Since I've started taking birth control I've had quite a rollercoaster ride. I started with Depo because I was worried about remembering the pill. That didn't last long and I'm sure I don't have to explain why. I then started on another shot that I like called Lunelle. It was a one month shot, but they stopped making it or something, so it's no longer available. I'm now on my third brand of pills. Ortho-try-cyclin made me depressed,crazy, and completely uninterested in sex. Cyclessa wasn't consistant in the level of hormones week to week so I started out happy and horny the first week and was a crying nasty bith by the third and fourth weeks. Now I'm on Yasmin and I'm still not totally happy. I still have no sex drive (I used to be a nympho). I still act crazy sometimes and can't explain why. My boyfriend wants me to stop taking birth control all together. He says that the crazyness will likely stop because it started when I started birth control and got noticabley worse on the pills. He says that he just won't come in me and that if I'm worried about kids I should just get a diaphram. I am worried about kids. I'm 22 and in no position to have one - not finacially, not emotionally, not anything. My boyfriend says that we were going to have kids anyway, maybe they'll just be a little early. I think this is too early. I told him that if I became pregnant that I would consider abortion and he told me that was a horrible thing to say. It IS horrible, but it's the truth. I am NOT ready for a child. Abortion is just one option I would consider, along with adoption and just keeping it. Another point is that I am depressed and have always been a little crazy. Crazy as in demanding, moody, hypocritical, irrational at times. I'm worried that I won't be any better emotionally off birth control. I need some advice and some thoughts right now. I've been on birth control for over three years now - what are the odds I'd become pregnant right away? Are my moods likely the pill? What does everyone know about diaphrams - are the successful, comfortable, worthwhile? Am I really horrible for saying that I would consider (along with all other options) aborting a child from the man I will have children with eventually anyway? I want to try out not being on birth control - see how I feel, but I'm worried about possible consequences. Please advise. I appreciate your support greatly.
First of all, you're not "bad" for considering abortion. If you're not in the state of mind to love and accept a child wholeheartedly, then you simply should not have one. You should, however, continue using birth control methods to prevent an unplanned pregnancy, but not necessarily hormonal birth control methods. I've heard that diaphragms can be quite uncomfortable, but there are also sponges, caps, and spermicides you can buy over-the-counter that can prevent pregnancy. Check into those. I suggest you stop taking hormonal birth control (I'm not your doctor, obviously, so talk to him/her also). After you get your body's natural hormones back to normal levels, you can then assess whether your current problems were attributed to the birth control pills, or are being caused by depression, anxiety, stress, etc. Some people just don't handle hormonal birth control as well as others. If you feel like your problems started when you began taking BC, then go ahead and try something else. Please don't stop taking your pills until you have another birth control method in place! An unplanned baby wouldn't make this situation any easier on you, would it? I hope you start feeling like yourself again soon.
LuvTeleia~I have always suspected and maintained that birth control hormones MUST have an effect on libido, but the medical profession will agressively deny it. Yet it makes logical sense that when hormones are supressed and altered there will be an effect. It is after all the hormones and their natural variations throughout the month that make a woman fertile and sexual. It is common for a woman who has a monthly cycle unaltered by synthetic hormones to have days when she is highly sexual and days when sex may not even enter her mind. Unfortunately we don't have very many temporary birth control options that won't affect our bodies in some way. The less intrusive birth control methods are often the most cumbersome, but the advantage is that you aren't putting something synthetic into your body and your sex drive will remain unaffected. (ie. condoms, diaphrams, but not iud's) I have been very successful with what could be called the rythm method...just knowing exactly when you are ovulating is a skill that will be most useful throughout your adult life. I say somewhat successful because only one or two of my children were a total surprise and I say i'm lucky because I am in a position to accept these surprises warmly as I have been with my husband since he was 19 and I was 18 so in the long scheme of things in this long term relationship we are willing to take the surprises nature has to offer in order to maintain the NATURALNESS of our bodies and sexuality. This has been my experience. I wish you luck reconciling your birth control needs...remember that your sexuality and health are long term so be patient while discovering what will work for you. Paz, Josie
I do good on the pill but yeah sex drive is lower. If you just started yasmine you should take them 3-5 monthes before making a judgement. They take awhile to get acclamated to your body. Diaphram is NOT 90% ,,I heard it is 80% effective. Use condoms! Yeah it sucks but if you are NOT wanting to get preggers you need to protect yourself. Or study your body for the rythem method,,, but you need to track it for up to a year before you can judge and know that you are completly regular. You could do that ,,buy those pee sticks that tell you if you are fertile,,,the ones that women use to GET preggers,,, and do that each week? You can really say what you will do until you are preggers. You can THINK what you would do ,,but it is differant when in that situation. Mine was a surprise ,, just got off the pill ,,for no other reason then giving my body a break from hormones,,,we used condoms about 50% of the time for about a month and I was preggers. Now I have a little beauty Saige ~ I thought FOR SURE I would get an abortion but once I was there and it was real ,,I couldn't do it. I wasn't ready at all but you find a way,,,and things come together and you figure it out.
i was prescribed the pill when i was 20 because i was having my period too often; the doc thought the pill would regulate my periods. not only were my periods not regulated, but i was a crazy woman!!! crazier than my usual PMS insanity. i've heard lots of women say the same thing. there are other forms of b.c. you can look into.
What's out there besides the rhymth method? Are there are herbs that would decrease my chances? I know that there is no way to be totally reliant on herbs, but women used them for centuries so they must decrease chances somewhat? I figure if I'm practically already chancing it - what's wrong with a little herbal help. I want to say that I think pennyroyal works to prevent pregnancy, but if I'm right about that I don't remember how it should be used. Anything cumbersome and annoying won't work for us. We won't use it - I know they way we are. For instance I hate condoms - they way they feel just irks me. I'm just trying to weigh the decision: consequences of hormonal bc vs. consequences of pregnancy Isn't there anything natural?????!!!!!!
Yep there are natural things ,,,, reproducing is natural ~ LOL well according to our instincts & mother nature. The way we release eggs you'd think we were meant to be prego all the time! LOL I do not know of any herbs but I would bet a "natropath" doctor would know. A women I work with goes to a natropath for her menopause and alternative hormone treatment so I know they KNOW about hormones. Might cost more but if you have a strong desire to have unprotected sex & cannot take conventional hormones then it may be worth the money!!!! I have known people on the IUD and they LOVED it. Since I do OK on the pill I prefer that to inserting something in my uterus but If I could NOT take the pill I would look into it as it is 99% effective & NO hormones. I understand about the condoms but if you get prego and your not planning it the stress and emotions that take over your body is so overwhelming,,, that you think " why didn't we just use a condom". When you have a child living in yur body and you are contemplating "what to do" it is a VERY HARD time when you are in that place NOT knowing what to do. It is hard to explain unless you have been there. I had NO PLANS of having a child until way later in life. I was in collage & dating Jordan for about 5 monthes. When I found out I was prego,,it was like a truck knocked me down and rolled over me a million times. I was numb,,,no clue what to do. We choose abortion and I started calling around getting prices,,info etc... after finding out that they "suck the contents of your uterus out" with a vacume,,I lost it! I couldn't imagine laying there ,,,half asleep,,legs spread,,,while a little tiny fetus was vacummed out! I still had an appointment 2 weeks away ( I was 6 weeks,,you had to be 8 weeks). Adoption was NOT an option,,,if I was carrying the baby I was gonna keep it. After a week of being complelty depressed & in more pain emotionally then I had ever felt in my life ,,,I said " no way can I do this next week,I want to keep it" and Jordan said he hated the feeling he had KNOWING that we (more so I) had to go through with this in a week. I was a walking zombie that first week,,thinking and crying and thinking and crying. Getting prego when you are NOT planning nor wanting IS NOT a state of mind ANY WOMEN should be in. So theres my 2 cents! LOL I couldn't imagine my life without Saige and I will never tell her that she was a week away from being aborted. My emotional state lead me to MY right choice. If you choose to let it go and not worry ,,please be ready for a baby. Like I said the emotional state of mind & choices you must make when it happens are overwhelming ,,,it is NOT that easy to " just go get an abortion" unless you are a completly heartless person. I am NOT against abortion ,,to each his own. I am against the girls who use it as a form of BC. Thats NOT fair! I am NOT saying that you are but just venting about the people that do. I have a friend who's sister has had 4 in 3 years time. WHY DOES SHE NOT USE A CONDOM is beyond my wildest imagination!So please think it over hard and if you choose to risk getting prego then agree that you will greet that baby with open loving arms. If you are not ready for that then use a condom ,,it is a much better feeling then the emotions you will have to face when you find out your are prego and you do not know what to do.
Indigo - How did things work out for you? How old is your child? I'm glad that things worked out for you. I do not look upon abortion lightly. I know several people that have gone through them and the pain they brought with them. I know that there is a form of abortion that can only take place in the first 7-8 weeks. They give you a shot and some suppositories for later. It works sort of like a miscarriage. There is no vacuuming and I would never have the vacuum procedure. It is the only form I'd consider - if I was past that point I'd be looking forward to the shower. Thanks for you insight Indigo. I secretly know that I would keep it, I just have to take the path where I consider all options.
Hello ~ Saige is 5 1/2 now ~ just graduated Kindergarden ~ She is soo sweet! I had her when I was 20 going on 21. It was hard to have to be put in that situation of making choices,,,sooo very hard! And her dad kinda left it up to me ,,,saying if I choose to have ti then he will work his butt off but if I wanted an abortion then he'd be there too ,,,so it was all me making the choices,,,which really it is ALWAYS the girl ya know ~ Actually that got me thinking into looking into a natropaths suggestions for BC ~ I wouldn't mind trying something differant. I will post it here when I find out!