Allergic to Birth Control

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2004
Allergic to Birth Control
7
Mon, 10-25-2004 - 4:43pm
Ok, I know I am not allergic to Birth control, but can it be that I just will not be able to take birth control. Maybe I am just not giving it enough time. here is the history:

At the beginning of this year I took a birth control (don't remember which pill), and I felt sick and bloated all the time. I switched to Loestrin and I still felt the same way. After 4 months I quit taking birth control.

I was fine for a few months, then my periods began to get really bad. The first day I would have painful cramps.

Then I started taking Xantrex (for energy). That made my period stop. I was 2 weeks late one month and had horrible abdominal pains the entire time. My period was a few days. Then the next month, I was three weeks late with the same abdominal pains, and then spotted for one day. When I began spotting, I started a new birth control (the patch). For the three days that I wore it, I was so nauseous. I could not stand that along with the abdominal pains, so I took it off.

So, I stopped taking the Xantrex after I made the connection and went to my doc about the pains. No CYSTS...switched to Yasmin. Still nauseous all the time. So, after a few days I stopped. Now, I am finally getting back to my old self.

So, could it be that I cannot take birth control. Am I not giving it enough time. I just cannot see making myself feel sick for weeks to get used to the birth control. I would just rather use a condom.

So, what does someone think?? Is there some other option for me??

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 10-25-2004 - 5:51pm
Hi jan200406, welcome!

It might be that there is still a pill or hormonal method out there that will work well for you. It usually takes 3 or so cycles on a set of hormones to get past any side effects. Sometimes there is a miraculous, or at least sudden, disappearance of side effects in the 3rd cycle, but if it wasn’t worth the agony I certainly understand… You might want to consider NuvaRing http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp a small ring worn in the vagina for 3 weeks and removed for one for your period. It has the lowest amount of hormones of any method available in the U.S.

If you want something non hormonal there are effective non hormonal methods such as IUDs and cervical barriers - diaphragms and cervical caps. There are posts in the FAQs about both methods and Planned Parenthood has a good comparison of pros and cons http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/cchoices.html and method effectiveness http://www.plannedparenthood.org/bc/bcfacts2.html of the various choices. Let us know what you decide, ok?

Good luck,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2004
Mon, 11-01-2004 - 10:07am
Ok, I have decided to stop taking birth control all together. Everything has made me miserable. Of course, I understand the consequences. My boyfriend and I are prepared for what may happen, but he would rather have to use a condom than have me complaining all the time.

Anyways, my question is How long do the effects of the birth control last?? I stopped taking Yasmin about a week and a half ago. I still feel nauseous all the time and I also feel dizzy. I thought the effects would have gone away by now. I try to eat small meals throughout the day to make it go away, but I feel miserable.

Could there be something else wrong with me?? Low blood pressure, etc?? I had my BP checked a few weeks ago and it was fine then.

Anyways, could it take a few weeks to get the birth control out of my system?? I am just so tired of going to the doctor and telling them my symptoms and them doing nothing about it. I tell them I am having pains in my sides and they tell me I have no cysts, but don't investigate further to why I am having these pains.

So, any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-11-2004
Mon, 11-01-2004 - 10:46am
Side effects that were directly caused by birth control pills should have gotten better within a matter of a few days after you stopped. The half-life of synthetic hormones is something like 24 hours, so within a few days they should have been clear of your system. There could be something else wrong entirely. It's also possible that your own natural hormones haven't kicked in yet since you stopped, and maybe that's why you feel bad.

You do have choices other than birth control pills. You could have tried the Nuva Ring. It has a lower dose of hormones than any pill does. Yasmin has double the estrogen of the Nuva Ring. Simply getting a lower dose might have taken care of all your side effects. You could also consider an IUD. Those are much more effective than condoms. If you don't want to use anything except condoms, then you could at least use contraceptive foam in addition to improve the success rate some.

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Mon, 11-01-2004 - 11:35am
It could take as long as several months for all the artificial hormones to be flushed from your body but you should be feeling better in a few weeks. When I came off OTC more than 2 years ago I felt better in a week but that's not always the case. I hope you're feeling better soon!

Hugs,

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-05-2004
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 1:03pm
Well, a shocking turn of events. I went to my general doctor yesterday and they gave me a pregnancy test of course, then he started talking about all the other tests that he was going to run on me...mono...lupus...anemia...you name it. Well, before I could go get my blood work done, the nurse came back and said positive. My urine test was positive. So, I am pregnant. Shocking.

Well, thanks for all the support. I am so happy to finally know what is wrong with me. Why I am so exhausted...I am just glad nothing is seriously wrong.

So anyways, I guess I will move to another board now. Cause I know I am going to have so many questions!

Thanks for all the help.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-14-2004
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 1:23pm
Well, congratulations! I`m glad that nothing is seriously wrong with you. At least you don`t have to worry about birth control for a few months now, right? :)

Best of luck!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Thu, 11-04-2004 - 1:26pm
Congratulations!

Parent's Place has some great Expecting Boards: http://www.parentsplace.com/messageboards/?arrivalSA=1&cobrandRef=0&arrival_freqCap=2 Stop by and let us know how you're doing, ok? Good luck!

Hugs,

      Jill