Expert: Norman Solberg - 1/20/2010

Question
I STOP TAKING BIRTH CONTROL PILLS IN JULY OF 09 I DIDNT HAVE A PERIOD UNTIL NOW AND ITS JANUARY 2010 WHICH HAS BEEN 6 MONTHS AGO AND NORMALLY IT STAYS FOR ONLY 3 DAYS BUT I HAVE BEEN ON MY PERIOD NOW FOR GOING ON 12 DAYS AND STILL COUNTING CAUSE IT SEEMS TO NOT BE LEAVING NO TIME SOON MY QUESTION TO YOU IS: IS THAT NORMAL? AND SHOULD I BE WORRIED?

Answer
It's not normal, but you don't need to be worried.  You need to see your doctor for some hormone treatment.  Not having a period for 6 months and then bleeding for 12 days means that you haven't ovulated since stopping the pill.  Ovulation causes the hormonal changes so that you get a period 2 weeks later and the uterine lining cleans itself off with the period.  When you don't ovulate, the uterine lining can just keep building up, and eventually will bleed.  There are many reasons why you haven't ovulated, including stress, genetics, weight changes, thyroid problems, etc.  Your doctor can evaluate that and give you some progesterone that will cause the uterine lining changes to clean off the lining so the bleeding stops.