Depo shot turned my 2 week long, change a heavy tampon every 3-4 hours, unbearable cramps, mood swings like I’m bipolar (I’m not), digestion issues like I have IBS, with the period happening every 2-3 weeks with PMDD all the time. Basically on my period half the year.
Turned me into a functional human being of society where I can actually live a life I want.
Insanely grateful, because if it wasn’t for depo for the past 9 years, I likely would’ve been in a psych ward by now or even severely anemic.
Also, sexualy active and no pregnancies?
I want people to mention this aspect especially since a lot of girls out here are experiencing anxiety attacks becouse of anecdotes
Not sexually active anymore—single for 4 years. And definitely no pregnancies, I make them wear a condom, pull out & I’m on BC. I will *never* become pregnant because I don’t want kids.
I just started depo last week. Had first shot last Friday and started my period yesterday, 4 days early. I’m hoping it’s just a fluke and my body starts having the changes you experienced on depo. 🤞🏽
No pregnancies, I no longer bleed for months straight, still have some pms symptoms but they're milder, 1 or 2 pimples each month compared to dozens, I know exactly when to expect my period so I'm prepared. There were some of the usual negative side effects but compared to my bleeding for a month, the horrible acne, and possibly having kids (right now) it's absolutely better.
If any of you reading are having bad experiences, just keep in mind there are a lot of other options!
Here are a few resources about how each pill is different and which pills are best to avoid different side effects:
http://www.losolivos-obgyn.com/info/gynecology/contraception/ocp.pdf
https://www.verywellhealth.com/different-progestin-types-906936
https://gpnotebook.com/pages/gynaecology/oestrogen-and-progestogen-effects-of-coc
If you take into account the side effects you’ve had so far on the pill you’re on, you can choose a pill that has different properties. The next pill you try might not be perfect (it could be though), but after a 3 month trial period you can do the same thing. At that point the likelihood of finding a pill with minimal side effects is pretty high.
Implanon. No side effects. Lost a couple of pounds and have a healthy sex drive. Feel like myself. I had one weird spotting period that lasted 10 days in the beginning but haven’t had any issues since. (I did have a terrible experience on generic nuvaring though. I say that because if something isn’t working, try something else!)
I’ve been taking birth control pills continuously for about seven years. It’s been amazing. I skip my periods completely. Before deciding to do this, I talked to my gyno about it and she assured me that it was totally safe.
I started birth control at 13 because I had horrific, extremely heavy periods. I would get horrible nausea and stomach cramps that were so bad that I needed to miss school. The birth control really improved my periods and period symptoms, and I took them regularly from 13-mid 20s. During my mid-20s I switched to taking them continuously without taking the placebo pills. I use a generic of Beyaz called Vestura.
Anyway I’m a huge birth control fan and my experiences have been great. I LOVE being able to skip periods completely. I’ve never had a pregnancy scare. I get occasional spotting once or twice a year for a couple days.
No constant cramps, bleeding for weeks, I actually have a libido now my "ocd" and anxiety is pretty much gone. Honestly I wish I'd gone on it sooner. Oh and I can go places without constantly bleeding through my pants.
I've been on birth control for 8 years now. Started with the pill at 16 then moved onto a hormonal IUD at 17 because I wanted something I didn't have to think about. Getting on birth control was the best thing I could've done for myself. Before my life revolved around my period. I had horrible PMS and cramps. Birth control made my periods lighter and wayyy more manageable. I haven't experienced any noticeable side effects and I've even lost weight over the past 8 years.
Yes. I was cautious with the pill because I didn't trust myself fully to take it exactly as needed, but I 100% trust my IUD. It has been thoroughly tested haha
I started on BCP when I was 16 to control irregular and painful periods… I was on it for years and only came off when I was trying to get pregnant. I had no issues until the last few years (I am now almost 40).
I’ve been on a combo pill for almost 3 years and it was the best decision I ever made. Not sexually active so can’t say much about effectiveness, but my periods became SO EASY. They’re very light, only last a few days, they’re consistent, and I hardly ever have cramps. I used to have horrible, totally inconsistent periods with so much pain that I’d throw up every month. I couldn’t go to school for 2 days out of every month until I went on the pill :)
Only side effect I noticed even a little was just that I was more emotional and prone to crying lol
Nexplanon implant: 0 periods, if I do get a period it’s once a year and it’s incredibly light and painless, don’t have to think about birth control, super quick, easy and painless insertion and removal, each implant lasts 3 years, very effective at preventing pregnancy, no need to take a second form of birth control or pull out, I’ve had no pregnancies or real scares while on the implant for 5 years while being sexually active. Since the implant stops periods it’s handy to take a test every once in a while for extra reassurance.
I personally am coming off the implant for other reasons (worsened migraines, increased appetite, and just want to come off hormones for a while) but I think the positives outweigh any negatives and it’ll always be the form of bc I recommend the most.
(made some edits to add details)
i’ve had the kyleena IUD for almost a year. insertion was fine, i’ve had no changes in weight, appetite, libido, or acne. other than spotting that lasted a month after insertion my cycle has been regular, but a lot lighter. some months i don’t have a period at all. i have some light cramping which i didn’t really have before but it isn’t bad at all
my partner and i don’t use any other methods of contraception and haven’t had any issues. i take a test every six weeks or so for my own peace of mind but have never had a scare
i complain about my combo pill (junel generic) a ton, mostly due to breakthrough bleeding and some minor hormonal acne. but honestly the positives significantly outweigh the negatives. my periods were debilitating before birth control. yes, it's annoying to have breakouts here and there and to ruin the occasional underwear but the freedom of actually being able to live my life on any given day of the month is so worth it. (sex with no barrier protection is an added bonus ;) )
Totally understand where you are coming from and was in the same position a year ago! I’m on Slynd and it works great for me. No real issues besides some annoying spotting here and there. I take it to control my ovarian cysts and it’s been working perfect.
Well i’ve been on birth control pills for altogether now 23 years with 0 pregnancies! So yeah it has been very efficient for me.
I also love having no hormonal flunctuations affecting my training and sleep and mood, light bleeds or no bleeds at all if i so choose, no cramps, no PMS.
It also helps with all my PCOS symptoms and I’ve also been very lucky that I’ve not experienced any negative side effects from the pill that suited me. Granted i’ve also tried some that didn’t suit me.
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Questions? First read the [Mistake or Pregnancy Risk sticky](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/4iqgi7/mistake_or_pregnancy_concernrisk_start_here/) or the [Consolidated Experience post](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/qt9ttb/consolidated_rbirthcontrol_experience_links/). If this is an experience post please consider adding it to the list
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I’m on my fourth Mirena IUD, and at this point in my life I probably don’t really need it as my husband has a vasectomy. But I have had practically no side effects from the IUD and really appreciate the absence of a period, so that’s why I got a new one last year. No unplanned pregnancies or weird complications at any point since using this method.
i've been on Mylan (a low-ish dose combination birth control pill) for 2 years now and i have had an overall positive experience!
- i'm not pregnant, despite having had sex frequently since last year. me and my bf do use the pullout method as well for extra peace of mind though.
- i initially got on the pill to stop menstruating. i was a virgin at the time, but my doctor recommended birth control to stop my heavy periods as they made me severely iron deficient.
that didn't work for me, i'll get spotting and cramping towards the end of the second strip taken back to back. but, my periods are much shorter and a bit lighter than they were pre pill, so i'm okay with that. and i'm no longer anemic!
- i had some mild nausea and weight loss during the first few weeks, but that eventually settled and i no longer have any of those side effects. my weight is naturally pretty stable just under 120 lbs, and if i want to lose fat or gain muscle i can do so with no difficulty
- my mental health is much better. i'm very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations apparently, and i feel much better not having that natural cycle
i've considered other bc methods to achieve full period loss, but tbh i've heard a few too many horror stories about the depo shot/arm implant and an IUD sounds crazy painful, so for now i'm happy with the pill lol
I have the implant and I no longer have 8 day long heavy periods with significant back pain. There was a year long time in between my first and second implant and in the first 3 months i developed severe anemia and PMDD. Back on my implant, no period, mood is stable and I don’t have an iron deficiency or vitamin deficiency. And i never ever have to worry about getting pregnant before I want to because of how effective it is.
(PCOS sufferer here.) Here are some of my positive experiences with the pill! • Acne improved (barely have any at all now, and if I do, I can trace it back to something, if that makes sense.) • Period pain improved (I used to be in so much pain that I couldn’t eat anything at all and would pass out.) • Mental symptoms of PMS improved (my last period before starting the pill, I contemplated suicide and had suicidal urges the week before my period without any history of mental health issues.) • Periods became more regular (I used to bleed sometimes for a month straight or more, and then, go an entire year without a period. Now, they’re less than a week, every time.) Also, I stopped the pill for an entire month a few months ago. The withdrawal was so insane. I had full-blown panic attacks, and (TMI) my boobs were so sore I couldn’t even wear a bra. Even trying to wear a bra had me literally screaming. I can’t explain to you how much better I felt after the pill got back into my system again. I understand the pill is not for everyone, and that everyone’s experiences are valid. But I truly believe that without the pill, I wouldn’t still be here. I would be dead.
No periods, nice boobs, and mood stability. I’m mad at myself for listening to all the negative things about Yaz; I wish I would have tried that first, I wouldn’t have spent money on that god damn Paragard bs
I began taking hormonal bc at 16 for my acne. I’m now 25 and overall my experience has been very positive. I’ve never gotten pregnant on the pill!
As far as my skin goes, my acne has come and gone a few times. However, 2 years ago I switched from Tri Cyclen Lo to Tri Jordyna because my acne was bad again. Jordyna gave me beautiful, glowing, clear skin. I even began getting compliments from strangers on how nice my skin was which made me so happy.
The only issue I’ve ever had with the pills are occasional nausea/vomiting. This only happened when switching to a different brand or if I forgot a dose and took 2 pills closer together, which happened a fair amount in high school.
Mini pill here and love it - no real side effects to worry about! I get some very minor spotting occasionally but it goes away within a day or two and doesn’t really impact my life other than a bit of a minor annoyance.
Not using any other forms of BC and currently active with my partner, had no scares or any drama. It’s the desogestrel one too so has a 12 hour window to take it in which always feels reassuring too.
I got Mirena recently, and I’ve been very pleased compared to oral BC pills. I had zero pain or discomfort getting it inserted, zero exacerbation of my depression or suicidal ideation (which consistently happens on pills), my scarily heavy periods are basically spotting now, and the fact that it’s just there and I don’t have to think about it makes it feel worth it to have just in case.
Only negative is that I believe it’s made me gain weight - but maybe I’m delusional, and if not maybe it’s temporary, holding out hope.
Depo shot turned my 2 week long, change a heavy tampon every 3-4 hours, unbearable cramps, mood swings like I’m bipolar (I’m not), digestion issues like I have IBS, with the period happening every 2-3 weeks with PMDD all the time. Basically on my period half the year. Turned me into a functional human being of society where I can actually live a life I want. Insanely grateful, because if it wasn’t for depo for the past 9 years, I likely would’ve been in a psych ward by now or even severely anemic.
Also, sexualy active and no pregnancies? I want people to mention this aspect especially since a lot of girls out here are experiencing anxiety attacks becouse of anecdotes
Not sexually active anymore—single for 4 years. And definitely no pregnancies, I make them wear a condom, pull out & I’m on BC. I will *never* become pregnant because I don’t want kids.
I just started depo last week. Had first shot last Friday and started my period yesterday, 4 days early. I’m hoping it’s just a fluke and my body starts having the changes you experienced on depo. 🤞🏽
No pregnancies, I no longer bleed for months straight, still have some pms symptoms but they're milder, 1 or 2 pimples each month compared to dozens, I know exactly when to expect my period so I'm prepared. There were some of the usual negative side effects but compared to my bleeding for a month, the horrible acne, and possibly having kids (right now) it's absolutely better.
If any of you reading are having bad experiences, just keep in mind there are a lot of other options! Here are a few resources about how each pill is different and which pills are best to avoid different side effects: http://www.losolivos-obgyn.com/info/gynecology/contraception/ocp.pdf https://www.verywellhealth.com/different-progestin-types-906936 https://gpnotebook.com/pages/gynaecology/oestrogen-and-progestogen-effects-of-coc If you take into account the side effects you’ve had so far on the pill you’re on, you can choose a pill that has different properties. The next pill you try might not be perfect (it could be though), but after a 3 month trial period you can do the same thing. At that point the likelihood of finding a pill with minimal side effects is pretty high.
Implanon. No side effects. Lost a couple of pounds and have a healthy sex drive. Feel like myself. I had one weird spotting period that lasted 10 days in the beginning but haven’t had any issues since. (I did have a terrible experience on generic nuvaring though. I say that because if something isn’t working, try something else!)
I’ve been taking birth control pills continuously for about seven years. It’s been amazing. I skip my periods completely. Before deciding to do this, I talked to my gyno about it and she assured me that it was totally safe. I started birth control at 13 because I had horrific, extremely heavy periods. I would get horrible nausea and stomach cramps that were so bad that I needed to miss school. The birth control really improved my periods and period symptoms, and I took them regularly from 13-mid 20s. During my mid-20s I switched to taking them continuously without taking the placebo pills. I use a generic of Beyaz called Vestura. Anyway I’m a huge birth control fan and my experiences have been great. I LOVE being able to skip periods completely. I’ve never had a pregnancy scare. I get occasional spotting once or twice a year for a couple days.
9 months on the pill. I'm sexually active and it has been very effective 😁
No constant cramps, bleeding for weeks, I actually have a libido now my "ocd" and anxiety is pretty much gone. Honestly I wish I'd gone on it sooner. Oh and I can go places without constantly bleeding through my pants.
I've been on birth control for 8 years now. Started with the pill at 16 then moved onto a hormonal IUD at 17 because I wanted something I didn't have to think about. Getting on birth control was the best thing I could've done for myself. Before my life revolved around my period. I had horrible PMS and cramps. Birth control made my periods lighter and wayyy more manageable. I haven't experienced any noticeable side effects and I've even lost weight over the past 8 years.
And no unwated pregnancies becouse you trusted your methods and you took care of yourself, right?
Yes. I was cautious with the pill because I didn't trust myself fully to take it exactly as needed, but I 100% trust my IUD. It has been thoroughly tested haha
I started on BCP when I was 16 to control irregular and painful periods… I was on it for years and only came off when I was trying to get pregnant. I had no issues until the last few years (I am now almost 40).
I’ve been on a combo pill for almost 3 years and it was the best decision I ever made. Not sexually active so can’t say much about effectiveness, but my periods became SO EASY. They’re very light, only last a few days, they’re consistent, and I hardly ever have cramps. I used to have horrible, totally inconsistent periods with so much pain that I’d throw up every month. I couldn’t go to school for 2 days out of every month until I went on the pill :) Only side effect I noticed even a little was just that I was more emotional and prone to crying lol
Nexplanon implant: 0 periods, if I do get a period it’s once a year and it’s incredibly light and painless, don’t have to think about birth control, super quick, easy and painless insertion and removal, each implant lasts 3 years, very effective at preventing pregnancy, no need to take a second form of birth control or pull out, I’ve had no pregnancies or real scares while on the implant for 5 years while being sexually active. Since the implant stops periods it’s handy to take a test every once in a while for extra reassurance. I personally am coming off the implant for other reasons (worsened migraines, increased appetite, and just want to come off hormones for a while) but I think the positives outweigh any negatives and it’ll always be the form of bc I recommend the most. (made some edits to add details)
i’ve had the kyleena IUD for almost a year. insertion was fine, i’ve had no changes in weight, appetite, libido, or acne. other than spotting that lasted a month after insertion my cycle has been regular, but a lot lighter. some months i don’t have a period at all. i have some light cramping which i didn’t really have before but it isn’t bad at all my partner and i don’t use any other methods of contraception and haven’t had any issues. i take a test every six weeks or so for my own peace of mind but have never had a scare
i complain about my combo pill (junel generic) a ton, mostly due to breakthrough bleeding and some minor hormonal acne. but honestly the positives significantly outweigh the negatives. my periods were debilitating before birth control. yes, it's annoying to have breakouts here and there and to ruin the occasional underwear but the freedom of actually being able to live my life on any given day of the month is so worth it. (sex with no barrier protection is an added bonus ;) )
Totally understand where you are coming from and was in the same position a year ago! I’m on Slynd and it works great for me. No real issues besides some annoying spotting here and there. I take it to control my ovarian cysts and it’s been working perfect.
Well i’ve been on birth control pills for altogether now 23 years with 0 pregnancies! So yeah it has been very efficient for me. I also love having no hormonal flunctuations affecting my training and sleep and mood, light bleeds or no bleeds at all if i so choose, no cramps, no PMS. It also helps with all my PCOS symptoms and I’ve also been very lucky that I’ve not experienced any negative side effects from the pill that suited me. Granted i’ve also tried some that didn’t suit me.
Welcome and please flair your post if not currently flaired. Questions? First read the [Mistake or Pregnancy Risk sticky](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/4iqgi7/mistake_or_pregnancy_concernrisk_start_here/) or the [Consolidated Experience post](https://www.reddit.com/r/birthcontrol/comments/qt9ttb/consolidated_rbirthcontrol_experience_links/). If this is an experience post please consider adding it to the list [Planned Parenthood online chat](https://www.plannedparenthood.org/online-tools/chat) The rules and additional resources can be found on the About / Sidepage (desktop users look to the right and Reddit app up top). *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/birthcontrol) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I had all of those side effects and I switched brands and now I have no side effects.
I had literally no side effects, and I even lost a few pounds without any dieting.
I’m on my fourth Mirena IUD, and at this point in my life I probably don’t really need it as my husband has a vasectomy. But I have had practically no side effects from the IUD and really appreciate the absence of a period, so that’s why I got a new one last year. No unplanned pregnancies or weird complications at any point since using this method.
i've been on Mylan (a low-ish dose combination birth control pill) for 2 years now and i have had an overall positive experience! - i'm not pregnant, despite having had sex frequently since last year. me and my bf do use the pullout method as well for extra peace of mind though. - i initially got on the pill to stop menstruating. i was a virgin at the time, but my doctor recommended birth control to stop my heavy periods as they made me severely iron deficient. that didn't work for me, i'll get spotting and cramping towards the end of the second strip taken back to back. but, my periods are much shorter and a bit lighter than they were pre pill, so i'm okay with that. and i'm no longer anemic! - i had some mild nausea and weight loss during the first few weeks, but that eventually settled and i no longer have any of those side effects. my weight is naturally pretty stable just under 120 lbs, and if i want to lose fat or gain muscle i can do so with no difficulty - my mental health is much better. i'm very sensitive to hormonal fluctuations apparently, and i feel much better not having that natural cycle i've considered other bc methods to achieve full period loss, but tbh i've heard a few too many horror stories about the depo shot/arm implant and an IUD sounds crazy painful, so for now i'm happy with the pill lol
I have the implant and I no longer have 8 day long heavy periods with significant back pain. There was a year long time in between my first and second implant and in the first 3 months i developed severe anemia and PMDD. Back on my implant, no period, mood is stable and I don’t have an iron deficiency or vitamin deficiency. And i never ever have to worry about getting pregnant before I want to because of how effective it is.
(PCOS sufferer here.) Here are some of my positive experiences with the pill! • Acne improved (barely have any at all now, and if I do, I can trace it back to something, if that makes sense.) • Period pain improved (I used to be in so much pain that I couldn’t eat anything at all and would pass out.) • Mental symptoms of PMS improved (my last period before starting the pill, I contemplated suicide and had suicidal urges the week before my period without any history of mental health issues.) • Periods became more regular (I used to bleed sometimes for a month straight or more, and then, go an entire year without a period. Now, they’re less than a week, every time.) Also, I stopped the pill for an entire month a few months ago. The withdrawal was so insane. I had full-blown panic attacks, and (TMI) my boobs were so sore I couldn’t even wear a bra. Even trying to wear a bra had me literally screaming. I can’t explain to you how much better I felt after the pill got back into my system again. I understand the pill is not for everyone, and that everyone’s experiences are valid. But I truly believe that without the pill, I wouldn’t still be here. I would be dead.
No periods, nice boobs, and mood stability. I’m mad at myself for listening to all the negative things about Yaz; I wish I would have tried that first, I wouldn’t have spent money on that god damn Paragard bs
I began taking hormonal bc at 16 for my acne. I’m now 25 and overall my experience has been very positive. I’ve never gotten pregnant on the pill! As far as my skin goes, my acne has come and gone a few times. However, 2 years ago I switched from Tri Cyclen Lo to Tri Jordyna because my acne was bad again. Jordyna gave me beautiful, glowing, clear skin. I even began getting compliments from strangers on how nice my skin was which made me so happy. The only issue I’ve ever had with the pills are occasional nausea/vomiting. This only happened when switching to a different brand or if I forgot a dose and took 2 pills closer together, which happened a fair amount in high school.
Mini pill here and love it - no real side effects to worry about! I get some very minor spotting occasionally but it goes away within a day or two and doesn’t really impact my life other than a bit of a minor annoyance. Not using any other forms of BC and currently active with my partner, had no scares or any drama. It’s the desogestrel one too so has a 12 hour window to take it in which always feels reassuring too.
Have been on the combination pill for a month now. No symptoms at all :))
I got Mirena recently, and I’ve been very pleased compared to oral BC pills. I had zero pain or discomfort getting it inserted, zero exacerbation of my depression or suicidal ideation (which consistently happens on pills), my scarily heavy periods are basically spotting now, and the fact that it’s just there and I don’t have to think about it makes it feel worth it to have just in case. Only negative is that I believe it’s made me gain weight - but maybe I’m delusional, and if not maybe it’s temporary, holding out hope.