Very light periods after coming off contraception

[JFG17]

Hi this is the first time I've ever posted here

Basically I'm not actively trying to conceive but may well be in the not too distant future and given I'm now over thirty I'd rather get this sorted if I can.

Five months ago I came off hormonal contraception after being on it (the pill and three implanon implants back to back) for thirteen years and apart from a six month period when I was single in 2017 I have been using it continuously. Whenever I have been taking hormonal contraception my periods have stopped.

I have had regular periods since I stopped using it, every 27 to 30 days my period comes, but they are so light. They last around five days but the last two days of that is nothing more than spotting and even the first couple of days is so light I could get away with one light tampon a day. Before I used contraception I was losing four times as much blood.

I think I am just worried that if this this continues I will struggle to conceive as I'm not sure an egg will be able to implant in my womb as the lining is so light. I really wish all this was explained to me when I was 18 as I would have thought twice about it.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

I can’t help much but I had my implant removed over a year ago then went on the mini pill for a few month (kept forgetting to take it though so was not a good fit for me). Whilst I was on the implant when I did bleed I would bleed through tampons in a hour. Really heavy and painful. Now I’m lucky if my period lasts more then two days and it’s super super light. Like one pad would last all day if we didn’t need to change regularly for hygiene. I even tried a cup once to measure it and it just confirmed a very light flow. So far I have had two BFPs but unfortunately neither stuck. So yer, can’t help much but that is my experience. So far no problems getting pregnant, just struggling to get the little eggies to stick around x

I forgot to mention. I was on the implant for about 12 years. And the mini pill for 6 months so a long time without ‘proper’ periods x

Hi
Thanks for your reply
I'm definitely ovulating, so no problems releasing eggs, just worried they will not implant when the times comes.
And to think I used to actually wish for light periods!

@JFG17 I’ve had this exact problem since coming off the pill my GP told me it can take 3/6 months as an average for things to settle back to normal but can even up to 2 years in extreme cases. Also it may not be a problem you may just have lighter periods now than you used to this happens sometimes as women get older. In my case however I’ve just been diagnosed with thin lining. I’m ovulating and my periods are regular but there’s not enough lining for implantation. Light periods don’t necessarily mean thin lining though lots of women get pregnant no problem with lightwr periods and if you’re not actively ttc yet you’re in the perfect position to give it some time and see what happens. I had to make a move earlier as I’m older so don’t have the luxury of time any more. I’m being put on estrogen for my next cycle to see if that helps my lining thicken

Hi,
Do you mind me asking how old you are?
I'm 32 and conscious I'm the 'wrong' side of 30 now.

I was on contraception for 5 years before coming off it to conceive. My periods were really light but I fell pregnant after 3 months and since having the baby they're back pretty light again. They're very regular but I only get maybe 1 heavy day and the rest is light.

I was worried about this same thing. My periods were outrageously heavy and painful in my teens, then I went on the combined pill for 12 years and when I came off the were nowhere near as heavy. They proceeded to get lighter and lighter over the next few years until I started TTC and I really worried it meant I had a thin lining. However a couple of different Gynaecologists have said not to worry and that light period doesn't necessarily mean a thin lining. I had a scan at 8DPO one month just for reassurance and it was 8mm, which is perfectly fine. They said anything from 6mm is fine and the main thing they would be looking for is the 'triple layer' appearance, as that's the key thing. Maybe a private internal scan would put your mind at rest?
The main time in your cycle that it builds is in the few days run up to ovulation (when you have an Estrogen surge) so I always made sure to do plenty of steps on those days, just incase this helped but I'm not sure this is necessary! I also had acupuncture which is supposed to help with proper period flow, balancing hormones, and building lining. I did notice this reduced spotting before and after period and made the flow and bit better. So these are all things you could do if you're worried. I'm sure it's fine though!!
I'm currently pregnant by the way

Hi @JFG17 I’ve found the same thing. When I was a teenager I had very regular and normal periods but they were heavy-ish - I went through a couple of pads an hour and the bleeding lasted for a solid 5 days. Was on the pill from 15-29 and came off a couple of months ago. Since coming off I’ve had two light periods, both lasting 5 days but light enough that like a PP said I would have been fine only using one sanitary towel all day if not for hygiene. Not much help, sorry but just to say you’re not alone and watching this thread with interest as it worries me!

@JFG17 I’m nearly 37 and hubby is 45 so we didn’t want to waste any time. I knew light periods were usually nothing to worry about most doctors tell you it’s totally fine. And most women have no issues! I’m just one of the unlucky ones where there is actually an issue. I have an 18 year old son from my first marriage but was obviously super young then and fertile so the positive is I know I could conceive but I knew instinctively something wasn’t right after the pill. My periods were so different. I knew I was ovulating I’m pretty extreme about charting and OPK’s and my doctor wasn’t really taking it seriously so I paid £90 for a private scan. This confirmed my susupicion my lining was only 2mm on day 21! As a result of that I booked in to a fertility clinic to see a consultant and have another scan. 2 months on he confirmed the same. My lining just isn’t thickening so he’s supplementing my next cycle with estrogen to see if it responds. If it doesn’t then more investigation is needed. Like I say though so many women have light periods and conceive no problem at all so I hope my case doesn’t make you worry unnecessarily. My situation is unusual apparently

I’m 32 aswell! I try not to worry about the light periods, the doctors won’t do anything until we hit the 1 year mark anyway. Like I said I’m lucky if mine last 2 full days and two little eggs have managed to implant, for some reason they just let go. X

I was on the combined pill for 12 years (a variery of different ones over that period) but stuck with Yasmin for several years as it cleared up my skin and stopped me from becoming a hormonal raging mess during my week break.
Downside was i had stupidly high blood pressure and was switched the the mini pill. I absolutely hated this as my skin was horrendous on it and i felt miserable all the time.
I stopped all contraception a bit over 2 years ago. My periods returned within a few weeks but they were really different.
Pre-pill my periods were heavy, painful and i would lose alot of clots (sorry about that). But since not taking contraception my periods barely last 3 days. They have been pretty irregular too.
Ive had scans and bloods and absolutely nothing has come back so far.
We havent been TTC all this time but havent been careful either and not a glimmer of a pregnancy. Poss 1 chemical early this year but not sure.
I guess everyone is different. Light periods dont automatically mean there is an issue but woth getting it checked if worried.

Oh no. This thread has made me panic. I’m a bloody overthinker and convinced myself overnight there is something wrong so I have gone and booked a private scan for next week! I feel so silly now x

Thanks ladies.
I spoke to my GP this morning who said that it can take six months for periods to return to normal so she will consider some blood tests in three months if they are still light.
I think its just waiting game for most of us.

I will share my experience of this although a little different. I had implant around 6 years so tv no periods at all apart from a very heavy one when first put in. I got it removed end of March 2019. I got my first period after removal then In July 2019. Was a very normal period for me lasted 5 days and medium flow. I then found out I was pregnant the next month. Sadly that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 12 weeks with excessive blood loss resulting in emergency surgery to remove pregnancy. That was in October 2019. In December I had a day of spotting which I assumed was my first period starting however nothing much else happened so assumed it wasn’t my period after all. Then in January the same again, was exactly when I would have been due period of counting December spotting as a period. This time spotting lasted a couple of days and was maybe a little heavier but still not really much at all. At this point I was starting to worry the same as you that this meant I couldn’t get pregnant as lining too thin etc especially as I had had the surgery. However in March when nothing appeared around the time my ‘period’ or spotting was due I took a pregnancy test and it was positive and I’m now 35 weeks pregnant. I don’t know why my periods were so light but like you I was genuinely worried about getting pregnant. Just wang to show it can happen but I would maybe talk to gp if really worried after you are trying for a few months!

I just wanted to add that it also depends what you mean as light. My period is barely there it’s basically spotting! Hence why I suspected thin lining. I barely need any protection that’s how light they are. It’s not just they are just lighter than they used to be they’re literally hardly there at all and usually brown spotting rather than bright red. Just in case that helps put anyone’s mind at rest!

@JFG17 So my periods after a good 10 years on the pill were light! They were like 3 days, and could go a whole day with one tampon. That light. But on my 4th cycle off the pill I got my BFP and im now at 14 weeks. I did do seed cycling and took pregcare multivitamins ☺️

Hi I thought I would reply to this. I'm not sure if any of the original repliers will see this.

I went for an internal ultrasound which confirmed by endometrial lining was normal. However my ovaries were 'bulky' which the sonographer said was indicative of PCOS. This has since been diagnosed. My periods despite being regular at the time of posting this thread have now become irregular (cycle lengths have varied between 19 and 89 days). My periods have become slightly heavier, more clotty and more painful but I'm not longer as concerned that an egg will not be able to implant. I am now more concerned as to whether or not I am ovulating.

Losing weight has helped, as has drinking spearmint tea which decreases androgens which I believe is helping me to ovulate. I also now taken inositol and other supplements such as zinc, folic acid, vitamin d and coq10. My last cycle was a perfectly normal was 30 days.

Our TTC journey will begin in September.

Hi @JFG17. Iv name changed since but was SOHE previously! That’s great news you got some answers and are ready to start your TTC journey! I’m sending you virtual luck and good vibes!!

i went for a private scan too who confirmed lining was ok, and my third egg that implanted was third time lucky as she is now a beautiful baby girl who is one in just over a week! My periods returned about 6month PP and are even lighter then they where before! I have no idea where my lining goes each month as so little of it seams to come out, some months 1 day and is over!

Congratulations and thanks for the reply (I doubted anyone would).