Clean Sweep

She has been using hormonal birth control for years. After stopping, she has begun experiencing large amounts of white discharge, occasionally with a red tint. What is this, and what can be done about it?

Case #: 1456

Concern：

I have been taking The Pill for 3 years and stopped recently because they made me nauseous. I instead started using condoms. A few days after stopping the use of birth control I started experiencing a big amount of discharge. It is white and sometimes has a tint of red in it. What can any of this be?

Discussion：

Right now, your body is going through the process of realigning its hormone productions, after having become accustomed to the synthetic hormones of the birth control you’ve been taking for years. What that means is that until your body settles back into normal mode, you’re going to experience some hormonal ups and downs—which includes physical side effects.

Half, Not Whole

What you’re experiencing right now is an excess of progesterone. It sounds as though your body had become reliant on the estrogen in your birth control, and without it, has gone into a slight estrogen deprivation scenario. Estrogen and progesterone work together in the feminine reproductive system to create a healthy menstrual cycle. When a female is missing one hormone or the other, her sexual processes begin to deviate from the norm.

Gooey Goodness

Progesterone controls cervical mucus; more progesterone means more mucus. Your body is currently sensing a lot of progesterone, and has responded by creating an extra thick mucus barrier. It’s interesting that you didn’t notice this problem while on birth control—many hormonal birth control users complain of excess white discharge while on birth control, not after, but your body must have settled well into the hormonal regime of your birth control.

Spot the Problem

The occasional red tint in your discharge is also related to this progesterone overdose. Low levels of estrogen can trigger spotting, as the growth and containment of the epithelium (uterine lining) is directly determined by estrogen. Without enough of it, your body begins to sporadically release the lining of your uterus, which shows up as brown, red, or pink discharge.

The issue you’re experiencing is most likely a short-lived one. As I mentioned above, once your body reestablishes the correct production ratios of hormones, you will no longer be having problems with discharge. You can speed this process up by increasing your body’s detoxification abilities. The more quickly your body is able to power through the stores of saved synthetic hormones and recognize the biofeedback signals of proper chemical balance, the faster you will be rid of your irritating symptoms.

I’m recommending a remedy that contains several powerful detoxifiers: Fo Ti and Bupleurum, two powerful agents to kick up your body’s’ processing ability. (TRY: Natural Formula for Vaginal Detox and Infection Relief) This formula also contains herbs to help your body realign hormone production—Rehmannia and Ligustrum—as well as Mexican Wild Yam, which is a natural hormone replacement. I’m sure this particular blend will have you on your feet again in no time!

What to do

Vaginal Infection Relief & Detoxification Formula

Antibiotics and birth control pills can alter the balance of the ‘friendly’ micro flora that subsists in the vagina. Pathogens from these drugs can result in yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis, with symptoms ranging from abnormal discharge,...