Birth Control and You

[bttrthnb4]

I was curious to know what kinds of bc methods y'all use. Right now I'm on Ortho-Tricyclen Lo and am experiencing side effects after almost a year of starting this brand. It seems I'm am only my real self half the month...the week before and the week of the "last week" of my pack I notice that I feel cramping, I'm bloated-looking and my eating goes haywire...just no discipline for 2 weeks, well not alot of discipline. Also, instead of the normal last week bleeding, I start bleeding a week early and although it's not ever really heavy, it goes for almost 2 weeks. I'm starting to get ticked off about it, this has been happening for the last 4 months.

[bttrthnb4]

I am actually thinking about going back to the patch, I had the least s.e. from it, it seems all the other pills are worse for me...migraines, mood swings, self-loathing. Anyone using Yaz?

[Eileen]

I've had him spayed!

Before that, we used Billings, which worked very well. I never managed to get on well with anything hormonal, and found I was allergic to spermacide. Definitely limited my options.

[Jamie M]

I've used Necon. I'm thinking of getting back on something else because that gave me issues with wearing contacts.
I don't have a man right now, but I get megacramps. Like now...I want chocolate. Maybe I'll make an extra protien shake.

[bttrthnb4]

LOL....well, when the time is right, i might get mine fixed, lol, but I do want to have children in the future so its not much of an option right now
I've never heard of Billings or Necon, are those bc pills? I really like the convenience of the patch and I did have the least side effects from it, but the reason I stopped using it was because wherever I placed it, it always seemed to come off, like the adhesive wasn't working like it should.

[Jamie M]

necon is a pill. I would have tried the patches but I don't trust them, mainly because I sweat A LOT when I workout.

[user464444132bbg]

I was on Ortho-Tricyclene Lo for years, never had a problem with it. I'm off it now because hubby got fixed. Its weird having periods again.

I'd suggest you go back to your doctor and tell him/her of your side effects. Maybe you need something stronger.

[bttrthnb4]

necon is a pill. I would have tried the patches but I don't trust them, mainly because I sweat A LOT when I workout.

Actually, I used the patch when I was active in the gym before, and never had a problem with it coming off, you just had to make sure you applied it right. It just started coming off, as though the company had changed adhesives or something.

[bttrthnb4]

I was on Ortho-Tricyclene Lo for years, never had a problem with it. I'm off it now because hubby got fixed. Its weird having periods again.

I'd suggest you go back to your doctor and tell him/her of your side effects. Maybe you need something stronger.

I am going to mention my side effects the next time I go back, which shouldn't be too far from now. I was on Ortho-Cept before the Lo, she put me on the Lo because I was having debilitating migraines on the stronger pills. I've heard about PMDD, i think is what it is...I'm also going to ask her about that. If I didn't want kids I would just have them take it all out, LOL

[MagneticB]

I use seasonale and LOVE only having four periods a year. I had some side effects when I first started using it, but I don't have those anymore. I started taking birth control because i was getting really bad migranes right before I started each month. I don't think I change to anything else.

[Beklet]

I'm on Yasmin which is great - I do get some spots, but I still have a sex drive and it doesn't make my periods worse, which most pills do. I was on Depo before that and it was evil. Put on 30lbs, DESPITE doubling the time I spent at the gym and going on a diet *shudder*, got acne and lost my sex drive. Nice.

Hopefully I'll be getting neutered in the next year or so - I am so fed up with hormones!

[Eileen]

I've never heard of Billings or Necon, are those bc pills?

Billing is one of the natural family planning methods. It's also called fertility awareness. Basically, you go a couple of classes to teach you how to read your vaginal mucus to tell when you are fertile, so you can avoid or go for it. It's got about similar accuracy to condoms.

[bttrthnb4]

Billing is one of the natural family planning methods. It's also called fertility awareness. Basically, you go a couple of classes to teach you how to read your vaginal mucus to tell when you are fertile, so you can avoid or go for it. It's got about similar accuracy to condoms.

aw man...I'm so stuck in a bad deal. I hate the bc pills cause it gives me side effects no matter what (haven't tried yaz or seasonale yet). I'm not getting anything like that implanted in me, so no depo or iud. I really can't come off of bc devices tho, I've been on them since I was 14 for menstrual regulation...if I'm not on bc i don't have periods at all.

But thank you everyone for your responses!

[gootzs girl]

aw man...I'm so stuck in a bad deal. I hate the bc pills cause it gives me side effects no matter what (haven't tried yaz or seasonale yet). I'm not getting anything like that implanted in me, so no depo or iud. I really can't come off of bc devices tho, I've been on them since I was 14 for menstrual regulation...if I'm not on bc i don't have periods at all.

But thank you everyone for your responses!

I have the same problem with not getting a period.... it is really frustraating to not find a pill that is right for you and not being able to get off of it. I was having all kinds of side effects and I switched pills a few times. I got on YAz because my doctor said that it will make everything better. For the first month or so everything was ok, but now I am back to the same side effects. I am beginging to think that all hormonal bc's will have bad side effects for me.

I really hope that there will be a birth control for men soon so that they know what it is like!!!

[bttrthnb4]

I really hope that there will be a birth control for men soon so that they know what it is like!!!

LOL! That means they'd have to have periods too...I don't know that I'd wish that on men...although I know a few who could use it...hehehehe

[Jmh80]

They have birth control for men. It's called testosterone injections.
(Some guys have gone sterile staying on steroids for too long.)

That sort of BC is fun - sounds like yours isn't.

[sportyhp]

i use yasmin...keeps me amazingly regular w/ periods (28 day cycle), not very light but i get it the exact day i expect it (and can usually predict whether its morning or afternoon)

[solstice]

Had a tubal after my second was born (via c-section) Lovin it!

[bttrthnb4]

Had a tubal after my second was born (via c-section) Lovin it!

LOL....but i want the behbehs!

[CarolinaGurl]

Hey ladies,

I started using neuva ring this month and so far I feel pretty good. I am feeling rather fat but two weeks out of the gym has more to do with that then the ring does *lol*

I picked the ring because it has the lowest dose of EE's on the market and since it is right in there next the bad girl you need only 1/88th the amount of EE's to get the same result as 30mg of oral a day. (the ring has 15 mcg's out put per day)

Now if your weird about touching yourself this isn't the birth control for you but if it isn't an issue I can't say enough good things about it. No cramps, no horrid boobs, no headaches, nothin. It goes in very easily and comes out just as easy its in for 3 weeks and out for one. All you have to do is pay attention to your in and out dates on the calander and thats it.

I was very worried about the EE's interferring with fat loss for competing but now I am really not so worried. We shall see what the next few months bring and I will give you a report back on my first cycle while using it.

I am thinking that my 40th birthday present to myself is going to be a little belly button tubligation but then again finding a doctor willing to do it at my age, especially a military doctor, is pretty slim.

Anyhoooo anyone else trying or tried the ring??

~CG

[solstice]

LOL Yeah- that makes a difference

Good luck with your decision. Hormonal BC is very much trial and error- what works really well (side effect wise) for one person makes another crazy and hormonal Really the only thing to do is start playing around with some till you find the best one *for you*.

[darkangel]

I'm on Demulen (1 mg of ethynodiol diacetate and 35 mcg of ethinyl estradiol) and probably will be for the duration. I'm past the age to want to start a family. I'm not crazy about the idea of being on the pill indefinitely, but I'm on it more to level out pre-menopausal hormone fluctuations than for the birth control. No side effects, no weight gain. However, my periods have stopped. My gynecologist says this is okay... still feels weird, though.

[yawaii29]

I have the mirena IUD. It's great, the only negative I would say is when you get it inserted..it hurts. And it's good for 5 years.

[moon girl]

I'm on tricyclen lo and that's worked best for me. I've taken regular tricyclen, triphasil (sp?) and alesse before this. I did have some pretty crazy PMS for a while (emotional, bitchy) but my doctor suggested I'd start taking a vitamin B complex + calcium/magnesium and that's really helped with that, especially the "I'm going to bite your head off if you come near me" thing .

I still get cramps but Advil takes care of those. I also get bloated and my boobs sometimes hurt a few days before my period starts but it's very manageable. My periods are really light on tri cyclen lo even though they used to be really heavy for years after I first started getting periods. Plus my periods are extremely regular (but that's on any brand of pills).

[abcreations]

Husband is fixed now. LOL. The last pill I was on was Yasmin. I didn't like it. No sex drive at all. I have also been on Ortho Tri Cyclen and Ortho Novum 777.. I didn't have problems on OTC but I did with ON777. Personally I am glad that I am off of BC forever.

[bttrthnb4]

Thanks so much for the responses ladies, I really appreciate everyone's input! I think, for the time being I'm gonna stick with ortho lo, the past several months have been weird, but this past cycle was perfect...I dunno / Thanks again!!!