I imagine most women have about the same experiences with birth control that I did. I have never had a regular cycle, it’s either 60 days or 36 or whatever it feels like that month. My doctor never seemed very concerned and I didn’t have cramps or a heavy flow, so neither of us chose to do anything about it. Once I tried ortho-tricyclin for a few weeks but it made me so depressed I stopped it quickly.
About the time I got married, I asked my doctor if I could try the same type of birth control pill (BCP) my sister used since it had lower hormone levels. My fiancé and I were applying to the Peace Corps, so my doctor and I discussed a few other suggestions for birth control, such as condoms or an IUD. I don’t remember a lot of information on side effects of the Pill or even how it really works.
Most of the time, we know the Pill basics. A woman takes a pill containing hormones which either prevent ovulation or keep a fertilized egg from implanting. The pill cycle is 21 days, then you take a placebo for 7 days allowing you to have a fake period. It is a fake period, because your body is not creating a uterine lining capable of sustaining a baby, so the menstrual blood is just bleeding.
For nearly 3 years, I took a BCP every single day. In January I decided to limit the hormones and chemicals I take every day, so I started looking into other birth control options.
I started by learning about the reproductive cycle and how the pill works. In a nut shell, our bodies are pretty much awesome. I started reading the book Taking Control of Your Fertility (not to worry, it’s about more than having babies) and learned so much about my body and how it works. I’m 27, but I felt so naïve! You have 4 hormones that work in tandem to guide your body through the process of preparing for pregnancy, releasing an egg, checking to see if it’s fertilized, then shedding the uterine lining and starting all over. Most BCPs work by changing those hormones – either to ensure you won’t ovulate or couldn’t sustain a pregnancy if you did.
All this hormone manipulation does involve side effects for some women. On ortho-tri-cyclin, I was horribly depressed. On a lower dose of estrogen, I didn’t have any side effects at all. Some of my friends have had severe nausea, decreased sex drive, headaches, weight gain, or pain during sex. If you ever have any of these symptoms or feelings, please talk to your doctor. She can work with you to find another BCP that wouldn’t have these effects or help you explore other options for birth control that don’t involve hormones.
It is sad and sends the wrong message to women to make it seem as if changing our bodies so radically is the only or best option for birth control. I read an opinion piece in the New York Times regarding the new BCP coming out which will give women the option of never having a period. First of all, this isn’t a completely good idea, in case you end up in the 2% who conceive while on the pill – you wouldn’t know for a long time! But second, this pill and what I anticipate its marketing to be will send the message to women the period is not acceptable, desirable, or even manageable. I prefer the Native American method of the moon tent. A woman’s period is seen as a time to take a break, connect with other women, and be creative. To me, that is a lot more empowering (and fun) than being told there is something wrong with me.
After doing a lot of reading, research, and talking to my friends and women older than me, I chose to stop taking the pill. It didn’t seem fair to me to change the hormones in my body, making me responsible for obtaining a prescription, filling it, taking it, and bearing any side effects. My husband is part of our sexual relationship as well, and he should be a part of pregnancy prevention. All parts of this would impact him, so it’s reasonable to make him part of the process.
My point here is to give you something to think about and perhaps spark a little of your own research into the matter, not to dictate a “right” way or a “wrong” way to approach your body, birth control, and family planning. There are lots of options, from barrier methods, abstaining, natural family planning, to spermicides and IUDs.
I know women are at different life stages, and one method that works for me may not be comfortable, effective, or practical for someone else. Some women’s bodies have terrible symptoms around their cycle, and the BCP allows women to control cramping, depression, and exhaustion. I can’t possibly provide all the medical information out there, and I am not a doctor, so definitely do not make changes without talking to yours.
About the time I got married, I asked my doctor if I could try the same type of birth control pill (BCP) my sister used since it had lower hormone levels. My fiancé and I were applying to the Peace Corps, so my doctor and I discussed a few other suggestions for birth control, such as condoms or an IUD. I don’t remember a lot of information on side effects of the Pill or even how it really works.
Most of the time, we know the Pill basics. A woman takes a pill containing hormones which either prevent ovulation or keep a fertilized egg from implanting. The pill cycle is 21 days, then you take a placebo for 7 days allowing you to have a fake period. It is a fake period, because your body is not creating a uterine lining capable of sustaining a baby, so the menstrual blood is just bleeding.
For nearly 3 years, I took a BCP every single day. In January I decided to limit the hormones and chemicals I take every day, so I started looking into other birth control options.
I started by learning about the reproductive cycle and how the pill works. In a nut shell, our bodies are pretty much awesome. I started reading the book Taking Control of Your Fertility (not to worry, it’s about more than having babies) and learned so much about my body and how it works. I’m 27, but I felt so naïve! You have 4 hormones that work in tandem to guide your body through the process of preparing for pregnancy, releasing an egg, checking to see if it’s fertilized, then shedding the uterine lining and starting all over. Most BCPs work by changing those hormones – either to ensure you won’t ovulate or couldn’t sustain a pregnancy if you did.
All this hormone manipulation does involve side effects for some women. On ortho-tri-cyclin, I was horribly depressed. On a lower dose of estrogen, I didn’t have any side effects at all. Some of my friends have had severe nausea, decreased sex drive, headaches, weight gain, or pain during sex. If you ever have any of these symptoms or feelings, please talk to your doctor. She can work with you to find another BCP that wouldn’t have these effects or help you explore other options for birth control that don’t involve hormones.
It is sad and sends the wrong message to women to make it seem as if changing our bodies so radically is the only or best option for birth control. I read an opinion piece in the New York Times regarding the new BCP coming out which will give women the option of never having a period. First of all, this isn’t a completely good idea, in case you end up in the 2% who conceive while on the pill – you wouldn’t know for a long time! But second, this pill and what I anticipate its marketing to be will send the message to women the period is not acceptable, desirable, or even manageable. I prefer the Native American method of the moon tent. A woman’s period is seen as a time to take a break, connect with other women, and be creative. To me, that is a lot more empowering (and fun) than being told there is something wrong with me.
After doing a lot of reading, research, and talking to my friends and women older than me, I chose to stop taking the pill. It didn’t seem fair to me to change the hormones in my body, making me responsible for obtaining a prescription, filling it, taking it, and bearing any side effects. My husband is part of our sexual relationship as well, and he should be a part of pregnancy prevention. All parts of this would impact him, so it’s reasonable to make him part of the process.
My point here is to give you something to think about and perhaps spark a little of your own research into the matter, not to dictate a “right” way or a “wrong” way to approach your body, birth control, and family planning. There are lots of options, from barrier methods, abstaining, natural family planning, to spermicides and IUDs.
I know women are at different life stages, and one method that works for me may not be comfortable, effective, or practical for someone else. Some women’s bodies have terrible symptoms around their cycle, and the BCP allows women to control cramping, depression, and exhaustion. I can’t possibly provide all the medical information out there, and I am not a doctor, so definitely do not make changes without talking to yours.
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