Microgynon since Oct, but just started spotting, heavy painful cramping, clots and some bleeding. Is this normal please?

[Music1]

My ivf clinic advised I go on the pill to stop my periods (as I get a lot of pain from monthly Endometriosis). They advised I take it until I get an Endometrial scratch to start ivf. I was advised to take the ‘active pill’ every day with no other instructions. I haven't been taking the 7 days ‘inactive pill, which I think you are supposed to take after 21 days. I thought, taking this it may start a bleed.

However, after taking the pill since maybe Oct or Nov every day, this last week I've started to experience painful cramps, hot flushes, spotting, clots when I go to the bathroom and it feels similar to a period. Is this possible?

Should I have taken the 7 days 'inactive pill' or won't it have made a difference. Just a bit confused why I've had so much pain recently. Am also on Levothyroxine for my thyroid which I take in the evening before bed. Microgynon taken every morning between 7-10am. Wasn't sure if you had to take this on the dot, but again the clinic didn't advise or seem concerned. Hoping to start ivf next month, but worried by recent symptoms. Is this normal or ? Many thanks

[Saya85]

Hi 👋🏾

Great news you’ll be starting ivf soon- congrats.

Firstly I’d like to say don’t worry too much! Let me explain...

I had exact same experience on microgynon back to back pills- I bled anyway on the second month - and the bleeding was horrendous!

And this has happened twice whilst I’ve been trying to take it back to back.

As with anything if symptoms are severe or getting worse get medical advice ASAP- check the medication leaflet to see of side effects.

But to clarify a few things you brought up;

1) no you shouldn’t take the ‘inactive pills’ in this scenario as they are basically placebo tablets - and you would have had a withdrawal bleed. So you did the right thing according to clinic advice.

2) you should take it roughly same time every day- 3 hour gap might be too much especially if you end up delaying or missing a pill at the end of one pack as that often will kickstart a bleed.

3) often women will bleed regardless after first pack or two as body gets used to the pill

4) the ‘pill’ doesn’t actually contain real hormones - it has similar synthetic versions of oestrogen and progesterone so often the body will override it to begin with- especially if you suffer from things like endometriosis.

5) the reason the clinic want you on the pill is so that they can time a withdrawal bleed and effectively make sure that you have ‘shed’ your whole endometrial lining, this is because ivf will create a new thick lining very quickly (so they want to make sure old lining has gone completely)

I would contact your clinic and let them know- they should scan you to check where your lining is at-and take it from there.

I ended up starting short protocol ivf on a random day instead of day 1 of period due to excessive bleeding once they were satisfied lining had shed.

If you’re doing long protocol and starting on day 21 then it may not matter as much.

Oh ONE LAST POINT!

Microgynon often depletes vit b12 levels and coming off it affects folic acid levels so I would make sure you’re supplementing correctly and if you have b12 deficiency symptoms have it tested asap.

I suffered so badly each time I was on microgynon and it’s taken almost a year to figure it out and get it treated x

[Music1 in reply to Saya85]

Thanks Saya, I think you answered every question in my head plus extras. With the pain I've been having these last few days and the bleeding, I was starting to think my body had stopped responding to the pill etc.

Thanks for putting my mind at rest. You're a star