Please talk to be about Birth Control

Ladies-

I'm curious what your ideas are. I'm 35 and married. I do NOT plan to have children (have been of that opinion for a long time and seriously doubt it would change). I have been on birth control pills since college, with a small break during which I used a hormonal IUD. I have been told I can't use an IUD again, since I turned that one around in my uterus and ejected an arm (on my honeymoon, no less).

The problem is - even with great diet and exercise - I can't lose weight. Not a pound. The only way I have ever had success (more than a 10 pound loss) is Atkins, and I had some nasty side effects from that. I eat a balanced, mostly veggie, real food diet.

I'm starting to wonder if my birth control pills (which I take continuously) are the issue. Anybody dealt with this? Any words of wisdom? Efficacy is high on my requirements list - so condoms really aren't sufficient. I want to go to my annual appointment with my gyn armed with all pertinent information - so go! FWIW my gyn doesn't think the pills are the issue - but she doesn't have a basis for that. Weight gain started for me about the time I started taking them (which was also when I went off to college - so hard to know what was the real cause), and has been stable for ~18 years with minor gains (due to a crappy job situation resulting in reduced exercise and bad eating).

Many, many thanks!

One other thing I guess I should add is that I'm hypothyroid. I take synthroid, and my doc is happy with my levels, so I don't think that is the issue (and even with perfect numbers, no weight loss).

Vasectomy. Why should we have to take all the risks? If that is not acceptable, then a good old fashioned diaphragm. Combined with a condom, it's pretty darn effective. I've never taken the Pill because of the side effects and risks.

ETA: if you go the diaphragm route, you could always go back on BC if you find it doesn't result in weight loss.

FWIW, as a lesbian birth control isn't an issue for me, but I was put on the pill about a year and a half ago to control crazy bleeding and I've been steadily been gaining weight. Unfortunately I don't have any other option really. The bleeding crazy out of control.

Well here's my story.

Went on BC Pills age 17ish and put on weight, at 20ish was in a committed relationship with a man who had a vasectomy so when my BCP prescription ran out I just didn't bother to renew it and lost the weight I'd put on almost immediately. Fast forward to 18 yrs later, newly separated and exploring a new relationship, I went back on BCP and no matter what brand or type I had problems, weight gain, breast soreness, spotting or some combination of all three. Eventually I went to a copper IUD. On that, I didn't have weight issues but I had some other issues. Eventually I changed to a hormone IUD, other issues gone but some of the weight has come back and I have the breast swelling and soreness again.

Summary, I think some people are very sensitive to the hormones in BCP or an IUD. I certainly am. My side effects with the hormone based IUD are not strong enough for me to do anything about it yet. But I may in the future. I feel like I need to be responsible for my own birth control, so my next step would be an essure procedure. The only reason I didn't go for this instead of the hormonal IUD at my most recent change up was because I was hoping the hormonal IUD would stop my periods completely. Still hoping.:o

And yes, a vasectomy is always an option too. Worked great for me for my 18 yr relationship. The only bummer is that you don't get to dictate when you have your period.

I went on BC pills at age 17 and stayed on it until I was 27. I experienced nausea, weight gain, and breast tenderness the first few days of taking them each month. When I started having leg pains, my DH (we were newlyweds) told me to stop taking them. I used a diaghram on and off for a year and then I had my kids. We relied on good old fashioned condoms in between my pregnancies and then DH had a vasectomy.
BC pills were great to not have to worry about pregnancy, but they affected me terribly. I lost 5 pounds immediately when I quit taking them, although the weight loss was the least of the problems.

I was on the pill from 18 to just over 40. Weight gain at the beginning and never lost it when I stopped it. Was removed from it due to migraines and I was tired of being sole responsible for protection. Hubby went through vasectomy. Simplified a lot of things for all of us but migraines did not stopped.

Blueberry, hope there's an amicable solution that's healthy.

I've never been on BC --yup. I'm amazed myself --though I did have some moments of slight panic. Condoms. And my partner already has 2 children from his ex..

I never thought of this....ask if he would ever considered vasectomy. It never occurred to me to ask him ...

By now, I'm probably considered by everyone here, as slightly insane.. and incredibly lucky.:confused: Long before dearie, I chose not have children.

Thanks for all of your thoughts! It's interesting to hear that so many women have had issues on hormonal birth control. I definitely have a lot to talk about with my ob-gyn (and I don't think "they can't be the reason" is going to fly this time). I have been totally spoiled by the absence of a period (taking the pills continuously, as my doc prescribes them).

Neither of us are averse to a surgical option - but would prefer non-surgical if possible since there are risks, however small. At the very least, I would like to make sure this *is* the issue before going that route. Sounds like the diaphragm/condom route might be the best, short term.

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I do NOT plan to have children (have been of that opinion for a long time and seriously doubt it would change).

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So why not ditch the hormones and either you or he get fixed? As for risks (rolling eyes) there are plenty of risks associated with pill and or IUDs. At least get the additional hormones out of your body to start with. The freedom of never having to worry about BC again outweighs any potential risk. DH got fixed 25 years ago and it's been great.

I agree. When DH had a vasectomy when DS #2 was 6 weeks old, people raised their eyebrows. "What if something happens?"
Well, you can't live assuming the worst. Since we had already experienced the worst when our DD was born with a syndrome not compatible with life, we made our decision. I was not having any more pregnancies! I was pregnant for 26 out out of 42 months and I was done.
Best decision in the world. I could not believe that people still asked me why I wasn't going to "try for a girl."

It's not that I'm averse to surgical risk (I'm applying to med school with an intent to, perhaps, do surgery!). I just want to make sure that the pills are the culprit first. Otherwise, I'm happy with the pills. I enjoy not having periods (mine are very heavy and cramps).

I have always wondered what that not having periods thing really does to your body. I used a barrier method until DH got fixed. I was never comfortable with the idea of monkeying with my hormones.

I think there's a lot we don't know one way or the other. I haven't looked lately, but I am not aware of any long term studies. My inclination is to think having periods - not so necessary. Having constantly elevated levels of estrogen and/or progesterone - maybe problematic. I haven't totally made my decision.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

If you are positive about not having children, there are surgical options that eliminate your period and prevent childbirth. Maybe endometrial ablation? I think that is usually done with people who experience heavy bleeding. But there are other surgical methods to consider, too.

Still, a vasectomy sounds like the best option to me! :)

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The issue with ablation is you still have to use some form of birth control OR do that in conjunction with tubal ligation/essure. Apparently you can still have some residual endometrial tissue that can result in a dangerous pregnancy (or so my research says). Vasectomy is certainly a simpler procedure. I need to schedule my annual - so I will definitely report back:)

I have been using the nuvaring for about 4 years now. I like it for two reasons: (1) I put it in for three weeks and forget about it - no remembering to take a pill every day; and (2) I understand that it is lower in hormones than oral birth control. I certainly don't have some of the breast soreness/irritability I had on oral birth control while using the nuvaring. If you want to skip periods you can do the same thing you do with pills and skip the "off week." I do have to calendar it (is this week 2 or week 3?) but not an issue in Outlook (and my pharmacy sends me a refill reminder which is helpful). My husband has never noticed it when we're having sex, and I've never had it fall out (I think those are two things people worry about with the ring). It's month to month just like oral birth control, so it doesn't hurt to try it and if you don't like it you're not committed to it.

I've been steadily gaining weight (and finding it increasingly hard to lose it again) as I've been aging so not sure how the nuvaring affects that but since it is hormonal it might have the same weight gain issues.

Just fyi, there's an increased risk of blot clotting associated with low dose bc.

Here's one TE member's experience with nuvaring

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Originally Posted by Irulan

I have always wondered what that not having periods thing really does to your body. I used a barrier method until DH got fixed. I was never comfortable with the idea of monkeying with my hormones.

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I once read an interesting article that argued that having regular periods from adolescence through menopause is actually a very modern thing. For most of human history, women spent much of their menstruating years either pregnant or nursing, and didn't have frequent periods. In other words, that getting your period every month for most of your fertile life is, historically speaking, unnatural.

I don't know what that really means one way or another, but I found it interesting to think about...

FWIW OP, I take the pill without the withdrawal week--like Blueberry I'm really happy not having periods. But I also don't experience side effects from the pill, so it works well for me. I have gained weight since starting it 15 years ago, but I think that has more to do with not being in a ballet company any more, and actually eating healthily. My weight has been stable for a number of years now.

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Originally Posted by jobob

Just fyi, there's an increased risk of blot clotting associated with low dose bc.

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Yeah, that is something that we watch out for. I've not had problems, but my ob/gyn asks a lot of questions every year to make sure its not an issue. She said she's never ran into this in her practice, and its supposed to be rare but that's no comfort at all if you're one of the few affected. Luckily I seem not to be, and that small risk is outweighed by the other benefits for me since I don't have the same side effects I had on the various pill options I'd tried. I do wonder if my risk/balance decision will change as I get older (I think the risk goes up with age).

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Originally Posted by khg

I once read an interesting article that argued that having regular periods from adolescence through menopause is actually a very modern thing. For most of human history, women spent much of their menstruating years either pregnant or nursing, and didn't have frequent periods. In other words, that getting your period every month for most of your fertile life is, historically speaking, unnatural.

I don't know what that really means one way or another, but I found it interesting to think about...
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I've read that too, and while I get the idea, in many ways it is ridiculous if you really think about it. For it to have truth, ALL women would have to have back to back pregnancies, miscarriages and periods of nursing. While certainly SOME women had lives like this, many did not. Whether they were infertile, practicing what birth control they could, had infertile partners, abstinent, I'm sure there were lots of women out there menstruating regularly. Other mammals have regular estrus cycles. Why not humans?

Years ago when I tried to be straight :rolleyes:, I was on the pill. Right away I gained weight, had tender breasts, and mood swings. I retained water too. I actually got bad PMS from them. The pain of my period was worse. It seemed to irritate my ovarian cysts more than normal. I'm usually pretty decent to be around the whole cycle. So, yes, I think there is validity to your theory of weight retention. It's an interesting thing to contemplate and I'm wondering why there hasn't been a definitive study on it? If guys got PMS symptoms from Viagra or Cialis, there would be an all out war on PMS. So, as has been suggested, vasectomy for hubby. Don't let him off the hook, they aren't that bad. Guys are just wusses. And then when he has been tested after a bit to see if it took, then go off the pill. Or... you can try the shot but I think you'd see the same results as the pill.

Now I want to go to our researchers at work and ask who is going to be the one that tests the pill and the side effects like weight gain... it's about damn time. :D

I took BCP for about one month. I had horrible hormone migraines. They didn't help. My doctor knew I wasn't planning to have children (lesbian) and certainly didn't need birth control so she took it all out except for one ovary. No more migraines, it's been years, and I haven't missed having a period. Best thing I ever did.

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Originally Posted by jobob

Just fyi, there's an increased risk of blot clotting associated with low dose bc.

Here's one TE member's experience with nuvaring

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Jo beat me to it... :)

I think you may have been around here what that happened to me, Blueberry. I can't recall. Anyway, since I had that issue, there's been a lot more revealed about Nuvaring http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/1...n_4461429.html , a class action lawsuit, etc. Yes, I may get a little money out of the whole thing, but it's scary as hell to go through what I did.

Anyway, vasectomy. :) And I can never take any hormones (and the kid has to have a blood panel before her doctor will put her on anything given my experience).

And I am also hypothyroid, but I wasn't during the time I was on BCP (pre-pregnancy). I can't really speak any the effect on weight, but I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Good luck. I hope you find something that works for you guys and for your health.

Ive bee on a synthetic hormoneBCP (safryl) for seveal years. I started on others, but switched to this because my gyno said with brest cancer in family (mom and her sister, and now cousins having concerns with lumps) it woukd be good to avoid hormones as much as possible. I dont remember gaining weight I it until this last year where I havengained weight due to stress/grad school. Good luck with your quest.

Add me to the 'vasectomy' list!

I was on BCP from 20 - 38 that ended with an attempt at Depo-provera, a fibroid problem, a few months on Lupron and a few surgeries. Then I went on the Mirena for 4 years and HATED it. I loved not having periods or a few of the other hormonal issues from BCP, but I had a host of other problems including lower back pain, weight gain and low libido. My doc said I was imagining the weight gain but I lost 10 lbs in the first two months after removal without changing my habits at all.

Three years ago, my H had a vasectomy and I have been free of all hormones except my own since then. It's AWESOME! I finally have a regular and light cycle (which was not the case when I first went on the pill at all) and I feel like I should. I also don't have the acne problem I thought I was 'solving' with BCP. I still get cycle zits, but they are minor and greatly helped by my diet. My migraines are also gone but I think that's partially the removal of the hormones AND partially my change in diet, too.

Just a side note, when I was first put on BC for my bleeding problem it completely cleared up my acne (yes, I'm a 44 yr old with acne problems) Well the dose wasn't strong enough and I was still bleeding all the time so he put me on a stronger dose and the acne came back with a vengeance and worse than it was before and I'm gaining weight.... However, I now have regular, light cycles, so I guess that's something.