I would like to know about your experience taking estrogen-based birth control pills. I filled a script (I got Ortho Evra) for the first time in my life today (I am 36). I have always been against taking them..and I am still on the fence about actually taking them because of all the side effects (stroke being the main concern, slight concern is decreased libido). I was all gung-ho to start the packet on Sunday after doing a ton of research, deciding that the risk was minimal...then this very night I was talking to my friend about it and he shared that his girlfriend, who I also know, had a stroke when she was 18 from the very first packet she started..and had to spend years in rehab and therapy because of it. (we are all in our 30s now)Thank you in advance for sharing your experiences.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experiences. I was going crazy reading statistics and really needed to hear some personal tales. I am over 35, smoke occasionally, and was just diagnosed with preterm diabetes...plus my own father died of a stroke when I was only 22...so the odds are stacked against me, I think. What I find most interesting is that my doctor would still be open to prescribing them to me knowing all this information! So that sent a totally confusing message! I have always been a fan of condoms and spermicide..or abstinence (I have abstained from sex for 6 years now, ladies) but I would like to be able to be without condoms in the future. I am going to really investigate the whole natural family planning route in further detail. Thank you again!
Oh..and I just wanted to add..the stats right now are 9 out of every 100,000 women have a birth control related debilitating/deadly stroke every year..and it doubles with each risk factor, like being over 35, family history of stroke, diabetes, and smoking...so my personal risk factor is actually 288 out of 100,000. While to some that may seem like a low number, to me it seems very realistic and scary. My neighborhood alone in the city I live in has a population of almost 10,000..so that is like 29 people in my neighborhood having a stroke....ugh! I know I should stop crunching numbers..but it comforts me to do so, believe it or not!:)
And about the implantation topic..I did some further research..the hormone pill works in two ways..first, it is supposed to keep the ovaries from releasing an egg..and then second it is supposed to thin the lining of the cervix so that implantation will not take place, should the ovaries release the egg anyways. So both understandings are actually correct, in my opinion. I do have a moral thing against preventing implantation of a fertilized egg too...:/
Extremely low libido, infections, mood swings, weight gain and depression. Let's just say it was 100% effective b/c there was no intimacy at all. My Dr. told me he could lower the dose, but it would no longer be effective and I would have to use condoms anyways. Plain ole condoms and spermicide has worked just fine for us for 5 years.
The only hormonal birth control I have been on is the depo shot and:
I gained 40 pounds.
I ate everything not nailed down.
I cried all the time, I mean at everything from guitar music to commercials for Halmark and the United Negro College Fund. The college fund one is still a tear jerker but guitars? For real?
I was, in short, a nut job...a big ole hungry nut job.
Birth control pills have always killed my sex drive.
I'm guessing the girl who had the stroke at 18 has an thrombophilia genetic issue that makes her more prone to clotting. It is not something that can be diagnosed without running a battery of genetic testing and the only time I know that a doc will run the test is if you or close family member have had a blood clot. Your risk of clots will be slightly higher than average also because you are over 35. Do not take it if you are a smoker.
I never took the pill because it doesn't prevent conception, it just prevents implantation, and to me, that was morally unacceptable.
Here's a source to verify the fact that often the pill does not prevent ovulation: http://www.pfli.org/faq_oc.html
I also remember reading somewhere that the pill contains carcinogens and is possibly linked to breast cancer. Here's some documentation:
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/oral-co...
I'd recommend reading "Taking Charge of your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. You're only fertile for about 5 days a month, and using the fertility awareness method, you can easily determine when those days are. We used that method both to avoid and acheive pregnancy.
I had a severe loss of libido plus rage. I went off the pill in December because I was tired of always having to force myself to have sex with my husband and I was so mad all of the time.
In the days when I took "the pill" nothing was known about it. I had hypothyroid disease. It had been diagnosed but nothing was being done about it. I took the pill and it gave me normal fertility and so I birthed a daughter.
The next time I took the pill I also got pregnant. After that it was not my method.
Don't take them! I am 30 years old and am active and healthy. I do not smoke. I have been taking birthcontrol pills off and on since I was a teenager, most recently for about a year. 6 weeks ago I had a pulmonary embolism. Yeah the chances are small, but it does happen to people and it did happen to me. A lot of people die from this and I feel lucky to be here today to be able to tell you it is not worth the risk.
I have never actually taken the Pill. But I was on Depo for a little while.
I hated it!
I had Constant headaches, literally all day, every day. I gained about 15-20lbs with OUT changing my diet or the amount of exercise I did. I used to walk 6-10miles a day.
I had NO libido. I had Bad acne, which was really annoying because I never had it before getting that shot.
I stopped getting the shot. I couldn't stand the hormones.
So now, after 2 kids, I decided to get The Paraguard IUD. No hormones for me Thank you.
So far from this IUD, only side effect I have had (after a year) Is heavy periods. And those have lessened also.
I suffered from candida for years. I tried EVERYTHING, and saw several doctors. The last one, after he'd tried many other treatments mentioned that it could be due to the Pill. I haven't been on it since, and the candida went away (except when I'm on antibiotics).
I was on the Pill off and on for several years. It took finding the right pill though. I disagree with a previous poster, my understanding is that you don't ovulate on the pill, so it would prevent conception. the risks are minimal if you are a non smoker, and recent studies have shown it helps prevent breast cancer. You may have to try a few varieties to find what works best for you, but once I found the right one, I have much lighter periods and acne.
I have two "pill babies". The doctor's don't tell you if you miss a pill or take it late, it takes 7 days to build back up in your system. I didn't miss a period to know I was pregnant the first time until 5 months later and the second child took 2 months before I missed a period.
I got on Norplant after the pill and was on it for 10 years...no pregnancies and the only problems I had was when they took them out of my arm.
I got on Depo in 2006 and gained weight (much needed). Mood swings were horrible..Doctor said it was due to smoking having an effect on the Depo. I cut down smoking and found the swings lessened. I never had a period and sex wasn't even a thought the entire time. I got really bad pains this time last year and they were talking about a hysterectomy because my pelvic veins were strangling my ovaries and I had recurring ovarian cysts. I was put on Vicodin to "tide me over" until I made my decision, but I could not get the surgery due to college, work, and lack of help with my daughter. This past May I decided not to get the next shot....pains went away, sex drive came back, moods are still a little off, and I haven't had a period yet.
I only took the pill for the first year of my marriage (9yrs. ago).
It killed my libido.
And I gained weight that year...
- I get pregnant on hormonal BC (EASILY)
- I get a hormone triggered gynecological cancer from hormonal BC (and pregnancy). It was pretty slow acting while on the pill, pregnancy is when my whole system went haywire/ super fast acting
((AKA I'm not allowed any form of hormonal birth control ; pills/ patches/ rings/ shots/ lollypops/ whatever. Medically disallowed. So I have a copper IUD.))
- INCREASED libido (big time)
- Really erratic periods. Sometimes only 2 or 3 per year, sometimes as many as 8 or 10. Never know. But I'd skip months in a row, all the time.
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All the other women in my family who are sexually active are on the pill/patch/ring/whatever with no problems whatsoever.
I'm 40 and have been on the pill pretty much nonstop since I was 18, except for immediately pre- and post-baby. No problems at all. In fact, when I go off the pill I have very heavy periods, and have to be on it to make them lighter.
Stroke risk increases dramatically if you're a smoker, and the pill is a very effective birth control method if you take it as prescribed (at the same time EVERY day). My guess is most of the women who have gotten pg on the pill didn't take it regularly.
I was on the pill for over 10 years from age 18 until I was ready to have kids. Not a single problem here. Cleared up my acne, took away all period symptoms, and had lighter periods. All in all, a great experience.
I was on the pill for many years, no problem. The only side effect that I noticed was lighter periods, which was fine with me.
Stroke risk is very very low, especially if you do not smoke - but of course not non-existant. The risk is higher if you are a smoker.
I am currently on my 2nd month of Fe24 Loestrin. Definitely at the beginning of each pack I had some severe headaches. But, my acne is going away....and hopefully the headaches will go away, too.
Prior to this I was on nothing. But I felt bad because DH had to use condoms and it was difficult for him. I think they feel awful and we tried a few brands, plus lube.
I was also on the Paragard for a number of years. I gave that up because of the heavy periods. I was anemic...so that they had to go. If it weren't for the heavy periods, it would have been the best option.
I don't like anything with hormones in my body because I have Hashimoto's Thyroid...
I have been fortunate enough to not have any major side effects from taking the pill (I was on it for many years before stopping to get pregnant with my daughter) The only side effect that I ever feel that I 'suffered' from is a decreased libido. I noticed that it did come back after about 2-3 months of being off of the pill but while on it I had a hard time being the one to initiate the deed. If you are a smoker I would suggest finding a non hormonal type of BC because that increase your chance of blood clots and other major side effects especially after the age of 35
Good Luck
I was never able to take the pill. It make me so depressed to the point of suicidal.
I had taken the Depo shot before having my 2nd and 3rd babies. Then after getting divorced I went back on it. Then I had a reaction to it and I was bleeding so bad and became dizzy... they tried to counter act it with the pill that made it worse. One day I became so weak and dizzy my mom rushed me to the ER. I had to have a D&C and a small blood transfusion due to the amount of blood I lost.
Then after #4 &5 I went back on my copper IUD ( before them I had it for 3 years with no problems) after a year being on it I got really sick and other problems. They did all kinds of testings... even for cancer. Finally after a month of tests they found out I had copper poisoning. Had the IUD removed and my body regulated itself out.
After that I just got my tubes tied since we knew we were done... before that I didn't want the "finality" of being done.
I know that doesn't answer your ? about the pill... but that's my experince with birth control.
I have been on yasmin for almost ten years, that stroke must have had other factors hun.
