Q:

I've been on low-dose birth control pills for 2 or 3 years. Over time I began to notice that occassionally I would miss a period, but never two months in a row. I have never missed a pill. Ever. I missed my period last month and took a couple tests just to be sure and both said negative. Then I recently switched to a generic version of the pill I was taking. (I was on Microgestin 1.5/30 until this last month in which I switched over to Junel Fe 1.5/30)

The problem is, this is the second time in a row I have missed my period. I'm a day late, followed the instructions exactly, waited exactly 7 days on this new pill before having intercourse, and I'm worried something might be wrong with me. Is missing my period right now normal? Could there be something wrong? I don't think I'm pregnant, I'm just really worried about my health. I do have other tests and plan on taking one as soon as I can. I just want to know if this can happen. Could I end up not having my period altogether?

 

A:

Yes, this is quite common on low dose hormones since you build up very little lining in the endometrium of the uterus from such low hormone levels, so there is nothing to shed when you have take the inert pills for a week. It is something that takes getting used to, especially since there is no sure way to know you aren't pregnant (although when you are taking the pills precisely as instructed, the pregnancy rate is less than 2 per 100 women per year)

Some women are better off taking a little higher dose pill to ensure some bleeding at the end of the cycle. You should discuss this with your women's health practitioner so you are not having to worry about the lack of menses.

You could also have other blood testing done, such as your thyroid hormone levels, to make sure there is not some other hormonal imbalance that could be the cause.

~The Doc