so i just got a gym membership and my husband thinks it would help maximize my work at the gym if i were to get off birth control. he's willing to compensate in keeping us from getting pregnant (condoms), but i guess i'm doubting that it will really help that much. and i'm terrified that i'll get pregnant. will it help? i do remember gaining a bit of weight right after getting on the stuff...just not sure what to do. thanks in advance

You might look into an IUD. It's more effective than the pill, has for many people less side effects (and I really don't think messing around with my hormones was doing me any good!), and has the bonuses of decreasing period length, bleeding, & pain, AND being really cost efficient (my insurance paid for mine!). And you don't have to think about it for years.

If later you want kids, it's also great because if you do want to have kids, you just have it taken out and then you can get pregnant. It doesn't have the fertility problems post-pill, post-IUD

For me, it helped my migraines to get off pills. Also, my sex drive went way up. I can't tell if I lost weight from that, I think I did a little - it shifted around, definately. I felt better (until I had my celiac flare spiral...).

I definately recommend it!

This is the link to IUD info at planned parenthood:
http://plannedparenthood.org/birth-control...ine-devices.htm
It's great info on the pros and cons. Best, of course, is to talk to your gyn.



so i just got a gym membership and my husband thinks it would help maximize my work at the gym if i were to get off birth control. he's willing to compensate in keeping us from getting pregnant (condoms), but i guess i'm doubting that it will really help that much. and i'm terrified that i'll get pregnant. will it help? i do remember gaining a bit of weight right after getting on the stuff...just not sure what to do. thanks in advance
[/quote]

it's hard to say if it'll help *you*. it may help some people lose weight, but it's highly individual.
there are a number of other reasons to get off it, including the fact that is lowers the levels of free testosterone for most women, even at least a year after getting off the pill. the fake progesterones are ... *shudder*. I'm not a fan. sometimes the benefits may outweigh the side effects, but those effects are too often underplayed.

The pill doesn't affect my weight one way or the other. I take Yasmin.

I gain weight when I go off the pill. Others lose weight though. There are so many different types of pills and they effect people differently, so it's hard to say.

I quit taking the pill & started my gluten-free diet the same month & I dropped 10 lbs. I am not sure which helped more but I do notice I am not nearly as bloated feeling around my period as I was before. It is a trade off though as I take the pill for severe PMS related symptoms & those are all back with a vengance!!! So it is just a personal decision. If you are terrified of getting pregnant either stay on current pill, look for a new pill, or try the IUD thing. I would LOVE an IUD but I have never had a child so they won't give me one.

I use the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning. It's as reliable as the pill without the side-effects.

Years ago (over 20) I took the pill for a short time. The worst side effect for me was lack of libido.

I would think it can only help your body's balance if you got off it. They are strong hormones.

Babygirl,

I have an IUD and I've never had a child ... if you're interested in one, I'd find another gyn. My gyn had no problem with an IUD for me, nor did my insurance company .. it cost $10 out of pocket! In fact, my gyn RECOMMENDS the Mirena for people with PMS symptoms.

It's the #1 form of protection outside the US - we're a little backward re. IUDs and some older practioners may not be as familiar with them.

Seriously - if you're having PMS Babygirl (and you're over 18) you might try taking the planned Parenthood info from the link I gave above to another gyn. It doesn't mention anything about that. Find one who works with IUDs and is experienced with the insertion (which is a more painful if you haven't given birth, because you're smaller, but it's totally bearable and over quickly).

(And, if by chance you're in southern VA, I'll recommend my gyn, who I adored.)

grey

What she said.

that's what my dr told me. i read that using an iud can cause damage to the uterus, complicating things for first time pregnancy.


what is this?

i'm also interested in getting off it b/c of a low libido. helpful?

Yes, I think it is helpful. You need to be sure your thyroid levels are good, too. There can be many causes of low libido ... the Pill can be one of them.

Natural family planning (nfp) is using the body's natural cycles to either avoid or achieve pregnancy.

The method I use is the sympto-thermal method. You look at symptoms -- cervical mucus, temperature, etc. to tell what part of the month it is for you. It is NOT old fashioned calendar rythym, this is a scientific method that uses clinical observations and is as effective as the Pill.

I've used it since 1993 and have gotten pregnant when I've wanted to and avoided it when I wanted to. My youngest is 9, so it's been working great. I have a serious reason right now to avoid pregnancy (medication that I'm on for Lyme), and it's still the only method I use ... I trust it that much.

An interesting statistic (please don't let it start a debate, it's just a fact), the divorce rate for NFP users is below 5%!!

You can get more info on it at www.ccli.org. That's where I learned it ... I taught it for 7 years, too.

I also use FAM (fertility awareness method, and a catch-all phrase for a couple of methods which include sympto-thermal). I'm quite happy with it. (We do use condoms for backup.)

I always gained weight on Pill and once really read the Physican's Desk Reference about the side effects of weight gain. It mentioned that at higher doses (like mine was) diabetics had to watch out as it could change their glucose levels.
Now, I am a firm believer in watching carbs to lose weight. I believe Dr. Atkins - that higher blood sugar levels cause and keep weight gain....also this was confirmed to me in books by Dr. James Herriot - animal vet --- he had a patient (milk cow) that had infection (prior to anti biotics) and the farmer was afraid the cow would die; cow was very, very thin, so Dr. Herriot on several visits injected sugar/glucose into the cow, cow fought off the infection and gained weight. Herriot knew that higher blood sugar level will gain weight - this was 1930's . Atkins says the same thing (1970's+).
The Pill does the same thing in some women - increases the glucose levels... so if I am extrapolating this correctly, it could cause weight gain.



There is a new lawsuit against "Nuva Ring" - it caused a stroke in a young woman (non smoker) who used it only 3 weeks. IUDs absolutely scare me..I'd rather have a baby than have an IUD...in the 1970's there was particular IUD which killed women (I forgot the name of it). Some women, like me, had problems and could not use diaphrams either.

You have to be very dedicated using the natural method and I'm sure ccli.org place can refer you to a practioner in your area that can coach you on this. I'd look into that.

Yes, there are teaching couples all over the country. If there's not one in your area, there is a very good correspondence course.

I remember some comments from you before ... I think you'd like it. During certain times of the month, if you're avoiding pregnancy, then you abstain. During other times of the month, you don't. This would probably be good for you because you'd have your times of the month where you are open to intimacy, then your times of the month where you are "off the hook" and can feel love and affection in different ways ... more like it was when you were dating.

It also helps both of you appreciate the mystery of the female body.

Obviously, I'm sold on it.

Here's Mayo Clinic's table of various BC methods (including sympto-thermal). They have info on all the methods on links to the side as well, including the pros and cons to each (the pill, for example).
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/birth-con...99/PAGE=BI00051

Mayo is saying the sympto-thermal is about 87% effective, but I think they include 'human error' - so, if you were very precise and good at it, the numbers would be higher.

I chose an IUD because I wouldn't be able to manage the method at this point in my life. There are a lot of pros to different methods - especially sympto-thermal it sounds like and of course your need to choose what fits you. Make sure you have all facts you can get.

Regarding the IUD, there have been a couple of common myths mentioned and I think it's important have the facts. It's far less dangerous and has far less side effects than the pill, for example, but a lot of people don't know the facts. So - here's some info and links.

On the safety of the IUD from the US CDC (Center for DIsease control):http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/Unin...D_factsheet.htm

There were 12 deaths from miscarriage out of 2.8 million women using the Dalkon Shield (a specific kind of IUD) in the early 1970s, that tarnished the reputation of all IUDs and generated many myths that they are unsafe. No similar deaths related to IUDs have been reported since. 156 million+ women use it safely today. (World Health Organization (2002). "The intrauterine device (IUD)-worth singing about". Progress in Reproductive Health Research (60): 1–8.)

For example, one myth is that IUDs put one at a higher risk for PID (pelvic inflammatory disease). Actually, IUDs lower risk over women w/o IUDs. The only real moment of risk is during insertion, and if you don't have an STD it's not one. The birth control pill, however, lowers risk even more. If that is a worry - the pill is a good choice. The IUD also seems to offer some protection against cervical cancer.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/408821_6" target="_blank">
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/408821_6
"IUDs currently available in the US provide safe and effective contraception. History has falsely led patients and clinicians alike to believe that IUDs are unsafe. For a woman in a long-standing, mutually monogamous relationship, no method of reversible contraception is more effective... It is important for clinicians to re-educate themselves and their patients about the importance of the IUD as an option for contraception."
"Mitchell D. Creinin, "Intrauterine Devices: Separating Fact from Fallacy", abstract.
Creinin also notes: "Nulliparous or nulligravid women are often told that an IUD is contraindicated, even though there is no medical reason for this recommendation. IUD manufacturers often recommend this limitation for liability reasons. By definition, approximately 85% of couples in the US will be infertile--defined as no conception with regular intercourse over a 1-year period. The IUD does not raise the risk of infertility unless the patient had PID during the time she was using the IUD."


This site offers a history of the IUD and the myths grown up around it:
http://www.healthsquare.com/fgwh/wh1ch20.htm" target="_blank">
http://www.healthsquare.com/fgwh/wh1ch20.htm

WebMD:
http://www.webmd.com/sex/Birth-Control/Int...r-birth-control" target="_blank">
http://www.webmd.com/sex/Birth-Control/Int...r-birth-control

http://plannedparenthood.org/birth-control...ine-devices.htm" target="_blank">
http://plannedparenthood.org/birth-control...ine-devices.htm

http://www.maqweb.org/iudtoolkit/ = Info from the USAID and World Health Org. (WHO)
)

http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/hrp/progress/60/news60.html ://http://www.who.int/reproductive-hea...60/news60.html

Depends on the study as statistics can be easily manipulated. In fact, Mayo does not cite their source of information.

Here are some government studies that show a much higher rate. http://www.ccli.org/nfp/basics/effectiveness-p02.php

I just want to make clear that I didn't mean to say S-T method wasn't effective; what I meant was the Mayo seemed low on the % and offered a possible explanation. On the CCLI site, the page on "User Effectiveness" has similar stats as the Mayo if the methods aren't followed properly - which was the explanation I was aiming for, so maybe these are the studies where the Mayo numbers came from?
http://ccli.org/nfp/basics/effectiveness-p03.php

Why I brought up the Mayo site at all was because it offered a table about a *lot* of different methods with pros and cons. It cites sources at the end of the article as a whole, but I agree that it should have citations to where the stats come from. I liked that about the CCLI page.

So, I just want to say - utmost respect for the method and those who practice it. The all-natural element is especially appealing. My (our) choice was based on my ability to track my body, which at the time for physical and emotional reasons was harder to do.

I wasn't meaning to argue mehtods, my main interest was just provide more information about the IUD and counter some misleading information.

Maybe someday NFP will work for you.

I used the non hormonal IUD Paraguard. I loved it!

thanks for the info, i'm going to read up on it.



sounds great. definitely something i could use

will i have a problem going off bc cold turkey? i've just gotten over withdrawals from not refilling my anti-depressant meds, and i don't wanna go through that again. but i'm at the end of my month, and wondered if i could just stop taking it? should be ok right?

yes, birth control isn't something you wean off. in fact, there's one week a month you "go cold turkey" off of it anyway - the placebo pills.

I agree.

Sweetfudge,
This is really funny because I am about to go on BC again to regulate my periods, but I was on it for awhile last year and it caused me to gain weight. When I went off of it, I thought I would lose everything I gained, but I actually had to diet, etc. to get the weight off. But again, it's totally different for everyone.

Kassandra

Kassandra, they don't really regulate your period ... the period with the Pill is false. There are even some pills that you can stay on for months at a time with no periods. It will seem more regular.

CarlaB,
I guess the hope is for me to not belled 90 days in a row and then go 6 months without a period at all. My periods are SO crazy out of control that my GYN wants me to just be able to "shed" every month so I don't end up bleeding for 90 days consecutively again. And the newest thing was not having my period for 6 months and then she induced it and it won't go away so we don't want another 90 day period. I guess we don't really care if it's a fake "regular" period, just anything to help my confused body. :/

Kassandra

Kassandra, were you underweight? Many who are either underweight or overweight are prone to ammenhorea. Estrogen is fat soluble.

If that were the case, I wouldn't know why the doctor would find it necessary to artificially start the period ... and you're obviously sensitive to whatever he used, if it were a hormone, I would be concerned about fixing it with another hormone given your 6 month reaction.

Also, if you didn't ovulate, there's no reason to artificially start the period ... before menstruation, young women don't need this done, and after menopause they don't either. If you ovulated, you would have menstruated.

Did he try to look for the cause of the problem, or is he just fixing the symptoms?

Just throwing some ideas out there Personally, I'd find another doctor.

I didn't mean to sound like I was doubting your issues.

CarlaB,
Well I am 17 and got my period when I was 14 and it never once has been regular. The problem was I got SOOOO severely anemic. Last year in March I got my period and then it took 90 days for it to go away. I was put on the pill at about day 80 of bleeding (I didn't go to the dr. til day 79ish). Then I was on the pill for about 5 months and I hated it. Then I went off in about August and things were semi-regular. Finally in January it was time to get my period and it didn't come and then it kept not coming and I finally called my OB/GYN and she said that it is dangerous to go more than 6 months without your period as it can damage your reproductive organs . (I REALLY want to have kids one day...lol) Then she gave me some kind of hormone pill for 5 days and it induced my period. But then it wasn't going away and because I get so anemic reallllllly quickly she didn't want me to have to have IV iron again so she wanted me to go on the pill so I don't bleed like crazy or not bleed at all. I have talked to my regular dr. who is amazinnnnng and he said that I should go on the pill also, so I think (who ever really knows...right?) that my OBGYN is good. And I didn't think you were doubting me at all.

Kassandra

Kassandra, I think you're getting really bad advice. You don't need to bleed if you didn't ovulate.

My daughter is 19 and was not regular even as a senior in HS (17-18 years old). She also got it when she was 14 ... it would stop when she was doing sports, for months at a time, then she'd stop and it would start again. That's because estrogen is fat soluble. When her body fat would lower, she'd stop ovulating. It's all natural.

Most gynecologists want their patients on the Pill because it makes everyone "regular". Also you need to keep going back for a prescription.

I would find another doctor. I'm just a stranger on the internet, but I did teach natural family planning for 7 years and I do know about how the hormones and cycle work. You should do some research on this yourself ... the internet is a good place to start. Read both sides ... I think you will see more logic in the side that says the pill isn't going to help you.

Read the insert for the pill. It is not without side effects and dangers.

You might go to www.ccli.org and ask them for some information on what I'm telling you. They will have studies or other information they can give you. I don't teach and haven't for a few years, so I don't have the information anymore.

Do your research. I would NEVER let my daughter start the pill. Never.

CarlaB,
Thanks for your ideas. I was totally completely 100% against the pill but I almost died from anemia because I bled for so long. It was that or being sent to the hospital for estrogen IV's to stop the bleeding so I opted for the pill. I will definitely do some research. I have a question...I don't know if you can answer... does one have to be over "108 lbs" to get their period? Because I have heard that is true and sometimes my weight can go below that...so would that be screwing things up?

Kassandra

Kassandra, how tall are you? There isn't a real cut-off weight ... it depends on your body. My daughter was 5'9" and wore a size four in high school ... she's since grown to a more normal size for her height. When she was thinne (she's still slender), she just didn't have normal periods.

I can see why they wanted to stop the bleeding, I just don't agree that they should have started it in the first place.

Bleeding too much would be a concern for you, but not having a period isn't. If you were 25 and still not menstruating regularly and were a normal weight, then I'd be concerned. My 19 year old does menstruate every month now, but one month it will be for 2 days, then another will be for a week. She's still not regular in that regard. She didn't even get them monthly till she was older.

Since you're thinner than she was, I'd guess it will be the same for you.

Runners tend to get ammenhorea ... it's not a health problem for them, it's a low body fat issue. You might Google using "runner" "ammenhoria" to see that it's normal.

Good luck in your search.

Sorry to reply so late! I was on vacay @ the lake... I am 24 & have never been pregnant. Therefore my gyno said no IUD b/c it would scar my uterus & be hard to get pregnant afterwards. Is this true? Has nayone had an IUD before 1st pregnancy & still had an "easy" time getting pregnant? If so, I am SOOOOOOOO getting an IUD! I am allergic to condoms but we have been using them anyways! Thanks ladies for the input!

CarlaB,
I am 5' 4" and weight 110 lbs. I am thin, but not extremely thin. I will definitely research some stuff.

Kassandra

Kassandra,

When I was sixteen, I got put on the pill. I didn't start menstruating until I was 13 or 14 and then I had only two periods over the next years. My body fat was very t very low because I was an elite competitive swimmer - I was told that was the problem, not my weight which was around 95-100 and I was 5' to 5'1.

The concern was not late starting to menstruate, but rather that I was amenorrheaic and they were worried about the long-term effects on my bones, etc. There are a lot of medical studies that show that being amenorrheaic can affect your bone mineral density and bone formation as a teenager that then has effect later in life (in 30/40s and beyond).

I'm in my 30s now and the mds consider the amenorr. to be an additional risk factor. I went off the pill after college, then back on after about 5 or 6 years. I'm off it now (IUD) and won't go back on. When off the pill, I was always irregular - my cycle was definately not 28 days and I would bleed for only a couple of days.

Three years ago, I went to the doctor because I'd been bleeding - more heavily than usual for me - for three months. She had me double up the pill for a short time to get the bleeding under control. Then she switched the type of pill to get me on different kinds of hormones.

*But* her main concern was my adrenal system. She didn't find anything gyn wrong, but thought I was suffering from 'adrenal fatigue' brought on by stress. She had me take certain vitamins to support the adrenal system (I can't remember what they were).

Of course, I had no idea I had celiac then, so that would have made a difference.

So, long story short, I've been through some things kind of similar to what you're dealing with. I'm not a huge fan of the pill as it definately messed with my system once I was an adult (it made my migraines a nightmare). It does sound like you need some help getting the bleeding under control, though. I would definately ask more questions of your doctor, such as why the pill? What are his/her specific concerns about your situation (ie, what is the pill supposed to treat)? Have they checked for thyroid, other endocrine elements?

good luck

Kassandra, your BMI is lower than my daughters was in HS.

Personally, from my experience with myself and with her, I'd wait till you're about 19 and see if things don't even out by then. I think 17 is too young to have these concerns.

As grey mentioned, they worry about bone density, but if you're eating right and doing some kind of resistance exercise, that helps with bones. It can be weightlifting or some other resistance exercise (bands, etc.).

I think the exercise is a much better and safer solution than going on the Pill. My dad has been a weightlifter since he was 15 ... he is now 70 and has the bones of a 20-30 year old. It works.

Good luck. Please, anything the doctors tell you, research yourself. I was needlessly suffering for many years because of doctor's ignorance.

That's really interesting about bone density. She knows that because of all my spine problems I'm not able to do much exercise right now. I'm not totally against the pill because so far I don't have any side effects but if and when that becomes a problem.

Kassandra

I always lose weight when I go off the pill. Fortunately, I lose it more quickly than I gain it when I go on the pill.

I wonder if some people just cannot tolerate the pill I have had problems with everyone I tried and finally got off this weekend. I have terrible side effects. I was only taking it to regulate my periods. So what is the natural planning you are reffering to?
The reason mine arent regular is I am underweight as well.

Skinnyminny, natural family planning is taking observations of temperature, mucus, and cervical changes to determine what part of the month is fertile and what part is infertile.

Many NFP teachers also have access to information that can help a woman with cycle problems with supplementation.

But, as you say, if you're underweight, that will cause cycle issues. Estrogen is fat soluble, so if you don't have enough body fat, you may not have enough estrogen to ovulate. Your body will eventually bleed anyway without ovulation if it needs to. Without ovulation there is not as much "stuff" building up in there.

I know gaining weight can be difficult, I struggle to keep mine up. But if you're too thin for them to be regular, gaining weight is the solution.