(LADIES) Birth Control?

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bribucks
bribucks Posts: 431 Member
edited August 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
I hope this is ok to post here, even though it isn't directly diet-related. Hoping my fellow ladies can help me out.

My question is, do you have a birth control pill you love (or hate) and what is it? I know that there is no "cure all" and that everyone is different, but at this point, I'm ready to take any and all suggestions.

When I first started birth control in 2016, I took Loestrin (well, the generic, Microgestin) and absolutely loved it. A little moodiness the first month, but after that, I was fine. Well, manufacturers switched around or something, so I got switched to another generic (supposedly the same active ingredients as Loestrin) called Blisovi. With Blisovi, I experienced increased anxiety and weight gain.

Got a new gyncologist, explained these problems, and she suggested Taytulla since Loestrin is no longer made. First two months on Taytulla, great, no side effects. But the past 3-4 months on this pill, I have felt exhausted, unmotivated, and most of all - EXTREMELY nauseous. Looked up reviews online and discovered that not only are the reviews mostly negative, but Taytulla itself is only a year old. Clearly being a guinea pig was not meant for me. So, I'm once again searching for a new pill.

(Please note that although your personal experience may have been great, I am not at this time interested in getting an IUD or menstrual cup.)

Also, I do have a dr's appointment set to make sure nothing else could be causing these symptoms, such as a vitamin deficiency.
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Replies

  • MossiO
    MossiO Posts: 164 Member
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    Hmm, I'm on Loestrin so pretty sure it's still being made.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    edited August 2017
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    I took Mircette (and two generics for it, Kariva and Azurette) for 8 years before my gyno took me off estrogen. I had no real side effects except losing my periods altogether, which I was told wasn't typical, but not a concern, either.

    I did gain a ton of weight while taking it, but once I controlled for calories, I had no trouble getting it back off.
  • Sp1tfire
    Sp1tfire Posts: 1,120 Member
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    I take sprintec and it's been really good. I used to get debilitating cramps and missed class in high school 3 days every month. Now I can skip my period every other month if I want to with my doctor's approval!
  • spzjlb
    spzjlb Posts: 599 Member
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    I used a combined birth control pill for most of 30 years and was fine. Most recent was Yaz, but I never had perturbing side effects. In fact, any of us peri menopausal women use oral contraceptives to lessen unpleasant symptoms...
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
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    MossiO wrote: »
    Hmm, I'm on Loestrin so pretty sure it's still being made.

    Hmm sorry maybe I have incorrect information. I know that Microgestin (the generic) was discontinued. I believe Loestrin 24 was discontinued a few years ago and replaced by a chewable called Minastrin. But maybe Loestrin 1/20 is still available - in which case, I think I'll ask my gyno about it!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Probably should be in the chat section.

    I got Viorelle. Just threw it in the trash after month 5, so tired of having horrible cramps all the time and bleeding for 2 weeks. Giving up on BC at this point. I've been bleeding for 3 weeks now and I'm not interested in trying something else for a while (irony is that the reason I finally got on the pill is because I'm anemic and the doctor wanted my periods to be lighter! Scared of checking my iron levels at this point).

    (menstrual cups have nothing to do with BC)
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,138 Member
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    I was on Loestrin for 15 years before they kicked me off it on account of my BMI 2 years ago (sigh). I had issues with POP Cerazette, which *kitten* -ed up my hormone levels big time. Now have an Non-Hormone IUD and totally understand you not wanting to get one at the moment, the only reason I agreed to get one was because I moved from the UK where birth control is free, to Ireland where it is not. The first 6 months of settling into it were not fun, but now I have no major issues with it.

    The weight gain from birth control is usually a combination of water retention and increased appetite, if you're calorie counting you can get around the appetite thing by eating more filling foods and sticking to your allowance.
  • Heather4448
    Heather4448 Posts: 908 Member
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    Nuvaring- LOVE!
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    I was on Loestrin 24 for a few years, but continued getting ovarian cysts. I switched to Depo and it was amazing...no periods/moodiness/increased appetite...basically it was amazing. Just to try something new, I got the Nexplanon implant and HATED it...it increased my anxiety and depression, my terrible periods came back, and the ovarian cysts came back with a vengeance. Had it removed early and went back to Depo shot...which I still can't say enough good things about.
  • bribucks
    bribucks Posts: 431 Member
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    Thanks for the suggestions. Honestly my biggest concern is the severe nausea I have now - I just can't do it anymore. I actually have a pretty severe phobia of vomiting, so daily nausea is pretty physically and mentally dehibilitating for me. I really need a pill that won't make me feel so sick ...
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    Was on Lo Loestrine FE for a year and half, had a stroke, now have a copper IUD, no strokes yet!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I've tried pretty much every BC out there - 5 different pill combos, depo, nuvaring and even the patch (do they still make that?) - all of them gave me migranes and nausea of varying levels, except for depo that the military would no longer prescribe. So I've been on an IUD for 8yrs now (had my second one inserted in 2014) - I know you aren't looking at that option - but just my experience
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,384 Member
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    I've been on Alesse for a few years and Yaz before that and Ortho Tri-Cyclen before that. I've been on them for about 12 years now.

    I've never had notable side effects with any of them, honestly. I think I've been lucky. Short, light periods, no acne, no weight gain, no mood swings, nothing.

    I am hoping to get an IUD soon. I've been on hormones for so long that I want to see what it's like with a lower, focused dose (Mirena) or no hormones at all (Paragard). I haven't decided which yet. All I know is I'm sick of taking pills, IUDs seem so much easier!
  • DananaNanas
    DananaNanas Posts: 665 Member
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    I'm also on sprintec (mono linyah is generic name). I've been on it since 2009. I started it for obvious reasons but also moodiness. I remember vomiting the first day I took it but have not had any side effects since then. I've gained weight and lost weight on it, I don't think it has had an effect there.
  • ErinMichelle31
    ErinMichelle31 Posts: 29 Member
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    I was on the microgestin for years. When they stopped making it, my dr. gave me Junel, which is supposed to be more or less the same. I did the IUD thing for a year, and without going into too much detail, let me just say it ended badly. I will never do that again. But I find I react to Junel in exactly the same way as the microgestin. I think they are very very similar if not exactly the same.
  • emcclure013
    emcclure013 Posts: 231 Member
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    I, too, was on Microgestin for a few years. My doctor switched me to Yaz for a short time - I had terrible cramps and just felt awful when I switched.

    I talked to my primary care doctor and she literally told me that an IUD is "God's gift to women." I got a Mirena implant four years ago and I'm in love. No side effects and I never have to worry about birth control. I know an IUD might not be for everyone, but it has been the perfect solution for me.

    Everyone's body reacts differently to different medications, so you might just have to talk with your doctor and find what one works for you. :( Good luck!
  • rebeccachobat
    rebeccachobat Posts: 39 Member
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    I have an IUD and I love it! I don't have to remember to take a pill everyday, it's wonderful
  • idabest777
    idabest777 Posts: 97 Member
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    I've been on Seasonale for 8 years now and I love it. One of my favourite things about it is that it's a 90 day cycle, I can't imagine going back to getting my period every month. The only side effect I experienced was a very common one where for the first pack (3 months) there was some spotting but since then it has been smooth sailing.
  • Hichiko
    Hichiko Posts: 97 Member
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    My worst experience was Yaz. I don't normally have cramps, and when I do, they're not much worse than a little discomfort. While I was on Yaz, I had cramps with every period, and they were bad enough to bring me to my knees.
    Now, I'm on Blisovi. My periods are fairly light, and I'm back to the very rare, light cramping that I was used to.

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