Can your period cycle change?

Did the birth control patch change my period cycle?

• Last month I had my period on monday, apr 17th. I started my very first patch on sunday the 23rd. A day later, i decided not to use the patch anymore so I took it off (on monday). Then a week later on the apr. 30th, I started my period again. I read that when the patch is removed you start your period again because your body is adjusting itself to normal. Today is May 16th and I'm not sure when to expect my period. Should I be getting it on the 17th or the 30th? I am totally paranoid because I had sex 2 wks ago and I'm not sure if I'd be late on my period.

• Answer:

  If you had sex two weeks ago you can take a pregnancy test now to ease your mind, as you've passed the time when implantation of a pregnancy would occur. To answer your question about when your period should come, it's hard to say because your cycle is now off due to your starting and then stopping the patch. But it really doesn't matter, since a pregnancy test at this point should be accurate; if you have a real reason to believe you might be pregnant (i.e. the sex you had was unprotected), you might as well take a test.