Please talk to be about Birth Control

[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.

[Blueberry]

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.

[khg]

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 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.

[Irulan]

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...
.

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?

[Xrayted]

Years ago when I tried to be straight , 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.

[TrekDianna]

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.