Breakthrough Bleeding, Anyone?

It is my first time (that I am aware of) to experience what I now know as breakthrough bleeding. I started spotting Thursday with 3 active Loestrin pills to go. So I thought my period was going to start anytime during the long weekend. (Didn’t want that to happen because we were going out of town and may have to come back early for an ultrasound.)

On Friday, I had a weak flow so I was a bit confused whether I was having my first day of flow already. I remember though Dr Hansard telling me that flows would be weak when one is under a birth control pill regimen. So I already resigned myself to coming back early from out of town to have an ultrasound done within the 9-10am limited clinic time on Sunday.

On Saturday, I had a stronger flow (but still relatively weak compared to my regular flows), so I called the clinic to set an ultrasound appointment for Sunday. The person at the Texas Fertility Center told me that I was having breakthrough bleeding because I still had 1 more active Loestrin pill to go. She further said that the real flow will come a few days after the last active pill. So I didn’t need to get back early from out of town on Sunday - yahoo!!!

(One interesting note from that conversation also: The grown follicle is called a cyst! I still have difficulty imagining the normal grown follicle as a cyst because that term seems to be ingrained in my head that it is/looks like the dermoid cysts I had had removed in a laparoscopy. More on that on another post.)

Anyway today Monday, I am in CD36 and I am on the 2nd day of the placebo/reminder pills. I’m still breakthrough bleeding, so I was wondering how I can differentiate the breakthrough bleeding with the real menstrual flow if they overlap? How will I know when Day 1 starts for my next cycle? Perhaps the flow will become much heavier?

Will give myself until Wednesday to “listen to my body” before calling the clinic. Meanwhile, I will be posting this question to the various forum to see if I can “listen to my buddies” as well.