Ladies..scared of BIRTH CONTROL!
Replies
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I'm okay with it, given my choices, because it's been out for MANY years and no serious side effects (like strokes) have been reported, nor any common side effects other than a heavier period for some.
MIRENA caused weight gain, yes. It's hormones.gaining over 20lbs isn't from birth control- that's a lack of SELF CONTROL. I don't think IUD causes weight gain - but pregnancy will
A paraguard does not
I'm surprised you're so anti-hormonal birth control but okay with Paragard.... which they don't even know WHY it works. They have suspicions, but they don't know why copper repels sperm.... so what else could be happening that they don't know about?
In reality, they know very little about the endocrine (hormonal) system, so it's all kind of a shot in the dark, but I find it interesting when people rave about Paragard being non-hormonal, but not even realizing that we don't know why a piece of plastic with copper wrapped around it shoved in our uterus prevents pregnancy.... and are okay with it.
As for how it works, copper is commonly known to be a spermicide. And, if memory serves copper also prevents implantation, which is why it was used as an emergency BC (but doesn't earn the drug companies much money).
Again, given my choices from hormonal BC (mood swings, weight gain, migraines, breast pain, libido issues) and my personal issues with other spermicides (yeast infection) and my latex allergy, I'd go with that.
But you're right, we don't know much about the endocrine system.... yet we readily implant things, take pills and "shove" plastic containing hormones in our uterus. We say the hormone laden plastic bit has only "local" effects but that it "can clear up acne"....
I'll pass. Been there, done that. Three different times.
PS: I"ve answered this as best I can, given that you're quoting one of my original replies, rather than subsequent replies, making it a challenge.0 -
Thanks. Exactly. There are lots of choices. It just seems in these threads that folks tend to the black or white: hormones or pregnancy. Thanks for replying, and bummer about the 35lbs!
Are there no other options?Condoms are great and no hormones!
^^THIS
Not this. Condoms BREAK. Broken condom = baby.
Whatever floats your boat, friends, but I'd much rather take the safe route than be up ****s creek without a paddle.
Sure there are. There's natural family planning, a diaphragm, cerival cap, spermicide coupled with condoms, but my point is, relying ONLY on condoms is just... well, it's stupid and irresponsible, especially for one that doesn't want children. Condoms break. I know too many people that relied on condoms, the condom broke and they got pregnant. All it takes is one time.
Or, there's good old fashioned hormonal birth control. Suck it up and deal with the side effects. I was on depo provera for four years, gained approximately 35 pounds while on it and dealt with pretty ridiculous mood swings and hormones the whole time. But I never got pregnant.0 -
There are non-hormonal forms of birth control around. The Fertility Awareness Method is one such form of birth control. It is similar to Natural Family Planning, however during a woman's fertile time you use a barrier method of birth control (such as a condom) instead of abstaining from sex (like in Natural Family Planning). Of course, this is not a method that will work for everyone, but it is an effective form of birth control (and no, it's not the old school "Rhythm Method.") Check out the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" for a more detailed description of this method.
This is what we have used for the last 7 years.0 -
I wish weight gain would have been a side effect for me. I have taken bc pills in the past (ortho, yaz and something else). I had horrible side effects. I didn't gain weight but I began lactating, I had no sex drive, I developed acne for the first time in my life, I got horrible migraines and pms had me doubled over in pain and I was suffereing from chronic fatigue.. I will never take hormonal bc again. I just react negatively to any type of meds that can alter hormone levels (my gyno says some women just can't tolerate hormonal bc pills). My husband and I use condoms. I have known three women to get pregnant on bc so nothing is 100% well except abstaining.0
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I'd rather gain 20lbs of fat then 8lbs of infant, but that's just me.
Have you spoken to your doctor about weight gain? or considered non-hormonal alternatives?
What if you later eat the infant and gain 8lbs of fat from it? Better or worse than 20lbs of fat?
I love baby back ribs.0 -
Studies have debunked this myth. The pill does not make you gain weight. Do the research.0
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I lost weight after going on BC pills because instead of being confined to the bathroom floor due to extreme blood loss ( days of heavy pads), nausea, and pain (refractory to all OTC drugs at even double the dose), I can now get up and move.
I used to spend 2 days of every month at home crying and passing in and out of consciousness. I was unable to be at school or work or even walk down the stairs to get water. Think of the worst day you ever spent with diarrhea and gas clinging to a toilet twice a month. The rest of the 7 days I was like a zombie from the anemia. I can now wear a hot pad, take 2 pamprin and go about my one day of annoying pain like a human being.
I friggen love birth control.
I am on Loestrin FE 24.0 -
There are a lot of birth control methods that statistically encourage weight gain. The pill (at least the one you mentioned) is NOT one of them
On the Depo shot women usually see anywhere from 10-40 pounds of weight gained in the first 3 month cycle. But on the pill you're safe, so if you gain weight it will only be because you psyched yourself out about nothing. 0 -
I'm on the generic brand of Tri-Sprintec (it's free for me woo!) and I haven't had any problems with weight gain as far as I can tell.0
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I'd rather gain 20lbs of fat then 8lbs of infant, but that's just me.
Have you spoken to your doctor about weight gain? or considered non-hormonal alternatives?
What if you later eat the infant and gain 8lbs of fat from it? Better or worse than 20lbs of fat?
I love baby back ribs.
Just blew water out of my nose from laughing at this. Thanks.0 -
I use an IUD - not weight gain, no period! *love* it!!!0
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A lot of my patients are on various forms of birth control. Anecdotally, I'd have to say that very few gain weight with the pill, many do gain with the Depo shot, and perhaps with the implanted form (not as commonly used in this area). I don't know of any who gained with the Mirena (hormone IUD). Basically, it seems to be mostly due to progesterone-only forms of BC. Unfortunately, the women who seem to gain are the ones who have struggled with being overweight for years. The skinny-toothpick girls who need (and often WANT) to gain some weight so they'll have curves almost never do. I have to think there is something going on metabolically in a woman's body that predisposes them to weight gain, and the additional hormone manipulation feeds into that. Just a hunch...
At any rate, you will just have to try it and see how it goes. You might consider a Paragard IUD (copper, no hormones). It's actually more effective at preventing pregnancy, and is very safe.
I am so relieved to see this about the Mirena. I have to go today to have my Paragard removed because it embedded into the uterine muscle and they are going to put in the Mirena. I was worried about the hormones of the Mirena.0 -
I have had the Pill, implant and the mirena coil as birth control. All of them I put on at least 30lbs easy! I don't know why but with birth control I just put so much weight on. Im currently not on any birth control and I'm starting to lose the weight I gained. My partner and I are wanting a baby but we are letting fate decide...if it happens then it happens. Just now I'm glad to be losing the weight though! x 0
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Just think how much you'd gain if you got pregnant.
None. Pregnancy is the only time I "lose" weight. 3 full term pregnancies and I gained 9lbs with the 1st, 12lbs with the 2nd and 4lbs with the 3rd. All of them were over 91/2 lbs at birth, lol. I always say pregnancy is my weight loss voodoo.0 -
Are there no other options?Condoms are great and no hormones!
^^THIS
Not this. Condoms BREAK. Broken condom = baby.
Whatever floats your boat, friends, but I'd much rather take the safe route than be up ****s creek without a paddle.
Sure there are. There's natural family planning, a diaphragm, cerival cap, spermicide coupled with condoms, but my point is, relying ONLY on condoms is just... well, it's stupid and irresponsible, especially for one that doesn't want children. Condoms break. I know too many people that relied on condoms, the condom broke and they got pregnant. All it takes is one time.
Or, there's good old fashioned hormonal birth control. Suck it up and deal with the side effects. I was on depo provera for four years, gained approximately 35 pounds while on it and dealt with pretty ridiculous mood swings and hormones the whole time. But I never got pregnant.
This made me laugh! I can't take hormonal birth control. It isn't just about side effects or weight gain it is because I have a rare hormonal disorder. This wasn't found until I started taking bc. I am still waiting to see what damage has been done to my fertility. At this point we are unaware if I will ever be able to concieve. Yeah I guess I could have just sucked it up and damaged my body even further.
I have had two friends in the past 3 years get pregnant while on birth control. Friend one was married and already had 1 kid. She was on Ortho-tricycline. Friend 2 used bc control pills (don't remember the name). She wasn't married and only used the pill. She found out she was pregnant at the same time she found out she had chlamydia.
My husband and I use condoms and yes we are aware they are not 100% (but bc pills are not either). I am fine being considered stupid and irresponsible lol.
I hope you don't think hormonal bc carries a 100% guarantee against pregnancy.0 -
Condoms are great and no hormones!
^^THIS
Not this. Condoms BREAK. Broken condom = baby.
Whatever floats your boat, friends, but I'd much rather take the safe route than be up ****s creek without a paddle.
Buy a good brand, they dont' break if you use them properly - and every man should know how to use them properly! We've used them for several years with no problems. We only quit using them to have our daughter.0 -
Yeah... my doc told me that as well. It's absolutely not the case. I felt much more systemic effects from it than I did from pills, in fact.
MIRENA caused weight gain, yes. It's hormones.gaining over 20lbs isn't from birth control- that's a lack of SELF CONTROL. I don't think IUD causes weight gain - but pregnancy will
A paraguard does not.
Mirena has localized hormones. Not systemic. It, nor any other form of birth control, cannot cause weight gain. Eating beyond your TDEE causes weight gain.
Mirena caused changes in my breasts, migraines, and 10LBS of water weight. (and a crashed libido). All of which reversed in the months following removal. (after a rather dramatic shift in hormones)
I was not eating above TDEE, and as I said, it was mostly water. But holding on to water for months on end is not pleasant.
That said, because of what they do, their mechanism of action, I also absolutely believe they increase appetite in some, of not many women. (Is this not a valid cause for concern?)
Just as pregnancy does.
Women vary.
Their reaction to hormone shifts varies.
Their response to progestins (as opposed to progesterone) varies.
(Just as women experience pregnancy differently....)
I'm glad you haven't experienced unpleasant side effects from hormonal birth control. You couldn't pay me enough to put that stuff in my body again. And I can't fathom the absolutist dismissal of concerns, and experiences that I see in these threads.
Bless your heart
Correlation =/= causation.0 -
I had no idea this post was still going! Thanks for all the support and ideas ladies. Since the post, I have got the hormone-free IUD and seems to be doing just fine!!0
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Bless your heart! so needing your decision to be right! For you and for everyone!
Yeah... my doc told me that as well. It's absolutely not the case. I felt much more systemic effects from it than I did from pills, in fact.
MIRENA caused weight gain, yes. It's hormones.gaining over 20lbs isn't from birth control- that's a lack of SELF CONTROL. I don't think IUD causes weight gain - but pregnancy will
A paraguard does not.
Mirena has localized hormones. Not systemic. It, nor any other form of birth control, cannot cause weight gain. Eating beyond your TDEE causes weight gain.
Mirena caused changes in my breasts, migraines, and 10LBS of water weight. (and a crashed libido). All of which reversed in the months following removal. (after a rather dramatic shift in hormones)
I was not eating above TDEE, and as I said, it was mostly water. But holding on to water for months on end is not pleasant.
That said, because of what they do, their mechanism of action, I also absolutely believe they increase appetite in some, of not many women. (Is this not a valid cause for concern?)
Just as pregnancy does.
Women vary.
Their reaction to hormone shifts varies.
Their response to progestins (as opposed to progesterone) varies.
(Just as women experience pregnancy differently....)
I'm glad you haven't experienced unpleasant side effects from hormonal birth control. You couldn't pay me enough to put that stuff in my body again. And I can't fathom the absolutist dismissal of concerns, and experiences that I see in these threads.
Bless your heart
Correlation =/= causation.
cheers0 -
i'm on microgestin pills and i haven't noticed any significant weight gains. any weight i gained since november is probably due to the inordinate amount of pizza i ate over the past several months. can't blame the pill for that. plus my periods are wonderful and i love crying at publix commercials. 0
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Best of luck!I have had the Pill, implant and the mirena coil as birth control. All of them I put on at least 30lbs easy! I don't know why but with birth control I just put so much weight on. Im currently not on any birth control and I'm starting to lose the weight I gained. My partner and I are wanting a baby but we are letting fate decide...if it happens then it happens. Just now I'm glad to be losing the weight though! x0 -
It makes me gain weight and there is no way around it. I went off of it after a few months....0
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Bless your heart! so needing your decision to be right! For you and for everyone!
Yeah... my doc told me that as well. It's absolutely not the case. I felt much more systemic effects from it than I did from pills, in fact.
MIRENA caused weight gain, yes. It's hormones.gaining over 20lbs isn't from birth control- that's a lack of SELF CONTROL. I don't think IUD causes weight gain - but pregnancy will
A paraguard does not.
Mirena has localized hormones. Not systemic. It, nor any other form of birth control, cannot cause weight gain. Eating beyond your TDEE causes weight gain.
Mirena caused changes in my breasts, migraines, and 10LBS of water weight. (and a crashed libido). All of which reversed in the months following removal. (after a rather dramatic shift in hormones)
I was not eating above TDEE, and as I said, it was mostly water. But holding on to water for months on end is not pleasant.
That said, because of what they do, their mechanism of action, I also absolutely believe they increase appetite in some, of not many women. (Is this not a valid cause for concern?)
Just as pregnancy does.
Women vary.
Their reaction to hormone shifts varies.
Their response to progestins (as opposed to progesterone) varies.
(Just as women experience pregnancy differently....)
I'm glad you haven't experienced unpleasant side effects from hormonal birth control. You couldn't pay me enough to put that stuff in my body again. And I can't fathom the absolutist dismissal of concerns, and experiences that I see in these threads.
Bless your heart
Correlation =/= causation.
cheers
Right back atcha! :flowerforyou:0
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