Seeking the Right Birth Control - Need Help.

I was on the Depo shot for almost eight years - thought it was the greatest thing ever! However, I had three different friends try to get on it & hate it. I think different people's bodies just respond differently to the different types of birth control. For me, I never gained any weight (but am not prone to put on weight), never had a period (almost from the beginning of starting it), and did not get moody. I never had any negative side effects and after eight years of being on it, I had no problems with effecting my bone density (some people do after long-term use). I got off of it in May of last year because we wanted to try to have a baby. We started trying in March & I immediately got pregnant...so no long-term effects on fertility either. Again, I LOVE it but everyone's experience is different! I hope this at least gives you one perspective on it!

I was on ortho lo too but i was having too much bleeding during the month so my doctor just switched me to Loestrin 24 fe. I don't really know if it works or not b/c i just started it but my obgyn says her patients have had a lot of success with it. You are supposed to have really short periods on it.

The thing with bc is that everybody is going to react to it different.

My insurance paid for my mierena that I had put in. (it fell out after a few months which is NOT supposed to happen) you might check your insurance.

i HATE birth control. GOod luck! i can't wait for the day when we are done having kids and don't have to worry about it anymore!!

I gained 60 lbs in 1 year on Depo... I don't recommend it!

I am currently on Yaz right now. It's only been three months but it seems to be regulating my cycle just fine. I have been on just regular ortho and well- got pregnant..and yes i took it correctly.haha- and I personally have nothing good to say about the IUD. My older sister and a friend have both gotten pregnant because the IUD punctured their uterus and ...well you get it.

Hi Natalie,

NO to the Depo shot. I bled for the entire 3 mnths while on it, then my OB said it will go away with the second shot and again bled for another 3 mnths. Every woman I've known had trouble with the Depo. I'm suprised that to this day it's still used as a BC method.
When I used the patch, it hurt like HE** to take off which I hear it's rare for it to hurt with removal but for some reason mine did and it hurt so bad I was to scared after using it twice to try for a 3rd.
I currently don't have any advice for any good pills...I'm still trying to find a good one myself but stay away from the Depo.

Good luck in your search!

I take Yaz, but 3 months at a time and then take a week off for a system flush (so only flushing 4 times a year). I need a really low dose and did not need monthly cycles, so my doctor suggested we try this instead of the normal stuff (off the pill I only have 2 cycles a year with no hormonal imbalance, but on the pill... I wish it worked that well!). There is still a little PMS the 3rd week of each set of pills I take, but tollerable (so I'm told by my husband!) The only catch, if the doc doesn't give me a couple of free samples, I pay more for 1 set of pills due to insurance only letting me order them every so many days since technically they are a 28 day prescription (even though my doctor wrote it very specific as two 21days & one 28 days).

I love the Yasmin pill......best I have tried.

I agree with the other ladies about Depo. DOn't do it!!! I did it after my first baby and within the first 6 months- the first two shots- I gained 50 pounds! I didn't go back for another shot, and it took me four years to get the weight off because my metabolism was nonexistent! I use the Mirena, and although I love the convenience, I have gained some weight and have had hair loss- more than normal- and heavy, painful periods. I have also had 5 ruptured cysts since I started it a year ago. I am also looking for a new BC!!!! Good luck, and stay away from Depo!!!!

I used the patch for a while. It was fine except for the fact that it kept leaving a square shaped rash whereever I placed it! Now I use Seasonale and I love it. Having a period every three months is great.

My daughter used the Depo shot after her son was born. She has been off the shot now for over a year, and her body is having a really hard time getting back to normal. She wanted to get pregnant again, but can't even get her cycle regulated. Her new nurse practicioner told her she shouldn't have used the shot if she was going to want another baby in the next couple of years, but the old nurse practitioner never mentioned that!
She conceived her son 3 months after getting married. She was on the pill but taking antibiotics & didn't remember being told to use another form of birth control. Now she's anxious to get pregnant again and it just isn't happening. I know she would NOT recommend the Depo shot to anyone!

I don't have a solution for you but am so glad to hear someone else say the pill made them psycho. We had one horrible year after my second son was born and I blame it on the pill and wacked out hormones. I got off the pill and have been (mostly) normal ever since. However, I also got son #3!

I used Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and it worked just fine for me, so I can't recommend anything for you. However, I can warn you that I only know of two people who have ever taken the Depo Provera shot and it took FOREVER for their bodies to get back to normal. Both of them ended up conceiving about 1.5 years after they started trying (neither had trouble conceiving the first time) because it took so long for their bodies to return to a regular cycle. Also, another friend used the patch and it made her even more psycho than the pill did.

I hope you find something that works!

Hi there, I was on ortho tri as well and didn't care for it. I do the Nuva ring. its a ring that you put in your vagina and you leave it in for 3 weeks and it delivers the hormones that way. You take it ou for a week, have a period. Mine was light maybe lasts 3 days and then you put a new one in. I love it, no side affects and easy. The patch causes alot of skin irritation in people and Depo has a lot of harsh side effects. FYI the ring is a little more sturdy than a rubber band but thinner. you can't feel it.

I am on the Depo and I love it!! I don't have periods. I was on it for 7 years and heard things about it making you infertile, so I got off and spent a year on the pill. My doctor told me the Depo would not hurt me, but I wanted to see if I would have normal periods. I did the first month, so after a year of dealing with the emotions and bleeding, I went back to the shot. I will not be taking any other birth control... Depo is the best!!

I use a generic version of Seasonal and I really like it. I've had no side effects other than a little loss in appetite which helped me lose the baby weight! I was taking it before we started trying to conceive and that's what I wanted when I was ready to go back on something. And I love having a period only 4 times a year! However, if you've had negative side effects from other types of pills, you will probably still have them with Seasonal.