.

Number : When Do You Get Your Period On Birth Control

So the pill was designed so you’d get your period during the time you take the placebo or “sugar” pills, also called inactive pills. This commonly happens for a week at the end of a standard pill pack.

Do I Get A Real Period On The Contraceptive Pill

Nope. The bleeding you get when youâre on the pill is not the same as a menstrual period.

You Can Get Pregnant Before You Even Get Your Period Again

When your body realizes youve stopped taking the birth control , you might begin to ovulate, which means you can get pregnant right away, she says.

Can Anybody Take Birth Control Pills

Almost all teens can take birth control pills. There are only a few reasons why your health care provider might feel that you need to choose other methods of birth control. These reasons are called contraindications.

How To Keep Track Of Your Menstrual Cycle

You can use a menstrual tracker like Flo to keep track of your cycle. Period tracking apps let you log your symptoms and determine when you should expect your period. This can also take some weight off your mind, since you wont have to remember when your period is due to arrive. The app will do it for you!

What if the bleed looks like a heavy period?

If the bleed looks like a heavy period and is heavy enough to fill a tampon or pad per hour for around 2 to 3 hours, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch with your doctor. This is especially the case if you’re also lightheaded or dizzy, as this could be a sign that something else is going on.

What could cause the breakthrough bleeding?

Breakthrough bleeding is usually a side effect of taking birth control, especially if you’re on hormonal contraceptives and you’ve only started taking them within the last 3 to 4 months. It’s also possible to experience breakthrough bleeding if you’ve recently switched from one type of birth control to another, or if you’ve switched birth control pills and your new prescription has a higher oestrogen dose.

Does getting a period in the middle of a pill pack mean I’m pregnant?

Getting breakthrough bleeding, even when you’re on your most effective kind of birth control pill or contraceptive, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. In fact it’s highly likely that you’re not, if you’ve been taking oral contraceptive pills as they’ve been prescribed.

Can other types of hormonal contraceptives cause breakthrough bleeding?

Yes, they can, so you might want to watch out for that as well. Different types of hormonal contraceptives that can cause breakthrough bleeding include:

How long does a miscarriage last?

Miscarriage can cause heavy bleeding or spotting, which can last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks. Miscarriages can happen very early on, before many people even realize that they’re pregnant.

Can a long period be a sign of perimenopause?

On the other end of the fertility spectrum, a long period might be a sign of perimenopause. It can make periods longer or shorter, heavier or longer. You might rule this out if you are still in your 30s, however early menopause is a thing!

Can a period last for a long time?

While unusual, there are underlying blood disorders that can cause periods that last for a long time. For example, Von Willebrand’s disease is a blood clotting disorder, and is the most common inheritable bleeding condition.

Why is my period so long?

Having too little thyroid hormone can cause your period to be super long and heavy, the OWH explains. Other symptoms of hypothyroidism include weight gain, fatigue, and hair loss, so if you're experiencing any of those, along with longer-than-normal periods, bring it up to your doctor, says Dr. Ross. 8.

Why does my period last forever?

This occurrence is known as "intermenstrual bleeding," and it happens as a result of the slight dip in estrogen that happens around ovulation, which can cause spotting. If the bleeding lasts a few days or happens close to the end of your last cycle, it may seem like your period is continuing forever. It's not normally something to worry about, but if it changes suddenly or if you have serious pain, see your doctor.

How long does a period typically last?

There's a pretty big range of normal when it comes to period length. "Usually, it can last anywhere between five to seven days, " says Jessica Shepherd, MD, a minimally invasive gynecologist in Dallas. "But there are times at which it can be a few days longer or shorter."

What happens during the menstrual cycle?

Here's a little Menstrual Cycle 101: During each cycle, your body's sending hormones to thicken the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to make it a nice little home for a potentially fertilized egg. About midway through your cycle, one of your ovaries releases an egg, which then travels down the fallopian tubes to this newly plush uterus where, if it's not fertilized by a sperm, it flows out of the body, along with the uterine lining that built up.

What is menorrhagia in gynecology?

How Gynecologists Soothe Their Own Period Cramps. Simply put, menorrhagia is when bleeding is too heavy and interferes with your quality of life or requires interventions like blood transfusions, iron transfusions, medications or surgical procedures, Dr. Shepherd explains.

How long does it take for a period to return to normal?

Sometimes the only sign is an extra-heavy or long period. Your menstrual cycle length should return to normal within one to two cycles; if it stays abnormally long after three cycles, call your doctor, Dr. Toth says.

How many women have repeat miscarriages?

About one in 100 women suffer from repeat miscarriages, so it's important to rule out a condition that affects fertility, like endometriosis. 6. You have PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects about 10 percent of women of childbearing age, per the Office of Women's Health (OWH).

Why does my period take so long?

There are several potential reasons for this, including the use of birth control and the presence of underlying health issues.

How long does it take for a period to stop?

The amount of blood and tissue can vary from day to day, but the period typically stops around 2–7 days after it starts. Occasionally, a period may take longer than usual to stop.

What is the purpose of an IUD?

2. Intrauterine devices. A healthcare professional can insert an intrauterine device (IUD) into the uterus to help prevent pregnancy. The two main types of IUD, hormonal and nonhormonal, can both cause abnormal bleeding. Heavy and irregular periods are particularly common when a person first receives the IUD.

How long does a period last?

Blood disorders can cause heavy bleeding and periods that last for longer than 7 days. Other symptoms of a blood disorder include: anemia. heavy bleeding after surgery and childbirth. bleeding for more than 10 minutes during a nosebleed. bleeding for longer than 5 minutes after a cut.

How long does a miscarriage last?

Pregnancy loss, or miscarriage, often causes bleeding or spotting. This bleeding can be light or heavy and may last anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks.

How long does it take for a period to go away after IUD?

However, in most cases, heavy or prolonged bleeding should go away after 3–6 months.

Why does my pelvis hurt during pregnancy?

Abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain during pregnancy may be a sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which can cause serious complications.

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