Confused about Birth Control and Pregnancy

[wifeof6months]

I have been married for 6 months now. I have been on birth control for eight years (Depo, Ortho-Evra Patch and lastly Yazmin-pills). I was regular prior to going on bc and regular during all of them. I stopped my last pill May 18, 2008 and started my pd May 21-24. Should have started next period June 18th. Still have not started. I have read several website articles/blogs etc. and now I am so confused as to which one I should believe. One site says my ovulation days were the first week of June. I had sex w/ my husband sometime during that week-Don't know exact day. Prior to bc and during, I would only get minor cramps, and sore breasts. I have been feling more tired lately (despite helping remodel a house) and I have had the normal cramping with out the bleeding. Last week (when I should have started) my nipples were so sore I wanted to cry. I took a test and it came up negative. Should I test again or just wait? We would be happy if we were pregnant so I don't think I am stressing over it too much, other than not knowing what is going on. Is it more likely that I am just late or could I really be pregnant? Other websites say women are usually just off cycle due to the bc pills. Since Ihad my first period since being off the pills I am confused. Any help would be great.

[Supa_gurl]

I think you body is just getting used to the new form of bc. You may or may not be prego. My guess is no. Just wait it out a few more days and take another test a week from when you took the last one and use first mornings urine. Good luck.

[Whiskers]

Hmmm, you're not alone. I think someone else here went onto yazmin and had her first period but not her second. The general advice (which I agree with) is most likely what almimom said, your body is trying to adjust.

XXXX

[catwalk]

It can take months, at least a few and usually about 6 months or more to get your cycle back to what it should be after coming off hormones like that.

 

You'll have to chart your cycle properly when everything is back to normal to find out when you are actually ovulating. Right now everything is still obviously out of wack.

[sophie274]

This could be due to getting off the BC pills, as others have said. I would wait another week for your period, and then re-test for pregnancy.

 

Are you trying to get pregnant? If so, good luck! If not, you probably want to get some other type of birth control since 85% of women will get pregnant from having unprotected sex over the course of a year. (Not sure whether the part in your post where you said you would be happy if you were pregnant meant you were "trying" or not.)

 

I hear the ovulation predictor kits are pretty good. You can also try charting your cycle, but that requires more a commitment (taking temperature, mucus, that sort of thing).

[Hope75]

I was told by my doctor to stop taking the pill about 3-4 months before I wanted to conceive, use alternate methods of BC (condoms, etc) and take prenatal vitamins while allowing my body to come off the hormones and regulate itself (I was on the pill for 14 years) and then begin trying, and I stopped my pill about 2.5 weeks ago.

 

I've read and heard that it can take months for your body to regulate itself after being on hormonal control and your cycles may indeed be out of wack. OPK's are not all that great if you are trying to conceive, they can only tell you when you have already ovulated, and by then it's too late as the egg only lasts about 24 hours before it dies, which is about how long those kits take to detect the rise on hormones to come up positive.

 

A good resource is

 

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Wetchsler

 

link removed

 

Which teaches you how to chart your cycle using basal body temps, cervical mucus and cervix position. It can help determine if you are actually ovulating, when and how long your luteal phase (the period after ovulation) is to find out if you will be able to conceive.

 

Good luck, and take prenatal vitamins starting NOW if you are not on birth control, since by the time you learn that you are pregnant the baby's spine and neural tube (primitive brain) are formed, and lack of folic acid causes birth defects of the spine and neural tube.

[wifeof6months]

Thank you to all who have replied. We are not Activly trying but wouldn't be disappointed if we did get pregnant. We have been together for over ten years and just got married 6 months ago. It is just weird that these symptoms would be so strong and still not get my period. I didn't have any of these in between the other bc's I was on. It has been over a week since I took the first test, and tomorrow will be one week since I should have started. I'll play the waiting game a little longer. My obgyn put me on prenate (prenatal pills) when she took me off the bc pill. Thank you for all of the advice.

[Hope75]

Good luck and keep us updated!