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I know that there's a smiliar post out there right now but this is more geared to giving us ladies more info on what's out there and the side effects we're feeling.
1. what form of bc are you using?
2. for anyone using a pill or IUD, what pill are you on and do you recommend it?
3. what are the positive and negative side effects?
i'm currently on yaz and i've heard horror stories and kinda want to switch but not sure what else is out there. Yes, going to the dr and asking for a recommendation is a way to go but i've heard that they're recommend what the pharm companies are pushing them to sell...
I've been on a few different types of pills for the last 10 or so years. Most recently, it's been Yasmin for about 4-5 years.
I've never had side effects on anything and I think Yasmin is fantastic. And the generic version only cost $7 with my insurance!
i've tried orth, yasmine and yaz. currently on yaz and i'm not really experience any bad side effects except for the fact that my boobs do feel bigger than before. i know that that could be a plus for some ladies but not for me. i prefer my normal boob size :)
these days i'm working hard to lose weight and i'm wondering if yaz is hlding me back...
also my coworker was telling me of how yaz is in a middle of a law suit due to 30 yr old dropping dead with heart attacks. did anyone else hear this?
i've been on ortho tricyclen, ortho lo, lupron depo provera, depo shot, nuvaring, progestrin pills, and finally, i am on seasoniq.
nuvaring was my favorite simply b/c it mellowed me out the most. it's an insert and yes, a little icky at times, but not worse than other stuff! I am a super emotional chick on my seasoniq; that's what i hate the most but everyone just expects me to bawl at everything now, i'm over it. i wasn't too thrilled about the rest of them. the shot wasn't strong enough for me (altho quite convenient!) and the lupron put me in menopause for 6 months. hot flashes=no fun. ortho and ortho low made me extremely nauseus.
I didn't notice weight issues at all with these. When i went on BC, i also went from a C to a DD (and i've never gone back) but i also started eating normally around that time, so I'm not 100% sure if it was me going up to a healthy weight or my BC. The cost sucks--I do pay like $30 a month but whatever. I'm only supposed to have a period once every 3 months, but I find that seasonique only lets me go 2 months without one. It's like nothing can hold back the force, lol. My friend likes to tell me this makes me extra fertile, buah ha ha.
If the pill you're on is working for you, roll with it.
I have the Mirena IUD, and have had it for over a year now and it's awesome. IUD today is totally different from the IUD of our mother's day - you don't need to have had kids first to have one. I have tried bc pills and patches and never really found anything I liked (patches gave me skin rash thingy, some pills made me sick).
I won't lie though, it hurts like a MOTHER to have it put in, if you've never had kids before. My doctor gave me some med to take the morning of, to lessen the pain, but the side effect was that I was very sick to my stomach all morning - so not a pleasant day. BUT, it only takes like 30 seconds to put it in, so its not the end of the world.
After that, I had pretty bad cramps on and off for about 3 months, but they were never worse than regaulr bad time of the month cramps. Since then, no side effects at all. In fact, I've stopped having my period all together, which, let me tell you, is pretty awesome! My ob/gyn said this is pretty normal for petite women, although most women have a reduction of "that time".
It lasts for 5 years, but you can take it out sooner, and can start trying to conviece right away. I would recommend just talking to your ob/gyn about options since it seems like there is a million out there, but I'm glad my doc recommended the IUD. Nothing to do each month, nothing to remember - just protected.
1. I'm on Seasonique
2. Absolutely recommend it.
3. My initial side effects included water weight and nausea, but after a week or so they went away. I started it about 3 weeks before my wedding because I was due on the day of and have gone for two months without a period so far and am LOVING that. I don't know how the first one will be after I reach the placebos - the first one tends to be a little harder with other BCs I know, so we'll see. But for what I have experienced so far, this is definitely a good choice.
I live in Korea, so I don't know if this brand is available where you live, but I take Triquilar. I've been on it for three years with seemingly no side effects. I had some spotting problems with Diane 35, but Triquilar has been great :) The positive effect has been a period that always comes on a Saturday around 11am-2pm. Seriously...I'm now incredibly regular! I used to be anywhere from 21-35 days. I dread going off the Pill in the future....
Just as an add on...in Korea BC is over the counter and its costs around $10.
I have been on EVERYTHING! A bunch of different pills, NuvaRing, and Depo Prevera. By far, the Depo Prevera was my favorite. After a few months it eliminated my periods all together and was overall pretty awesome. Unfortunately it is only approved for use for a few years. I hated nuva ring and every pill that I have been on except Seasoniq, which is what I am on now. It is great with minimal side effects.
I've been on Ortho-trycyclean-lo since I was 18. That was 6 years ago. I've had a few problems with it. I once tried to skip my period, but then I had my period for 2 weeks instead (that really sucked). Sometimes, if I've missed and had to double up the next day I had break-through bleeding. So annoying when I see commercials advertising how this Ortho is supposed to be one of the better pills when it comes to that. I'm too nervous to switch though becuase I'm scared of gaining weight.
I posted on the other, similar thread, but I've tried many different pills over the last 7+ years: Ortro tri, Ortho tri lo, yasmin, etc. My last one was Loestrin. After that long, I had horrible side effects no matter which pill I tried that affected my life: debilitating migraines, depression, ringing in my ears (never went away), etc. I went off 7 months ago and have lost weight, depression is gone, migraines are minimal pain and rare, sex drive is slowly coming back. I have heard it's more difficult for women on hormones to build and retain muscle mass, resulting in more flab, because your body "holds onto the extra fat" thinking you're pregnant. I don't know if that's true, but I have noticed my body looks better now. Every woman in my family has had similar situations that have made it impossible for them to continue using the pill. Bottom line, I wouldn't recommend that anyone trick their body into thinking it's pregnant for years on end--it does weird things to you physically and emotionally. Just my two cents :)
1. pregnancy
2. N/A - I only recommend it if you want a baby in 9 months :)
3. positives - no periods, no chance of getting pregnant (again), a baby at the end! negatives - morning sickness, being uncomfortable, peeing a lot, and labor.
Hehehehe. :) Really, before we got pregnant we were using condoms and Natural Family Planning, which we were VERY happy with and widely recommend. The negatives are that it's initially a bit of a time investment as you learn the process and that there is a margin of user error, like any form of bc. The positives are that it's cheap (or free), there are no chemicals involved, it's a natural and green bc choice, your partner gets to be involved in the process, you learn a ton about your body's functionality and your fertility (which sometimes leads to discovering functionality/fertility problems early), and getting pregnant later on is typically easier because you already know how when your most fertile periods are (we got pregnant our first month trying!).
Implanon! It is simply amazing. No pill, no worry, I don't have a scar from where it was implanted, and I couldn't feel it at all. I also don't have periods anymore. Which for me is a huge plus. Also I have had zero side effects caused by it. No weight gain, PMS, mood swings, headaches, acne.. nothing
I am on Yaz... have been for a couple years. Before that, I was on aviane for a long time, Ortho-Lo (Made me a crying mess!), Regular Ortho, and even the dreaded patch (which I never had any problems with... I just stopped taking it because I heard you could drop dead from using it).
I have no problems with Yaz, it's great, and I haven't heard that heart attack story, but that is scary! I suppose with all drugs you run the risk of terrible side effects though. I am, however, not happy with the co-pay price... I was paying like $7 for the aviane, but my Yaz is $25!
mirena: i've had it for three years. first two were great. i started having problems about a year ago and will be removing it next week. as i said before the first two years were amazing and i think i am just one of those people who have a problem with it. i will go back to a non-hormonal bc option.
I take TriNessa - the cheap, generic Ortho Tri. Nine bucks a month (I'm insurance-less at the moment).
I like it. No side effects. I'm not great at remembering to take a pill everyday, but I'm not knocked up yet, so no worries!
I use Femcon Fe (the chewable one). It's 60 bucks a month with insurance. I hate it. I have a period like every 2 weeks. My face looks like crap.
No like.
@ ms. pascua - "I hear that bit of time during pregnancy when you're nauseated does NOT make you feel sexy." True fact. Supposedly it stops after the first 12 weeks, though. :)
In the 5 or so years I've been on the Pill, I've had Ortho-Lo, Yasmin, Yaz, NuvaRing, back to Yaz, and now on Azurette (thanks to the blood clotting risks of Yaz).
I don't remember any side effects with Ortho-Lo, Yasmin, or Yaz. NuvaRing was a SCARY experience-- I was really depressed, mood swings galore, weight gain. The depression is what got to me the most. It also wouldn't stay in (maybe TMI, but there it is!).
I was fine on Yaz up until recently, when I went in for a visit and my gyno told me about the increased clotting risks. She said she wouldn't necessarily demand I go off it, but that it might be worth considering. I agreed, and she prescribed me Koriva (I think). When I went to Walgreens, the pharmacist explained that the Koriva was harder to come by, so he'd fill it with Azurette. Fine.
Except it's NuvaRing all over again. I've been absolutely exhausted, mood swings like you wouldn't believe, and can feel myself sliding into depression again. I mean, I cried that the stylist I used to go to left the salon! Then called my mom ranting that she didn't tell me!
I called my doctor today, but she wasn't there, so I'm calling tomorrow. This is no good.
1. Pill
2. Yaz - would recommend
3. I haven't had any negative side effects.
I was on ortho for awhile and then some other one that I can't remember the name of. And I never felt less like myself than when I was on those. It was like a totally different person. Finally, I got on Yaz, and everything evened out - including my skin.
I should probably add that I plan to switch back to Yaz. It sucks from a budget perspective, since it's $35, compared to the $10 for Azurette, but I just can't handle the added instanity on top of preparing to get married. Yikes!
Current method: Condoms. Pros: no hormones. cons: don't feel great, can be a mood killer.
Previous method: Pill (ortho tri, tri lo, yazmin), Pros: confident in their ability to prevent pregnancy. Cons: made me a raving lunatic! way too many hormones (even the low doses), depression, weight gain...an overall hot mess!
So, condoms it is. Ick. But I don't really see a viable alternative. Anyone else go crazy on the pill, but also hate condoms? what do you do?
Sympto-Thermal NFP
Pros:
Cons:
Ortho-lo, the generic (only $10 with my insurance. Score!), I've been on it for about a year, before that just condoms. :)
It's cleared up my skin pretty well, except for occasional breakouts around my period. Probably TMI, but I suppose this is the post for it, but I had very irregular periods before and when I did have one, it was REALLY heavy, going through multiple supers in a day, with horrible cramps. So my 3 day really really light period with rare cramps is much preferred. I haven't noticed any extreme moodiness or anything. I've always been a total sap, so I still cry at commercials, and I've always had gloomy days occasionally. so I wouldn't say I've had problems with depression.
I'm due for another gyno appt. so I'm sure we'll discuss it then, but I want to make sure that my very very light periods doesn't mean the pill is working too well or anything.
As a side note, since I had never had regular periods, even by age 24, my gyno said that she recommends women with really irregular cycles to go on the pill if they want to have kids later--she said that it's to get their cycles straightened out and made regular because there is a correlation that it is then easier/more predictable to get pregnant when they choose. I thought that was interesting.
I just started taking Ortho-Cept, which has killed my cramps and is helping my skin a little, but I gained about 8 pounds in my first month on it. I took Ortho tricyclen Lo for about 6 years and it was okay, but my cramps were still pretty bad. No mood swings or anything though.
I also hear good things about Yaz and Seasonique
I was on Ortho Tricyclene, Ortho Lo, Ortho Novum, and now I'm on Ortho-Cept. Ortho Tricyclene I got terrible cramps and acne. Ortho Lo I had two week periods. Ortho Novum I gained 20 lbs in a year. Ortho-Cept is ok, but I am still looking for something I really like. I haven't lost the weight I gained and have been on Ortho-Cept for like 4 months, so I have stock piled a few more months of Ortho-Cept, I will probably change again.
1. Pill
2. Mircette 28 day pack. $40/ month with health insurance.
3. Positives: Fewer side effects than the generic (Kariva), very light periods lasting approx 3 days, very regular and predictable.
Negatives: About 10-15 lbs weight gain, somewhat lower than usual sex drive.
As a whole I like this pill a lot aside from the typical pill side effects. I do look forward to using a non-hormonal IUD after having children in the future. I felt like a disaster when I was on Kariva, and felt much better once I went back on the name brand.
1. what form of bc are you using?
FAM and condoms.
2. for anyone using a pill or IUD, what pill are you on and do you recommend it?
3. what are the positive and negative side effects?
Positive: It's free, which is always a bonus. I feel perfectly normal, no hormonal side effects like weight gain, mood swings, or loss of sex drive, and I don't have to remember to pop a pill. Easy peasy. Also, when you do want to get pregnant, you already know when to get busy.
Negative: There's a learning curve. Some people don't want to use condoms, and it does require a measure of self-control.
Pills and condoms (no babies for me!). Although I originally went on the pill to regulate periods.
I have been on Sprintec (generic Ortho Cyclen) for more than a year and it is fine. When I first when on BC I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen for five years. It was great, except that it bothered me after awhile because it was tri-cyclic and I like to skip periods. So I went on Yaz for about six months before I gave up because it was awful! ZERO sex drive and (TMI alert) so dry down there it was almost scary. Plus I felt a little crazy and the diuretic in the pill made me have to pee all the time. So my gyno put me on the Sprintec and it was been much better. Plus I am easily able to skip periods on it so I only have four a year! It is awesome.
I really don't think that I have any side effects on the Sprintec, but I have been on BC so long I don't know what it is like to not be on it.
Right now we are using condoms, but as soon as we get married there will be no form of BC. I have been on two different forms of the pill, the first was Ortho Tricyclen, and it made me a B---- Then I moved onto Seasonique, and it made me sooo sick. It was like I was pregnant and going through morning sickenss all the time. My period also never went away for two months like it was supposed to. I have PMDD and the extra hormones just do not agree with me at all.
I would not recommend condoms though, it isnt as nice lol. But I am sure you guys already know that. I can't wait until we do not have to worry about BC anymore. Only five more months! :)
@SpinningJenny - I would rec. a 2nd opinion on what your Dr. told you. There can be medical reasons to go on the pill, but I've never heard of it being "necessary" just because your "irregular." Now, if your irregular like you get it twice a year the odds are there's something else going on that might make it hard to conceive. Everyone's fertility fluctuates within their cycle and few in any women truly have a regular cycle and are fertile the same time every month. The great thing about FAM is that you will see exactly when your fertile and not every month, regardless of the number of days between periods... and you won't have to guess or inject hormones into your body. But whatever she told you seems like tainted medical advice to me.
I use the birth control pill, Lybrel. I love it because I haven't had a period in a year and half now! I don't have a lot of side effects with it. I definetly like it a lot though some people might not like the not getting a period thing because they might worry about being pregnant.
I'm on the pill. generic ortho tri. I love it. No side-effects, and I have to take another prescription medication daily, so it's easy for me to remember.
@Mrsspring you are so cute :) I love your answer! haha
I am on Junel and I like it. I have a very light period and often no period but I've always been like that. I am NOT super regular :( it is annoying. I've been on the pill (different ones over the years) since I was 15 due to very heavy periods and bad cramps.
I have the Mirena IUD. I got my first one inserted in 2004, and just got my second one a couple of months ago. And gabrielleelise1981 isn't kidding - the insertion HURTS HURTS HURTS. But it's over after a minute (tops), and then you don't have to do it again for years.
Pros:
Cons:
And just FYI - the Mirena is the hormonal IUD. There's also the Paraguard, which is the non-hormonal version. The Mirena lasts 5 years. The Paraguard lasts 10 years. I know that prior pregnancy isn't necessary for the Mirena, but I'm not sure about the Paraguard. Either way, though - if you know you're not going to want to get pregnant for the next 4-5 years and you're in a monogamous relationship (no STD protection with either of these), I'd definitely recommend talking to your gyne about using an IUD.
I've been on Yaz for about 2 years and have heard about all of the issues pertaining to it, the lawsuit, etc.
If anyone can relate to this one, please send advice.
My libido has been VERY VERY low since I've been on Yaz. And my Gyno won't switch me to another bc pill because she doesn't think it will help me and she's suggesting the mirena IUD which makes me nervous.
So it's either low sex drive and yaz or try the IUD and see what happens. Anyway experience a rise in the libido with the IUD?
I started yaz about 3 months ago. Since then i have seen 100 plus commmercials telling the dangerous side effects of it.....not to mention there is NO generic form of YAZ so when i checked out at the pharmacy my portion "co-pay" was $70 and my insurance picked up a whopping $13. it seems that a lot of people like yasmin, which my FSIL takes and is very pleased and i believe somone posted that the generic was like $7 with insurnace...thats great!! My understanding from my DR is that Yaz uses a different type of hormone which reduces water retention. I experienced tenderness/swelling in my breasts and some appetite increase, it has subsided now that i am going into my 3 month, and i definately follow the directions..it mentions not to take pain relievers such as tylenol that can increase the risk for blood clot...thats scary...hope i never need to take pain relievers ..lol.
I'm on mirena because I couldn't find a bc that didn't cause a lot of side effects. I've never had children so it was very painful to get placed. I've had it for 2.5 years and I've loved it until now. I'm starting to get that time of the month feeling for 3 weeks or longer. My breasts hurt and I'm cramping. I've been to the doctor and they don't see anything wrong. I'm starting to exercise and eat better to see if maybe that will help the decrease the side effects...
I would still recommend it because the side effects I have now are not nearly as bad as when I took any pill.
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