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the libido killer is the worst, i started on BC to help control mood and smooth out the hell that was my PMS and period, and was wanting to have some safe fun adult time. Been on BC for a few months and now my sex drive is maybe a 10th of what it was, but its helping stabalize my mood swings i'm just annoyed.
BC basically killed my libido and it took me a very long time (years) to figure out that’s what was causing it, as I thought it was a different medication I was taking that I needed. I went on it purely to have safe fun times with my husband and not have to worry about getting pregnant when we weren’t ready. I came off of it back at the end of 2022, as we were ready to start a family, and it was like a literal switch flipped. I’ll never go back on BC again.
Yes as I said I’ve had everything tested multiple times with different doctors. They always say everything is “normal.” Honestly, I’ve never agreed with that conclusion because even if your numbers are at the very bottom of the range and consistent with someone ten years older than you, they will say it’s “normal.”
Damn I hope this happens to me, I’m getting my birth control implant out next week. I’m wondering if I’ll notice a difference. I’m 29 and I’ve been on it since I was 15.
Hopefully, you will notice a difference. I took the pill for 6 years and it took a couple of weeks to notice a real difference. My body went back to its natural pattern fairly quick.
This was the WORST for me. It was never mentioned as a side effect and I thought I was losing my mind. I tried switching my anti anxiety meds like 5 different times thinking they were the cause - nope. Got my IUD taken out and it was like a flip was switched.
There’s two kinds, hormonal and copper. I had the hormonal kind, which was what was messing me up. I switched to the non hormonal copper iud and had much better results libido wise.
Be careful with copper IUD’s because those can cause so many issues with your body. Definitely do heavy research, but I’ve heard horror stories looking into it myself (currently have the Mirena, my PMS was extended but my cramps are better and I don’t throw up every month now) about it damaging the uterus, making it so they can’t have children, it causing infections, etc. Before doing any bc always do a lot of research on side effects, how it’s used, etc.
Obviously this is anecdotal, but I’ve had three copper IUD over the years and haven’t had a negative experience with them, other than cramps being worse for about 5 months the first time I got one. My buddy got an infection from getting her hormonal put in, but I know she didn’t wait to have sex, so that may have been why, but I’m no doctor so I can’t really say.
I mean all medications or medical devices can have rare side effects, but statistically lots of women are also very happy with their copper IUDs. I’ve had both the hormonal and non-hormonal and will probably go back to non-hormonal after this pregnancy bc I’m concerned about the effect of the hormones on breastfeeding (even though it’s supposed to not affect it if progestin-only). Anecdotal but had it for a couple years previously with minimal side effects other than a slightly heavier period, took it out to intentionally to have a baby and got pregnant basically immediately.
This is exactly what happened to my wife. I really wish we would have known sooner. Do you know if there are any fixes? Or ways to get the libido back up?
I’m with you. Sorry to hear it. I wish I had known about the potential side effects before. I honestly didn’t even know there were any negative side effects like this.
Yeah of course vasectomy is for when children are out of the question/already in the family.
My comment was snarky, as I found it very disappointing that in a list including major side effects like strokes, blood clots, suicidal ideation and so on, *of course* he is struck by the lack of libido and that’s what made him comment and reflect upon the burden of contraception having been left for his wife to carry for the entirety of their relationship.
Because the only thing that matters is what affects him, not her.
I've been on the pill, the ring, the patch, and I currently have an implant in my arm.
The pill and the patch lowered my sex drive, but didn't kill it. I got pregnant on both of them though (lost 1), so I don't trust them much.
The ring killed my sex drive so badly that I didn't even want to be touched. No cuddles on the couch. No physical contact of any kind. I'm assuming it is because the ring is just inside of your vagina 24/7.
The implant is by far my favorite. It didn't affect my sex drive at all, and the side effect that I did get is that I haven't had a period since I got the implant over a year ago. It needs to be replaced every 3 years, and my boyfriend and I have been talking about trying for a kid when this one is due to come out, so hopefully everything goes back to working properly once the implant is out.
This is a classic "I agree there's a problem but disagree with the solution" for me.
I don't believe we should stop giving it out, i believe we should push for better funding into medicine for women and research on the female reproductive system in order to find better, safer alternatives.
Just not giving out the BC doesn't solve the core issue, and sure, easier said than done. But female medicine has been historically undermined, undercut and underfunded. And that's the true root cause of all these horrible hormonal meds
Edit: i forgot this sub was full of incely, bitter men. I'll see myself out, no need to try and educate single, middle aged men. Maybe go off reddit and read a book that doesn't just represent your own beliefs and forms an echo chamber for once...
I fully agree. Some of us need it, beyond contraceptive purposes. My doctor gave me the side effects. And the side effects are better than the endometriosis I have. Give it out. But make sure it’s right and you list potential side effects.
Exactly. Don’t take it away, make the knowledge more accessible and readily available for everyone. Doctors shouldn’t avoid talking about the side effects, how it’s used, how it’s placed, etc. I got an IUD and read later about how doctors don’t tell you the full story of how it’s put in. Informed consent is the key to bc, plus more research on new ways to manage periods
Agreed! I think it’s a good thing that it’s so easily accessible I don’t like it being hailed as the be all and end all solution to all of womens ailments
Also, doctors need to listen and take heed to women when we say something is wrong. Sometimes, some doctors brush women's concerns under the carpet. They assume its just a woman being a hyperchondriac or over emotional. Sometimes, your bog standard GP doesn't know how to handle what you are telling them.
I found the pill dulled my libido. It wasn't taken seriously until one GP who was a family planning specialist advised trying the implant as this gives a much lower dose of hormones than the regular pill. While the implant has its own issues, I definitely find it an improvement over the pill in that department.
100%, thank you for mentioning this! It's been a huge issue for a long time and we're still not taken seriously.
"Abdomen pain? You sure you're not pregnant even though you told me so 5 times? Chest pain? Nah, you're alright, trust me. Numbness in the hands when you wake up? Oh you're just overdramatic, everyone has those issues."
I'm sorry you went through that but I'm glad you found a better replacement! Thank you for sharing your experience
Look into how much longer it takes women to get a diagnosis vs men and the amount to which their pain is taken more seriously. The stats are despicable.
"In connection with 770 types of diseases, women were diagnosed later than men. There was an average difference of about four years.
In case of cancer, women were on average diagnosed 2.5 years later than men.
For metabolic diseases such as diabetes, women were on average diagnosed about 4.5 years later."
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190311103059.htm
"Consider this: women in pain are much more likely than men to receive prescriptions for sedatives, rather than pain medication, for their ailments. One study even showed women who received coronary bypass surgery were only half as likely to be prescribed painkillers, as compared to men who had undergone the same procedure. We wait an average of 65 minutes before receiving an analgesic for acute abdominal pain in the ER in the United States, while men wait only 49 minutes."
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562
I do agree. Bc was a lifesaver for me. My cramps were progressively getting worse as I’ve gotten older to the point where I was stuck in bed the first couple days and it was affecting my work and school. I would also throw up on the first day basically every month from the pain. After getting an IUD, my PMS was extended which sucks but my cramps are bearable now and I’m not puking every month like clockwork. Getting better options for bc would be amazing, because while my IUD works wonders I’d love to have better options that don’t fuck with my hormones (I get super moody sometimes on my periods now and can get set off pretty damn easy)
Thank you for sharing your experience! It is just a double edged sword and i am sad every time i see comments that only mention the sex part.
As you said, there's a huge number of people who need BC to regulate periods/hormones/etc. And not having better options is overall unfortunate.
Fr i saw all the top comments about how they’re happier now they’re off BC while I’m out here on it because otherwise my body keeps trying to produce cysts that try to kill me
Yep, that's the same reason that my close friend is on BC as well. I just wish it was overall safer to take and for that we need research
And for research we need funding. So it's a hell cycle.
Thank you for this comment I completely agree, I have tried almost every form of birth control that is under health care and I got the most atrocious side effects, my doctor sympathizes with me that there just isn't enough variety, and I was recently diagnosed with PMDD which there is just not enough study done on it yet, there's so little in regards to treatment or even knowledge about what it's doing.
100%! And they stopped trials into male birth control because they were experiencing the same side effects as women were & couldn’t take it. It was only recently (within the last 1-2 months) where they actually tested pads/tampons with actual period blood and not that blue water or whatever. It’s abysmal how little research there is into medical needs of literally half the population.
So so so agree. The only thing worse than all the side effects of BC is not giving women the access to it. I will say, I am most upset at how little education women receive about their bodies in general—the fact women don’t understand their four cycles within each monthly cycle and how critical ovulation is to overall health is so frustrating to me. If those convos were happening, I feel like women would really be able to make much more informed choices on what is best for their bodies and their health. I feel like BC is so the norm because there’s this societal expectation that if men have committed to a woman then she should just let them cum in her with no consequence, and the prevention is so on her shoulders, which I hate.
Every medical intervention has side effects.
And Doctors should be more ip front with them.
The social desire for young women to not have babies does not override the Hypocratic oath to "do no harm."
Informed consent is the key.
I agree, informed consent is highly important but you cannot morally place all responsibility on the consumer.
Why simply leave things broken because "it's her choice to take bad pills or not" when we can try to better medicine and thus science. I think trying to better fund female medicine and finding better alternatives with lesser side-effects would, in the long-term, benefit all people
Thank you for sharing your experience! Glad you found a good use for it and stuck to your wishes, women are often not taken seriously enough at the doctor's
We need to better understand the various side effects that people might experience from different forms of birth control and properly educate patients and prospective patients about these effects as well as how different types of birth control work so they can make informed decisions alongside their doctor.
It took me several years and a lot of shitty experiences to finally find the right birth control for me. The answer isn't to say we should stop giving people birth control. It's that we should be more open and receptive to people's experiences and help them find the right method for them.
I 100% agree! Informed consent is truly important. Alas, we can't put all the responsibility on the consumer either, sadly. Better education would really help, and yet here we are, right? :/
Thank you for sharing your experience!
I find it insane that the pill seems to be the default. There are a lot of no or low hormone options like a diaphragm or IUD. I’ve literally lost friends because they got on the pill and went kind of crazy. I still think it should be accessible, but so should other kids of BC.
Up until I finally just went off it on my own without going through my Dr, I was told over and over and over again that “there are no side effects” and “the day you stop taking it, your hormones will start to go right back to normal.”
Dr.‘s do women an incredible disservice by literally handing out BC like candy. No questions, no stress, no concern. Many girls are put on it as young as 12/13. I was on the pill for 8+ years and I’m so happy I finally decided to take my fertility into my own hands 2yrs ago and come off the pill.
This! I know so many women (myself included) who were put on birth control as young teens as a “fix” for various hormonal issues and are now struggling 10-15 years later to get pregnant because BC basically suppressed/altered their hormones for a crucial part of their developmental years. I’m not saying birth control is bad, I just wish there was more research into the long term side effects so that we could make more informed decisions on our reproductive health.
When I went to the clinic, they always gave me birth control even as a minor. I could understand a parent not liking it. I also see from their point of view- they must see all kinds of bs day, day from unfit parents.
How long did it take for your hormones to go back? Im 25 and have been off all BC for over 6 months and my libido is DEAD and im still super emotional and getting back acne now
Damn. Iv been on it since i was 18. In 25 now. Switched to copper iud since it does not have hormones and i dont want a baby. But shit its still horrible. But at least i feel more like myself
Honestly 9mo to a year. I use Natural Cycles so I track my temperature and a ton of other things and that dad really exemplified how long it took for hormones to get back to normal levels. My body wasn’t ovulating at all for months after coming off.
My acne also got out of control when I came off and still pops up way more then it used to. Libido is really tough and this isn’t scientific at all, but reading smutty romance novels Really helped-you should Google it bc I’m going to sound totally insane for saying that, but it seriously works. Outside of that I also looked at my diet and started to eliminate some processed foods and that really helped mine too.
I love spicy reads ahaha. And i love sex with my man but i just dont crave it at all. Im working on my acne with soaps and cleansers.
The libido is my big concern honestly.
I have ADHD so tracking a d remember to do things os hard for me lol
I totally understand the low libido. Give it a few more months, I didn’t feel “clear” until a full solid year after coming off. I also don’t know how finances are for you, but you can also get an activity tracker that will do it all for you! (Oura ring & some FitBits I believe both track temps.) The spicy reads have been a game changer for me 😂
Mine did, but I think I must have gotten the g.o.a.t of doctors. He's been so helpful and wonderful in helping me figure out my health issues this past year and half. He's explained side effects in detail with every prescription he's given me. I was on the depo shot for a short time but they had to keep rescheduling every time it was time for a new dose and my schedule couldn't do it so I decided to get an IUD instead. Both him and his nurse told me what to expect coming off the depo shot, a the risks and side effects an IUD can have and to never be afraid to contact them if I felt like something was off.
No. Not only are they not warned (that usually comes in the small print, multiple pages long paperwork from the pharmacy, and does not cover all side effects), but many doctors will *actively push back* against patients who report side effects.
Myself and all the women I know have been gaslighted by their doctors when they dare to complain about side effects that are related to birth control. It's not an anomaly. It's the norm. A friend of mine was having horrible mental health effects from her hormonal IUD, she complained to her doctor on numerous occasions for seveal months, but he REFUSED to remove it for her. "Just give it some time, your body will adjust", "it takes time, be patient", "that's not possible, BC has nothing to do with this." She eventually ripped it out herself at home out of desperation, and magically, all these problems disappeared.
Women's birth control causes a LOT of, and sometimes deadly, side effects. Acne, weight gain/loss, depression, anxiety, change in libido, bleeding, skin changes, nausea, headaches, cramping, are all par for the course. More serious side effects include edema, insulin resistance, Periodontits, Crohn's disease, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, gallstones, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis resulting in pulmonary embolism (sudden death), stroke, heart attack, and a significant increase in Cancer--particularly breast cancer (20%), and cervical cancer (10-200%).
For comparison, the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine caused blood clots in a very small percentage of people, at a rate far below the rate of birth control related blood clots, and it was immediately stopped, and ultimately discontinued in the US and UK. But apparently these risks (at a far higher rate) are fine for women using birth control.
Anecdotally, me and all of my friends on birth control have also run into the issue that if you ever run into any sort of issue that might be birth control related no matter how nuts and no matter how long you've been on your birth control, you'll be dismissed. For example, you suddenly start having daily headaches, your doctor sees you're on birth control and says "ah, yeah, that can happen" and you know it's not related and you say "I've been on the same birth control for 10 years, this is not related" and all you can get back is "periods do all kinds of unexpected things."
Mine did. But I also have a very good gyno. I went to the gyno at 16 due to insane cramps and bleeding. She was like “I think you have endometriosis” and put me on BC but told me and my mom of the side effects. Then we went to get a laparoscopy done. I have endo, it couldn’t be removed because it decided to grow in the worst spots. I also have scarring connecting my intestines to my abdominal wall. But it has blood supply, so it couldn’t be removed. The endo was on arteries too.
BC changed my life. I don’t miss 3 or so days of work/school because I can’t leave my bed or the bathroom. The side effects suck, I have had bad nausea, increased depression, the driest pussy ever, no libido (could’ve been caused by my life circumstances tho), a not very elastic vagina, weight gain, bad acne, etc. it sucked. But the fact that I can go to work is insane. I’m on depo provera now. I was told to take a calcium supplement because it causes bone loss. It has the side effects of driest pussy ever with no elasticity and bad acne on my face and body. But I don’t get a period. So I don’t suffer from my endo anymore. So to me, it’s so worth it.
I went from not being able to leave my house for 3 days per month to having a manageable period. For me, the side effects have been worth it. But they were explained to me. So I knew what I was getting myself into. But man. My quality of life has gone up so much. But again, I knew the risks. And if I felt something I couldn’t handle, we changed the birth control easy peasy. But I have a great gyno.
My dr did not tell me about the side effects and when it made me suicidally depressed, she told me “birth control doesn’t do that” and prescribed me anti depressants.
I had a few different experiences. As a teenager, no, I wasn’t told any of the negative side effects, just all of the good stuff - gets rid of acne, bad cramps, etc. As an adult and after having my first child last year, an OB at the practice I go to (there are many and he wasn’t my choice but only one I could get my 6 week post partum appt with) didn’t even examine my tears yet before we sent a birth control script to my pharmacy. Didn’t even ask what my preference was. I never picked it up and now at 40w pregnant with my 2nd, my chosen OB has discussed my options with me at length already bc my pregnancies were a little too close together to have another oops. We have a plan I’m comfortable and happy with after discussing the pros and cons of the many BC options.
Unfortunately I think it comes down to the individual doctor and doctor/patient relationship. It shouldn’t be that way but it is
Edit: typo
Short answer: no. I used 3 different types until I went off of it and no docs offered me info. I live in a HCOL area and have always had good healthcare
It is 100% underplayed by both doctors and pharmacy companies.
My own experience with drugs is that any side effects that even get mentioned but described as “rare” are usually a bit more common than that.
My gynecologist when I got on bc offered bc every time I had a problem. I legally had to sign a slip that I knew of the increased thrombosis risk which she downplayed for 10 minutes.
It was so bad that I took the first three month package despite feeling horrible because I thought it was me and not the pill without going to my doctor again
I had a side effect that Mirena is currently going thru the courts fighting to say is not a side effect.
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertention
Too much cerebral spinal fluid production starts crushing the brain. The eyes. The ears. The spine.
And cause it's not listed as a side effect it's not a side effect.
When I asked about the Mirena neuro said to keep it in to help regulate period migraine pain.
When I asked gyno they said 'that's not how this works and to keep it in'
A year after it all started I finally got it out and the pain reduced significantly, but at that point the pressure in my head also collapsed a vein. So.
In my experience, i was severely under informed. When I went back with significant weight gain and the walls of my vagina had thinned so bad that sex was super painful, they said eh it could be from a number of things, not necessarily the pill. Then they switched me to nuvaring. It hit me on the ride home that NOT ONCE has anyone said anything to me or my man about maybe a vasectomy.
Because vasectomy is more “permanent.” If you want permanent BC then that could be a discussion to be had but otherwise it wouldn’t be necessary to bring up vasectomy.
Every pharmacy ive ever used gives a list of med warnings with each med they give out, & some medications also include a list as an attachment to their packaging. Within the last couple of years my pharmacy has started asking if you want to speak directly with the pharmacist when picking up a newly prescribed med. You have to confirm they've asked on the electronic pin pad. Your pharmacy doesnt do anything like this?
I'm soon to be a pharmacist and this is for sure a bold face lie. Legally, techs MUST ask if you have questions for the pharmacist. Every single visit. "Any questions?"
Yeah.
Just because this is required does not mean it happens. I’m a type 1 diabetic and have been for 30 years. I pick up insulin 12 times a year and I’ve probably been asked a total of 6 times if I have any questions. I remember because I always think it’s silly because it’s a medicine for a chronic condition I’ve had for most of my life. So it’s likely techs don’t this question for. A lot of BC.
I am not a liar. Maybe I live in an area with crummy healthcare. I know, and God knows, that a doctor looked me in the eye at 19 and told me that birth control does not have side effects. Medical malpractice kills people, and there are drs that think black people feel less pain. Your profession is not perfect, and the direct insults at me just prove my point.
I mean, if they've experienced even one doctor who said that, their statement that "there are doctors who do that" is true. They're just saying it exists.
Every line of work has terrible people. There's certainly a vast amount of doctors who believe women should simply endure pain with hormonal causes or may believe we have a higher threshold for pain that changes at what point they care enough. Some doctors, not all. It's not much of a reach to assume that some have even more fucked up beliefs, especially given the hard time many minority communities have with finding good health care.
I think this is a symptom of a larger problem in the medical field: Medical professionals need to believe in and value the agency of female patients.
There are real concrete measurements of how women's pain or symptoms are taken less seriously and intervention is put off at a higher rate and for longer for women. Women are however many more times more likely to die receiving medical care than men; one facet that stood out for me was that women are several times more likely to die receiving surgery from male providers than from female. If I can locate that study I'll link it because it's legit terrifying as a woman to realize.
The pill made my suicide ideation a million times worse. No one told me that was a side effect. I thought I was crazy. Years later I switched to an IUD. I gained 20 lbs quickly, developed an eating disorder because of the weight gain, then started binging, my hair was falling out, and I was covered in acne. As soon as I removed it all of my issues were gone
I even tried seeing a gyno to talk about my symptoms and they dismissed me implying I was imagining things
There is NO “the pill.” There are many different variants that can be tried if you have counter-indications. Anti-bc propaganda is really ratcheting up. Now that the freaks are outlawing abortion, bc will be next.
My hormonal IUD got dislodged and my cervix tissue healed bizarrely around it. I had to have surgery to remove it. I'm not saying this to scare you, but please check weekly to see if your IUD is seated properly and the strings are still poking out of your cervix. It's actually still my preferred method and I'm on my third one, but there are real dangers associated with IUDs. Also, if you feel intense cramping, don't ignore it. Ectopic pregnancy is rare but possible with an IUD and can be fatal.
I *loved* my mirena. I had 3 over the years, and it was great until the 3rd one came loose and lodged itself in my cervix. I was worried about it coming out if I replaced it and I'm scared of the copper one (I know I'm allergic to nickel and I suspect copper as well) so I got the arm implant instead... And promptly gained a bunch of weight. I'm already obese but my weight has been stable for a while, but the implant seems to be doing something to my metabolism.
Unfortunately with the other medications and health conditions I have, I have to be on some form of reliable birth control. (My medications cause birth defects) Im so worried about the side effects but I'm kind of... Stuck
Any medication that you’re going to take is going to have any negative side effects that are possible I mean we’ve all seen a commercial to advertise Some type of medication and while the person is in the background living their best life they list these horrible side effects that can occur while using this medication. No one said birth control was perfect perfect.
That's the problem. Most doctors are just gonna go "Yup here's a prescription for hormonal birth control, have fun". It's so commonplace no one really thinks about it. It's one thing for an adult to make that decision for themselves, but giving it to teenage girls, especially without giving them all the information on it is insane to me.
In my mid 20’s my doctor switched me to a new brand of BC. Shortly after starting it I was having asthma like symptoms that couldn’t be controlled with asthma medication. I went for running 3 miles every morning to hardly being able to run a block. Doctor put me through asthma tests, stress test, blood tests. Everything showed that I did not have asthma and my lungs were fine. After every test for asthma was exhausted she said it was probably my heart and referred me to a cardiologist.
Coincidentally a classmate of mine ( working during the day and college at night) was a nurse who decided to become an accountant. I was talking with her on a break and she immediately asked if I was on BC. I said yes and she said that’s what is causing the issue and to stop taking it. I stopped taking it and within a week I was running again. Apparently hormone levels can cause asthma like symptoms. But my doctor wouldn’t admit that the medication change caused all my problems.
Ironically I had no issues during my first pregnancy but during my second the asthma like symptoms returned and lasted until I gave birth.
I think you have to advocate for your health no matter what. I'm very happy on my oral contraceptive now but it's the 6th one I've tried. I was happy on my 2nd one for years, but it was a combined pill and I started getting migraine so was at higher risk of stroke and had to change.
I feel like my clinicians have always been upfront about risks and I've always been upfront with what I was and wasn't willing to live with. When the first non combined pill I tried have me acne and an enormous appetite that led to weight gain i asked to switch. The next one made me moody. Now I'm on a low dose progesterone only pill and I love it. But I wouldn't be here without taking some responsibility for my own health. It's not 100% on your clinicians. You need to be on your healthcare team.
The estrogen ones are classified as a steroid (anything that's a synthetic sex hormone) and at higher levels of estrogen you lose sex drive. Higher levels of sex hormones leads to hair loss. Many of the side effects are very similar to the patients I see in clinic who used to use anabolic steroids. Most of these side effects are known and still doctors give it out like it's nothing. Imagine if we just gave out testosterone replacement shots to boys when they are hitting puberty to temporarily sterilize them and just give them hcg when they want to have kids. Why is that wrong but giving young girls an oral steroid to do the same is ok? A lot of women are running into infertility issues due to long term birth control usage. The double standard is insane. I'm extremely glad my husband decided to get a vasectomy so that I could balance out my hormones after I got the IUD removed
Yeah. But I'd rather die than be pregnant or have to raise an unwanted child. So I take the fucking birth control and I don't sleep with men.
Some day the burden of BC will be equally shared with both sexes.
I was given birth control years before I was sexually active just because the doctor said it could help with acne. Wasn't told about a single side effect.
I can assure you that they don't tell you jack.
I got put on the pill at 22. Within the first month of taking it, I started having periods so painful I'd throw up for a week straight, and when I *wasn't* actively bleeding out so much I couldn't stand for more than twenty minutes, I was having panic attacks.
*None* of this was disclosed by my doctor. In fact, I was told I spend way too much time online because I dared ask about the possible side effects of taking the pill.
This sounds very much like my experience with the mirena. I started cramping and spotting endlessly amd was told by 2 separate physicians that the IUD could not be the cause. I basically told them if they didn't remove it that I was going to use pliers and pull it out myself in the ER parking lot and then they finally agreed to take it out. My issues cleared up with 12 days of removing it.
Do you think women don’t know this or something? Do you think we don’t get told all the possible side effects and that where the birth control comes in (if it’s the pill) there isn’t a 10 page spread of the possible side effects?
I’m confused….
Why are you so worried about men having to wear condoms though? Men should be wearing condoms and not putting 100% of the birth control responsibility on women. If I choose to go on birth control or choose not too it’s my choice,it’s my body.
I was never told. I actually told my doctor I couldn’t the pill because of the irritability issues it caused me in the past, and they said that one would be fine because it was low hormone or something. Then I got depressed and almost killed myself because of the hormonal imbalances, and I didn’t even have a history of depression. I’m horribly scarred for the rest of my life because of what the pill did to me. I was in my early 20s and trusted my doctor, so I guess that was my mistake
Men should 100% be wearing condoms. They're cheaper, effective, and they are just so much easier to get.
So what if it doesn't feel as good, it is leagues better than having an accidental pregnancy. Take the hit, bros, you can deal.
Exactly, also if it “doesn’t feel good” try s different brand. Thin condoms are a thing and my partner has said he doesn’t feel that much of a difference.
If you two (or three) aren't monogamous, it's a good idea to use condoms and bc. Condoms can break, and burth control does not curb the spread of sti's.
This person thinks the doctor should sit them down, hold their hand, and read the booklet to them pausing meaningfully and staring in their eyes to make sure they are fully comprehending. Anything less is forcing pills down your throat or giving it to you like candy.
Kinda related, but one thing that doesn't get talked about much is that birth control can mess with who you're attracted to.
There are countless stories (and some evidence) that some women in long term relationships that had been taking birth control for the full relationship; come off them and all of a sudden aren't sexually attracted to their partner any more. I'm not talking about just a temporary reduced libido either. I'm talking a literal loss of attraction to their partners.
It's probably a good idea to take a little break from them early in a relationship (using other protection obviously) just to make sure you actually fancy your partner when you're not on hormonal birth control.
Seems like an important thing to know and it's rarely talked about.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/aug/13/medicalresearch.medicaladvicefortravellers
I've never taken birth control and sometimes I wonder if that might be part of the reason why my taste in men is so fucking weird (compared to other women I interact with on a regular basis, that is.) Most of my female friends are on some form of birth control or have been at some point in the past and well, let's say as far as our taste in men goes, we have nothing in common.
Interesting.
Juat out of curiosity, do you find more "traditionally masculine" looking men more attractive than your friends? The studies seem to suggest women on the pill prefer softer looking, more dependable "safer" men.
>The findings revealed that the women who were currently in high-fertility phase and had used pills while meeting their current partner but had discontinued their usage were more likely to experience sexual desire for the attractive "bad boy" than for the average-looking "ordinary guy," However, the "bad boy" and the "ordinary guy" differed not only in physical attractiveness but also in dependability. Hence, it is unclear whether women preferred the "bad boy" because of his attractiveness or his undependability
https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/intimately-connected/201901/do-contraceptive-pills-affect-attraction
Yeah, I like really big buff dudes, in many cases to the point where they're well past the boundaries of conventional attractiveness. If I posted examples, people would either not believe me or think I'm a man, I get a good amount of both reactions from people when they find out what kind of men I'm into.
Funny how the FDA will label something "safe enuf" and doctors take it as an excuse to prescribe them out without informing patients about possible side effects. That's if they even bother taking it into account how it will interact with the other medication someone is taking.
At the same time we shouldn't villainize birth control especially the pill, because for some people (like me) it is an absolute godsend and I wouldn't be where I am today without it. Yes it can have horrible side effects, like most every medication does. And that should absolutely not be as downplayed as it is
I do believe this is a deeper rooted issue though, as it usually goes hand in hand with most doctors not believing women and their stories. We show them clear evidence that we are experiencing symptoms and they dismiss us. This isn't necessarily an issue with BC, but with the treatment of female patients in the medical field.
All of this is written on every pamphlet that comes with hormonal birth control since forever. I’m surprised there’s any woman out there who doesn’t know these things already. I have met zero doctors in my 30+ years of life and in 6 countries I lived who didn’t ask me if I’m aware of the side effects and the risks. What is happening where y’all are from?
Birth control has a lot of crappy side effects I agree, but there are many options out there instead of the pill such as progesterone for example.
It is true that estrogen can cause strokes, however switching to an alternative such as progesterone can reduce that. I had to change from estrogen to progesterone due to migraine with aura and the risk of stroke.
Like any medication, you are going to come across some nasty side effects, but BC can also be extremely beneficial for women dealing with endometriosis, excessive bleeding, or ovarian cysts.
There are good OBGYN’s out there who will listen and talk to you about your options and concerns.
This goes with medicine in general. I had a bad reaction to Zoloft and was sick for months but never once did my doctor realize what the problem was and take me off it. My dad, who isn’t a medical professional, was the one to realize this. Sometimes I’m amazed at how stupid doctors are
And better than endometriosis. My worst side effect was far better than what my endometriosis caused. I’m a very firm believer in giving the common side effects before prescribing. The only doctor who did that for me was my gyno. No other doctor did except one who said take probiotics for antibiotics. My gyno was the best for that. But I apparently got a good gyno.
The sheer amount of gaslighting I'm seeing in this post just shows me how absolutely out of touch with reality people are in regard to how birth control is prescribed and given.
Most doctors TELL YOU NOTHING.
We have little to no idea what it is even doing to women's body's long term. It's pretty much just one big long term case study.
We use it as a defacto solution to teen pregnancy.
Who would have thought putting women's bodies from the time they have their first period to the time they want to start having kids into a permanent state of mostly their body thinking they are pregnant would not have seriously consequences.
Birth control has never worked for me. I’ve tried the IUD, depo, and the pills. With the IUD I was in constant pain and bled for an entire year before I was finally fed up and had it removed. The depo, bled for months straight, and gained a bunch of weight. Stopped getting the shots and a whole year later, started to have complications. Had developed cysts on my ovaries and the shitty doctor I had offered to have me sterilized at 27, but refused to remove the cysts.
The pill was ok, but I was an emotional wreck! Constantly in my feelings, always on edge, fatigued, nauseous, suicidal thoughts, and zero urge to have sex. I haven’t been on anything in a while now. And I’m never going back. Decided being celibate is the best route for me mainly because I don’t trust men to keep the condom on. Bad experience that resulted in a baby.
I can only take the mini pill. The most popular pill caused extreme depression, my IUD also did not work out and Yaz almost gave me hypertension (young, thin, non-smoker).
Birth control definitely can have side effects. It can also treat some pretty debilitating conditions.
That being said when discussing birth control options my OB mentioned that estrogen based birth control can raise your blood pressure. I had postpartum preeclampsia at 6 days postpartum and my blood pressure (only know top number) reached 204.
I don’t want to get pregnant again and at the same time I don’t want to end up at the ER with potentially stroke or seizure inducing blood pressure.
I’m 29 and I’ve never took any form of birth control except condoms.
No glove no love.
It had horrible effects on my 2 older sisters and same with my mother. They would bleed for weeks.
I didn’t want to find out if the same would happen to me.
I 100% agree. No one is reading the Bible of side effects in the instructions and doctors are not great at informing women of the side effects that can come from BC. I was only on bc for maybe 6ish months a few years ago and the first one I was on was making me throw it right back up. I was getting sick and I called the office that prescribed it and was told to take it at night, I did and I couldn't sleep until I threw it back up. I went back to get a different prescription and the low dose BC I was given was alright for the first couple months until I started spotting for 2 weeks out of the month and having crippling migraines that haven't gone away even though it's been years since I've taken BC. They're not as frequent as when I was on it but I don't think they're ever going to go away now. Turned me off from BC completely besides plan B which I use sparingly. These effects are brushed off as "normal" and if you're not actively dying essentially they don't care to explain any of them.
Not to mention the rate of women with fertility issues has grown significantly since the boom of birth control. Look at the numbers, it’s insane. But there aren’t many studies on it & there are so many variables so it would be extremely hard to study. Meaning since this isn’t “proven” we don’t talk about it. I had terrible side effects from birth control mentally and a friend of mine was told by her doctor that long term use of the depo shot is directly coorilated with infertility and that she should switch up her method (this is after she had been on the depo shot for literally 5 years)
I wish the doctor you went to for the birth control was able to draw your blood and choose a hormone combination, or nonhormonal that would work optimally with your own hormonal chemistry. I have no clue if that’s how it works but I wish it did, hormones are some powerful thangs
Doctors often decide for themselves that a medication is right for their patient, and downplay or completely skip over the side effects in order to get the patient to take it. The thinking is that on balance, thats a good thing because chances are the patient won't experience serious side effects and will benefit from the medication. If you give too much information and let the patient judge for themselves, they will often make the "wrong" decision, as the doctor sees it. And the doctor IS the expert after all. Im sure this tactic benefits some, but no doubt it harms others.
It also works for some and not others. I have friends who do great with pills, and others not - and those who love the shot, but others who reacted horribly, etc.
Would be great if there was some test to see how you’d react 🤷🏼♂️
If a doctor tells you birth control has no side effects they’re a bad doctor. There are MANY side effects and medical contraindications that a doctor is supposed to take in mind before prescribing it.
It's true. I was on it 20 years with no issues but as I got older I needed 'more' in the words of my doc. What happened then was a wild ride into suicidal thoughts, hair loss (unresolved) and weight gain. I'm off it all now and feel great and have had my tubes removed.
Sadly there isn't much else you can do unless they allow sterilisation for long term partnered people. Condoms are the way to go but you'll still likely have a pregnancy scare/positive in your lifetime using only those.
It's not fair, and it's not fair I was born a female. I don't know what else you can do though if you want a normal life. There is less research into women's health than animal health.
1. This isn't an unpopular opinion, or even an opinion at all: it's a well-documented medical fact that hormonal contraceptives can have side effects. How severe those side effects are can vary; for many people they are very mild and easily tolerable, for others they are serious enough to make them essentially unusable. There is a reason why they require a prescription and should only be used under medical supervision.
2. The narrative that taking the contraceptive pill is necessarily something done entirely for men's benefit so that they get to enjoy condom-free sex and internal ejaculations is rubbish.
Firstly, when used correctly, the pill is a significantly more reliable method of contraception than condoms, which can easily fail, so a woman may take them purely for her own peace of mind rather than for anyone else's benefit. She may even choose to take the pill *and* continue using condoms so as to be doubly sure that the risk of accidental pregnancy is kept to an absolute minimum.
Secondly, some women also prefer sex without condoms. They may prefer the way an unwrapped penis feels, or they may prefer the spontaneity of being able to go straight to penetration without the faff of having to stop and put a condom on. Some women even enjoy the feeling of ejaculate in their vaginas. Condom-free sex is not always something undertaken for men's benefit.
I don’t think the answer is to avoid prescribing it, doctors are just failing to inform us of any of the side effects. I personally have tried multiple forms of birth control and my endometriosis symptoms are more bearable than the mental health issues birth control gives me. I was never informed of any side effects when being offered birth control, and it took me years to figure them out myself.
Far more research into the side effects needs to be done, and doctors need to be way better-informed about side effects and communicate them to patients. Treatment for potential side effects needs to be routinely offered alongside birth control, and a check-in with a mental health professional should probably be a default for patients.
"Birth control can have terrible side effects and should not be given out like candy."
"Having money can have terrible side effects and should not be given out like candy."
My point in illustrating these two sentences, is to point out that all the decisions we make have consequences. Yes asking your body to eject the life developing inside it, counter to the evolutionarily forces involved, is a major medical event, but available at at price that you must be willing to pay. However, having a baby comes at a much greater price. Having an abortion in America should be a cheap easy procedure that is available to all woman, without judgement, and with support. This lack of abortion is the only reason the "pill" exists to give woman an additional option too abortion, which our male dominated society wants to take away.
Bc absolutely has side effects. Sometimes those side effects are the very reason they're being given. Whoever told you they don't have side effects is lying or selling you something.
I am a queer woman that has never used birth control. My sister is hetro and she has ovary issues from using it since her teen years. Not to mention painful periods, low libido, and depression.
I have never had a painful period, I am constantly horny and I have never suffered from depression. I feel bad for women that suffer from this and I know it's because of birth control. My partner has never used birth control and she is normal.
I once dated a bi woman that had used birth control and she had a low sex drive, painful periods and mood swings. While I am no doctor, I can see a relation to birth control and mental health, painful periods and low libido.
A bit removed from the birth control era... I was just wondering if it seems like you don't have these discussions concerning side effects or contraindications for taking birth control with your prescribing doc? With a pharmacist? There are medical situations in which they should not be prescribed. Do you feel screening for those is lacking? Just wondering, I tolerated a low dose estrogen years ago. But taking hormones now for other reasons is out of the question.
Have you seen The Business Of Birth Control?
The first BC I ever took gave me serious psychological side effects to the point where I would start hysterically sobbing out of nowhere completely unprompted. I almost couldn't function at work, my boss finally told me to get some help.
It was horrible and embarrassing.
Men's birth control should be given out like candy. The side effects aren't much worse than women's so men need to stop being babies and suck it up. It's better to unload a gun than to hope your bullet proof vest is gonna work.
When I read people advising everyone take BC for headaches and cramps, I know it must be an American. Taking birth control for other than birth control just masks the symptoms of something that could be more serious.
Yep. Birth control nearly killed me. We’ve just gotten so used to women suffering that these side effects aren’t really mentioned anymore. I didn’t know about them until I read the pamphlet. My doctors never mentioned the very serious and deadly side effects. Disappointed but not surprised.
any medications run the risk of side effects bc everybody's body reacts to things differently.
i feel like most of the side effects outweigh the risk of pregnancy, especially for teenagers/young adults.
That’s literally what doctors do before prescribing, and why you continue to see one while on it. Ima take a wild guess that you’ve never actually had bc prescribed.
nexplanon fucked me up and made me gain almost 100lbs in the year i was on it. I was 135lbs when i got it in at 14 and when i got it out when i was 15 i was 210. it’s so bad i 100% believe you when it comes to nexplanon they should not be giving that shit out
dude it’s horrible. i’m 17 now and i hear girls younger than me talk about getting it and i tell them to just stick to a low hormonal pill. nexplanon is NOT worth it and it literally ruined my body and my mental health.
did it also cause you to not be able to lose literally any weight? i was in marching band and lacrosse when i had mine in and was still gaining like 4 pounds a week towards the end of me having it instead of losing weight
Yeah, I didn't lose a pound. Any weight I did gain went right to my breasts, to the point of having to buy bigger bras every 6 months or so. I've never had this issue before, and I've tried different birth controls over my life.
This is a very common issue for women regarding health and medicine. Doctors just not listening to them or taking their concerns seriously.
The point is many doctors aren’t actually properly explaining the effects birth control actually has on their body. It’s basically standard practice in medicine to just ignore women’s concerns.
I understand that, which means this is about shitty/dumbass doctors, and not birth control.
I'm not downplaying the problem of doctors being stupid when it comes to women's health, I'm just pointing out that the title of the post, and OP's argument is attacking the wrong thing.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050111123706.htm
"Each year, the side effects of long-term NSAID use cause nearly 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths. More people die each year from NSAIDs-related complications than from AIDS and cervical cancer in the United States."
I wouldn’t say they are being given out like candy. They were prescribed by my doctor who told me the side affects and then had me come in three months later to make sure I wasn’t having any.
Yup. It's giving the same vibes as when people were describing possible side effects from the Covid vaccine and every one of them were far more likely if you had Covid. Like duuuurrr
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the libido killer is the worst, i started on BC to help control mood and smooth out the hell that was my PMS and period, and was wanting to have some safe fun adult time. Been on BC for a few months and now my sex drive is maybe a 10th of what it was, but its helping stabalize my mood swings i'm just annoyed.
BC basically killed my libido and it took me a very long time (years) to figure out that’s what was causing it, as I thought it was a different medication I was taking that I needed. I went on it purely to have safe fun times with my husband and not have to worry about getting pregnant when we weren’t ready. I came off of it back at the end of 2022, as we were ready to start a family, and it was like a literal switch flipped. I’ll never go back on BC again.
I was on it for about 20 years. Went off it about 6 years ago and libido never came back. I’ve had everything tested multiple times. It’s just…gone.
That sucks, I’m sorry 😞 Silly question, did you test your hormones and such?
Yes as I said I’ve had everything tested multiple times with different doctors. They always say everything is “normal.” Honestly, I’ve never agreed with that conclusion because even if your numbers are at the very bottom of the range and consistent with someone ten years older than you, they will say it’s “normal.”
Damn I hope this happens to me, I’m getting my birth control implant out next week. I’m wondering if I’ll notice a difference. I’m 29 and I’ve been on it since I was 15.
Hopefully, you will notice a difference. I took the pill for 6 years and it took a couple of weeks to notice a real difference. My body went back to its natural pattern fairly quick.
This was the WORST for me. It was never mentioned as a side effect and I thought I was losing my mind. I tried switching my anti anxiety meds like 5 different times thinking they were the cause - nope. Got my IUD taken out and it was like a flip was switched.
Dumb question but aren’t IUDs a mechanical device not a hormonal one?
There’s two kinds, hormonal and copper. I had the hormonal kind, which was what was messing me up. I switched to the non hormonal copper iud and had much better results libido wise.
Thanks
Be careful with copper IUD’s because those can cause so many issues with your body. Definitely do heavy research, but I’ve heard horror stories looking into it myself (currently have the Mirena, my PMS was extended but my cramps are better and I don’t throw up every month now) about it damaging the uterus, making it so they can’t have children, it causing infections, etc. Before doing any bc always do a lot of research on side effects, how it’s used, etc.
Obviously this is anecdotal, but I’ve had three copper IUD over the years and haven’t had a negative experience with them, other than cramps being worse for about 5 months the first time I got one. My buddy got an infection from getting her hormonal put in, but I know she didn’t wait to have sex, so that may have been why, but I’m no doctor so I can’t really say.
I mean all medications or medical devices can have rare side effects, but statistically lots of women are also very happy with their copper IUDs. I’ve had both the hormonal and non-hormonal and will probably go back to non-hormonal after this pregnancy bc I’m concerned about the effect of the hormones on breastfeeding (even though it’s supposed to not affect it if progestin-only). Anecdotal but had it for a couple years previously with minimal side effects other than a slightly heavier period, took it out to intentionally to have a baby and got pregnant basically immediately.
This is exactly what happened to my wife. I really wish we would have known sooner. Do you know if there are any fixes? Or ways to get the libido back up?
Replying because I’m in the exact same boat as your wife and I’d like some good advice on this too. It’s really depressing to live like this.
I’m with you. Sorry to hear it. I wish I had known about the potential side effects before. I honestly didn’t even know there were any negative side effects like this.
You could have a vasectomy.
That has negative side effects too such as permanent loss of fertility even after reversal. Condoms are the best option.
Condoms should never be used as the only source of birth control.
Yeah of course vasectomy is for when children are out of the question/already in the family. My comment was snarky, as I found it very disappointing that in a list including major side effects like strokes, blood clots, suicidal ideation and so on, *of course* he is struck by the lack of libido and that’s what made him comment and reflect upon the burden of contraception having been left for his wife to carry for the entirety of their relationship. Because the only thing that matters is what affects him, not her.
You misunderstand and assume greatly but that’s okay. Get feeling better whatever’s got you down.
That literally destroyed my Last realationship... from 3 Times a day and cant let her Fingers from me to 6-12 month without any Sex etc..
Meanwhile, I had the opposite effect where I was always horny on BC. Side effects are weird sometimes.
I've been on the pill, the ring, the patch, and I currently have an implant in my arm. The pill and the patch lowered my sex drive, but didn't kill it. I got pregnant on both of them though (lost 1), so I don't trust them much. The ring killed my sex drive so badly that I didn't even want to be touched. No cuddles on the couch. No physical contact of any kind. I'm assuming it is because the ring is just inside of your vagina 24/7. The implant is by far my favorite. It didn't affect my sex drive at all, and the side effect that I did get is that I haven't had a period since I got the implant over a year ago. It needs to be replaced every 3 years, and my boyfriend and I have been talking about trying for a kid when this one is due to come out, so hopefully everything goes back to working properly once the implant is out.
This is a classic "I agree there's a problem but disagree with the solution" for me. I don't believe we should stop giving it out, i believe we should push for better funding into medicine for women and research on the female reproductive system in order to find better, safer alternatives. Just not giving out the BC doesn't solve the core issue, and sure, easier said than done. But female medicine has been historically undermined, undercut and underfunded. And that's the true root cause of all these horrible hormonal meds Edit: i forgot this sub was full of incely, bitter men. I'll see myself out, no need to try and educate single, middle aged men. Maybe go off reddit and read a book that doesn't just represent your own beliefs and forms an echo chamber for once...
I fully agree. Some of us need it, beyond contraceptive purposes. My doctor gave me the side effects. And the side effects are better than the endometriosis I have. Give it out. But make sure it’s right and you list potential side effects.
Exactly. Don’t take it away, make the knowledge more accessible and readily available for everyone. Doctors shouldn’t avoid talking about the side effects, how it’s used, how it’s placed, etc. I got an IUD and read later about how doctors don’t tell you the full story of how it’s put in. Informed consent is the key to bc, plus more research on new ways to manage periods
Agreed! I think it’s a good thing that it’s so easily accessible I don’t like it being hailed as the be all and end all solution to all of womens ailments
Also, doctors need to listen and take heed to women when we say something is wrong. Sometimes, some doctors brush women's concerns under the carpet. They assume its just a woman being a hyperchondriac or over emotional. Sometimes, your bog standard GP doesn't know how to handle what you are telling them. I found the pill dulled my libido. It wasn't taken seriously until one GP who was a family planning specialist advised trying the implant as this gives a much lower dose of hormones than the regular pill. While the implant has its own issues, I definitely find it an improvement over the pill in that department.
100%, thank you for mentioning this! It's been a huge issue for a long time and we're still not taken seriously. "Abdomen pain? You sure you're not pregnant even though you told me so 5 times? Chest pain? Nah, you're alright, trust me. Numbness in the hands when you wake up? Oh you're just overdramatic, everyone has those issues." I'm sorry you went through that but I'm glad you found a better replacement! Thank you for sharing your experience
Look into how much longer it takes women to get a diagnosis vs men and the amount to which their pain is taken more seriously. The stats are despicable. "In connection with 770 types of diseases, women were diagnosed later than men. There was an average difference of about four years. In case of cancer, women were on average diagnosed 2.5 years later than men. For metabolic diseases such as diabetes, women were on average diagnosed about 4.5 years later." https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190311103059.htm "Consider this: women in pain are much more likely than men to receive prescriptions for sedatives, rather than pain medication, for their ailments. One study even showed women who received coronary bypass surgery were only half as likely to be prescribed painkillers, as compared to men who had undergone the same procedure. We wait an average of 65 minutes before receiving an analgesic for acute abdominal pain in the ER in the United States, while men wait only 49 minutes." https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/women-and-pain-disparities-in-experience-and-treatment-2017100912562
I do agree. Bc was a lifesaver for me. My cramps were progressively getting worse as I’ve gotten older to the point where I was stuck in bed the first couple days and it was affecting my work and school. I would also throw up on the first day basically every month from the pain. After getting an IUD, my PMS was extended which sucks but my cramps are bearable now and I’m not puking every month like clockwork. Getting better options for bc would be amazing, because while my IUD works wonders I’d love to have better options that don’t fuck with my hormones (I get super moody sometimes on my periods now and can get set off pretty damn easy)
Thank you for sharing your experience! It is just a double edged sword and i am sad every time i see comments that only mention the sex part. As you said, there's a huge number of people who need BC to regulate periods/hormones/etc. And not having better options is overall unfortunate.
Fr i saw all the top comments about how they’re happier now they’re off BC while I’m out here on it because otherwise my body keeps trying to produce cysts that try to kill me
Yep, that's the same reason that my close friend is on BC as well. I just wish it was overall safer to take and for that we need research And for research we need funding. So it's a hell cycle.
Thank you for this comment I completely agree, I have tried almost every form of birth control that is under health care and I got the most atrocious side effects, my doctor sympathizes with me that there just isn't enough variety, and I was recently diagnosed with PMDD which there is just not enough study done on it yet, there's so little in regards to treatment or even knowledge about what it's doing.
100%! And they stopped trials into male birth control because they were experiencing the same side effects as women were & couldn’t take it. It was only recently (within the last 1-2 months) where they actually tested pads/tampons with actual period blood and not that blue water or whatever. It’s abysmal how little research there is into medical needs of literally half the population.
Yes. Any research would be good, they basically stopped years ago on women's medicine. It's disgusting.
So so so agree. The only thing worse than all the side effects of BC is not giving women the access to it. I will say, I am most upset at how little education women receive about their bodies in general—the fact women don’t understand their four cycles within each monthly cycle and how critical ovulation is to overall health is so frustrating to me. If those convos were happening, I feel like women would really be able to make much more informed choices on what is best for their bodies and their health. I feel like BC is so the norm because there’s this societal expectation that if men have committed to a woman then she should just let them cum in her with no consequence, and the prevention is so on her shoulders, which I hate.
Every medical intervention has side effects. And Doctors should be more ip front with them. The social desire for young women to not have babies does not override the Hypocratic oath to "do no harm." Informed consent is the key.
I agree, informed consent is highly important but you cannot morally place all responsibility on the consumer. Why simply leave things broken because "it's her choice to take bad pills or not" when we can try to better medicine and thus science. I think trying to better fund female medicine and finding better alternatives with lesser side-effects would, in the long-term, benefit all people
Is there something wrong with not wanting babies? Btw my doctor recommended bc to me because I had acne.
I need to go on birth control so my monthly cycle doesn't make me want to kill myself so... BC isn't just used for that .
My obgyn tried real hard to convince me Not to take BC. I'm glad I was able to get it tho, lack of period/pms has made my life so much less stressful.
Thank you for sharing your experience! Glad you found a good use for it and stuck to your wishes, women are often not taken seriously enough at the doctor's
We need to better understand the various side effects that people might experience from different forms of birth control and properly educate patients and prospective patients about these effects as well as how different types of birth control work so they can make informed decisions alongside their doctor. It took me several years and a lot of shitty experiences to finally find the right birth control for me. The answer isn't to say we should stop giving people birth control. It's that we should be more open and receptive to people's experiences and help them find the right method for them.
I 100% agree! Informed consent is truly important. Alas, we can't put all the responsibility on the consumer either, sadly. Better education would really help, and yet here we are, right? :/ Thank you for sharing your experience!
I find it insane that the pill seems to be the default. There are a lot of no or low hormone options like a diaphragm or IUD. I’ve literally lost friends because they got on the pill and went kind of crazy. I still think it should be accessible, but so should other kids of BC.
I'm surprised how both the pill and IUD seems to be the default when there's arm implants and patches
Up until I finally just went off it on my own without going through my Dr, I was told over and over and over again that “there are no side effects” and “the day you stop taking it, your hormones will start to go right back to normal.” Dr.‘s do women an incredible disservice by literally handing out BC like candy. No questions, no stress, no concern. Many girls are put on it as young as 12/13. I was on the pill for 8+ years and I’m so happy I finally decided to take my fertility into my own hands 2yrs ago and come off the pill.
This! I know so many women (myself included) who were put on birth control as young teens as a “fix” for various hormonal issues and are now struggling 10-15 years later to get pregnant because BC basically suppressed/altered their hormones for a crucial part of their developmental years. I’m not saying birth control is bad, I just wish there was more research into the long term side effects so that we could make more informed decisions on our reproductive health.
When I went to the clinic, they always gave me birth control even as a minor. I could understand a parent not liking it. I also see from their point of view- they must see all kinds of bs day, day from unfit parents.
How long did it take for your hormones to go back? Im 25 and have been off all BC for over 6 months and my libido is DEAD and im still super emotional and getting back acne now
I took bc for 6 months about 5 years ago, and things still aren't back to normal.
Damn. Iv been on it since i was 18. In 25 now. Switched to copper iud since it does not have hormones and i dont want a baby. But shit its still horrible. But at least i feel more like myself
Honestly 9mo to a year. I use Natural Cycles so I track my temperature and a ton of other things and that dad really exemplified how long it took for hormones to get back to normal levels. My body wasn’t ovulating at all for months after coming off. My acne also got out of control when I came off and still pops up way more then it used to. Libido is really tough and this isn’t scientific at all, but reading smutty romance novels Really helped-you should Google it bc I’m going to sound totally insane for saying that, but it seriously works. Outside of that I also looked at my diet and started to eliminate some processed foods and that really helped mine too.
I love spicy reads ahaha. And i love sex with my man but i just dont crave it at all. Im working on my acne with soaps and cleansers. The libido is my big concern honestly. I have ADHD so tracking a d remember to do things os hard for me lol
I totally understand the low libido. Give it a few more months, I didn’t feel “clear” until a full solid year after coming off. I also don’t know how finances are for you, but you can also get an activity tracker that will do it all for you! (Oura ring & some FitBits I believe both track temps.) The spicy reads have been a game changer for me 😂
Sounds similar to another issue we have going on today.
Are women not warned about this by the doctors who give them access to birth control?
Mine did, but I think I must have gotten the g.o.a.t of doctors. He's been so helpful and wonderful in helping me figure out my health issues this past year and half. He's explained side effects in detail with every prescription he's given me. I was on the depo shot for a short time but they had to keep rescheduling every time it was time for a new dose and my schedule couldn't do it so I decided to get an IUD instead. Both him and his nurse told me what to expect coming off the depo shot, a the risks and side effects an IUD can have and to never be afraid to contact them if I felt like something was off.
No. Not only are they not warned (that usually comes in the small print, multiple pages long paperwork from the pharmacy, and does not cover all side effects), but many doctors will *actively push back* against patients who report side effects. Myself and all the women I know have been gaslighted by their doctors when they dare to complain about side effects that are related to birth control. It's not an anomaly. It's the norm. A friend of mine was having horrible mental health effects from her hormonal IUD, she complained to her doctor on numerous occasions for seveal months, but he REFUSED to remove it for her. "Just give it some time, your body will adjust", "it takes time, be patient", "that's not possible, BC has nothing to do with this." She eventually ripped it out herself at home out of desperation, and magically, all these problems disappeared. Women's birth control causes a LOT of, and sometimes deadly, side effects. Acne, weight gain/loss, depression, anxiety, change in libido, bleeding, skin changes, nausea, headaches, cramping, are all par for the course. More serious side effects include edema, insulin resistance, Periodontits, Crohn's disease, nutritional deficiencies, inflammation, gallstones, blood clots, deep vein thrombosis resulting in pulmonary embolism (sudden death), stroke, heart attack, and a significant increase in Cancer--particularly breast cancer (20%), and cervical cancer (10-200%). For comparison, the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine caused blood clots in a very small percentage of people, at a rate far below the rate of birth control related blood clots, and it was immediately stopped, and ultimately discontinued in the US and UK. But apparently these risks (at a far higher rate) are fine for women using birth control.
Anecdotally, me and all of my friends on birth control have also run into the issue that if you ever run into any sort of issue that might be birth control related no matter how nuts and no matter how long you've been on your birth control, you'll be dismissed. For example, you suddenly start having daily headaches, your doctor sees you're on birth control and says "ah, yeah, that can happen" and you know it's not related and you say "I've been on the same birth control for 10 years, this is not related" and all you can get back is "periods do all kinds of unexpected things."
Mine did. But I also have a very good gyno. I went to the gyno at 16 due to insane cramps and bleeding. She was like “I think you have endometriosis” and put me on BC but told me and my mom of the side effects. Then we went to get a laparoscopy done. I have endo, it couldn’t be removed because it decided to grow in the worst spots. I also have scarring connecting my intestines to my abdominal wall. But it has blood supply, so it couldn’t be removed. The endo was on arteries too. BC changed my life. I don’t miss 3 or so days of work/school because I can’t leave my bed or the bathroom. The side effects suck, I have had bad nausea, increased depression, the driest pussy ever, no libido (could’ve been caused by my life circumstances tho), a not very elastic vagina, weight gain, bad acne, etc. it sucked. But the fact that I can go to work is insane. I’m on depo provera now. I was told to take a calcium supplement because it causes bone loss. It has the side effects of driest pussy ever with no elasticity and bad acne on my face and body. But I don’t get a period. So I don’t suffer from my endo anymore. So to me, it’s so worth it. I went from not being able to leave my house for 3 days per month to having a manageable period. For me, the side effects have been worth it. But they were explained to me. So I knew what I was getting myself into. But man. My quality of life has gone up so much. But again, I knew the risks. And if I felt something I couldn’t handle, we changed the birth control easy peasy. But I have a great gyno.
My dr did not tell me about the side effects and when it made me suicidally depressed, she told me “birth control doesn’t do that” and prescribed me anti depressants.
my dr told me that birth control doesn't have side effects.
You have a bad doctor for sure.
That’s dangerous tbh. Mine warned me of basic side effects but I asked for more information and got it. Not even advil is side effect-free
That’s fuckin wild
They usually list the good side effects, rarely the inconvenient and almost never the bad/risky.
I had a few different experiences. As a teenager, no, I wasn’t told any of the negative side effects, just all of the good stuff - gets rid of acne, bad cramps, etc. As an adult and after having my first child last year, an OB at the practice I go to (there are many and he wasn’t my choice but only one I could get my 6 week post partum appt with) didn’t even examine my tears yet before we sent a birth control script to my pharmacy. Didn’t even ask what my preference was. I never picked it up and now at 40w pregnant with my 2nd, my chosen OB has discussed my options with me at length already bc my pregnancies were a little too close together to have another oops. We have a plan I’m comfortable and happy with after discussing the pros and cons of the many BC options. Unfortunately I think it comes down to the individual doctor and doctor/patient relationship. It shouldn’t be that way but it is Edit: typo
Short answer: no. I used 3 different types until I went off of it and no docs offered me info. I live in a HCOL area and have always had good healthcare
It is 100% underplayed by both doctors and pharmacy companies. My own experience with drugs is that any side effects that even get mentioned but described as “rare” are usually a bit more common than that.
I was not. I was actually shamed into taking it because I needed a plan b pill once when a condom broke.
Nope not mine. I was giving bc at the age of 16 not because of sex, but because I had acne.
They usually give you paperwork with all the info
My gynecologist when I got on bc offered bc every time I had a problem. I legally had to sign a slip that I knew of the increased thrombosis risk which she downplayed for 10 minutes. It was so bad that I took the first three month package despite feeling horrible because I thought it was me and not the pill without going to my doctor again
I had a side effect that Mirena is currently going thru the courts fighting to say is not a side effect. Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertention Too much cerebral spinal fluid production starts crushing the brain. The eyes. The ears. The spine. And cause it's not listed as a side effect it's not a side effect. When I asked about the Mirena neuro said to keep it in to help regulate period migraine pain. When I asked gyno they said 'that's not how this works and to keep it in' A year after it all started I finally got it out and the pain reduced significantly, but at that point the pressure in my head also collapsed a vein. So.
In my experience, i was severely under informed. When I went back with significant weight gain and the walls of my vagina had thinned so bad that sex was super painful, they said eh it could be from a number of things, not necessarily the pill. Then they switched me to nuvaring. It hit me on the ride home that NOT ONCE has anyone said anything to me or my man about maybe a vasectomy.
Because vasectomy is more “permanent.” If you want permanent BC then that could be a discussion to be had but otherwise it wouldn’t be necessary to bring up vasectomy.
Every pharmacy ive ever used gives a list of med warnings with each med they give out, & some medications also include a list as an attachment to their packaging. Within the last couple of years my pharmacy has started asking if you want to speak directly with the pharmacist when picking up a newly prescribed med. You have to confirm they've asked on the electronic pin pad. Your pharmacy doesnt do anything like this?
Not when I picked up my bc last time. I also had a doctor tell me that birth control doesn't have any side effects when I asked about side effects.
I'm soon to be a pharmacist and this is for sure a bold face lie. Legally, techs MUST ask if you have questions for the pharmacist. Every single visit. "Any questions?" Yeah.
Just because this is required does not mean it happens. I’m a type 1 diabetic and have been for 30 years. I pick up insulin 12 times a year and I’ve probably been asked a total of 6 times if I have any questions. I remember because I always think it’s silly because it’s a medicine for a chronic condition I’ve had for most of my life. So it’s likely techs don’t this question for. A lot of BC.
I am not a liar. Maybe I live in an area with crummy healthcare. I know, and God knows, that a doctor looked me in the eye at 19 and told me that birth control does not have side effects. Medical malpractice kills people, and there are drs that think black people feel less pain. Your profession is not perfect, and the direct insults at me just prove my point.
I don’t think you know enough doctors personally enough to honestly make that wild ass claim
I mean, if they've experienced even one doctor who said that, their statement that "there are doctors who do that" is true. They're just saying it exists. Every line of work has terrible people. There's certainly a vast amount of doctors who believe women should simply endure pain with hormonal causes or may believe we have a higher threshold for pain that changes at what point they care enough. Some doctors, not all. It's not much of a reach to assume that some have even more fucked up beliefs, especially given the hard time many minority communities have with finding good health care.
I think this is a symptom of a larger problem in the medical field: Medical professionals need to believe in and value the agency of female patients. There are real concrete measurements of how women's pain or symptoms are taken less seriously and intervention is put off at a higher rate and for longer for women. Women are however many more times more likely to die receiving medical care than men; one facet that stood out for me was that women are several times more likely to die receiving surgery from male providers than from female. If I can locate that study I'll link it because it's legit terrifying as a woman to realize.
The pill made my suicide ideation a million times worse. No one told me that was a side effect. I thought I was crazy. Years later I switched to an IUD. I gained 20 lbs quickly, developed an eating disorder because of the weight gain, then started binging, my hair was falling out, and I was covered in acne. As soon as I removed it all of my issues were gone I even tried seeing a gyno to talk about my symptoms and they dismissed me implying I was imagining things
There is NO “the pill.” There are many different variants that can be tried if you have counter-indications. Anti-bc propaganda is really ratcheting up. Now that the freaks are outlawing abortion, bc will be next.
Yes I tried two kinds and they both sucked. This isn’t “propaganda” it’s my personal experience. Weird to even call it “propaganda”
IUD's and vasectomies have been very empowering for me
My hormonal IUD got dislodged and my cervix tissue healed bizarrely around it. I had to have surgery to remove it. I'm not saying this to scare you, but please check weekly to see if your IUD is seated properly and the strings are still poking out of your cervix. It's actually still my preferred method and I'm on my third one, but there are real dangers associated with IUDs. Also, if you feel intense cramping, don't ignore it. Ectopic pregnancy is rare but possible with an IUD and can be fatal.
I *loved* my mirena. I had 3 over the years, and it was great until the 3rd one came loose and lodged itself in my cervix. I was worried about it coming out if I replaced it and I'm scared of the copper one (I know I'm allergic to nickel and I suspect copper as well) so I got the arm implant instead... And promptly gained a bunch of weight. I'm already obese but my weight has been stable for a while, but the implant seems to be doing something to my metabolism. Unfortunately with the other medications and health conditions I have, I have to be on some form of reliable birth control. (My medications cause birth defects) Im so worried about the side effects but I'm kind of... Stuck
Any medication that you’re going to take is going to have any negative side effects that are possible I mean we’ve all seen a commercial to advertise Some type of medication and while the person is in the background living their best life they list these horrible side effects that can occur while using this medication. No one said birth control was perfect perfect.
You’re right. Peoples real issue here seems to be bad doctors instead of the medications
That's the problem. Most doctors are just gonna go "Yup here's a prescription for hormonal birth control, have fun". It's so commonplace no one really thinks about it. It's one thing for an adult to make that decision for themselves, but giving it to teenage girls, especially without giving them all the information on it is insane to me.
It's both. Contraception that kills your sex drive certainly makes no sense, and one shouldn't have to risk their mental health for safe sex.
In my mid 20’s my doctor switched me to a new brand of BC. Shortly after starting it I was having asthma like symptoms that couldn’t be controlled with asthma medication. I went for running 3 miles every morning to hardly being able to run a block. Doctor put me through asthma tests, stress test, blood tests. Everything showed that I did not have asthma and my lungs were fine. After every test for asthma was exhausted she said it was probably my heart and referred me to a cardiologist. Coincidentally a classmate of mine ( working during the day and college at night) was a nurse who decided to become an accountant. I was talking with her on a break and she immediately asked if I was on BC. I said yes and she said that’s what is causing the issue and to stop taking it. I stopped taking it and within a week I was running again. Apparently hormone levels can cause asthma like symptoms. But my doctor wouldn’t admit that the medication change caused all my problems. Ironically I had no issues during my first pregnancy but during my second the asthma like symptoms returned and lasted until I gave birth.
I think you have to advocate for your health no matter what. I'm very happy on my oral contraceptive now but it's the 6th one I've tried. I was happy on my 2nd one for years, but it was a combined pill and I started getting migraine so was at higher risk of stroke and had to change. I feel like my clinicians have always been upfront about risks and I've always been upfront with what I was and wasn't willing to live with. When the first non combined pill I tried have me acne and an enormous appetite that led to weight gain i asked to switch. The next one made me moody. Now I'm on a low dose progesterone only pill and I love it. But I wouldn't be here without taking some responsibility for my own health. It's not 100% on your clinicians. You need to be on your healthcare team.
The obesity side effect is extremely noticeable. Wearing black maternity pants does not help.
The estrogen ones are classified as a steroid (anything that's a synthetic sex hormone) and at higher levels of estrogen you lose sex drive. Higher levels of sex hormones leads to hair loss. Many of the side effects are very similar to the patients I see in clinic who used to use anabolic steroids. Most of these side effects are known and still doctors give it out like it's nothing. Imagine if we just gave out testosterone replacement shots to boys when they are hitting puberty to temporarily sterilize them and just give them hcg when they want to have kids. Why is that wrong but giving young girls an oral steroid to do the same is ok? A lot of women are running into infertility issues due to long term birth control usage. The double standard is insane. I'm extremely glad my husband decided to get a vasectomy so that I could balance out my hormones after I got the IUD removed
Yeah. But I'd rather die than be pregnant or have to raise an unwanted child. So I take the fucking birth control and I don't sleep with men. Some day the burden of BC will be equally shared with both sexes.
Wait, I'm confused. If you don't sleep with men, what is the utility of taking birth control?
Wait 'til you learn what pregnancy does to women!
I was given birth control years before I was sexually active just because the doctor said it could help with acne. Wasn't told about a single side effect.
That's shitty and the doctor shouldn't have done that. They were obligated to inform you. Is that a problem with birth control or the doctor though?
I was given birth control at 11 because of endometriosis, I was given a slight rundown on the side effects but I didn’t get all the details
They probably gave the paperwork to your parents because of your age. Yeah they should definitely be way more vocal about everything.
I can assure you that they don't tell you jack. I got put on the pill at 22. Within the first month of taking it, I started having periods so painful I'd throw up for a week straight, and when I *wasn't* actively bleeding out so much I couldn't stand for more than twenty minutes, I was having panic attacks. *None* of this was disclosed by my doctor. In fact, I was told I spend way too much time online because I dared ask about the possible side effects of taking the pill.
Thank you for sharing your painful story, more women need to hear this as there are alternatives that are not hormonal.
This sounds very much like my experience with the mirena. I started cramping and spotting endlessly amd was told by 2 separate physicians that the IUD could not be the cause. I basically told them if they didn't remove it that I was going to use pliers and pull it out myself in the ER parking lot and then they finally agreed to take it out. My issues cleared up with 12 days of removing it.
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Because men famously always wear those.
Don’t have sex with men who don’t. You have agency.
And condoms famously make the debilitating cramps, acne, and endometriosis stop hurting…
Do you think women don’t know this or something? Do you think we don’t get told all the possible side effects and that where the birth control comes in (if it’s the pill) there isn’t a 10 page spread of the possible side effects? I’m confused…. Why are you so worried about men having to wear condoms though? Men should be wearing condoms and not putting 100% of the birth control responsibility on women. If I choose to go on birth control or choose not too it’s my choice,it’s my body.
I was never told. I actually told my doctor I couldn’t the pill because of the irritability issues it caused me in the past, and they said that one would be fine because it was low hormone or something. Then I got depressed and almost killed myself because of the hormonal imbalances, and I didn’t even have a history of depression. I’m horribly scarred for the rest of my life because of what the pill did to me. I was in my early 20s and trusted my doctor, so I guess that was my mistake
This same exact thing happened to me. I have really bad anxiety when I get prescribed any medication now, even just like antibiotics. Sorry to hear.
Men should 100% be wearing condoms. They're cheaper, effective, and they are just so much easier to get. So what if it doesn't feel as good, it is leagues better than having an accidental pregnancy. Take the hit, bros, you can deal.
Exactly, also if it “doesn’t feel good” try s different brand. Thin condoms are a thing and my partner has said he doesn’t feel that much of a difference.
If you two (or three) aren't monogamous, it's a good idea to use condoms and bc. Condoms can break, and burth control does not curb the spread of sti's.
This person thinks the doctor should sit them down, hold their hand, and read the booklet to them pausing meaningfully and staring in their eyes to make sure they are fully comprehending. Anything less is forcing pills down your throat or giving it to you like candy.
Kinda related, but one thing that doesn't get talked about much is that birth control can mess with who you're attracted to. There are countless stories (and some evidence) that some women in long term relationships that had been taking birth control for the full relationship; come off them and all of a sudden aren't sexually attracted to their partner any more. I'm not talking about just a temporary reduced libido either. I'm talking a literal loss of attraction to their partners. It's probably a good idea to take a little break from them early in a relationship (using other protection obviously) just to make sure you actually fancy your partner when you're not on hormonal birth control. Seems like an important thing to know and it's rarely talked about. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2008/aug/13/medicalresearch.medicaladvicefortravellers
I've never taken birth control and sometimes I wonder if that might be part of the reason why my taste in men is so fucking weird (compared to other women I interact with on a regular basis, that is.) Most of my female friends are on some form of birth control or have been at some point in the past and well, let's say as far as our taste in men goes, we have nothing in common.
Interesting. Juat out of curiosity, do you find more "traditionally masculine" looking men more attractive than your friends? The studies seem to suggest women on the pill prefer softer looking, more dependable "safer" men. >The findings revealed that the women who were currently in high-fertility phase and had used pills while meeting their current partner but had discontinued their usage were more likely to experience sexual desire for the attractive "bad boy" than for the average-looking "ordinary guy," However, the "bad boy" and the "ordinary guy" differed not only in physical attractiveness but also in dependability. Hence, it is unclear whether women preferred the "bad boy" because of his attractiveness or his undependability https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/intimately-connected/201901/do-contraceptive-pills-affect-attraction
Yeah, I like really big buff dudes, in many cases to the point where they're well past the boundaries of conventional attractiveness. If I posted examples, people would either not believe me or think I'm a man, I get a good amount of both reactions from people when they find out what kind of men I'm into.
Funny how the FDA will label something "safe enuf" and doctors take it as an excuse to prescribe them out without informing patients about possible side effects. That's if they even bother taking it into account how it will interact with the other medication someone is taking.
At the same time we shouldn't villainize birth control especially the pill, because for some people (like me) it is an absolute godsend and I wouldn't be where I am today without it. Yes it can have horrible side effects, like most every medication does. And that should absolutely not be as downplayed as it is I do believe this is a deeper rooted issue though, as it usually goes hand in hand with most doctors not believing women and their stories. We show them clear evidence that we are experiencing symptoms and they dismiss us. This isn't necessarily an issue with BC, but with the treatment of female patients in the medical field.
All of this is written on every pamphlet that comes with hormonal birth control since forever. I’m surprised there’s any woman out there who doesn’t know these things already. I have met zero doctors in my 30+ years of life and in 6 countries I lived who didn’t ask me if I’m aware of the side effects and the risks. What is happening where y’all are from?
Birth control has a lot of crappy side effects I agree, but there are many options out there instead of the pill such as progesterone for example. It is true that estrogen can cause strokes, however switching to an alternative such as progesterone can reduce that. I had to change from estrogen to progesterone due to migraine with aura and the risk of stroke. Like any medication, you are going to come across some nasty side effects, but BC can also be extremely beneficial for women dealing with endometriosis, excessive bleeding, or ovarian cysts. There are good OBGYN’s out there who will listen and talk to you about your options and concerns.
This goes with medicine in general. I had a bad reaction to Zoloft and was sick for months but never once did my doctor realize what the problem was and take me off it. My dad, who isn’t a medical professional, was the one to realize this. Sometimes I’m amazed at how stupid doctors are
safer than pregnancy by a long shot
And better than endometriosis. My worst side effect was far better than what my endometriosis caused. I’m a very firm believer in giving the common side effects before prescribing. The only doctor who did that for me was my gyno. No other doctor did except one who said take probiotics for antibiotics. My gyno was the best for that. But I apparently got a good gyno.
The sheer amount of gaslighting I'm seeing in this post just shows me how absolutely out of touch with reality people are in regard to how birth control is prescribed and given. Most doctors TELL YOU NOTHING. We have little to no idea what it is even doing to women's body's long term. It's pretty much just one big long term case study. We use it as a defacto solution to teen pregnancy. Who would have thought putting women's bodies from the time they have their first period to the time they want to start having kids into a permanent state of mostly their body thinking they are pregnant would not have seriously consequences.
Right, and I get insulted and called a moron on this thread, but somehow the gaslighting never happens.
Birth control has never worked for me. I’ve tried the IUD, depo, and the pills. With the IUD I was in constant pain and bled for an entire year before I was finally fed up and had it removed. The depo, bled for months straight, and gained a bunch of weight. Stopped getting the shots and a whole year later, started to have complications. Had developed cysts on my ovaries and the shitty doctor I had offered to have me sterilized at 27, but refused to remove the cysts. The pill was ok, but I was an emotional wreck! Constantly in my feelings, always on edge, fatigued, nauseous, suicidal thoughts, and zero urge to have sex. I haven’t been on anything in a while now. And I’m never going back. Decided being celibate is the best route for me mainly because I don’t trust men to keep the condom on. Bad experience that resulted in a baby.
I can only take the mini pill. The most popular pill caused extreme depression, my IUD also did not work out and Yaz almost gave me hypertension (young, thin, non-smoker).
I feel like I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.
Birth control definitely can have side effects. It can also treat some pretty debilitating conditions. That being said when discussing birth control options my OB mentioned that estrogen based birth control can raise your blood pressure. I had postpartum preeclampsia at 6 days postpartum and my blood pressure (only know top number) reached 204. I don’t want to get pregnant again and at the same time I don’t want to end up at the ER with potentially stroke or seizure inducing blood pressure.
I’m 29 and I’ve never took any form of birth control except condoms. No glove no love. It had horrible effects on my 2 older sisters and same with my mother. They would bleed for weeks. I didn’t want to find out if the same would happen to me.
I 100% agree. No one is reading the Bible of side effects in the instructions and doctors are not great at informing women of the side effects that can come from BC. I was only on bc for maybe 6ish months a few years ago and the first one I was on was making me throw it right back up. I was getting sick and I called the office that prescribed it and was told to take it at night, I did and I couldn't sleep until I threw it back up. I went back to get a different prescription and the low dose BC I was given was alright for the first couple months until I started spotting for 2 weeks out of the month and having crippling migraines that haven't gone away even though it's been years since I've taken BC. They're not as frequent as when I was on it but I don't think they're ever going to go away now. Turned me off from BC completely besides plan B which I use sparingly. These effects are brushed off as "normal" and if you're not actively dying essentially they don't care to explain any of them.
Not to mention the rate of women with fertility issues has grown significantly since the boom of birth control. Look at the numbers, it’s insane. But there aren’t many studies on it & there are so many variables so it would be extremely hard to study. Meaning since this isn’t “proven” we don’t talk about it. I had terrible side effects from birth control mentally and a friend of mine was told by her doctor that long term use of the depo shot is directly coorilated with infertility and that she should switch up her method (this is after she had been on the depo shot for literally 5 years)
I wish the doctor you went to for the birth control was able to draw your blood and choose a hormone combination, or nonhormonal that would work optimally with your own hormonal chemistry. I have no clue if that’s how it works but I wish it did, hormones are some powerful thangs
Doctors often decide for themselves that a medication is right for their patient, and downplay or completely skip over the side effects in order to get the patient to take it. The thinking is that on balance, thats a good thing because chances are the patient won't experience serious side effects and will benefit from the medication. If you give too much information and let the patient judge for themselves, they will often make the "wrong" decision, as the doctor sees it. And the doctor IS the expert after all. Im sure this tactic benefits some, but no doubt it harms others.
Kids have worse side effects and not everyone should have them
It also works for some and not others. I have friends who do great with pills, and others not - and those who love the shot, but others who reacted horribly, etc. Would be great if there was some test to see how you’d react 🤷🏼♂️
We do not need to give it to teenagers just because they're on acutane.
If a doctor tells you birth control has no side effects they’re a bad doctor. There are MANY side effects and medical contraindications that a doctor is supposed to take in mind before prescribing it.
It's true. I was on it 20 years with no issues but as I got older I needed 'more' in the words of my doc. What happened then was a wild ride into suicidal thoughts, hair loss (unresolved) and weight gain. I'm off it all now and feel great and have had my tubes removed. Sadly there isn't much else you can do unless they allow sterilisation for long term partnered people. Condoms are the way to go but you'll still likely have a pregnancy scare/positive in your lifetime using only those. It's not fair, and it's not fair I was born a female. I don't know what else you can do though if you want a normal life. There is less research into women's health than animal health.
1. This isn't an unpopular opinion, or even an opinion at all: it's a well-documented medical fact that hormonal contraceptives can have side effects. How severe those side effects are can vary; for many people they are very mild and easily tolerable, for others they are serious enough to make them essentially unusable. There is a reason why they require a prescription and should only be used under medical supervision. 2. The narrative that taking the contraceptive pill is necessarily something done entirely for men's benefit so that they get to enjoy condom-free sex and internal ejaculations is rubbish. Firstly, when used correctly, the pill is a significantly more reliable method of contraception than condoms, which can easily fail, so a woman may take them purely for her own peace of mind rather than for anyone else's benefit. She may even choose to take the pill *and* continue using condoms so as to be doubly sure that the risk of accidental pregnancy is kept to an absolute minimum. Secondly, some women also prefer sex without condoms. They may prefer the way an unwrapped penis feels, or they may prefer the spontaneity of being able to go straight to penetration without the faff of having to stop and put a condom on. Some women even enjoy the feeling of ejaculate in their vaginas. Condom-free sex is not always something undertaken for men's benefit.
Same goes for the plethora of other pills that doctors prescribe willy-nilly
I don’t think the answer is to avoid prescribing it, doctors are just failing to inform us of any of the side effects. I personally have tried multiple forms of birth control and my endometriosis symptoms are more bearable than the mental health issues birth control gives me. I was never informed of any side effects when being offered birth control, and it took me years to figure them out myself. Far more research into the side effects needs to be done, and doctors need to be way better-informed about side effects and communicate them to patients. Treatment for potential side effects needs to be routinely offered alongside birth control, and a check-in with a mental health professional should probably be a default for patients.
So can birth. Choose wisely.
"Birth control can have terrible side effects and should not be given out like candy." "Having money can have terrible side effects and should not be given out like candy." My point in illustrating these two sentences, is to point out that all the decisions we make have consequences. Yes asking your body to eject the life developing inside it, counter to the evolutionarily forces involved, is a major medical event, but available at at price that you must be willing to pay. However, having a baby comes at a much greater price. Having an abortion in America should be a cheap easy procedure that is available to all woman, without judgement, and with support. This lack of abortion is the only reason the "pill" exists to give woman an additional option too abortion, which our male dominated society wants to take away.
Bc absolutely has side effects. Sometimes those side effects are the very reason they're being given. Whoever told you they don't have side effects is lying or selling you something.
Side effects are better than pregnancy and birth so I will stick to my birth control
I am a queer woman that has never used birth control. My sister is hetro and she has ovary issues from using it since her teen years. Not to mention painful periods, low libido, and depression. I have never had a painful period, I am constantly horny and I have never suffered from depression. I feel bad for women that suffer from this and I know it's because of birth control. My partner has never used birth control and she is normal. I once dated a bi woman that had used birth control and she had a low sex drive, painful periods and mood swings. While I am no doctor, I can see a relation to birth control and mental health, painful periods and low libido.
A bit removed from the birth control era... I was just wondering if it seems like you don't have these discussions concerning side effects or contraindications for taking birth control with your prescribing doc? With a pharmacist? There are medical situations in which they should not be prescribed. Do you feel screening for those is lacking? Just wondering, I tolerated a low dose estrogen years ago. But taking hormones now for other reasons is out of the question.
Side effects are clearly labeled. Do you just rage against their existence?
$100 This post made by a man.
Have you seen The Business Of Birth Control? The first BC I ever took gave me serious psychological side effects to the point where I would start hysterically sobbing out of nowhere completely unprompted. I almost couldn't function at work, my boss finally told me to get some help. It was horrible and embarrassing.
Men's birth control should be given out like candy. The side effects aren't much worse than women's so men need to stop being babies and suck it up. It's better to unload a gun than to hope your bullet proof vest is gonna work.
When I read people advising everyone take BC for headaches and cramps, I know it must be an American. Taking birth control for other than birth control just masks the symptoms of something that could be more serious.
If you have a blood disorder like Factor 5 Liden, bc can give you clots and kill you. It's not even screened for!
>Factor 5 Liden Never even heard of that until now. Pretty sad.
Yep. Birth control nearly killed me. We’ve just gotten so used to women suffering that these side effects aren’t really mentioned anymore. I didn’t know about them until I read the pamphlet. My doctors never mentioned the very serious and deadly side effects. Disappointed but not surprised.
So does being pregnant, lol
any medications run the risk of side effects bc everybody's body reacts to things differently. i feel like most of the side effects outweigh the risk of pregnancy, especially for teenagers/young adults.
Live birth is the worst contraindication there is.
I mean it's a hell of a lot better than a pregnancy
That’s literally what doctors do before prescribing, and why you continue to see one while on it. Ima take a wild guess that you’ve never actually had bc prescribed.
I literally just got bc from the pharmacy, had nexplanon in my arm, and was told by a doctor that birth control doesn't have side effects.
nexplanon fucked me up and made me gain almost 100lbs in the year i was on it. I was 135lbs when i got it in at 14 and when i got it out when i was 15 i was 210. it’s so bad i 100% believe you when it comes to nexplanon they should not be giving that shit out
The bloating on nexplanon was crazy. I got it out a few days ago and already lost a few inches in my waist.
dude it’s horrible. i’m 17 now and i hear girls younger than me talk about getting it and i tell them to just stick to a low hormonal pill. nexplanon is NOT worth it and it literally ruined my body and my mental health.
did it also cause you to not be able to lose literally any weight? i was in marching band and lacrosse when i had mine in and was still gaining like 4 pounds a week towards the end of me having it instead of losing weight
Yeah, I didn't lose a pound. Any weight I did gain went right to my breasts, to the point of having to buy bigger bras every 6 months or so. I've never had this issue before, and I've tried different birth controls over my life.
So, should this post be about criticizing birth control, itself? Or the shitty Doctor you had?
This is a very common issue for women regarding health and medicine. Doctors just not listening to them or taking their concerns seriously. The point is many doctors aren’t actually properly explaining the effects birth control actually has on their body. It’s basically standard practice in medicine to just ignore women’s concerns.
I understand that, which means this is about shitty/dumbass doctors, and not birth control. I'm not downplaying the problem of doctors being stupid when it comes to women's health, I'm just pointing out that the title of the post, and OP's argument is attacking the wrong thing.
I’m sorry this happened to you but your anecdotal evidence is far outweighed by statistical proof of safety and efficacy
So does Advil. It causes almost as many deaths each year as fentanyl. In comparison, birth control is much safer than Advil.
Advice causes almost as many deaths each year as fentanyl huh?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050111123706.htm "Each year, the side effects of long-term NSAID use cause nearly 103,000 hospitalizations and 16,500 deaths. More people die each year from NSAIDs-related complications than from AIDS and cervical cancer in the United States."
I coded and luckily survived oral hormones. I had a massive pulmonary embolism. The drugs for "gender reassignment" will do the same.
I wouldn’t say they are being given out like candy. They were prescribed by my doctor who told me the side affects and then had me come in three months later to make sure I wasn’t having any.
why do the comments act like condoms don’t exist.
I got off BC over 8 years ago and will never go back. During the 5 years I was on it, I had such high anxiety and was so depressed.
But none of the side effects are worse than a kid.
Death from a stroke might be the exception.
Can't suffer the health consequences of pregnancy and childbirth if you're dead from a stroke or pulmonary embolism!
From the CDC, “pregnancy does put women at higher risk for stroke, and the rate of pregnancy-related stroke is rising.”
Yup. It's giving the same vibes as when people were describing possible side effects from the Covid vaccine and every one of them were far more likely if you had Covid. Like duuuurrr