Nervous about starting birth control

[m.eliza]

I don't know anything about the Nuvaring, but I have heard that you shouldn't use an IUD unless you have given birth previously. Not sure why. I just switched to Yaz from another pill a few months ago, and so far I'm liking it a lot. All my craziness and chocolate cravings I used to experience in the days leading up to my period are pretty much gone, and my period is much lighter and shorter as well.

Sorry I can't give more input. Good luck with your search!

[Veronica]

I've been on the old fashioned kind of birth control pills about 27 years. That makes me feel old! I like the "side effects" of the pill - skipping periods if it doesn't fit my schedule, minimal length... And it forces me to get a regular check up every year.

Veronica

[Selkie]

I've been on the old fashioned kind of birth control pills about 27 years. That makes me feel old! I like the "side effects" of the pill - skipping periods if it doesn't fit my schedule, minimal length... And it forces me to get a regular check up every year.

Veronica

I could have written this!

Mircette---low dose BCP, no period, no weight gain. I will continue to take it until I clear menopause.

Before I went on the pill in my early 20s, I got my period every 21 days. Bad PMS, cramps, etc. Going on the pill regulated me to a 28 day cycle and lessened the PMS/cramps.

Switched to Mircette in 2000. Since then, no periods, no PMS.

[indysteel]

Oh my gosh, MP. That is terrifying. I'm so glad you and your doc figured out that the Nuvaring was to blame. I've been considering my own surgical options of late as we've definitely decided to stick to cats, rather than kids.

[maillotpois]

Oh my gosh, MP. That is terrifying. I'm so glad you and your doc figured out that the Nuvaring was to blame. I've been considering my own surgical options of late as we've definitely decided to stick to cats, rather than kids.

I really like cats.

[indysteel]

I really like cats.

LOL...and thank you for that.

[jessmarimba]

Actually, there are IUDs on the market that are considered to be safe for pre-child women. My younger sister has had one for 2-3 years and after the initial cramping, has had no problems. I wouldn't rule that out. (Edited to add - she's 26, so her doctor is well aware that she hasn't had kids and does want them eventually)

I'm on Yasmin, after years of pill experimenting. I can't do the pills with the other kind of progestin without being moody, cranky, and hateful towards men. I also have breakthrough bleeding if i try to go to something like Yaz (the 24-day regimen) b/c of the lower doses of hormones. But I have less acne, haven't gained a pound (b/c of the pills, anyway) and can skip periods if I want by keeping a spare box or two of them around to take during the off-week. I went off BC for a couple months after my back injury b/c I wasn't allowed to have them in a Catholic hospital, and really noticed no difference emotionally between taking them and not.

I will say that my libido has been fairly low lately, but I think it's related to nerve damage and not the pills themselves. I've taken these for 5 years and that's a recent issue.

If you are thinking of pills, and are good with taking things on schedule, you also might want to look into the mini-pills (progestin only). They have a higher failure rate if you aren't punctual, but have fewer hormones to mess with your body.

[carlotta]

I've been lurking around here for awhile, but I got an IUD yesterday so I figure this is an appropriate time to de-lurk and register :)

I was on the pill for almost 3 years since it represented the cheapest, most reliable BC covered by my student insurance at the time. For the most part, it was fine, I forgot it maybe once or twice and I did appreciate the ability to mess with my cycle more or less as I wished (for vacation, exams, etc, etc). It also cleared my skin and shortened/lightened my periods significantly after 6 months or so. Downsides were decreased libido, dryness, obnoxious breakthrough bleeding, some weight gain that won't go away and a general uneasyness about hormones for an extended period.

I have good health insurance with the new job, and we're still a couple years off from kids, so I figured I'd give an IUD a shot and if I was miserable I could look at other options (my out of pocket cost was $30, so it wasn't as big of a decision as it would've been with a higher cost). I haven't had kids, and the office didn't blink an eye when I suggested it--I think (but can't cite any studies) that the scarring is not such an issue anymore--IUD's are standard of care in Canada/Europe and much of the rest of the world for women regardless of kids. There are studies indicating that fertility returns faster following the non-hormonal IUD (paragard) than following the pill, since you're cycling normally with paragard. Anyway, the (awesome) PA that did mine commented that she had done ~15 this week (and joked that she could do mine with her eyes closed :) and the combination of her skill + my body is pretty happy 30 hours or so post-insertion, insertion wasn't terribly pleasant but not unbearable, and a little cramping yesterday and this morning but I feel fine now. I went with the non-hormonal one, so my periods may be heavier/crampier than they were but I am comfortable that I can handle it. The mirena (low dose progestin) shortens/stops periods in many women but also causes more random spotting.

[indysteel]

Thanks for the replies. Yikes, Re: NuvaRing. Ive read about the pending lawsuits and the heightened risk for PE's. Im sorry you were affected!!! That is definitely something to consider....

I can barely remember a multivitamin, I dont think the pill is a good option for me. Ive also heard that going on it later can cause fatigue... not something I'm interested in, since Im training for my fifth marathon and need to get up and out the door.

I did not know about the IUD's and scarring. I had thought it was a somewhat antiquated belief that they were only for women who had not had children. I was concerned that hte IUD still made periods either non-existent or not predictable/regular. One big reason for taking it is to make my periods more regular. (although not having it at all would be nice... dont know how healthy that is though). Yes Id like the option of being able to skip if I have an event or race.

Im in the military, so I was concerned about the types of options they would provide. But Ive heard from the other women I work with that my assigned Dr. is a good one (a couple have had IUD's inserted by her). It's been years since Ive been to the girly doc and my first military apt. with one, so Im a little nervous.

Thanks for all the advice/support!

No matter what you decide, I would urge you to get an annual OB/GYN exam, especially since you're sexually active. I can't tell whether you're single or married, but either way, I think it's important to be seen once a year.

I'm horrible at taking a multivitamin, too, but you'd be surprised at how compliant you can be when you really don't want to get pregnant!

[mariacycle]

I strongly urge you to read ALL of the side effects and take them very seriously, especially of the first 2-4 months. You need to be aware of changes in your body or behavior and know that they are linked to your birth control. Some people become severely depressed on birth control and don't even realize the medicine is causing it. That advice holds for starting any new medicine...

[badgercat]

I think if you ask 10 different women about their experiences with the exact same method of birth control, you'll get 10 different responses.

I started taking combined (estrogen + progestin) oral contraceptive pills as a teenager to mitigate heavy menstrual flow and cramps, and they worked wonders for me. I was on them for something like 7 years (Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for 5+ years, LoEstrin24 Fe for ~1 year, and most recently Natazia for two months. I switched around mostly for experimentation and to follow what I could get most cheaply at student-health clinic pharmacies...). However, I just recently learned that I have a genetic mutation that puts me at slightly higher risk for blood clots, and of course estrogen can also increase clot risk. Though some research suggests that there's not a good reason to stop taking estrogen-containing pills if there's no family history of DVT--the risks are still lower than those associated with pregnancy, after all--my OGNP was supportive of my concerns and I switched just about a week ago to a progestin-only pill (aka POP), Ortho Micronor.

So far, I actually have seen some noticeable changes (for the better) in my mood and libido since starting the POP, so I wonder if for the past few years, what I thought was 'normal' for me was being significantly impacted by the extra estrogen in my system. (or, maybe I'm externalizing being a moody you-know-what and needed a placebo effect to spark an attitude adjustment, who knows, haha). I think I just kind of assumed I wasn't experiencing major pill side-effects because I never really had any of the more outward problems--weight gain/water retention, etc.

On the other hand, I've been feeling really lethargic this week, and ended up napping 2+ hours on three different afternoons. It could be bodily confusion from no longer having estrogen 'supplements' after 7 years, but it's also hard to separate out the fact that we're in our first sustained really hot (100 F +) spell of the summer here, so I'm not too concerned about it yet. I got 2 packs to start, and intend to get through those before I draw any real conclusions on it.

Syndirelah, I agree with your comment that you'll never know what each method will be like for you until you try. It has been really interesting to read everyone's different experiences here. Best wishes to you and everybody else still seeking a "happy" method (and I'd appreciate a few crossed fingers for my own situation--what a relief it would be if I end up with similar positive side effects with the POP that I grew accustomed to with the combo pills, without the risks of the extra estrogen).

[indysteel]

Badgercat, have you noticed any changes in your libido since going off the Loestrin? I have to admit that I've had some issues with a low libido. Now, a number of things could be causing that as I head closer to perimenopause, but I've had to wonder about the Loestrin. My own annual is coming up, but my doctor dismissed me last year when I brought it up. This year, I plan to be more forceful about it. By the same token, I've otherwise tolerated Loestrin. I love having a light period! But I love my DH, too.

[maillotpois]

I don't know anything about the Nuvaring, but I have heard that you shouldn't use an IUD unless you have given birth previously. Not sure why. !

It is because the IUD can scar your uterus, making it more difficult to conceive. I had an IUD for 10 years after having my child. It was great. But we were done having kids.