Please help!

[Ejl2688]

So I've been on the Mini pill for about 8 months after my keyhole surgery, (quick background - i've been diagnosed with stage 3-4 endo, bowel, womb, ovaries all stuck together, and they couldnt do anything but suggest to try out different contraceptives to stop my period)

Anyway, after taking the mini pill i've been having really bad mood swings, and borderline depression, so decided to go off the mini pill (finished the pack) on 25th December (also want to start trying for a baby in about 6 months time, and want to get my body ready).

I've been feeling better, and did not have a bleed at all after stopping the pill, was waiting for my bleed/ period to come, and did get worry when it did not come after 4 weeks. Some symptoms of endometriosis came back, like cramps on lower back/ womb area, frequent toilet use for passing stools even though there's nothing to pass, gassy, etc. It was still bearable and i did not need painkillers. However, the last few days i've had pretty bad cramps, and it feel like it was getting worst, i took it as my cycle was starting again, and my period was close. Today (8th Feb) I had really bad pains, so bad i could barely move, took some strong painkillers and was ok for a while. Then my period came, but it's a sort of dark brown blood..and then bright red blood.

i have a few questions and hope someone can answer them -

1) is this my period? Or is it just a bleed from the pill?

2) if so, is the next one my real period? That's when my cycle starts?

3) if i want to go back on the pill, can i just start again anytime or do i have to wait abit?

4) anyone have any tips for reducing endo pain?

Any help would be much appreciated! xx

[Hidden]

Hi, I'm about to come off the mini pill too and was wondering the same things! If you've been off for 4 weeks without bleeding then this bleeding is most likely to be your natural periods restarting, so would be cycle day 1. Was your pain any less on the pill? I found my pain has been exactly the same since I started taking it so was hoping coming off it might reduce some of it, but I had a negative lap so things might be a little different there. If you want to go back on the pill then I think you probably can, because it will mess up your hormones starting it at any time, but I'd try something else to stop the pain or see what's causing the issues before going back on it any time soon x

[Ejl2688 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks so much for your reply, I’ve had a google and I think the bleed I had which started yesterday is the break through bleed after going off the pill, and not my real period, I think the next one might be my real period, but as I’m not sure I just wondered if anyone went through the same, and know.

My endo was pretty much non existent when I was on the mini pill, hardly any cramps and no toilet issues, it really was a life giver and I felt like I had my life back. (Ofc there was the mood swings, and depression, and weight gain)

Just don’t know how long it takes for the pill to get out of my body and for my cycles to start again, want to start trying to a baby on a ‘healthy’ normal body, so got to suffer the symptoms for now and hope I can hold up till I conceive.

would love to speak to others in a similar situation x

[Hidden in reply to Ejl2688]

I've been on the pill for 4 years and never understood breakthrough bleeding, even on the mini pill I bled super heavily and like clockwork so always just assumed it was a period, but I know when coming off it they can take a while to come back. I've been told it's 6 months usually if you want to conceive but I've known people to do it in the first month off, I think everyone is different, and things can always improve after a baby so you never know! x

[Ejl2688 in reply to Hidden]

yes thats what the doctor told me, to have a baby and hope that it will be get better after, and if not then have a hysterectomy when I am ready. I think the mini pill really helped with the endo pains, as I had pretty much next to no pains after going on, and able to live a normal live. After coming off it for the last 7 weeks, pains and cramps been coming back, and today back/ bowel pains were as bad as before. It makes me want to go back on the minipill x