I've been suffering for months with this crazy rash mostly on my face and neck. Last night I was reading the info sheet that the pharmacist gave me when I filled my pill prescription the first time and found "this medication may cause red blotches to appear on the face" (loosely quoted..). I've been thinking it's a food or other environmental allergy, but maybe it's a reaction to synthetic hormones...

So mostly I'm wondering if any other women have had a similar reaction. I'm also thinking about going off the pill altogether, because this would just be last straw in what has generally been a tenuous and troubled relationship with hormonal contraceptives. So I'd like to hear how the transition went for anyone else who quit.

[ 10 February 2003: Message edited by: Lima Bean ]

Cycles went a little wonky for about a month and a half, that was the worst that I experienced.

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Course in a long term monogomous realtionship, vasectomy is the only way to go in my mind - but try convincing the gents of that one!

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You have to be at the point of absolutely ruling out the desire to have children -- for both of you. A close friend of mine would never allow her hubby to have the big V because even though they had mutually decided not to have children, if the relationship ended or something happened to her later on, he would still possibly want them.

Right now, being in a long term relationship, it would only be the answer when we both are certain we don't want another kid. We're still hemming and hawing about it. So barrier it remains until we can make up our minds once and for all.

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Are you on the pill? What kind of side effects have you experienced?

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I've experienced depression and mood swings, for the most part. No rashes, but it's possible. I'm also a little hincky about what the pill's long-term effects can be... You've no doubt noticed how careful they are about women's health issues.

Some side effects are positive....

[ 11 February 2003: Message edited by: vickyinottawa ]

I agree that there are some positive side effects to the pill. The reduced PMS and the clear skin were certainly nice, but my favorite was the feeling of security it gave me.

I have this annoying tendancy to skip my period when I get stressed out, like when I'm working extra-long hours or studying for finals. So then, on top of that stress, I have these nagging little worries that maybe something went wrong with a condom or whatever. A few times I've even gone out and bought pregnancy tests just to get my mind off it.

The pill made my body work like clockwork, and I also felt safer knowing that I was using both condoms and the pill. The 95% effectiveness rating I've heard for condoms scares me.

Of course, then when I think of going back on the pill I think of the reason I went off. It wasn't anything too serious. It didn't really make me depressed, so much as it made me cry . . . a lot. Not only sad crying, but happy crying at movies and things like that. I'm not really a girly-girl, so this basically just annoyed the hell out of me.

But things are different now, and my body works differently and I'll tell ya, if you want to feel good about being on the pill you ought to steer clear of Inga Muscio....And now it's not even regulating my cycles and that makes me wonder how well it's doing its job in general and that, in addition to these other symptoms that just might be caused by the pill, makes me just want to quit and work really carefully with other birth control methods.

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It didn't really make me depressed, so much as it made me cry . . . a lot. Not only sad crying, but happy crying at movies and things like that.

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I'm the same way. I've been on the pill for about 12 years and only recently started wondering what the long-term effects might be. I spoke to my doctor and she said (of course) that there are none, i'm still considered young, a non-smoker, etc, etc.

I told her about having no libido and crying over everything and she gave me a different pill to try. I have to wait and see the effects of this one. I wish there was a better option for me. Because I've been on the pill so long and have had these side effects for quite some time, I never even attributed them to pill use until recently...I always thought it was just me.

You may want to contact Planned Parenthood in your area for info - I was super amazed when I did ed with them about the range of contraceptive options that aren't commonly discussed, and they should be able to provide you with unbiased info on the pill, though I'm not even sure if there have been real, long term stuides on its effects (especilly considering the move to low-dose pills), but they might be able to help you.

I went 3 years with an undiagnosed thyroid disease, all the while beating myself up over my hypersensitivity, insomnia, weight gain, lack of concentration, lack of libido, etc etc. Who knew such a small gland could have such a big impact?

So far, no crazy crying or anything, but then it's only been a couple days.

According to my doctor, the triphasic pills like the one I was on before, Orthotricyclic, can cause worse depression and mood swings. He actually said that the different doses of the hormones mimick the symptoms of PMS.

The one he recommended, Alesse, is a monophasic, meaning that dosage of the pills is the same all through the 21 days. He said that this can be better for minimizing the emotional effects of the hormones. That sounds like it makes sense.

I have a feeling, though, that it's related to the skin problems I've been having, and possibly to my low energy levels. I don't know that this has anything to do with the particular brand of pills, but rather with the whole process of artificially manipulating my hormones.

I've stopped taking them, though. Last night I just didn't take the pill and I won't be taking any more. I'm kind of excited about getting a real period again, and I'm looking forward to the feeling of reconnecting with my body and my female-ness.

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I'm kind of excited about getting a real period again, and I'm looking forward to the feeling of reconnecting with my body and my female-ness.

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Huh. Me, I used to use the pill to skip periods quite regularly, maybe only having one once every 3 months (just to make sure I wasn't pregnant, and because I was told its better for your body to have them occassionally). In spite of the fact that they are pretty problem free for me (no PMS, no cramping since I was 11 or so, no bloating or other effects), I just don't like the hassle of a period. And having made a firm decision not to have children, being reminded of my fertility every month is actually quite annoying (yay! another 20 years of this to look forwards to).

I feel a lot better just having made the decision to quit the pill, even though I can't say that I'm seeing any effects just yet. I'm thinking of having an all-woman party to celebrate the first real, natural period I get in a month's time or so...

To compensate, I wrote a paper about the whole experience for my Feminist Theory class.

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Are you on the pill? What kind of side effects have you experienced?

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Loss of sexual drive (not entirely, but some). Headaches when I end up taking two in a row. A yucky feeling knowing that I'm contributing to the billions of dollars of profits of pharmaceutical companies that have no regard for me, as a human being (only as a consumer). Upside: no pregnancies, no more acne.

Something crazy happened to my friend, though. One day she had wavy hair, then she started taking the pill and her hair went totally curly!

I also heard once on the news that the increased amount of estrogen found in women's urine, which then makes its way to bodies of water are transforming our male fish into females! Yikes!

I went to my doctor a couple of weeks ago to renew my prescription for the Pill, and she recommended that I go on a stronger prescription (which I declined due to concerns about side effects). She said that it wouldn't change the effectiveness, but that it would do a better job of regulating periods.

That said, if you still want to take the Pill, you might want to talk to your doctor about going on a Pill with a lower hormonal dosage.

did make the cramps go away though...and the headaches. I get horrible debilitating cramps and nausea during my period, and often a migrane the day before it starts.

nevertheless, i'll take physical pain over emotional pain any day.

I AM a bit tired, and maybe my sexual libido isn't at full force but that could be ANYTHING. It's probably my job now more than anything.

I have been avoiding going on the pill for years, but my boyfriend is unbelievably sweet about everything and is really sorry he can't take a pill instead. He asks me everyday how I feel and if I took the pill and wants to share everything. It's nice to have support. Maybe that is why I feel so emotionally fine about it.

She (my doctor) said that the lower hormonal dosage doesn't mean a less effective pill at all (Alesse is a combination pill with two hormones, which makes it more effective than some brands that have only one hormone in them)

For most women, at least with this brand, the side effects tend to taper off and finally go away after a little while.

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I'm on Alesse as well. My doctor told me that it has a lower hormonal dosage that some other brands, which is great for people who are concerned about severe side effects.

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Hah! Tried that, tried Micronor... They all cause depression and mood swings. They're evil, all of 'em!

In fact, I think Alesse was the one that had me jumping up and down, raving and weeping about how the dishwasher was loaded... Birth control all right, who would be mad enough to actually try and have sex with such a raving lunatic.

I'm much saner when I don't mess with the old hormonal balance at all.

Edited to add: I did notice that my sensitivity to the meds grew as I got older. Some of you young'uns may find that as you cross the 30 threshold.

[ 07 March 2003: Message edited by: Zoot Capri ]

I didn't menstruate for the full three months it was coursing through my system, and I had horrible moods swings and insecurity. Some women are happy to not get periods, but it just freaked me right out.

The worst thing about it was that after the doctor shot me in the bum, I had absolutely no control over what happened in my body. At least with the pill there's that illusion of control, and some element of it being voluntary, like each day you choose to take the pill again. ON Depo, no matter what was going on or how I was feeling, I couldn't do anything about it, and there's no antidote or anything, so I just had to wait for it to wear off.

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You might want to talk to a few women who have tried Depo before going on it yourself. I've talked to three women who have been on it in the past. What their doctors DIDN'T tell them is that they might gain weight on it - all three of them gained 20-30 lbs while on it.

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It might be that the family doc doesn't know this. My wife and I talked to her doctor about Depo and gave it a try. Later, when she saw another doctor (a weight management specialist), she found out about how Depo can retart or prevent weight loss.

I've heard that period cramps increase big time (I finally have much lighter cramps now since giving birth) and that there can be complications. But man, I'd love to just get a tubal and forget about all these pills and barriers if I thought there wouldn't be horrid side effects.

[ 08 March 2003: Message edited by: Michelle ]

finally, i went off after i was rushed to the emergency room with intense pain behind my eyes. the er nurse said to me: 'get off the pill before you have a stroke'. two days after i stopped taking it, i was back no normal and pain-free.

[ 21 March 2003: Message edited by: prairieriotgrrrl ]

I haven't ever taken the Pill, but I did use the Today Sponge for about a year and ended up with abnormal, pre-cancerous cells in my cervix (also had horrible recurring cystitis, finally figured out it's related to using spermicide). I've had an IUD for four years, and it's fantastic. I wish I'd gotten one ten years ago.

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Originally posted by Michelle:
Because of the side effects of the Pill, I've been contemplating a tubal for a while. Would it be horrible thread drift to ask whether anyone has tried this as an alternative to taking the pill (for those of you who are sure you don't want more children) and whether there are any strange side effects to tell me about?

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Yes, let's talk about that! I wish I had experiences to share with you, Michelle, but I don't, because...

My doctor won't even discuss the possibility of a tubal with me, despite the fact that I've been asking for ten years, and despite one incident a dozen years ago (migraine/tunnel vision) that apparently indicates I have a higher risk of stroke (or something) than "average women" taking the pill.

Me: Can I go on the pill?
Dr: Have you ever had migraine with associated vision problems?
Me: Yes, once, when I was 12.
Dr: Then no, you can't.
Me: Well, what are my options?
Dr: Condoms and spermicide.
Me: What about something more permanent?
Dr: ... Here, have the pill.

Are there health risks to tubals that outweigh my increased risk of complications on the pill? Or is she (my doctor - a she) likely just afraid I'll change my mind and sue her later? Or is this (as is my suspicion) one of those medical-moral tyranny issues (like abortion, ECP, etc)?

Are there places, provinces, where you can get this done without a referral? Are there renegade feminist doctors who will give referrals to (any, random) women seeking control over their own reproductive systems?

... I'm not opposed to the pill but it seems ridiculous to me that I should have to take it for years (lowered libido? depression? weight gain?), since it's comparatively inconvenient and also expensive (since tubals are covered by medicare but the pill isn't).

Next time I see her, I plan to ask for a referral to a gynecologist, although I'm not optimistic that she'll provide one... In the meantime, if anyone has any thoughts, helpful suggestions, similar experiences, anything, I'd really appreciate hearing about them.

(My first post - I'm too nervous to start a new thread, and apologize if this would have been better elsewhere.)

[ 14 June 2003: Message edited by: ck ]

[ 14 June 2003: Message edited by: ck ]

I think you should check with another doctor. If you've been wanting a tubal for 10 years, then it sounds like you're past the age when doctors should be refusing.

As for the pill and migraines - I didn't know that! I get migraines quite often these days, and I didn't know there was an increased chance of stroke for women who get migraines and take the pill.

I thought sponges might be the answer to my problem, but after seeing what the person above (can't remember the name, sorry!) wrote, maybe it's not so great. Condoms are a drag too - I think I have a slight allergy either to the latex or to the spermicide, not sure which, but I tended to have a "reaction" whenever I used to use them. Maybe that's changed, I don't know - it's been years since I've used them.

And I'm not sure I specifically asked her for a *tubal* when I was 15 (...forgot you could figure out my age from my profile! ), but she has never been open to reviewing any options (depo, IUDs, all the way up to hysterectomy). Which didn't annoy me so much when I was, you know, pre-feminist, but now? I'm irked that my decisions regarding my own reprodutive health are not being respected. Or considered, even, instead of just being summarily dismissed for whatever (ageist, sex-role-stereotyping, condescendingly presumptuous) reason(s).

Maybe. It could happen that some day I would want kids. It could also happen that some day I would wake up as a homophobic capitalist who gets no greater pleasure from life than driving a gas-guzzling SUV. To a pig roast. Where Shania Twain is performing. It would, however, be *awfully* out of character.

Do you think that's all it is, then? Just the age? Nothing more conspiratorial than that? (And what's the point of having the surgery when your child-bearing years are nearly over anyway?)

I do understand the age-related concern (and the fear of litigation), but I'm still interested in knowing if anyone has any suggestions on how to get my wishes taken seriously... *Has* anyone investigated this as an alternative to the (apparently illness-inducing) pill? Was there resistance, and if so, how did you overcome it?

[ 15 June 2003: Message edited by: ck ]

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Originally posted by swirrlygrrl:
How incredibly helpful. Such a valuable contribution to the discussion, and bang on topic as well.

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I think, if I were a doctor, I'd schedule a patient in her early 20's for a tubal if she was insistent - but I would be covering my ass big-time with at least a couple of hour-long discussion sessions and fully-informed consent which is written down explicitly and signed.

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Originally posted by Michelle:
I know, I knew when I was writing it that it would sound condescending to say that it's possible to change your mind in your early 20's.

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Mid twenties. (And I wasn't referring to you, Michelle, in the earlier comment about waiting for the child-bearing years to be nearly over. I just meant that I don't see the point in waiting until mine are. Sorry if I was unclear.)

I understand the doctor needs to cover her ass (and that, having now gone through the "miracle of childbirth" twice she can't see why anyone would want to forego it), but isn't that what the referral process is about? Kind of an absolving of all personal responsibility? "I will have no part of this, but I am bound by ethical guidelines to not get in your way. Go see that radical sterilization-happy gynecologist down the street."

I've heard that other argument before, too, about this and other non-traditional choices I've made: "but what will your (current/future) man think?" (Sigh.) Oh no! What if he leaves me because I have a past / won't have his babies! How will I fend for myself? Who will bring home the (simulated, processed-soy) bacon?

(Tom: that's sarcasm.)

[ 15 June 2003: Message edited by: ck ]

On something of a tangent... having children seems to be a sacred cow amoung people who have/want them. When I tell people that I have logical reasons, both personal and global, not to want children, they tend to tell me that logic shouldn't enter into the decision. (I'm speaking in general btw, certainly not about any babbler.) It's rather infuriating. Even amoung people my own age, it seems to be considered a phase I'll grow out of.

I'm trying not to sound ageist here, but having been through my 20s, and having been absolutely sure at the time about a number of things, now that I'm in my late 30s, I become more and more aware that there are no absolutes. In one alternate universe, I have no children, in another I have 12.