Should I continue using a tampon when I'm on birth control?

Same thing happened to me when I started BC. It’s no big deal, I still use them. (Just less :) )

Birth control is known for somewhat changing a woman’s period. Not only does it make it regular, but it can also change how heavy or light it is. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry about it. I see no reason not to use tampons while on birth control. The lady at Planned Parenthood didn’t know what she was talking about. All is well, don’t worry.

go ahead girl. no worries,.

You will be fine to continue using tampons.
You just may need to switch down to a lower absorbancy, that’s all.

Tampons are on my list of great inventions, same as my DVR and fluther; life changing. I used Tampons throughout my eight years on the pill.

Sounds more like she was recommending pads so you can see what’s going on in case there’s a problem you want to discuss with the gyno-doc.

It’s absolutely fine to continue using them :)

I dont understand how they would change anything? how old are you?

@cheebdragon My thoughts exactly… No! Wait! I just read the whole thing, and I think @susanc is on the right track. It is easier to determine your flow from pads than it is with tampons. So I guess the main question is….why have your periods been less heavy than normal, and for how long, and how does Planned Parenthood fit into all of this? What does your doctor say?

I completely disagree with the idea that you can tell your flow on pads better. Actually a tampon is catching everything, while pads represent only what make it to the pad. Blood and discharge can hang around on our vulvas and be wiped away after we urinate. Women who use tampons tend to report longer periods, because they are aware of their periods to the last drop.

I agree with @JLeslie if you keep track of which absorbency the tampon is and how often you are changing it, you can keep good track of your blood flow. I would say if your periods are getting lighter, definitely use the lowest absorbency tampon that you need. You might come to find that you may not need tampons sometimes because of the lighter bleeding, but that’s a matter of personal preference.

@Seaofclouds and @JLeslie That’s a good argument. But still, the question of why the flow has changed is still important, don’t you think? The guys are going “GIT ME OUTTA HERE!!! LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU GET AROUND TO BOOBS AGAIN!!! :)

@Val123 It is normal for the flow to change while on birth control and with hormonal shifts (as well as with stress and exercise). If the doctor is concerned about that, they would want to draw some blood work to measure hormone levels and have her keep a detailed log of her periods (when they started, how long they lasted, if each day was light, medium, or heavy, if there was any cramping, etc).

@Val123 I assumed her flow is lighter because she started the pill? That is what I thought the question implied, maybe I am wrong?

My gyno has never made any mention of any bad side effects of using tampons while in the pill, and I have had no problems.

Sigh. Evermind! When I said I read the “rest of it” I forgot to note that I did NOT read the “first of it.” My bad! But, that aside, use tampons if you want. Changes in flow are perfectly normal. The gal at Planned Parenthood was just being PC.

I used both for years without any problem at all.

Embarrassed to realize that I had blood and discharge hanging around on my vulva for all those years without knowing it. I thought… I thought I was so clean. Alas.

You can keep using them. I notice a difference in flow with tampons, I use about 7 if I’m on the pill and a whole box if I’m not.

@susanc Alack.

Whoa.. a lot to think about. My main concern is the lightness I guess. I’m not pregnant I know. This is my fourth day of my period. Like.. it goes away and comes back.. idk, like in the shower it started bleeding again when I thought I was off yesterday.. idk, i’m not as heavy anymore.. hm.. does this happen to anyone else?

ALSO! What kind of tampons are.. less absorbency? I use.. platex sports right now.. should I switch?

@Shuichi Spotting can happen with the pill (especially when you’re first starting out) as well as a period that is on-again off-again during that one week of the month. It’s totally normal. You don’t need to change the kind of tampons or pads you use right now – many women simply find the smaller ones more comfortable and thus don’t want to wear the bigger ones unless they have to. Higher absorbency means more bang for your buck, so there’s no point in purposefully getting less absorbent tampons – PP lady was wrong. You just can now wear smaller ones and change them less frequently. Normally, the less absorbent ones are the cheaper ones – the off-brand ones that aren’t modeled after a brand after the patent expires.

@Shuichi You are bleeding while you are still on hormone pills? Or, you are bleeding during the expected time of your period? Which would be a couple of days after stopping the pills or during your placebo pills.

@papayalily Actually, it is recommended to be sure you are using the correct absorbency tampon for your flow. The heavy absorbency ones have a higher risk of TSS when left in for extended periods. If your flow is light, it’s highly recommended to use a light absorbency tampon instead of a heavy one to prevent the person from leaving in the heavy absorbency ones in for too long of a time frame.