Birth Control Pills Question

[jm0815]

I've just become sexually active 3 months ago and I have been using condoms as a form of birth control. I have thought of going on the pill along with using condoms to use the buddy system. However I am very concerned about the side effects that come along with hormonal birth control. A friend of mine has told me her experiences with birth control (moodiness/mood swings, weight gain, irritation) and advised me not to go birth control unless I had to. I've looked online at the side effects and it doesn't ease my concerns about birth control. I kind of do not want to add additional hormones into my system. I want to know what experiences have people had on birth control (what side effects)? Is there a certain birth control pill anyone suggests? Are condoms protection enough? Thanks!

[Heather]

Side effects of any given method often differ a lot from person-to-person. So, no one should be telling anyone else not to use a method because THEY had effects they did not like. (Especially since, too, contraceptive methods prevent pregnancy, which has way MORE side effects, as well as being a potentially life-changing thing not everyone wants!)

Too, sometimes people associate some things they experience with a method when they have not had anything to do with that method. For example, the pill, specifically, has been studied intensively per weight gain, and is NOT associated with anything more than a minor, temporary increase in water weight of a few pounds at most.

So, what you want to look at for your best information about a method isn't personal anecdotes, but the information collected broadly for that method. Too, there is no one brand of pill that is going to be a right fit for everyone: finding the right brand, when the pill is what someone wants to use, that's a best-match for them is just a matter of both some trial and error, but also letting your prescribing physician know about your own health history, as well as what side effects you'd most like to avoid, and/or what additional benefits -- besides preventing pregnancy -- you'd be happy to find you experienced using the pill (for example lighter periods, acne management, help with cramps, etc.).

We do also have a spot here on the boards where users have talked about their experiences with methods if you want to round out that studied information with personal anecdotes.

But it sounds to me like you perhaps feel like the pill is your only option per another method to use with condoms. It's not! You have choices, and if it turns out you don't feel so hot on the idea of a hormonal method, you have options that are not hormonal. So, want to talk about all your options first, or do you want to stay focused on the pill?

Condoms, by themselves, are around 85% effective in typical use in one year, and 98% effective in perfect use in one year. In terms of "is that enough protection?" that's really going to be your call per how you feel about that level of protection, and about not having a backup method to use with condoms. How do you feel about that level of effectiveness and relying on just one method?

[jm0815]

I have looked at the anecdotes on that forum and I understand experiences will vary from person to person. I am just worried as to what my reaction will be to a hormonal pill. I have never been on hormonal birth control before and I understand the concept of trial and error but I do not want to wreck havoc on my hormones and body to test different pills. Also in the past I have struggled with my weight (which I know have under control) and during menstruation I already suffer from irritation. I do not want things to be exacerbated by a pill.

I've discussed with my gynecologist different options and I meant to meet with her in late July to discuss which option I would choose. But I did not feel comfortable with any option at the time. Throughout these 3 months I have researched different types of birth control such as the IUD, nuvaring, depo shots, and I did not like the side effects I read about (blood clots from nuvaring, weight gain associated with shots, and painful and heavy menstrual cycles from IUD). I saw that the copper IUD is not hormonal but I do not like the idea of inserting something foreign inside my body for an extended period of time. So after all that research I've come to the conclusion I really I'm not fond of any of those methods. What I do know is that I am not comfortable with just relying on one method.I spoke to a nurse at my gynecologist's office today and I asked to be prescribed birth control pills. So I'm thinking of the pill as my second method but I am still having second thoughts.

[Heather]

For most people, combined methods like the pill do NOT wreak havoc on their bodies. But again, no one method -- just like no one way of eating, or no one pair of jeans -- is right for everyone.

I feel, though, like I am hearing you say that ideally, you would a) rather not use any method that involves synthetic hormones, and b) don't want an object inside your body for long periods of time.

If I have that right, you have some options you could pair with condoms that would not involve any of those things: that'd be charting and learning to use natural family planning with condoms, cervical barrier methods, spermicides, the sponge or withdrawal. All of those should meet your criteria, and using any of them properly with condoms will get you as close to full effectiveness, combined, as someone just using an IUD would have.

You might also feel like, given where it sounds like you're sitting with the pill, you feel better just getting some Plan B to have on hand only in CASE you need it, like should a condom slip off or break.

Ultimately, the most effective methods will always be the ones that we feel best about, and good enough about to always use and keep using. So, when picking a method, I find it's usually best for people to really lead with what they know they want most and would feel best about, and then adjust -- if needed -- or compromise from there either to deal with other issues (like health conflicts, cost or the ability to always access a certain method). If you just do not feel right about the pill for any reason, there's no need to take it unless you feel like or find out that is your only option.

[jm0815]

Thank you for your advice! My gynecologist prescribed me Junel FE birth control pill. I am still on the fence of taking hormonal birth control because of the whole side effects thing but on the other side I feel like it will give me more of peace of mind while having sex. Right now I am using condoms combined with the withdrawl method.

[Mo]

Keep in mind that if you do decide to give the pill a try, you aren't entering into an iron-bound contract. I'd suggest you give it a few months if you try, just because some folks notice side effects in the first month or two that vanish afterwards, but if at any point you find yourself thinking "this is a drag, I hate how I feel right now" you can just stop taking the pill and re-evaluate your birth control regimen.

[jm0815]

I know its not an iron-bound contract, I'm just hesitant because this is all new to me. I don't know what side effects will come along with the pill and that's worrisome to me (you don't know what will happen until you take it). If I find that I do not like the pill, will my menstrual cycle be normal once coming off of birth control?

[Mo]

It's hard to predict exactly what will happen if you start and stop again. Most likely your cycle will return to normal, but it may take a couple cycles for that to happen. Beyond that we really can't say as everyone responds differently, but it's unlikely that you'd have permanent effects from the pill once you stop it.