ladies...spotting between periods

[MiniN]

How much/little blood can be classed as spotting between periods?

Also how much/less is breakthrough bleeding when your on the pill?

how can you tell that your spotting/breakthrough bleeding rather than having a long/extra period?

thanks in advance x

[jkkerr]

It doesn't matter how much blood there is - if you're bleeding in between periods, that's spotting.

Again, when you're on the pill and bleeding (outwith your 7 day break if relevant), that's breakthrough bleeding.

If your periods are starting a lot earlier or finishing a lot later than normal, see your GP.

[roosi]

jkkerr

Question for either you or MiniN

I had breakthrough bleeding during packs one and two of the pill. I doubledosed as was away on holiday. Does anyone know that if I still haven't had a "period" - I am now on my break - that this breakthrough bleeding was indeed my period, and the reaosn I am not getting one now isn't because I am pregnant, could it just be because I had that bleed a couple of weeks ago while taking the second pack?

I did a test, but it was negative, I still feel I should have had some sort of bleed, and am now wondering whether I should do another test to be sure, as I have been to doc and she advised me to, or should I jsut assume that, althought I have had no period, this was actually due to the bleed I had a couple of weeks ago???

Don't know why you asked this MiniN, but it sounded so similar to my previous question I thought I'd piggyback - sorry for hijacking your post.......

TIA
Roosi
xx

[MiniN]

no problem roosi. I'd assue that was your period. Its definately worth doing another test though to put your mind at rest.

I asked the question because I started taking the pill again (so took first pill on first day of period etc) but I havebeen bleeding ever since. i think my period lasted 7days and now its been purely fresh blood for over a week now, also its been fairly light.

anyway I'm going to the doctors at some point this week if I can manage to get an appt.

thanks jkkerr for your advice.

[jkkerr]

Hi Roosi

Take another test to be sure - I'm wondering why your GP didn't offer to do it?

The only reason you bleed on a break from 21-day pills is due to the drop of hormones in your body after finishing a packet. It's not a natural period, so I would have thought you should be bleeding on your break regardless of previous breakthrough bleeding.

Take a test, don't worry and go back to your GP if you have similar problems in future.

(It's unlikely that you're pregnant if you were taking your pill correctly so fingers crossed!)