[BlueSkyy]

Hello there - I'm new to these forums, and I'm sure all of you established members get perturbed by newbies like me who join and immediately start asking you for your advice. I apologize.

Anyways, I'll keep this short and sweet. My doctor, whom I'm starting to hate, has been playing Birth Control Pill Roulette on me. I've been on the pill since I was young-teens, I'm currently 23 (so almost 10 straight years.) None of them have worked well for more than a few months at a time. I've tried over half-a-dozen brands.

I take my pill every night at 11:30. I have an alarm set, and I've never, in all my years of taking the pill, missed a single one. I'm 5'6" and weigh 125, and am fairly athletic, but nothing extreme. I have a tipped uterus, but I don't know much about it other than my mom and younger sister have one too. All normal Pap smears, never had an STD, only had a UTI once which cleared up as soon as I got on ABs.

My problem is: the most recent pill my doctor put me on, after working great for 4-5 months, is now failing on me. Basically, I'll have a normal period during my "off week" for a few days (bright red blood, heavy flow, occasional mild cramps, the whole deal) and then for the rest of the ENTIRE MONTH, I will have thick brown-to-black discharge, straight up until my next period. If I don't wear a liner, it ruins my panties. My boyfriend won't go anywhere near me if my discharge is any color he can see (sissy!) but I can't really blame him because I'd feel the same if he were constantly spewing out nasty old clotted blood from his private parts.

Please, if anyone has any advice, I'd greatly appreciate it. I've been chatting with my doctor about it and she keeps mentioning that she'll "do a scan if this next pill doesn't work out." I have no idea what she means by that, and have yet to submit to anything other than another trip to Walgreen's and the ridiculous co-pays that keep piling up every time I see her.

I'm getting so incredibly frustrated! I have to wear a liner or mini-tampon every single day, and my relationship with my boyfriend is strained because something's not normal and I can't seem to fix it and it's killing the intimacy we used to have. I'm paying for meds that don't work and appointments that don't help.

If this much "old blood" is normal, which I can't see how it could be, does anyone have any tips on how to get it to come out faster, rather than spread out through the entire month?

[LanaBear]

By doing a scan aka ultrasound, she can check for cysts and things like that. It is probably a really good idea to have it done if you are having that much brown discharge.

I don't really have any suggestions, but I have been through it. My Dr performed a D&C on me last year to give me a "clean" start because I was going through the same thing. I've had regular periods and no old blood discharge for 15 months now.

Welcome to the forum!

[BlueSkyy]

Thank you so much for the welcome and your advice!

My mother (of all people, she's so straight-laced) actually suggested a D&C if it didn't clear up. Do you know how one goes about asking for it to be preformed, or can only a doctor recommend one? I don't see a gyno, just my regular doc.

[LanaBear]

Good question. Not sure, I'd probably start with your regular Dr and they may refer you out to a gyno. Next time you see her, tell her you've talked to a few people who have suggested a D&C and wanted to get her opinions/recommendations, etc.

If she isn't too positive about it or doesn't think it would be worth it, I'd schedule an appt with a gyno for a second opinion.