Positive/Okay Experiences of taking the Combined Pill??

[Dazed_n_Confused]

Could any ladies who have suffered only minimal/no side-effects as a result of taking the combined pill, please briefly mention their experiences here?

I only ever seem to read about disaster stories from pill-takers! I'm not sure whether this is because people are more likely to moan about bad experiences than share good experiences, or whether it's because HC messes round with peoples' bodies way too much!

I really would appreciate any advice you have to offer - choosing a method of BC that I feel comfortable and confident with is proving to be an absolute nightmare and I'm worried that this problem is going to end up ruining my relationship.

Thanks in advance.

[Sexy_Sadie]

hi there!

i've recently started taking the pill & i wouldn't say it's been disastrous, but it's certainly not great either to be honest!

i've fainted a few times, get regular headaches, get depressed, have mood swings, etc...all this is part and parcel of taking the pill really tho innit? n it's definitely better for me than having a baby at the mo, so i guess it just depends how much u don't want a baby!

another problem with it is that i keep forgetting to take it at the same time each day...sometimes i forget to take it in the morning before i go out, then still don't remember when i get home, when that happens i miss that one out all together n just take one the next morning when it is due...but if i do remember in the evening, i take it then n don't bother with the one the next morning, as i don't wanna overdose on it or anything like that! i think being careful not to overdose is what has stopped me suffering more severe symtons than i have been!

good luck with whatever you choose hunny! xx

[Dazed_n_Confused]

Thanks for your input Sadie.

I must say though, that I don't consider your side-effects particularly 'minimal' - surely you shouldn't have to put up with fainting & regular headaches? & I definitely don't think you should be missing pills out the way you have been doing, I'm pretty sure that means you're not protected against pregnancy for 7 days after you've missed one!

Thanks also for your kind words.

[Brandye]

Some love it and some hate it. Work with your doctor. You have choices.

[katiebug]

I am definitely no doctor. I don't know what the "combined" pill is, to be honest, or how it's different from any other pill. I just wanted to share my 2 cents on the pill that I take.

I started taking Seasonale last fall. So far, I have to say that I really like it. I wanted to try just getting my period four times a year - sounded like a plus to me! Here's my experience with it:

During the first cycle of pills (first three months), I had some spotting. It started about three weeks before I was scheduled to get my first period and did not stop until I got to the week of placebo pills. Most of the time was light. I just wore a pantyliner. A few days out of that time period it was heavy, like having a regular period. When I got to the placebo pills, I had a regular period like normal, and then the bleeding stopped. Since then, I haven't had any irregular spotting/bleeding during my three month cycles. I had some mild side effects when I first started taking the pill. A bit of queaziness and breast tenderness, but nothing extreme.

I've noticed that around the time each month I SHOULD be getting a period, I still get some PMS symptoms - moodiness, irritability, etc. I don't know if this is for real, or if it's just in my mind, but I suspect it's real. Again, it's nothing too extreme. Overall, I highly recommend Seasonale. Only having my period four times a year has been great as far as I'm concerned. I used to get heavy periods with pretty bad cramps, and now I have no more of that.

So, I don't know if this helps you. You should discuss it with your doctor if you are interested.

[demonbuttercup]

I use Ortho Tricyclen lo and seemed to be doing good w/ it. I haven't noticed any difference in my mood swings or anything. I wasn't a moody person to begin w/.... even during PMS lol.
I know from other threads... you are hesistant to take BC pills. I mean you have to just weigh the goods w/ the bads... and as with ANY other medication, it is going to have side effects.. and sometimes.. the more you research it.. and learn ALL the side effects, the more you freak yourself out and begin having all those side effects.
I mean being knowledgeable is always a good thing, but sometimes it can make things worse.
My stepdad has done that... if he has a sypmtom.. he checks the internet and then swears he has some sort of weird disease or cancer or something like that.

[Brandye]

The reasoning behind the comination pill is that it follows more closely the normal hormonal swings. Theoretically, the chances of side-effects are lower. This is generally borne out by the medical literature.

[Dazed_n_Confused]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

katiebug, thanks for the comments on Seasonale, my boyfriend would definitely love it if I only had 4 periods per year! However, I'm pretty sure it isn't available in the UK.

demonbutter, you're totally right about me being a hypochondriac (although you put it much more politely than that!). My Dad has always been anti-drugs/anti-hospitals, and whilst growing up I remember him regularly warning me against putting drugs such as BC pills - or any other drugs - into my system. (I guess things you are taught when growing up tend to stick with you and affect your behaviour/opinions in later life.) & when I read stories on the internet of people on the pill getting thrombosis or dying of blood clots, I do kind of get convinced that it will happen to me, even though I know deep down that it's highly unlikely. Considering the fact that I spent my student years nearly drinking myself into a grave and I'm not particularly health/fitness conscious even now, it's entirely irrational!

I'm so glad I found this site, as I suspect that I would have just continued using EC once a month or so until I eventually ended up pregnant or totally ruined my cycle...I've been subscribed a BC pill that I am going to try, although I think I'm going to wait for a month or so first, to give myself time to recover from all the EC I've shocked my body with!

Thanks again.

[Brandye]

Seasonale is not yet on the national formulary here in Britain but is likely to be soon. You can get it through some private clinics in your area. Boots can supply anything!! (if you have a scrip - and a few quid)

[Dazed_n_Confused]

Maybe I'll try Boots then!! (if I don't take well to the pill that they've given me already).