Can I safely resume taking my contraceptive pills if I have stopped taking it for a period of time?

Doctor's Answers 2

I suggest to have a scan done by your gynae to check the lining of the endometrium.

It is not uncommon after prolonged use that the lining thins out by quite a bit so there is nothing much to shed as a “period” as such after cessation of the pills. This situation is generally temporary, and the periods should come back soon.

A second possibility is that you naturally had infrequent cycles (say every 3-4 months) due to irregular ovulation. The pill will mask this and make it seem like your periods come every month. This monthly bleed is not a “real” period though, it is just a bleed due to the change in hormonal content in the pill formulation. Once you come off the pill, you then return to your “normal“ cycle – which is that irregular pattern every few months.

A third possibility is that you may be approaching menopause – this can be checked by doing some blood tests.

A fourth possibility is that of pregnancy .. please do a pregnancy test.

In general, before resuming your oral contraceptive after stopping for a period of time, the most important thing to do is to rule out that you are not pregnant.

This is especially because you’ve stopped taking the contraceptive pill for the past 3 months, and have not had any periods yet.

A delay of two to three months before having a period is not unusual after stopping the Pill, but it would be best to seek out a formal consult with a doctor to provide further advice re: the above.

This is also so that he can determine whether there are any other underlying problems associated with your lack of periods, before restarting you on the oral contraceptive pill.

Cheers

Similar Questions

Is it harmful to take long term contraceptive pills (Yasmin) without any breaks?

Great question. In short, the answer is no, there are no harmful effects or complications with taking the Pill long term, assuming you are in good health (apart from the normal side effects/risks associated with taking the combined oral contraceptive pill, like Yasmin, which your gynae should already have explained to you from the start).

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Will switching contraceptive pills help with heavy spotting between periods?

It may be helpful if we explore some of the causes for this intermittent bleeding - sometimes termed as "breakthrough bleeding". If the pill is not taken on a daily/regular basis, the temporary drop in the level of hormones can lead to intermittent bleeding. If you are on any long term medication (eg some antibiotics or anti-epilepsy medication) that increases hormonal metabolism/ breakdown, this can lead to a lowered level of the contraceptive hormone and this can also lead to bleeding.

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