Your experiences on birth control? Please state brand :)

[Catatonia]

Man, is it just me or is birth control (hype hype) SO not the best thing to ever be created? Seriously, I've been through 3 different types and I'm still trying to figure out whether I want to waste more money on therapy. These pills literally "screw" me over. I am on ortho tri-cyclen lo. I've had hormonal problems - major ones - since early childhood and the one thing these pills have actually helped with is retrieving my menses. They were irregular at first and then they stopped. After that I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and pseudo Cushing's syndrome. Ya know, the acne worsened into such horrible inflammation - I just don't know how I lasted 6 mo.! I don't know the exact reason as to why I leaped into depression..maybe it was a compound of events/aspects, but sure enough the pill hasn't helped. Oh, and that whole progestin *sedative* thing? what's THAT all about? I haven't slept in a yr+. And why exactly does everything suddenly seem like I'm throwing myself over the railing of a bridge? I am sooo done with these. Maybe one day, when I am desperate enough, I will manipulate a list of the ones I've utilized so I can avoid them and start a fresh testing regime. I am like a human pill depository. Some people really take their health/gift for granted.

[LongboardLuLu]

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with the pills. Unfortunately, they aren't a good option for everyone, but at the same time some women spend years trying out different ones before finding the one that works for them. It sucks, I know.

I've never been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, but a few girls I know hate it just as much as you seem to. lol All of them switched to other brands after a few months of it.

I started out on Ortho Novum 1/35, which for me was fine. I had no serious problems with it at all, especially since my period would be in the middle of the week only. Then I got switched to Alesse 1/20 because a moron practitioner refused to accept home readings of my blood pressure (it's high in the office, not when i'm at home). Alesse 1/20 is fine too...no real problems with that either. Only complaint I have is now my period starts later in the week and lasts through the weekend. That kinda pisses me off and because of that I may switch back to Ortho or something else. But I was just recently put on Alesse so I've been told to "give it a few months" so that's what I'm doing.

If acne is a problem, you may be able to get a pill with a progestin called desogestrel. It's supposed to help get rid of it. I think the brand is called Marvelon and the typical dosages are 1.5/30 and 1.5/20.

BC pills ultimately may not be good for you. But if you're able to try other brands, and feel up to it, I say do it because they may treat your body better than those in the past. Or you can go off them for a few years and then give it another go. Good luck!

[TRAZ]

My GF has had alot of problems with BC pills. She has Primary Amenorrhea and has to take some sort of birth control just to have a regular period. She gets very sick/ bloated from the pills, but the patch has helped her alot. She still tends to get a little nauseous on the first day or so when she puts on a new one, but otherwise no serious problems.

[Catatonia]

Originally Posted by TRAZ

My GF has had alot of problems with BC pills. She has Primary Amenorrhea and has to take some sort of birth control just to have a regular period. She gets very sick/ bloated from the pills, but the patch has helped her alot. She still tends to get a little nauseous on the first day or so when she puts on a new one, but otherwise no serious problems.

That is what I have...they were irregular and then they stopped. Bleh, I really am not a fan of these things. As a sprinter with major adrenal problems, I sweat too much for the patch. I am speaking from experience..and that was one hell of a month too. Jeebus..

[Catatonia]

Originally Posted by LongboardLuLu

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time with the pills. Unfortunately, they aren't a good option for everyone, but at the same time some women spend years trying out different ones before finding the one that works for them. It sucks, I know.

I've never been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, but a few girls I know hate it just as much as you seem to. lol All of them switched to other brands after a few months of it.

I started out on Ortho Novum 1/35, which for me was fine. I had no serious problems with it at all, especially since my period would be in the middle of the week only. Then I got switched to Alesse 1/20 because a moron practitioner refused to accept home readings of my blood pressure (it's high in the office, not when i'm at home). Alesse 1/20 is fine too...no real problems with that either. Only complaint I have is now my period starts later in the week and lasts through the weekend. That kinda pisses me off and because of that I may switch back to Ortho or something else. But I was just recently put on Alesse so I've been told to "give it a few months" so that's what I'm doing.

If acne is a problem, you may be able to get a pill with a progestin called desogestrel. It's supposed to help get rid of it. I think the brand is called Marvelon and the typical dosages are 1.5/30 and 1.5/20.

BC pills ultimately may not be good for you. But if you're able to try other brands, and feel up to it, I say do it because they may treat your body better than those in the past. Or you can go off them for a few years and then give it another go. Good luck!

tyvm

[jiujitsugirl]

I think birth control sucks! I had acne and bad cramps and I didn't want to get pregnant so I was on it and I gained 8 pounds, had homicidal thoughts (really) --that was on the tri-cycle low one, and my skin looked amazing and my boobs were popping out of my bra. So that's great, I was like a psycho-voluptuous goddess with a belly. I think they work because the thought of having a man touch me when I'm on them is repugnant. I totally lost my sex-drive...it's not even that I lost it...I became grossed out by sex (and that is NOT ME!) and whatever...I just can't say enough bad stuff about them. The skin benefits definitely weren't worth it.

Now I use natural family planning, natural skin care and natural solutions to cramps and I feel great. I'm also skinny again. I've posted these things all over this site so I won't go into it here, but acne and cycle problems don't require birth control as a solution.

[LongboardLuLu]

Originally Posted by jiujitsugirl

I think birth control sucks! I had acne and bad cramps and I didn't want to get pregnant so I was on it and I gained 8 pounds, had homicidal thoughts (really) --that was on the tri-cycle low one, and my skin looked amazing and my boobs were popping out of my bra. So that's great, I was like a psycho-voluptuous goddess with a belly. I think they work because the thought of having a man touch me when I'm on them is repugnant. I totally lost my sex-drive...it's not even that I lost it...I became grossed out by sex (and that is NOT ME!) and whatever...I just can't say enough bad stuff about them. The skin benefits definitely weren't worth it.

Now I use natural family planning, natural skin care and natural solutions to cramps and I feel great. I'm also skinny again. I've posted these things all over this site so I won't go into it here, but acne and cycle problems don't require birth control as a solution.

Birth control pills are not for everyone. Every GYN will tell you that (and if they don't they're idiots..lol). But just because they didn't work for you doesn't mean they are bunk. And some women just require a different dose/brand of pill and they have to go thru quite a few to find what works for them. It sounds like you needed less progestin and less estrogen (basically a super low-dose pill), but even that working wouldn't be guaranteed because, like I said, they're not for all women. I'm sorry you weren't happy with them, but a lot of women are. So don't try to turn someone away from something that might actually benefit them just because it was something that didn't benefit you.

[TRAZ]

Do any of you know an alternative to ethynl estriadol (Sp?)? My GF has a terrible time with BC pills and is on the patch now....the problem is that the first day of her new patch she gets really nauseous and can't keep food down...also, after reading that other birth control thread about the patch I am sort of worried about her taking it (it stated that the patch is worse for circulatory conditions).

[LongboardLuLu]

Originally Posted by TRAZ

Do any of you know an alternative to ethynl estriadol (Sp?)? My GF has a terrible time with BC pills and is on the patch now....the problem is that the first day of her new patch she gets really nauseous and can't keep food down...also, after reading that other birth control thread about the patch I am sort of worried about her taking it (it stated that the patch is worse for circulatory conditions).

There's no alternative to the estrogen in the patch other than switching to a pill (which will contain the same estrogen only in a lesser dose) or the mini-pill which is a progestin-only pill. The mini-pill brings more headache though - they have to be taken EVERYDAY at the same time. If you miss it by 3 hours, you have to use a back-up method for like a week or something (which you should do anyway but still...). It also causes spotting and more irregularity. She may want to talk to her GYN about switching to a combined pill - maybe Alesse since it's low dose. Or, she can try the NuvaRing if taking a pill everyday is too much hassle for her. It's also low dose.

There's also Depo (which a lot of women don't recommend) or an IUD, but some GYNs (like mine) wont do that unless it's a last resort.

[TRAZ]

The pills just make her sick is the problem....oh well I was hoping there were several different hormones you could take for BC....

Oh well...thanks for the effort....

[LongboardLuLu]

Yeah unfortunately that's a problem with some women. They just can't handle the estrogen. That's why GYNs try them on low dose pills (anything under 25 micrograms of estrogen, which is why I mentioned Alesse - its 20 microgram of estrogen).

She could definitely try the mini-pill, or Depo, which is a progestin only shot. Or if she's up for it, and her GYN will do it, then she could opt for the Mirena IUD, which is also just progestin. There ARE options. She just has to do some research and talk to her doctor about it.

If all else fails, she could opt for a diaphragm.