Hear Us Out: 20 Women Share Their Experience with Birth Control Pills Side Effects
Going for a certain route of birth control is a crucial part of our life, it is always surrounded with hesitation and fear. You ask all you now to figure the best ways, but somehow deep inside you there is still a doubt and you end most of the time using birth control pills. These pills that gonna help you control your life and future might go away from its purpose and you most of the time experience those birth control pills side effects but can you really tell!! We asked women on their experience with these pills and how it affected their everyday life and if those horror stories you might hear is truth or just a myth.
Read more on from the mouth of women about birth control pills side effects
On the Sexual side
“I went from a pill after taking it for a few years (age 13-20), and then switched to the copper IUD (I am 20 now). I noticed an increased sex drive, and the ability to get wet easier during sex. I also had some acne come back, but once it settled down after a while, I just need to be more rigorous with my skincare routine. I also experience more cramps sometimes, but do not feel as bloated. I also think I find it easier to lose weight now.”
“I’ve been taking low estrogen and it was great at thinning my periods but recently I discovered it was thinning my vaginal tissues so now I can’t even have sex without pain. I’m slowly increasing the estrogen after talking with my doctor.”
On acne
“The pill has been good to me. No side effects except clearer skin. I strongly prefer monophasic to triphasic and regularly double up packs to skip periods.”
“I haven’t experienced much of birth control pills side effects, I went on and off the pill – various brands of the combination pill – multiple times between the ages of 18 and 33. The combination pill was great for my acne, which was terrible back in my teens and early 20s- but always prompted an initial weight gain of 5 to 10 pounds that came off afterward and a fair number of mood swings.”
“I was on the pill for about six months to regulate my period, and when I was on it I felt like my skin was clearer and my periods were always right on the dot and were about five days long. After I stopped taking it, my periods are 7-14 days long and come once every 2 months.”
“I had to take it from the ages of 13-21 and I have no regrets. My skin cleared up, and I had no side effects. I took it so I wouldn’t have to be lying unconscious on my bathroom floor covered in my own vomit from the pain.”
On mental health
“I tried several different types of hormonal birth control methods over the last 10 years. I experienced mood swings, weight gain/loss, headaches, loss of libido and I completely ditched the pill a few months ago. I finally feel like myself again! Higher energy, better mood, high libido, better period.
I now use a basal thermometer called fermometor from Amazon, it tracks your cycle so I know when to avoid sex or use condoms!”
“I was on it for about 6 years and then took myself off almost 4 years ago. I didn’t even know this was a side effect but after being off for a while, my anxiety decreased A LOT. I originally wanted to go off it because I was convinced it made me gain weight, but when I went off it my weight stayed the same. My periods are still very normal, like within the same day or 2 every month and only last like 4 days. I didn’t notice the anxiety thing til probably 2 years ago.”
“Me and my best friend were on the same pill. I felt completely normal. Nothing changed except I had shorter periods and cramps were gone. I’m still using it, 3 years now. She in the other hand had the worst experience. Awful mood swings and gained weight.”
“I’ve personally been good on the pill, while I was taking it properly. I’ve been off it for a few weeks now (depression is really bad right now, can’t get myself to take anything on a regular basis) and I’m just super-crampy off it. I got on it to control my hormones that made my mild depression 100x worse, plus other terrible side effects.”
“I take continuous birth control to prevent my period. I haven’t had a cycle for 2 years. For me, taking artificial hormones is very beneficial. My mental well being is dependent on my birth control. Having hormonal fluctuations of a normal cycle causes me to have very intense and severe mood swings. I’m very unstable and my behavior is unpredictable. My life has improved drastically. Before, I never felt stable except while on my period.”
“Oh yes! I’m a mellow, optimistic person usually. I’ve tried about every oral BC med and they all made me into the Incredible Hulk. I’d yell, throw things, swear, and was generally horrible 24/7. I have the Mirena now. It was an adjustment, but no Hulk-outs and my periods are all but nonexistent. It’s not perfect, but it’s the best I’ve found so far.”
“BCP side effects turned me into a different version these high estrogen pills made me feel very emotional, needy and insecure and it was the most uncomfortable thing ever. I was acting very out of character. I took it for 3 months and then told my doctor I needed something else. I’ve been taking one with less estrogen ever since and I’ve felt fine.”
On periods
“I’m not heterosexual and the pill is still a lifesaver for me. While it causes mild depression and slightly lower libido that’s more than balanced out by controlling my periods and no longer having crippling PMS.”
“Pill for 10+ years. I have had great experiences. I have never been pregnant, for one. Also, I can skip periods and take birth control continuously. I haven’t had any side effects except spotting (small amounts of blood for a week or so), which has cleared up.”
“I’ve been doing this on and off since I was 16 (27 now). If I take it too long without a pause, I start to get cramps and spotting, it’s the sign from my body that it’s time to stop for a week and let it bleed.”
“Very happy with birth control pills experience. It makes my periods lighter and more manageable and I’ve had no negative side effects or pregnancies”
“For years, I was taking traditional birth control. I tried around seven different brands of low-hormone pills. Every night, I ended up being so nauseous that I just couldn’t take it anymore. That’s when I started researching IUDs. I have had my IUD for five years and I would never go back to regular birth control. “
On physical experience
“They worked to alleviate the frequent and heavy periods I was getting but I hated the side effects. At first, they made me nauseated. Then by the 3rd month on it, I started to notice how much fluid I was retaining. My boobs hurt all the time and I felt constantly bloated. As soon as I stopped it, I peed a lot for a day or so and dropped 5 lbs.”
” I really want to stop taking it because my hair is literally 2/3 thinner. It freaks me out. I don’t think it’s changed my mood but I have had a lot of random digestive issues and I think that’s from the pill too.”
Read also: 8 Lifestyle Practices That Might Affect Your Libido and How to Change That
On recommending it
“Your body WILL take a couple of months to adjust, even if you have very mild birth control pills side effects. Side effects that I personally experienced are mood swings, weight gain, fatigue, skin problems, breast soreness, and headaches. Most of these things are not too drastic, even while happening all at once, but are definitely noticeable. Even if you don’t think you’re experiencing side effects, you probably are, and will most likely feel better on month three of being on the pill vs. month one or two. After a few months, your birth control pills might actually take the reverse effect of lessening your PMS symptoms, like my skin started to greatly clear up after a couple of months and is in better condition than if I had not taken the pill at all. Some pills are actually recommended by dermatologists to improve acne-prone skin so this can be a plus. Another benefit can be shorter periods, and sometimes no period at all. The only thing I really hate about the pill is you need to take it at the exact same time every day. If you are more than an hour or two late, you might have breakthrough bleeding which sucks.”
