your birth control PILL experiences

I got the mirena Iud and it was a horrible experience. I was crampy all the time i got headaches and i gained 24lbs in 2 months. Also along with those side effects I was really emotional and cried at everything and anything. I also got these wierd white blotches on my face that was also cause from the Iud. I since then have had it removed and am feeling so much better now i just have to lose all the freaking weight I gain! bad idea I would never get birth control again

I chart my cycle and take my temp every morning. Its much better for you than the pill. There are no side effects.

I was on Loestrin-24 for years. I had no problems with it except I would've liked my skin to be a little better. Made my periods much more manageable and shorter. I have two uteruses (yes, I am SO lucky) so I have more than a heavy period. It wasn't even bad on the pill. No weight gain that I can't attribute to my laziness, no weird mood swings, no sore boobs.

Had the nuva ring in for a day until I read horror stories online. Took it out that night and haven't touched BC of any kind since.

What are some of the horror stories? I'm not on birth control at all, but the idea of NuvaRing creeps me out.

I use Nura Ring and love it. I've been off since I got preggers about 4 years ago. I got back on it December 2011 to help with regulating period/ hormone levels. I put on a few pounds but it was also in the middle of the holidays and I was an eating machine so I do not think the ring had anything to do with it. I've lost the weight now anyway. I do have migraines but have never had an issue with them being caused by the ring. No breast swelling or soreness. I've really never had any negative effects.

I did it for like 6 months. Was covered in a rash all the time. Don't like being jacked up on hormones so I got rid of them. :P

Ortho-Tricyclin, took it for 4 years, tried depo provera shots for a year (they sucked) and I've been back on the ortho for the last 7.5 years and counting. I think they tried me on Ortho-tricyclin low for a year but I didn't like that either so I take the full strength version.

I'm on Ortho-Tricyclin low and I'm curious to know what differences you noticed between the two!

Had nuva ring from 2004 until 2011. Switched to Lutera due to cost issues.

With nuva I never noticed it. I felt HAPPY (which was rare because I suffer from depression) and I gained no weight at all. (when I did gain weight, it was from finally having an income and eating way too much from it).

Breast tenderness was there, but not as bad as without it. I have had headaches all my life, so this neither caused nor decreased / increased them. They stayed the same.

Period did change. It went from rather light and 5 days long to EXTREMELY light and 2 days long. NO cramps. NO pain. It was incredible.
No appetite changes. No nausea.


Now I am on Lutera and I have been getting waves of depression again. Breasts the same as on Nuva. Headaches still rampant . Period still pain free (maybe I am just lucky) but now 3-4 days instead of 2. Rather light but not as light as before. Perhaps appetite change. I am not often hungry. at all. (that might be another cause, though)

The first 2 months on Lutera were horrible. I felt empty, sad, and I guess the best word for it, strange. It felt like I could observe the world happening but not take part in it. Something definitely changed in my head. Felt a LOT like when I was on anti-anxiety pills. That effect has worn off and I feel better, but still get massive depression bursts that rarely (if ever) happened while I was on Nuva.

I've been on the pill for 10 years and its hard to say how it effects me because i haven't been off it in so long. I don't think my weight has ever been effected by it and my mood is fine. I've been on a few generic forms over the ten years- mostly low doses. My favorite is what i'm currently on. Its the generic form of Seasonique ---Amethia.You take three straight months worth then have a regular period. It is real cheap- $30 i think as opposed to Seasonique which for me was $250 with good health insurance!! I love it.

Ortho-Tricyclin, took it for 4 years, tried depo provera shots for a year (they sucked) and I've been back on the ortho for the last 7.5 years and counting. I think they tried me on Ortho-tricyclin low for a year but I didn't like that either so I take the full strength version.

I'm on Ortho-Tricyclin low and I'm curious to know what differences you noticed between the two!

Heavier flow and way more cramping/back pain when I was on the low. They said there was no medical reason for me to be on the lower hormone dose (just a habit of that doc I happened to see that day), so they put me back on the regular ortho.

I'm on OTC-lo. I have gained weight on it and CANNOT shed it to save my life. I am exercising daily and eating less...it's not working. Anyone have suggestions-or is it just the pill?

Holy *kitten*! I was thinkinng about trying the pill but this thread totally changed my mind! My heart iks beating out of my chest! Blah! Scary!