Should I get a pregnancy test? (TMI)

[justmaybe]

I usually post under a different name, but I didn''t really want to come clean with this since this isn''t exactly something I''m ready for. So please, just give your honest opinions as you would to any other beloved contributor to this forum.

I started the pill (Loestrin 24, to be exact) three months ago. I know this particular pill is supposed to make your . lighter and shorter, and it was indeed practically non-existent those first two months--no PMS (not that it was bad before), VERY little bleeding, and kind of "gunky" at that (sorry--way TMI). Well, here is month #3 on the placebo pills, last day, and still nothing. At all. Could I be pregnant?

The insert with my pills says that if I have taken the pills regularly (which I have), and I miss one . , continue taking them for another month, but I may be pregnant if I miss the next one, too. I don''t really think I can handle another month of waiting to find out (especially if it''s possible those first two months weren''t really .''s after all). Is it too soon to take a pregnancy test? I have no idea what day conception might have occurred, but according to the pill, this would be the first (at the very latest) day of my scheduled period.

So what should I do?

 

[Skippy123]

Just maybe you should go buy a pregnancy test. When I was taking the low hormone pill you are taking I would miss my ttom. I think even with what I said you should probably just get yourself to Target or Walgreens (or whatever is near by) and buy yourself a pregnancy test for peace of mind and for the safety of the baby if you are pregnant. Best wishes.

 

[phoenixgirl]

You have nothing to lose by taking one, right? I''d go buy a home pregnancy test.

Another option is to call the doctor that put you on this pill. Describe your concerns to the receptionist and see if you can come in for an appointment and bloodwork or if they have any advice over the phone (which might just be to go get the home test from the drugstore).

BTW, I''m on a different 20mg estrogen pill (Alesse), and it has 7 placebo pills instead of 4 likes yours, but I don''t get my period until day 3 or 4 of not taking a pill, and then it''s over by day 6 or 7. So it could be that you just haven''t gotten it yet.

 

[E B]

You said you took them regularly, right? Did you miss a pill or two at all in the three months?

If you took the pill regularly at around the same time every day, your chances of being pregnant aren't very high. In my experience, "periods" (withdrawal bleeding) can be pretty wacky on hormonal BC, especially if you've just started a new pill.

However, people can and DO get pregnant on the pill, so go ahead and buy a test if you're worried. *hugs*

 

[justmaybe]

Thank you all so much for the encouragement--you''ve been a great help.

Skippy, thanks for sharing your experiences with the low-hormone pill. I didn''t really realize this was kind of common. I wish I had gotten a little warning on that.

Phoenixgirl, I thought about calling my doctor, but I''m halfway across the country from where I lived at my last checkup, so going in for an appointment isn''t really an option. I guess I should take this as a sign that I should start seeing a new doctor nearby. I was a little concerned this month because the first couple months, my . came on the second or third day, and now I''ve already taken the fourth pill with the first hormonal one tonight and still nothing. I guess it''s still possible to happen after I start the hormonal one again? I just thought that since you''re supposed to start taking the first pill of the pack the Sunday after your period, I should have gotten it by at least today.

Ebree, yes, I did take them regularly--same time, every day, three months. Thanks for sharing about the wacky timing--here I thought the whole benefit of being on the pill was to make everything run like clockwork--so much for that.

I asked DH to pick up a test on his way home--can''t say I was comforted by the reaction he gave. Thanks for the support, ladies, and I''ll let you know. I guess I should wait for my morning pee, though? I''d hate to get a false negative.

 

[Skippy123]

Date: 10/21/2007 1:31:14 PM
Author: justmaybe
Thank you all so much for the encouragement--you''ve been a great help.

I asked DH to pick up a test on his way home--can''t say I was comforted by the reaction he gave. Thanks for the support, ladies, and I''ll let you know. I guess I should wait for my morning pee, though? I''d hate to get a false negative.

Yes, wait for the morning pee. That sounds funny typing that but that will give you the best results.

 

[E B]

Date: 10/21/2007 1:31:14 PM
Author: justmaybe

I asked DH to pick up a test on his way home--can't say I was comforted by the reaction he gave. Thanks for the support, ladies, and I'll let you know. I guess I should wait for my morning pee, though? I'd hate to get a false negative.

You could wait for your first morning pee, or as this website says (Tacori also explained it), "If you are not using first morning urine, make sure that your urine has been in your bladder for four hours."

About.com pregnancy test questions

If you don't want to wait until the morning, just don't drink a lot or pee for 4 hours if you've just gone, or 4 hours minus however many hours it's been since you've gone. If you're a frequent pee-er, just wait for the morning. But I know how nervous you must be, so I figured you should know about the alternative.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/21/2007 1:54:23 PM
Author: EBree

Date: 10/21/2007 1:31:14 PM

Author: justmaybe


I asked DH to pick up a test on his way home--can't say I was comforted by the reaction he gave. Thanks for the support, ladies, and I'll let you know. I guess I should wait for my morning pee, though? I'd hate to get a false negative.

You could wait for your first morning pee, or as this website says (Tacori also explained it), 'If you are not using first morning urine, make sure that your urine has been in your bladder for four hours.'


About.com pregnancy test questions


If you don't want to wait until the morning, just don't drink a lot or pee for 4 hours if you've just gone, or 4 hours minus however many hours it's been since you've gone. If you're a frequent pee-er, just wait for the morning. But I know how nervous you must be, so I figured you should know about the alternative.

Exactly. I could never wait for morning pee so just don't drink or pee for three hours. You need the HcG hormone to be as concentrated as possible. I also always suggest peeing in a plastic cup. I know it seems gross but I have ruined too many tests the other way. Plus this way you can retest ASAP if you want/need to. peeonastick.com is a great website all about HTPS. Personally I like the digital ones. Then the TWO lines, last the plus ones. Somehow I could never read the plus ones and it gets frusterating. Good luck!

ETA: false positives are pretty rare so don't worry. False negatives are more common (b/c of testing too early). I got three false negatives and now I am a week away from giving birth (hopefully).

 

[mrssalvo]

i''d buy a two pack. take one today and then one again in the morning with the first pee. I''ve taken them all times of day and when they were positive, they were positive even if it was 9:00 at night.

 

[Anastasia]

Date: 10/21/2007 2:05:23 PM
Author: mrssalvo
i''d buy a two pack. take one today and then one again in the morning with the first pee. I''ve taken them all times of day and when they were positive, they were positive even if it was 9:00 at night.

This has been my experience too. I would do exactly what Mrs. S recommends.

Good Luck!

 

[Kaleigh]

Date: 10/21/2007 3:19:03 PM
Author: Anastasia

Date: 10/21/2007 2:05:23 PM
Author: mrssalvo
i''d buy a two pack. take one today and then one again in the morning with the first pee. I''ve taken them all times of day and when they were positive, they were positive even if it was 9:00 at night.

This has been my experience too. I would do exactly what Mrs. S recommends.

Good Luck!

Thritto. Since you have moved best to get a new doc. Getting a blood test would be my next step. Best of luck to you.

 

[justmaybe]

Thank you so much for all the advice--you ladies have been a world of support.

DH must have read your minds, as he did bring home a 2-pack. I just took the first one, and it was negative (a load off my mind!). Still no sign of Aunt Flow, so I''ll take the second in the morning as you have all suggested. Thank you again so much for sharing your experiences.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Sounds like good news for you! You know often times when you switch pills, or start it, it can take awhile for your body adjust. Also if you have been stressed or sick I know that can effect your period. I would take the second test (for peace of mind) and wait a few more days. If AF still doesn''t show I would go see your doc to see if they can figure out why. Do you have any symptoms?

 

[divergrrl]

justmaybe: in my personal experience, the "wrong" pill for my body totally jacked up my otherwise regular cycle. I''d skip periods, then have one for 2 or 3 weeks, then have a normal one, then have breakthrough bleeding. I''d invest 3 or 4 months on each prescription waiting for my cycle to regulate, then give up, go off...then try a new pill after my cycle went back to its "natural" state. I finally found happiness on Yasmin. Worked like a charm for me. Of course every body is different. If you don''t regulate soon, I''d try a different prescription & don''t give up hope. There are so many out there, you''ll find one that fits you.

 

[turtledazzle]

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that I, too, take Loestrin 24. I''ve been taking it since November of last year. My gyno told me that many women actually do not have their periods when taking this pill. I think this is one of the reasons there are only 4 placebo pills instead of the regular 7. She put me on it because I was having a lot of period side effects (cramping, breast tenderness, etc.) during my periods -- so if I was one of the women who didn''t actually get their periods, then my side effects would be dramatically decreased. Did you dr. not tell you any of this?

My experience was very similar to yours. The first 2-3 months I was on it, my periods were really, really light. Then the 3rd or 4th month I didn''t get a period at all. Since then it has been sort of random -- sometimes I get a very light period, sometimes nothing. However, I still get cramping during the time that _would be_ my time of the the month regardless of whether I actually have the period or not.

Any way, I just wanted to let you know that I do not think what you are experiencing is abnormal at all (though people can, of course, get PG while on the pill); it is good you took a pregnancy test for your peace of mind.

 

[sumbride]

I''m not on that pill but on another lower-dose pill and I only get my period about once a quarter even though I take the traditional dosing with placebos every month. I keep HPTs in the house and do monitor every month just to be sure, but I''m past the panic of it all. DH assumes all is well unless I tell him otherwise because the first couple times I told him nothing was happening and I was worried, he freaked out. Now we know it''s "normal" for me and not to freak out without test results!

I just hope my MIL never goes digging through my bathroom! Is it normal to have boxes of tests when you AREN''T trying to conceive?

 

[surfgirl]

If you''re not near your regular doctor, you can go to a local Planned Parenthood, they''re everywhere and I think they operate on a sliding scale if money/insurance is an issue. Really, you should be seeing a doctor, not deciding what to do via internet forums. You need a trained medical doctor to take a look-see...Hope it works out the way you want it to.

 

[asscherisme]

Uh, not to scare you but the last time I took birth control pills was over 4 years ago. The reason I stopped? Well she will be turning 4 in December.

I am one of the few that got pregnant on the pill. If in doubt, take a test because if you are pregnant you will want to stop taking the hormones ASAP.

 

[upgrading mama]

Date: 10/22/2007 2:11:17 PM
Author: asscherisme
Uh, not to scare you but the last time I took birth control pills was over 4 years ago. The reason I stopped? Well she will be turning 4 in December.

I am one of the few that got pregnant on the pill. If in doubt, take a test because if you are pregnant you will want to stop taking the hormones ASAP.

lol...mine turned 2 in August...and my boy conceived with condoms? He''s 3 1/2.

 

[asscherisme]

I have a child concieved with a condom as well. 2 of my kds were planned and 2 were complete shocks. Welcomed but shocks none the less. After the condom conception we thought the pill was more reliable.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/24/2007 10:49:08 AM
Author: asscherisme
I have a child concieved with a condom as well. 2 of my kds were planned and 2 were complete shocks. Welcomed but shocks none the less. After the condom conception we thought the pill was more reliable.

Well her first test was negative so hopefully the same didn''t happen to her.

 

[FireGoddess]

Have you taken the 2nd test?????

 

[asscherisme]

Yes, hopefully not and most likely not. Birth control pills can definately make people irregular.

justmaybe Have you taken the second test yet?

 

[snlee]

Just checking in on you. Any update?

 

[Pandora II]

I was on cerazette for a year and had no periods whatsoever - which was great, but did make me worry a little bit every once in a while. The low hormone pills can often do this.

I had a miscarriage when I was at university (which was the best outcome at the time) and I didn''t have to take a test - I knew when my bust doubled in size and hurt like crazy (at 3 weeks

). When straight to the GP who confirmed it with a test. Most of the women I know with kids have said they were pretty sure before they bought the test.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 10/26/2007 7:28:26 PM
Author: Pandora II
Most of the women I know with kids have said they were pretty sure before they bought the test.

I didn''t know! I thought the chances would be slim...but here we are...(it was planned though). Sorry to hear about your m/c but it seems to have been for the best. Anyways, hopefully we will get an update soon!

 

[~*Alexis*~]

Ok my turn to chime in....

I have been on this road. Its not an easy one and the stress of knowing and not knowing makes it all worse. I will say this. Take the second test, then wait. If it is negative, then wait another week or so and take another one if you still have no gotten anything.

I was one Ortho Lo and then I was switched to Modicon. Its a lower level hormone and sometimes my .''s are light and then there are times when I get it a day early or so.

But most importantly you have to do what is right for you. IF you are pregnant what are your options? Do you and DH want a child right now or would you be ok with it?

Even though this may be a scare its a really good time to sit down and talk about this if it should ever happen again. You would be suprised on the number of people who are married and decide that they are just not ready. This is not a post to discuss a womans right to choose but more of a wake up convo that you should have with your DH....

Best of luck!

 

[misysu2]

Have you taken the test yet? We''re all concerned for you, honey.

I''m glad I read this because I also take Loestrin, but haven''t missed a period. Glad to know a missed period isn''t a tell-tale sign of pregnancy should something like that happen.