Seeking Birth Control Pill Advice

Updated on February 25, 2009
K.S. asks from Morris Plains, NJ
12 answers

I recently stopped breastfeeding my 1 year old, which means I haven't had my period since December 2005. It is now back with a vengeance so I am considering getting back on the Pill. However, things have changed drastically since I was last on the market for the Pill! So I’m looking for any feedback on the new ones out there, like Seasonique and Yaz. Anything to lessen the flow (for me it’s always been extremely heavy and lasts long.) I’m just concerned about any strange side effects you may have experienced or any advice you can give. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

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So What Happened?

Thanks everyone for your stories and advice. After all those horror stories, I'm going to recommend a vasectomy! (Only half kiddin)

More Answers

D.D.

answers from New York on

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND NUVARING!!!

I have 3 kids. Pills, all different ones gave me various side effects and I ended up with a beautiful little girl. Went on the patch and ended with my son. The 3rd was my fault..lol!

After my last child, I breastfed and once I was done at about 8 month, I have been using the NUVA RING. I love it. NO side effects. Period last about 3-4 days only 1 day heavy. I put it in and don't have to think about it for 3 weeks. You have to comfortable with yourself to insert it but it works. My youngest is almost 2 and no pregnancy scares at all. Good luck!

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M.R.

answers from New York on

Hi K.-
I had taken Yaz for about 8 months after I had my daughter. I experienced very severe headaches, but had a period that was very light and only lasted about 3-4 days (used to last 7). I didn't have any other side effects besides the headaches. Overall, it was great, but I just couldn't stand the headaches. We switched to a lower dosage but I still had the same reaction. Everyone reacts differently so if you do decide to try them hopefully it will be the right one for you, :-)

M.

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C.R.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,

before you start birth control, please know that it may take several months after breastfeeding to get back to a more normal flow. After my 2nd child, it took me two cycles to have a less heavy and shorter period. With my first, it took considerably longer.

If you still want to use birth control pills, the only advice I have is to stay away from Seasonale (it may be called Seasonique now) it's the one that only allows 3 to 4 periods a year. Some use it with no side effects but I had a very bad experience with it. Because of the high level of hormones, it gave me my first (and only) migraine that was so bad I was rushed to the hospital where they believed I was having a stroke. Thank goodness it wasn't but after several cat scans and a spinal tap, I will never use any kind of birth control pill again.

Good luck!

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J.A.

answers from New York on

Hi K.,

Before I had my first baby, I took Yaz for about 3 years and really liked it. I never had a heavy flow to begin with, but it was definitely lighter with Yaz and only lasted about 3 days. It also helped with bloating, cramps, and mood swings, which have always been a problem for me. So, I definitely had no negative side effects. Feel free to e-mail me with more questions. J.

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C.R.

answers from New York on

I use Yazmin it is one of the best on the market. I started with the Depo shot to have less periods but instead bleed for 4 months straight, it was nightmare but then I started this pill and thank god it stopped. Now my period is regulated and on time every month and I only get it for 3 days light flow and no major symptoms. I don't recommend using the pills that only give you your period every 6 months like Seasonique because a friend of mine had several infections due to the fact we get our periods to release the bacteria in our bodies keeping it inside can not be good for you. My friend had frequent bacterial & yeast infections due to Seasonique so be careful in chosing.
Well good luck and hope this was helpful :-)

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Q.F.

answers from New York on

K.,
Hi...i'm not sure how your experience with birth control was, but i was on it for 2 1/2 months, and i had my period from the moment i started taking the pill, until the day or two after i stopped taking it...and for that, i will NEVER use birth control again. I was always told that after having a child, your period gets considerably better. although my 1st period after my daughter was horrendous!!! while i always had a heavy flow, that lasted 7-10 days, and really bad cramps to go along with it...it was NEVER as bad as the 1st one after my daughter! i wore a pad, AND an adult diaper to bed, and bled through BOTH! the 2nd month i still had to wear the adult diaper, but didn't bleed through. i'd say by the time she was about 4, MAYBE 5 months old, my period went down to only being heavy the 2nd and 3rd day, and barely anything 4th-5th/6th day. i'd say now i'm down to a "normal" period, including flow and amount of time it lasts (though cramps are still pretty bad). if your not sure about going on the pill, i'd say wait a couple of months, and if it's not considerably better, then make the decision. it does get better! good luck, sorry i couldn't give you any info on the different birth controls you were asking about.

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H.E.

answers from New York on

K.,

My son is now 5 yrs and will be six in July. I breastfed for the first 8 months - congrats for going longer! Afterward I struggled with what to do about birth control. I wasn't crazy about going back on the pill - although I had been on several kinds over the years - I found that they would cause mood swings in me - sometimes severe. My doctor suggested the Mirena IUD - which I LOVED it was like magic. Although i did get a fairly regular period - the flow was SO light I almost didn't even need to use anything but a panti liner. It was like a mild discoloration. I had a 5 year one - which was recently up and I renewed with a new one for five years only a few months ago. When I had the first one out - they like you to have one cycle before inserting the new one. I had the worst period of my life - it came on fast and furious - unfortunately while I was at a cocktail party! I couldn't leave the bathroom for an hour - bled through everything instantly. Now that the new one is in - I am back to a nice light flow. The best thing is - you can have it removed at any time if you decide to have another child.

Good luck!

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M.C.

answers from New York on

Go get your thyroid tested. TSH, Free T3, Free T4, thyroid antibodies - TPO and anti-thyroglubulin. An off thyroid can cause heavy blood flow and after having a baby it can mess up your thyroid too.

I don't recommend birth control. I was on it for years and switched to seasonale and guess what i ended up in the hospital with a blood clot and my life has never been the same since.

After you get your period back it will take time to settle it down, but i would check out hormones too to just make sure. And don't let no dtr tell you these tests are useless - they are not they are what have saved my life!! TSH test alone about killed me.

take care. enjoy that little one

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J.L.

answers from New York on

Hi K.. I recently had my 2nd boy. If you are looking for a contraceptive and not just a pill form, the mirena which is an IUD, was highly recommended by my doctor. With 2 children now, I have no time to remember to take a pill everyday. If you really don't plan on having anymore children for a while, you should seriously look into it. The pro's of this are great. And you can easily have it removed to have a child again if you so choose.

Hope this information helps you with your choice.

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K.E.

answers from New York on

After breastfeeding my son for 14 months I went back on the pill. I have endometriosis and was on seasonale before getting pregnant with my son but my doctor recommended seasonique and I decided to give it a try. It seemed to be similar to what I knew before. I took it as directed (start first pill on the first Sunday of your period) and my period never stopped. For nearly 3 months I bled on and off and not the regular breakthrough bleeding that I was told to expect. And after many calls to my doctor and advice from her, I decided to stop the seasonique and try something else. After stopping Seasonique it was recommended to have a "normal" cycle before starting another pill. That was about 4 months ago now and I just have not found the need to go back on any pill. I have had pretty bad periods but not crippling like I used to so I am still not using any pill and come January, My husband and I decided that we'll start trying for baby #2. So at this point why start any pill only to stop in a couple months? Hopefully this helped. And just so you know also, my doctor had said that she really hadn't had anyone at the time complain of such bleeding with Seasonique so it's possible it just wasn't for me.

Good luck in your search.

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A.M.

answers from New York on

My first period was the same after my daughter was born. I went on Seasonique for about month and did not like it at all. It took a couple of months to regulate but after that time my periods were back to normal. The thing about the pills that stop you period that they don't really stop it completly. If you do go on one of those expect to spot every month when you would normally have your period.

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A.M.

answers from New York on

I myself went back on the pill after having my son, and tried Loestrin, which is supposed to give you short or no period. I didn't get my period for 3 months in a row, but felt horrible the entire time. I was super tired, had nausea all the time, crazy modd swings, gained about 10 pounds, horrible headaches, and still had very bad cramping when I was supposed to get my period. It pretty much felt like I was pregnant! I stopped taking then and went back on OrthoTriCyclen, and finally got my period again this month, and only for 4 days, light flow. A lot of other women I found online that took the Loestrin also had these side effects, and got off as fast as possible. Read as much as you can before making a choice.

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