First of all let me say thank you to this website. It is truly a great thing that I stumbled upon it!
In a nutshell. I had sex for the first time with my boyfriend mid-April. I had been on birth control (loestrin 24 fe) for over a month at that point (I skipped the placebos and just started a new pack). A week before I had finished up a z-pack of azithromycin for bronchitis. I should also note that during this month I was not 100% on time with taking my pills--I never missed one but there was about a range of 6-7 hours, always in the evening, when I would take it. I know given the fact that it's a combined pill it shouldn't make a huge difference, but since then I've been much more careful and always take it to a T at the same time.
He pulled out before ejaculating, and I bought plan B within 24 hours, just to be sure. However, because of the antibiotics and the fact that I wasn't taking the pills at the exact same time, I feel my protection may have been compromised. After this first incident we had sex a few more times, but always with condoms.
I got my withdrawal bleed at the end of april as expected but it was much lighter than my normal period, though I am told this is a side effect of the low-dose loestrin. At first this made me feel relieved, but then I realized that it's not a 100% given that withdrawal bleeding means I'm not pregnant.
This month (May) my body has been feeling wonky. I had very light brown discharge and cramping on the second week of pills (the NP I see told me that was to be expected with such a low-dose of BC). I've also experienced breast tenderness (again, I know this is a side effect of birth control since this is really month 2.5) I just can't stop worrying though, and it is making me exhausted. I have become hyperaware of my body and it's driving me crazy. I've been having this sick feeling in the bottom of my stomach all the time, probably due to anxiety. I took three pregnancy tests this week (5 weeks after the risk), one with morning urine, and all came back negative.
I know getting your withdrawal bleed and the three tests would point to NO pregnancy, but I just can't seem to ease my mind about the entire situation. I just worry that somehow I'm pregnant and I won't find out until it's too late to actively do something about it.
Posts: 3 | From: Denver | Registered: May 2012
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Robin Lee
Volunteer Assistant Director
Member # 90293
posted
Hi Cowgirl90 and welcome to Scarleteen!
If I understand you correctly, you used three forms of birth control--the daily pill, withdrawal, and emergency contraception. Even if one of these methods wasn't as effective as it normally would be, the two others were there to back it up. Does that make sense?
You also, as you've said, had a withdrawal bleed and three negative pregnancy tests. Plan B can throw things off hormonally for a few months. That, combined with you taking the daily birth control pill, most likely accounts for why you're feeling wonky.
I'd like to check in with you about whether, given your high level of anxiety around this, you think intercourse is something you want to engage in right now. Sex is never something we have to do just because we've already done it, and I don't imagine feeling this anxious feels very good. What do you think?
-------------------- Robin Posts: 4328 | From: Washington DC suburbs | Registered: Dec 2011
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posted
Thanks for getting back so quickly to me Robin Lee, I really appreciate it.
I think you make a good point about the anxiety surrounding this whole thing. The thing is, I really *felt* ready at the time. I enjoyed myself. I'm nearly 22...I waited a long time and I really love this guy. Perhaps it was rash to do it at that exact moment when I hadn't taken my pills *perfectly* but it felt right at that moment.
In fact, it wasn't until after this semester ended that I began to feel all these worrying feelings. I know I have anxiety and what my therapist has termed a "sticky brain"--sometimes I latch on to ideas and it's hard for me to get over it, I definitely lie on the obsessive end of the spectrum of anxiety.
Given that I am aware that I do this, it should make me feel more at ease that this is just my brain being "sticky" and not something I should actually obsess over, but since pregnancy is such a huge thing, I still find myself unable to fully get over that hurdle, and wondering if I'm the 1% that the pregnancy tests failed for. I don't want to give up sex, but you're right, feeling this way really, really sucks.
Also, a question: the only pregnancy test my supermarket had was first response "early response." Granted, I was testing more than 2 weeks after. It should still work though right? Even though I wasn't testing before a missed period? Should I find a different brand and test again? I find it pretty hard to believe I'd get a false negative this late in the game.
Secondly, I'm having a hard time trying to get a good biological answer on how much one can trust their withdrawal bleed (some people say that if you see blood you're 100% not pregnant, others tell of women who may actually have a few period through pregnancy) Who is right?
Also, I'm glad to hear that my wonky feelings could be attributed to pill side effects. I'm due for my second withdrawal bleed in about 5 days--can you still have pms "symptoms" while on the pill?
Posts: 3 | From: Denver | Registered: May 2012
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Robin Lee
Volunteer Assistant Director
Member # 90293
posted
HI CowGirl90,
I'm sorry that this got overlooked.
Sounds like you have a strong grip on the way your brain works. I'm glad to hear this is somewhat reassuring to you. Have you been able to discuss your fears around pregnancy with your therapist? It soundus like you feel pretty good about having had sex, but your fears are holding you back from fully enjoying it, which includes feeling good and secure about it afterwards.
There's no reason why the test you took shouldn't have yielded an accurate result for you, though you certainly can test again to be sure.
There is a small percentage of women who do experience period or withdrawal-bleeding-type bleeding during pregnancy. That number is a lot smaller than the copious stories online would have us believe, though. In general, getting a period or withdrawal bleed is a strong sign that someone is not, in fact, pregnant. Add to that a negative pregnancy test. Added to that, as I mentioned above, you used three forms of contraception. Of those three at least one and probably more was able to do its job.
-------------------- Robin Posts: 4328 | From: Washington DC suburbs | Registered: Dec 2011
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