Need advice...
Find a Conversation
| Tue, 08-17-2004 - 12:21pm |
About a month ago, I went to my annual appointment & discussed B.C. with my doc. Since it was going to be my first time going on B.C., I wanted to think about it & do all my homework. So, after about two weeks thinking about it, I decided on a P.O.P. My doctor agreed and prescribed it for me. So after I read the packet instructions, it recommended that I take the first pill on the first day of my period. So I waited about a week and a half and then took my first pill on the 8th (about a week ago). I took it at the same time every day and I took it with food. I felt fine the first day or two but then I noticed I was starting to get moody, edgy & frustrated. I kept taking the pills hoping it would go away in time. I was also getting slight nausea. Then, on Saturday, my S.O and I were out & about & I took my pill on an empty stomach. I didn't like doing that but didn't think one time would hurt. I felt fine for a few hours but then later that evening, I started to feel a little dizzy. That was one of the listed side effects of the P.O.P. so I thought it would just go away. Then I came home, thinking I'll wake up in the morning & feel better... boy was I wrong! I felt worse! So I ate thinking it was b/c I was pretty hungry.. that didn't help much either. As an end result, I didn't take my P.O.P on Sunday or Monday. I've decided that I'm going to stop with the P.O.P. I still feel a little dizzy today but it's much better than it was. Now, since I stopped the P.O.P, it appears that my period is starting. Is this normal? Should I be concerned about this? Will it last long?
Also, when I was taking the P.O.P, I felt nervous & panicy. I do suffer from panic/anxeity attacks. I was waking up in the middle of the night thinking I was having chest pains (like after you wake up from having a bad dream), when really, I was panicing & nervous about taking the pill. Could the pill have brought out my panic/anxeity attacks?
I would like to continue using a B.C.P but now I'm scared. Any suggestions???
Thanks!

Pages
I'm sorry you had a bad experience with your POP. It usually takes at least 2 or 3 cycles on a method for your body to adjust to the hormones. You didn’t give yourself time to adjust. Perhaps you could have, perhaps not. But if the side effects were unbearable then bailing is totally understandable.
When you posted last month Judie mentioned other low dose alternatives. If you’re still interested in a hormonal contraceptive, you might want to consider trying NuvaRing. http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp It’s a 2 inch flexible plastic ring worn in the vagina for 3 weeks and removed for 1 for your period. It uses a different progestin so it might not give you the side effects you experienced with Micronor and it has the lowest dose of estrogen (15mcg) of any combined method available in the U.S. And, of course NuvaRing has the lowest maintenance of any combined method. Let us know what you decide, ok?
Good luck,
Jill
This may sound like a dumb question, but what are some of the non-hormonal methods? I know there's the condom and spermicides, but beside that I don't know. Any advice?
I tried to stick it out but the dizziness was just not flying with me. :( I can handle anything else expect dizziness & lightheadedness.
I remember the post from Judie last month and looked into those as well, but I'm a little worried/afraid now to go back to them. This may sound silly but I didn't know there were different types of progestin's. Do all combined BCP use the same progetin as in POPs or are they all different? My friend also mentioned that I could have had the side effects because the pharmacy gave me the generic Errin, even though I specifically asked for brand. It just seemed too much of a hassel to go back & ask for brand. Could that also be a reason though?
Under Frequently Asked Questions, there's a post called Deciding Which Method Is Right For You:
http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-bhcontracept&msg=12786.1&ctx=0
And then here's a link that gives the typical and perfect failure rates of all the various methods:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/bcfacts2.html
Good luck,
Jill
Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it! I'll let you know what I decide.
Jill
It's not unusual to start bleeding when you change the amount of hormones in your body, for those of us using combined methods with an off-week, that happens once each pack. For progestin-only pills, the same can happen if you stop, but irregular bleeding can also happen any time because of either ovulation or insufficient estrogen.
Some women do better with the estrogen in a combined pill, the POP's can get away without it because the progestin dose is so low. It's up to you as to whether you want to try something else hormonal or if you want to start looking into other means.
Progestins available in the US, in no particular order:
Desogestrel (Desogen, Ortho Cept, Mircette, Cyclessa)
Levonorgestrel (Alesse, Nordette, Seasonale, Triphasil)
Norgestrel (LoOvral)
Drospirenone (Yasmin)
Norethindrone (Ovcon, Modicon, Ortho Novum)
Norethindrone acetate (Loestrin, Estrostep)
Norgestimate (Ortho Cyclen, Tri Cyclen, Tri Cyclen Lo)
Etonorgestrel (Nuvaring)
Norelgestromin (Ortho Evra)
Ethynodrel diacetate (Demulen)
Did I forget any girls?
Outside the US, gestodene and cytoproterone acetate and some others are available, but I'm much less familiar with those.
Progestins all serve the same function to prevent ovulation and thicken cervical mucous, but can have different side effect profiles for different women. I've found that some progestins are okay for me, and others definitely aren't, and I'd imagine there are a lot of us here in the same boat!
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Co-cl for Birth Control
Thanks for all your advice everyone!
Pages