lisa

Okay, we started this in the "when are you least likely to get pregnant"-thread, but as it is a very important issue to a lot of women, I figured we might as well make a whole new thread about it...

First of all, we must point out -can't say that enough- that the pill does NOT protect you against AIDS or any other sexual transmittable diseases.

I myself, have been on the pill for about a year now, and I didn't really had any bad experiences with it... I've heard A LOT of stories about girls gaining a lot of weight, or mental moods or stuff like that; I'm glad my body takes the chemicals quite alright!

I'm in a steady relationship now (of over a year) which is completely monogamous, therefor we don't use condoms anymore (thank god !) and rely completely on the birthcontrol-pill!
We all know that this pill does not grant you a hundred procent security, about not getting pregnant. Basically only not having sex can give you that much certainty, but that is not even an option for me really!

I asked this question already in the previous thread, but maybe we should focus on it more in this one:
"how much trust do you have in the pill as only birthcontrol-mechanism?" (this in the presumption that you are in a serious relationship, where no cheating would be involved... (of course you can never be totally certain about this, and when you would find out, the damage can allready been done...))
Do any of you girls use a condom supplementary to the pill?
Did you have bad experiences with your pill?
How do you manage never forgetting to take it, let alone taking it at around the same time each day???
Have any great tips on that? (I normally remember to take it every day, but the timing varies widely!!! sometimes I'm already half a sleep when i wake up in complete panic, realising I've almost forgotten it... )
How would you feel about a similar pill taken by guys?

And so on and on...
Feel free to comment

lurkette

I'm really comfortable with the pill as our only method. I've been on it for 12 years (with a brief stint on Norplant - now THAT was a nightmare) and (knock on wood) no mishaps so far.

I've had some side effects - not weight gain, exactly, but when I gain weight for other reasons (i.e., eating like a pig and being a couch potato) I find it hard to take off. Mostly the effects of the pill are negligible compared to the mood swings and horribly painful periods I used to have before I was on it.

I have only forgotten my pill a half dozen times in 12 years. The fear of pregnancy is enough to make me remember. I just take it when I wake up in the morning, and it's become automatic.

If guys could take the pill instead, that'd be cool. I don't think the pill is as awful as a lot of women seem to think. It's not for everyone, but the benefits, for me, far outweigh the risks. It's protective against ovarian and uterine cancer, and I'm grateful for the ability to take it constantly and only have a period 3-4 times/year. Even if ratbastid were to get snipped (which is our next plan once we decide we really don't want kids) I might still stay on the pill so I don't have to have a period every month - I get horrible mood swings and cramps that literally drop me to my knees. God bless the inventor of the pill!

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lisa

Here is the man himself:


Carl Djerassi, Inventor of the birthcontrol pill

A big round of applause!

minyn

I had no side affects minus my first brand was way to strong for me and i was mean.... just plain fucking mean. so they lowered it and i was good, However, I lack schedule in my life so taking a daily pill just didnt work. Never on time, didnt always have them (dont carrry a purse) so im looking at the three month shot.

Till then, condoms are my friends as well

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raeanna74

I have practically no side effects. I'm on it for conception prevention as well as to control my migranes which are affected by my hormones. I have tried the POP kind as well as the usual estrogen kind. Doc recently switched me to Seasonale which puts you on a 91 day cycle which means you only have a period 4 times a year. For me this means a migrane mostly only 4 times a year and now that I have Maxalt that isn't an issue either. I have had trouble with spotting at times but that's partly because I'm still nursing and my daughter is weaning somewhat so my own hormones are in flux. Once I'm done with nursing though and back to my old self I'm considering an IUD or something more long lasting. It will all depend on how things turn out once I'm nursing no longer.
My Birthcontrol pills seem to have no ugly side effects. Not even any weight gain. In fact I began the pill immediately after the birth of my daughter. I lost 60 lbs (counting the baby) in one year even while on POP's.

After taking it for 3 years I find that taking it in the evening along with my evening ritual of changing and brushing teeth etc. usually works best. I can't remember to take it in the morning because it's so hectic with my daughter and sometimes other kids arriving early and also getting hubby off to work with his lunch.

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My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

gremlinx8

I've had no side effects with my pill and I trust it as the only form of birth control. Although, sometimes if my period is a day late I start to worry.

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saleenobsessed

i could never remember to take my pill, hence the reason why i got pregnant. but now im on the patch and i really like it, you only have to change it once a week andits al ot easier to remember, and my birth control is with me at all times

cheerios

my trick: I set my alarm clock watch, and when it goes off, i stop what I'm doing and get my pill. I've got mine set for 10 pm, 'cuz I'm generally home by then but not asleep. mornings wouldn't work for me because I sleep such odd hours. I rely (sp?) on them we haven't used comdoms in quite awhile.

what's this "only 4 periods a year" pill??? That sounds REALLY nice...

sillygirl

Yeah, no kidding! I'd love to have a period at all though... I was on bc to regulate my cycle and to prevent pregnancy.

However, I gained a ton of weight, got migraines, bad cramps, etc etc. That was enough to make me not want to take them anymore.

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*Nikki*

I use Nuvaring which I love because I only have to remember it one time a month.

I have had absolutely no side effects and having been in a monogamous relationship for almost a year, I don't use condoms anymore. Unless of course I don't have the BC in for one reason or another.

I will say that Nuvaring has a very LOW pregnancy rate of something like .5% or 99.5% effective. While that is wonderful I am still sure there is a way that some of "the boys" could slip into the CORRAL.

SO because I am almost 30 years old now and my man and I plan on getting married I guess I have decided that a .5% risk is ok for me.

cheerios

have you talked to your gyno about that? there're more than one kind of pills so if one is affecting you so adversly, they can switch you to another that may effect you less... just a thought.

sillygirl

Yeah, I have.. it was a while ago though, when he put me on the bc... and since then, I've asked about it, but haven't done too much about it. Haven't really had the funds for it. My mom told me that the irregular cycle apparently runs in the family, but it really creeps me out... at first it was really nice, cuz I didn't have to worry about it, but sheesh.

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Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly-Rose Franken
....absence makes me miss him more...

Gelfling

I've taken the pill since I started my period when I was 14, my mom put me on it cause she was paranoid. I didn't lose my virginity until I was 16 but oh well.
I take it in the morning with my other pills, I have a little weekly pill box that an old person would use, but hey it works.
I usually rely primarily on the pill, only use condoms if its with someone new.
I like how the pill makes my period regular, I know exactly when it will start, the flow is really low, and only last 3-5 days.

lurkette

There's one particular brand that's being marketed specifically for this, but any monophasic (?) pill (constant doses of the same hormones, as opposed to triphasic - the doses change each week - those are the pills that come in 4 colors, 1 for each week) will do the trick. You might have to play with it to find one that works, but I hit on one the first time - ortho cyclen. You just skip the "placebo" week of pills and start a new pack instead. Every 3 or 4 months you stop taking the pills for a week, have a period, and then start back up again. It's supposed to be good treatment for fibroid pain and endometriosis.

There was an interesting article I read on the web a few years ago when I started doing this - I'll see if I can find it - about how the original maker of the pill wanted it to be a constant thing. If you look at women in developing countries, who don't take birth control, they are pregnant most of the time so they have fewer periods than women in developed countries who are using some method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. They think that this might contribute to the higher rates of reproductive cancers in the developing world. Anyhow, way back when the pill was first invented, the major objection to it was that it was so "unnatural" to just...not have to have a period! So they decided to make it a three week thing to mimic a woman's natural cycle. There's nothing unsafe about going for months without, although some people are bugged by the psychological aspect of not having a period. I don't pretend to understand those people

So anyhow, if you're interested, ask your gyno. I'll try to scare up that article.

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- Anatole France

cheerios

I'm between gyno's atm, but when I get myself a new one I definately will. on a tri-phasic one right now, so have never had that "skip" opportunity *jealous*

raeanna74

The method of taking the pill that lurkette mentioned to me is how my Dr had me taking the pills until this new one came out. The new one is just a little bit stronger estrogen than my old ones. I had been having trouble with spotting more than I have with this one.

Also - I've never seen a gyno. I just see a family Dr. They do just fine.

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"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

isis

I tried a few different types of pills .. I tried the Ortho Tri-Cyclen with no luck whatsoever. I suffered from heavy periods and incredibly bad back pain. I then tried Marvelon, which didn't do anything for me either. I never suffered ANY adverse side effects from these pills, and I'd probably have continued taking them if they A) weren't such a hassle to remember, and B) worked for my cramps.

My doctor suggested that I start taking Depo Provera. I know alot of women have problems with it, but I started taking it when I was 16 and haven't had any problems since. I've never had a period since my initial shot, and my back pain only seems to occur when its the week where I should be getting shots. Apparently, this is 99.8% effective or something like that, but we all know its just a statistic. I use it as my only form of birth control, and I'm trusting it. I feel that it may be slightly more reliable than the pill because there is quite a big grace period where you can get the shots (10-12 weeks), and you don't have to take it every day.

I guess it all depends on the person, but I'm really an advocate for Depo because it has worked WONDERS for me. No periods is like .. heavenly. You really don't miss it.

Litespeed

I personally have no experience with the pill.

My sister, on the other hand, currently has three children thanks to the pill.

She's also tried the patch, but her youngest went on a no breastmilk strike the entire time she was on it. Now she's a fan of depo and still researching other options in case this one doesn't work.

CinnamonGirl

Amen to that...I'm also on Depo, mainly because I can't even remember to take my vitamins every day...plus, taking antibiotics apparently messes with the effectiveness of the pill, which is something I didn't want to worry about.

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txgirl

I did the pill for years with no ill effects what so ever...1 1/2 years ago i needed to have my tubes tied for health reasons and what a difference. I now have PMS, major bloat, mood swings as my period nears, well I use that as the excuse LOL, and my period is never on or even near the same date, which we know is a pain in the ass...

ariekitten

yeah i think guys could spare to go thru the agony of taking a pill. i remember to take mine, but it's hard to always wake up early enough (specially on the weekends) to make the timing right. it's not much of a hassle but i know for alot of women the hormones do undesireable things to their bodies. i'm not too trusting of the pill's reliability when it comes to preventing pregnancy. i've known plenty of girls who have "pill babies". i think using a condom with the pill would cancel out my reasons for taking the pill, since it's basically for pleasure reasons. but you can use spermicide along with the pill and that should eliminate almost all chances of pregnancy.

here's a link to info on the seasonale pill:
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/71/81215.htm

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listid

I am in a steady- monogamous relationship of over an year, we used both condoms and the pill. I really believe you can't be too careful, and children are really not an option at the moment.

The only side effects I have ever experienced is I am a bit more emotional as my period starts, but since cramps are now non existant and my period really only lasts for about 3-4 days I have no complaints.

I set my watch alarm to go off when I need to take it and I think I have only missed one by about 2 hours (forgot to take my purse, pure stupidity on my part).

As far as I'm concerned, I never want to go off them.

Anyways, chow
Lisa

Unga

This might be a tiny bit off track, but has anyone here tried out the patch? How's that going. Same possible side effects as the pill? Sorry if this is repetitive. I'm kinda new with these contraceptives

ling ling

I was on the pill for maybe 6 months and as soon as I stopped taking it I became madly horny! But I don't even know if there is a connection. *shrug*

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lurkette

There's definitely a connection between the pill and libido, and it's usually a negative one. The first pill I was on really shut down my lust - not exactly the kind of birth control I was looking for! Once I changed pills, things were fine. I think it's probably different for everyone because we all have different baseline levels of hormones.

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absence_of_color

The pill sucks, period.
I dont like it, wont have it, discourage others from taking it.
Messes with your natural body chemistry and raises your risks of developing severe illnesses.

Its real hard desicion, because you cant plan your sexual peak or interest to develop at the times when your infertile. You can rely on your cycle to have about a week a month that you dont have to worry about anything because you cant get pregnant.
The rest of the time, you can either masterbate, get creative without penetration, go oral, go without, or wrap it.
There is many alternatives to putting the banana in the cage. lol

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lurkette

While the pill does mess with your body chemistry, it's not true that it raises your risks of developing serious illnesses. It can't protect you from STDs, but all the other "links" to illnesses are related to behavior that is independent of the pill.

- cervical cancer: this has been shown to be related to having HPV, and women who are on the pill are less likely to use condoms and therefore more likely to contract HPV. The pill itself does not increase risk of cervical cancer.

- breast cancer: the jury's out on this one. The latest study I saw showed no significant link between bc pills and breast cancer.

- blood clots: only a risk if you smoke, are seriously overweight, or over 40.

The pill actually decreases your risk of ovarian and uterine cancers.

I've been on it for 12 years and have no serious complaints, really. But every woman has to find what's right for herself.

__________________
"If ten million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing."

- Anatole France

cheerios

from the "Consent - oral contraceptives" that my health enter makes me sign each year when i get my perscription refilled:
so... :shrug: I've had headache troubles, & sensitive nipples (but who's complaining about that? ), but pretty much everything lurkette said i've seen confirmed...

edit:
ooh, later on down the page:
w00t for lower cancer rates! (says the girl who's family seems particularly cancer-prone)

lisa

And how would you all feel about the man taking a similar sort of pil, instead of you? I've heard they're working on this. (maybe in the States it's already available?)
My bf says he would prefer to take that one, taking up this whole burden for me! I don't really see it a such a burden, and I think I would actually prefer to take the pill myself, so that I am myself responsible about it. Not that I wouldn't trust my bf with it, it's just that I would probably call him every day; asking if he took it yes or no. By taking the pill myself, at least I only need to worry about myself!

There was a thread in the "tilted sexuality" a few weeks ago about guys who didn't really trusted their gf's with the pill, because she never remembered to take it, or because they would not take it on purpose...
Do you think a male pill would be a solution?

cheerios

lisa: the same reasons you'd be concerned w/ your boyfriend taking a pill on time, whatever, are the same reasons they worry about us. ideally, everyone would be responsible for their own protection... pills for everyone! That way, even if you screw up, you're covered.

lisa

I'm all for that!!!

Equal rights AND equal duties

raeanna74

Now that you mention that it has an effect on libido - I started on Seasonale a month and a half ago. For the last month I've been so horny that I've worn hubby out and he's had to call Uncle once or twice even. Hmm Maybe it increased it for me. No problem here. Hubby seems to be happy with it too.

__________________
"Always learn the rules so that you can break them properly." Dalai Lama
My Karma just ran over your Dogma.

isis

If anything with Depo, I have slightly decreased sex drive. But nothing overly noticible though. Sometimes, I just don't feel like it ... but that always may be attributed to other factors such as stress.

I'd love to go on this seasonale thing, as I like the idea that I can actually have a period every once in awhile (because on Depo without periods, I always wonder if I'm pregnant even if I have no chance) .. but my periods were always so painful I couldn't stand it any longer

em1014

I've thought about going the Depo route but I have that same fear. How can you tell if you're pregnant if you never get your period anyway? I started b/c about a year ago. I was first on ortho-tri cyclen lo and hated it. I couldn't have an orgasm and my periods were a nightmare. No fun. I'm now on desogen and like it much better. My periods are not any lighter but they are much shorter. It still is not easy for me to have an orgasm (not complaining since it is possible now!) but I don't know if that is from the pill or not. I tend to go in spells when it comes to being able to remember my pill. I take mine late at night and it's about every other month that I'll forget to take one and just take it in the morning. Other than that I stay pretty regular with taking them. No babies yet for me please!

daydream

I'm on the pill and have been for almost a year now... I take Yasmin. I haven't realized any major side effects... except for the first month that I took it.... I felt like I was tired all the time but that went away. At the moment I'm thinking that it may be interfering with my emotions... bc I've been feeling a lil depressed recently. But I have a lot going on in my life right now... so nevermind, it's prob not the pill. Actually I did have one side effect that was positive for me. My boobs grew a whole cup size! Which is great when you an A and you become a B

I'm wondering the same thing... It would be nice not worrying about takin the pill at the same time everyday without forgetting... but I'm not so sure about the patch. Has anyone used it and had a problem with it falling off? or not being effective?

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Unga

whoa daydream, a whole cup size. i wonder what that would be like :P

I haven't tried the pill yet. I'm still trying to decide what to start myself on since i won't be needed anything yet for a while. For no reason at all, the patch just seems less reassuring. Maybe just 'cause it's external

daydream

I agree... I'm not sure what it is but it gives me a better feeling of protection when I actually take the pill... i'm afraid that with a patch it may fall off, or maybe the corner will bend and then I wont be fully protected anymore.

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"Can't help it if I space in a daze, my eyes tune out the other way... I may switch off and go in a daydream... in this head my thoughts are deep, Sometimes I can't even speak, would someone be and not pretend, I'm off again in my world"

ironchefrocks

My roommate and I are on the same pill. I find I have much lighter periods and less cramping, but I get a lot of spotting. I've heard that lower-carb diets like atkins/south beach/etc. can cause the breakthrough bleeding, so that's a possibility.

I take my pill at night, I have an alarm watch set for midnight. I used to take it at 10 but I noticed I was having foul moods (crying and depression mainly, not quite suicidal but almost) an hour or two after taking the pill. So I moved it to later so I would be asleep when the mood kicked in ;-)

The roommate uses condoms during the third week of the active pills, because she's had relatives get pregnant while on the pill.

I asked to be put on the pill because I have very irregular periods due to polycystic ovarian syndrome, and it was disconcerting to have to stress about being late - even though the polycystic thing is a pretty common cause for INfertility.

This is my first post, by the way... looks like a nice place you got here. ;-)

daydream

That's a good idea... it's always good to be extra protected. Hmmm maybe I'll do that too...

Oh and Ironchefrocks , if you are getting such strong mood swings from your pill and spotting... then that is probably a good indication that you are not taking the right pill for your body.... maybe you should talk to your doctor about switching to another pill. I take Yasmin and I find that I don't really experience any negative side effects. What are you taking?

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"Can't help it if I space in a daze, my eyes tune out the other way... I may switch off and go in a daydream... in this head my thoughts are deep, Sometimes I can't even speak, would someone be and not pretend, I'm off again in my world"

ironchefrocks

<b>daydream</b>

Thanks for the suggestion of trying a new pill. I am currently taking Demulen... My gynecologist said it's one of the better ones for helping polycystic ovaried patients. (Is ovaried a word?) I am due for my annual exam in a few months. If I don't start adjusting to my current medicines (I just had an increase in another medicine's dosage, so that could be part of the issue with the bleeding) I will ask them when I go for the annual exam.

Oh, also, to the lady who mentioned the 4-period a year pill, that's called Seasonale. You can also safely skip your periods by just continuing with active pills instead of having a placebo week. Of course talk to your doctor about that, and personally, my prescription plan won't allow me to do that, but it's an option to think about.