Birth Control Pills: BE CAREFUL.

mapenguinkeeper

screaming migraines with every brand and lowest dose - hubby got fixed as he was so miserable from my misery.

sister took every brand, every dose and got pregnant 7 times all on birth control. Only 3 survived.

EricaFaythe

I've been on Nuvaring for close to a decade with no problems at all. Just make sure to mark a calendar or set a phone reminder to put it in a take it out. I get my weeks mixed up and find myself looking at a calendar thinking has it been 2 weeks, 3 weeks or 4 weeks? It's easy to forget when it's not part of a daily routine like the pill. I tried Seasonique for about 4 months once thinking that 4 periods instead of 12 per year would be nice, but I spotted the entire time and switched back to Nuvaring. My sister and best friend both have IUD and have had no problems with them. My sister has Paraguard, she doesn't have kids, but had crazy emotions with hormone birth control crying and sadness all the time, so she got the IUD. My best friend has 2 kids and IUD was best for her because she wasn't good at remembering to take the birth control. Not sure which kind of IUD she got. Another friend has been getting the Depo shot for about a decade and does not ever have periods. She worries that it may affect her ability to get pregnant when she is ready to, but really has no idea if it will at this point because she hasn't tried yet.

You could be me. Been on the ring for almost a decade, love it, and have to put the date I put it in in my phone or I will sit there wondering, lol.

Dragonwolf

I tired nuvaring a few years after this.....and I found my weight didn't increase and my moods were fine...but I started to get intense pain inbehind my knees which scared the crap outta me, so I went off I have no luck in birth control.

IUD I am just unsure of, I never tried some doctors state its not a abortive birth control, but others have told me that it has more chance to do that. Meaning you can get pregnant but it makes the pregnancy not continue, and to me I have issues with that.

I should also say when I went on Diane 35 the second month my period started and didn't end for over a month! Sorry for the TMI but there's no way to sugar coat my experience

It's no more "abortive" than any other contraceptive, and any cases where it did cause a pregnancy to be terminated is more to do with the fact that there's a foreign body in the uterus, interfering with healthy development than anything else. There's nothing special about it that makes it actively cause an abortion.

Most contraceptives (that aren't things like condoms or spermicidals) work by making the uterus unsuited to support a pregnancy. In that sense, they're all "abortive," because even if an egg does get fertilized, it won't implant. In the case of hormonal birth controls, even if it does implant, it probably won't last, because the hormone balance isn't right to support a pregnancy and it gets expelled when the uterine wall is shed. (Side note - all these things can also happen naturally, if the hormones aren't within the threshold to maintain a pregnancy. It's actually rather common, and evidence suggests that as much as 70% of fertilized eggs never reach full-term pregnancy, and nearly a third of pregnancies end in miscarriage when you also include chemical pregnancies - the ones where a miscarriage happens before the pregnancy is detected by the woman.)

http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/f/70percent.htm
http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/qt/miscarriage-rates.htm

rosemary98

I tired nuvaring a few years after this.....and I found my weight didn't increase and my moods were fine...but I started to get intense pain inbehind my knees which scared the crap outta me, so I went off I have no luck in birth control.

IUD I am just unsure of, I never tried some doctors state its not a abortive birth control, but others have told me that it has more chance to do that. Meaning you can get pregnant but it makes the pregnancy not continue, and to me I have issues with that.

I should also say when I went on Diane 35 the second month my period started and didn't end for over a month! Sorry for the TMI but there's no way to sugar coat my experience

It's no more "abortive" than any other contraceptive, and any cases where it did cause a pregnancy to be terminated is more to do with the fact that there's a foreign body in the uterus, interfering with healthy development than anything else. There's nothing special about it that makes it actively cause an abortion.

Most contraceptives (that aren't things like condoms or spermicidals) work by making the uterus unsuited to support a pregnancy. In that sense, they're all "abortive," because even if an egg does get fertilized, it won't implant. In the case of hormonal birth controls, even if it does implant, it probably won't last, because the hormone balance isn't right to support a pregnancy and it gets expelled when the uterine wall is shed. (Side note - all these things can also happen naturally, if the hormones aren't within the threshold to maintain a pregnancy. It's actually rather common, and evidence suggests that as much as 70% of fertilized eggs never reach full-term pregnancy, and nearly a third of pregnancies end in miscarriage when you also include chemical pregnancies - the ones where a miscarriage happens before the pregnancy is detected by the woman.)

http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/f/70percent.htm
http://miscarriage.about.com/od/pregnancyafterloss/qt/miscarriage-rates.htm

good points. one role of nearly all birth control pills is to make the uterus unsuitable for implantation. meaning, if conception took place, implantation would likely not. typically, the pill prevents ovulation so no conception can take place.

Note: been on the pill my whole life it seems. never gotten pregnant...but when i did go off twice...with in six weeks i was pregnant.

bumblebreezy91

Which I know lots of women use, but it did not like me! I gained 9 lbs the first month. Nothing in my lifestyle had changed.

incorrect.

you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

^^this.

zombieyoshi

Not all generic pills are bad, it could just be the dosage you were switched to. I was on estrostep for six years, and I loved it. Then my insurance stopped covering it and it changed from $5 a month, to $25 a month to $45 a month, which I could not afford. I'm on nor-qd right now, it's a mini pill, and I don't love it- but it's okay.

However, if you are having problems like that you need to see a doctor immediately to try a different type, birth control should not make you feel like that!

Shayley20

I use Nuvaring. Super easy. At fist I had the worst mood swings, and some cramping. But I think that was just my body adjusting. The only thing now is heavy periods for a day then it tapers off (but I think you can leave the ring in to skip your period) and super bad cramping the day before TOM.
Other than that I love it.

vvvalentines

Also anyone on IUD or NuvaRing or anything else, do you think that is better than a pill? I really only used the pill for a regular schedule.....not for birth control.

I don't have an IUD (yet, working on getting one soon) but my best friend does, and has for a little over a year. She's 21. It works great, just barely increases her cramping. That's the only side effect she has with ParaGuard (which is the non-hormone IUD) and it can last for up to 12 years. I want an IUD because it's one of the only non-hormone, easily-reversible birth control methods I wouldn't have to remember to use every time (or rely on someone else to remember.)

TrishJimenez

I have had a copper IUD since Feb 2005. No problems other then some cramping when I never used to cramp at all. I have also had 3 kids and knew I didnt want any more. My period has never been late and have had no real issues. No weight gain or mood issues. I also can not use hormonal BC as I also have severe mood issues, and other physical symptoms, so it was either this or sterilization I didn't have the resources for sterilization. So it was the best option for me. When this one gets taken out in Feb 2015 I plan on getting another one for 10 years. After that I should not need BC any more. I would go and talk to your DR about all the options available to you. Discuss all your concerns.

KatAdele

I've had a Mirena IUD for about 12 years now (on my third one) and I love it. I have no periods anymore and not too many hormone swings. I've tried NuvaRing, the pill, and the shot at other times and for me this works the best with the fewest side effects. It's really a personal choice though.

veritasria93

I use the nuvaring, never had a problem with it, works well and I don't forget my pill. Had horrible side effects on a few different types of Pill, gained weight, bad skin, headaches, and hormonal. Nuvaring works well because the eostrogen is locally released, instead of being ingested through the body. Definitely worth a go and so hassle free

JatieKo621

I already have horrible cramps which is why I got on the pill in the first place, so I am thinking an IUD wouldn't help me. I may try NuvaRing...my doctor is sending me a new brand to try out but I just don't want to have to deal with the craziness that was the past 4 months.

I really appreciate all of the responses!!

CalistaBruno

I have endometriosis, so I can relate to your terrible cramps. My OB/GYN put me on the NuvaRing, and I keep it in for four months (one ring for four weeks times four rings) and it has helped IMMENSELY with the cramping. Every other form of hormonal birth control I have tried has made me nauseated, moody, and depressed.

Note: The NuvaRing made me sick for the first day of every new ring I put in for the first three months, but it was only 24-hour sickness as opposed to month-long sickness.

JoRocka

I think what people mean is that the pill created conditions that led to their weight gain. "The pill made me gain weight" is probably just simpler to say or type.

I agree- but it's extremely important to understand how things work- meaning- eating more because of hormones makes me fat.... rather than my BC made me fat- you cannot solve a problem without understanding WHY it's a problem. It makes things much more simple if you know WHY it is doing what it's doing- so just brushing it off as "the pill made me fat" isn't helpful to yourself- or anyone else (I'm saying yourself- generically here not you specifically)

I agree with much of this. but (and i am no expert) taking "the pill" adds hormones to your body that makes your body think you are pregnant, essentially, thus no ovulation. no actual period either--just a withdrawal bleed. So, while I don't believe the pill (meaning the hormones) creates a 30 pound weight gain; i think a modest weight gain initially is probably true for many.

You don't magically start packing on weight. the hormones yes yes yes- but it's not going to cause a 10- 30 lb gain. A LOT of women are emotional/comfort eaters- hormones... lead to emotional comfort food.

I'm not trying to be flippant. But you need to adjust how things are- pay attention - if the hormones are messing with your homeostasis (spelling disaster) then you need to adjust your food- or adjust your pill- not just resign yourself to the fact "the pill made me gain weight"

I've been on and off pills since I was in college- so we are pushing 10 years now- all different brands- low dose high dose- whatever. I've never gotten fat because of it... because I know eating to much makes me fat- so I regulate it. I'm sure some of them seriously affected me- but I was aware and monitored myself.

eclecticthreads

WRONG. Hormones are part of the endocrine system, and when things are off kilter, it can dramatically affect your metabolism.

When your metabolism drops, eating the same diet you've always eaten will cause you to gain weight.

eclecticthreads

incorrect.

you don't magically gain weight. hormones might make you more lethargic- more hungry- more moody. But they don't magically make you gain weight- in order to gain weight- you have to eat more. Period.

If you gain weight on the pill- it's because you are eating more. Not trying to be nasty- but the pill causes all sorts of side effects- magical weight gain from no extra food isn't one of them. Moody? hormonal? hungry? depressed? sure lots of those things that drive us to eat- but it can't make you magically gain weight if you were eating at maintenance before you started.

WRONG. Hormones are part of the endocrine system, and when things are off kilter, it can dramatically affect your metabolism.

When your metabolism drops, eating the same diet you've always eaten will cause you to gain weight.