Ladies, I need advice on birth control

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  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I had nexplanon for almost a year and it sucked. They make it sound like this great thing but what they deemphasize is the amount of bleeding you get from the hormones. I literally had a decent amount of spotting almost everyday I had it. The doc kept saying it can take up to 6 months to stop bleeding. After 8 months of constant bleeding I wanted it out. The doc assured me prolonged constant bleeding happens to almost everyone on it. Personally id rather just have a period once a month. So I convinced my doc to take it out and I still have an ugly scar. Im taking birth control pills and I think they are the best. What alot of ppl dont know is there are different types with different amounts of hormone so you have to find the right one, there arent just different labels like clothes, find what works for you, sorry about the rant, just my 2 cents.

    Oh that's not a rant at all, very helpful actually! I think I will steer clear of the arm implant now. Thank you so much!

    my sister also has the implanon and she has also had almost no period at all for the entire time it has been in place.
  • Sovictorrious
    Sovictorrious Posts: 770 Member
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    I am a gambling person. I don't use any. Chances of me being knocked up this weekend are???
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    In the bum no babies

    good point or swallow.

    They also make condoms for both male and females, or just ride the creampie express and hope for the best.

    The purpose of birth control pills is to change your hormones.
  • skierxjes
    skierxjes Posts: 938 Member
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    The implants in the arm, makes gain weight and other problems, but if the doctor puts in your muscle you will be so much pain. It all depends on you are structured. I heard that marina is a good birth control.:flowerforyou:

    This is false. I had the Implanan for 6 months and that's when I lost my first 40lbs and it doesn't hurt.

    I've been on the depo shot for 5 years (with the exception of that 6 months cause I bled everyday cause I wasn't enough hormone for me). I like the shot. No periods. No weight gain (for me, anyway) and no crazy mood swings.
  • pawnstarNate
    pawnstarNate Posts: 1,728 Member
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    OP, you look fairly young. My suggestion is take a day off work and volunteer at a busy daycare for a day. By the end of the day, you'll just do whatever it takes regardless of side effects.
  • ecka723
    ecka723 Posts: 148 Member
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    So here's my story.

    When I first went on birth control, they put me on a generic of ortho tricyclen. It made me the moodiest person ever, due to the changing levels of hormones. I talked to my doc and she switched me to a birth control that had the same amount of hormones each pill. I loved that birth control! It worked so well that I used it for about 5 years.

    The only reason I quit was because most bc pills raise blood pressure levels (unless they are progesterin-only forms) and since I have high blood pressure, I saw no reason to take a pill that raises it with a pill that lowers it. I switched to the depo shot (my other options were mirena or a progesterin only pill that didn't have a high rate of success) and I love it. Before switching, i was close to having no period at all, and I have never had it on the shot. I just got my third shot last week (so six months). I have also lost weight on the shot. My doc told me that the side effects are the same as on the pill, that apparently most people don't realize it. The only concern I have with depo is the risk of developing osteoporosis if on it for a long time (more than 2 years) and the waiting I would have to do to conceive a child when I was ready. Currently, I am considering mirena for these reasons. Everyone I know who has been on mirena has had bad experiences and that makes me a little weary of it.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
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    I've been on the depo shot for about a year and it hasn't effected my mood or weight loss. I know some people do gain weight and some lose weight on it. My friend has taken the nuvaring for along time with no negative side effects. I didn't like regular pills because it messed up my cycles. You might have to try different ones out until you get what works for your body. Personally I would not do an implant because those can **** up your insides & I just don't really think its safe. My friend had to have hers taken out at the emergency room because it moved and was cutting her up inside.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
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    I hear wedding cake reduces the need for BC.
  • Stage14
    Stage14 Posts: 1,046 Member
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    Honestly, this is really not something other people can give you recommendations on because, as you can see, everyone is different. So all you are getting is a list of diff kinds of BC that work for some and not for others. I would highly encourage you to have an IN DEPTH conversation with your doctor about this.
  • atb0821
    atb0821 Posts: 458 Member
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    I'm on my last few days of my first Mirena IUD and have LOVED it. No pills, no weight gain (actually lost all my weight while on it), no mood swings out my ordinary moodiness, and best of all I've had no periods. Nothing for over 5 years now!

    I'm getting my second one put in next Monday and I'm pretty freaking worried about the pain factor involved. Can anyone who has had more than one Mirena help me out here? :smile:
  • bluejeansarah
    bluejeansarah Posts: 15 Member
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    When I got set up with TriCyclen Lo (a low-dose pill that has 3 different dose weeks) my doctor and I actually had a really in-depth conversation about what my habits were like and what type of birth control fit best with my life. I loved that doctor; she was amazing! Anyway, here I am almost 6 years later and the same pill is still working well for me.

    Short and simple: have a conversation with your doctor. Listen to their advice. The choice is still ultimately yours, but nothing beats having an open discussion about your options and what you doctor thinks.
  • bluejeansarah
    bluejeansarah Posts: 15 Member
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    Honestly, this is really not something other people can give you recommendations on because, as you can see, everyone is different. So all you are getting is a list of diff kinds of BC that work for some and not for others. I would highly encourage you to have an IN DEPTH conversation with your doctor about this.


    This. Agreed.
  • aubreyjordan
    aubreyjordan Posts: 276 Member
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    I have heard that the hormones in the implant can really affect weight, and that was coming from my OBGYN. She also told me that the hormones that are in the IUD (Mirena, Skyla) stay pretty much within the uterus, so there aren't a lot of side affects. I'm personally on the generic for Ortho-Novum 1-35, which is a medium dose pill. I just started working out again, but I have lost some weight, my moods are pretty stable (I'm all so 150 mg of Wellbutrin daily) and my skin is SO clear. I have completely stopped using my acne medications! My advice would be talk to your doctor and tell him/her your concerns about weight and mood. Good luck!
  • branson101
    branson101 Posts: 173 Member
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    I'm on depo and have been for years. I am able to lose on it as long as I stick to my diet. That's on me, not the shot. I tried the sprintec pill but I ended up with chronic migraine. And on the plus side of the shot. No period and that means no cramps and no bloating. I had a horrid time and would be forced to stay in bed for days every month and it only got worse after I had my son. I can't live that way.
  • KateRunsColorado
    KateRunsColorado Posts: 407 Member
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    I think I'm one of the rare few who actually likes my Implanon arm implant. I did have spotting for the first couple months but then it went away and now I don't have anything. I can actually feel where it is in my arm, so I know it's not lost or anything (and I would know to go into the doctor if I couldn't feel it anymore).

    I did use NuvaRing for a year, and really liked that one as well, but my insurance didn't cover anything so it was just too expensive (almost $100/month I think). Implanon had a cost up front but now I don't have to worry about it for 3 years (well only 2 now).

    Also, I haven't had any problems with weight gain or mood swings and I've actually lost 15 lbs while on it.
  • frood
    frood Posts: 295 Member
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    I have an implanon; got it a year ago. I like it.

    I started lifting heavy things around the same time I got it... so the 5lbs I went up in the last year probably wasn't the implanon. My chest increased a cup size.

    Before that I used the Seasonique pill. I liked it as well. I was on it for 8 years before getting the implanon.
  • almiestmcg
    almiestmcg Posts: 2 Member
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    Stay away from the depo injection i gained two stone in around a year it was crazy, i felt horrible! Also i was on the pill (llogynon or something like that) also gained weight! But different things work for different people i suppose! I would definately not recommend the depo injection, it was horrible!
  • KatOls49
    KatOls49 Posts: 47
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    I have the implanon that goes into the arm and I LOVE IT!! I have never had a period but very minimal bleeding which maybe lasted a few hours and that was it.... I have been on it for a little over 2 years. I also did not gain weight from it (I was fat before it) or had any other side effects
  • donthesitate
    donthesitate Posts: 255 Member
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    Just to clarify to those using IMPLANON. I had nexplanon and it sucked. Doctors claim that nexplanon is the new version of implanon and that they are the same, this is not the case. But many doctors are switching over to nexplanon because it shows up in xrays. Based on my experience and speaking to others, implanon is better and has less side effects then nexplanon, but it is not offered anymore according to my doctor
  • weightedfootsteps
    weightedfootsteps Posts: 4,349 Member
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    I have the mirena IUD and have not had any problems with weight gain or mood swings...

    Same here!

    ETA: I've lost all 74 lbs while on mirena as well!

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