The Pill - health, other options, etc.

[luvthemstrawberries]

I''m almost 24, and I''ve been on the pill since high school for cramping and to be more regular so I could start taking ibuprofen. I started then on OrthoTriCyclen generic, then went to the brand name because I was still having bad cramps. Years ago, I got off that for Ortho Novum - monophasic. I mostly took the generic because name brands were so darn expensive.

For about the past year or two, I''ve been getting terrible headaches, usually on the day AF gets here. I still get terrible cramps the day before, but as long as I can take ibuprofen and have a heating pad, I end up ok after a few hours. Anyway, the headaches are getting ridiculous. They debilitate me. Light and sound annoy me. I''ve been in pain today since lunch time (it''s almost 9:00pm now).

I''ve also noticed that I tend to freak out at stupid things. I''m a very mild-mannered person, but FI just gets so upset with me sometimes because of how I turn the smallest things into huge things. I know this isn''t me. In the moment, it always seems like such a big thing, but looking back now, I just think I go wacko sometimes. And lately, I''ve been wondering if that''s the hormones.

My doctor prescribed me Yaz to try next. Supposed to start that next week.

I''m not sexually active. Won''t be until we get married. So preventing pregnancy is not an issue (at the moment). I have at least 6 months before I worry about that (no date yet). I''m curious about trying to stop the BC all together. FI isn''t crazy about having to try a different way of contraception once we get married, but he told me today we''d do it if we have to. I''m just not crazy about medicine altogether, and lately I''ve been really considering letting my body go back to its natural course. I''m all about being natural and healthy, and the more I think about it, I don''t like pumping my body full of these fake hormones.

I''ve read some past threads on various topics and know there are people on PS in both camps - for and against BC. I just worry about what you do for important things like a wedding (just hope it doesn''t come then??), and I''m very curious what those of you do for contraception who don''t use BC or the normal condoms. We don''t want kids right away once we get married.

Any advice is appreciate - greatly.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

Who gives you your birth control pills? It sounds like you have enough symptoms that a GYN should be overseeing your care. I don''t know the extent of your evaluation, but there are several causes of cramping and it might be worth a work-up. Especially since some of the causes can affect your fertility. They can also discuss different forms of birth control and the pros and cons of each.

 

[mayachel]

Reading your story, I''m thinking it would be wise to investigate the cause of your irregular periods. BCPills are great for some women, but not all. And what type works great for one woman, may not be great for you. I found my libido was completely absent on BCPs but off, I''d much rather use condoms and be interested in my guy.

As for cramping and migraines and regulating your period you may want to look into maya uterine massage. It changed my life, and cured my PCOS. www.arvigomassage.com is the main site.

 

[cara]

You should definitely bring up the headaches with your doctor in regards to the pill.

Migraines are a contraindication for hormonal birth control because they increase the risk of stroke. Not saying that your headaches rise to the level of dont-take-the-pill, but you should definitely bring that up with your dr. You might also need referral to a neurologist for the headaches, depending.

As for b.c. once married, there are different options depending on how OK you are with some risk of pregnancy, how OK you are with hormones, how OK you are with barrier methods that reduce some of the spontaneity of your love life. And you and your honey are, presumably, less practiced together so you might have initial preferences that change over time.

Nuvaring is less of a hassle to remember and releases a lower hormone dose, but is still hormonal b.c.

Spermicide + diaphragm or cervical cap is fairly effective, no hormones, but dose require a certain comfort with insertion and planning for sex. Not as effective as some other means.

Natural Family Planning (ie. temperature charting + observing cervical fluid + avoiding sex during your fertile time) are not for the disorganized or newlyweds that want to (verb here!) like rabbits. If you started charting now, you might have enough info for a reasonably safe go at it, but effectiveness is related to your anal-ness, and even when perfectly practiced, it is not as effective as some other means.

IUD is now an option for women with no kids, is highly effective, doesn''t interfere with the moment, and either uses no hormones or very low dose hormones. You might have to convince your doctor if s/he is old school, though, as they used to only offer IUD to mothers.

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 2/23/2009 10:44:11 PM
Author: cara
You should definitely bring up the headaches with your doctor in regards to the pill.


Migraines are a contraindication for hormonal birth control because they increase the risk of stroke. Not saying that your headaches rise to the level of dont-take-the-pill, but you should definitely bring that up with your dr. You might also need referral to a neurologist for the headaches, depending.


As for b.c. once married, there are different options depending on how OK you are with some risk of pregnancy, how OK you are with hormones, how OK you are with barrier methods that reduce some of the spontaneity of your love life. And you and your honey are, presumably, less practiced together so you might have initial preferences that change over time.


Nuvaring is less of a hassle to remember and releases a lower hormone dose, but is still hormonal b.c.


Spermicide + diaphragm or cervical cap is fairly effective, no hormones, but dose require a certain comfort with insertion and planning for sex. Not as effective as some other means.


Natural Family Planning (ie. temperature charting + observing cervical fluid + avoiding sex during your fertile time) are not for the disorganized or newlyweds that want to (verb here!) like rabbits. If you started charting now, you might have enough info for a reasonably safe go at it, but effectiveness is related to your anal-ness, and even when perfectly practiced, it is not as effective as some other means.


IUD is now an option for women with no kids, is highly effective, doesn''t interfere with the moment, and either uses no hormones or very low dose hormones. You might have to convince your doctor if s/he is old school, though, as they used to only offer IUD to mothers.

I''ve been reading up a lot on BC because I had an IUD for several years and had some disappointing side effects. Loved the convenience, but losing my hair is not an option for me, in addition to other problems. In my research, it sounds like MANY women have side effects from their BC, and often they are not taken seriously by their GP''s. If your hormones are wacky, I would suggest talking to an endocrinologist or someone else that would take your concerns seriously. They tend to do a lot more testing and investigating that GP''s do, from what other people have been saying. At this point, I think I may try the IUD with no hormones, but I have to investigate the side effects for that one too. My sister uses Yasmine with drsp and like it. Ask about the hormone combinations and do as much google searching as you can before trying any BCP. GOOD LUCK!

 

[cara]

Yes you should read up on other people''s side effects from birth control to know what is possible but! know that each person is different, and might have different side effects. There is no one, perfect pill for example. What gives one woman horrible side effects and no libido is great for the next woman.

But yes to the getting more workup from a specialist doctor as needed.

 

[Lillers]

Sometimes estrogen withdrawal can cause headaches, which could possibly sound like what you are having. Your body gets used to the estrogen for 21 days, and then when you stop, it goes thru a withdrawal stage. There are a few ways of avoiding that, one being taking a pill like Seasonique/Seasonale, where you only get 4 periods a year. Or you can choose a progestin only pill (aka minipill).
If you want a nonhormonal, more long-term birth control option, there is always the Paraguard IUD. I wouldn''t necessarily recommend that, as I haven''t heard many good things about it. There is a newer IUD called Mirena, but that contains a form of progestin, so it isn''t hormone free.
Depo-Provera is also a progestin only form of birth control. You get a shot every 3 months. It CAN definitely make you gain weight though, which is a downside.
As far as barrier-type methods go, there are condoms and then other things like diaphragms and cervical caps. You need to have those "fitted" by a doctor, and they have to be put in before you have sex, which can "ruin the moment."
Then, like mentioned above, theres the family planning/rhythm method, which is hard to do for a lot of people, especially if your menstrual cycle is irregular as it is.
That is my birth control talk in a nutshell, sorry it was so long. You really should talk to your doctor and discuss other options, if thats what you''re interested in. Good luck and let us know if you have any more questions!

Oh and PS-the hormonal contraception isn''t contraindicated if you have migraines, just if you have migraines with aura. So if your headaches are migraines, and you have an aura beforehand (weird smells, seeing lights, etc.), then you shouldn''t use hormonal contraception because you have a higher risk for stroke/heart attacks.

 

[Pandora II]

Sounds like you have hormone linked migraines - I have them very badly. I was on the Pill for about 15 years and everytime I came to the end of a packet I would get a whacking migraine for 2-3 days.

My solution was just to take 6 packs one after the other with no break - no break equalled no migraine. (My uncle is a very well known Ob/Gynae in the UK and told me that it was perfectly safe to do this - my cousins all do and so do a lot of his patients) I was on Yasmin which I LOVED!

In the end they decided to take me off the Pill altogether (new GP

) and then the migraines came with a vengeance - mid-cycle as well. They put me on the progesterone only pill - Cerazette - but it made me feel terrible and gave me acne for the first time in my life so I stopped taking it after 11 months and switched to barrier methods.

Basically every time your oestrogen levels drop it triggers a migraine, so mine are just before AF and the day before ovulation. The ovulation one tends to be less severe - which matches up with the smaller drop in oestrogen at that point compared with the much greater drop before AF.

I take Zomig which has been a lifesaver for me - although I only ever take a half dose as it can make you feel a bit strange (but no weirder than the migraines...)

If you are taken off hormonal bc due to migraine it does rule out a heck of a lot - basically anything hormone based. (If you don''t have aura with your migraine they will usually let you stay on the Pill - I have aura and that is an indicator for the increased risk of stroke)

I''m currently pg, but DH and I are not planning on having another one for at least 5 years if at all. I''m probably going to go with a combination of barrier methods and charting - but only because my cycle is absolutely clockwork and so it should be fairly easy for me to avoid. I believe small babies are excellent forms of birth control as well!

I wouldn''t recommend charting to avoid unless an oops would not be the end of the world and unless you are a complete control freak and prepared to put the effort in to learning how to read all the signs.

Definitely see your doctor about the migraines and his suggestions for birth control.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

LtlFirecracker - My general practice doctor gives me the prescription for the BC pills.

I''ve been with the same doctor since I was young that I went through the different meds with until now. But I''m with a new doctor, and had my first appointment with her last month. It was time for a renewal on my prescription and for the lovely annual exam, so I went and discussed the headaches. She decided to put me on Yaz, which I haven''t started yet. I didn''t discuss the mood swings and acting weird, since it hadn''t occured to me then.

mayachel - That''s part of my worry - the libido. Obviously, right now it''s not really an issue, but I also have no way of knowing if it''s really affecting mine or not... and if it will when we''re married. FI doesn''t like the idea of condoms, but like I said, he said he doesn''t want me to stop the pills, but if I absolutely want to, he''s willing to try other methods. Also, thanks for the massage link - I''ll definitely look into that!

As for the irregularity, I really wasn''t too irregular in high school before I went on the pill. I couldn''t narrow it down to the exact day like you can on BC, but I had a 2-3 day window usually... which meant sometimes that I couldn''t prepare as well, and I was out of school sometimes for incredible cramps. But irregularity wasn''t so much of a problem. HOWEVER, I''ve been on the pill since high school, so I''m sure I probably don''t even know what my body ended up leveling out to be naturally - I''m sure there was some more maturing going on in my body since then. And I''m just curious about how to plan a wedding date when you can''t narrow your cycle down to the day like you can on the pill. I guess you just plan and hope your body works around it, and don''t freak out if it decides to surprise you?

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

cara - Thanks for the info on different options.

As for my headaches, I do get them at other times during my cycle. BUT they are very different headaches than the ones like I had yesterday (and a little today) when AF comes. My mom has sinus problems, and I thought I did too. I went to an ENT, and she said nothing''s wrong with my sinuses. I grind/clench my teeth some, so she thought I have TMJ (but did no further checking). The dentist said "oh TMJ? I can fit you for a $600 out of pocket mouthguard!" (SIKE!!

) and also did no further checking. My general practice doctor doesn''t really think I have TMJ after feeling my joints and movement. They just told me to destress what little stress I do have. Anyway, this leads me to think that the other random headaches are just stress/tension related, but the ones with AF are definitely related to the drop in hormones.

trillionaire - Wow, I definitely wouldn''t accept that as a side effect either! What''s making you consider the IUD again? I read up on them a little - blegh!! Just the idea of a foreign object sitting inside me with a string hanging down and possibly imbedding itself in me is so strange.

I''ve read a lot online about different people''s reactions to different BC pills/options, and it seems to remind me that although I haven''t had serious complications from any yet, the only positive thing they''ve done for me is regulate me down to the day, and give me the option of skipping a period (which I''ve never liked the idea of, but still have done a time or two). I guess BC is just such a mainstream thing these days, that most general practice doctors just try to minimize side effects and get you with a med you''re happy with, instead of offering advice on other options that are more natural. I haven''t brought up the weird moods and stuff with my doctor yet, as they''ve just recently occurred to me as being related to the meds. I might call her and bring that up though before I start the Yaz. And if she doesn''t do anything, maybe I will talk to a specialist like you mentioned.

My main thing right now is whether to start the Yaz and give it a try (aka stay on BC) or try getting off all together and see what my body does naturally on its own now, since I''ve been on these fake hormones so long that I really don''t know.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Lillers - Thanks for your post! Definitely informative, not too long at all! The estrogen withdrawal is definitely what I assumed was going on with me. Since it''s happening on BC, does this mean that if I wasn''t on BC hormones, I wouldn''t get the headache when AF comes? I mentioned the Seasonale to my doctor, but she wanted me to try Yaz first. I was unsure about the Seasonale anyway, because I always wondered what would happen if you got pregnant when you first started the pack and was unaware and continued to take the meds, but she said there are other things going on in your body that would tip you off, I assume before you continued to take so much meds that could do damage.

Yeah as I mentioned in the post before this, the IUD just seems really strange to me. I haven''t heard many good things about it either. All those Mirena commercials sure make it seem effortless though!

I talked to a nurse at my appointment who said no form of BC hormones ever worked with her body except Depo, and she loves it. But I read you can only stay on it for 2 years I think?

The barrier-type things are options too, and the ruining the moment thing is certainly a downside. But I guess it''s something you both accept if you''re wanting to be careful but natural.

And as far as the migraine thing goes, I guess what I''m having is a migraine related to the hormone withdrawal. I don''t really know how to differentiate between just a bad headache and a migraine (these are very different than others, so I assume they''re migraines). But I don''t think I''ve ever had aura. I have light sensitivity and sound aggravates the pain, but it''s definitely not weird smells or halos around lights. Just brightness hurts my eyes a lot. So I don''t think auras are an issue.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Pandora - Yeah it sounds like mine are hormone linked migraines. It''s starting to rear its head again this morning.

I''ve tried the continued packs before, but only 2 together at a time. And the migraine always comes at the end when AF comes. FI hates it when I do that because he thinks it''s unsafe. I''ve told him it''s fine, then when my migraine comes, he blames it on taking the continued packs. I think we both just forgot how bad it was 2 months before though.

So your migraines came twice a month once you got off the pill altogether?? Wow. Yeah I think I read in a past thread about Cerazette and the terrible side effects it had. So I''d still get migraines even if I got off the pill, due to estrogen still dropping?

Is Zomig something you had to get a prescription for? Like I said above, I don''t think I have auras, but I''ve never been diagnosed with migraines either. I just assume that''s what it is because it''s so different than the other tension headaches I get.

Congrats on the baby!

I''m very curious how your contraception works for you if you choose to use barriers and charting. From what I remember, my cycle was fairly regular, down to 2-3 days, so maybe I will look into that. We certainly don''t need a baby for at least a few years (financially), but I guess that''s a slight risk you take by going natural (less slight if you''re not organized, which thankfully I''m very good at

). FI and I are pretty natural people anyway, so I bet we''d both be good at reading the signs.

 

[applequeen]

When I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen (actually I was on the Lo version) I got the same headache. It was like clockwork... On Wed. afternoon during my "off week" my head would start hurting and it would hurt until I started a new pack. I looked forward to starting a new pack... I was like a BCP junkie needing my horomone fix

When I went to my Dr. he told me that it was a horomonal migraine (like Pandora said) and switched me to a pill with fewer off days. I''ve been on Loestrin 24 for 2 years now and while I did continue to have the headache for the first few months after the switch they gradually became less and less. I do occasionally get a much milder one now but I''m able to control it with some migraine pills (with the old headache NOTHING would touch the pain).

Yaz is like Loestrin 24 in that there are only 4 "off days" so hopefully it''ll work for you (or you might want to try Loestrin 25... I LOVE it.. I feel great on it once I adjusted to it... my moods are totally evened out now).

My Dr. did tell me that if that pill didn''t work he''d put me on something continuous like Seasonalle or something like that.

Good luck... I know from experience what you are going through. For me the headache never failed to hit during a time when I needed to be "on"... important meetings at work, friends weddings, etc.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 2/24/2009 9:06:04 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
Pandora - Yeah it sounds like mine are hormone linked migraines. It''s starting to rear its head again this morning.

I''ve tried the continued packs before, but only 2 together at a time. And the migraine always comes at the end when AF comes. FI hates it when I do that because he thinks it''s unsafe. I''ve told him it''s fine, then when my migraine comes, he blames it on taking the continued packs. I think we both just forgot how bad it was 2 months before though.

So your migraines came twice a month once you got off the pill altogether?? Wow. Yeah I think I read in a past thread about Cerazette and the terrible side effects it had. So I''d still get migraines even if I got off the pill, due to estrogen still dropping?

Is Zomig something you had to get a prescription for? Like I said above, I don''t think I have auras, but I''ve never been diagnosed with migraines either. I just assume that''s what it is because it''s so different than the other tension headaches I get.

Congrats on the baby!

I''m very curious how your contraception works for you if you choose to use barriers and charting. From what I remember, my cycle was fairly regular, down to 2-3 days, so maybe I will look into that. We certainly don''t need a baby for at least a few years (financially), but I guess that''s a slight risk you take by going natural (less slight if you''re not organized, which thankfully I''m very good at

). FI and I are pretty natural people anyway, so I bet we''d both be good at reading the signs.

Yes you will almost certainly still get the migraines off the Pill as the oestrogen levels will be dropping and rising during your cycle. The only way I avoided the migraines was by running 6 or so packs of Pills together back-to-back (which is perfectly safe to do). It is very much the case that you forget how bad they are rather than them getting worse!

If you want to skip a period - say for a wedding/honeymoon etc - then your GP can prescribe you some pills that you can take to delay it.

Zomig is prescription only - I''ve tried just about everything possible for treating/preventing etc and so far it''s the only one that has really helped me. The man who invented the stuff was my migraine specialist here in London (who has now moved to NY

).

Migraine is normally one-sided, throbbing (often feels like it''s right behind your eye) and you often have an aversion to light and loud noises. It can also make you feel very sick. Tension headaches are normally bi-lateral and feel more like a tight band.

I get what are called ''classic migraines'' - the sort of migraines where it starts with things looking a bit odd, things/people etc seem to have a faint coloured halo round them and it just feels a bit strange - then one arm, hand and fingers and the side of my face start to go numb and my speech gets slurry as my mouth will feel like it''s paralysed on one side (a bit like how you''d think a stroke patient will feel). At that point I just have to get the pills into me asap and sleep it off in a dark room - they can last up to 3 days at a time.

Since I was kicked off the Pill, DH and I just went for condoms - I will admit that both of us are rather lazy when it comes to DTD, getting knocked up was therefore a planned military operation and I''m relieved it happened so quickly as we were both exhausted with the marathon BD sessions required!

Once I''m back at the ''needing contraception'' stage, I may well just stick with charting and use condoms if the urge strikes during a dangerous time.

I recommend reading ''Taking Charge of Your Fertility'' and maybe signing up to Fertility Friend who have some lovely cycle tracking software. The girls on the TTC forum are all pretty expert at how to recognise your fertile period.

You really need to track for at least 4 months while using protection to learn your body''s messages. I used a combination of Basal Body Temping, Cervix Position and Cervical Fluid to track my cycle - and you really need all of these together to have a half decent chance of doing it safely. One or other on it''s own would be dangerous. If you are squeamish or not prepared to get to grips - quite literally - with the minutiae of your own bodily fluids, it''s probably not a great choice!

You also need to remember that the swimmers can survive up there for 5+ days so the window when you need to use barrier methods can be quite long.

For example, I have a 27 day cycle which never varies by more than a day. I normally ovulate around cycle day 13 - so, to be safe I would need to use a barrier method from cycle day 6/7 until cycle day 16 (I''d want to see the 3 consecutive temp rises to confirm ovulation). If you consider that AF is there from CD1 to CD4/5, you would only get 11 days or so not using barrier methods in every cycle and 16 days when you either have AF or are using barrier methods.

 

[sba771]

I was switched to YAZ 4 months ago from Ortho Tri Lo and it has a made a WORLD of a difference in terms of my mental health and well being. My FI says he has noticed an amazing change in me. Also my periods are even lighter and for fewer days. I know people have mentioned the barrier method. Since you are currently not using the pill as an actual form of BC at the moment, you could consider going off it entirely and seeing what's up with your body. Then when you need BC you could look into a diaphragm or something like that. (For me an IUD is not an option, makes me uncomfortable) I have been doing a lot of reading up on them because I want to be off hormones soon. I suggest you read Taking Charge of your Fertility. It is a great book and very informative.

Edit- I will say though Yaz has changed my sex drive and it is not as active as it could be- again I know that is not the biggest deal for you now, but something to think about.

 

[vespergirl]

Try the Yaz. That''s the only pill that I ever really liked - no weight gain, bloating, PMS, moodiness. It''s like not being on the pill at all, except you won''t get pregnant

 

[soocool]

Date: 2/23/2009 11:28:39 PM
Author: Pandora II
Sounds like you have hormone linked migraines - I have them very badly. I was on the Pill for about 15 years and everytime I came to the end of a packet I would get a whacking migraine for 2-3 days.

My solution was just to take 6 packs one after the other with no break - no break equalled no migraine. (My uncle is a very well known Ob/Gynae in the UK and told me that it was perfectly safe to do this - my cousins all do and so do a lot of his patients) I was on Yasmin which I LOVED!

In the end they decided to take me off the Pill altogether (new GP

) and then the migraines came with a vengeance - mid-cycle as well. They put me on the progesterone only pill - Cerazette - but it made me feel terrible and gave me acne for the first time in my life so I stopped taking it after 11 months and switched to barrier methods.

Basically every time your oestrogen levels drop it triggers a migraine, so mine are just before AF and the day before ovulation. The ovulation one tends to be less severe - which matches up with the smaller drop in oestrogen at that point compared with the much greater drop before AF.

I take Zomig which has been a lifesaver for me - although I only ever take a half dose as it can make you feel a bit strange (but no weirder than the migraines...)

If you are taken off hormonal bc due to migraine it does rule out a heck of a lot - basically anything hormone based. (If you don''t have aura with your migraine they will usually let you stay on the Pill - I have aura and that is an indicator for the increased risk of stroke)

I''m currently pg, but DH and I are not planning on having another one for at least 5 years if at all. I''m probably going to go with a combination of barrier methods and charting - but only because my cycle is absolutely clockwork and so it should be fairly easy for me to avoid. I believe small babies are excellent forms of birth control as well!

I wouldn''t recommend charting to avoid unless an oops would not be the end of the world and unless you are a complete control freak and prepared to put the effort in to learning how to read all the signs.

Definitely see your doctor about the migraines and his suggestions for birth control.

I am 52 have been in menopause for the past 4 years. I was on Ortho Novum from my 20s until I decided to get pregnant in my 30s, and had no problems. I started up after I had my child, because I did not want anymore kids. So when I hit my mid 40s I noticed that the week I was off the BC pills I would get terrible migraines (I used Excedrin and it worked for me as long as I took it as soon as I felt one coming on). Told my gynecologist every year I saw him and since my blood pressure was good he said I could stay on them. He then gave me other pills that had with the placebos an extremely lose dose estrogen (could have been OrthoTri?? I don''t remember) Well to make this story shorter....
it did not work, so instead I did not take the break in between my pills and the headaches while did not stop entirely, were a lot less. Who says you have to have a period every month!

Well when I hit 48 I had enough of taking the pill so I stopped and never got my period again (told my husband at this point to get fixed or he can chase toddlers in his 50s). But then I have never had a migraine again in over 4 years and the best news absolutely no menopausal problems...no hot flashes, etc.

So, that is my story of worked for me. If I were you I would seriously discuss this with your gynecologist to make sure you do not have fibroids or endometriosis causing the cramps. There are things that they can do for that. There are also prescription meds that you can use for the cramps that may be better than OTC ibuprofen (you have to take these a few days before AF begins to halt the production of prostaglandins)
Maybe an IUD may work better for you. I had a friend who could not take BC pills and used an IUD instead. She had 2 kids spaced about 5 years apart and it worked for her. I wish you luck finding what works for you...hang in there!

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 2/24/2009 12:51:36 PM
Author: soocool
I am 52 have been in menopause for the past 4 years. I was on Ortho Novum from my 20s until I decided to get pregnant in my 30s, and had no problems. I started up after I had my child, because I did not want anymore kids. So when I hit my mid 40s I noticed that the week I was off the BC pills I would get terrible migraines (I used Excedrin and it worked for me as long as I took it as soon as I felt one coming on). Told my gynecologist every year I saw him and since my blood pressure was good he said I could stay on them. He then gave me other pills that had with the placebos an extremely lose dose estrogen (could have been OrthoTri?? I don''t remember) Well to make this story shorter....
it did not work, so instead I did not take the break in between my pills and the headaches while did not stop entirely, were a lot less. Who says you have to have a period every month!

Well when I hit 48 I had enough of taking the pill so I stopped and never got my period again (told my husband at this point to get fixed or he can chase toddlers in his 50s). But then I have never had a migraine again in over 4 years and the best news absolutely no menopausal problems...no hot flashes, etc.

So, that is my story of worked for me. If I were you I would seriously discuss this with your gynecologist to make sure you do not have fibroids or endometriosis causing the cramps. There are things that they can do for that. There are also prescription meds that you can use for the cramps that may be better than OTC ibuprofen (you have to take these a few days before AF begins to halt the production of prostaglandins)
Maybe an IUD may work better for you. I had a friend who could not take BC pills and used an IUD instead. She had 2 kids spaced about 5 years apart and it worked for her. I wish you luck finding what works for you...hang in there!

Apparently most women ''want'' one for psychological reasons...

I was pretty happy not to frankly!

Both my mother and MIL had bad migraines - and found that they went once they hit the menopause. So I have that to look forward to at least!

(I''ve always had low BP - 90/50 is my baseline - and so my father (who was my GP) was quite happy for me to take the BCP despite the auras, but when I moved to London I got a new one who vetoed it. Hey ho...)

 

[trillionaire]

Date: 2/24/2009 8:31:59 AM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
cara - Thanks for the info on different options.


As for my headaches, I do get them at other times during my cycle. BUT they are very different headaches than the ones like I had yesterday (and a little today) when AF comes. My mom has sinus problems, and I thought I did too. I went to an ENT, and she said nothing's wrong with my sinuses. I grind/clench my teeth some, so she thought I have TMJ (but did no further checking). The dentist said 'oh TMJ? I can fit you for a $600 out of pocket mouthguard!' (SIKE!!

) and also did no further checking. My general practice doctor doesn't really think I have TMJ after feeling my joints and movement. They just told me to destress what little stress I do have. Anyway, this leads me to think that the other random headaches are just stress/tension related, but the ones with AF are definitely related to the drop in hormones.


trillionaire - Wow, I definitely wouldn't accept that as a side effect either! What's making you consider the IUD again? I read up on them a little - blegh!! Just the idea of a foreign object sitting inside me with a string hanging down and possibly imbedding itself in me is so strange.


I've read a lot online about different people's reactions to different BC pills/options, and it seems to remind me that although I haven't had serious complications from any yet, the only positive thing they've done for me is regulate me down to the day, and give me the option of skipping a period (which I've never liked the idea of, but still have done a time or two). I guess BC is just such a mainstream thing these days, that most general practice doctors just try to minimize side effects and get you with a med you're happy with, instead of offering advice on other options that are more natural. I haven't brought up the weird moods and stuff with my doctor yet, as they've just recently occurred to me as being related to the meds. I might call her and bring that up though before I start the Yaz. And if she doesn't do anything, maybe I will talk to a specialist like you mentioned.


My main thing right now is whether to start the Yaz and give it a try (aka stay on BC) or try getting off all together and see what my body does naturally on its own now, since I've been on these fake hormones so long that I really don't know.

I loved the convenience of the IUD. no periods, very rare mild cramps occasionally when I would cycle, total spontaneity... plus no daily maintenance. i would consider nuva-ring, but I have heard that the hormones are similar to the iud. I don't trust myself to take daily pills, and I like the idea of something non-hormonal. I don't want kids, so maybe I just have to wait until I get married and get Essure, the tubal ligation thing. I guess initially I just took for granted that BC had little effect on your body, but now that I know that is not the case, I'm pretty leary about it over all. I would do Yasmine with drsp, which my sister uses, but they don't have a generic and I don't want to do daily pills if I can avoid it.

 

[cara]

I don''t have a source on this right now, but I recall reading that the original inventor of the birth control pill added the no-meds week that induces bleeding in an effort to make the pill seem more ''natural'' by more closely replicating a woman''s ''natural'' non-pregnant cycle and in hopes of gaining approval of its use from the Catholic Church. To no avail.

But my understanding is that the bleeding upon withdraw of the drug regimen when taking oral contraceptives is also not a regular menstruation event and is not medically necessary - women regularly go 9 months with no period when pregnant, right? Though some women that just take pill packs consecutively do experience breakthrough bleeding. Presumably certain pills are better for the no-break week dosage plan than others, and seasonale at least is advertised for this usage, so they must have tested it.

 

[LAJennifer]

Date: 2/24/2009 5:27:32 PM
Author: trillionaire


I loved the convenience of the IUD. no periods, very rare mild cramps occasionally when I would cycle, total spontaneity... plus no daily maintenance. i would consider nuva-ring, but I have heard that the hormones are similar to the iud. I don''t trust myself to take daily pills, and I like the idea of something non-hormonal. I don''t want kids, so maybe I just have to wait until I get married and get Essure, the tubal ligation thing. I guess initially I just took for granted that BC had little effect on your body, but now that I know that is not the case, I''m pretty leary about it over all. I would do Yasmine with drsp, which my sister uses, but they don''t have a generic and I don''t want to do daily pills if I can avoid it.

Trill - Yasmin now has a generic. I believe it is called Ocella.

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 2/24/2009 5:32:20 PM
Author: cara
I don''t have a source on this right now, but I recall reading that the original inventor of the birth control pill added the no-meds week that induces bleeding in an effort to make the pill seem more ''natural'' by more closely replicating a woman''s ''natural'' non-pregnant cycle and in hopes of gaining approval of its use from the Catholic Church. To no avail.

But my understanding is that the bleeding upon withdraw of the drug regimen when taking oral contraceptives is also not a regular menstruation event and is not medically necessary - women regularly go 9 months with no period when pregnant, right? Though some women that just take pill packs consecutively do experience breakthrough bleeding. Presumably certain pills are better for the no-break week dosage plan than others, and seasonale at least is advertised for this usage, so they must have tested it.

Some of the lower dose pills can cause break-through bleeding - but it tends to be triggered if you normally take your pill at 10am and then forget to take it till say 10pm one day. Or at least that was my experience.

The only reason for taking a break on the Pill is to check that you are not KTFU.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

applequeen - I''m glad Loestrin is working for you! I''m pretty miserable right now. My cousin''s on Loestrin too and recommended it to me. That''s what I was going to mention to my doctor but she recommended Yaz first. So if Yaz doesn''t work, Loestrin or Seasonale are my next try. What kind of migraine pills do you use? Are they over the counter or not?

Pandora - That med to prolong a period is something I''ll keep in mind if I decide to quit taking the pill - thanks. It''s a shame your migraine doctor moved away!

I still have a hard time determining if mine is a migraine or not. The only thing I can really describe is that the pain tends to slowly shift and gain intensity in very concentrated areas at a time. But the general area of pain is all over the front of my head - from my forehead down to my upper teeth, on the sides from the top of my head down to my ear canals. Pain concentrates in the side of my head, on the front of my cheekbones under my eyes, and deep in my temple behind my eyes. It''s so debilitating. Light and sound made the pain worse. The normal headaches I get are usually just the temple/eye pain - still very painful and annoying, but not this bad. I don''t think I''ve had the auras and slurriness you talk about, but I don''t know how to recognize it either.

Hehe you''re funny about the bedroom sessions required for getting pregnant!

I might try the book you recommended, also the software would be cool. Thanks for all the info about tracking - that''s definitely stuff I wanted to know. And it helps to hear it in numbers too like you put it, so thanks!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

sba771 - That''s great to hear Yaz made such a difference for you! I''m really hoping if I start taking it that FI will notice a good change in me too. I picked up the med today, and would be starting it this weekend if I take it. I''m still trying to decide whether to do that or try off the pill for a while, like you said, since I have some time to spare before I''d need to worry.

What are you planning to do when you get off hormones? Any reason you''re wanting off - is it just because of side effects?

Another vote for the Fertility book! I think I''ve gotta try it now.

You mentioned a change in your sex drive - was it very noticeable to you and your FI?

vespergirl - Thanks for the advice - I''m glad you like Yaz! It''s so good to hear good things about it.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

soocool - Thanks for your information! It''s so great to hear other people''s personal experiences. I may try like you and many others did and take them multiple months in a row.

soocool and Pandora - I''ve heard so many mixed arguments about that, but the more facts-based ones have been that it''s ok to do, and that no periods are ok. However I also heard some opinions about that that said every now and then you need to "empty yourself out" - because even though the period on the pill is just withdrawal bleeding due to the hormones, and you don''t actually build up a lining every month that you need to shed, it''s good to "flush out" the excess for cleanliness purposes every so many months (no clue how many they say though). I thoroughly enjoyed not having a period those months I''d skip one. Only thing I didn''t like was that If I was to do it continually for, say, 6 months at a time, I''d have to go back to the annual exam for the renewal prescription a few months earlier than usual, b/c I only have 12 refills per prescription.

 

[DivaDiamond007]

Date: 2/24/2009 5:32:20 PM
Author: cara
I don''t have a source on this right now, but I recall reading that the original inventor of the birth control pill added the no-meds week that induces bleeding in an effort to make the pill seem more ''natural'' by more closely replicating a woman''s ''natural'' non-pregnant cycle and in hopes of gaining approval of its use from the Catholic Church. To no avail.

But my understanding is that the bleeding upon withdraw of the drug regimen when taking oral contraceptives is also not a regular menstruation event and is not medically necessary - women regularly go 9 months with no period when pregnant, right? Though some women that just take pill packs consecutively do experience breakthrough bleeding. Presumably certain pills are better for the no-break week dosage plan than others, and seasonale at least is advertised for this usage, so they must have tested it.

Luvthem - Cara is right in saying that regular menstration is not medically necessary, unless you are trying to get pregnant. When you take a continuous dose pill, like Seasonale, your uterine lining is not building up, therefore there''s nothing to be shed (or "cleaned out"). I just started taking the generic Seasonale and so far I love it. I was on a low dose pill before and I''ve had no breakthrough bleeding. I''ve skipped two periods now and I''m glad I''ve skipped the inconvenience of having them.

Probably the worst side effect that I''ve had from being on the pill is a low libido. When I''m off the pill, like when DH and I were TTC, I was all about it, but on the pill not so much. It takes so much effort for both of us that sometimes I think it''s not even worth it. Sad but true.

Just a note of caution when using charting/rhythm methods of birth control - they are highly variable from person to person and not all that effective. As a Catholic I can say that those who use those methods have a name - PARENTS! Hahahaha - I''m sorry but I couldn''t resist the joke.

Good luck in finding the right method for you - and I miss your old avatar of the dog - that is the cutest dog that I''ve seen!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

trillionaire - What specifics have you found about the effects hormones have on your body? And I just picked up my Yaz today - name brand, no generic apparently... $30 a piece. Lovely.

cara - I''ve read the same thing about the pill - that it originally provided no period, but people freaked out that you needed to have a period for good health and that they wouldn''t have a period to show a lack of period when they were accidentally pregnant. But you are right about the bleeding being a withdrawal bleeding, not a true shedding of a lining built up in preparation for pregnancy.

Pandora - haha since Yaz is a low-dose, I''ll make sure to be vigilant about taking it on time! Hehe, and I learned a new term today from you too!

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

DivaDiamond - Thank you for the information. If I try Yaz, I may try it continually after a few months of trying it out on a normal schedule. It''s interesting you mention the libido too - that''s the most common thing I''ve heard from people. Definitely something to think about and keep in mind.

Hehe I think I read that joke somewhere else about parents...

That is so sweet of you to say about my dog!!

I just may put her back up there, just because you said that!

 

[oobiecoo]

I haven''t read every reply so I''ll just tell you my own birth control experience. I came off of the pill after being on it for half of my life and I''ve noticed a HUGE improvement in my moods, libido, etc. I''ve tried orth-tricyclen, seasonale, the patch, yaz, and I think one other to try to help with my mild acne, long periods, and intense cramps. I got off of BC because we are trying to conceive... I''m glad I quit when I did because my body is still getting back to normal even after many, many month. After seeing how much better I feel without BC and realizing how the hormones have affected my ability to get pregnant, I will never go back on the pill again.

Oh... and I''ve also had many less migraines since stopping the pill.

 

[sba771]

Date: 2/24/2009 7:39:28 PM
Author: luvthemstrawberries
sba771 - That''s great to hear Yaz made such a difference for you! I''m really hoping if I start taking it that FI will notice a good change in me too. I picked up the med today, and would be starting it this weekend if I take it. I''m still trying to decide whether to do that or try off the pill for a while, like you said, since I have some time to spare before I''d need to worry.


What are you planning to do when you get off hormones? Any reason you''re wanting off - is it just because of side effects?


Another vote for the Fertility book! I think I''ve gotta try it now.

You mentioned a change in your sex drive - was it very noticeable to you and your FI?


vespergirl - Thanks for the advice - I''m glad you like Yaz! It''s so good to hear good things about it.

- Get that book! It is very empowering just to know what really goes on with your body and I find it fascinating. Anyway,I am going to go off the BC because FI and I want to probably try for a honeymoon baby and I want to give my body time to regulate. We will probably use some sort of barrier method, although depending how close to the actual wedding we are not against ditching that. (Although I have to fit into my dress, so that probably is a bad idea

) I will never go back on BC after that because we are not against an ''oops'' baby after our first, although we will still be proactive with barriers. It just took my body 2 months to regulate when I got on BC and who knows what it would take to regulate going off it, so to us it is not worth it inbetween TTC. I also informed him after baby #2 he is getting snipped

The sex drive is the biggest reason for me getting off it though. My FI didn''t know me before I was on BC, but I remember how I was. Of course some of the changes are environmental, like I am not in college anymore and actually have to go to work, maintain a home, cook, deal with the dog etc., but from a phsyical point of view I do sense that I have to work a little harder to get in the mood and the urge. Also it takes longer for me to get aroused (sorry for the TMI) but this is not the case for everyone. I have some Orthodox girlfriends who are on the pill but are so excited that they are finally able to be with their husbands that nothing stops them. I would wait and see how your body reacts to this one and go from there since time is on your side.

Sorry that was so long.