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Okay, I need some sisterly (i.e. not necessarily asking for doctorly) advice - just your own experiences. I'm a virgin and have never used any form of contraception before. I'll be quitting my job and moving to the States to get married, and my insurance will cut off the end of July. I'll be in my hometown (parents' state) for one week of July, and in DC where J lives the rest of the month. After July, it's a crap shoot of what kind of job I'll get, and thus whether I'll have insurance until we get married in October (and then I'll be added to his benefits - I'm rarely ill and not too bugged about being off insurance for just 2 months).OKAY question at hand is... when do you think I should start birth control?
It's been ten years since I've lived in my hometown, and I've never lived in DC, so I don't have a doctor either place, but will need an exam too - should I do it with someone my mom (a nurse) can refer me to in Michigan, or find a real doctor in DC (where we'll be living for a few years to come)?
sorry - off track, my real question is how early I should start taking birth control? - I know most pills can take up to ten days to be effective, etc., but I'm feeling like I might want to start it earlier than 2 weeks before the wedding - was it hard to adjust to taking it/being on it? Did you have many side effects when you started?
We're not wanting kids for at least 5 years, so I'm not really looking for the "use condoms for a few months and then start trying" method ;) (that's the advice one friend gave when I mentioned bc).
Thanks!
(ETA: Sorry this is so ramble-y... I guess I'm a little uncomfortable asking, which is silly, because I'm NEVER uncomfortable talking about anything on WB!)
(2nd ETA: We're not going to have sex until the honeymoon. uh, in case that wasn't assumed.)
I would start 3 months out just to be careful and to make sure you are used to taking the pills. You can always go to Planned Parenthood if you don't have insurance and they will provide it for little money.
It takes about a month for the pill to be fully effective. My concern is the fact that you will be starting and then stopping the pill for two months, I think that is what you are trying to say. This probably won't be the best thing for your body to start and stop hormones. You should at least a month before the wedding, but if you don't have insurance until you get married then you should prob use condoms until you get insurance and have been on the pill for a month.
I voted for 3 months out too. Getting bc is not really a big deal that you need to establish a relationship with a doc for. You can easily make one appointment, get a quick check-up and get your pills (or go to PP). I say 3 months because *some* people have bad side effects with various different kinds of bc and it really is just a person by person thing. I love ortho tri cyclen (the original!) and I know a lot of people really don't like it. A lot of people love yaz but it made me so sick. You'll know within a month or two if you like or don't like something... so starting 3 months out will give you time to see if you like the first thing they put you on and then switch if necessary.
Definitely start as early as you can. Then you'll be all used to it before the wedding/honeymoon.
Also, I agree with others, you can go to PP if you don't have insurance.
I would start BC at least two or three months out. My main reason is that you don't know how your body will react. I needed to find the right pill for me. One made my period far too heavy, another one gave me yeast infections...etc...
Also, if you go to the doctor now, ask them for samples to get you through the time you have no insurance.
I think 2-3 months would be perfect. Also, you might want to ask for a low hormone Pill, just because those are least likely to cause unwanted side effects. If you're miserable on the Pill your doctor gives you, don't be afraid to ask for a different prescription. Oh, and I'm not sure if they do this in China, but when I first went on the Pill, they gave me about 6 months worth of free samples. I ended up calling them and asking if they had any extras, and got a year's worth of birth control free. Now, I'm paying dearly for it, but such is life. The generic just was not the same with my body.
PS: I hope you love it like I do! Not having cramps or the moodiness that used to come with my periods is a dream. I literally fear going off the Pill!
I agree with Corgi about the side effects. Better to find out before the wedding then when you feel sick on the honeymoon!
dude planned parenthood is CHEAPO! Once i went and it was like $18 for an exam+BC or something. I think i went cuz my regular bc was hella expensive and since i was in college, it was cheaper
You should definitely start as early as possible. It may take awhile to get the right BC for you. And for me, it seems like it takes a few months for my body to "settle in" on the birth control.
Also--talk to your OBGYN's office if you go see one. Sometimes you can get samples!!!! The nurses at mine were so nice and when I said "man i'ts $100 for 3 month's worth of SEasonique!" (which i realize isn't much over 3 months) they said "oh let us know and we'll give you a sample of it". A sample pack is a full box of 3 months. Once, i was super tight on money before the wedding, I swung by on a Friday and asked for a sample and they gave it to me. If you explain your situation, they may give it to you up front. Our school student health center would give out 6 months worth of birth control at a time to the students.
will the doctor be able to recommend a brand or something? I know literally next to nothing about birth control, except that you're supposed to take the pills at the same time every day, and there are some that are sugar (?) and those are for when you get your 'period'. I put period in quotes because I've heard it's not biologically the same as 'real' menstruation. Not even sure if that's right...
I feel like I'm thirteen years old in the school nurse's office! gees!
And yeah, insurance or no, I'll be taking it once I start.
does PP offer different types or just one? (in case whatever I'm on isn't a good match)
I agree with the PP's. 3 months out at least- you'll find that you'll experince not only physical but emotional changes too... not something you want to be dealing with so near to the big day. And don't get discouraged with not having insurance- I don't have any either and my BCP have been $9/month from wal-mart/target for as long as I can remember. Not a bank breaker by any means. (If it helps i'm on the generic Ortho Tri-Cyclen).
Good luck!
I would say start as early as you can, that way you can tweek it a bit if your period falls over your wedding day. Plus it gives you time to adjust to the side effects (including any emotional ones, you're moving and getting married very close together, you don't need something else making you crazy on top of all that!) If you're worried about not having insurance, there are plenty of places where you can get an exam for little to no money. Also, there are a lot of generic brands which qualify for discount programs and such- check out the websites for places like walmart, cvs, etc. to see what brands you could maybe ask your Dr. about.
Yes, PP should offer more than one kind. (I believe.) Your doctor should know what would be right for you. Mine started me on LoEstrin 24 because it does have a low dose of hormones. I'm quite petite and the hormones in a regular pill hit me HARD. Like, made me nauseated, etc, but I have no negative side effects whatsoever with LoEstrin.
Also, the placebo pills are different depending on the specific brand. Some have very low doses of hormones, some are sugar, some are iron, etc.
@DDW: The doctors will put you on a brand that they think is right. When I first started, I had no idea about brands either. You are right about the pills and the period you get on the pill isn't a real period. PP offers different ones but they might not have brand new forms that are more expensive.
I can't/won't go until I'm back in the States (first of July) - I have no idea what would even be available here, and certainly don't have that specific set of language skills! Plus I'd rather wait for a trusted doctor, and my current insurance doesn't cover bc, I don't think.
They do cover check up visits, can a regular doctor prescribe bc? like, during my regular check up?
Gees. Maybe I'll be covered by the new health care reform...? ;)
Yes, the doctor will recommend a type for you. He/she may ask you HOW you prefer to take your bc--do you want a pill every day? A vaginal insert every 3 weeks? A shot every 3 months (my favorite--can forget all about it!) etc.
Then there is estrogin and progestrin--one may work better than the other for you, side effect-wise.
The pills typically have 3 weeks of tablets, then a week of 'fake' pills, so you take them to stay in the habit of taking your pill. I don't take them. I set a timer on my phone and skip them for a week. I just take mine back to back though so I don't get a period.
I would imagine PP offers different types....probably just the generics, though. There are Lo type pills and regular. Pills and the shot have a higher incidence of nausea (so i was told) versus other ones.
Most regular doctors could possible prescribe BC but they really shouldn't without doing a pelvic exam. I would wait until you are in the states since the brands available might be different there.
As far as i know, they stop you from ovulating. But the period is still a period. I think? I always skipped my sugar pills, and just remembered on my own to start my new pack.
LOL! I don't know about all of you, but my Facebook news feed exploded last night with opinions about the health care reform!
Oh, and my regular doctor does my exams. Many people feel too awkward about that, but I only started going to her for this purpose, and I've never had to go to the doctor for anything un-OBGYN related since I started, so I've never had any awkwardness!
I've had a women's nurse practitioner in a regular family clinic do my exams before and I got a prescription from her. It doesn't HAVE to be an obgyn office by any means...most women just choose to go to one and stick with their doctor throughout having children.
I would say start as soon as possible becasue you don't know how your body will react and how well you will do with taking them reguarly. If it helps, I needed to have that conversation without knowing the proper terms when I moved overseas and I quickly learned that asking for the brand name worked fine and I was able to get a prescription from a regular doctor (GP, not OBGYN). However, I guess this sort of falls into self diagnosing but I needed to get off my current pill due to side effects and did not know how to have the conversation so I took recommendations from friends and did a little research and then asked the Dr. for what I wanted and he gave me the perscription.
thank you for all of your advice ladies - and TIA for any yet to come :)
I feel a lot more reassured (funny how something I never really thought about can get me all in a tizzy once I start thinking about it ... for an hour! actually, I wonder if I'm pmsing...)
I'm off to bed, to dream of ... worry free sex ...
boy that's more awkward looking than it sounded in my head. ;p
if you're looking for a dr in dc, i have a great ob/gyn. she has a very supportive and gentle demeanor, and she prescribes bc in 3 month supply at a time, renewable 4 times/for a year, so it'd be easy to the rx filled even after your insurance ends. pm me if you want the info! :)
i think you should start 3 months before the wedding, just for extra precaution.
as far as a doctor... if you are questionable on what, if any, insurance i highly recommend planned parenthood's in any of the suburban neighborhoods.
the doctors are professional, accomodating, and depending on where you go, the birth control is free - $20 depending on what you choose.
I would try the nuva ring if I were you, and ask your doc for free samples, let her know that your insurance will knock off for two months before the wedding she should be able to give you a few samples to keep you going until then... my doc used to always give me a few because she knew I was a poor college kid lol
This is an Edit, but I forgot to say you should get on it ASAP just to make sure you find the right one/don't have any issues with it.
Good luck!
Hey, I think most of your questions were already answered well by the other bees, but I wanted to add two things that I think no one has mentioned yet. Good luck!
1. "Period" while on the pill - this is the same as what I learned in my women's studies health class in college (from: http://www.knowyourperiod.com/pill.htm)
Important Differences
The withdrawal bleeding women typically experience during the Pill-free or placebo week of the Pill regimen tends to be comparatively more predictable and lighter than a menstrual period. This symptom relief is most likely the result of the fact that women on the Pill are not ovulating or experiencing a real "biological" menstrual period.
The creation of the monthly "withdrawal bleed" associated with the Pill was based on the perspective of those who invented it in the early 1960s. By developing the Pill to include one week of placebo or inactive pills per month, women still had the experience of a monthly bleed, simply a withdrawal symptom caused by taking pills not containing active hormones one week out of every cycle. In this way, the Pill still prevented ovulation while maintaining what appeared to be a monthly period. Researchers thought women would be most likely to try this then-new concept if it appeared as if they were still getting their monthly period. Ironically, many experts believe monthly bleeding on the Pill is not medically necessary.*
2. How the Pill works to prevent pregnancy - from PP website
The hormones in the pill work by keeping a woman’s ovaries from releasing eggs — ovulation. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm. The hormones in the pill also prevent pregnancy by thickening a woman’s cervical mucus. The mucus blocks sperm and keeps it from joining with an egg.
The hormones also thin the lining of the uterus. In theory, this could prevent pregnancy by keeping a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus.
*ETA: this is from a pharmaceutical website, so although most of this information is factually accurate, I do wonder about the statement about "experts" not thinking that this "period" is medically necessary and its validity.
@jduck - wow! thanks for all the helpful info :)
you all will probably see a 'what birth control do you use' post from me in the not too distant future ... I know myself, and know how likely I am to forget to take a pill daily (I'll need that cell phone alarm, but even then, half the time I have no idea where my phone is) - I tried to take a once daily vitamin for a while, I think I made it a month before I lost the whole bottle. In that month I probably took about six. Yikes.
@daydreamwanderer: I have a heart condition so I have to be on a low dose pill, meaning name brand, meaning $50 a month with insurance! I get my birth control from planned parenthood because it is free for me there. A nurse, or medical tech, will talk to you about what kind of control you want and then take your vitals. Then you get to go see a gyno for your exam and she answers any other questions you have.
I am on LoEstrin 24 and like it well enough. Since it is a name brand I have to go to the actual pharmacy every three months to pick it up. Planned parenthood gave me an "insurance" card to show the pharmacy and I get my pills for me. If you get prescribed a generic brand they will usually give you a year of pills right there.
Word of advice if you go to PP: Make an appointment if they let you (the one here wont take appointments for BC). Take the earliest appointment of the day/arrive right when they open if possible. Bring a jacket and a book; it is cold and you can be in for a long wait.
And your original question: start as early as possible so your body can adjust/you can try out different pills!
I agree with most of the other bees here on saying start atleast 3 months out incase you have any reactions. If you are any thing like me and can't remember to take a vitamin everyday much less the pill there are a lot of differant options for birth control that you should talk to your obgyn or primary doc about.
I was on deprovera for many years and loved it. I just had to go to my primary doc for a shot every 12 weeks and didn't get a period...which was an extra bonus! But a year ago I learned of a new birth control called Implanon and I love it even more than the Depo. It's an implanted birth control (put in the inside of your upper arm) about the size of a match stick. It works like Depo but the one implant is good for 3 years before I need to go back and have it removed and replaced. http://www.implanon.com/ Here is a link to thier site if you or anyone else is interested in it.
Good luck!
No problem! I hope it wasn't too much info all at once.
Re: remembering to take the pill at the same time very day - you could try putting it next to your toothbrush so you remember to take it every morning or night when you brush your teeth?
@DDW: I used to be sooo bad at remembering to take my pill. I figured out a way that always ensures I'll remember though... I keep my pills next to my cell phone charger by my bed. I am attached at the hip to my phone and never forget to charge it, therefore, I never forget to take my pill! Just an idea :)
The way I used to remember to take my pills was an alarm on my cell phone that went off at the same time every day.
I have been on Ortho, Yasmin and Yaz and personally liked Yasmin the best by far. But each woman is different! A few months head start is a great idea. I think its easier to remember taking them than you think - I always took mine before I went to bed, it just becomes part of your routine!
I also voted for 3 months and second Planned Parenthood. They're really great! I was on Loestrin 24 FE and it was okay...I don't remember what I was on last though (I';ve tried 2).
@missasb: I use the cell phone alarm too, it went off every night at 9pm. Otherwise there was no hope I would take it at the same time!
Also, I suggest picking a time of day where you are pretty sure you are free to take it. For instance, I didn't choose mornings because I don't wake up the same time everyday (I'm in school and work part time).
@babyboo: Mine is at 9pm too! I had to do it that late because of school and I don't always get up early.
Most pills take AN ENTIRE CYCLE, NOT 10 DAYS to be effective. Seriously. You have to go through all 4 weeks of pills, and have your period before it takes effect. Star the pill 3 months before the wedding - not only will it insure that it is actually effective, it will give your body a chance to adjust. You can have breakthrough bleeding and weird period-like symptoms when starting any new pill. Usually your body has stabilized by the third month. That means you won't have weird side effects during your wedding. But, just to make sire you know this: you CAN GET PREGNANT ON THE PILL. Even taking it correctly (correctly meaning in the same 2 hour time frame every single day, never missing a pill). It has an average of 5% failure rate taking it perfectly (the stats from the leaflets in the drugs are misleading, I know this because I work for a drug company). My fiance and I double up - we use the pill and a spermicide, just to be doubly sure!
I would start as early as possible. Like some people have said, it sometimes takes a bit of tweaking to get it right. The first pill my doctor prescribed wasn't right for me, and (TMI coming up) I ended up having very heavy spotting, that was really more like a full period for almost the whole second month. Adjustments were made, and all is well, but in your case, it's probably not what you have in mind for your first weeks with your new husband...
I don't know if this is helpful at all :), but I'm a virgin as well and went for my first gyno appt. I told her when my wedding was (1.5 years away at that time) and that I'd want to get on the pill for the wedding & future.
She reccomeded me start taking the pill six months before the wedding. She said this will give me enough time to see how my body reacts to it so if we need to switch to a different or different type of pill, we'd have plenty of time to figure it out.
good luck!
The vaginal ring is pretty cool....or the shots, as far as "forgetting" about them. The vaginal ring is kind of icky and some girls are NOT ok with it. If your period goes long or short, you end up wiht the Nuvaring in AND a tampon (sorry it's gross) and you have to be careful not to pull out your ring with the tampon so you get to do this awkward "catch" thing or your ring goes in the toilet and then you have to rinse it off and reuse it. Gross, man. The shot is once every 3 months. It's so easy and I liked that about it. And it worked for me. I still got a period every month which is why I couldn't continue taking it but for most women, that's fine.
As someone who used to be hella bad about pills every night, you'd be surprised at how the importance of birth control makes you take it every night. No babies is a big incentive!
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