Junel vs. Loestrin 24Fe: Period Changes & Potential Causes

Question
This past April my mom put me on birth control and at first I was on Loesterin24fe but we ask for a cheaper brand and my doctor gave me junel.This past August I moved away to college and during the first couple of months my period was a week or two early, and I wouldn't have one during the week I was supposed to. I asked my doctor what I should do and he said it could be stress related, and that if it continued to come into his office. The next month my period came on the week it was supposed to. However the week before Thanksgiving break I went out a lot with my friends and drank. I've never been a smoker and I only smoked 1/3 of a cigarette, right before going home. When I returned to school from Thanksgiving break I began to leak a bit for a week. I'm supposed to start this week sometime, but I don't know if I will because in the past I would leak the week before and not have a period at all during my week I was supposed too. I do have a boyfriend and we do have sex without a condom, but he does not cum in me ever. Could you please tell me if this random leaking is due to stress again from exams, going home, fighting with my boyfriend and worrying about school work?

Answer
Hi Jennifer,
I think the stress of exams, going home, fighting with the boyfriend, and worrying about school work is probably the main thing affecting your periods and spotting.  The other thing is that with very low dose pills women are more likely to have spotting or miss periods.  As long as you don't miss pills you are still protected from pregnancy.  Junel has 2 different sizes, so you may be on an average dose or very low dose birth control pill (1/20 is low, 1.5/30 is average).  I would do what you can to relieve the stress, and if the irregular bleeding persists consider a switch to a different pill.