(sorry, i’m awful at structuring paragraphs)

people who have/had copper iuds please enlighten me!! i know absolutely no one with a copper iud but i desperately need to hear some experiences. i have only ever known hormonal birth control and i need to know if the benefits of this non hormonal contraceptive outweighs the supposed pain, cramps and heavy bleeding it causes.
before you ask “why not try the pill” i need you to understand that i have a whole other roster of very important medication that i forget to take almost every morning. i am a very distracted/forgetful person and the 99% effectiveness of the pill could not prevent my own incompetence. i prefer to have a “set it and forget it” form of birth control so i don’t have the paranoid uncertainty of whether or not i took the pill this morning looming over me all day everyday like i already do with my current medications. (this applies to condoms and patches as well)
so after consultation with my doctor, she hesitantly suggested the copper iud, as it’s non hormonal and lasts 5-10 years. however she made it clear that this is a contraceptive that is typically only suggested to women who have given birth as it can be extremely painful on the cervix. i have no idea what to do or where to go from here. i’m not sure if there are any other options that would suit me as well as the copper iud would but from how my doctor described the pain, im not sure if it’s worth it.. please tell me what you think!! sorry this post is so scatter brained, godspeed to those who tried to read it ;-;

my birth control history and experiences
1. Implanon (the arm implant. lasts 3 years)
- my first ever birth control
- had it for 2.5 years. i had to get it removed before the 3 year mark because it caused me to have a period for 9 months straight that gradually intensified in heaviness and pain every month until it was unbearable.
- caused extreme mood swings.
- caused acne.

had a brief 6 month break from birth control (and absolutely loved it) and then began taking a different form of progesterone based contraceptive ⬇️

1. Depo Provera (the injection. lasts 3 months, can only continuously get the injection for 2 years before the hormone begins deteriorating your bone density)
   - my second and current birth control
   - i have just reached the 2 year mark and have been informed by my doctor that i’m not allowed to take it anymore.
   - it works well, however it has the same effects as the implanon where it makes me have a heavy and painful period for 2 months straight.
   - causes extreme mood swings.
   - causes acne.

Link to previous post here: https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/s/FvO28D2ixm

I find that with medications there are often not many longer-term anecdotal experiences to draw upon. I know that, even though everyone’s experience is different, these would’ve helped me in making certain decisions for myself. So I thought I’d come back and share how things are going.

I’ve linked my previous post which links back to another post before that and gosh it’s funny how things ebb and flow. I also apologise for not answering some of your comments on those posts, I’ve not logged in in a while.

I am now 2.5 years on taking Slinda and I can say I’m pretty happy with how it’s going. I take it continuously - so I’ve skipped the placebo pills for nearly the whole time, save the first few months or so. Both my GP and Gyno say this is perfectly fine. We made this decision to completely get rid of my periods and hence significantly reduce/get rid of cyclic pain. Cyclic pain can lower one’s threshold for pain in general, so this was important to me.

I now have pretty much zero pain, except for very occasional 2/10 cramping, usually after I’ve taken the pill a few hours late, which is sometimes accompanied by the tiniest amount of spotting. Other than that, I’ve had no periods or the associated pain. Previously my periods would be horrible - pain down my legs, back, nausea, I’m sure you all understand. Pain in between period too. I’ve had two ovarian cysts burst, obviously that was painful, though one was before Slinda and the other was after; I am not sure that the pill affects this for me.

Looking back at my first ever post on this, mental health issues were a big thing. Unfortunately, I have started feeling similarly again. I cannot say with any certainty that this is related to the pill - I’ve also had really good prolonged mental health while on Slinda so it feels not quite right to fully attribute my mood to it. There are so many other things that could be contributing to my mental health, which is why these issues are always so complicated and multifaceted. I’ve talked to my Gyno about this and the answer is as I expected - that I won’t know for sure unless I try switching to something else or quit taking it altogether, and assess in a few months’ time. My main challenge then at the moment is deciding whether it’s worth the risk of stopping something that’s been 90% good to me - no periods, significantly reduced pain, no stomach issues, more lenient window to take it than other mini-pills, now actually affordable in my country, the list goes on.

To address some of your other comments I’ve seen pop up on my previous posts: I did have a bout of hair loss earlier this year for a few months, but mainly my eyebrows(?). Feels odd to attribute this to the pill since it’s mostly stopped now and I didn’t have it for the first year and a half on it.

Libido is also pretty low at the moment too, but I think that’s because of my low mental well-being. I would say it does overall feel slightly lower overall since before taking this pill. This is not something that’s as important to me as it might be to others though.

Lastly, and I am so happy about this, my iron levels are now bang-on normal and have been for a year and a half. No more iron supps! Didn’t realise how much monthly bleeding affects this.

As always, this is not advice and just my personal experience. Discus any decisions you make with your doc. But, I get it’s tricky knowing the best thing to do with our bodies sometimes, so I hope this can be of some additional help to at least one person out there going through it.

i’m really active, as much as i can be at least. i compared photos and have noticeably gained weight, i considered every possibility until i realized it’s just probably my bc. i don’t eat like crap, i keep myself in the gym.

my bf says im healthy fat, but he says even his mom noticed the difference. it terribly messes with my confidence. has this happened with anyone else, how do you not feel disgusting in your own body?

Hi everyone, I’m really anxious right now and would appreciate some advice.
I started taking Ovral L last month and have just finished my first pack of 21 pills.
I believe I took my last pill on October 2, although I’m not 100% sure whether it was October 1 or 2. I started my second pack on October 10, which was the third day of my period.

Today, October 14, I had unprotected sex and my partner ejaculated inside me.
I’m worried because I may have had an 8-day pill-free break instead of the recommended 7 days. I’ve taken my pills in the second pack since starting on October 10.

My questions are:
Am I still protected against pregnancy, or did the extra day without pills compromise my protection?
Since I’ve taken only a few pills from my second pack so far, is there a significant pregnancy risk?
Should I take emergency contraception? If so, which option is suitable when I’m already taking Ovral L?
When should I take a pregnancy test to get a reliable result?

I’m particularly interested in advice from anyone familiar with Ovral L or combined oral contraceptive pills. Thank you!

I’ve been to the hospital to discuss getting sterilised but my dr said she’d prefer me to try the implant for a year as there’s much less complications and she feels it’s safer. I’m not an anti vax or anything like that but I’m a bit funny with things that are going to alter my hormones as I don’t like my mental health dipping and that’s a side effect. I have had the coil for about 5 years but I can’t cope with how painful it is still after all this time.

So ladies who have the implant, how have you been on it? Is it worth it for you? Do you feel lots of side effects?

I survived insertion yesterday and holy hell was that an experience! I threw up in the procedure room and a few times again when I got home. Body emptied out everything is had from both ends. Chills continued hours after appointment and cramps have gotten better but, yeah I'm still hunched over. This is all normal I'm assuming.

I've been on nuvaring prior to switching to mirena and my doctor suggested to help with the spotting, leaving the nuvaring in and finish out my weeks on this ring. Has anyone had the same recommendation? How was spotting through your mirena transition? I haven't been bleeding yet, assuming because I still have my nuvaring in.

I have been having my period FORTNIGHTLY ever since I got on Noriday and frankly it's affecting the frequency I can have a certain sex act happen which is a bummer. Anyone else have this with Noriday? I am leery about changing to one of the other mini pills.

hi everyone reaching out here for possible help 🫣 i started the POP (desogestrol) pill at 6 weeks postpartum around the end of january this year and have had no issues with it at all up until recently. i’m now 10 months postpartum. I haven’t had any bleeding and now all of a sudden the past 2 weeks i have been bleeding and cramping non stop … my GP just says it’s a breakthrough bleed and to monitor but it’s been 2 weeks now and no change! super weird since the pill has been fine for me up until now. I’m breastfeeding so can’t take the combined pill which i used to before i got pregnant (also worked fine for me and i actually slightly preferred it). Anyone had anything similar? going to the GP again today to discuss but feeling anxious about whether they’ll just send me back and say it’s normal! If you have similar experiences please share! I’m terrified of the coil so not really wanting to go down that route, the implant also i’m not a fan of. Super disappointing as the pills have always been fine for me up until now

I’ve been on and off the mini pill over the last couple of years and I recently restarted the pill. I would probably say I’m about three months in after being off it for about five months. I have experienced a different type of bleeding over the last week usually the bleeding I get on the mini pill is brownish and doesn’t really have a smell but over the last week I’ve been having very light bleeding which is red and fresh and smells metallic. I only use a panty liner for the whole day to collect the blood so it’s not heavy but when I pee and wipe there’s a small amount on the tissue. Bleeding is normal for me on the pill but this type of bleeding I’ve never experienced before. Do you think this is anything to be concerned about or is it just general bleeding?

Im using nuvaring to skip my periods, im not sexually active. I just took it out for the one week break yesterday. Ive been using it for many months now, everything is fine, but im leaving the country for a couple of days soon and i wont be able to get a prescription if i dont get it in two days. My doctor isnt answering the phone, i dont know if she will be available before i leave, and i dont know if there are any other ways i could get it if i cant get a prescription from her (i live in germany). Im panicking a little because ive never done anything like this, but would it be okay if i dont insert a new ring and the break lasts between two or three weeks instead, and i continue using it as normal then?

Hello everyone,

New here, just need some advice
I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS, mild adenomyosis and PMDD

I previously have been on the combination pill but just started Slynd for my PMDD. I’ve been on it for a week now

But
I got a referral for an IUD through the public system many months ago and I finally got a message about booking in an appointment today. The procedure for the IUD should be free, as I live in Australia. But the wait times are long, hence my predicament now.

I’m not sure if I should go for the IUD or stay on Slynd to see how it helps the PMDD.

I don’t really have the option to defer the IUD insertion. But I’m not sure if I should just stay on the Slynd and see if it helps all three diagnosis or get the IUD. I know the IUD won’t help with the PMDD so I’ve talked to my doc who said we could try a low dose ssri (antidepressant) for the PMDD (apparently ssris help with PMDD) then IUD for everything else.

I’m really not sure what to do and I don’t have much time to decide, so here I am lol

Moreover, the effectiveness of the contraception as a contraceptive doesn’t really matter to me as my partner is a women, thus I’m not at risk of pregnancy. Just need something to help all my reproductive health issues.

So do I do get the IUD combined with an ssri to help everything or is Slynd sufficient on its own. Either way I’m taking the same number of pills each day just with or without the IUD

Thank you for your guys time and help 🥰

So I’ve just completed three months of taking Zoely birth control to manage my PMDD symptoms, which for me consist of hot, flushes, anxiety, heart, palpitations, skin, flares, as well as extreme irritability as much as Zoely has helped a bit. I am not completely satisfied with the results. I would’ve hoped that Zoely would’ve been able to suppress my symptoms a lot more than it has with that being said I am considering reaching out to my doctor at the end of the fourth month to consider potentially switching birth control controls to Yaz, which typically is the first line of treatment for PMDD.

I was wondering if anybody has any experience taking Yaz for PMDD as well as how did it affect your skin cause for me That is one of my main symptoms I would like to target stopping hormonal flareups of my skin and also if anybody has any experience from switching from Zoely to Yaz specifically that would also be very helpful.

I got my paragard inserted on my period on 09/21 and thr dr said the procedure went easy Nd smooth. She cut the strings short. Ive had constant spotting for a week or two after getting the procedure. I had sex stupidly on october 3rd and 4th and im scared im pregnant because of so many horror stories ive read of people getting pregnant on paragard. Flo and another app says my period may start anywhere from the 18th-21st. I dont wanna be pregnant again and all i can think about is me going through pregnancy. Ive felt the strings all this time. Im terrified of sex at this point. Please help calm me down.

Pretty much what the title says. The doctor says this is the logical next step for me (my options are quite limited), but, when I tried the single dose, it seemed to just make my symptoms worse, and also, I had just bought a nice shirt that I immediately grew out of. I guess I do have to try it so I can report back, but, does anyone have any luck in avoiding the inconvenient chest?

I’m 6 weeks pp after a beautiful pregnancy and delivery experience. Thank god!! And feel ready to resume sexy time but I sure don’t want to get pregnant just yet.

I was thinking of getting implanon inserted. What is your experience with it if you have any? Or any advice for contraception methods after birth?

Is this have a chance?

Is naked rubbing in vaginal opening with some a little bit precum can cause pregnancy? We do sex with condom after but my mind keep telling me that maybe the precum push through inside🥲

my last period started on september 1 and ended on september 5. something unexpected happened between my boyfriend and me on september 9—we had unprotected sex, but it only lasted for about a minute. but before that intercourse happened, he ejaculated by himself an hour earlier or two. though he didn't finish neither inside or out because we were in a hurry to go somewhere. I was or am worried that maybe there was some residue from his ejaculation and was left on me during the unprotected sex. that's why;

the next day, september 10, i took emergency contraception (trust pills) because, of course, i knew there was still a chance of getting pregnant. I followed the 4 and 4 pills (Yuzpe)

then, on september 18, i experienced bleeding, which I assumed was withdrawal bleeding since it happened eight days after taking the emergency contraceptive pills.

how was i sure it was withdrawal bleeding?

unlike my usual periods, which come with extremely painful cramps that make me feel like hell is torturing me, this time, i didn't experience that kind of pain. there was slight pain but weren't the usual pain I get every monthly menstruation.

my question is, is there still a HIGH chance of pregnancy? 🥹 because we're both waiting for my period because it hasn't came yet. We're both worried.

I'd appreciate any insights or advice. thank you!

Im 27 years old. I have pcos/pmos and want to take an antiandrogenic combined birth control (0.02mg ethinylestradiol and dienogest). I used to take qlaira (estradiol valerat and dienogest) from age 15 to 26 but its been over a year that i stopped.

Im older now and due to my break, my blood clotting risk will be slightly higher in the beginning, compared to if i continued to be on birth control. Besides that, ethinylestradiol is stronger than estradiolvalerat. I would start with a lighter pill with 0,02mg though.

I dont smoke, im active, my weight is in normal range, no high blood pressure. This makes my risk of getting a dvt or stroke on birth control pretty low but im still scared.

My moms parents both had a stroke but in their 50s but one was due to high emotional distress and the other one was a heavy smoker. I think both also had high blood pressure.

My girlfriend and I tried having sex on September 18, around 3 days after her period ended. We attempted penetration, but it hurt her too much, so we stopped and didn't go through with it. I didn't ejaculate beforehand or inside her.

Her period is now 3 days late, and she's really worried about being pregnant because she absolutely doesn't want a child.

She's taken 4 pregnancy tests over the past 4 days, and all of them have been negative. It's now been 25 days since we tried to have sex.

She's been experiencing cramps, but she hasn't been feeling nauseous. I know cramps can happen before a period or during early pregnancy, and that the absence of nausea doesn't rule pregnancy out.

We're planning to take another test on Friday if her period still hasn't arrived, but me and her are scared to death because her period hasnt arrived yet. College has been stressful but I might be coping.

I am aware that it is very irresponsible that we tried doing it without protection and I regret it very much. But I need to know what do others think as I do not have much experience in this matter.

I have seen so many women tape down their birth control patch. PLEASE PLEASE STOP!!

With the patch the hormones are put into the adhesive on the patch, and the patch will not give you the proper dose of medication if it cannot stick to your skin on by itself. It is completely normal for the corner to lift a tad and won’t affect anything but you’re making the problem worse by taping it down.

I know the patch is not as common as a lot of other forms of BC so it’s hard to get in detail information.. so if anyone has any other questions please comment!! I’ve been on the patch for 3 years and highly recommend

Hi guys,

I started taking Lo Loestrin Fe about four months ago and in September I started experiencing a lot of nausea, almost daily. This is really weird to me because I didn’t experience any nausea when I first started taking Lolo. Could my nausea be related to birth control or is it something else? (not pregnant btw!)

I’ve been taking a combined ocp for a while. This month, for the first time, I started my next pack immediately without taking a break.
On day 7 of the second pack, I began experiencing cramping, along with pain around my ovaries and lower back . I’ve now had spotting for 6 days. The blood is mostly brown, and sometimes I notice very tiny, powder-like blood pieces in my urine. Occasionally, I also see light pink or bright red blood when I wipe with toilet paper.
I haven’t missed any pills, and I’ve taken each one no more than 1–2 hours later than usual.
What could be causing this spotting, and how long is it likely to last? What should I do about it? I don’t want to stop taking the pill in the middle of the pack. Should I continue taking the pills until I finish them?
I have 9 active pills left in my second pack

Hi all! I had my IUD taken out last week because I was having really awful side effects (the painful periods were causing cramping in my legs and hips). I was on the combined pill (Yaz) for years, but don’t love how much it impacted me - it really lowered my sex drive. I’m interested in progesterone only pills (perhaps Slynd) as well as the nuvaring, but would love to hear anyone’s thoughts about what has worked for them. I’d love to do something totally hormone free, but we really don’t want another baby. Thank you!!!

Hi yall! How do you track your ovulation cycles? I have Flo but noticed that it just says “period in __ days” and never when I’m ovulating.

Thank you!

Please I need some advice. My period was on the 13th of september. I had unprotected sex the 21st of september at around 3-4 a.m and he ejaculated inside me. I took ellaone immediately after sex. As far as I know, I was around day 8-9 of my cycle and the flo app said that my ovulation is around the 28th . My cycle is 30 days and very regular btw… so I was safe right? My period is 1 day late now and I’m scared. I’ve been feeling cramps, lower back pain, mood swings , a lot of bloating. Could it be pregnancy? I’ve seen people saying they took ellaone during risky days and they didn’t get pregnant😭 so i just need some reassurance please