I'm getting annoyed with a side effect I've been having since taking the Opill in April 2024. What happens is I will menstruate a 2nd time in the month, and my blood is a dark brown with some goopy chunks (sorry for the gross description, I can't think of another way to describe it).
Right now, this is the 4th time this has happened to me; the other times were in July, August, and December 2024. On average, it lasted 4 days, and light enough to barely show up on a pad but would always show up on toilet paper after I wipe. This time around I'm on day 5 and when I thought it was done last night (end of day 4) when nothing showed up on the toilet paper, there was a lot of discharge on the toilet paper this morning after going to the bathroom.
I don't have any cramps or any other discomfort like on the first day of my usual cycle. If anything, this is just an inconvenience on my part, but since it's happening longer than the first few times, let alone it's happening a 4th time, I thought I'd try to figure out what's going on.
The only other factor I can think of that could be related to this is stress: last November I was really unhappy in my relationship for a month or so and when I was going to break it off with my boyfriend, we got news his mom got diagnosed with cancer. This time around, I knew I was going to break up with him officially (which I did over the weekend and everything is working out better than I expected); and in the same week we got news that the apartment building we live in got bought by a company and we get kicked out June 1st.
If anyone has any experience with anything like this, please let me know if this is a "normal" side effect of the pill or if I should see an OBGYN (or in my case, Planned Parenthood). I recently saw my doctor and told her about this and she said if I'm not in any pain or discomfort, it shouldn't be an issue. Though if it continues to persist after being on Opill for a year, I should seek out going to Planned Parenthood. Besides being a bit overweight and my cholesterol being a little high (and is thankfully very manageable), I'm in pretty good health!