Hormonal Birth Control, Side Effects

[gooblax]

Although my "time of the month" isn't objectively that bad when compared to what it could be, I still find it really annoying (physically and often emotionally) and want to minimise it. I've been wanting to do something about this for a few years but I don't actually know what to do.

I'd heard about IUDs that inhibit it, but when I spoke to my regular GP he said that was only effective for what I'm wanting it for in about 30% of people so I'd be better off taking the pill for 3mths consecutively.
After a year I'd finally got the nerve to deal with the idea of taking regular medication and the possibility of the side effects, and went to a different GP to get a prescription. She gave me a prescription but not before scaring me off with the side effects talk again.

I just don't know if I can handle taking the pill. In no particular order:

• First it's a daily reminder of a gender thing that currently bothered me less frequently.
• Second I know it's a small pill but I have never been able to swallow pills.
• Third are the side effects, particularly: possible weight gain (when I'm currently in the worst shape I've ever been and having trouble exercising cause of my knee injury and inflexibility with changing my schedule to accommodate other types of exercise), and mood side effects (noooo thank you, I'm nutty enough).

So I'm back to debating this one a month, whether the devil I know is better than the devil I don't.

 

[GaryQ]

It’s not easy even if many will say “every woman goes through it” and bla bla bla.

Have you considered simply trying for a couple months to see?

hope you can figure all this out. Isn’t there an injection that’s good for 3 months for that? Don’t know much bout the side effects but sure heck beats remembering to take a pill every day

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I don't have much to add other than not everyone experiences all of or even any of the side effects listed for any medication.

I think what some women do if they are not worried about pregnancy per se is take a lower does and/or a modified pill which varies the hormones over the course of the month. Perhaps you could talk to one of your doctors about that option.

 

[gooblax]

Yeah, there's lots of variability in experiences with it which makes it tricky to know where one stands. Eg. my mum says she never got painful cramps with hers vs. me needing a painkiller at least once each time (if not twice or thrice depending on whether I accidentally take it too early or whatever, and then being completely unproductive for an hour and a half while deciding if it's time to take it and then waiting for it to kick in) vs. people who are incapacitated for a few days each time.

Part of what makes it less tolerable for me is that I'm restricted to a particular sanitary product that's simply gross... Until I have a minor elective surgery to sort something out, or do the damn thing myself (which I came close to doing but chickened out hard). I started investigating that too but the GP physical exam was mildly horrible, so I haven't progressed that any further either.

The 'try for a few months and see' was where I was at pre-GP-visit. But that took me back to not being able to decide if it's even a good idea to try it.

I think the injections have varied effects on stopping the thing, and neither GP mentioned them so I dunno. If the injection has bad side effects then it's harder to stop and get out of the system than pills would be.

 

[GaryQ]

Good point there on the injection.
There’s always the natural way to avoid monthly visits...
you could have a little gooblax every 9 months
you wouldn’t have to worry about exercising with a trolley full of rug rats to chase around all day long. And you’d have your own little live collection of Pokémon’s

Just messing with you to try and lighten up a situation I am incapable of helping with except for empathizing and teasing
P.S. I’ll shut up now

 

[gooblax]

:lol: The only appropriate way for a gooblax to reproduce is via mitosis at the whole organism level.

 

[GaryQ]

I somehow doubt mitosis eliminates that which you be complaining about... so much for that idea :lol:

 

[gooblax]

On the plus side, at the moment snapchat has a filter for changing gender that we were playing around with at work today. The one my colleague took of me looks like one intense dude which is both hilarious and something I'd totally be up for looking like. Just need to get that ponytail off him haha.:lol:

 

[GaryQ]

That's one thing I have no deisre to see; what I would look like as a member of the opposite gender. I doubt with my manly attibutes I'd be anywhere near pretty. I makes a handsome old dude like I is now and people still think I'm way younger than I am Therefore hence no desire or even the slightest curiosity to see what i'd look like as an ugly old lady :lol: