birth control pills

[bsybee]

Okay...well here's the deal. I've been on Yasmin for about a year and a few months. I've enjoyed the freedom they give me (since I don't have to worry too much if we don't use condoms...comitted relationship, eachother's firsts so no stds to be worried about). But, progressively over the last year, I've been having more and more health problems. I've brushed them off as "oh I gained 20 pounds cause I'm in college" or "I have high cholesterol because of genetics and because I'm 20 pounds over where I want to be." I have also become slightly anemic, depressed, and vitamin deficient. I was home for Thanksgiving and was talking to my dad about this, who is a doctor, and he said that the birth control pills are probably contributing to all of this.

I have been trying very hard for the last oh 4 months to loose weight and have only lost about 7 pounds, and its back up 4 pounds thanks to over indulgence for Thanksgiving etc. I weigh about 120 now, want to be back at about 105 (I'm 5'1"). I want to go off the pill if that means I will lose more weight, faster.

However, I don't want to give up the freedom the pill gives me and the fact that my period doesn't ever bother me anymore. So perhaps switching pills would make a difference?

I'm meeting with a doctor at my school on Wednesday to figure all this out, but want your guys' advice about all of this.

Thanks!

[The Sage]

from memory, Yasmin is a lower dosage BC pill - that means it 'shouldn't cause any weight gain at all. only the very high dosage pills like ortho will do that, however it can be dependant on the individual.

maybe ask to switch pill types to another lower dosage pill and see how that goes.

[Rammstein39]

Oh birth control. Seems so easy, but then it bites you in the ass.

I had such troubles when i was on BC (i was on the patch tho). My period was so heavy it would disable me for days, and ended up draining so much blood from me, it made me severely anemic. I would say the best thing to do is see a doc/gyno and talk about it. It may not be the right one for you, or maybe there are other solutions.

I'd like to hear how this comes out, b/c I am looking into different BC pills too, so let us know or PM me or something please!

[GrumpyBear]

I would look into the nuva ring. While it isn't a pill it's just as effective I believe and has the lowest hormone content.

[Asphodelle13]

I never gained any weight with Depo...but I believe that it did cause hair loss for me. So now I'm going off of it...and it'll suck once I start getting my periods regularly again(I was on DP for nearly 2 yrs). But I had to make a choice, and I chose to try to save my hair. I've also been taking a special mutivitamin for women because I've always been slightly anemic(i don't eat meat often). Anyway, I've heard good things about Yasmin and Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo.

[lain13ego]

nuva ring has been great for me. it actually did all the things that the other birth controls were supposed to, like lighten and regulate my period and clear up my skin.

[kuju]

Alesse is another possibility. it's one of the lower dose Progestin-only pills...

[jrae69]

I have an IUD...I love it

[SmOkYpRiNcEsS]

I'm on Alesse, have been for almost a year, and I have not had any problems with it.

[GrumpyBear]

Originally posted by SmOkYpRiNcEsS@Dec 2 2004, 03:24 PM
I'm on Alesse, have been for almost a year, and I have not had any problems with it.
I got so incredibly sick on Alesse :cool3: goes to show how different peoples' bodies and reactions can be :laugh:

[kini777]

I'm not using any BC at the moment (well, except condoms), but my best friend has been for a while now. She's switched around a lot. Most recently she's used OrthoLo and Yasmin, and she's has so many problems that she's now going off BC completely.

She gained weight, and has high cholesterol. She was also having tons of depression problems, that were worse than just her feeling down now and then... it got pretty bad. So you're definitely not the only one to have those problems.

I know for a while she was having good luck with a different pill, but for the life of me I can't remember what it was. If I can get a hold of her soon, I'll post what it is.

All these things are the reasons I have yet to get on any form of BC.. sticking with condoms right now. I don't love them, but I don't find them THAT inconvenient. My main reason for BC would be to help with cramps and periods, since mine are really bad.

[qtpa2t]

wednesday... hope I'm not too late.

seasonale would be my recommendation. Four periods a year how amazing is that but also my doctor told me it's the only FDA approved birth control because it actually makes your body pass an egg through your system instead of using chemical and hormonal stuff to trick your body into thinking it has... something to that affect. So you don't get moody or have various health problems but I know my health insurance didn't cover it but it's worth the $50 to me. If nothing else it's definitely worth looking into.

[Barefoot Matt]

Originally posted by qtpa2t@Dec 16 2004, 12:15 AM
wednesday... hope I'm not too late.

seasonale would be my recommendation. Four periods a year how amazing is that but also my doctor told me it's the only FDA approved birth control because it actually makes your body pass an egg through your system instead of using chemical and hormonal stuff to trick your body into thinking it has... something to that affect. So you don't get moody or have various health problems but I know my health insurance didn't cover it but it's worth the $50 to me. If nothing else it's definitely worth looking into.
Sorry for bringing back a slightly old thread, but I have a hard time believing that's the only birth control approved by the FDA. Every medication has to be approved by the FDA before it can be used by the general public. In fact, I just looked up depo provera on the FDA website, and it was approved in 1992. I also checked what it was approved for, and it's exclusively for the prevention of pregnancy.

Additionally, the FDA classifies Seasonale as a combined oral contraceptive, whose primary mechanism of action is to inhibit ovulation. The active ingredients are the same as those found in such other pills as Alesse, Levlen, Levlite, Levora, Nordette, Preven, Tri-Levlen, and Triphasil. The only apparent difference is in the dosage, which allows the drug to act over a 91-day cycle instead of the standard 28.

I would reccomend you ask your doctor to clarify what he/she said... or get a new doctor :cool3:

[Nonny]

Originally posted by Barefoot Matt@Dec 29 2004, 05:52 AM
Every medication has to be approved by the FDA before it can be used by the general public.
Well, except for naturopathic and homeopathic medications, but they have disclaimers on the damn bottles saying that the FDA has not approved their claims. :P

This is in general, not relating strictly to BCPs, lol.

[Barefoot Matt]

Yeah, herbal stuff is special. Eventually they'll get around to fixing that, I hope... Not that I want to pay twice as much for my herbal supplements, but it really would be nice if they would objectively figure out what it all does, if anything :roll:.