Expert: Diane Cheryl - 8/5/2009

Question
OK so I came off the pill last March. I came off it mid-pack so I kinda expected things might be out of sync for my first couple of periods maybe.

After stopping the pill I got a slightly shorter than usual period almost straight away.
Then my second period was 2 weeks late.
My third period arrived exactly on time.

All my periods were a little shorter than usual. But I expected everything to be pretty smooth and more regular from here. BUT my fourth period is now 7 weeks late! (my last period ended on the 26th May)

I havn't been using condoms very often but my boyfriend has been pulling out. I know this isn't a safe method. But I've done 2 pregnancy tests and both were negative.

Is this normal or has it happened to anyone else? My periods had always been very regular, even before i went on the pill. I hadn't been on the pill that long either - maybe 2 years? (I'm 22). Oh and the pill I used was ovranette.

I’ve gained a lot of weight since coming off the pill aswel (20lbs) but I don’t know if that was because I quit smoking around the same time as coming off the pill. My hormones are all over the place, I get emotional a lot and it doesn’t help that I’ve gained all this weight. I’ve tried for months counting calories/exercising 45 mins a day/5 days a week etc but I cant seem to lose weight and that makes me sad and I just end up eating more. And no, it wasn’t muscle I put on, because my clothes were getting tighter not looser.

Sorry this is so long, it's really bothering me though.

Thanks for taking the time to read this.

Answer
Hi Sharon,

Thanks for your question. I'm not a doctor so I always advise to check with your physician. It sounds, in my opinion, that you could be pregnant and the test not showing up positive yet. Or you are NOT pregnant. As you said, pulling out is not a safe method at all. There is really no 100% safe birth control method to prevent pregnancy. I often recommend abstinence until married.
http://www.optionline.org

The symptoms you are describing could be from you discontinuing your pills or just some other kind of stress. Please email me at DCHERYL51@yahoo.com
I am recommending to check with your physician about all your health questions. Hope this helps.

Diane Cheryl
DCHERYL51@yahoo.com