Birthcontrol concerns.....

[RoseAngel04]

My fiance

and I are looking at getting married in August of 2007 and will need some form of BC....other than condoms.

So today he brought a concern up that I hadn''''t even thought about. He told me that he thinks I should get on it ASAP so my body can get use to it and so I can see how I''''ll react. Then he mentioned about how some women gain weight etc....and i''''m thinking OMG....I DON''''T WANT TO GAIN ANY WEIGHT BEFORE ME WEDDING!!!!

I wouldn''''t mind my tatas getting larger, but nothing else!

FI has done more research on BC really than I have and he has mentioned this shot you get in your arm that lasts a few years or something...anyone have experience with this? Any side effects?

Also....what about the pill....what side effects has anyone encountered?!?

Of course I will ask my OBGYN TONS of questions but just wanted some first hand experience...

 

[appletini]

The shot lasts for 3 months and if it doesn''t agree with you, then you can be an emotional basketcase until it wears off. I''d start with the pill and try to find one that works for you. I think I gained about 5 pounds including larger "tatas" (went from B to C). Your wedding is far enough away that if you gain a little you can adjust your exercing and eating patterns to make up for it.

 

[Logan Sapphire]

The only side effects I''ve had from the pill have been good ones- shorter and lighter periods and no cramps! I never gained weight and neither did my boobs, sad to say

 

[Mara]

there''s a huge thread in Family, Home and Health about BC...you should check it out.

it asks basically the same Q''s and is a few pages long. good luck.

 

[RoseAngel04]

Appletini: I realized "shot" isn''t the correct term for the BC method FI talked to me about. The one he meant is an implant that is inserted under the arm that releases small amounts of hormones to prevent pregnancy. There aren''t any currently in the US market, but they are in Europe...they are suppose to come to our market at anytime...

I''ll have to ask my doc about it....anyone had any experience with this?

 

[galeteia]

The shot? Yikes!

If you are concerned about weight gain, Depo-Provera (aka the shot) is well-known to cause serious weight gain. 30-50 lbs in all the girls I know who went on it. And in a short time, too-- the poor things chunked up like prize heifers before market day.

One of them was going nuts trying to eat well and work out to get rid of the weight, but couldn''t budge it and when she went to her doctor, her doctor told her there was no point trying to shift the weight while on the shot, because the weight will stay as long as she is on it.

Personally, I spent four years trying one pill after another, trying to find one that didn''t make me nuttier than a hatter and/or become the sister of Blimpo the Whale.

If you''re talking a year before your wedding, that gives you time to experiment, but it takes three months to adjust for each pill, so keep that in mind.

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey RoseAngel - make sure you bring this up with your Dr when you get the prescription - some pills have lower incidence of certain side effects (i.e. weight gain) so you are less likely to gain weight on them, so you could try starting with those.

As you can see if you read the other thread on this in this forum, there is a wide range of experiences for any one pill, and its all very individual, so its good to just start trying different things and see what works for you.

 

[asscherisme]

I don''t have a lot of time right now but just wanted to say STAY AWAY FROM DEPO! And yes I meant to shout that. It definately causes weight gain.

My doctor told me all her patients on depo gain weight and she hates to give it anymore.

 

[E B]

I take Yasmin, and it's fantastic. I didn't gain a pound on it, nor did any of my friends who are on it as well. Every woman is different, but it's a great pill to look into. To echo what someone said above, steer clear of Depo Provera! My cousin gained 40 lbs on it. When she stopped the shots, the extra weight disappeared.

 

[ljmorgan]

I would avoid Depo -- some women do OK on it, but I had a bad experience. It lasts for 3 months so if you don''t like the side effects, you''re stuck with them for three months! I would advise trying any of the pills because you can always stop them and they''ll be out of your system shortly.

I''ve been on a number of pills -- Yasmin, Othro, Seasonale -- all of them have treated me just fine, no side effects, no weight gain. Good luck!

 

[Pandora II]

I have done a huge investigation into BC here in the UK.

I was on Yasmin - fantastic, no weight gain, amazing skin and made me feel generally great. Unfortunately I get bad migraines, so no more Combined Pill

So I moved to Cerazette - one of the new progestin only pills - you take it everyday with no breaks and you have a 12 hour window rather than 3 hours with other mini-pills. On the plus side, no period for the last 8 months (about 60% women get this effect with Cerazette) on the negative a bit of weight gain and bad skin. Not acne bad so that my doctor felt it was a huge problem, but when you have had perfect skin for years, suddenly feeling like you are 14 again is not so great! He just kept saying to wait another 3 months - now after about 10 months it''s settling down.

I was getting so desperate I really looked around, but the migraines rule out loads for me. My dad''s a GP and my uncles a Gyny so I interrogated them. IUD not recommended if no kids, condoms - don''t trust them, depo - no good for me. My dad gives it out a lot to his patients, but weight gain and if no good you are stuck for 3 months. The implants have not been big over here - lots of problems inserting them I think - I don''t know anyone with them. There is a machine called Persona that is popular with catholics that predicts your cycle, but is not really good if getting pregnant would be a disaster - strikes me it''s ideal for getting pregnant!

So in the end I stuck it out on Cerazette. What I''m wailting for is the mini-version of Yasmin. Yasmin has a new progestin that is very close to our natural hormone and unlike the others it doesn''t have androgen effects - hence the great skin etc

If I were you, go for Yasmin first choice, most people I know are happy on it. I certainly was.

 

[Fancy605]

Funny you should mention the depo shot makes you gain weight. I had 3 friends on it, and they only gained a little weight (but they were itsy bitsy to begin with). The major side effect was that their hair started falling out.

I have never gained weight from birth controll. Actually, recent research has shown that birth controll is NOT what causes weight gain. It is just coorilated with weight gain because so many woman begin taking birth controll in conjunction with major lifestyle changes such as starting college (when women gain wieght anyway) or a few months before marriage (a lot of newly weds gain weight). People have always just blamed the birthcontroll instead of the obvious changes in habbits.

Now one thing birthcontroll will so is make you retain more water water around the time of your period. Actually a lot of women gain up to 4 pounds in water weight around that time, and shed it again afterwards---- no wonder we get moody!

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 8/23/2006 8:47:15 PM
Author: Fancy605

I have never gained weight from birth controll. Actually, recent research has shown that birth controll is NOT what causes weight gain. It is just coorilated with weight gain because so many woman begin taking birth controll in conjunction with major lifestyle changes such as starting college (when women gain wieght anyway) or a few months before marriage (a lot of newly weds gain weight). People have always just blamed the birthcontroll instead of the obvious changes in habbits.

I have done a lot of research on this as well, for work/school as well as personal reasons, and found the same conclusions as Fancy. All major studies that have been conducted recently have indicated NO causation between birth control and weight gain. I went on BC around the same time as starting college... did I gain weight? Yep... but I also started eating buffet dinners at the dining hall and drinking 6 nights a week! Coincidence? Probably not.

 

[appletini]

My first pill was Ortho Cyclen...I took it for 4-5 years. The only reason I got off it was because at the end I felt like I had no sex drive...well it turns out that was around the time I was breaking up with my Ex-BF so no wonder. Then I switched to Ortho Tri Cyclen-Lo...it was terrible, and I had my period all month except for 3 days. After a few short months on that, I changed to Yasmin, that was 3 years ago and I have been happy on it ever since. However if I had stayed on Ortho Cyclen I'm sure everything would have been fine too, at the time I wasn't sure if it was the pill or the boy.

However I have several friends that have had a very hard time finding a pill that works well for them. Everyone is different...communicate with your doctor...if something doesn't work you'll find the right one eventually.

 

[monarch64]

I was on the pill for about 8 years straight. Finally, when I got married, I thought it was about time to start practicing the "rhythm method." Now, this isn''t for everyone, for sure. You really have to know your cycle, be regular enough to know/predict (and when I say "predict" be ready to be wrong, lol), and be strong enough to abstain from sex or use another form of OTC b/c during those times. We''re not religious, it''s just that I didn''t want to mess with my body any more than I had to, just in case. While on the pill, I always felt I was playing Mother Nature, and it wasn''t for me. (That''s not to say it''s not for someone else, at all.) I became very familiar with my cycle, via calender, websites, etc. DH and I have it down to somewhat of a science, we use condoms/prophylactics during my "fertile" times... and just use the withdrawal method during the (so-called) non-fertile times. BTW, I''m 29 now and he''s 36....I''m beginning to want a family and so is he, but we have yet to TRY.

For someone in your situation, I would highly recommend speaking to your doctor/nurse practitioner/whoever about b/c. Talk to them about getting fitted for an IUD, a diaphragm, some form of non-hormonal b/c that YOU are comfortable with. Obviously you two aren''t happy with condoms, which is understandable. But also, you yourself, RoseAngel, aren''t happy with hormonal b/c...the Norplant device, the Depo shot, etc., are probaby not the best b/c for you. I do have a co-worker who is on the Depo shot...she has gained about 30 pounds since starting it 2 years ago, but she also has 3 children. I don''t know anyone who''s used the Norplant, I think they did away with it in the past 5 years...and as far as patches, pills, whatever, your doctor is the best source of info on that. Good luck!!! Hope this helps.

 

[Small]

My friend gained alot of weight on the depo and she also got pregnant

My dr tells me that''s like 1 in a million chance that a pregnancy would happen on the depo but I know it happened to her so that was all I needed to know LOL
I have been on the pill for MANY years. I''ve had all different ones. I do gain weight from them but it has been a very effective way to prevent pregnancy...no babies unless I was off of it LOL Not really any side effects to speak of either except weight gain.
Have you thought about an IUD? I hear those are great! I know alot of women love them and they have very little side effects. I can''t do it because I have hormone issues that can''t be controlled with the IUD but I would definitely keep that as an option if I could. I guess it does cost a bit of $$ up front but in the long run you probably would spend that same amount or more buying prescriptions every month.

 

[sunkist]

Hey, how soon after you start taking BC pills it does it start working? Is a month before soon enough to start? I seem to remember hearing 3 months??

 

[tmdblue]

RoseAngel,

Your question struck me as interesting seeing how it is that I will be getting married in 12 days myself and will need contraception. I have been on Depo and had horrible side effects. But no weight gain. My side effects were limited to spotting off and on constantly for 6 months and NO sex drive, acne, and mood swings. I''ve been on several types of birth control pills including ortho-cyclen, ortho-tricyclen, ortho -tricyclen lo, and ortho evra (the patch). I stopped taking hormonal BC over a year ago once I realized that it was effecting my "responsiveness" in the bedroom, giving me mood swings, and I just didn''t want artificial hormones in my body. My periods are now shorter (yay) and no cramps (never had any w BC either). And intimacy is much better. I just feel better to be off them.

I decided that NFP the CM-BBT method was the best way for me to go and FH agreed. This is what we will be relying on. I realize that many women are not fans of NFP but I know several women who have used it successfully over a period of years. No Birth control is fool proof, but considering the lawsuits concerning ortho-evra (apparently it was delivering higher amounts of hormones than originally intended by %60) and issues with Depo and bone mass loss. I''ll take my chances with pregnancy anyday over hormones.

It''s a personal decision that every women must make and best of luck to you whatever you decide.

 

[dani13]

Checking into this thread a little late, sorry!

Weight gain associated with bc has been a controversial topic for years. Yes, the evidence says that there is minimal or no wt gain associated with it, blah, blah, blah...the wt gain that some patients report is on the average about 3-5 lbs. Being a woman myself and having taken bc in the past, I can say that everyone reponds differently, and you have to look at it on an individual basis. Some women will report no wt gain, some will report minimal wt gain, that is just the bottom line. I have never had someone report EXCESSIVE wt gain. Besides wt gain, side effects patients most often complain about include breakthrough bleeding, breast tenderness/sensitivity, and nausea.

If you want to try it, stick with a low dose pill (most of them are low dose now, but some are lower than others). Another good one to try now (very low dose) is the Nuvaring. It is a vaginal ring that is placed in the vagina once a month, and the medication (hormones) are in the ring. It is released locally, so the thought behind it is minimal side effects. And I have to say that I have not heard any negative feedback at all when it comes to the Nuvaring- patients love it!

As a practitioner, I am not a big fan of Depo...especially not for younger women (can cause problems with bone loss later on), and women with history of depression. Depo is an injection of a large amount of progesterone at one time (3 months supply)- and although highly effective at preventing pregnancy, many times it has its side effects. And when it does, they can't be reversed easily or quickly.

Sunkist- once you take bc for one full cycle (month) you are safe to have unprotected intercourse. Until then, use a backup method, like a condom. Some women take a little while to get used to taking the bc every day, and many of them miss pills initially.

 

[Dee*Jay]

Oh my, well based on this thread I might be the only happy successful Depo user in history... I've been on it for 7 or 8 years now and I LOVE IT. I have gained some weight (anyone out there who hasn't put on a few pounds in 7 years?) but when I went on Weight Watchers last year I lost all of it and then some. As for the bone loss later on, my doctor insists that I take calcium supplements (I take 2,000 miligrams a day) and said that if I get off before menopause starts (I'm only 35 now) that I should be fine. And there have been no other side effects for me.

So, long story short, I am certainly no physician and I'm not necessarily recommending this method, just wanted to say that I've used it for a number of years and have been very happy.

 

[bee*]

Im also on Yasmin and I find it great-my skin is amazing,no weight gain, really light,short periods...its the best pill that Ive been on. I would be a bit wary of the shot or the implant as at least with the pill if you have any side effects, you can stop taking it straight away but you have to wait a couple of months before you get the shot out of your system.

 

[jcrow]

i have an appt next week with my gyno to get on some. i''m rather po''ed about the situation right now though. i called to make an appt. and they asked which pharm. i go to? and said it''ll be ready to be picked up this afternoon. i was like WHA??? i''ve NEVER been on bc before. i need to make an appt to discuss my options with the dr. they were like oh and scheduled an appt. then the next day i get a call from the dr. office saying AGAIN that my perscription will be ready to be picked up. i was like--- um? what perscription?! they said bc. i said which kind. they said ortho-tri. i said is that the only option?! they were like no, like i was the crazy one! i said well i would really like to talk it over with the dr. first to determine which is the right one for me. she was like well you can discuss that at your next appt. i was like that''s what i wanted to do in the first place. i mean SHE called me! urgh!

i am changing gynos. the new one can''t see me until march though.

 

[RoseAngel04]

Thx everyone for the advice and suggestions!! I''ll talk over my options with my gyno at my next visit.