Ladies... birth control?

[jena]

I found the regular daily pills easiest. I've been on them for like two years now, I just set up an alarm on vibrate to go off on my phone every night around 7. It's a good time that works for me because I'm pretty much always awake at that time, and if I'm out at dinner or something I'll just excuse myself to the bathroom.

This birth control is 99.9% effective if taken at the same time every day religiously. I was paranoid at first about them being defective, but after 2 years on them and having sex with the same person, I'm not pregnant, so I've come to trust it.

I originally went on it to regulate my period (getting it as a surprise every 4-8 months became super fucking annoying) and the only side effects I've noticed are shorter periods (like 3-4 days/month), and my boobs got way bigger (probably because I switched birth control pills like 4 times, but I went from a 32B to a 32DD).

[Owl]

Some people just can't tolerate birth control
I've tried everything and nothing works, my body either rejects it or I end up in so much horrible pain it's not worth it. Top that with a latex allergy, an irritation to spermicide, and I just gave up.
I have no sex drive though, so it's not a loss for me. For you though, you might want to try a different doctor who can help out a bit more.
The pills sound daunting (having to remember them) but if you get into a habit of it you won't. Find a combination that won't make you sick and stick to them.

[Lavendrae]

Straight up pill works best for me. No side effects that I know of. I also carry condoms in my wallet just in case (I don't have a fold wallet).
There are so many ways to take birth control, but pill is easiest for me because no reaction, and I don't forget because I have an alarm on my phone. Even if I do forget a day, I make it up the after.
I hate shots, I can't get an implant in my arm because I'm a wuss, and same with getting anything in my uterus.

I'm also not sexually active at the moment though, so I don't have to worry as much.

[gnar]

pop them pillz
but yeah like everyone else said just set an alarm for it an eventually it becomes a habit

[Umbreon]

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I'm not really worried about STI's, just the no baby part! I've comfortably been with my boyfriend for nearly four years, so I trust he has no sort of nastiness.

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That sounds like what it'd do to me, if this Mirena is already messing with my body so bad with pretty much the exact same symptoms, so I'm not sure if I want to test it. And I honestly can't remember if I stopped taking it because of JUST driving distance, or side effects; I only had one, so I don't think I gave it enough time to really effect my body. And he pulls out regardless, because we're both super paranoid, so I suppose the pills wouldn't be as bad, if I honestly do forget to take it sometimes. I'm definitely making my mother go with me there, with whatever I decide to do. c': My boyfriend is across the country right now and I don't really have any... friends friends so meh. My mother knows about my sex life, it'll be okay~

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You don't understand, I literally forget to eat everyday. ;---; LOL. But a reminder wouldn't be so bad!

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I mean, you obviously CAN if you've never had kids, if we did; but they recommended to not because it'd hurt so bad, cause really terrible cramping for months of end, etc etc because the cervix isn't stretched; and I passed out and bled all over the bathroom at the doctor's office right after insertion LOL. My body was just not happy. Which that part didn't really bother me as bad as the still standing affects that control my daily life. I was also highly highly considering switching to paraguard, since I haven't really seen too many bad things related to it and I've heard many ladies switch from the Mirena to Para. But I'm not sure if I'll have the funds for another IUD anytime soon, especially since I'm getting this one taken out early, my insurance won't even cover any sort of percentage of it for another year and a half. But I'm glad it works for you, and thank you for letting me know! I may actually just get it another IUD once I get more money.

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That sounds horrible ;---; And sounds like pretty much what I've been doing with my life LOL. It's sad, by the age of seventeen, I had tried nearly every sort of birth control ever, other than the arm insert. I don't have any sort of allergy that I know of though, they just break constantly and honestly, I'd forget to use any sort of spermicide or anything right before/during/right after sex.

BUT ALSO
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Thank you guys! I know some brands of pills are associated with really bad mood swings, etc etc and one brand made me really nauseous; I think it was Yaz, but I'll have to try some and see. Trying to remember a pill every day seems like my best bet so far.

[jena]

Ugh, nooo. x__x
Yaz and other brands like that are really infamous for having bad, bad side effects.
If you do try to take the pill again though, tell your doctor you want the pill, not any other method, but describe any and all symptoms you had. It really helps them out if they know how a certain medication affects you. Hell, they're doctors and they've seen and heard of worse side effects. There's nothing too bad that you can't tell them.
I had a lot of trouble picking mine, for example, my first one didn't regulate my period well enough. My second one gave me awful cramps and killed my sex drive. Then after the third time, after I explained all symptoms, that's when we finally picked a good one for my body.

[gnar]

ohh yeah i've heard bad things about yaz,
i think it just takes a bit to find one that works w/ your body tbh

[osiyo]

I mean, you obviously CAN if you've never had kids, if we did; but they recommended to not because it'd hurt so bad, cause really terrible cramping for months of end, etc etc because the cervix isn't stretched; and I passed out and bled all over the bathroom at the doctor's office right after insertion LOL. My body was just not happy. Which that part didn't really bother me as bad as the still standing affects that control my daily life. I was also highly highly considering switching to paraguard, since I haven't really seen too many bad things related to it and I've heard many ladies switch from the Mirena to Para. But I'm not sure if I'll have the funds for another IUD anytime soon, especially since I'm getting this one taken out early, my insurance won't even cover any sort of percentage of it for another year and a half. But I'm glad it works for you, and thank you for letting me know! I may actually just get it another IUD once I get more money.

It kind of sounds to me like your doctor messed up the insertion or some other serious thing went wrong. I've never had children, and I did not have any kind of warning from my doctor about it hurting more because I hadn't had children. We just arranged the insertion around my period so that my cervix would be more open. I also did not have any significant bleeding, although I was very sore for a few days and had very mild spotting for about that long.

Anywho, for hormonal birth control, unfortunately there is little you can do about symptoms except for trial and error. Keep a record of how you respond, and keep trying new ones based on that.

For non-hormonal birth control (besides the paragard) you can also try getting yourself fitted for a diaphragm, trying the sponge method, testing out different kinds of condoms (I get not trusting the guy, but you can always provide your own, or try out female condoms). Pulling out is not a viable form of birth control by itself (I was conceived on the pull out method in conjunction with the cycle method. Not effective).

If your main complaint is pain with the Mirena, and you can confirm that nothing went wrong, I probably wouldn't risk the Paragard. It might just not be right for you, especially since, from what I've heard, the Mirena is supposed to be less painful. If your main complaint is the mood swings/lack of sex drive/depression that you are most unhappy with, those won't occur with Paragard, since there is no hormonal component.

Also, if you decide you do want an IUD and your insurance doesn't cover it, you should try stopping in at a Planned Parenthood - they offer them at significant discounts for those who cannot afford them.

[Lavendrae]

I personally take Apri, or the generic, Reclipsen. If that helps at all.

[Demetri]

My GF takes the pill where she has hers every 3 months. Scares me errtime