I used to be all for it but now I'm starting to believe it does a lot more harm than good.

I started taking it when I was fifteen and I believe I've experienced a sort of delayed puberty, if you will. Since I've stopped taking it my body is wigging out and it's like I'm 13 again. Breasts size fluctuates more than ever, my face is breaking out but my periods are ace and my mood swings have stopped.

I was on the pill from the time I was 12 until a few months ago. I did stop taking it during my pregnancies and to get pregnant, but pretty much relied solely on the pill. I switched to the Patch recently. I have to say, I LOVE my patch. It's working out so well for me. I don't get any of the side effects I had with the pill. I don't even notice it's there except for some itching were the patch is. I use to get sick from the pill for about 3 months from starting it, but I didn't even get that with the patch. I do get a little square rash from the patch, but that's is mostly because you wear it for 7 days at a time. If you did that with anything you would have a rash. I really love my patch and happy I made the switch.

I started the pill when I was 19 and stopped when I was 25. I liked how it worked, but I started to have some odd side effects from it - including having my hair fall out. Not something I was willing to deal with. My hair came back just fine once I stopped, but I didn't notice any other changes other than horrible periods returning after a few months.

I personally haven't experienced any side effects with the pill but I've been on it since I was 13.

There are a lot of risks and with my family health, my doctor made me get off of it after 10 years.

Bad for me, got pregnant with one of them and I got dang near suicidal on one of them, BAD BAD BAD. But I did like to know when I was going to get my periods

I've been on it since I was a few months shy of 15. As far as I know, I haven't had any problems. I never gained weight or had any of the other things happen that people have mentioned here. I've been on different ones because I started to have spotting and needed an increase. Some people think my migraines are caused by it but I have been on the pill for YEARS and I just started getting migraines 3 or 4 years ago.
I tried the shot and had a period for almost 2 months! They told me that would stop but I wasn't going to wait any longer for it to work right. I don't trust the NuvaRing and I don't want a patch on me all the time.
I found something that works for me so I'm going to stick to it until I have a child and then I will look into Mirena or something similar.

I started birth control when I was 18. Everything was fine and dandy for about 3 years but I gained a lot of weight on it. I've always been fat but after being on the pill (also, making unhealthy choices!) I gained weight and my blood pressure was sky high. I'm not sure if it was just me, the pill, or a combination of both.

They took me off of regular bc and put me on the mini-pill instead. I have to work out and eat healthier and try to lose weight. It's tough. This pill is less effective and wears off every 24 hours so taking it on time every single night is abolsutely necessary! My period is all screwed up now. Sometimes I don't even have one at all or I'll spot for a day here and there. I feel pms cramps/soreness at random days through the month. It's not bad but it's annoying that it's not like clockwork like it was before. It gets pretty random. =/

I am not crazy about the mood swings that occurred when I started my latest pill. Everyone close to me wanted me to go off of it because I was so upsetting.

I have never had issues with the Pill. In fact, I am taking it now to fix an issue I have dealt with for some time. I have had ovarian cysts. I also had erratic periods with no periods at all for at least two years before I started taking the Pill. I had acne, excess body hair, and my vagina was dry. Sex was painful, and I would bleed even if I used lube. The Pill restored me to normal.

Like Yaoi Pervette, the Pill gave me my life back. I've been on various formulations for the past 16-17 years, and I would not be able to function without it. I'm currently on continuous birth control and it is even better for me than the "normal" pill.

I've never had any bad reactions or side effects, in fact I plan to stay on it as long as I possibly can.