Birth Control Suggestions

hiyomi

I was on the Depo (progestin-only) for the longest time, but after a while it made me incredibly depressed. I fell into a lot of bad habits (eating for comfort), which caused me to gain a lot of weight and put me at the highest I've ever been.

I REALLY don't recommend it. I know someone on here had a positive experience with it, but there's a reason the Depo has been used as a form of chemical castration. It lowers the sex drive, and it'll make you feel awful if you take it long enough.

After I stopped the Depo injections, it took me some months to feel normal again. Now I'm on the combined pill, and I feel a lot better on it.

Depo Provera shot has worked wonderfully for me. No weight gain, not much hormonal changes, elliminates my period and when I have taken a break from it my period came back about a month later. I hear for some though its longer. Lasts 3 months and is covered by most insurances at planned parenthood. It's very different for all people, I have been on it for a few years now.

MissSusieQ

you cant get into your family doctor until NOVEMBER??

i love Australia!

nikilis

if all else fails, condoms, or the pull out method.

MissSusieQ

if all else fails, condoms, or the pull out method.

pull out method: easiest way to gain 20kg. but don't worry, after about 9 months you'll lose four or five all of a sudden.

mazdauk

23 women out of how many? 100, 1,000, 100,0000?

I've been on Marvelon (UK) for years. At one point I switched ebcause of scares, but the one they put me on made me fat, spotty and irritable so I went back (my Dr said he was happy to prescribe it for his daughter so he didn't think I needed to worry as a non-smoker with no history of heart disease).

As others have said, try other products til you find what suits. I was originially on the mini-pill but you have to take it same time every day - within an hour or so - so it was not suitable when I was doing a lot of travelling for work.

And MAKE your dr see you - waiting til November is not acceptable! Especially for you, as a PAYING customer!

Candi_land

Yaz made me absolutely insane with mood swings. I'm currently on Orthotricyclen lo and have no complaints.

UnwrappingCandy

There are so many contraceptives out there, of which i have personal experience with only one--Mirena. Do not get Mirena. In fact, don't get an IUD. The risk of it shifting about and causing injury is maybe not high, but it's not low. It's risky. Also, if you smoke you should quit smoking. Combining smoking with the use of combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, The sad thing is that all of the COCPs come with a risk of blood clots.

There are the progestin-only oral contraceptives that do not combine oestrogen in the therapy. These come without the risk of clots but do come with an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy and ovarian cysts. The side effect profiles of the progestin-only contraceptives are relatively mild compared to the other classes of contraceptives. If you'd like to talk to your doctor about this class some examples are: Camila, Jolivette, Errin, and Jencycla. The one I have seen most commonly prescribed in the US is Jolivette followed closely by Camila. Another pro on the progestin-only class is that it is non-stop therapy. You take one pill every day without any breaks. So it's easier to remember, I think.

The injectables Depo-Provera IM injection and Depo-subQ Provera each are injected once every three months. Most women seem to tolerate these injections well. One of the benefits of the Depo shots is that it's every 3 months. It's easy to remember vs. taking a pill every day or keeping a calendar if you have a 3-week pack without the extra iron supplements or placebo pills to keep on track during your period week.

There is the Implanon subdermal implant that lasts three years, but it comes with a fairly extensive side-effect profile. I haven't personally known anyone with this implant, but I believe it's generally well tolerated by most women.

NuvaRing is a vaginal contraceptive. You place it into your vagina once per month and it's worn for three weeks. This also comes with a fairly extensive side effect profile, including clots, but I have seen it prescribed a lot and it seems to be well tolerated.

Getting back to the COCPs we have four remaining classes: monophasic, biphasic, triphasic, and most recently there is a four-phasic.

The monophasics are the most popularL Amethyst, Apri, Aviane, Cryselle, Gianvi, Junel, Levora, Low-Ogestrel, Microgestin, MonoNessa, Necon, Ocella, Previfem, Sprintec, Camrese, Jolessa, Quasense, Beyaz, Yaz, Lo Loestrin, Loestrin, Ortho-Cyclen, Yasmin, and about 20-30 others that I cannot remember because they are not prescribed as frequently. Some of these come in a 21-day pack and some in a 28-day pack that includes a placebo week or iron supplement. All of these, of course, come with the risk of blood clots, but the most common side effects are: irregular bleeding, nausea, vomiting, breast tenderness, headache, abdominal pain, water retention swelling, weight change, depression, acne, changes in libido, elevate blood pressure, and increased cholesterol. The biphasic and triphasic share this list of common side effects as well as the risk of clots.

The four-phasic is Natazia. During trials the most common side effects were similar to the mono-, bi-, and triphasics. This is, I think, the newest contraceptive on the market, and I really don't know much more about it. :P

By the way, the difference between the monophasic, biphasic, triphasic and four-phasic is the levels of hormone in each pill. Monophasic is one level throughout the entire month. Biphasic is two different hormone levels, triphasic is three, and four-phasic is, well, four. lol

I hope this helps you with your next visit to the doctor. It's always good to be armed with information.


ETA: I currently live in the US and these are US brand names I have mentioned. Many of these are available in other developed countries though the brand names are possibly different.

pennydreadful270

Just a warning too, some pills have such low estrogen amounts that if you forget one pill, you're screwed. My sister missed one pill due to being ill and ended up pregnant.

That should not be a novelty to women who take the pill. Of course missing one pill (or taking it more than 8-10 hours too late) will make you available for pregnancy for the rest of the cycle. Reading the fine print should explain this and your doctor obviously should mention this as well...
Also: taking antibiotics will counteract your pill, and obviously vomiting or diarrhea within a few hours of taking it will do the same...

Oh no, not the whole cycle! If you read your leaflet you will see you normally need to take a double dose and then the time till safe again is between 2-7 days, depends on when in the cycle you miss it, and what type you are on.

nikilis

if all else fails, condoms, or the pull out method.

pull out method: easiest way to gain 20kg. but don't worry, after about 9 months you'll lose four or five all of a sudden.

bahahahahahaha. high 5 girlfriend. its gotta be with someone who has a delicate control over the busting of their nuts.

sandy_gee

I don't understand why an IUD is out? If you are in the US Obama Care should cover it. All bc should be covered. At least that's what Kaiser tells me.

Consider yourself lucky that IUD is out! I had the worst time with Mirena, it caused a lot of issues for me. I was almost unable to get pregnant again due to cysts.

There's always the OTHER IUD.

And I agree, if you're in the U.S. an IUD should be covered...

I'm in Canada. IUD isn't 100% covered by my plan here, and I'd just like to stick with something that is. Thank you everyone for the info! I'm on a waiting list with my doc, and hoping to get in sooner, but as is I need to find something else to try here also.

ClareWantsProgress

I'm on Yasmin and love it, been on it for like 5 years or so and never had an issue

Ditto for me! Helped with SEVERE perimenopause symptoms, migraines, etc.

sukatx

I had similar problems with the pill. Didn't matter which pill I took, my TOM would be super-long and I'd have cramps that would stop me in my tracks. I finally agreed (because I fought it for so long) to go on the NuvaRing. And problem solved!

SoDamnHungry

I'm not 100% sure if your insurance would cover it, but I'm on the NuvaRing and I absolutely love it. I used the pill for a few years, and it made me super sick. Just a warning too, some pills have such low estrogen amounts that if you forget one pill, you're screwed. My sister missed one pill due to being ill and ended up pregnant.
The NuvaRing is awesome because it's 3 weeks the ring is in, take it out for one week and have your period. It's nice because you don't have to worry about taking a pill everyday. My doctor also writes my prescription so that I put three rings in a row then take it out for my period, so I don't have a period for 9 weeks (which, is totally healthy).

I hope you find a good BC that works for you!

I also love the Nuva Ring. You can put it in for three weeks, remove it, and put another one in immediately (assuming your doctor says it's ok) like the above poster said. Nine weeks was too long for my body to go (it would start spotting), so I do two rings in a row. I only have my period every seventh week. I don't even get PMS. Very rarely occasional spotting, but I think that's often stress-related.

MSeel1984

I was on Ortho Tricyclen lo for a long time. I still had miserable (BUT, predictably miserable) periods every month...going through 1 box+ of super+ tampons and a pack of pads...horrible.

Now I'm on Mirena (IUD) and I have been pretty happy with it so far...on the other hand when I first started, I had a horrible period that lasted nearly a month...then it went away...but I still have spotting for my period that sometimes lasts upwards of three weeks...but it's easily managed with a panty liner or light tampon...

It is supposed to go away all together and the IUD is as effective as having one's tubes tied. I also notice my body looks a little different...I haven't lost weight but I think I'm toning up a little easier.

OMGeeeHorses

Myth is there on gaining weight with BC pills. you gain about 15lbs if you do nothing for exercise on it for first year. after that nothing as your body levels with the BC pill. The shots the only one you will gain weight 24/7 with because of how much estrogen they use in it. I am on the pill Previfem have been for 7yrs. No issues, even when I had two major surgeries while on it.

TracyJo93

I use Yaz and have never been worried that I will die. Take that as you will.

KatC_88

The Neuvo Ring works great for me.

I had horrible time with Mirena and had to have it surgically removed, then I have not ovulate for a year! So I would def not recommend it to ANYONE!!!

Espressocycle

My buddy used pull and pray with wonderful results. Such a beautiful little girl.

kaotik26

I used Implanon for almost 3 years before I got my tubes tied. It's the one that goes in your arm. Hardly any TOM and it didn't make me all crazy hormonal either!

**Also lost weight while on it, I was in the process of working really hard to lose but it never hindered it.

o2bADyer

I'm not 100% sure if your insurance would cover it, but I'm on the NuvaRing and I absolutely love it. I used the pill for a few years, and it made me super sick. Just a warning too, some pills have such low estrogen amounts that if you forget one pill, you're screwed. My sister missed one pill due to being ill and ended up pregnant.
The NuvaRing is awesome because it's 3 weeks the ring is in, take it out for one week and have your period. It's nice because you don't have to worry about taking a pill everyday. My doctor also writes my prescription so that I put three rings in a row then take it out for my period, so I don't have a period for 9 weeks (which, is totally healthy).

I hope you find a good BC that works for you!

^^ ditto ^^