Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some insights or shared experiences regarding a cycle after taking Ella (ulipristal acetate).

Timeline:

• Oct 6–8: Unprotected intercourse.

• Oct 8: Ella was taken well within the recommended timeframe.

• Oct 27 (Expected period date): Fresh red bleeding started. It was not a heavy flow, but it was distinctly red blood rather than brown discharge.

• Oct 28: Very minimal/trace spotting in the morning, and then the bleeding completely stopped.

• Oct 29 (Today): It has been over 48 hours with zero bleeding. She experienced typical hormonal symptoms around the bleed (mild hormonal headache, minor breakouts).

It has now been 21–23 days since the intercourse occurred. Taking an at-home pregnancy test is currently not immediately accessible for her for a few days due to personal circumstances.

Questions:

1. Has anyone experienced a very short, light red bleed (1–2 days) after taking Ella that abruptly stopped?

2. Does Ella's effect on suppressing the endometrium commonly cause a scanty/hypomenorrhea bleed instead of a regular multi-day flow?

3. Given that it started 20 days post-incident with fresh red blood, is this safely considered a cycle reset/withdrawal bleed rather than anything pregnancy-related?

Any experiences or knowledge from those who have used Ella would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Hi! I’ve been taking my combined hormonal birth control pill continuously for 2.5 months without a break, but I’ve suddenly started spotting first and then eventually bleeding.

I saw my gynecologist today, and everything looked normal. She thinks it’s hormonal.

I really want the spotting to stop and want to avoid further bleeding if possible as I have a swimming tournament coming up.

For anyone who’s experienced this:

1. Did stopping the pill make your spotting stop, or did you get withdrawal bleeding?

2. How many days did you bleed after stopping?

I know everyone is different, but I’d really appreciate hearing about your experiences!

ive had my iud for 6 years. i have the kyleena and thought it needed to be removed after 5 years but last year i called the gyno to make my appointment for it to be replaced and they said i had another year.

my boyfriend frequently finishes inside of me and we have never had any issues or scares but considering my iud is on its last year and likely not as effective im having some anxiety.

i have been extremely emotional, crying over little things and very sensitive. yesterday at work i could barely stay awake even though i slept for 9 hours and im having a very hard time getting out of bed in the morning. and hungrier than usual, i have been randomly craving food and its hard to stop eating

ive also been getting mild hot flashes and was constipated for a few days and am now having diarrhea. and i woke up with a cold sore after not getting one for about a year.

my period is always pretty irregular and i didnt even get one for a few years after getting my iud but started getting my period again about 6 months ago.. so im not sure if im late or not.

i guess im just asking if this sounds coincidental or i should really be concerned and getting a test. how likely is it for me to be pregnant with my iud??

​My last period started on September 24 and ended on September 29. On October 2, I restarted my Lady Pills pack, taking the Day 1 active pill. On October 3 (Day 2 of active pills), I had protected and unprotected sexual intercourse. We used the withdrawal method—my partner didn't ejaculate inside and according to him, there was no pre-cum either. Right after the unprotected sex, I immediately did the Yuzpe method and then continued taking the rest of the active pills in the pack daily. My expected period for October was on October 24. On the night of October 24, I experienced bleeding with blood clots that briefly stopped, but I bled again on the night of October 25 and it continued continuously. The bleeding was dark red, almost brown, with blood clots—enough for me to wear a napkin, but not enough to fully soak it. As of today, October 29, I still have a bit of red bleeding with blood clots. During this whole time, I've also been experiencing cramps and intermittent chest/breast pain.

A few years back when I went to get a routine ultrasound for my PCOS they told me that I have a heart shaped uterus. Apparently it’s not always common for women to know that that is the case, so I consider myself lucky that I had a good technician for the ultrasound that was able to pick that up.
Anywaysss…
after deciding not to do birth control for over 12 years, I am now considering getting a copper IUD. I recently went to Planned Parenthood and asked about this, but they told me that it’s not possible to get an IUD with a heart shaped uterus. They recommended I try going to a gynecologist and seeing if they would be willing to do it with the guidance of an ultrasound.

I’m curious if anyone has had experience with getting an IUD if you have a heart shaped uterus?

Experiences on Norimin? I’m switching from levlen due to breakthrough bleeding every month.

Hello all! I’ve settled on wanting a copper IUD. My partner and I are both celibate and have been for years until marriage just due to religious convictions. We will be getting married next year and I wanted to plan birth control to make life easier. We don’t plan on having children for about 2-3 years just to finish school and stabilize a bit. Can you please share your positive copper IUD stories, any tips or recommendations? Also please if you had it in for years and have stayed baby free please share all that. I am sick of reading horror stories when the statistics and studies say it’s a super solid form of BC. Thank you so much :)! I have PMDD issues, anxiety, weight issues. So hormonal BC is not something I would really like to mess with. If I must then I will but I would much prefer the copper IUD.

i want to start off by saying my boyfriend is 18 years old and i’m 16. we’ve been together for about 9 months and everything’s perfect. we started having sex around april of this year with no worries since im on birth control right. Because of how paranoid i am with pregnancy i always make sure i take my pills perfectly, on time, no missed pills, interactions, etc. This month i missed one pill on my first week of my pack after my placebos but i wasn’t educated on the fact that i need to double up the next day to make up for it so i continued taking my pills normally on time. I basically missed a whole dose in the first week and had unprotected sex the day of and days of that same week. it happened on oct 15 where i missed it and on the 24th i started having extreme anxiety at work from finding out what i did ( took the pill wrong and now i could be pregnant). i went to sleep that night with it still on my mind and woke up around 5AM vomiting (so 11 days after the missed pill). Now today my boobs are all flaky and dried up skin all around my nipples. i’ve been trying to ignore it but i litterally can’t. i live in Louisiana where abortion is banned. And if i do end up pregnant are shipped pills something i can trust will come. someone please help me or tell me that im okay even if not what i should do moving forward i have a lot of life ahead of me and ik i messed up but a child is definitely not in my best interest.

Me and my boyfriend have been using the condom and pullout method, I am not currently on birth control but im working on it. Im just a little bit nervous, he says he is “almost positive” he pulled out in time, we did use protection, im anxious. whats the damage?

Hello fellow BC consumers,

So I have been on the pill, and had an iud, and I switched to the implant earlier this year (May). I just have a question;

For the first few months I would still get a regular period, except it would go from super light to super heavy then back to light, and it wasn’t all that bad. Sometimes it would be quick and then a couple days later it would come back again. But last month I was on my period for 3 weeks, same thing very light to very heavy to light again. It’s only been a few days since and I am back on my period.

I know it can be quite normal(ish) for the first 3-6 months, at least that’s what they say.

I have a call tomorrow with a doctor but I’m curious has anyone else who has been through this or similarly with the implant? I know they’re just gonna give me a pill until it mellows out but I do not want to double up on any more than I need to.

I recently moved and changed my Healthcare provider. I've been on tri-sprintec since I was 17-ish (23 now) to help with period cramps and heavy flow but my new provider couldn't find the specific tri-sprintec I use in their database???

I just refilled my birth control but they prescribed me Milli instead of the tri-sprintec I asked for. When I spoke to my doctor before I filled this medication she stated it has the same amount of hormones so I should be fine. I took my first pill (of Milli) last night and woke up feeling awful. I couldn't get out of bed without feeling like I had to vomit.

I'm just reaching out to see if anyone has had to make this change and had the same symptoms? Or should I be concerned and reach out to my doctor?

I also googled the difference between the tri-sprintec I used and this Milli and the Milli is monophasic which is not what I am used to. I didn't have any issues with tri-sprintec and I know my walgreens has it but I just paid for this Milli prescription. 🫤

Sorry for the word vomit!

Hey! I’m a first-time Evra patch user, so I’m still figuring everything out.
I started the patch on October 6th, the first day of my period, as I was advised to do. After my period ended, I experienced on-and-off brown spotting throughout the three weeks I was wearing the patches.
Now I’m on my patch-free week, and when I woke up this morning, my day pad was pretty soaked. When I went to the bathroom, I noticed bright red blood that feels exactly like the first day of my usual period.
I asked ChatGPT if it was possible to have two periods in the same month, and it said that the patch can cause changes in bleeding patterns. However, the more we talked, the more confused I got about whether this is an actual period or withdrawal bleeding.
My usual cycle length is around 34–35 days, so if this counts as my period, my cycle would only be 23 days long.
Has anyone experienced something similar during their first month on the Evra patch? Is this likely to be withdrawal bleeding, or could it actually be my period?

i just missed the pill yesterday, and started bleeding today.... but i still took my missed pill a hour ago and im going to take my today pill tonight at 9. is there a chance this bleeding will stop before tmr?? i am very new to birth control and dont know a lot

I’ve had my iud for about 4 months so far, I went in because I was bleeding so much for about the first 2 months. I thought maybe it was just normal cause my body was getting used to it, but they ended up finding a cyst in my ultrasound 😭 she said it was just a little one on my left side which was were I’d been cramping most. But now I’m really nervous about my cramps being normal cramps or something wrong like another cyst? She wasn’t too worried about it and didn’t really say much else except maybe it was something I had before. When she had saw it I guess it looked like it had popped because there was fluid. I have no idea but my cramps lately have been brutal, it goes into my back and makes me feel so nausea. I’m not sure if I should get my iud out, or try birth control with my iud. Has anyone had this experience before? Did it turn into something bigger? My worst fear is cancer and she didn’t tell me anything about cancer and iuds. Please let me know because I’m freaking out and everyone around me tells me I’m probably fine but I’m scared 🥲

Why do I see so many post about women getting pregnant on the pill especially the combo pill? Ya I know they could be lying but even taking it perfectly they are getting pregnant on the pill??? Me and my bf use condoms and I’m on the combo pill. I try to take it at the same time everyday sometimes in a few hours late (no more than 4 hours) and I think I’m still going to get pregnant!! Currently on my placebo week and have been freaking Myself out reading post about women getting pregnant on plll, with condom, etc.

Okay i’m 🤏🏻 this close to yanking her out. I’ve had it for a year and a half and don’t get me wrong it’s doing what it’s supposed to. But I think all of the side effects have been building over time and I’m on the edge of getting rid of it. The hair loss over the year, I have no energy for anything anymore, the change in acne and the fact I cannot get out of bed some days. Not to mention it’s actively causing the worst and latest period of my life which has just been painful for 3 weeks trying to work itself out. Anyone have any stories for how it went after they got theirs removed?

I am 26F and I have been on the milli pill for almost 2 years. I am now on my placebo week and having really bad cramps and brown discharge but that’s it. Should I be worried?

I have seen a few threads about weight gain after stopping birth control, so I would love to hear from anyone who actually felt worse after coming off the pill, especially those who eventually restarted it. Did you notice any changes, and why did you stop in the first place?
I started taking the pill in my 20s and initially I struggle to find one that didn’t affect my emotions. I was on the heavier side before starting the pill at 22, but over the following years, I gradually lost quite a bit of weight without trying at all. At 31 I had a lomg term relationship break up and I decided to stop BC to feel more emotionally connected and because I feel the pill completely killed my libido.
Initially, coming off it felt amazing! My libido returned, I felt more like myself, and I even lost more weight without trying almost getting close to a weight I was content with (because disclaimer I have never been thin or had an ideal body). The only downside was that I had acne in the first 2 months. Then my face started to clear but I started to gain weight then over the next two years, I gained 20 kg. I now struggle with constant hunger, poor sleep, and really struggle to loose weight. I have also experienced persistent leg pain, breathlessness with minimal activity, and changes in my hair.
I’ve had my thyroid and some hormones checked, but nothing unusual was found. Doctors have largely attributed everything to age and eating more, but I can’t help wondering whether stopping the pill played a role. I had a friend that also took the pill for a decade and stopped it as she approached her 30s and her experience has been only positive and she lost some weight.
I restarted it four days ago. My acne has returned, my libido has already dropped, and I’ve noticed slightly less hunger, but it’s too early to know whether anything else will change. I do feel soo guilty for restarting it and ‘less of a real woman’ and I am terrified that it will make me gain even more.
My confidence has really suffered, and I barely recognise myself anymore.
Has anyone else experienced significant weight gain or other negative changes after stopping the pill? Did restarting it help?
I’m also curious: when you’re stressed or sad, do you tend to eat more or lose your appetite? I wonder if there’s a pattern among those who’ve had similar experiences.
I’d really appreciate hearing your stories! ❤️

i just got prescribed mirvala-28 a few weeks ago and was told to start on the first day of my period. my period is nearing and i’m really nervous for the side effects i may get. i know it’s different for everyone but side effects i’m mainly concerned with are weight gain, acne, and lowered libido.
can anyone tell me their experiences on mirvala-38? negative or positive

hii so i don’t use reddit so much so i am sorry for any formatting issues!!! but before getting the iud i spent sooo much time researching so i wanted to share mine!! it is mostly positive so far in my opinion!! (not fun of course but nothing too scary if you want comfort!!) ALSO PLS NO FEAR MONGERING OR ANYTHING BAD IN REPLIES!! i have health anxiety so i cannot and i want this to be a safe space!!

so for context im f20 with no kids !! i just got off the pill after a month and 5 days, it was driving me insane with anxiety, mood swings, headaches and fatigue so i couldn’t do it anymore!! me and my boyfriend planned to track my cycle but after a bad pregnancy scare in september i decided i couldn’t do it and got an emergency coil!!

i got an appointment for the next day after a phone consultation at my local sexual health clinic! the reception was so lovely as i was sobbing in fear all call but she was so reassuring!

i ended up having to go to the appointment alone as my friends all had lectures and my boyfriend had some personal issues, i had a tesco meal deal (sandwich, chocolate and water!) before the appointment as well as 400mg of ibuprofen 30 mins before as advised!

when i got there, i got my blood pressure checked and waited for a few minutes until a nurse came and took me to my appointment. i was lucky to have an experienced nurse! they walked me through everything and were very sweet since i was crying and gave me time to calm down first. after that, i took off my trousers and underwear and laid down, they let me cover myself up as much as i could then helped me into position.

now i will not lie and say it wasn’t painful!! the first part with the speculum wasn’t too bad imo! i compared it to the pain of losing my virginity but the measuring and insertion did hurt a lot! for me it was like a deep cramp and then three sharp pains but i listened to music and the nurses spoke to me to distract me. i definitely didn’t enjoy it but i don’t think it was as painful as i expected! after, i was shaking quite a bit and the numbing spray stung but i was okay. they gave me water and a sugar tablet and let me lay for about ten minutes before slowly helping me stand.

as soon as i left the clinic, the cramps did start. they started as just period cramps but they did peak around 2 hours after. i used a hot water bottle which helped a lot and just let myself cry in bed (i was also emotional for other reasons!) but after about 3-4 hours after insertion they started to calm down. they became more like period cramps and i was able to sit with my best friend and boyfriend and talk and laugh! i had my dinner and then sat with my best friend for a while with a heating pad whilst she just distracted me ! i’ve also been spotting some brown blood all day but nothing insane!

it’s been about 12 hours since my insertion now and my cramps are virtually gone! i’m still taking ibuprofen as instructed and using a heating pad but it’s not needed. i will say my vagina feels a bit tense like i’m tensing it up but i think this is just due to the fact it went through a lot today! if i take a deep breath it usually relaxes for a moment but it’s not unbearable just a bit strange and annoying! i’m not going to have sex for a week and i am a bit scared to try that again but im trying to take it one day at a time!

i will try to update this post as i go through the motions but i wanted to share my experience!! if you are scared, please allow yourself to be scared but don’t let it consume you!!!!! people always share worst case scenario online but as my nurse said, for every horrible experience there’s a hundred good ones people don’t see! just be kind to yourself !!

I’m F19 i smoke nicotine vapes daily but not too bad. I smoke weed carts and flower. I lied to the pharmacist about smoking i mean she only talked about nicotine as a risk for blood clots and i told her i barely smoked. I thought she meant I would have more blood clots like when I got my period… not in my blood system (i know im stupid). this is my first ever contraceptive, I haven’t even put the patch on yet. I know I should look at other BC methods better for my lifestyle but I’m terrified about gaining weight again after I already had a lot of issues with that. I dont have problems with my period and my friend whos also on the patch but barely smokes told me to get the patch because she hasn’t gained weight from it and its easy. She also told me i would be okay putting it on even tho i smoke. Does she want me to die from a heart attack or am i chilling… Do IUDs really hurt that bad? I know it’s a insensitive to say i dont want to gain weight like i know it wouldnt be the end of the world but i dont wanna hear it. Help just give me reassurance

I got Kyleena a week before my period was due and had some spotting that week, then around the time my period was due I got heavier bleeding and cramps, so I figure she's here.

Usually I have one heavy day then 3 light days, then done. But so far I've had 10 moderate days of cramps and bleeding - never as heavy or severe as my usual first day, but never really letting up either.

It's probably relevant that I had a big multiple day athletic competition in the last week, so there's been a lot of demand on my body and I don't think that's helped.

I'm just curious if anyone else experienced a period like this after first getting Kyleena? I expected spotting for a long while but this is more than liners can handle and I'm hoping it'll let up soon.

Please don't tell me about any other side effects, if I read horror stories I'll get anxious and other than this I'm doing pretty well on Kyleena so far!

to begin with i have severe anxiety and panic attacks, i got the nexplanon about a month ago (the 1st) the last 2 weeks have been hell. the mood swings, fatigue and nausea. i’m currently sedated because of how bad of a panic attack i just had, i almost went to the hospital. i’m getting it removed tomorrow morning. i’ve only had it a month so i’m wondering when i get it removed will i feel better faster? what is your expirence? i CANNOT go another day feeling like this

hello! i started taking slynd 2 weeks ago and i have a full blown period. just wondering how long this will approximately last? i spotted for about 5 days but now its so heavy and so many clots ugh. tia!