Rant about my birth control!

Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
I had the Implanon put in at the end of May and have had 4 flipping, long-ass periods since then (having one now in fact, on day 7!). Hardly a day has gone by where I am not spotting. Frankly, this is ridiculous and I'm calling the Gyno tomorrow to set up an appointment to have it removed. I understand there is an adjustment period, but this is crazy. I actually feel worse than before. I miss being horny! I miss feeling the need to breed and getting wet! I don't recommend this one. What's worse is I can't just stop taking it, it has to be cut out! Ugh!
07/11/2010
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Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
I had the Implanon put in at the end of May and have had 4 flipping, long-ass periods since then (having one now in fact, on day 7!). Hardly a day has gone by where I am not spotting. Frankly, this is ridiculous and I'm calling the Gyno tomorrow ... more
I had trouble with all kinds of birth control. There actually wasn't a single one that didn't give me troubles..and I tried I think every one except implants or IUDs. I tried the nuvaring, the patch, bunches of pills..and they all messed with my hormones so much. I'm shocked my husband even proposed to me when he did since I was on the depo provera shot then and as he will say that was my "frigid ice bitch" stage. I was always bitchy, never in the mood..it just sucked.
07/11/2010
Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
Same here, last 4 attempts at finding an effective method have failed and messed with my hormones big time. I was on the pill from age 17 to 26 and never had any problems, but after having children it all changed.
07/11/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
Same here, last 4 attempts at finding an effective method have failed and messed with my hormones big time. I was on the pill from age 17 to 26 and never had any problems, but after having children it all changed.
Yea it was the same for me. Before I had my daughter I had BC pills and they were fine. Then after her I met my now husband and I got on the shot and that messed me up ...after that it was all down him from there and I never found something that worked right, even when I tried the same pills that worked fine before having kids.

So, we ended up having two more kids and then my husband got a vasectomy. Best decision ever because otherwise I know we'd have had more kids( I get baby fever often but I really don't want anymore kids) and/or I'd be on horrible birth control that would be driving me slowly insane.
07/11/2010
Contributor: sarahbear sarahbear
My gyno told me that for the first month on a new BC anything goes. It usually takes about two months to adjust to the hormones. I had issues with several types of BC too, after having children. You may want to try to tough it out until your body adjusts to it because you'll probably have problems with anything hormonal until you do. =/
07/11/2010
Contributor: MnWolf MnWolf
With what you are describing, I would be more worried about an imbalance of some kind. The introduction of the hormones from the implant along with your own body is cause for concern. Your body should adjust to new B.C. in anywhere from 2 to 5 months, with the spoting you are having I would almost bet that your levels are through the roof.

Have you ever tried the paragaurd...? link for some reason the fake hormones in the implants have a way of going agaist some women, and I would say you just might be one of them.
07/11/2010
Contributor: PassionQT PassionQT
Never heard of paraguard, just Mirena, but my Doc advised against me using an IUD.

I suppose I could give it a few more months, but that would mean no good sex for perhaps another 2-3 months, and that would suck! Do I need to be on BC? No. My hubby had a vasectomy too, but my gyno and I thought it might help with my heavy periods in the long run. It's been almost nothing but one big heavy period since I started. That just seems odd to me.
07/11/2010
Contributor: MnWolf MnWolf
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
Never heard of paraguard, just Mirena, but my Doc advised against me using an IUD.

I suppose I could give it a few more months, but that would mean no good sex for perhaps another 2-3 months, and that would suck! Do I need to be on BC? No. ... more
It is, but then again with the implant or IUD that has hormones in them, they mess with too many women. I would stay away from Mirena, here is some info on it ok... link some of the information on this site is dated a little but there are a lot of women that that have had horrid problems with it, also I have a female friend that had it, and it was a nightmare, now not that this would happen to anyone or yourself but still the hormones in it is well....!

Hope this helps you out, as for the spoting problems, this is off the wall but have you ever looked at link this is only a possible help, but you do need to talk to the doc, your hormones and the ones in the implant have you all messed up.
07/11/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
No no no no no. That site collects bad stories about Mirena. It's propaganda bullshit.

Mirena has less hormones than actual birth control pills. I've had Mirena, so I actually know.

Paragard (no "u" in there) has just as many risks and problems associated with any other form of birth control, and is NOT recommended to women with heavy menstrual bleeding, because you bleed heavily for months after getting it inserted (and if you have any known metal allergies, it is not for you).

For ACTUAL INFORMATION that isn't biased, go to this Livejournal community.

The women there have gone through any situation you can think of and all have their own good and bad experiences with IUDs. I went here and was welcomed and found all the info I needed before deciding on Mirena. There are actual doctors and gynecologists on the site that can help you with any questions you have. I even went here after I had Mirena removed and their infor helped me choose the best BC I've had, NuvaRing.
07/12/2010
Contributor: MnWolf MnWolf
Quote:
Originally posted by Blinker
No no no no no. That site collects bad stories about Mirena. It's propaganda bullshit.

Mirena has less hormones than actual birth control pills. I've had Mirena, so I actually know.

Paragard (no "u" in there) has just ... more
Blinker,

Hey don't get me wrong, what needs to happen is the fact that the doctors tell you ladies everything that could happen while you are on X type of birth control, the fact that many of these new B.C. forms have only been around for a year or two without any real information on them is scary. As for your NuvaRing... check this out link . Scary side note on NuvaRing ... I know 4 girls that are 18 that got P.G. that started with the NuvaRing within 6 months of going on it.

You need the good points of the birth control method as well as the bad if your going to make any kind of decision of how your going to take care of Birth Control, and when looking at anything I would check at least 8 to 9 different sites, this is your body that will be exposed to these sythetic hormones and what ever else is in them... Not a good choice for someone that is wanting their sex life to be like it was before BirthControl.
07/12/2010
Contributor: sarahbear sarahbear
Quote:
Originally posted by MnWolf
Blinker,

Hey don't get me wrong, what needs to happen is the fact that the doctors tell you ladies everything that could happen while you are on X type of birth control, the fact that many of these new B.C. forms have only been around ... more
It really all depends on her body. Some women react negatively to hormones, some need them to help balance out their own. Most -good- OB/GYN do discuss all the options with their patients and talk to them about the risks vs. rewards of each type. But you've also got to be your own advocate and tell your doctor about what sort of issues you've been experiencing.

I'm currently on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and loving it. Since my daughter was born (almost 4 years ago), I have had hellacious peiods. Nothing for 3-4 months and then a 2 month long, very heavy, crampy, headachey, constantly exhausted, period. After running all the necessary tests, my OB/GYN put me on this pill (about 3 weeks now). He said give it two months and if I can't handle it we'll move on to the next option. I need the hormones because my own weren't doing what they were suppose to. For years, women have been taking BC pills to balance out their bodies hormones, not just for pregnancy prevention.

@PassionQT: Your body may even out over the next 2-3 months on the pill and your sex drive may come back. My OB/GYN told me that anything goes for the first month, and you've been on yours for 7 days. None of us on this forum are doctors and can only give you our experiences. My recommendation is to call your OB/GYN and tell her that you've been spotting since you started the pill and that you have lost your sex drive, both of which you are concerned about. Ask her what she thinks you should do.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by PassionQT
Never heard of paraguard, just Mirena, but my Doc advised against me using an IUD.

I suppose I could give it a few more months, but that would mean no good sex for perhaps another 2-3 months, and that would suck! Do I need to be on BC? No. ... more
How long did you have the heavy periods for? I had them for a while too and I was thinking of going on birth control but I was so afraid of the side effects and so I never did. Eventually they straightened themselves out, although I think it took about a year or so to do that. I also never had them so heavy that it caused any health concerns or anything..they were just the heaviest I had ever had in my life and I had horrible cramps for about 3 days every month with them. Of course everyone is different and some won't just regulate on their own like mine finally did.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by MnWolf
Blinker,

Hey don't get me wrong, what needs to happen is the fact that the doctors tell you ladies everything that could happen while you are on X type of birth control, the fact that many of these new B.C. forms have only been around ... more
No matter what BC you go on there is potential risks. And any good doctor will go over each and every side effect with you and also the amount of risk of each of those side effects.

But no matter what birth control you look into there will be a site filled with horror stories about it. Because they all have the potential, just like any medications does, to react negatively with the user. I don't think I've ever googled a medication and NOT come across a site with horrible information about what could happen to me if I use it. Some people are more susceptible to side effects and to hormones. I agree you should check out the medication before using it, no matter what it is but I would go for reputable MEDICAL sites to get the information.

As for the girls who got pregnant on nuvaring, likely they weren't using it correctly. As with any birth control it only works properly if it's used in exactly the right way.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I'm in the same boat as Alicia where every bc under the sun messes with me too much. And i was on low low doses. Reason why i was put on was due to having extremely bad cramps. I later found out after 2 years of being on birth control my cramps were basically 'internal blue balls' because I didn't have my first orgasm until 21. Now that I can finally orgasm thanks to the use of toys, my cramps are puny compared to years ago, so I ditched the pills. My libido is coming back, too, but sadly it's not the same as it once was.

Now I just worry that when I move in with my bf (if it happens) how to make sure I don't have any kids. Both of us don't really want kids and various places won't tie my tubes unless I DO have kids. It's all pretty crappy, he opted to be snipped, but I think he's too young for it.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by Envy
I'm in the same boat as Alicia where every bc under the sun messes with me too much. And i was on low low doses. Reason why i was put on was due to having extremely bad cramps. I later found out after 2 years of being on birth control my cramps ... more
Wow that really sucks as whether or not you want to have kids should be completely up to the individual. When my husband got his vas. he was only 25, the doctor did ask if he was sure, but since we had three kids he understood that we had our handsful as it was. But, I don't think he would have refused to do it if we didn't have kids.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
Quote:
Originally posted by Alicia
Wow that really sucks as whether or not you want to have kids should be completely up to the individual. When my husband got his vas. he was only 25, the doctor did ask if he was sure, but since we had three kids he understood that we had our ... more
Well I'm not sure if they would refuse my bf, but for NOW yes they would, he's only 19, lol. (I'll be the big 23 next month, haha.)

Thing is, my bf offered to have a vas because he knows the trouble women have with tubes being tied, plus it's a more intensive surgery. I just worry that it'll be botched or something on his end, and i do admit that if I have such a surgery regarding my tubes or uterus or whatever how it'll affect my hormones and my body.

I guess the good thing about a vas is that it can be reversed or they can harvest the sperm if we decide on kids later down the line, right?
07/12/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by Envy
Well I'm not sure if they would refuse my bf, but for NOW yes they would, he's only 19, lol. (I'll be the big 23 next month, haha.)

Thing is, my bf offered to have a vas because he knows the trouble women have with tubes being ... more
Well, the reversal is pretty hard apparently. I looked into it a few years ago when I had mad baby fever and the success rate of a reversal goes down the longer that it's been since it was done. I believe they can still harvest the sperm though, I just don't know how expensive that is and/or the success rate with that either. Even the vasectomy reversal is incredibly expensive.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
Quote:
Originally posted by Alicia
Well, the reversal is pretty hard apparently. I looked into it a few years ago when I had mad baby fever and the success rate of a reversal goes down the longer that it's been since it was done. I believe they can still harvest the sperm ... more
Ah makes sense. Well we shall see how things go. To me it's not important, and it'll be a long while before we could ever be together and be stable in a place. That is if all goes well. It sucks living on the other side of the country from each other.

I just really worry about accidents really, but I know my dad would NOT be thrilled, but then again, he doesn't really like children anyway.
07/12/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
Quote:
Originally posted by Alicia
No matter what BC you go on there is potential risks. And any good doctor will go over each and every side effect with you and also the amount of risk of each of those side effects.

But no matter what birth control you look into there will be ... more
That's what I hated about the Pill. I got pregnant on the Pill because for a few days I had taken it at slightly different times because I was on vacation in FL and it slipped my mind. After one night with a guy, I freaked out and took the Plan B pill and that pregnancy turned ectopic and was just horrible. You really have to be diligent with all types of birth control, which is why the ring is easier for me...hell, I've left my Ring in for a week longer than I should have and it's fine. You're not uspposed to do it all the time, but still. I didn't get sick or anything
07/12/2010
Contributor: Blinker Blinker
Quote:
Originally posted by MnWolf
Blinker,

Hey don't get me wrong, what needs to happen is the fact that the doctors tell you ladies everything that could happen while you are on X type of birth control, the fact that many of these new B.C. forms have only been around ... more
The birth control products available now have been around for years. The IUDs are getting more press now that they have been but the technology has been around since the 70s. No form of birth control hits the market without rigorous testing and screening.

I arm myself with the pros and cons of each medication I take when I discuss them with my doctors. I agree that a lot of women need to be more informed about their choices and the negative side effects, but a LOT of web sites JUST mention the bad parts, instead of good parts. You need a balance. It's like watching the news. You gonna watch FOX News to hear EVERY side of a story? Hell, no! You gotta watch a variety of channels and read plenty of news articles before you can have an INFORMED opinion on any news story. Same goes for birth control.

07/12/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Alicia
I had trouble with all kinds of birth control. There actually wasn't a single one that didn't give me troubles..and I tried I think every one except implants or IUDs. I tried the nuvaring, the patch, bunches of pills..and they all messed ... more
I had the same experience from Depo Provera. Sex drive gone (I mean I didn't even THINK about sex, how can hormones, which are SUPPOSED TO BE so similar to the ones your own body makes, make you SO different from who you are. The "Inserts" don't say MANY of the very common side effects of things like Depo and the implants and the hormone containing IUDs. WHO would knowingly use a drug that would cause them to gain 50 lbs and lose their sex drive? No one, yet so many of us, even those of us who were educated "in the system" and told to ignore "complainers" do so OURSELVES, based on false information. We only learn the truth when ourselves or someone close to us has these symptoms, and then we realize all those other women weren't lying or exaggerating.

I'm almost always a little sex machine and on Depo, I just FORGOT I liked sex. My Man asked me one day, "WTF, are we like brother and sister, now?" and I had NO IDEA what he was talking about. Turns out we hadn't had sex in over a week (and I hadn't really participated, evidently when we did do it) and I HADN'T NOTICED. This stuff is EVIL, and I wonder, which the Anti-Sex-Drive and the Depression and the 40 lb+ weight gain if some of these drugs are simply "anti-women" drugs. I'm serious. Any drug that did anything even CLOSE TO this to a man would NEVER be approved by the FDA. Which is why we don't see any hormonal BC for men. The FDA is run by horny old men, and naturally frigid women, many of whom think little of women (I'm a nurse, I KNOW how some Ego Driven old man and sexless women doctors think) and DON'T care if they ruin our lives with their poisons. UG.

I've actually heard doctors, after a young woman, particularly a minority young woman, has just had a baby, just SALIVATING to get her on something like Depo. I truly feel it's a way of controlling the Poor.

I hope you don't think I'm crazy for saying this, but after experiencing some of the side effects of "long term" methods like Depo, and hearing stories from patients about other hormonal BC methods (many of which make the smaller decrease in the Pill look not so bad, although it still is for so many women) I think MANY "treat it and leave it" BC methods ARE ways of controlling not only women's fertility, but ensuring her sex drive and attractiveness is "controlled" as well. You wouldn't believe some of the comments I've heard in OB offices, after a minority woman gives birth to a child.

It's sick, ladies and gentleman, it's sick.

Your mileage may vary.
07/13/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I had the same experience from Depo Provera. Sex drive gone (I mean I didn't even THINK about sex, how can hormones, which are SUPPOSED TO BE so similar to the ones your own body makes, make you SO different from who you are. The ... more
I've actually heard that Depo-Provera is used to chemically castrate some sex offenders. I don't know if it's true or not, but there is quite a few articles if you google it.
07/13/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by Alicia
I've actually heard that Depo-Provera is used to chemically castrate some sex offenders. I don't know if it's true or not, but there is quite a few articles if you google it.
Yep. Depo is used for this very thing. (Although many sex offenders have more going on than "sex drive" and many can and still will offend while under Depo. It's a fucked up system.)

And then they tell women "It won't have an impact on your sex drive unless you LET IT." Putting the onus on the patient and making her think there is something wrong with her when she loses her drive.

One of the docs I worked with gave me my Depo after surgery for Endometriosis (and after basically a fight, because I refused to consent to a hysterectomy, I was in my early 30s) told me that I might gain "4 or 5 lbs." When I called him 3 days after the first shot and told him I had ALREADY gained 12 lbs, he blamed the antidepressant I had been on for 10 years and had NEVER gained an once on. After a year and then some on this drug, I quit both the drug and his LYING ass employment.
07/13/2010
Contributor: sarahbear sarahbear
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I had the same experience from Depo Provera. Sex drive gone (I mean I didn't even THINK about sex, how can hormones, which are SUPPOSED TO BE so similar to the ones your own body makes, make you SO different from who you are. The ... more
I don't think that it was intentionally designed to have such bad side effects. I think it's just far easier to have those methods fail because they're designed to slowly release the hormones into your body. Similar to pain patches, which have been recalled due to faults that caused them to kill people when too much medication was released into the wearers body.
07/13/2010
Contributor: Alicia Alicia
Quote:
Originally posted by sarahbear
I don't think that it was intentionally designed to have such bad side effects. I think it's just far easier to have those methods fail because they're designed to slowly release the hormones into your body. Similar to pain patches, which ... more
I have to agree on most BC. But with depo, if it's used to chemical castrate people they might want to take it off the market as a BC option.
07/13/2010
Contributor: MnWolf MnWolf
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I had the same experience from Depo Provera. Sex drive gone (I mean I didn't even THINK about sex, how can hormones, which are SUPPOSED TO BE so similar to the ones your own body makes, make you SO different from who you are. The ... more
P & Blinker,

Guys or well Ladies.... This is what I guess I was getting at in a round about way, the way that when ever a new BirthControl comes on the market, Doctors.... Namely the OB/GYNS do get a kick back from the company that marketed and made that B.C.!

The Docotors don't want to push anything that requires minimum consumption by the consumer, as there isn't much possibilities of profit from it. The pill has been around a long time and is popular but to combat the fact that it has to be taken everyday they come up with others and then charge outragious prices for it. On top of that new idea's... The shot, the implant, the ring, most of them are given with out the doctor doing more then asking the women the basic questions about her monthly flow. When was the last time that a doctor ordered a blood test to see where your hormone levels were sitting ladies....? Or... how many doctors request a follow up test to see where the levels are sitting after 3 months or 6 months or X months..?

Now I know I am not female, and I don't have to deal with all the problems that go along with that time of the month, but females are ment to bleed once a month, I don't doubt that it's a pain in the ass... Even though I don't have the physical problems of it, I put up with it just the same every month from the various females that are in my life.

I would just error on the side of caution in anything that is putting sythetic anything into ones body.
07/13/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by sarahbear
I don't think that it was intentionally designed to have such bad side effects. I think it's just far easier to have those methods fail because they're designed to slowly release the hormones into your body. Similar to pain patches, which ... more
I don't think they WERE designed for this, but it does appear that they are sometimes USED for this, particularly stuff like Depo Provera on the Minority Mother Population. (but they were FDA approved with these side effects being WELL KNOWN, which has not yet happened to ANY of the half dozen or so male BC presented to the FDA. ANY side effects almost immediately cause male hormonal BC to be pushed off the FDA approval table.) I've seen it pushed on African American and Latina new mothers MUCH harder than it ever is on white mothers.

There is a "keep 'em from breeding." idea among SOME, but of course, not all doctors. And you'd be surprised how many who feel this way are white female doctors. A LOT.
07/13/2010
Contributor: El-Jaro El-Jaro
Quote:
Originally posted by P'Gell
I don't think they WERE designed for this, but it does appear that they are sometimes USED for this, particularly stuff like Depo Provera on the Minority Mother Population. (but they were FDA approved with these side effects being WELL KNOWN, ... more
more people --> job security

I can't wait for that male BC to come on the market!
07/13/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by MnWolf
P & Blinker,

Guys or well Ladies.... This is what I guess I was getting at in a round about way, the way that when ever a new BirthControl comes on the market, Doctors.... Namely the OB/GYNS do get a kick back from the company that ... more
You are damn right, Mn Wolf. New drugs always get pushed, older drugs (often with proven safety records) get shelved, as there is no incentive to push them, from less than scurpulous doctors. (Older drugs are not only cheaper, but have generic equivalents, which the Big Pharma hates more than ANYTHING. They want to own the rights to these drugs FOREVER! $$$ ) Now that it is illegal to put drug names on pens, mugs, note pads, sign in back sheets etc, we'll see it more doctors don't go back to the tried and true. But, yes, many drug companies will take doctors on cruises, give them weeks in Vegas, bought them cars etc. In one particularly infamous case, a formula company took a group of Pediatricians to Hawaii for 10 days, if they would tell their patients that their formula was better than not only the other formulea, but better than breastmilk. They CAN'T put that on the data sheets, but they CAN hint at doctors and nurses to tell patients this.
07/13/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Quote:
Originally posted by El-Jaro
more people --> job security

I can't wait for that male BC to come on the market!
You're right, Mr. Sauce. Job security is one thing, also racism plays into this, as does ageism. Younger women are more likely to be pushed into using the more dangerous drugs, with the thought, "She shouldn't be having sex at her age, anyway." (Actually had a Urologist TELL me this, when I was 21 and sexually active. He told me if I "waited until I was married" to have sex, I wouldn't get so many UTIs. I asked him how the marriage certificate would kill bacteria, and he didn't find it funny.)

As for male BC, you'll most likely have a long wait. ANY side effects put even somewhat safe male BC drugs on the "Off" list. You can just see the old men on the FDA board clutching their balls, and vetoing any further studies on many of these drugs, which if similar side effect occurred in women, the drug would be passed in a few weeks. Don't believe the "It's easier to stop ONE egg than millions of sperm." It simply isn't true, what causes the production of millions of sperm is NO more complicated, hormonally, than what is necessary to cause ONE egg to ripen and be released. It CAN be done. That is just code for "doctors don't WANT to take hormonal BC themselves if there are ANY side effects."
07/13/2010