Expert: Mia - 9/24/2008

Question
Hi, i had been on birth control pill from april to july this year and have discontinued since then. I menstruated on july 20 (3 days after stopping the pill) and then again on august 19. However, this month i am already 5 days overdue (which is unusual in my case). I have twice checked for pregnancy & the HPT was -ve both times. Can this be the hormonal after effect of the pill, especially suddenly after 2 months with the in-between months being normal? I am extremely jittery & feel irritable with this disturbance in my schedule. Please help.

Answer
Hi Jheel,

Yes, it is possible that your late period this month is due to going off the pill. It usually takes women about 1-3 months to adjust to their pre-pill hormone levels and for some women it may take longer. Even if  the previous months were regular, your body may still be adjusting.

I recommend waiting a few more days to see if your period arrives. If it does not and you are still concerned, give your doctor a call. He/she may ask you to come in for a blood pregnancy test to confirm your negative HPT.

I hope this helps. If you have further questions, let me know.

-Mia