Contraceptive Pills - Help?

Hi A.!

Several years ago I was on Ortho-Tricyclen and liked it a lot. It seemed to help me stay very regulated physically and emotionally.

C. :)

I was on Ortho tricylen not too long ago and I paid about 20 a month for that after insurance - I was switched to Yaz because of break through bleeding and let me tell you - I did not experience the pain and bloating that normally comes with your cycle. I went off the Yaz to try for another baby and the difference is amazing. It is 30 a month but its worth it if you are use to mood swings and bad cramping. good luck

yaz made me super sick and spot everyday since it is such a low dose. i worked for an
ob-gyn for 5 years, this is a big prob w/ all low dose pills. yasmin is tried and true and i loved it!!

A few suggestions...ask your ob/gyn for samples - they usually have tons of them. Mine gave me 6 months worth (multiply that by $30 and it's pretty significant). Ask for something that's not so new (like Yaz is) and something that may come in a generic, that's really the only way to lower your co-pay. I used Ortho-tricyclen for years before I had children and I had no complaints. I used Yasmin after my son was born for 1 month, then I turned psycho and went on something else, can't remember what. I was on Zovia most recently and it had a pretty decent co-pay on my insurance (and that's saying something!). Another thing, if your insurance offers a better rate on mail-order, do it - that saved me a full month's co-pay every 3 months (I think I paid about $40 for 3 months). Good luck - I hope this helps.

You should check out a more natural choice -- go to:

ccli.org

God Bless,

M.

Good afternoon A.,

I am currently on Ortho Tricyclen. I haven't had any side effects or anything, my boobs swelled a little and stayed like that, which is ok by me. I was on the Nuvaring prior to that which was a $40 copay. When I asked why they said becuase they still hold the patent and there can't be generics until that is released, after a certain period of time. So they can charge what they want. I hope that I was able to help you out a little.

I used Alesse during my college years and had absolutely no problems. I did try Ortho-Tricyclen and felt much moodier and crabbier than usual. Unfortunately it seems like finding the "right" birth control pill is a trial and error process. Good luck!

I hae taken Ortho-Tricyclen, Low-Ogestrel and am now taking Alesse (the generic form). I loved Ortho-Tricylcen, but after my daughter was born, it made me have very heavy and painful periods. We then switched to Low-Ogestrel, but that made my breasts leak a yellow fluid and gave me acne (sorry for the TMI). I have been on the generic Alesse ($5/month after insurance) since May, and so far have had no problems, plus my period is extremely light and short. I hope this is helpful!

A.,

My sister-in-law was on Yaz and she said it made her psychotic. She would have major mood swings and get really angry over the slightest thing. This may just be her reaction, but I thought it was worth sharing. I have taken Ortho-Tricyclen and Ortho-Novum and had success with both of them. Low-Ogestrel was okay - only 3 day periods - but it made me feel a bit mentally unbalanced for the time I was on it. I also had spotting after the first couple months with the Low-Ogestrel where I would have to at least wear a panty-liner, but not enough that I needed full protection. I found that to be irritating, so I switched to something else.

Birth control and how each person reacts is so individual. You may just have to do some trial-and-error. I do know that I was told that it often takes 3 cycles to see how a pill will truly work for you (this is why I didn't continue the Ortho-Novum that was successful, I didn't know about this 3-month "grace period", so to speak).

Good Luck!

I think YAZ might cost more because it is suppose to do more than prevent pregnancy and is new. I took Yasmin and I liked it. I think I have taken every form of pill (cept for the new ones). I can only take the pill for a few months before I have 'psychological episodes'. One Dr wanted to put me on anti-depresents to combat the effects of the pill. ERRRrr. My favorite pill is Seasonal, I didn't have the massive mood swings, and I mean going from June Cleaver to Andria Yates in 2.5 minutes :( Also, Seasonal is going to appear to be expensive, but you only purchase a pack once every 3 months b.c it is a 3 month cycle. ALSO, you only have your period ONCE every 3 months, how great is that!?!? :)

I used both ortho-tricyclen and ortho-novum 777. I liked the ortho novum better because it worked better as far as regulating my cycle and keeping my face clear. I always felt fine taking either pill. Try one of the pills and see how you do. You can always switch to a different one if you need to. Your doctor will help you decide which will be best even if that means you have to try 2 or 3 until you figure what works best for you.
D.

I am 31 and have been married for almost 12 yrs. My husband and I have 3 boys ages 10,7, and 4.

I've taken Ortho-Tricyclen, and it made me crazy.

I haven't taken the others mentioned, but I have taken something called Desogen that worked pretty well.

Good luck!

***

A.,

I have 2 adult daughters who started out taking YAZ, but it actually made them so moody and sensitive and crying about everything that they had to switch. It was also too expensive and gave one daughter a voracious appetite. Who wants to pay $30 a month to gain weight and cry? It did not help improve their complexions, either. YAZ did not live up to their claims on their tv ads for my daughters and some of their girl friends, who had also tried it and went off it for the same reasons.

I always took Ortho-Tricyclen. I always seemed to have better weight management when I was on the pill but that may just be how my body reacts as I've always heard women complain that the pill makes them gain weight. Good luck.

Hi A.,
I had major problems with depression when I was on birth control in the past, even worse when I tried the 3-month injectible DepoProvera. (Worst 3 months of my life- I think I was pretty close to crazy-land, and pretty darn suicidal.) It was so awful for me that I swore off hormonal birth control for years. I was not careful and not aware of alternatives at the time and after an unplanned pregnancy, my doctor recommended a low-progestin pill. I tried Alesse (generics are Lessina and Aviane), and have been extremely happy with it for 5 years.

The following website discusses some of the different side effects of different types of pills, but remember that these are the most common experiences, and your reaction to the medication may be unique.
http://contraception.about.com/od/thepill/l/choosingapill...

I hope this is helpful! Good luck! I. :)

I took Ortho-Tricyclen for years before I had my son, mostly because it was the newest oral contraceptive at the time (and there was no YAZ, then). I had some nausea during the first week as my body got used to taking the pill, but after that, I loved the results. My periods were regulated more, and my face cleared right up. I think I paid $15-30 for the pill (I can't remember, it's been awhile, though I remember that my insurance would not cover it at the time). When we decided to have a baby, it only took me about a month to get pregnant after going off the pill. That's definitely not normal for most people; I think I just got my family's high fertility rate! After having my baby, I decided to get the Mirena IUD inserted, since I felt so forgetful and was afraid I might not remember my pill every day. I'm so glad I chose the Mirena. I haven't had a period since before I got pregnant because I nursed my son for a long time, and even though I was ready to have periods with the Mirena at the beginning, I never did. It's been wonderful! Plus, it was cost effective. I can't remember what I paid, but you basically pay for the contraception and the doctor's visit to have it inserted, and that's it! It's only good for certain women, but it might be worth checking into.

Hi A.,
I am currently taking the Alesse and have had no problems with it at all. I think with my insurance I pay $10 for it, but I am sure it depends on your plan. I would definitely recommend it. I have normal periods and no sickness or side effects. I was on it for a long time before having my daughter, and then went off to get pregnant, and then was back on it after with no complaints at all! I hope this helps!!
B.

I was on Yasmin. I did get really nasty headaches during the period week. I had a period every 3 months on these. All I needed during my period was a panty-liner. Its been 4 years since I've been on birth control. At the time the pills were $20 per month. Now I'm just a complete hormonal mess. I break out with zits all the time and my forehead is always oily. I'm extra extra moody. Its great not having the headaches.

I would sample some and see whats best for you. I know my doctor gave me tons of samples.

I used to take Low-Ogestrel for 3 years or so and i never had a problem with it it's low-hormones, relatively cheap, and it doesn't affect you're regular cycle like some others do..