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Last Updated:
Sep 10th, 2007 - 18:59:21
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Question
I stopped the pill after being on it for 10 years. The first month, I had a 28 day cycle and a period. The second month, I had a 31 day cycle and a period. Here it is the third month and when my period was due, I started spotting which continued for 7 days. Then I started having cramping and heavier bleeding just like a normal period (which has been going for 4 days now). Could I expect to continue every cycle like this for a while? And why so many days of spotting before the heavy bleeding?
Answer
It takes an average of 3-6 months for cycles to normalize after being on oral contraceptive pills (or shots), for a prolonged period of time. Your normal ovarian function has been disrupted for ten years, and this has affected your natural hormone production for the same period of time. It is not uncommon for women to experience unusual bleeding, variable cycle lengths, annovulation, or painful ovulation, during these first months after discontinuing the artificial hormones in the pill.
Although the pill is given as a treatment for various gynecologic problems, such as painful menstrual cramps, it does not treat anything: it merely masks the problem. Once a woman stops taking the pill, her problem usually shows itself again. While the cramping and heavy bleeding you describe may a temporary problem, during these first months, it also may be the reappearance of symptoms you had before starting the pill. If painful menses has been a problem for you in the past, it will not have been cured by taking the pill.
The progestins in all pills, regardless of type, have adverse effects on the cells in your uterus. These cells produce very little lining a result of the progestins, which is why you had very light bleeding while on the pill. When the progestins are taken for a lengthy period of time, these uterine cells need a period of time to recover normal function. During this recovery, it is not unusual for a woman to experience spotting, or prolonged bleeding, as her own hormones are not yet functioning as they should, to regulate the uterine cells.
It is recommended that women avoid achieving a pregnancy for the 3-6 months it takes for her system to return to its normal function. Because of the lowered levels of natural hormones, and the lack of a good "bed" in the uterus, there is a higher incidence of miscarriage in pregnancies that occur right after discontinuation of the pill. If you were taking the pill for menstrual problems, I urge you to contact an NFP-only physician, particularly one trained in Creighton Naprotechnology, for evaluation and appropriate treatment. The CANFP website has a listing of physicians in Calif. You can also check the OneMoreSoul website, and the CreightonModel website, for physicians in other states.
Gail McNaughton, RN, NP is an OB/GYN Nurse Practitioner, and a Creighton Model FertilityCare Practitioner, in Fresno, CA.
© Copyright 2005 by CANFP
The information on this page and web site is for informational purposes only,
and is not a substitute for medical diagnosis and treatment by a physician.
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