I can’t believe this is my first post of March! My schedule has been little hectic and I struggled for post ideas and time to write them however I hopefully should be back at it now so expect some posts to start appearing soon!
Now on to my topic of the day: Birth Control.
Many people still consider talking about types of birth control and the need for it a taboo, which is silly in my mind as it is something that most, if not all woman will have or need to use in their life time.
For me talking about contraceptives with my mum when I was 17 and had my first proper boyfriend was THE most awkward thing and tended to consist of “yes mum i’ll be careful” “yes mum i’m using protection” and usually ended abruptly after that.
Many of my friends even went to clinics by themselves to obtain the pill or other methods of contraception and didn’t tell their mum’s, mine had always been up front to me as I have already said and did take me to the doctors to get me on the pill which was not as weird and awkward as I thought at the time.
I’m now 19 and edging out of my teenage years so discussing these types of things with my mum is easy and sometimes needed.
As I’m sure most of you guys reading this will know, taking the pill and dealing with the inevitable side effects is quite frankly a pain in the ass, so I thought i’d share with you my experiences of different types of contraception I’ve tried.
SO as already said I started using the pill when I was 17, I was first given the brand Cerazette which is a mini pill and is taken everyday with no break week, at first this was great. I didn’t have to suffer through terrible cramps each month or deal with my period at all! however as the months went on, I was still dealing with breakthrough bleeding which is something that can occur when your body is getting used to the hormones in the body. Unfortunately unlike I should have my body did not get used to this pill and I continued to bleed almost every two weeks and this was something that I just couldn’t live with so I returned to the doctor to try something new.
Instead of trying a completely new method like the injection or implant (ouch needles) I opted to stay on the pill and was prescribed Microgynon 30 which is the pill you take every pill and once the packet is finished you have a break week which allows for a period like bleed. This pill settled my anxiety of not getting a period and not ever knowing if i was pregnant as if you miss a period on Microgynon it gives you an indication to take a test, whereas on Cerazette I didn’t get a break so had no way of knowing, I ended up really getting on with this pill for about a year then closer to the end of last year my mood swings were unbearable. It had gotten to the point were I was a literal monster on the last week of my pill packet. I would become irritable and angry at the smallest of things, I would also cry a lot at the stupidest causes (crying because my bf wouldn’t come cuddle me while I napped). Eventually enough was enough, I went back to the doctor almost a month ago and had a really long chat with her about my options, before this I had already been looking into different types I could try out online so I was clued up on what my doctor was telling me.
In the end I went for the Othra Evra Patch which uses the same technology as a nicotine patch were it takes in this case the hormones through the skin and into your system. Unlike the pill you only have to remember to change the patch once a week and after 3 weeks you have a break week so no remembering to take a pill everyday (which was a blessing for me!)
So a month on after starting the patch I have started noting obvious down sides to it like they are very attracted to fluff and clothing so they edges of the patches tend to accumulated fluffy edges and sometimes they itch as the glue is really strong so to not peal off while in the shower or doing exercise. One massive positive for me at this moment is that I’m no longer a hormonal mess at the end of each month but since it has only been a month I’m not sure if this will change but fingers crossed that I don’t revert back into a little hormonal mess each month.
Do you feel there is still a taboo around contraceptive and family planning?
How has your own personal experience been with talking about it to those you feel comfortable with?
Love Danielle x
Loved reading this – very honest and candid.
I got the pill because my periods were still erratic at 17, and it regulated them, even though I started at 14! I told my mum outright that I was getting the pill and she was fine with it, I think she even admired that I was honest to her about my intentions. I’ve tried the implant before but I never got on with it as it caused me to gain weight and my periods were so uncertain I had so many pregnancy scares on it. For me, it works like clockwork and the only side effect I get is a little bloating and an endless appetite during my pill-free week! xx
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Thank you so much! The implant freaks me out and as weird as it sounds I like getting my period, I wish the pill did work well for me but I just couldn’t deal with being such a hormonal mess at the end of each pack xx
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Believe me, after my experience with the implant, I do too! That’s a shame – what about other brands other than the others you have tried? Could be that you may fit a different brand? Xx
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If this patch isn’t the right fit for me will defo be looking into some new pills! X
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I do feel like this is a very taboo subject. This is especially more taboo with people that are extremely conservative. I was very fortunate in the sense, that my family was always extremely open. I told my mom I was going on the pill, and she was extremely supportive. I’ve never used more than one type of pill before, so I was extremely interested in what you had to say about the patch. I would love to hear more about your experience as you continue using it xxx
Melina | http://www.ivefoundwaldo.com
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I definitely think people should be encouraged to share experiences it makes choosing what you want to try much easier when hearing how it worked for others! Im hoping the patch goes well for me, will maybe do a update when I’m further into using it xx
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Discussion about contraception makes my head hurt because everytime I pick one that I want to use I hear about side effects and change my mind😂 I wish it was less of a taboo subject though, thanks for sharing your experience I find them so helpful x
http://www.halfgirlhalfteacup.com
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I know side effects are honestly a pain in the ass, I suppose it’s just a bit of testing out different ones and seeing what works best for you! Thank you for reading xx
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This is a difficult story to share.. and thank you for putting it out there for others who have the same struggle. I had very bad reactions during my times with the pills but im very privileged that my family is very helpful and supportive and gave me all the privacy as i needed. it’s definitely should not be a taboo to talk about, because it’s about learning to take care of your body and there is nothing to hide about it. Anyway, last year I started to use a birth control app with basal temperature measures, no hormones and no more crazy mood swings… here is my review about the app http://wp.me/p8nYzJ-2A
I hope your patch is working just fine!
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I totally agree! That birth control app sounds a little scary to me but if it works for you then that’s so great! Xx
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