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I was on Tri Sprintec (generic of Ortho) for 5 months and it was ok at first. Towards the end I gained 10lbs, had killer munchies, got 2 UTIs, had nausea all day long to the point of throwing up. So I stopped taking it and 2 days later got my period for the second time this month. It freaked me out because I though I was pregnant. Someone told me that sometimes you bleed a little when the implantation happens.
Made an appt with a doctor. I was not pregnant, the estrogen in the pill made me throw up and it makes things dry down there so things are easily irritated so more prone to UTIs. She wrote me another prescription, that I won't fill.
So it got me thinking... Men dont like condoms because they are uncomfortable. Condoms dont make them gain weight, throw up or have insane moods swings. It's a little discomfort, not even pain. The pill is not even medically necessary. It's not like a pill for heart disease or kidney failure. For some woman it is because it controls their unpredictable periods. Were talking about woman who just take it for birth control and not anything else. So why put yourself through that? There are other more serious risks like blood clots. I was thinking would I rather be pregnant or have a blood clot. So anyone else done with the pill and switched to condoms? Why put youself potentially at serious risk when you can just use condoms.
At first I was all for the pill :(
I was on hormonal bc for years and hated everything about it. Hubs and I have always used a combination of condoms and NFP and it's worked great. Using condoms was actually his idea and he has always been happy to do it!
I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience! I've seen several threads with lots of advice on lots of different pills. I've been on the pill for more than 10 years now, but I've been on probably at least 10 different types. Some work better for me than others. I'm still switching every once in a while because as my body continues to change, sometimes i develop new symptoms (like break through bleeding).
You absolutely don't have to fill the next prescription if you're worried about it, but I would really encourage you to talk to your doctor about this. You're not just talking about moderate side effects.
I'm hoping that Mrs. DG and some of our other fabulous doctors will chime in here--they've been very helpful on other BC threads.
I am not even sure they're so uncomfortable so much as they reduce sensation. Maybe he needs to experiment with different brands if you want to get off the Pill. Women shouldn't have to be the ONLY responsible party.
Ortho used to make me hella sick too. I've been on about 4 other kinds that do NOT have those side effects. Have you tried anything else? You're more at risk for clots if you're above 35 and smoke or have other health issues, too. A non-hormonal IUD is an effective alternative to hormonal BC if you don't like the BC.
Have you done enough research on this topic? There are lots of other benefits to the pill. Some are for them and some are against them. Your skin usually improves on them and your mood stabilizes (for some women). Key word: SOME.
The pill is heaven for me. No more serious cramps, no more misery 1 week a month. Periods ruined my life. I couldn't work out, i bloated massively and i went from tylenol to advil to vicodin just to function. I went through $30 of tampons and products every single month. Turns out i have a medical reason to be on BC, but I love how FREE my life is w/o periods. Just because it's 'natural' doesn't mean i want to put up with it.
Besides medical reasons, birth control is more effective than condoms. If a condom breaks, what do you do? Plan B? Condoms also slip. They're uncomfortable for both men and women (ok for me). Personally i hate those little buggers. It feels foreign, like a plastic bag. Ew. Frankly, I've experience enough "issues" with condoms to know I don't trust them. There is too much going on that makes them unreliable...
We actually use both right now. It eases my mind to know we are using two barriers against pregnancy. I haven't had any adverse reactions to the pill. I talked to my doctor and she said that with my health, the chances of suffering the more serious risks are very very low. I accept that.
If the pill doesn't work for you there is always an IUD or diaphragm in addition to condoms...
I agree with you. I was on the pill since age 15 on up through college, mainly to control acne. Then my acne went away and I lost my parents' health care, so to save money for the past two years I've used condoms. After being off the pill for two months, I instantly lost about 8-10 pounds, my skin problems did not return and my skin actually looks better. I have not had a UTI (I used to get these every year multiple times) since going off of the pill, and my fiance does not mind "being in charge" of the birth control.
I know that if you are on the pill for five consecutive years it gives you a host of health benefits. So, yes, I was on it for that amount of time so I'll get those health benefits. Now I see no reason to go back on it, spend the money and worry about blood clots!
I used birth control for a couple years. In that time frame, I had to switch between 5 different brands because of all the side effects. My husband was getting so annoyed with my severe mood swings, crazy appetite, headaches and dizziness. He finally told me to just quit taking the pill and he will just figure something out. lol It has been wonderful since then!
Personally, I love my bc pill, but that's because it helps mellow out my crazy hormones. We still use condoms, too, even though I'm on the pill. Neither of us are really fans of the condoms, but it's for a little more peace of mind.
I'm all about the pill. Before I was on it I didn't realize that it wasn't normal to go through a box of super-heavy tampons in one period... very unpleasant. Now I get through on a few pantiliners. It's great! I'm going to switch brands though because the one I'm on now is killing my sex drive.
I just went off the pill. I tried two different ones and I just got kind of fed up. The last one TOTALLY killed my sex drive. the other one, I was dry, but I still wanted it at least. Then the headaches and stuff. ugh. The only thing that kept me on it was because I used to have really bad cramps and it made my period lighter, shorter and barely any cramps and kept it regular. except when I swtiched, it went back to heavy and last just about as long as without it, with other symptoms on top of that that i've never had! so i just said forget it. it's not like we have sex a ton to make it too expensive to buy condoms vs the expensive birth control!
I am happy for woman who use the pill and it helps with their periods. My friend has insane periods that last months and birth control has helped her a lot.
My periods are like clock work. Same exact day every month, it's weird.
I am just scared about gaining weight. Once I gained the 10lbs my jeans didn't fit. I had to get new clothes and I like my old clothes. You know that one really old pair of awesome jeans that you just love, well their tight :(
We will have to experiment with condoms, some are better then others. He is fine with that. His mom will be very happy if we get pregnant, and we will be too. It's just were newlyweds and we want to travel and have kids 1-2 yrs down the road. Either way we'll be happy :)
I was on BC, but I just ran out and haven't found a doctor here I'd like to see...and I don't feel like driving 8 1/2 hours to get my perscription refilled. So it's all condoms for us. So far I have less headaches, my sex drive is coming back, and I'm already starting to lose a little weight. I do miss the planned periods, though.
Yay TMI posts!
We use condoms and FAM, Fertility Awareness Method. Basically, I keep track of my body signs to know when I'm ovulating, and don't do anything risky around that time. Very effective for me. At this point I know my cycle well enough that ovulation is just as obvious as my period, haha. My man has always been wonderful about being safe.
I don't want anything hormonal in my body, esp. because my father is manic depressive; I can guarantee you that BC would do absolutely nothing good for me. In my case, the health cons far outweigh the minor pros. And I'm perfectly capable of addressing any cycle issues I have without chemical help. BC is just one thing I won't mess around with. But, to each their own.
I've been on two types of the Pill - LoEstrin 24, which i loved and experienced no negative side effects but a slew of positive ones, and a generic form, which made me nauseous and headachey, and gave me my period if I missed taking it by a few hours. They differ, so if you're still open to it ask your doctor for an alternative.
There are definitely other effective birth control methods, though. FI and I use the Pill and condoms. Better safe than sorry, since we're so young there is absolutely no way we could handle a baby. We actually both hate condoms - they are really uncomfortable for me, too - but have found a happy compromise in the Trojan Ecstasy condoms. Maybe TMI, but love 'em!
I was on many pills for 7 years straight. There were some pros: they made my skin look great, predictable periods were nice and of course not needing to use condoms was convenient. However, after the horrible migraines started, the ringing in my ears (that has unfortunately never gone away), the crazy mood swings, the depression, the weight gain, etc., I went off about 7 months ago. Now the migraines are all but gone and are very mild in comparison when I have them, the mood swings are gone (except when I'm stressed about the wedding!), the depression hasn't reared its ugly head and I've lost weight. My skin is not as nice, but it's a trade I'm happy to take! Condoms and spermicide are the best route for me, and my doc. said it's a highly effective option when both are used every time.
I was also on Tri Sprintec recently (from February to August this year). I gained a little weight (prob 8ish lbs). UTIs were a HUGE problem for me. I would get them once a month, and (sorry if this is TMI) the antibiotics would give me yeast infections. So once a week each month I would have a UTI/yeast infection and then another week I would have my period. SO annoying. I finally got fed up, and I started taking Alesse, which is a much lower hormone pill. I've been on it for two months now, and I haven't had a UTI yet! Yay! I'm trying to lose weight, but it's not coming off, which is totally annoying.
I hate condoms. My guys uses magnums (not bragging!), and there is no extra sensitive or any type of version of it, so it's like wearing a plastic bad. He doesn't like it, and it's really irritating for me. So some type of BC is our only option.
I use BC and the withdrawal method. I actually found going on the pill made my periods heavier and longer (I have GOT to be the only person that I know that this happened to!). However neither of us like using condoms so this was the best option. Plus, I am vigilant about taking pills, versus we've had a condom break before.
exactly what Minutiae said... i dont use bc or condoms. i know my body and it tells me when im ovulating and a high risk of pregnancy and there are other sexual options at the time of month when im most fertile
Until we're married: we use both!
I don't want a surprise bundle of joy until the time is right!
I use both. Condoms break. This happened to me once, and it was scary - but I was on the pill as a backup. I have been on the pill for 10 years as well and I have never had any problems - but that is just me. I actually developed acne as an adult, so for the past few months I have switched brands in an attempt to get clearer skin. Currently trying one called Marvelon. I guess I just have to wait and see! I was on Yasmin before, and Brevicon before that.
I voted "other" because we use both too. I have private health insurance and it does NOT cover pregnancy so getting pregnant would not only be inconvenient and unplanned, but would sink me financially. Before that I was in school and baby + midterms just didn't sound like any fun. :)
I am seriously curious as to what I would be like off the pill. I have been on it since I was 16. Would I lose weight? Would I have a higher sex drive? Who knows. I just asked my doc if it was safe to be on the pill for the past 8 years or if I should consider going off and she said that there are serious benefits to staying on the pill for 10+ years, namely a reduced risk of ovarian cancer.
Even though I've been on it forever, I have never loved the idea of putting hormones in my body. Every day. For a decade!
I haven't talked to bf about this but I'm thinking that when I hit my 10 year mark (which should be about 6 mo after we marry), I might go off the pill. At that point I think I would be comfortable with a combination of NFP and condoms because if we got pregnant unexpectedly it wouldn't be a big deal.
I've never been on the pill and never will be, my hubby said he NEVER wants me to put anything like that in my body and that works for me because I would probably forget to take them, lol.
I clicked pill, but we are using both at the moment. For the majority of our relationship we used both, and then for about 1.5 years...just the pill. Then over the summer I had a panic attack about being pregnant for my wedding and we decided to start using both again.
I've never had a problem with the pill personally (I've been on it since I was 17). FI whines a little about using condoms again, but he'll get over it ;o) Only <8 months to go haha
Tri-sprintec didn't give me physical complications, but it did cause me to act like Satan's spawn. I was definitely out of control of my emotions and felt like I was biting people's heads off all of the time. I would suggest talking to your doctor to let them know that this is not working for you. I'm on a different one now, and I actually cried when I realized a few days after taking it that I was finally myself again.
@Ale: FI uses Durex Ultra Sensitive. Not the ones with spermicide. No weird smell and they're super-thin. In fact, I think Durex started making an even thinner version recently.
I don't recommend Trojans because they have a very strong smell, IMO. Yuck.
I have been on the pill since I was 13 to control PCOS - so I have to be on it anyway so that is our form of pretection and we have never even thought about using anything else because I HAVE to be on a specific pill!
We used condoms as well until we were ok with a possible pregnancy and when we got to that level we stopped using condoms - and I think sex is soooo much better without them for me and for him!
I hope you find something that works for you soon!
I've had a condom break before, and did NOT have any kind of backup...... After that, IMO, if you're using only condoms, you might as well be using nothing. I've now been on the pill for years and years.
I can't take the pill due to thyroid issues. Too many hormones out of whack already = no additional hormones allowed, so we use condoms. But the wedding is in 16 days, and on the 7th, we're going to stop using them! :D
I'm with you, I don't enjoy pills, I've been on several different types of BC and hated the way I felt on everyone of them. I thought I finally had found a pill that was good but then after 2 years it was downhill so I gave it up and after the wedding FI and I have agreed to look into getting a non-hormonal IUD, so I don't have to deal with mood swings, which was my biggest problem. Right now we use condoms and I feel totally okay with it and so does he, we haven't hat one break but if we did I suppose we'd just use the morning afterpill to be safe. It's about as much as my BC pills were per month so using that once wouldn't hurt us too bad.
I actually hated Durex because they felt thick and clumsy. I love the Trojan Ecstasy condoms. I've never used the other Trojan ones, but I don't think the Ecstasys have a weird smell?
condoms really really suck, but the pill made me CRAZY. a complete lunatic. i tried different brands over the years, but still, totally not in control of my emotions, specifically anger and sadness.
@lilyfaith: That's funny! I loathe trojans... I think they're as thick as a grocery bag. Blech! We found Durex sensi-thin to be the best out there :)
@lilyfaith and Recessionita: Right?! haha. It's so funny to see different opinions on seemingly the same thing. In college, guys always told me they hated Trojans because they were thick and had a weird smell.
Those sensi-thins were the new thinner ones I was talking about...will have to give them a try.
BC isn't really an option for me given my family medical history so, much as it SUCKS and we HATE it, we use condoms. He's really excited for me to be ready to have babies - let me tell you.
Along with other posters, we used condoms and NFP (Sympto-Thermal method to be precise). I just replied to another post with basically this same message, but it was super effective for us and really the best choice in our relationship. I didn't even realize how much hormonal bc affected me (mood swings, weight gain, etc...) until I quit. If you're looking for an alternative, I highly recommend NFP plus condoms.
However, if you are are not interested in NFP, have you considered a diaphragm? Also non-hormonal, but you're still in control of making sure the condom is in place before sex (i.e. no complaints from your SO). I would also imagine it would be cheaper in the long run since the same diaphragm can be used for quite a while, and if you have sex a lot you could be blowing a ton of money on male condoms.
I was on the pill way before I was sexually active in order to regulate my period. My first pill was awful, I had a constant flow when I had not had a period for 6 months before starting the pill. When I switched I was so much better off.
When I became sexually active we were using both condoms and the pill but very quickly had to switch condoms because I discovered I was allergic to latex- not long after that we gave up the condoms all together because neither of us liked the way they felt. Now we are just more careful. I've always been a little hormonal so I can't blame that on the pill although lately I've noticed I've been getting meaner right before my period. And I have also gained quite a bit of weight(30 lbs) because of the pill but honestly- I like being curvier. Benefits- acne gone! I don't think I would want that back-ever ever again.
*I* hate condoms...they irritate me or something to the point that it hurts. I must be allergic. I've been on the pill for 7 years and it's fine for me. I might have gained a few pounds (not anything major) and I'm fine with it because I'd rather have 3lbs of weight then get pregnant...so I deal with it. I've never experienced any negatives from taking the pill and actually the most recent pill I've been taking (for maybe 2 years) has helped decrease my migraine pain. Migraines run in the family and when I hit my 20's they got bad.
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