Weddingbee Boards
Ok,
I have read some really interesting posts on here about all the different types of contraceptives women use. I know that all kinds work for different bodies. I have just started the pill (LoEstrin 24 Fe), and have been on it a month, and everything is ok. But I get scared reading some of other womens stories about the negative side effects and can't help but wonder that those things could happen to me one day. Down the road i would really like an IUD, but I hear they are painful, and doctors normally won't give them to women who haven't had a baby yet. I was really surprised to see how many of you are using condoms because the BC was just messing you up. So I am just curious to know how many hear use hormone based BC, and how many don't.
Share anything you like.
hmmm
I certainly should be!
I started taking the birth control pill when I was 15 (derm recommended it at the time for my acne issues) I was not active at that time. Now at 23 I have had such issues with taking the pill the last couple of years. I find it to be a horrible annoyance. I will take it for a month then forget about starting it and not take it for 3 months then it starts all over with forgetting etc.
I have tried other things that I just didn't have to worrie about, like the patch (oh god the patch....I gained about 20 pounds in like a week, my cousin also experienced a massive weight gain from this method) as well as the ring, which I didn't enjoy (ahem....it made me....dry....down there....) I have been on Tri cyclen, and Tri cyclen lo, and have now been on yasmin the past couple of years
I dont want to get pregant at this point in my life so I dont know why I havent been more hard on myself with trying to get this under control. when the Fi do have sex we use condoms but I get worried and would like to have 2 methods.
I like the pill. It's not for everyone, and you might have a play around with a few different kinds to find the best one for you, but it's nice to know exactly when your period will be and to not have to worry about getting pregnant.
Those bad things can happen to you one day. That is the risk you take. It's a relatively small risk, but a risk nonetheless.
But if it's working fine for you so far, hopefully it will keep working fine. For me, one of the many who had crazy problems with hormonal bc, the problems were evident right from the get-go. It's not like something worked for awhile and then quit working---it never worked right, even when I tried various different kinds.
For other ladies who had problems on hormonal bc, what was the context of the problems? (Examples might include, they started right away, they came upon me randomly, they happened when I switched brands, they happened after I had a baby...)
I couldn't take the pill because it made me sick and it doesn't work if you throw it up!
I was on the patch for about 2 years. My only issue was that it made me a bit crazy. I don't know when it started but one day I just realized that I didn't really feel like myself. I stopped using the patch and I felt less crazy. It's completly possible that it was all in my head but FH noticed it too.
I'm on my third month with the ring and so far so good. I might be a little more emotional now but I also have a lot of wedding stress at the moment so it might not be the hormones. I'm trying to be more aware of my emotions. On a good note, I had really bad cramps when I was off the patch and now they are mild by comparison! YAY!
Good point Chelsea. I would love to know if the problems started right away for some. I am almost at the month mark and so far nothing has changed, and i am really happy about that. They also say that Lo Estrin has the least amount of hormnes than a lot of the BC out there....so I don't know if that's true, or if it has much to do with it.
I am also on the pill (Kariva, which I think is a fairly low dose of hormones) and I love it. Background: I've been on BC since age 12 or 13. I started getting my period (very regularly and everything) at age 10, but a few years later I lost weight and it affected my cycle. I was on the pill for years to regulate my periods, and then I just decided to stay on it because I reached an age when I might actually need it for its intended purpose.
While I have friends who have had trouble with side effects, I've never experienced any myself. It really just depends on your indivdual body. I love the consistency, knowing when my period is going to arrive and how long it will be. I have shorter and lighter periods now than I did before I took the pill, and I love that. I know some people say they have trouble remembering to take the pills, but it's not a problem for me. It's the first thing I do when I get up in the morning.
I've never experimented with any other methods, but I know some women on this site swear by NuvaRing. I'm sure you'll get some reviews of that as well.
I tried two pills before finding one I liked. Well, the one with the least annoying side effects, I guess. Yaz was the WORST. Everything was fine for awhile, then I wouldn't stop bleeding for weeks! It was like having a month long period. UGH.
I started off on Yasmin for about five years, then recently switched to the generic brand (Ocella). I've never had any sort of side effects or complications from those. I studied abroad in college, and at that point, I switched to the patch so I wouldn't have to remember to take the pills. I HATED it. I gained fifteen pounds in three months. As soon as I switched back to the pill, the weight dropped right back off again.
I can't take birth control pills because they worsen my already-horrible migraines. The one time I was on the pill, about seven years ago, I had a constant migraine that lasted the whole week I was taking the pill. No more pill for me after that. Since my migraines are still not under control, my neurologist told me to not try to go on any hormonal birth control right now, but as soon as we figure out a way to get those migraines under control I'm going to try to get on BC. We currently rely on condoms for birth control but I'm terrified of getting pregnant and I look forward to being able to use two reliable methods at once. But as soon as we have one or two kids, I'm getting my tubes tied (and fiance is also willing to get a vasectomy), and then no more worries about birth control :)
I was on tri cyclen and then tri cyclen lo for four years. I didn't have any noticeable changes at all during that time. One year ago we moved, and I didn't have health insurance at the time (just graduated college, no job yet, couldn't afford COBRA) so I decided to stop taking the pill and we switched to condoms.
I didn't know it, but once I got off the pill, I started to realize what a big effect the chemicals had had one me. Going off the pill made my sex drive go way up, made me less fatigued/irritable, and made me feel physically better. My new gyno says that she could reccomend a different pill to see if I would still get those side effects, but I'm pretty happy with condoms right now. We're careful to use them "as instructed," but neither of us would be terribly upset if we got preganant right now (actually, my husband wishes we could throw bc out altogether!). Plus, I like that when we are ready to get pregnant (in a few years) there won't be an adjustment period for my body to go back to normal. We're also considering starting STM (a NFP method) by the end of the year so we're more prepared to deal with our fertility and so that we can use condoms only as our "backup" plan.
I'm 21 and have been on the pill for 2 about 2 1/2 years now, on Lo Estrin 24. I have to say, that so far, I LOVE it! I really do. It makes my cramps less severe and I know EXACTLY when I'm supposed to get my period, when before it was kind of inconsistant (or I just didn't know how to track it, I dont know). We've had no accident and don't use a backup method. I will say that if we relied soley on condoms, I'd probably have ended up pregnant by now because we didn't have very good luck with those, or weren't using them right, idk. It does give me headaches and sometimes they are quite painful, but I just take an ibuprofen and it's ok. It's usually towards the end of the pack and the beginning, but the benefits really outweigh the negatives. I've also gained about 5lbs since being on the pill, but that's not necessarily pill related. I didn't notice any improvement in terms of acne. It's just now been going away with age I think, less break outs I mean, within the past year or so.
I will say that I would have a hard time remembering to take it, especially at first, but I knew that would be a problem so I just have an alarm set on my cell phone that goes off EVERYDAY at the same time (10pm) so I remind myself on days it would have otherwise slipped my mind. I was sure to pick a time that won't interfere with work, and I didn't like the morning idea because I don't want an alarm going off when I could otherwise be sleeping in! Plus, I heard it sometimes causes nasuea, so taking it at night helps combat that.
I most def take the pill. I can't imagine not taking it! I'm on Kariva and I was on something else before it but my doctor switched me to Kariva to help lessen my migraines. I've been on the pill for years even when I was single...my period lasts 2 days, 3 days max. I don't experience any cramps thank goodness, and this new pill has helped my migraines be more tolerable so I don't have to lock myself in a dark room for 2 days wanting to die.
When I first started taking the pill I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and haaaaated it. Mostly I just felt like a crazy emotional wreck, which hadn't been the case before. I went back after a few months and was switched to something generic with a really low dose, I have no idea what the name of it even is. Since then, I've never had any issues. And I'm a total stickler about taking it - I have a cell phone alarm set and everything.
I'd like to transition off of it eventually just because I'm sure my body will be a little different without it, but I've been told an IUD really won't be a good fit for me until I've had kids. I've thought about the Nuvaring and all, but haven't asked a doctor about it yet.
Like the others, I think if it's going fine for you, you'll be fine in the future as long as you're aware of the risks and habits that make the potential complications more likely (ie smoking).
I had a copper IUD put in in January, and love it. The cramping, etc. with a period is a little worse (I'm told it improves), but negative PMS or emo behavior. I could not be happier with it.
I tried the patch and the ring, and both gave me horrible headaches, caused weight gain, and moodyness. Went off them, everything went back to normal, so, no more prescription B/C!
I am one of the ones that swear by the nuvaring. I have been on it for about a total of 5 years and its perfect for ME. My periods come on the exact day each month, periods last 2-3 days and are light, I always remember it, and I have no hormonal effects like I did on the pill..can you say bipolar? It was bad! I emphasis me because you need to understand everyone has different reactions to medications so while some girls made have side effects it may not mean you will. I know my neice is on the ring and she is complaining of insomnia but I truly dont feel its related whatsoever..hmm..college freshman..partys ALOT..yea. I would love, love, love to not be on birth control but right now it is too risky for me. I went off the ring for a year bc I was poor, putting myself through school and it was relatively new still and very, very expensive and also I was not in a relationship. Well for some reason not being on a contraceptive makes it easier for cysts to develop and boy did they. I ended up losing my right ovary and fallopian tube so I am treading thin water here. With the ring you receive the same amount of hormone every day for 3 weeks, same amount, meaning you dont have the ups and downs with the pill when the hormone levels are different. I know my FI loves it too, weird, he knows way too much about this stuff, but seriously after my surgery I had to go back on the pill because I was too sore and had too much scare tissue to put the ring and those 3 months were difficult. Very difficult. I always ask too if he can notice it during sex and he never has. I use to work for an OB/GYN and Nuvaring's drug rep use to say I should work for them I love it and recommend it so much! And I have tried every pill you can think of including the shot and patch.
I took Alesse, which was the lowest possible dose at the time (is there something lower now? I'm not sure). Anyway, it was a very low dose, and it made me CRAZY. I have always been sensitive to medication, but this was nuts. I'd be in the bathroom, and I'd start crying if I accidentally pulled off too much toilet paper. Or one time I was describing the plot of the Iron Giant to a friend, and burst into tears. Hormonal birth control = not for me.
Lol, amandopolis, when I saw you had replied to this thread I thought you were going to say your current choice of bc is pregnancy! 
I'm 26 and I've been on oral contraceptives for about four years, without many problems. I was on Ortho-Tricycline Lo for most of those four years, and as of Feb. of this year switched to regular Ortho-Tricycline, (Lo doesn't allow for skipping periods, and the regular stuff does).
Before we were married, we REALLY did not want a baby. So I would take the pill, we would use condoms, AND Contraceptive Film, (VCF) too. EVERY time. So far, we are using the same, although we might cut out the VCF since it's expensive and we wouldn't mind as much if we got pregnant now, (although the plan is still to wait). The only problem with the VCF (well, other than cost, which is still cheaper than a baby!), is that it has to be inserted at least 15 minutes prior to doing the deed, so it can make impromptu sessions a little more difficult.
I had to laugh at Amandaoplis' post about BC making her cry while describing the plot of Iron Giant. Not mocking you at all, but I just saw UP! with the hubby and I bawled from beginning to end. Okay, not bawled, and not the WHOLE movie, but it was SO CUTE, and SWEET, and SAD, and HAPPY, and....could it be the BC??? LOL! I doubt it though, because I was like this BEFORE I started taking the pills; I am only slightly-ashamed to admit I have cried at commercials! :)
Copper IUD all the way. I LOVE my IUD. Best 1200 bucks I ever spent. I did have to go to three doctors to find one that would do it on a 24 year old woman who'd never had kids - they do not like to do that because yes, it hurts. A woman's body is a lot more flexible "down there" after childbirth. Having not had a baby, it takes a lot of extra effort to push the IUD through the cervix. Effort on their part = pain on your part, by the way.
So yes. The IUD insertion was painful. It's supposed to take about 5 minutes to insert; mine took 20 or so and several tries, plus two doctors trying because the first one had no luck. It feels like they're stirring up your insides (nice eh?). And then the cramps are BAD for a couple of days. Like you might want to get some ice cream and call in sick to work. But you know what? Grin and bear it. I counted backward from 100 to 1 (several times, heh) and thought about what a great thing this was going to be for me and Mr. MJ. No remembering pills, no more migraines or rashes, and a natural cycle that's not being controlled by artificial hormones (which could be doing god-knows-what long term damage).
But would I do it again? in a HEARTBEAT. I never had good luck with hormonal BC. From rashes with the nuvaring to migraines with all kinds of oral contraceptives, to awful mood problems with the depo... The copper IUD was a godsend for a woman like me. I've had it about a year and a half and it's definitely paid for itself (both costwise and conveniencewise). I don't plan on having kids for another few years at least, so it was definitely the right choice for me.
So, that's my IUD rant. Be sure to ask me any questions - I'm not embarrassed about it. You can PM me too.
Oh and regarding what Karma007 said - yes, the cramping for the first several months is worse than it was on the hormonal contraceptives, and the periods are heavier. But it does get better!
Wow MaryJane.....I didn't know the IUD costs $1200! Did insurance cover any of that? Well, right now I don't even have the $$$ to pay for that, but it is something I would definitely consider in the future.
But all in all the majority of us still use some kind of hormone based BC. But still a lot of us don't.
I've had amazing luck with Alesse, which I have taken for about 5 years now; I used to have horrible cramping and very heavy periods for 10-14 days (to the point where I could not get up, or leave the house) and since taking the pill, it has gotten much lighter, cramps are minimal and it will last only 3-5 days.
I just got off the pill and I am loving it! I was on for 5 years and I feel like I am no longer a prisoner of my emotions. Mood swings be gone!
I am on YAZ and yes, it is a bit expensive ($30/month) but its not bad. No severe side effects and my period comes exactly at the same time every month. I had nobreak through bleeding when I switch from Yasmin to Yaz. May make you a bit more emotional though. Anyone else getting a little crazy from being on Yaz or is it just me???!!!!
Man, you're lucky with the $30 -- i pay $50 a month for loestrin 24FE... What MaryJane said about "doing god knows what damage long term" struck me... are we causing issues for ourselves in the long run on these pills?
My doctor will let me do the IUD even though I'm young with no kids, but so far Loestrin has been good for me. Only problem I have is that some months I get my period, some I get nothing at all. I've always had migranes, and never really thought that they could be getting worse with the pills. I have no way to know now I guess.
@Cereza - that was the issue - my insurance did not cover it at ALL. I've got BCBS (but I'm sure it's different in each state). In ND insurance does NOT cover birth control at all as far as I know. So it was either $30/50 per month for pills/the ring (which had terrible side effects for me), or just fork it all over up front. I have friends who have gotten the IUD in other states and their insurance did cover some or all of it - it just depends on your provider's rules.
Definitely call your insurance provider and ASK if you aren't sure. I made the mistake of just asking my doctor, who said he thought it would cover it partially. I was not expecting that big bill I got!
@nada122 - yeah, I'm not a big naturalist or necessarily obsessed with stuff being organic, etc... but I really was getting nervous having been on hormonal BC for several years.
There is a coupon with LoEstrin Fe that your doctor can give you to just make it $24 a month. And it lasts for up to a year. My insurance covers it, so it's just $25, but I thought that was an ok price.
@ MaryJane.....OMG that is crazy. By BCBS I think you mean Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield right? I live in NY, and they cover my BC. I will ask about the cost of the IUD after we are married with my insurance. We don't want kids for at least 5 yrs, that is a long time to be taking pills.
Ours isn't "empire" - maybe yours is b/c NY is "the empire state" right? ;) But yes, I'm blue cross blue sheild and here, they basically cover almost nothing to do with pregnancy prevention. I have a theory that it's because ND has such a low (and dropping) population (just 600,000 people in this whole state) - maybe they want us ladies to pump out some babies, QUICK!
I switched to nuvaring from ortho-tryccyclen-lo 3 years ago, and I haven't looked back!
I do have to remember when to take it out and when to put a new one in, but otherwise, it's been a breeze!
I have been on the pill and the shot in the past, and back to the pill again. all in all from 10th grade for my ovarian cysts to about 3 months ago. The shot made me CRAZYYYYYY. Like insane. Then the pill, after bring on it for so long, was just messing with my hormones and I was over it. Now Im on nothing - not even condoms. I guess we use the (TMI Alert!) pull and pray method (told ya TMI) but really at this point, we want to start a family anyways so its not a huge deal. we're 2.5 months out frm the wedding, what will be will be.
Anyhow, I started having issues thinking about ALL of the amounts of hormones that have been pumped into my body daily for the past 11 years and how that could affect me in the future. Health related to conception to ANYTHING, We dont know what the long term effects are, and that scared me. I visit my OBGYN tomorrow, I plan on asking about a diaphragm, but I dont want to do anymore chemicals. I have to tell you, I feel 1000 times better now that I am off of them. Not everyone is the same, but for my case this was the best decision for me.
@MaryJane - I cant believe it snot covered! Have your doctor file a claim with the ins company deeming it medically necessary (although that could be insurance fraud if it isnt...) mine was covered for $11 a month! All of them!
OMG WOW! There are more people in Manhattan than your whole state! That is insane! Your theory might not be that far fetched.
Kelly-laughing at your post! Yeah, def see about a diaphram. I know a girl who uses it and loves it. She just says you have to be comfortable with your body. Your present method might get you a baby sooner than you expect! LOL
@KellyV - Unfortunately yeah, not medically necessary really. I mean Depo made me crazy and the pills were giving me crippling migraines every few months, but it's not like i woulda died if I kept taking them or anything. It's been so long now, that I don't even care that it was expensive. Totally worth it.
Im on Nuvaring & its the best thing ever. No weight gain at first, low dose of hormones, etc. I was on the pill & will never go back either. And for all you fertile-Myrtiles - the ring really works. trust me 
KellyV- is there a reason that condoms won't work for you? (latex allergy?) Used correctly they are very effective.
And to Cereza- in a large metro area you should have no problem finding an ObGyn who is willing to provide you with an IUD. It is sometimes slightly more challenging to do, but I know many many nulliparous (never had a child) women who have them... it's the BC of choice for ObGyns, and for women in other parts of the world.
Why I'm no longer on HBC? Let's see....
I started with the patch and had a very strong reaction to it. About 12 hours after sticking it on I puked every half hour for 3 hours but then I would be fine for the rest of the month until I had to put on a new one. For some (stupid) reason I stuck it out and my reaction decreased each time until it was managable and I didn't think anything of it. After while (a year maybe?) my then boyfriend started mentioning that he thought my crazy mood swings and PMS were being accentuated by the patch. I switched to Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and immediately noticed a difference. I was still PMS-y but the mood swings were much less drastic. Oh, and no puking or cramps, big improvement! It also helped with keeping my skin clear and my periods light and regular.
That boyfriend and I broke up and I went off the pill. I met my future husband and just used condoms until we realized we were going to be together for at least awhile. By this point my sister and a friend got pregnant while on the pill as did FI's step sister and ex-girlfriend so we were particularly trusting of the pill even though it had served me well in the past. Plus, I really didn't like the idea of adding artificial hormomes to my body. I started researching options and really liked the idea of the IUD. I opted for the copper to avoid even low doses of hormones and absolutely love it.
I had to go to a different city to get it installed (the folks here wouldn't do it because I have never had a child) but it really wasn't that big of an inconveniece. Yes, it hurt. A lot. And I went from very light periods and almost no cramping to VERY heavy period and SEVERE cramps. I ate A LOT of ibuprofens for awhile. But now, about 8 months later, my periods are almost back to normal.
My (parents') insurance covered a lot of it, but even if it hadn't I did a bit of math and came up with this: The copper IUD is good for 10-12 years. In that amount of time (assuming $25 per pack, although I think it has gone up since then) you would spend $3000 to $3600 on the pill. My IUD cost me the same amount as one year's worth of the pill after that it's like I have cost-free (not to mention worry-free!) birth control. It's definitely not for everyone though, same as any other type of BC.
ETA: Sorry. Didn't mean to write a novel!
hehehe glad you guys got a giggle 
and I just re-read my post and realized it says "it snot covered" rather than "its not" real slick Kel, real slick. We need a spellchecker on here lol
@Cereza - Ive heard the same thing about needing to be comfortable with your body...er...it should be interesting lol, Im gonna get more info
@DoctorGirl - not as much an allergy as a sensitvity...but we think its the Nonoxynol-9 (spelling?) not the latex. Ill have to ask about it tomorrow.
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Fertile Thoughts Infertility Support |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| KMSull | 93 |
| MissAsB | 70 |
| pmerr | 61 |
| crebre80 | 47 |
| amanda.lynn | 44 |
| Jessie516 | 34 |
| LatteLove | 32 |
| PurdueGrace | 30 |
| daydreamwanderer | 30 |
| eryepye | 30 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| simpleandchic | 2 |
| MsMamaBear | 1 |
| crebre80 | 1 |
| GreekGirl | 1 |
| MissNoche | 1 |
