PLEASE REPLY... B/C ?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
PLEASE REPLY... B/C ?
5
Wed, 06-02-2004 - 6:57am
I WAS ON THE DEPO SHOT FOR 9 MONTHS AND IT GAVE ME REALLY BAD MOOD SWINGS. I STOPPED USING IT, BUT NOW MY ONLY FORM OF BIRTH CONTROL IS CONDOMS AND I'M NOT 100% HAPPY WITH THE CHANCE OF STILL GETTING PREGNANT. I DO NOT WANT TO GET BACK ON ANY BIRTH CONTROLS WITH HORMONES BECAUSE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS I HAD, AND THE PEOPLE I TOOK IT OUT ON. I WAS MISERABLE, DEPRESSED, HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS, ETC. I WAS WONDERING WHAT I COULD LEARN FROM ANYONE WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND WHAT YOU DID TO SOLVE IT. I AM 19 YRS OLD AND HAVE NO CHILDREN. I DONT KNOW IF I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET AN IUD, BUT I'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT IT... WOULD THE IUD BE AN OPTION, AND IS IT A GOOD ONE?
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-26-2004
Wed, 06-02-2004 - 7:02am
I do not know much about IUD's, but can't see them being good for a 19 year old. I would talk to your doctor about all the different choices of birth control. Just because the depo shot didn't work well with your emotions doesn't mean that everything with hormones will do the same. There are so many different kinds of birth control pills. If you are serious about wanting to protect yourself from pregnancy, talk to your doctor and experiment with some different kinds of pills. There are pills that even have lower doses of hormones in them that would be great for you to try given your past experience with hormones.

Good Luck!

Sarah

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-15-2004
Wed, 06-02-2004 - 12:10pm
Hi!

I understand your dilemma, because I was there just a few weeks ago. I also cannot stand hormonal birth control and the side effects that it has on my body. I am only 18, and have no children either, but I decided on the non-hormonal copper IUD (Paragard). I am so pleased with my choice. The insertion was a little painful, but nothing awful..and it was over within a few minutes. Insertion is easier for women who have had children, but I have nothing to complain about. It was a small price to pay for all the benefits that I love with the IUD. Talk to your doctor, and see if she recommends the IUD for you, or if she has any other options that would work.

Good luck with your decision.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
Wed, 06-02-2004 - 12:21pm
I have the mood swing/depression/anxiety problem with hormonal contraception, too. When I was about your age I went on ortho tri cyclen and, while the mood swings were bad at first, I ended up being a lot less moody after the first three months. My only problem was that during the inactive week the withdrawal brought some serious mood swings with it.

I think Sarah's right, this may just be an issue of finding the right hormones. You might want to try ortho tri-cyclen lo, since it's a tri cyclic with a low-potency progestin it may improve your mood swings and it has the bonus of being low-dose.

Here's a webpage that has a really nice table of different birth control pill formulations and the common effects of the different kinds of progestins, it might help you find a progestin and pill formulation less likely to cause mood swings and irritability:

http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm

For the record, you might want to stay away from levonorgestrel, I'm on a pill with that and my mood has just been the worst. I'm hoping things will get better in a month or two.

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-15-2004
Wed, 06-02-2004 - 7:34pm
The IUD might be a good choice for you or it might not. Most doctors feel that if you are not in a commited long term relationship it might not be the right choice. Studies find there is an increased risk of PIDs with the IUD. You are more likely to be exposed to PID if you have more than one partner.

I am 24 and have a copper IUD, it was the right choice for me. I tried 4 types of BCP before deciding I wanted a longer term more natural birth control option.

I would talk to your doctor about other types of hormonal BC like the ring, the patch, or low dose pills. Everyone has a different experience with hormones, and most find one that works for them. I used them for 6 years, while I had some side effects I didn't care for, they were tolerable. Mostly I lost my sex drive and gained a little weight. My blood pressure was elevated while on them, but never to the point it was a concern.

The most important thing is to talk to your GYN and discuss your lifestyle and your options. It may take several tries but you will find something that works for you.

Good luck at let us know what you decide.

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2004
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 7:59pm
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS POSTED ME WITH THEIR EXPERIENCES. I WILL TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION WHAT YOU HAVE ALL EXPLAINED AND EXPRESSED TO ME. I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE IF IT BECOMES A RECOMMENDATION BY MY DOCTOR, AND A DECISION I MAKE. IN REPLY TO THE 5TH POST I RECIEVED, I AM CURRENTLY IN A FAITHFUL AND COMMITED TWO YEAR RELATIONSHIP, AND AM NOT PLANNING ON KIDS ANYTIME SOON LOL ;) I JUST NEED SOMETHING WITH LOW HORMONES AND SIDE EFFECTS, SINCE I AM ALREADY A VERY EMOTIONAL PERSON. AND I WANT TO BUILD A STABLE LIFE FOR MYSELF BEFORE I BRING ONE INTO THIS WORLD. ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU, AND I WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH WHAT I DECIDE. I WONT LEAVE YA HANGIN'. TO ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO POST AND GIVE ADVICE PLEASE DO SO. I WILL STILL BE CHECKING BACK UNTIL MY DECISION IS MADE. TIL NEXT TIME BE SAFE AND TAKE CARE.

THANX MUCH,

KRISTIN