Multiple Menstrual Cycle

On the 3rd of this month I started my period it lasted until the 8th, and was very normal. The day I or my period I started on my birth control. This is the same BC i have been on and off for the last 3 years. On the 15th I started another menstrual cycle. This one was not normal for me in the least. The blood is very clotted and brown.  It's causing severe pain and is extremely heavy. Going to the doctors here on base is hard they are very busy if someone could give me a tip to help them it would be greatly appreciated.

[Elaine Brown, MD]

Hi!
If you were my patient, I would increase your pills to two or even three a day for several days until the bleeding stops.  This type of bleeding often occurs when someone starts the pills because there may be some build up within the lining of the uterus and the pills "clean house".  The bleeding and the pain that is caused by the clots can be reduced by temporarily increasing the number of pills you are taking per day.  Once the bleeding stops, you can go back to one pill per day and probably be "OK".  Usually all that is required to do this is a telephone call to your doctor's office.  They definitely need to know because otherwise you will run out of pills too soon.  I also ALWAYS recommend a pregnancy test in this circumstance to be safe!
Good luck!
Dr B