Birth Control Patch

[ammayernyc]

Hi all.

I''''ve recently been having extreme trouble swallowing pills (to the point where I have to chew those tiny bc pills) so I''''m considering going on the patch. As far as I know, the risks are the same as the pill and I''''ve never had any troubles.

Is anyone on the patch now or has tried it and not liked it?

I''''m looking for detailed experiences...

Thanks much!

 

[vizsla]

hi!
i was on it for about a year... and thought i loved it.. then i started reading more research.... and was noticing that i was having terriable mood swings.... typically i''m not that sensitive to b.c. like some people so this was completely out of my character.

also.. the patch keeps you on the same dose all month long, in lieu of stepping down gradually as the month goes on like a lo-dose pill....

personally, from what i''ve read lo-dose is the way to go.... but i also must say that i loved being on the patch... (before any of my unfortunate mood swings) some of my friends hated it.. but i loved it.. espically because my bf could see it so he always knew that we were safe... i still find it''s hard to remember to take a pill everyday... he''s a good reminder

good luck...

 

[FacetFire]

One of my close friends was on the patch a few years ago. She hated it. She told me that the thing used to gradually slide down and leave a sticky residue that fuzz from her clothes would stick to and get all nasty. She also had some pretty bad side effects - like being crankier/moodier than normal and her sex drive decreased. She went off of it.

Another of my friends, though, recently went on that new NuvaRing, or whatever it''s called. It''s the insertable ring. She really likes it so far. No pills to remember and she claims she can''t feel it. That''s all she told me about it so far. I''m pretty good about the BCPs, so I''ve never had a really desire to switch, but I think I''d probably look into the ring first based on what my friends have said. One gained a lot of weight on the injection and lost it as soon as she stopped, so I wouldn''t consider that either.

I hope this helped at all...

 

[ammayernyc]

Date: 7/24/2006 5:54:52 PM
Author: FacetFire
One of my close friends was on the patch a few years ago. She hated it. She told me that the thing used to gradually slide down and leave a sticky residue that fuzz from her clothes would stick to and get all nasty. She also had some pretty bad side effects - like being crankier/moodier than normal and her sex drive decreased. She went off of it.

Another of my friends, though, recently went on that new NuvaRing, or whatever it''s called. It''s the insertable ring. She really likes it so far. No pills to remember and she claims she can''t feel it. That''s all she told me about it so far. I''m pretty good about the BCPs, so I''ve never had a really desire to switch, but I think I''d probably look into the ring first based on what my friends have said. One gained a lot of weight on the injection and lost it as soon as she stopped, so I wouldn''t consider that either.

I hope this helped at all...

Ahh... I never thought about the ring. Thanks for bringing it up.
I''m not happy about possibly going off the the bcp. I''ve been on it for almost 15 years with no problems whatsoever. It''s just this swallowing thing... driving me crazy and I don''t know what to do to help it!

 

[ephemery1]

I'm another Nuvaring fan... I never remembered to take my BC pills at the same time every day, so I'd spend the whole month freaking out until I finally got my period again. With the NR, I don't even have to think about it. Without getting too graphic, I don't feel it at all and I've never had one come out accidentally, after more than 2 years of use. If you think it might work better for you than the pill, it's definitely worth asking your doctor about it!

ETA: I knew somebody who began having swallowing issues and kept being told they were psychological. Eventually he was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia... might be something to look into...

 

[AmberWaves]

I''ve read studies that the BC patch makes women 3 times likelier to have a stroke, and blood clots than users of the pill. Just something to think about. Also, I don''t think you''re supposed to chew the BC pill, because it''s supposed to dissolve into your system slowly, and chewing may make it dissolve faster. You should call your gyno. I''m on the pill, and I''ve been taking it for so long, I don''t even think about swallowing it anymore. I don''t even need a liquid to do it. I guess when you''ve done it for like, a decade it''s second nature.

 

[ammayernyc]

Date: 7/24/2006 6:16:44 PM
Author: AmberWaves
I''ve read studies that the BC patch makes women 3 times likelier to have a stroke, and blood clots than users of the pill. Just something to think about. Also, I don''t think you''re supposed to chew the BC pill, because it''s supposed to dissolve into your system slowly, and chewing may make it dissolve faster. You should call your gyno. I''m on the pill, and I''ve been taking it for so long, I don''t even think about swallowing it anymore. I don''t even need a liquid to do it. I guess when you''ve done it for like, a decade it''s second nature.

I''ve been on it for 15 years, and still the chewing...
It''s a weird thing. My throat just closes... I can''t swallow any pills.
I''m planning on calling my doctor this week to figure out what my options are. Ugh, so frustrating!

 

[galeteia]

I''m also someone who has trouble swallowing pills.

I''ve found a method that works well for me: use a thick juice like tomato or prune juice. Orange or grapefruit (or anything with citrus) doesn''t work well, because it''s too acidic and doesn''t have the same coating effect like the tomato or prune. Milk wouldn''t be thick enough, but eggnogg would work. So would thicker soyamilks. Vegetable juice would be fine, too.

Take a large sip, and hold the juice in your mouth, tip your head back a bit, and slip the pill in. Then swallow: juice, pill, and all. Works like a charm.

Hope that helps!

 

[ammayernyc]

Date: 7/24/2006 6:24:52 PM
Author: Galateia
I''m also someone who has trouble swallowing pills.

I''ve found a method that works well for me: use a thick juice like tomato or prune juice. Orange or grapefruit (or anything with citrus) doesn''t work well, because it''s too acidic and doesn''t have the same coating effect like the tomato or prune. Milk wouldn''t be thick enough, but eggnogg would work. So would thicker soyamilks. Vegetable juice would be fine, too.

Take a large sip, and hold the juice in your mouth, tip your head back a bit, and slip the pill in. Then swallow: juice, pill, and all. Works like a charm.

Hope that helps!

Thanks for the tips. I''ve tried everything. Thick liquids, applesauce, tilting, jumping, massaging my throat... nothing works.
My throat just closes knowing that I have a pill in my mouth. It''s odd.
Maybe I''ll try without anything though... who knows, that might work.

 

[scarlet16]

Hi-

A friend of mine was on the patch and HATED it because it would peel off before it was supposed to. Now she''s on the NuvaRing and is more of a fan of that. She had previously been on the shot but came off of it b/c she was starting to get some bone loss.

I''m currently on the shot and LOVE IT. Although the first 6 months are annoying b/c of breakthrough bleeding, your period stops after that point (or at least it did for me, and does for most - and is COMPELTLEY normal/healthy). As for gaining weight on it, I wouldn''t be concerned so long as you work out regularly and eat fairly healthy. I honestly think this is the BEST birth control ever. I''ve been on this for 6 years now and have had no issues - I recently had my own bone density test and was told I had NO bone loss (but I also am good about getting enought calcium). HTH!!

 

[Girlrocks]

I was on the patch for about 4 months last year (October thru January) and HATED it! After taking the pill for 15 years, I was having problems the last 2-3 years or so with spotting so my OBGYN suggested the patch. First of all, I was very sensitive to the adhesive and would sometimes get a rash around the patch. Also, by the end of the week the ends would be pulling off and it would get snagged on my cloths, etc. I had horrible mood swings and depression...so bad that I even conteplated hurting myself. I was crying all of the time and very neurotic about myself or my kids getting sick and dying...it was terrible! My husband was the one who finally said I needed to call my Dr. because something was wrong. I stopped taking it and within 1 month, I was back to normal again. I also had worse spotting on the patch than I ever did on the pill. And migraines all month long as opposed to just during my period normally. The research does say that the hormone dose in the patch is higher than the pill so you are at more risk for blood clots and stroke than on the pill. I know some people are fine on it but for me, it was terrible.

 

[dani13]

Practitioners are not giving out the patch really anymore...it has been linked to increased incidence of DVT'S (blood clots in the lower extremities) which inevitably could cause a stroke...we are guessing that it will be pulled off the market soon...if you are really opposed to taking a pill everyday, then I would definitely suggest the Nuvaring- patients love it, it is easy to use, and as of now offers the lowest dose of hormones on the market, which = less side effects, especially since it is a local release of the medication...

 

[basil]

The patch has a slightly higher risk of blood clots, heart attacks and strokes. It is 3x the risk of the pill, but it's not as bad as it sounds because it's a very rare event in the first place.

That said, I really like the nuvaring. Supposedly, it's more of a local hormonal effect as opposed to a systemic one. It's the only birth control I've ever been on, but I knew I wasn't going to be good at taking the pill. I haven't had any side effects, I can't feel it at all, and it's no more difficult to insert than a tampon. And I only have to think about it once a month.

ETA: I also really like how it's totally hidden. I was worried it would be awkward if my mom/dad/grandmother/etc saw the patch somehow, and I was worried about hiding the pill and taking it while traveling. This avoids those issues.

 

[aussiegirl23]

AmandaPanda,

I don''t know anything about the patch, but here''s my .02 about swallowing pills...

I was having a lot of trouble swallowing multivitamins (i.e. horse pills)... I just kept gagging, couldn''t swallow, no matter what I tried.

A friend of work suggested buying a pack of M&M''s and trying this. You put one in your mouth, just suck on it until the outside coating is melted and gone... then try swallowing.

Somehow this is much less scary than a pill (at least it was for me, and a few other people I''ve heard it worked for)... you know it''s food, it melts super quick if you don''t immediately swallow it, and it tastes yummy if it isn''t instantly swallowed. Also, the melting-chocolate texture is one that slides down your throat very easily.

Try this for a bit, then try your pills again. I know this sounds like madness, but at least give it a shot. I was amazed myself.

Hope this helps!

Aussiegirl : p

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I did not read the replies so someone might have mentioned this but there have been documented cases of the patch causing young women to have strokes. I went off of it when I found this out.

 

[galeteia]

Everyone I''ve known who got the shot all had huge weight gain problems, and one friend went to the doctor about it, who told her there was no point in trying to eat/work the weight off; it would stay as long as she was on the shot no matter what she did.

 

[Sparkster]

Have you thought about Implanon? It''s an implant that is inserted in the inner upper arm which releases progesterone for up to three years. I do not know anything about it but your doctor can advise.

 

[divergrrl]

Can you take huge gulps of water or a thick juice (like orange juice) to get it down? Or crush it and stick in OJ.

My friend had the patch & her DH called the day she stuck the patch on "psycho sundays". There are some new IUDs around (one has no hormones) that work really well.

Jeannine

 

[JCJD]

I was on the patch for 6 or 7 months and loved it.... until I had a headache that lasted 2 days (I don''t get headaches like that). My GYN decided it was too risky to keep me on the patch so I switched that week to pills. I never had problems with the patch coming off too soon, if anything the edges would peel up a bit, but nothing more than that. It also made me lose weight, although wedding planning stress contributed to that as well.

Concerning the 3x risk of blood clots, the risk for pill users is 3 in 10,000 (non-fatal blood clots) and for the patch, 12 in 10,000. For fatal blood clots: pill - 1 in 200,000; patch - 3 in 200,000 (http://www.epigee.org/guide/problems_patch.html). So in the grand scheme of things the risk is still low, just higher for patch users. My gyno said the amount of hormones administered in the patch is much lower than that used in the original pills 40 years ago (it''s in the same range as today''s pills), but it seems that administering the hormones directly into the blood stream is what causes the problems. My question is why the NuvaRing doesn''t seem to have the same problems as the Patch - the hormones are going directly into the blood stream there too, right?

 

[ammayernyc]

Thank you all for such great input.
A question about the nuvaring -- do you just put it in once a month... or do you put a new one in every week and just leave one out during your period week? Can you skip your period on it?
I, of course, will be asking my doctor these questions as well, but I''m curious to see what you guys know.

Also, this might be TMI, but is there any chance of it coming out during sex? I know people have said they don''t feel it, but what about your SO? Again, sorry if that''s TMI...

 

[SoonIHope]

Another Nuvaring fan here! I''m not sure why this is true, but I have heard that the increased risks for the patch do NOT apply to Nuvaring. I don''t have any statistics or anything to back that up, but I remember that being one of my factors to take into account. I like Nuvaring for the same reasons basil & ephemery do - much easier to keep track of, never notice it when it''s there, I''ve never had it slip out or anything, much more private when travelling etc. Also, I really can''t take pills either.

So I entirely sympathize! Every so often I decide I have to get good at it, and I manage to take a few (or tic tacs or something if I''m just practicing), but after a couple days of doing it well, just when I think I''m over it...my throat just closes up completely again. But regardless - I highly recommend checking out Nuvaring!

 

[SoonIHope]

Date: 7/25/2006 9:59:09 AM
Author: AmandaPanda
Thank you all for such great input.

A question about the nuvaring -- do you just put it in once a month... or do you put a new one in every week and just leave one out during your period week? Can you skip your period on it?

I, of course, will be asking my doctor these questions as well, but I''m curious to see what you guys know.

Also, this might be TMI, but is there any chance of it coming out during sex? I know people have said they don''t feel it, but what about your SO? Again, sorry if that''s TMI...

You put it in on a given Saturday (or Sunday, whatever day you want it to be) and leave it in for 3 weeks. Then you take it out, and have nothing for one week, then put in the next one after that. 3 weeks in (same ring), 1 week out (to summarize since that didn''t come out very clearly). I think you can skip your period on it, but I haven''t tried nor have I asked my doctor about that. But since you always know when it''s going to be and it''s WAY WAY WAY shorter and lighter than I''ve ever had before, it really doesn''t bug me at all now.

As for the TMI question...

I don''t think there''s any chance of it coming out during sex (as in that has never approached being a problem for me). My fiance said that he can on occasion feel it, but that is rare and 99% of the time that he CAN feel it, it doesn''t bother him. He''s just kind of like "OH! Right, THAT" and then doesn''t think about it again.

And I can never feel it at all. Hope that helps!

 

[dani13]

Amanda-

You put in the ring once a month (recommended to go in within 5 days of your period starting-lets say its a Sun) and stays in for 3 weeks- remove it the 4th wk on that Sun, that is your period wk, and then reinsert a new one within 5 days, etc. It is very easy to use- you even get a little timer in the startup kit from your dr. that will remind you when to remove it/reinsert it.

As far as it coming out, some patients say that it has come out with-sorry, TMI, bowel movements/straining....bottom line is that if it comes out for any reason, you are still protected if you reinsert it within 3-4 hrs....I have not heard anything negative about it at all from any of the patients- the ones that end up trying it (this seems to be the most difficult part- some women are not comfortable with inserting the ring, etc.) love it and never want to go back to the pill!

 

[ammayernyc]

Have people gained weight while switching birth control. I''m struggling with weight issues so I don''t want to exacerbate the situation.

Also, when you take out the ring, how soon after do you get your period? For instance, when I start my off week of the pills, it''s on a Sunday. I don''t get my period until Tuesday/Wednesday...

 

[SoonIHope]

Date: 7/25/2006 10:49:00 AM
Author: AmandaPanda
Have people gained weight while switching birth control. I''m struggling with weight issues so I don''t want to exacerbate the situation.

Also, when you take out the ring, how soon after do you get your period? For instance, when I start my off week of the pills, it''s on a Sunday. I don''t get my period until Tuesday/Wednesday...

My boobs got a little bigger

but other than that, no weight gain.

I insert/remove my ring on Saturdays, and usually get my period Tuesdays (or occasionally Monday)

 

[akw94]

Hmm, this is making me rethinking using the patch. That is currently what I use. I always had problems w/the pills. They made me nauseous constantly. I switched to lower doses, and I would spot. Pretty bad for many years. I also wasn''t good w/taking them every day or at the same time. I finally switched to the patch about a year or so ago. It is definitely my preference. At first I couldn''t figure out where to wear it b/c I didn''t want it to be seen. I tried on my arm, usually on my back but during summer, that was out. Plus, it does leave me a little red and sometimes some rash or bumps. Also, it does leave a little residue and can slide around a little, making it a bit sticky. However, I prefer that to the side effects from the pill, any day. Now, I wear it on my butt (not that you wanted to know that, but...). I still have the bumps sometimes but I switch sides every week (which is what I did when I had it on my back or arm too). The bumps go away by the next week. The sticky stuff is a little annoying but not too big a deal. It''s only when I start messing w/it that it moves around more. I also try not to put it in the exact same spot, even though it''s only there every other week. I haven''t noticed being more moody. Sometimes I feel a little tenderness and definitely felt that when first started using it, so much so that I thought I was pregnant. Now, it''s only every so often. I hadn''t noticed increased headaches but I sometimes get headaches so I have no way of knowing if the ones I get are related.
So that''s my experience w/it.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 7/25/2006 10:52:24 AM
Author: albicocca

I insert/remove my ring on Saturdays, and usually get my period Tuesdays (or occasionally Monday)

Almost the same for me! I insert/remove on Fridays, and usually get my period on Mondays. I set a reminder on my phone for when I take it out and then when I put a new one in, a week later, though most of the time I remember on my own.

I HAVE used the NR to skip my period (just put the new one in immediately after removing old one) and had the exact same results as when I previously used the pill for that purpose... it worked just fine until closer to the end of the second month, when I had some breakthrough bleeding. But if you''re skipping it for a vacation or something, usually you''re home by then anyway!

No weight gain for me, but I was coming straight off the pill and my weight is always fluctuating by 5lbs or so. No problems with it coming out unexpectedly, and no complaints from my FI either... just the same comments as Albi''s FI... he is sometimes aware of it, but not in an uncomfortable way. He just likes knowing that it''s even more reliable than the pill (since most people take the pill at varying times during the day, but with NR the stream of hormones is constant)!

 

[ammayernyc]

I called my doctor to get a prescription and advise about the NuvaRing!
Unfortunately, it turns out she just left that practice... but another doctor is calling me back. I just started my cycle so I won''t be able to go on it for another month, but I''m excited to not struggle with pills anymore!
Thanks everyone....

(If there''s more advice, please keep it coming though)!

 

[SoonIHope]

YAY!!! I hope it works out perfectly for you!!!

 

[Blenheim]

I also had heard only good things about the NuvaRing, but I guess I''m one of the few people who just hate it. I tried it for one month, and was dying to switch to something else within a few days. I might just be shaped a little differently down there or something, but I had to readjust it several times a day because it was on the verge of coming out. (I''m fine with tampons, by the way.) Once I mentioned it to my doc, she said that it seems to be a love it or hate it type of birth control.

Sorry if this is TMI -- I just wanted to put another point of view out there. I had only heard great things with it, and thought that something must be wrong with me or something when I didn''t love it too.

I really hope that it works out well for you!