Ladies, I need your opinions on birth control!

hotlipsliz

Had to stop the pill three years ago due to being overweight and having BPs that would fall into the "prehypertension" range; they put me on the "mini pill" which I stopped because it made me psycho. Before that I used Levora without any issues but as I said, had to come off of it due to health concerns. A couple of months after my Levora was discontinued I got my tubes tied. One of the best things I've ever done for myself, no regrets whatsoever. You cannot put a price on peace of mind, not to mention the BF loves it! Of course if you want kids that is out of the question but everyone is different. Educate yourself on your options and don't let doctors bully you into anything; the GYN who did my surgery insisted on an IUD at first but I am a good advocate for myself and got her to agree to the surgery.

apedeb09

I've heard the mini pill is most effective if you're breastfeeding.. But even so, I know of a few women that got pregnant while on it even when they were breastfeeding. But women get pregnant on all types of BC. I personally don't take birth control because I don't like how it effects me.

AmykinsCatfood

I took the mini pill when I first started my birth control and it was fine, but I had horrible horrible cramps while on it. Now I'm on Seasonale which is a 3 month pack- you take it continuously for 3 months and only get your period 4 times a year. It's heaven!

DawnOBRN

I am an OB/GYN nurse practitioner. While it is common to ask fellow women what they have used and what worked for them, you need to remember that every woman is different. The best thing to do is talk with your provider about YOUR body, YOUR health history, what choices in birth control might work for you, and go from there. There are many factors to consider when choosing.

Here is a great site to help you choose an option, but you should speak with your provider before making the final decision.

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/all-access/my-method-26542.htm

just_Jennie1

Birth control is HORRIBLE for your body. Your best bet is to track your cycles..

If you insist on having birth control I suggest getting an IUD. They say they don't give them to people w/o kids, but they really do. My friend has one.

A NON HORMONAL IUD.

I stopped taking the pill maybe three years ago and it was the best thing I have ever done. For one, when I would get my yearly blood work done they would just ignore my hormone levels because I was on the pill and they weren't right. For two I was always tired. I'm talking exhausted to the point where I could get 12 hours sleep, get up in the morning, be awake for a few hours, go back and nap for 3-4 hours in the afternoon and go to bed again a few hours later. I don't even know how I functioned for 8 hours a day at my job without a nap. As soon as I got off the pill the change was dramatic. Now the only time I nap is if I didn't get enough sleep the night before or it's going to be a very late night.

I will never go on the pill again and it would be difficult for me to advocate someone else going on it just based on my own experience and the way it completely messes up your hormones. It's not good.

If you really want to go on birth control then you need to talk to your doctor about your options.

just_Jennie1

Birth control is HORRIBLE for your body. Your best bet is to track your cycles..

If you insist on having birth control I suggest getting an IUD. They say they don't give them to people w/o kids, but they really do. My friend has one.

False. Birth control can be a life saver for people with certain medical conditions. IUDs carry risks, too, and can't always properly treat some things that oral birth control does.

However, you'll get other people saying this to you, OP: BC is highly, HIGHLY specific to each person. Many people react differently to different birth control pills, because hormones are very "touchy" to each human being.

For instance, I was on Ortho-Tricyclen. Horrible. Now, I've been on Microgestin. No migraines, no ovarian cysts, no acne, regulated periods. Look it up, you'll find people who thought IT was horrible.

Depo is certainly a controversial BC for some pretty chronic negativity (though there's definitely people who swear by it). If it didn't work for you, talk with your gyno. They might suggest a low-dose pill, a progesterone only pill, etc. Unfortunately, if some form of birth control outside of condoms/abstinence/"properly done" coitus interruptus is necessary, you're just going to have to play around with it until you're happy.

BC is truly a case of "everybody's different™."

This is why one needs to go to the doctor.

Over all, regardless of whether or not one has a condition, BC really isn't good for you. It messes up your hormones significantly which is not a good thing in the long run. Like I stated in my previous post when I would get my blood work done when on the pill they never even looked at my hormone levels because they weren't right.

simplycorey

I can't take anything hormonal. It makes me absolutely crazy, depressed and causes me to gain weight. I have had the Paragard copper IUD for 2.5 years now and haven't had any problems.

RockinTerri

i liked my iud except for the weigh gain. depo was ok untill i stopped taken it then had month long tom. obly time i took pills was high school and they made me nausous.

After I quit depo, I was bleeding non-stop for a whole year. Worst experience ever. The whole Depo experience really scared me away from birth control.

I was on Depo for a year, and the first couple of days after each injection my husband said I became a raging lunatic (and I completely blacked out the first day after the shots as well). I was SOOOO glad to get off of that! After that I had gone back to Ortho, and eventually didn't need any, due to a hysterectomy in March 2002. :ohwell:

CookNLift

when in doubt. pull out.

edge_dragoncaller

Birth control is HORRIBLE for your body. Your best bet is to track your cycles..

If you insist on having birth control I suggest getting an IUD. They say they don't give them to people w/o kids, but they really do. My friend has one.

this is horrible advice and completely untrue. seriously, shame on you. tracking your cycles is NOT an effective form of pregnancy prevention. "insist on having birth control"... wow. just wow.


OP, look into IUDs or there is an implant that actually goes in your arm. it is more popular in the UK and not always covered by insurance in the states but after my mirena comes out I just may go for that.

Do some research on what hormonal birth control does for your cycles and body. After having tried several different types of birth control, and researched the rest I'm personally against taking it for myself. Way to much wrong with it.

I know I'm a guy speaking here...and that makes this Taboo enough...but ...

Unless condoms are in use as well...your method of Birth Control is about as effective as "pulling out"
On top of that...some women and men are wholly against having sex during a woman's periods, which to make yourself REALLY safe based on the cycle, means you'll have a window of "safe" (haha) sex of really ... one week, maybe 10 days.

vanillacoffee

I have never tried the mini pill. I've been on the patch for four years, and I LOVE it.

LurveTheDoctor

Birth control is HORRIBLE for your body. Your best bet is to track your cycles..

If you insist on having birth control I suggest getting an IUD. They say they don't give them to people w/o kids, but they really do. My friend has one.

this is horrible advice and completely untrue. seriously, shame on you. tracking your cycles is NOT an effective form of pregnancy prevention. "insist on having birth control"... wow. just wow.


OP, look into IUDs or there is an implant that actually goes in your arm. it is more popular in the UK and not always covered by insurance in the states but after my mirena comes out I just may go for that.

Do some research on what hormonal birth control does for your cycles and body. After having tried several different types of birth control, and researched the rest I'm personally against taking it for myself. Way to much wrong with it.

I know I'm a guy speaking here...and that makes this Taboo enough...but ...

Unless condoms are in use as well...your method of Birth Control is about as effective as "pulling out"
On top of that...some women and men are wholly against having sex during a woman's periods, which to make yourself REALLY safe based on the cycle, means you'll have a window of "safe" (haha) sex of really ... one week, maybe 10 days.

More like 2.5-3 weeks..

Been over 2 years since my last kid and no new kid yet...

investigator1

I have had the IUD in the past and that is not good. I hurt everyday and then when i wanted it taken out they couldnt so I had to have surgery. And then once it was out i lost 15lbs in like a week in a half. crazy. I am now using the nuvaring it has the least side effects then any birth control and I love it. You keep it in for 21 days and take it out for 7. Really pleased with it.

edge_dragoncaller

Birth control is HORRIBLE for your body. Your best bet is to track your cycles..

If you insist on having birth control I suggest getting an IUD. They say they don't give them to people w/o kids, but they really do. My friend has one.

this is horrible advice and completely untrue. seriously, shame on you. tracking your cycles is NOT an effective form of pregnancy prevention. "insist on having birth control"... wow. just wow.


OP, look into IUDs or there is an implant that actually goes in your arm. it is more popular in the UK and not always covered by insurance in the states but after my mirena comes out I just may go for that.

Do some research on what hormonal birth control does for your cycles and body. After having tried several different types of birth control, and researched the rest I'm personally against taking it for myself. Way to much wrong with it.

I know I'm a guy speaking here...and that makes this Taboo enough...but ...

Unless condoms are in use as well...your method of Birth Control is about as effective as "pulling out"
On top of that...some women and men are wholly against having sex during a woman's periods, which to make yourself REALLY safe based on the cycle, means you'll have a window of "safe" (haha) sex of really ... one week, maybe 10 days.

More like 2.5-3 weeks..

Been over 2 years since my last kid and no new kid yet...

That means nothing, really, it doesn't. My wife and I had unprotected sex almost 4 years before she ended up pregnant. Just because it doesn't happen doesn't mean it's "safe"

Sabine_Stroehm

I avoid all hormonal birth control (including the Mirena IUD, which I tried).
To me, the side effects outweigh the "convenience".

I wish I had never used hormonal BC, to be honest.

kgreenRDLDN

I did the mini-pill for a while as well, and had random periods. I wound up having one about every 2 weeks, and was miserable. I use the nuva-ring now and have not had a single issue with it. I've also used the patches before and didn't have any trouble with them either-I only switched off them because I'm a type 1 diabetic and already at high risk for blood clots and they increase risk a little more than other BC methods.

I would normally use condoms as well as any BC for added protection, but I have developed an allergy to something used in them.. I have tried latex, non latex, lubed, non-lubed and same reaction, the next day I would have red spots all over and a yeast infection. I just stopped using condoms and rely on my BC and my knowledge to stay safe....plus I'm in a committed relationship (engaged), so if an accident happens and I have good Blood sugar control, i'm not too worried since we want to have one child together eventually.

LurveTheDoctor

I avoid all hormonal birth control (including the Mirena IUD, which I tried).
To me, the side effects outweigh the "convenience".

I wish I had never used hormonal BC, to be honest.

Me too. It wrecked my body.

ataraxial

I use nexplanon. Good for 3 years, and I spot maybe once every few months. You can feel it in your arm so you know it's there. From what I have read from the reviews you either love it or hate it, depending on your body, it may reject it and you might get horrible symptoms. I have nothing but good things to say about it though =]

JDubIsShrinking

Took birth control for years... now I have an IUD and life is wonderful!

randomtai

I got pregnant with an IUD... so there's that. Plus my partner felt the string poking out so ew.
I currently use Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo. I have absolutely no problems with it.

Kinda hard to give birth control advice over the 'Net as everyone's bodies will react differently to different things.