Ok so here goes again, my last period was July 27, which is also the day I started my birth control pills (Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo). I take them faithfully every day, around the same time. Well, Aug 8th I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend, he didn't ejaculate in me or anywhere near my vagina. We haven't had sex since then, because I found out I had an STD (from my previous boyfriend, didn't know I had it until my pap test), so I was put on antibiotics (Zithromax and Flagyl for BV). Yesterday, I had some brownish pinkish spotting so I thought my period was starting since I started my inactive pills this week. But the menstrual flow has not increased. Every few hours when I wipe I see old dry blood, like my period is ending when I should be seeing bright or dark red blood. Idk if this could be my birth control giving me a weird cycle since I just started it, or if I could be pregnant since I was on 2 antibiotics. I'm afraid it weakened the pill and put me at greater risk of pregnancy. Thoughts?


Oh and yes I have learned my lesson. My boyfriend and I are staying abstinent until we are deemed clear of our STD scare, and we agreed to always use protection from now on.

How soon after August 8 did you start the antibiotics? Luckily tri-cyclen is one of the forms of birth control pills that provides protection early on, but the antibiotics are ones that may decrease the effectiveness... not all do, but those two unfortunately can.

It is quite likely that the light bleeding is from the pill however. The timing is right and some women will experience light periods from the start.

Keep taking the pills on schedule, but either wait and see what happens when your next period would be due, or test a bit sooner if you can't stand the wait. You could always ask your doctor to do a blood test sooner as well.

I started Flagyl July 30, but I didn't take that prescription properly. I stopped taking it August 4th after only taking half of the medication. I took Zithromax August 12th it was just a one dose treatment. I still feel cramps and pressure like its my cycle starting, and just a few moments ago I saw blood that looks more like what I normally see at the beginning of my period, so I'm hoping its just making a slow arrival. Technically I am still early for my period this is Day 25 of my cycle and its not that uncommon for me to spot a day or two before the flow kicks in full. Its just the blood I was seeing earlier looked so weird, very dry and chaulky, doesn't have a smell or anything, just a strange texture. I'm just so paranoid after everything I have been through down there..

See how the bleeding goes and whether it resembles a usual period for you, but again the tri cyclen can alter it a bit.

Okay, will do. Thank you.