do I need to switch contraception methods

[sterling]

I've been on the combined pill for almost four months now and I've had some positive side effects and some negative ones, the positives being a lighter and regular period and less severe PMS, and it seems to have also reduced the intensity of my mood swings as well as the obvious benefit of not getting pregnant. But since being on the pill I've just felt off. I already had some issues with fatigue but now it's worse I haven't been able to go to the gym or go hiking which I used to do fairly regularly I've gained weight and been really bloated and I also think it's possible the pill caused my chronic UTI and despite feeling more stability with my emotions I have experienced an increase in some mental health symptoms .

But honestly I feel like switching to a different method of contraception is going to take a lot of effort. My first option would be switching to the mini pill but I'm worried I'd still get the same side effects as the combined pill, alternatively I was thinking of getting an IUD however my periods would probably go back to being irregular and get heavier which I want to try and avoid. If I'm having problems due to the hormones in the combined pill I don't want to go on another form of hormonal birth control and even though logically we know condoms are effective we both get paranoid about them breaking so using condoms is usually just stressful and I want to use a form of contraception where I have control over it/my body myself.

So I guess my three options are either stay on my current birth control and hope my side effects magically resolve themselves, switch to the mini pill which may or may not help or switch to an IUD which would probably stop the negstive side effects I'm experiencing from the pill but also the positive ones. It feels like I just can't win

[Latha]

Hi Sterling, welcome to the boards!

I understand this looks like a situation where you have no good options, and that must be really frustrating! You've been on this birth control for a few months, so it is a good time to evaluate whether it is working for you. Before you make changes, you might want to see a doctor to rule out any other conditions that could be causing your negative symptoms. Weight gain and fatigue are not only associated with birth control, and everyone's body is different, but hormonal birth control like the pill do not appear to be associated with chronic UTIs.

I want to note that you may not experience the same side effects with the mini pill. Some people are sensitive to the estrogen in combined birth control, so moving to progestogen-only options can be helpful. Longer/heavier periods are a noted side effect of Copper IUDs. Hormonal IUDs, which contain small amounts of the hormone levonorgestrel, may be another option - for some people, they provide the benefits of lighter, more regular periods without the negative side effects associated with other kinds of hormonal birth control.