Wedding Blog
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?
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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!
Let me second what CT said…
Oh, just say NO to Seasonale!
At least not to close to the wedding…
I am still taking it now but I will say only this-I started it in mid-october-got my period on my wedding day(which was December 2)!
Thank heavens for that bathroom supply basket, that’s all I have to say!
It then lasted unitl after New Year’s. My doc said evidently it takes a while for some people to get used to…I still have a lot of spotting when I am not supposed to. It is definitely improving but I don’t think I would recommend it.
I’m on a low-hormone pill, Alesse, which has the generic brand of Aviane for significantly less. Works like a charm for me, but then again I’m taking for the prevention of ovarian cysts rather than to prevent pregnancy (although it is definitely nice to have that, too!). I’m VERY irregular without because of the cysts (read: 3-4 times/year) so I guess I wouldn’t be a good reference in terms of causing spotting, but I’ve never had any problems or side effects with it.
Oh goodness, I’m mold. I’m… BREEN. See, you can’t do that with green/brown- it’d be GRown. Like Grown up. Grrr. 
I just wanted to tell you to be careful, because I think I read somewhere that being on the pill for more than 10 years straight is not recommended (bad for the organs). If you wanted to take a break and try something natural, I highly suggest reading the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility.” Even if you stick with the pill, it is an amazing book and has lots of great info that will help when you DO want to make babies!!
I would suggest sticking with your current pill, most pills the longer you use them the more good side effects there are. If you are on a pill longer than 2 years you slightly reduce the risk of several cancers if you are on it for even longer you will reduce your risks even more. If you go to the site for Yasmin (which is what I take) it will tell a lot about hormone pills in general, I suggest checking the site for other pills and finding out which one you think will work best for you (if you decide to switch) then talk to your doctor about what you found.
Low dose pills may or may not work for you. Typically, “fun sized” women like us aren’t supposed to use them because they are less effective. My sis used to work at a women’s health clinic and told me that when I was looking to switch BCPs.
i was on a monophasil low dose pill - desogen for many many many years. when my friends switched from triphasil to monophasil, they loved it and said the side effects were much less severe. and i paid $10 or less a month for them.
Nuvaring…I take it continuously too (so I only have my period a couple of times a year). Love it! Although I have to have a “change ring” reminder on Outlook so I know when three weeks has passed.
I was on the pill and miserable at remembering to take it. Switched to the patch but i didn’t love it and then the whole health issues came out about it. Switched to the ring and have no breakthrough bleeding, the flow is way down when I do have my period and the side effects are way down too.
Hey if your fruit is getting moldy, you should throw it out. (ahaha this is so aimless)
from Wiki: The Breen are a species in the science fiction franchise Star Trek. They wear suits which supposedly generate an arctic environment inside them. Their homeworld was once believed to be a frozen wasteland. They established the isolated Breen Confederacy in the Alpha Quadrant and became a powerful ally of the Dominion of the Gamma Quadrant.
I like seasonale also. I switched from ortho-lo. It costs me $15 (generic, forget what it’s called) for 3 months. i am a busy busy gal, so I love not having my period. I’ve noticed some “dryness” down there, and nuvaring is supposed to help out with that (or for some women causes TOO much discharge…). I’m thinking about switching to nuvaring next time i see the doc. I think we’ll use that for a year or 2 and then start thinking about babieeeees.
The only thing I would say stay away from is the patch, supposedly the reason for it’s bad side-effects are that the hormone levels keep ramping up rather than being at a constant level, so it has increased risk for blood clots compared to other hormonal BC. My OB/GYN said it was ok to take nuvaring constantly like the pill (for skipping periods) but NOT ok with the patch.
I was on birth control pills for over 12 years and felt the same way you did — hormones for that long can’t be good for the body, right? A couple of other side effects from the pill that didn’t sit well with me: 1) I was gaining a consistent 2 lbs every year on the pill (I probably could have exercised extra hard to work it off but let’s be real here..) 2) I also travel quite a bit for work and often took the pill at inconsistent times (East Coast vs West Coast) and sometimes even forgot to bring my pills which resulted in me starting a new pack. This hormonal inconsistency actually resulted in some colorations on my face (similar the age spot-looking things that pregnant women sometimes get). Anyhoo, you get the picture — the pills were not my thang. Two of my girlfriends were using non-hormonal IUDs for 2+ years and love it so I did some research and asked my doctor about it. Most people hear IUDs and cringe because of the bad rap they received in the 70’s. IUDs are very effective (99%??) but can spread and prolong STDs in the body. So in the days of free love and emerging STD’s, many IUD users had bad experiences. Nowadays, doctor’s only prescribe IUDs to those in long-term monogamous relationships. They cost a bit more but definitely less than one year’s supply of Birth Control (my insurance covered mine). They can also stay in your body for 10+ years with just a monthly self-check to make sure the strings are still in place and can be removed at any time. It’s been about 1 year since the switch — I lost an immediate 5 lbs after I got off the pill and haven’t gained any back yet PLUS I don’t worry about taking the pill on time every day.
Nuvaring is wonderful. Like the previous post, I usually use 2 or 3 rings back-to-back to minimize the # of periods I have to have. Before I started, my periods weren’t regular but usually were 6-8 weeks apart so I couldn’t imagine having a period every 4 weeks. Don’t have to worry about taking a pill every day. It has only come out once during sex, but FI didn’t freak out. Everyone’s reaction to the different pills and hormones is different but I was not having fun with Ortho-lo - swollen tender boobs!
There was an earlier post that mentioned UTIs and the ring… that doesn’t make any sense to me. The ring is in your vagina, UTIs are in the urinary track. Are you sure that it wasn’t because she didn’t pee enough after having sex? My FI pushes me out of bed after sex because I’ve gotten some horrible UTIs if I just fall asleep without letting the urine flush the system out.
i second the idea of not changing your pill, especially if you’ve been on the same brand for 9 months! I’ve been on Desogen for almost a year and about after 6 months, I just got curious and decided to switch to another brand. It was HORRIBLE! I was sooo nauseus and moody for so long. I switched back immediately. I think if your body gets used to a certain brand, it’s not such a great idea to switch unless it’s for a really important reason.
I second Arivechi: love the ring, no side effects other than being emotional the first month. No trouble with UTIs, either, but then again I’m good about going to the bathroom afterward, too.
First off, totally recommend
FAM - Fertility Awareness Method
Read “Taking Charge of your Fertility”
http://www.amazon.com/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Reproductive/dp/0060937645
My doc also said that you could be on the same pill for years and have side effects later on because your own body changes.
I also must note that even though your doc might give you a prescription for a name brand pill, some insurance companies/pharmacy can send you the generic brand that is supposed to be a match of the name brand. It isn’t always the exact same formula. It could be off by less than a mcg but it can make a big difference in how your body reacts.
I hate to be a downer here but felt I should chime in.
Being on the pill for over 9 years can be dangerous. All of those hormones in your system is not good.
I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at 33 years of age. I didn’t think that it could happen at such a young age. Since the time i was diagnosed I meet hundreds of other young women with breast cancer and the large majority had been on the pill for many, many years. I meet them online and in person and we’ve done polls to find out.
I use condoms now.
Miss Bell, I am so sorry to hear about your cancer diagnosis.
However, I did want to point out to other readers that as of yet, there have been no solid studies directly showing a cause between birth control and breast cancer. A few smaller studies have shown a potential positive correlation, but when the studies are increased to include a larger number of women, and other factors (alcohol, family history, etc) are accounted for, being on birth control does not increase your risk of breast cancer. In fact, being on the pill is protective against ovarian cancer, which is among the worst possible cancers to develop — it is hard to detect, and is thus usually not caught until stage IV, at which point it there is generally nothing that can be done.
I am a Ph.D. student in oncology, so I am generally well read with the latest studies and have attended multiple seminars/talks on this subject, and I am on the pill — I don’t see a significant enough correlation between the pill and breast cancer to stop using it.
I can’t say enough good things about Nuvaring. I tried pills and the patch unsuccessfully in the past. With Nuvaring, I am not emotional. I don’t worry about taking the pill everyday, and I’ve never had it fall out. Although prone to UTIs, I have not had even one since starting Nuvaring. Hardest part is reminders to insert and discard. It didn’t occur to me, but I think I’ll start taking it continuously, too.
I didn’t take the time to read other suggestions, just though I would share my current “no more babies” method. I recently had an Mirena IUD inserted. Although the process was slightly less the pleasant, and the “recovery” was a little long (4-6 weeks of bleeding) it seems worth it for a) no hormonal treatments and b) up to 5 years of protection. The best part, in my mind, is that using a condom doesn’t increase your protection by enough to worry about. If you are thinking long term, it’s something to look into!
We need a doctor on this site. : )
i’ve been using the nuvaring for over a year and i’m so glad i chose it. the hormones are low and i sooo can’t remember to take a pill. i’ve had no side effects. my husband and i loooove it.
i was on the pill from age 19-24 then on the orthro evra patch from 25-28. i stopped using any form about 6 months ago since my mom kept nagging/scaring me about not be able to get pregnant being on birth control for so long. so we’re back to condoms. sure the docs have told me that studies haven’t shown decrease in being able to conceive….but, i don’t want to regret it down the road.
I say FAM too. I thought it would be a pain taking my temperature every morning at the same time, but it’s not! When my alarm goes off, I roll over and grab it. By the time it’s almost done I basically have drifted back to sleep. On the weekends I take my temp, roll over and fall back to asleep. AND you really get to know your body, which is fantastic! My FI and I are still going to use condoms during fertile week. Best of luck!
I’ve been using the pill over last 10 yrs ( diff brands) and now I am on low-dose type ( Yasmine). I tried the patch but I was constantly freaking out that it’s peeling off (it’s kind of like a bandaid and even if it doesn’t peel off completely, the edges do, which was enough to make me doubt its effectivness). Not to mention you can see it on every picture we have from the vacation that we took while I was on it…oops ! Not ideal. This was 3 yrs ago, now I am back to pills. I don’t think I have any side effects ( I would like to blame those few extra pounds on the pill, but I am afraid it’s just my late night snacks and eating out all the time, haha)
I asked my ob/gyn if I don’t need to change/take a break, she said pills are so low dose now, it’s not something to worry about. Mine are 15/months, which I don’t think is much.
Good luck with your decision.
Loestrin FE is the best BCP i’ve tried, and my BF has commented on how nice my skin looks these days! I’ve had some weight gain, but a lot of it has actually been in my breasts so I can’t complain. I’ve tried and rejected OTC, OTC Lo, and Alesse.
After reading through this article, I just feel that I really need more information on the topic. Could you suggest some more resources ?
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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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