Birth Control Pills

L

Lillian

Guest
For all you women out there, how many of you are on birth control pills? How many of you believe that they are actually safe for you? Do the benefits out weigh the risks? I've been on and off them since I was 18. But, everytime I stop them I feel kind of crummy. Cramps are worse, skin breaks out more easily, water weight gain, etc. The good thing about not being on the pill is my sex drive is better! On the pill I have less cramps, clearer skin, no water weight at all, don't feel as tired, etc. But, the one bad thing I experienced last time i was on it was that my hair was shedding a lot, so i stopped. Right now i'm doing a full body detox/cleanse and taking some supplements to metabolise estrogen levels. I feel better for sure, but not like i did when i was on the pill. I'm just confused about whether I should be on or off them, if the benefits out weigh the risks, what health wise would be the best choice for myself. I've talked to my doctor and of course they will not say what I should do. They pretty much leave the decision up to me. Sucks. Any medical experts on here that can shed some light??
 
I've never been on them and never will be unless a serious medical condition requires it.

Here are my reasons:

1. Fear of permanent decreased sex drive and sexual dysfunction. My body is working fine the way it is, and I don't want a to see a decline in its responsiveness.

2. Possible blood clotting danger. I have a family history of blood clotting, and I don't want to take the risk.

3. Morality. I just don't like the idea of messing with my body's natural functions. No, I'm not one of those extremists who thinks birth control is a form of murder, but I think messing with the body's hormones when it's not for a legitimate medical purpose (like endometriosis or PMDD) isn't the healthiest choice. I'm also proud of the fact that my body can ovulate and can eventually bring life. I am fortunate enough to have a regular cycle, and I wish to respect my body by letting it work the way it was designed to.

4. There are so many alternatives that are just as effective without the side effects. Using a natural family planning method (where you can determine your fertile days) along with a male or female barrier method is extremely effective. Barrier methods also help protect against STDs.


I do understand that some women are on birth control to help with cramps or emotional disorders associated with hormone levels. In this case, its use seems perfectly legitimate. I have a hard time justifying it's use for perfectly healthy women who just don't want to have babies. There are better ways, in my opinion, to prevent conception.

I personally have extremely painful cramps, but I am researching and trying out some natural techniques to help deal with them. If the side effects of hormones are leaving you feeling down, but you do have painful periods you may want to consider some natural remedies/exercises to help balance your hormonal and reproductive system. Diet, exercise and state of mind can all play a role in menstrual or hormonal disorders.

You also want to remember to evaluate your sources. A lot of doctors won't be of much help to you because they are in a business that puts a lot of pressure on prescribing drugs. If you can find a doctor who focuses on more holistic healing approaches, then you may get a less biased response. You need to watch out for this in internet land too. Pharmaceutical companies are trying to sell you the drugs. They won't make the "non-deadly" side effects extremely apparent on their websites and may give references to biased studies in order to promote the sale of the product.

In the end, you need to evaluate your situation and make the decision for yourself. Birth control pills are relatively new so there aren't a lot of long term studies on their use especially on the ones using new types of synthetic hormones. All in all, it's a risk/benefit situation. Are the risks and side effects worth the benefits? It's different for everyone.

As of now, I have no use for birth control which is why I choose not to use it. The risks outweigh the benefits for me, but it may be different for you.
 
I took BC pills for about 15 years. My doctor prescribed androgen-based BC pills for me because he knew I probably wouldn't do very well on the female hormone-based pills.

Obviously, no problem with the sex drive there, and I didn't have a period for 15 years -- YAHOO!!!. But the androgen-based BC pills made me prone to acne. I've never been able to get rid of it; I've been on clindimycin creams ever since. But that was a small price to pay for the benefits :)

I did try the female hormone-based BC pills after stopping the androgen-based BC pills, but my doctor was very hesitant to prescribe them for me. He put me on the lowest dose pills there were. Ultimately, I didn't like them and neither did my body. My personality did a 180: I turned into a moody, cranky, b!tchy, unpredictable psycho. I ended up with ovarian cysts. But the worst part was I had ZERO sex drive. After 6 months on those things and three contracts taken out on my life by my best friends (LOL - just kidding), I ditched them. Horrible little things.

But that's just how my body dealt with them. Everybody is different.
 
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spicypumpkin said:
I've never been on them and never will be unless a serious medical condition requires it.

Here are my reasons:

1. Fear of permanent decreased sex drive and sexual dysfunction. My body is working fine the way it is, and I don't want a to see a decline in its responsiveness.

2. Possible blood clotting danger. I have a family history of blood clotting, and I don't want to take the risk.

3. Morality. I just don't like the idea of messing with my body's natural functions. No, I'm not one of those extremists who thinks birth control is a form of murder, but I think messing with the body's hormones when it's not for a legitimate medical purpose (like endometriosis or PMDD) isn't the healthiest choice. I'm also proud of the fact that my body can ovulate and can eventually bring life. I am fortunate enough to have a regular cycle, and I wish to respect my body by letting it work the way it was designed to.

4. There are so many alternatives that are just as effective without the side effects. Using a natural family planning method (where you can determine your fertile days) along with a male or female barrier method is extremely effective. Barrier methods also help protect against STDs.


I do understand that some women are on birth control to help with cramps or emotional disorders associated with hormone levels. In this case, its use seems perfectly legitimate. I have a hard time justifying it's use for perfectly healthy women who just don't want to have babies. There are better ways, in my opinion, to prevent conception.

I personally have extremely painful cramps, but I am researching and trying out some natural techniques to help deal with them. If the side effects of hormones are leaving you feeling down, but you do have painful periods you may want to consider some natural remedies/exercises to help balance your hormonal and reproductive system. Diet, exercise and state of mind can all play a role in menstrual or hormonal disorders.

You also want to remember to evaluate your sources. A lot of doctors won't be of much help to you because they are in a business that puts a lot of pressure on prescribing drugs. If you can find a doctor who focuses on more holistic healing approaches, then you may get a less biased response. You need to watch out for this in internet land too. Pharmaceutical companies are trying to sell you the drugs. They won't make the "non-deadly" side effects extremely apparent on their websites and may give references to biased studies in order to promote the sale of the product.

In the end, you need to evaluate your situation and make the decision for yourself. Birth control pills are relatively new so there aren't a lot of long term studies on their use especially on the ones using new types of synthetic hormones. All in all, it's a risk/benefit situation. Are the risks and side effects worth the benefits? It's different for everyone.

As of now, I have no use for birth control which is why I choose not to use it. The risks outweigh the benefits for me, but it may be different for you.
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Thanks so much for taking the time to type that all up for me. I was on them mostly because of extreme cramps and to keep my skin clear and not so much for birth control. My dr. does currently use alternative methods as well. I told her that I wanted to stop the pill b/c my hair was shedding and because I was on them for so long. She did say that I should think also about the fact that my liver has to process that pill every day. But, then she offered "the ring" and I was like "uh no thanks". LOL! I then asked them to test my hormonal levels and my estrogen levels were very high, so they recommended taking a natural supplement called "indole". I feel a little better using it and I'm doing a detox/cleanse as well. i do feel better overall, but want to feel even better! i'm going to try to stay off of it for longer. maybe i will adjust. thanks again!!
 
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i_love_muscle said:
I took BC pills for about 15 years. My doctor prescribed androgen-based BC pills for me because he knew I probably wouldn't do very well on the female hormone-based pills.

Obviously, no problem with the sex drive there, and I didn't have a period for 15 years -- YAHOO!!!. But the androgen-based BC pills made me prone to acne. I've never been able to get rid of it; I've been on clindimycin creams ever since. But that was a small price to pay for the benefits :)

I did try the female hormone-based BC pills after stopping the androgen-based BC pills, but my doctor was very hesitant to prescribe them for me. He put me on the lowest dose pills there were. Ultimately, I didn't like them and neither did my body. My personality did a 180: I turned into a moody, cranky, b!tchy, unpredictable psycho. I ended up with ovarian cysts. But the worst part was I had ZERO sex drive. After 6 months on those things and three contracts taken out on my life by my best friends (LOL - just kidding), I ditched them. Horrible little things.

But that's just how my body dealt with them. Everybody is different.
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yeah the mild acne bothers me. i guess because my skin was so clear on the pill. i've had a lot of the same problems with some pills. i switched a bunch of times till i found one that i liked. and of course the one i liked made my hair shed...oh well. i guess there is no perfect combination out there.
 
tonymcclellan said:
Well do you need to take them, or will condoms work? I think that is the main question... no?
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i don't think i need to take them. i was taking them to help with symptoms. it's just i'd like to feel good when not taking them. i'm working on how to achieve that. i'm going to try to stay off them for a while and try to see if my body will adjust itself and continue using my natural supplements.
 
When my wife took them she gained weight, had almost no sex drive and said the hormones made her "feel crazy" sometimes. After our kids I agreed to get a vasectomy so she wouldn't have to take them. All the above problems corrected themselves. I think they're bad news
 
theGOOCH said:
When my wife took them she gained weight, had almost no sex drive and said the hormones made her "feel crazy" sometimes. After our kids I agreed to get a vasectomy so she wouldn't have to take them. All the above problems corrected themselves. I think they're bad news
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well this one pill made me feel great and lost a few pounds too. only problem was it made my hair shed a lot so i stopped. i think the few pounds were mostly water weight, but i felt really good. i switched a bunch of times until i found one that worked well. but i agree that they are most likely bad news. i'm just trying to do without them if i can. when i stopped i gained the few pounds back, but my hair stopped shedding like crazy. it's not drastic weight b/c i'm still small, but i feel it.
 
BigTomW said:
Cant you get this injection, which lasts for a few months at a time.

A lot of girls over here do it.
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Oh. God. No. Do not get the injection! Weight gain like you would not beliiiieve. Just look at my pictures. I was 145lbs, size 8 before that injection (Depo Provera). Now I'm 168lbs, size 12. Everyone I've asked says they gained weight on it too. Not to mention the headaches, mood swings, and appetite fluctuation. I took it because stabilizing my hormones (no periods etc.) is supposed to reduce seizure activity. It literally makes you behave as though you are pregnant in most cases.

Of course, you might be the lucky one in a hundred that it works for, but the injection lasts three months. If you do react badly, do you really want to have to wait that long for it to wear off?
 
Red_Panda said:
Oh. God. No. Do not get the injection! Weight gain like you would not beliiiieve. Just look at my pictures. I was 145lbs, size 8 before that injection (Depo Provera). Now I'm 168lbs, size 12. Everyone I've asked says they gained weight on it too. Not to mention the headaches, mood swings, and appetite fluctuation. I took it because stabilizing my hormones (no periods etc.) is supposed to reduce seizure activity. It literally makes you behave as though you are pregnant in most cases.
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Big Tom comes from the north of England, most girls he knows weigh about 168lbs per limb and for 9 months of every year are pregnant

My girlfriend doesn't take the pill anymore either, her sex drive dropped to nothing when she was on it and now there's a lot of talk about it causing cancer so we don't see why it's worth the risk

'Up the bum and no babies' should be every womans moto :D
 
Red_Panda said:
Oh. God. No. Do not get the injection! Weight gain like you would not beliiiieve. Just look at my pictures. I was 145lbs, size 8 before that injection (Depo Provera). Now I'm 168lbs, size 12. Everyone I've asked says they gained weight on it too. Not to mention the headaches, mood swings, and appetite fluctuation. I took it because stabilizing my hormones (no periods etc.) is supposed to reduce seizure activity. It literally makes you behave as though you are pregnant in most cases.

Of course, you might be the lucky one in a hundred that it works for, but the injection lasts three months. If you do react badly, do you really want to have to wait that long for it to wear off?
Click to expand...

i agree. i would not try it.
 
Typhon said:
Big Tom comes from the north of England, most girls he knows weigh about 168lbs per limb and for 9 months of every year are pregnant

My girlfriend doesn't take the pill anymore either, her sex drive dropped to nothing when she was on it and now there's a lot of talk about it causing cancer so we don't see why it's worth the risk

'Up the bum and no babies' should be every womans moto :D
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some of them do kill your sex drive. but, they also prevent some cancers. it's like they help with certain issues but then they give you another problem to deal with.
 
Lillian said:
some of them do kill your sex drive. but, they also prevent some cancers. it's like they help with certain issues but then they give you another problem to deal with.
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Exactly. The reason they help with acne is the fact that they lower your free testosterone levels dramatically. This in turn kills your sex drive and sexual responsiveness. Solve one problem create another.
 
Lillian said:
For all you women out there, how many of you are on birth control pills? How many of you believe that they are actually safe for you? Do the benefits out weigh the risks? I've been on and off them since I was 18. But, everytime I stop them I feel kind of crummy. Cramps are worse, skin breaks out more easily, water weight gain, etc. The good thing about not being on the pill is my sex drive is better! On the pill I have less cramps, clearer skin, no water weight at all, don't feel as tired, etc. But, the one bad thing I experienced last time i was on it was that my hair was shedding a lot, so i stopped. Right now i'm doing a full body detox/cleanse and taking some supplements to metabolise estrogen levels. I feel better for sure, but not like i did when i was on the pill. I'm just confused about whether I should be on or off them, if the benefits out weigh the risks, what health wise would be the best choice for myself. I've talked to my doctor and of course they will not say what I should do. They pretty much leave the decision up to me. Sucks. Any medical experts on here that can shed some light??
Click to expand...

well, personally I don't like the pill, and never have, BUT I did take it for a while when I was younger. I had Endometriosis, bad, and that was one of several things that was recommended I did. After I had my kids, it went away and I haven't taken the pill since. I also have to say it always made me feel worse....
 
BigTomW said:
Cant you get this injection, which lasts for a few months at a time.

A lot of girls over here do it.
Click to expand...

It's the same hormones; just time-released.

The bottom line is you're screwing your body up by taking hormones to prevent yourself from ovulating.

I'd rather use something else.
 
anyone ever heard of dr. john lee or read any of his books on balancing female hormones naturally? i am doing some research to help my symptoms without having to resort to birth control pills. the indole 3 carbinol supplement i am taking to help metabolise high estrogen levels has been helping a lot on average days (increased energy and less bloating), but doesn't help much during that lovely time of the month and the symptoms i'm having with that (major fatigue, slight acne, major cramps, bloating, etc.) UGH! LOL! . my doctor again is pushing going back on bcp's even after i told them i didn't want to b/c i would like to one day maybe have a child. geez! pisses me off! or maybe i'd like to not be friggin dependant on a prescription drug or get liver cancer from eating the damn things every day. anyway, now they are like well you can go have an ultrasound done to make sure nothing is wrong, which i'm going to do just to make sure i'm ok. but in the meantime, i had heard about dr. john lee and naturally balancing hormones through use of a natural progesterone cream. i guess what they are saying is that when using proper amounts of this cream, it will help to balance out the estrogen as well. anyone familiar with using it??? i'm going to call my ob/gyn back also and see what they have to say about it. i'm going to try everything before i think of going back to bcp's. sadly if i can't find a solution to my problems i probably will go back on them. luckily i've been home b/c i was one of the unfortunate people layed off my job due to our poor economy. but, if i had to get up and go to work i'd be in big trouble during that lovely time of the month b/c i literally am "out of commission". well, if anyone has any advice or has any knowledge to share, i'd greatly appreciate it! Thanks!
 
I was on the pill but did not work...my sex drive is clearly enhanced, my skin looks great, but my girlfriend is pregnant. Damn them i say!!!! lol
 
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