Heavy bleeding

[Alester]

Hi! I’m sorry I have one more question for you guys,
I’m on the combined contraceptive pill as I said before. I get a pretty heavy period in my pill free week, i have to change my pad every hour or two. Does this mean my pill isn’t working?

[Sam W]

Hi Alester,

Yep, even if you have a heavy withdrawal bleed (which is what you get instead of a period when on the pill), as long as you've been taking it according to the directions your pill is still working.

I will say that if you consistently experience periods or withdrawal bleeds that have you changing your pad more often than every few hours, you may want to check in with a healthcare provider to make sure the heavy flow doesn't have an underlying cause.