Are My Symptoms From Missing Pills?
QUESTION
Dear Midwife,
I am 20, and on Ortho-cyclen, and have been for 2 years. About a month ago, I lost the pill pack after having sex with my fiance´. About two days later, I found out that i had missed it the day of having intercourse. (I know, very careless of me.) I took an HPT, and it had a negative line but was extremely faint and took longer than 10 minutes to show up.Then I started feeling sick, and tired and have had a lot of headaches, had a short period that lasted about 3-4 days when my periods are usually 7 days and pretty heavy. This month I missed two pills, (but not while having intercourse, just forgetfulness) and immediately took them, but I have been having heavy spotting, and breast tenderness, as well as fatigue, but it is no where near my cycle.
Could I be pregnant, and if I am could I be miscarrying? It has happened with my fiance´ before; about 6 months to a year ago. Also, should I be taking prenatal vitamins? I'm not currently trying to conceive, but is this haywire cycle of period worries me? I know this may be a confusing one, sorry about that. And thank you for your valuable advice!
ANSWER
First, if you do not want to conceive now, I would suggest that you consider another form of birth control, as you are not a consistent pill taker. You might consider the patch, for instance.It is very possible that your symptoms are due to the fact that you have been taking the pills in an irregular fashion. Or, you may be pregnant. If you are, of course you should be on prenatal vitamins, but the pills you are taking now won't hurt the baby.
I would suggest that you try to take your pills correctly until you know for sure that you are pregnant. If you had a light period at the usual time, then most of the time a pregnancy test would be positive (if you're pregnant) within a day or two after that -- by two weeks later for sure. If you are still testing negative, then you are probably not pregnant. Does that make sense? I hope my answer is not confusing, too.
-- Cynthia, CNM
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Cynthia Flynn
Cynthia Flynn, CNM. PhD, teaches in the College of Nursing at Seattle University and is President of the American Association of Birth Centers. She also practices midwifery at Valley Medical Center where she cares for pregnant and birthing women, and practices well-woman gynecology, family planning, and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases.
Cynthia founded Columbia Women's Clinic and Birth Center, where she took care of pregnant women and infants up to two weeks of age and attended both birth center and hospital births. Before Cynthia earned her CNM, she worked as a registered nurse in labor and delivery and postpartum and is a certified Doula and Doula trainer.
Cynthia hosts a monthly "Ask the midwife" chat as well as answers questions via our expert section.
Listen to Cynthia live on Pregnancy.org Live: Before, During and After.
