First, so you don't have to read all my blather if you don't want to, a survey.
If you've taken birth control pills (currently or in the past), and you're not bashful about sharing, please answer the following:
1.) What type/brand(s) of birth control pill have you taken?
2.) What did you like about it (positive benefits)?
3.) What did you dislike about it (negative side effects)?
4.) If you had negative side effects, were they so bad that you had to stop taking the pill?
5.) What other types of birth control have you used (condom, diaphragm, IUD, shot, patch, etc.), and why did you choose this instead of (or in addition to) the pill? In your opinion, was it better or worse than the pill?
Second, the explanation for why I'm seeking this information (a.k.a. the aforementioned blather).
Having... um... "relations" with the boy has renewed an old dreaded issue that I've been avoiding for a couple years now:
Birth control.
Why a couple years?
Because that's how long it's been since the last time I was with someone. Seriously, I'm just like Matilda in Zoolander.
Derek Zoolander: You mean, you haven't...
Matilda: Done it in a while, yeah.
Hansel: What's a while? Like eight days?
Well....... now that I've given in to the power of the tea, I realize that life would be a lot more safe and convenient if I was on the pill, not just now, but in the future. I mean, say this thing with the boy doesn't work out -- I'll probably still go on to find someone else, and when I do, I'm going to have the exact same issue. So I should just deal with it now.
The problem is, the last time I was on the pill, it made me very depressed, to the point where I was having panic attacks, and every little negative thing that happened was an emergent emotional catastrophe. I was tired all day, I had racing thoughts, I couldn't concentrate at work, etc., etc. That kind of depression basically makes me non-functional in every day life, and I just can't have that. I need to be able to get up every morning and be "normal" so I can go to my job, get my work done, socialize with people, and otherwise have "a life".
If I look back on my history of depressive episodes over the course of my life, I can link each one to a period of time when I was taking birth control pills. Each time (with the exception of the most recent "experiment"), I ended up taking anti-depressants, which made me feel horrible and not like myself. Eventually I'd get fed up with being on so many medications, and I would decide to stop taking them all, including the birth control. Just no more pills, period. Miraculously, my depression would get better.
My most recent attempt at taking birth control pills, the one I refer to as an "experiment," was exactly that. I wasn't seeing anyone at the time, and I hadn't experienced any depression for the last couple years prior. I took the pill just to see what would happen, to test my theory about the link with depression. Sure enough, the link was proven, and it was horrible. I continued taking the pill for 3 months, hoping the symptoms might fade after the first few weeks when my body adjusted to the change, but it just kept getting worse. At the end of the 3rd month, I stopped taking them, and my depression disappeared within a couple weeks.
So obviously going back on the pill is a significant issue for me. I think I should do it, because I don't want to get pregnant, and I like some of the side benefits of the pill -- a lighter period with fewer cramps, plus it clears up my complexion better than any topical medication. But the depression... I'm so afraid of it.
I hope gathering information from other bloggers might help me do some thinking, and I hope it might help others too. This is a subject we could all stand to learn more about. And of course, I will talk to my doctor about options. I just want to be armed with as much information as possible before I go to the doctor so I don't get talked into anything I don't really want.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
21 comments:
1.) What type/brand(s) of birth control pill have you taken? depo(shot)
2.) What did you like about it (positive benefits)?(no period)
3.) What did you dislike about it (negative side effects)?(weight gain,moody)
4.) If you had negative side effects, were they so bad that you had to stop taking the pill?yes
5.) What other types of birth control have you used (condom, diaphragm, IUD, shot, patch, etc.), and why did you choose this instead of (or in addition to) the pill? In your opinion, was it better How to i say this? Me and my husband use the pull and release method. LOL not 100 percent effective (unless you trust your partner)I like this method because i dont think it should just be up to the women to have to go on birth control.Also i've been married to my husband for 22 yrs,so you might want to try another option,Ha HA
1.) What type/brand(s) of birth control pill have you taken?
Cilest and femodene.
2.) What did you like about it (positive benefits)?
Clears up your complexion.
3.) What did you dislike about it (negative side effects)?
No side effects.
4.) If you had negative side effects, were they so bad that you had to stop taking the pill?
I swapped from femodene after being on it for ages because of spotting in between periods.
5.) What other types of birth control have you used (condom, diaphragm, IUD, shot, patch, etc.), and why did you choose this instead of (or in addition to) the pill? In your opinion, was it better or worse than the pill?
Condoms for safe sex. Gotta use that as well as the pill till you start a serious relationship.
Anyways, I wanted to say anytime sweetie. You can always track me down if you want to chat.
I really hope that your guy can get on the computer. I'm sure they will be able to sometimes. I know it's training but it's not prison.
I hope you do get to stay in touch. You'll have to keep me updated.
Im happy about you finding someone, maybe this time the pill will affect you differently? Don't use the method i described! I can't take the pill because i smoke and i'm over 35.Just talk to you doctor and maybe you can come up with somthing.Maybe you will be so in love and happy the depression will go away,good luck to you.
LOL, twisted, it's funny you should mention the pull out method, because that's exactly what inspired this survey.
We ran out of condoms (only had two to start with). I was not very smart in my behavior, and I sort of scared myself by making a bad choice there. This is why I'm trying to address the situation so it doesn't happen again.
1) triquilar ED a triphasic for about 15 years
2)massively reduced PMT symptoms to virtually nil
3)none
4)stopped to become pregnant
5)implant - fantastic and a lot cheaper, no having to remember the pill, lasts 3 years
condoms if I was ever on antibiotics
I'm married too so safe sex isn't an issue but I sure would if I wasn't
I have heard that the pill can cause depression, it may be the particular hormone in it or the dosage.
There are a heap of options, some like the implant are a smaller constant dose so the body isn't affected as badly and others like the injections of depo may not cause the depression- a friend of mine uses that for that reason.
Definitely a good idea to ask around and research it, different brands could be the solution, have you tried a specific female health service?
Ergo, I have not tried a female specific health service. That's not a bad idea.
So you like the implant? I've never known anyone who uses it, but I've always been curious about it. How long does it last? I've read that it's not a good choice if you plan to become pregnant within the next few years. Did you only start using it when you were finished having children?
Miss T, I don't recognize either of the brands you listed - I wonder if we don't have them in the U.S. But they must be similar, right? I'm going to google them and find out what kind of hormones they contain.
andrea it was great,it's put in the upper left arm with a sort of needle type thing and you can feel it. It lasts 3 years (the one I used) and once it's removed you begin to cycle again normally. Removal can be done anytime to but it's with a scalpel and a tiny 2 stitch incision
As far as I'm aware it doesn't affect your chance of falling pregnant after you remove it, same as coming off the pill
side effects can include breakthrough spotting (I had a little but not bad) some people find it uncomfortable or painful if it irritates the arm and it can have all the other hormone related side effects as any pill but it's a lower dose so it's less likely
everyone I know who's used it has been fine
ok had a look in a reference book on the pill and it said
depression may be due to low levels of Vit B6 as the pill also lowers this, so a deficient individual may benefit from an extra intake of Vit B6
a different progesterone may help as it appears the most likely ingredient to cause a problem of this kind
an ultra low dose pill may be appropriate
(but then of course you need to be more careful about remembering as it's a lot less effective if doses are taken at different times of the day or forgotten)
Implanon implant
Thanks Ergo! I'll definitely check that out.
Hey!
I couldn't find a really good information source, so Wikipedia it is!
In short, he was a blues musician back in the 30s, and a very influential figure for artists ranging from Eric Clapton to Keith Richards, and in turn, influencing a lot of the music by The Rolling Stones, to even Led Zeppelin.
Mr. Johnson had a passion to become the greatest blues musician of pretty much ever, and as the old legend goes, one night, he happened upon the Devil at this infamous set of crossroads, and the Devil, in exchange for Mr. Johnson's soul, gave Robert the ability to play the blues.
If I'm not mistaken, that was the origin of the sayings "...the Devil's music" (Blues music is often referred to as the Devil's music) and "sold my soul to the Devil."
But, personally, I like to think of it as a metaphor for life. :)
See you around!
It totally is!
Isn't it awesome?! When I realized who he was portraying, it made the movie that much better!
Have fun checking out his music!
So I've been doing a ton of birth control research, trying to find a pill/patch/shot/implant that is less likely to make me depressed. I can't find one! I'm starting to get really discouraged. I hate condoms, and I'm not willing to mess around with a diaphragm. I'm curious about the IUD, but also afraid of it.
I wish there was better information available about the effects of different types of progestin -- that seems to be the only thing different between one pill and another. They all use the same type of estrogen, in varying doses, and we generally know how estrogen affects the body. But the different types/doses of progestin seem to be a bit of a mystery. I can't believe it's been 40 years since the first progestin birth control pills were made available and we still don't have good information for consumers beyond the strikingly sparse warning labels.
Ok, I'm a physical mess so you may not want to take my advice on this one.
1. Loestrin, triphasal, mini-pill, nor-something (it's been a long time), and several other names I can't remember.
2. no pregnancy, no period, clearer complexion
3 & 4 I have a family history of stroke and became a prime candidate when I started to get blood clots. The Dr took me off the pill mid-cycle (at 23) and haven't been on them since (at 40)
5. vodka method (drink a lot and think you're on birth control - that's how we got my son); condoms; pull out; sponge; now IUD.
I might recommend IUD when you're much older. It's been a tough few months. My body is just now starting to get with the program. In the beginning it was really awful.
Just do what is best for you and be careful. Read up on everything. A women's clinic or planned parenthood will have the info you need. Just tell them about the depression. There are so many new things on the market that may work for you.
I'm glad that you are being pro-active.
Lol, Jennicula, the vodka method. Classic!
Doing all this research on birth control has got me thinking... I would actually rather just get pregnant and have a child.
There was a moment last week when I was thinking about my indiscretion with the boy, and I thought, so what if I'm pregnant? Would that really be so terrible? I might actually be excited about it. My mom sure would, she's been bugging me about grandchildren for a couple years already. I would really like to have a child.
But then I thought about the 21-year-old boy who's training to go fight a war. If I was pregnant, it would change everything for him. And he's not the type who would walk away and not be part of it. He would try to do the right thing, even if it destroyed all of his goals. I couldn't do that to him. It's not just my decision alone.
Thankfully, I've started my period since then, so it's not even an issue. But I definitely had a long moment of contemplation on that "what if" scenario.
I just...... really hate birth control. And I want to settle down already.
Blah. I shouldn't be thinking about all this. And I definitely shouldn't be writing about it when I have work to finish!
Jenn, will you tell me more about the IUD? I know it's probably not something I should try until I'm done having children, but I'm still curious about it. Is yours copper or hormonal? What sort of side effects did you experience?
1.) What type/brand(s) of birth control pill have you taken?
Alesse 28
2.) What did you like about it (positive benefits)?
Keeping me from getting pregnant is the best side effect ever.
3.) What did you dislike about it (negative side effects)?
CRAZY mood swings. I started taking BCP when I worked in a jewelery store, and it's really hard to sell a diamond ring when you're crying. If it wasn't that, I was dreaming that my boyfriend was cheating on me, and waking up at 2am to threaten his manhood with nasty messages.
4.) If you had negative side effects, were they so bad that you had to stop taking the pill?
Nope. After about 3 months or so, I leveled out.
5.) What other types of birth control have you used (condom, diaphragm, IUD, shot, patch, etc.), and why did you choose this instead of (or in addition to) the pill?
I've used condoms and Depo-Provera.
Condoms are like fucking a wet sandwich bag, sry 2 say. Depo-Provera kept me flowing most of the time, I would stop just before I had to go in for another shot, like 5 days before. So, it was great birth control, because bleeding all the time kept me from getting laid.
In your opinion, was it better or worse than the pill?
Worse. See above.
1.) What type/brand(s) of birth control pill have you taken?
trinovum (triphasic pill), micronor (progesterone only)
2.) What did you like about it (positive benefits)?
for trinovum.....bigger boobs!
none for micronor i hated it. my periods stopped/very irregular and my breasts hurt so much that i thought i was pregnant!
3.) What did you dislike about it (negative side effects)?
ok so with trinovum none (this is maybe a UK brand though and i've not taken it in yrs!)
micronor as i said very painful breasts, very irregular or no periods, as it is a progesterone only pill so it doesn't stop ovulation.
4.) If you had negative side effects, were they so bad that you had to stop taking the pill?
no not like that. nothing to make me feel so poorly that i should, but i just kept doing pregnancy tests like a mad woman!! you have to take that pill within a 3 hr (?) window and i was panicking alot!
5.) What other types of birth control have you used (condom, diaphragm, IUD, shot, patch, etc.), and why did you choose this instead of (or in addition to) the pill? In your opinion, was it better or worse than the pill?
condoms are the only other contraception i have used. chosen for immediate convenience! and post babies when i didn't trust breast feeding as a contraception and could not be arsed to get to the doctors to sort it out!
hope i am of some help andrea!
Good morning my friend.
The IUD - good for oldies like me who are basically done with having kids.
I have the Mirena. It is plastic and has progesterone in it (I can't do the estrogen)
Now, I say this to warn you - I've had a terrible experience with it, but my body is a freak of nature normally. If it can go wrong with me, it will. So that being said:
I bled for 45 days in a row (gun anyone?)
I cramped for 30 of those days (again, gun anyone?)
I got my period when I was supposed to, but instead of shortening the days, it doubled (2 week periods - please kill me)
Sometimes after a romping round of hokey-pokey I spot and get crampy.
And, (like that didn't completely make you want to run away) sometimes he can feel it too.
I'm just past the 4 month point and the doctor says that my body will take 4-6 months to adjust. I wish somebody told me that before I went ahead and did it. It might have swayed me a different way.
It is getting better, but slowly. I'll wait until I hit the 6 month mark and then make a decision. It's been a long 4 months so far.
Wow Jenn, that sounds like a horrible ordeal. I hope you keep improving to the point of being "normal" (acknowledging that that's a relative term). I've read that spotting is more common with progesterone alone than when combined with estrogen. But some people can't tolerate estrogen - sounds like you're one of them. I'm trying to decide if I should ask for a progesterone only birth control pill.
Thanks for sharing. It's really nice to hear about personal experience instead of reading what the drug companies want me to believe.
Post a Comment