Newbie to Birth Control, need advice! :)
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Newbie to Birth Control, need advice! :)
| Wed, 06-30-2004 - 7:30am |
I am getting married in October and I am still a virgin. I was going to get on birth control about a month before the wedding as I had heard that it takes 30 days to get completely in your system, but then I heard yesterday that it takes 3 months??? Is this true?? Also, in y'alls opinion what is the best form of BC? Also, has anyone had any really adverse side effects? One friend of mine started losing her hair, another one gained a LOT of weight...One was on the shot and it made her bleed for like a year straight.. she almost died and had to have 2 blood transfusions... I am just nervous I guess. :-)

Some women have side effects from the pill, others don't. I didn't have side effects until I'd been on the pill almost five years! Don't assume that they're a given, they're not. The most common side effects of the pill are irregular bleeding in the first several months, breast tenderness, some women have bloating, headaches, mood changes.... Depo side effects include weight gain most commonly, irregular bleeding, libido changes, and others. There are also barrier methods that are effective if they're used properly, though they're not en vogue right now for some reason.
Obviously barrier methods are effective immediately! The pill is effective at protecting you from pregnancy either immediately if you start on the first day of your period or after seven days if you're a Sunday start. Depo, I think, is also immediately effective because you get it during your period. The three months that you're hearing is the time you need to allow for the side effects to get worked out--these synthetic hormones are strange to your body and you might need some time to adjust before you know how things are going to be. That's why I recommend not waiting--if you have irregular bleeding issues or bloating, you DON'T want to be worrying that your dress won't fit or that you'll have your period for your wedding night! Once your body is adjusted to the hormones, if you like the pill you're on, you're good to go. If not, you can change. And you can get an idea of how your body reacts to the hormones BEFORE you need to worry about whether or not it's working.
Best wishes for your upcoming wedding! I hope to be about a year behind you... ;)
Co-cl for Birth Control
I'd agree with both the previous posts! Don't WAIT!! might as well get started now so by your wedding (congrats!) you'll be all stable-you'll also have time to change methods should something not suit you.
But most importantly, talk to you doctor! Depending on age/weight/menstrual cycles etc he or she might have good recommendations for you.
Anecdotal evidence is very important so you know what to look for (I too had a very bad reaction to Depo, have been on monophasic and triphasic pills, but am a new convert to the NuvaRing and couldn't love it more! lots of my friends love the patch too!) There's a lot of great info on this site and lots of posts of people here on the boards talking about their experiences!
Good luck!