Im thinking of going on Birth Control...any advice?

[*KT*]

I talked a doctor once about the whole weight gain thing and her comment was basically that in many cases the pill is just an easy thing to blame for any weight gain. She said a fair number of women who are starting on the pill are starting college and eating all the greasy school food and/or all the extra calories from drinking is typically the cause of any weight gain. Add that to all the women who are getting the birth control because they're in a steady relationship... happy relationships usually mean a little weight gain because you're not as psycho about gaining a couple pounds and are actually sitting down and having meals together, vegging with the significant other on the couch, eating out more, etc.

Of course, there are some who end up with issues of water retention, etc with the pill... in which case, there are so many to choose from that it may take some experimentation to figure out what's best for you. I've tried a few, had to get right back off a couple due to headaches and mood swings. I'm now in a "it's not broke, don't fix it" situation with my brand. =) Oh, and 2 day long periods followed by two days of just little spotting rock!

Personally, I weighed the exact same amount (131-133) for 6 years straight while on the pill. I've gained a little since then, but I know it's from my job (at a desk 40+ hours a week) and the fact that I love to cook for my hubby.

 

[XShear]

I've tried Yasmin, didn't work for me. I broke out like hell and was having period-like symtoms 24/7. Wasn't fun.

But, I should check into the Diane 35 ... sounds like it could work with out all the side effects!

 

[stellarx1587]

I used to be on birth control pills. I was taking Ortho-tri-cyclen when I was 17 years old. I stopped taking the pill @ 23 (I'm now 25 going on 26). The pill did its job and kept me from getting knocked up... but I ended up developing into Stage II breast cancer (because I was so young... I didn't think too much about the lump in my breast I just thought it was just a cyst or something). My tumor tested ER-Positive in pathology (was an estrogen fed cancer)... and was being fuelled by my birth control pill. Obviously my doctors instructed me to immediately stop taking the pill. I had to go through taking anti-estrogen drugs to slow the growth... surgery to have the lump removed... go through "isolated" radiation... the whole nine. It wasn't fun. It was very devastating. The tumor was about the size of a small ping pong ball. And to top it off... My weight shot all the way up to 147 lbs from 110 lbs... and mind you I'm 5'2". Occording to my doctors... the quick weight was due to me coming OFF the pill. The hormones was regulating my metabolism for me. So basically my metabolism maintained as if I was a 17 year old girl, but as soon as I got off my body whacked out and re-regulated to a slower metabolism... a metabolism I should have had at 23. I didnt change anything about my diet or activity level... but I just kept gaining. I'm not saying that will happen to you... but simply throwing in a possibility. My doctors never mentioned anything about breast cancer possibly being a risk when I was first inquiring (that's Kaiser Permanente for you). Honestly... if I knew that... I wouldn't have ever taken any sort of hormone based contraception. Luckily I'm good now... got my weight back down to 133 lbs and I'm healthy... but man it was a serious reality check... all that just to not get pregnant... haha... But if you still feel good about it... do your self breast examinations that much more frequently... even ultra-sounds. A friend of mine just discovered a lump... she had an ultrasound done and found that it is about 2 cm and a solid mass... she takes bc pills as well...

 

[jenii]

Okay, so I tend to be Queen of Overshare, but I've been on BC pills on and off for years.

I got on them again a few months back, not remembering why I never liked them.

I don't know about you other girls, but when I'm on the pill? I get yeast infections. Like, once every few months. It's very uncomfortable, and since I use condoms anyway, just not worth it.

I might check out IUDs. The doc at Planned Parenthood wanted to give me one, she said it was virtually painless and takes maybe five minutes to uh, "install." She also said it doesn't give you a bunch of hormones, so there's no real side effects.

I should have listened, but I thought the pill would be fine. And then, a month into it, I get a yeast infection. I was like "Oh yeah, THAT'S why I hated these things..."

I've been on Yasmin (sp?) and Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo. Yasmin wasn't as bad, with the yeast infections and all, but I still got yeast infections more often than I would without the pill.

 

[Evey]

FOR GODSAKES! PLEASE USE CONDOMS! You just never know what could happen...believe me, i know this first hand and i'm not talking about getting pregnant...I doesn't matter how well you THINK you know your significant other, shit happens. As for the birth control, ask your doctor what would be the best option for you. Your doctor should be familiar with your medical record and should be able to prescribe you birth control pills or other type of birth control depending on your preference and medical record. I was on ortho tricyclen lo for a couple of months and it really helped with my periods because, like you, I had horrible cramps every month. My acne seemed to get A LOT better but I found that I gained about 15 pounds while i was on it. Needless to say i stopped using BC...You might want to go online and research different types. There's pills, patches (i don't recommend these though), Nuva Ring, and this new one that a doctor inserts and will stay inside for up to 5 years or until you're ready to get pregnant.

 

[CantAffordMAC]

there are lawyer commercials on all the time about the birth control patch. it is supposed to be very dangerous-regardless of if you smoke or not. I had an abortion a little over a year ago, and the doctor wouldn't even talk about the patch, let alone give it to me because it was so dangerous.

I hated taking bc pills. they were a hassle to remember. People would tell me to put the pills next to something that i do everyday (like a toothbrush or a hairbrush) But that didn't work for me. I couldnt remember to take it at the same time everyday--that wasn't convenient for me..

I was taking nuvaring last year. I loved it. You insert the ring for 3 weeks and then take it out, have your period, then go back on. this is very convenient and you can skip the period if you want. I recommend this a lot. i can't really comment on how it worked to prevent pregnancy because we were still using condoms too. so we were extra careful most of the time. but i love nuvaring.

I never gained weight on any bc, never had any real problems. it never cleared up my skin though. Someone mentioned yeast infections earlier and I have something to say about that. I have always had like yeast infections, at least 4 times a year. ever since I stopped taking nuvaring I got a lot of discharge. (srry to sound gross) but I always thought it was a yeast infection (for like 8 months). I just found out that it wasn't a yeast infection, but just discharge from being off of bc.

 

[jillianjiggs]

i am on the ortho evra patch, and it is the best thing EVER.

i had been on alesse (a pill) and to me, birth control is supposed to ease your mind a little but with the pill it made me more nervous. so many crazy rules to follow and remember (forgetting to take it and having to take two, or having to think if you took it and then trying to count how many hours it was since you did and if you should take another....)

and the worst thing for me was if you throw up or have diarrhea within THREE hours of taking the pill, it can 'cancel out' the pill you took, therefore counting as a missed pill. i am prone to kidney stones so lots of vomitting occurs from the pain, so the pill was not for me.

plus trying to find a good time to take it was difficult with a sporadic work schedule and strange sleeping patterns.

the patch is amazing. change it once a week, and i can go months without having a period (which you can do on the pill, but i always spotted very soon, i have yet to do so with the patch) - it's just a lot more stress free and less worries. the body metabolizes the hormones differently (through the bloodstream instead) so vomit and diarrhea are not an issue.

my big recommendation with the patch is wear it on your arm. you can wear it on your arm, back, belly and butt, but i think the arm is the safest bet. you cant keep an eye on your back to make sure the edges arent peeling, your pants rub your belly area and there is a lot of movement on your belly and butt. so stick it on your arm!!

but of course, talk to your doctor and find the best option for you.

PS - the patch is different in canada and the us. the safety issues that have come out recently with the patch is regarding the US patch. the canadian version is "safer", or so my doctor said. of course, you should NEVER smoke when using BC, especially the patch, and there are other things you should discuss with your doctor.

 

[NicksWifey]

Besides Ortho Tri Cyclen, Yazmin, and Loestrin 24FE, I recently started taking Seasonique on October 28.
So far, no complaints, but we shall see when it comes to my monthly visitor in a couple months. My OB/GYN said half of his patients love it and the other half hate it. I know there will probably be frequent spotting until my system gets used to the pill, but I would love to just have three-four periods a year

Best of luck in whatever you choose!

 

[xiahe]

everyone reacts to birth control differently. i myself am on Aviane (ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel) and in terms of "bad" side effects, none at all! Aviane has helped clear up my acne and shortened up my periods to like 2 days (w/o HBC my periods usually lasted 5-7 days). in terms of cramps, Aviane helped a little with them and i get bad cramps. my boobs didn't really increase in size and i haven't gained any weight.

 

[L281173]

I came off the pill about a year ago because it raised my blood pressure.

 

[iio]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xiahe everyone reacts to birth control differently. i myself am on Aviane (ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel) and in terms of "bad" side effects, none at all! Aviane has helped clear up my acne and shortened up my periods to like 2 days (w/o HBC my periods usually lasted 5-7 days). in terms of cramps, Aviane helped a little with them and i get bad cramps. my boobs didn't really increase in size and i haven't gained any weight.

My doctor just prescribed me this...i hope i get good effects like you did! haha *cross my fingers* because i would hate switching off to different BC's

 

[yur_babeydoll]

Okay, here's my 2 cents.

Not trying to influence your decision or tell you what to do, but just think everyone should have all the facts before deciding.

I wouldn't recommend anyone going on it. It's a lot less safe then we're led to believe. It has a lot of negative side effects like:depression, dry skin, severe mood swings, hair loss, fatigue, headaches, heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, rosacea, lupuslike symptoms, deep vein blood clots, pulmonary embolism (blood clot to the lungs), yeast infections, loss of sex drive, high blood sugars, etc. Birth control pills are also not hormones; they are drugs that disrupt a woman's sex hormone balance. I was on it for years and was depressed, bad mood swings, tired, had headaches all the time, was losing lots of hair, and was getting a ton of yeast infections. I stopped it a few months ago and have found that most of those problems are slowly going away.

And, you can still get pregnant especially if your habits as far as taking them are bad. But, when taking them consistently at the same time every day your chance of getting pregnant is reduced by a lot. I forget the figures on it, but you could find them on the net.

 

[Babylard]

wow, i did not realize how crazy birth control pills are. i have a long history of iregular periods and my doctor asked if i wanted to try it. i was considering going on the pills, but the info here makes me think twice. my period cycles aren't really cycles and can last a week to a month. i may not even have a period for up to half a year.

 

[yur_babeydoll]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Babylard wow, i did not realize how crazy birth control pills are. i have a long history of irregular periods and my doctor asked if i wanted to try it. i was considering going on the pills, but the info here makes me think twice. my period cycles aren't really cycles and can last a week to a month. i may not even have a period for up to half a year.

Ya I have the exact same problem. I can get period that will go on non-stop for half a year and when I do it is soooo heavy and painful. Or I will not get my period at all for half a year. There are a few books I have read by doctors that suggest irregular periods could be due to burnt-out adrenal glands. They suggest repairing your adrenal glands may get rid of the irregular periods. I'm not sure if this is true, but I am trying it to see.

Babylard, if your interested PM me and i would like to ask you a few questions to ask you to see if your adrenal glands are burn-out like mine are. I'd be really interested to see if this could really possibly be a factor.

 

[VDUB*BELLA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by goink I have been on Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo for more than half a year. I didn't gain any weight. My sex drive was not affected. I used to have bad cramps. It got to the point where I have to stay in bed. Menstrual pain killers were a must. My cycle is normal now. There are no cramps. My period lasts for 5 days and it definitely got lighter.

+1 Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for me

Regular Tri-Cyclen made me naseaous

 

[magg0rz]

I was on the nuvaring for 4 years, but had to get off it because the hormones gave me severe dry eyes. I'm considering a non-hormonal IUD now. The thing about birth control with progesterin is that it can mimic either estrogen or testerone depending on the person's body chemistry. While one person might get clear skin with one type of birth control, it's probably because their body chemistry caused the birth control to release estrogen.

 

[BonnieBabe<3]

I agree, condoms are the safest way to go!! In the end its not worth your health

 

[Loveleighe]

after i had my daugter i started getting really bad cramps with my period and it would last 10 days. prior to her birth my period lasted 3 days tops and i never had a cramp or anything.... I went on YAZ a couple months ago, have had no side effects aside from weight loss which wasn't drastic but noticeable, the cramps went away, and my period is back to being shorter. i lov e it so far and i'm glad my doctor chose it for me.

 

[swt_int3ntions]

I've been on Allesse (BCP) for 5 years now and I keep bothering my doc every year asking him if it was still safe for me to be on them for that long...
He says its fine but hopes that when I'm at the stage to be able to keep a baby if it were to happen, then to stop and just use condoms.

BCP are hard to maintain but me and my bf use it as backup. We are both from pretty strict parents when it comes to our future and have a lot of schooling to do still so having a baby is not even something we're allowed to think about.

So we use BCP as backup, and condoms when we can. He still doesn't trust condoms after 5 years! but thats okay with me. If we have them around, we'll use them...if not, we're careful and withdraw..I think its more about the peace of mind.

So if you're going to go on the pill, trust yourself to be responsible everyday and don't push your comfort circle if you don't have to. Trust me, you won't trust it for a while so take your time.

As for the side effects: I did gain a bit of water retention but the way to maintain that is to DRINK MORE WATER! believe it or not, thats what you do. I gained a lot of weight but I'm not blaming it on the pill, its because we used to go out on dates and eat out and cook together and stuff..
My sex drive went way down, but I thought it was okay too. It makes him work harder to get what he wants ;p
My period is waaaay lighter and minimal to no cramping (I love it).

Some months are like I dont have periods at all and those months give me scares because I've heard that you can get very light periods or spotting even if you're in your earliest stages of preg (just what I heard).

Anyway I know this is very long lol but I hope it helps.

 

[MakeupMuffin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iio Im not sure which brand of birth control pills to go with...im going to see my doctor very soon...and want to ask her for it but I want to get some of your opinions and advice on birth control...I was thinking about YAZ and the patch. I keep hearing that the patch is bad for you but I dont smoke cigs or do drugs, and YAZ sounds really good but im not sure bleh. I get extremely bad cramps to the point that it effects my school and work. soo i dont know im very new to this...and i was wondering if its still possible for me to get pregnant when i am on the pill because my bf and I would like to not use condoms. I just want to know what you girls are taking and what effects it has given you whether they were good or bad...​

I've tried hormonal bc 3 times in my life, 3 different brands. The patch, OTC, and OTC-Lo. I really wanted it to work for me, like very few side effects. I liked OTC-Lo the best, it had the fewest side effects BUT the biggest side effect was the deal breaker. I was a total and utter crazy bitch to my wonderful boyfriend. I tried to tell him it was the BC but what does he really know? I'm finally about 2 months off of it and so much happier in our relationship. He sees what I meant now! I feel like me. I love not using condoms with my boyfriend, but I don 't want to have kids for at least antoher 5 years, I'm not old or young right now. I'm 27, but kids would mess up both our lives. It was a love hate relationship with hbc. But I don't think I'll ever try it again. I don't like the idea of synthetic hormones in my body. I like the ups and down of arousal, if you know what I mean !

oh, and not being godzilla to my bf!

So really think about it and discuss it with your bf too. Read up about it all and if you have any more questions please feel free to ask!