Expert: Norman Solberg - 1/29/2010

Question
I've been on Ortho TriCyclen for about the past year, and I'm supposed to start taking my sugar (?) pills this Sunday; usually I end up getting my period the Monday or Tuesday of the sugar pill week, but yesterday my boyfriend and I had (semi) rough sex and I started spotting a bit. I thought it was just a small tear or something but I'm still doing about the same today, only it's starting to feel more and more like my period (slight cramping, etc). Should I just take the regular pill tomorrow like I'm supposed to and then continue on with the sugar pills, or should I just skip to them tomorrow or start a new pack? Sorry, I'm just a little paranoid because the last time I started getting my period early, I had to switch from Ortho TriCyclen Lo to the ones I'm taking now.

Answer
Don't skip the sugar pills.  Sometimes your period just wants to come on, and it's best to let it do so.  Hopefully the spotting will resolve after your period is over.  If not, you may end up switching pills again.  Bleeding from sex usually means there was some bleeding wanting to come and the sex brought it on.