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It’s time to make the babies! Okay, it’s not. It’s time to change the way I DON’T make babies. As sad as it makes me, watching my hard-working eggs give up month after month, I need new birth control. I know this has been blogged about previously, but I figured why not give the topic another spin.
I’ve been on the same birth control pill for nine years. That’s a freakin’ long time to put something hormonal into your body. Well, since I’ll probably be using another form of birth control with hormones, that’s not really what I was concerned about. I think I was lucky, no side effects of the pill when I took them. Maybe some of my weight gain has to do with it now, though. (Just fishing for other reasons I’m fun-sized.) Is it possible to have side effects nine years later? I dunno.
Anyway, I’m looking for a switch. I’d preferably want to be put on another pill, possibly a low-dose pill, although I’m not quite sure how it works. Also, I’d hate to have to spend a large amount of money on a new pill. I’ve heard there are different types, but the ones without generic pill options can be a real fund-wrecker. I don’t know what I’d like to do, to be honest. I’d really rather have something that you do once a day (or similar) instead of every time you feel like “getting down”, although I’d really rather just not use anything. Ugh.
What birth control do you recommend?
FAM - Fertility Awareness Method
I went through the same thing for what sounds like similar reasons. I did my homework and read up, and the end result was that I decided not to make any changes, I really felt like I was using what was best for me. If it is working, and you are not having negative side effects, why change?
I just hated having my period every month, so I’ve switched to Seasonale and loved it. Four periods a year baby! Still totally healthy and no side effects, I was on ortho-tri or its generic for about 9 years or so before Seasonale and had no effects from that either.
It’s great because I’ll be going away for the wedding/honeymoon for a whole month when all is said and done and there won’t be any bloating/pmsing/etc for that whole month!! Stressing and wanting to blame it on pmsing and not just my mom getting on my nerves right before the wedding….that’s another story.
I talked to my doctor about possibly switching. Her advice was to stay on the same pill since it was working with no side effects. She said the side effects I could experience on another pill would not be worth the switch.
I use nuva ring, which I love. I wanted something I didn’t have to think about every day. You put the ring in, leave it in for 3 weeks, take it out for 1 week, get your period, and put a new one in for another 3 weeks. It has changed my life, made me so much less worried about bc (I used to be obsessed with taking the pill at the same time every day - it wasn’t fun). Good luck Miss Kiwi!
loestrin24fe…love it 
I am also a fan of the Nuva ring. I have been using it since 2003 and haven’t had any side efffects!
i have to second seasonale..i love not having my period for months at a time..and i have no side effects at all.
HC, I initially thought the same thing, but let’s just say I’ve been having some “gyno” issues. My doctor wanted to switch me previously, so we’ll see what happens. I have an appointment next Friday, that I had made for something else, so I’ll ask.
Nuvaring all the way, baby! (no pun intended) I tried so many types of pills, but they all made me nauseous and gave me breakthrough bleeding. I’ve never had any side effects from the ring, and it is so convenient!
Ditto tracy- I am on Loestrin FE 1/20, and LOVE it! I get my period probably every 3 months (only downside is some months being worried I’m preggo), and when I do get it, it lasts for 1 day! No side effects, releives my cramps, and I would highly recommend it. I tried the NuvaRing but it would occasionally fall out after sex (TMI, I know)- not something I wanted to deal with all the time. Good luck!
I had a friend who consistenly got DEBILITATING UTIs from using the ring. And as I am prone to them easily already, don’t think I’ll ever muster up the courage.
I’m on regular ortho-lo and I love it. You don’t have to take it at the exact same time every day - it’s about a three-hour window - but some people set an alarm to ease themselves about not forgetting.
As for the period thing - you can skip them using regular ortho-lo. Just don’t take the last week of pills and start your new pack after the third week. That’s exactly what Seasonale is - only the first three weeks of pills.
As for cost, currently I pay less than $20 for a month of ortho-lo, and that’s not the generic brand, and it’s not through insurance. It works out to less than $1 per pill, even taking into account the week that you don’t use if you wanted to skip your p.
I third the vote for loestrin. Although I will say that it gave me CRAZY breakouts for my first 6 months of use, but now my skin is free and clear. Love it.
I was on ortho lo for years, but for the last few months of taking it, I was getting full blown periods (not just spotting) 2 times a month! (so yes, I think you can get side effects years later!) My doctor put me on yasmine about six month ago and it’s been great - short period, no spotting, less moodiness and no weight gain (which is my biggest fear).
(I’ve also heard that the nuva ring is great, too, but I haven’t tried it personally.)
fertility awareness method is pretty good. HOWEVER, it requires you to take your temperature every morning before you do anything, the temps need to be taken around the same time every morning (if you sleep in on weekends, it could be a problem) and you have to monitor your other fertility signs (cervical mucus and cervix position). I will not go into the descriptions of it here. =P also, there is still a chance that you could get accidentally pg.
however, once you master the signs and the temperature thing, it is actually a pretty good method.
i would suggest that you stay on the current pill. changing hormone levels could really affect your body, and you may not like the side effects. and it can take a while before your body adjusts to the new levels. just my opinion. =)
be careful with seasonale…it doesn’t have the same results for everybody. i started taking it with the wedding a year away. i had my period almost the whole year. the only time i had a break from it was when i was at the end of the pill pack.
my doc said seasonale has that side effect on some women. you get the reverse effect of not having a period four times a year. plus the moodiness and weight gain, etc. ever wonder why you don’t see anymore seasonale commercials on t.v.?
nuva ring. with insurance, i pay about $75 for three months. you don’t need to worry about it everyday, but i do periodically check up on it, to make sure it hasn’t come out after certain activities 
…
Loestrin gets my vote. I tried the generic version of this and I had some weight gain I switched to the real mccoy and no problems at all. In fact it made my skin glow. (I have a good complexion to begin with) but my friends actually said my skin was glowing.
I’ve been on Necon for about 8 years. It’s the generic Ortho-Novum. I have no side effects and feel fine taking it.
my doctor prescribed me the generic of loestrin, which is microgestin fe. it’s also the lowest dose of hormones available which is why i like it. bc scares me but what can you do!
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Mrs. Kiwi, Los Angeles Age and Occupation in 06: 27, Bookkeeper Fiance's Age and Occupation: 27, P.E. Teach/Coach @ private schools in LA Engagement Date: March 31, 2006 Wedding Date: November 3, 2007 Venue: Radisson Hotel About Me: I'm a bookkeeper who failed high school algebra. I'm currently living in Los Angeles, literally a street over from where I grew up with Mr. Kiwi, my honey of three years. We have a jumbo mini-dachshund (seriously, he's huuuuge), and we're planning an autumn themed wedding on a shoestring, paid for by ourselves. The wedding date is my late grandma's birthday, I needed her there somehow, and that seemed like the best way for us. I can't believe I'm a Bee! I couldn't be more proud!
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