Happy
Friday everyone!
I
wanted to kick-off my Fem-Talk Friday [FTF] series by talking about my
personal experiences with hormonal contraceptives.
I
began using hormonal contraceptives when I was just 14 years old as a
precaution against pregnancy, but also to help with heavy periods and
acne control. It was my best option at the time...
I
can't remember exactly what pill it was that I was given at first but
I remember being on both Alesse and Tri-Cyclen at some point in time.
I continued on the pill without any side-effects for about a year
before deciding to give the EVRA Patch a try. The main reason I made
the decision to try out the contraceptive patch was because I liked
the idea of not having to take a pill everyday, however, I was an
avid dancer at this time and the patch would always end up falling
off (or half falling off) and getting full of wooly bits from my
clothing. Unsatisfied with the delivery of the EVRA Patch, I
switched back to pills after about two months.
I
stayed on pills regularly until I was 20 or so (about 5 years)
without any side-effects. At this point in time, after hearing about
the depo-provera shot (a contraceptive shot which requires one
injection of hormones every twelve weeks) from my aunt, I decided to
give it a try. I received my first shot and didn't experience any
side-effects until about 4-5 weeks later when I began to bloat and
spot. I was told that these side-effects were not abnormal and that
the spotting would subside with prolonged use of the shot. I spotted
on and off into my twelfth week and when it was time for my second
shot I decided to go ahead with it. It was not until after my second
dose of the contraceptive that I experienced some major
side-effects... I began to spot and eventually ended up having a
combination of full-blown bleeding and spotting for a period that
lasted about five months. I remained bloated. I began to break out in
painful cystic acne all over my chest, shoulders and back. I became
dehydrated and thirsty all of the time and also noticed a significant
decrease in my appetite. It is no surprise then, that twelve weeks
after my second dose I decided to opt against getting a third, and
again went back on the pill to regulate my cycle.
After
such a terrible experience, I stayed on the pill regularly for
another couple of years, until recently... About a year and a half
ago I noticed that my periods were becoming irregular to the extent
that I would spot and bleed for a month straight, and they were also
significantly more painful (cramps and sharp pains in my ovaries)
despite being on the pill regularly. After many consultations with my
doctor on the issue, and the discovery of ovarian cysts, my doctor
suggested that I go off the pill to see if my body would regulate
itself.
At
first, the thought of going off a contraceptive terrified me... What
if I started to break-out again? However, it has been five months now
and I have never felt better. My periods seem to have regulated
themselves and I don't break out as bad as I thought I would.
I
have considered going back on the pill, but having been on hormonal
contraceptives regularly for nine years, I think my body needs the
break. I am 23 now, and although I am a single lady and not planning
for any children in my immediate future, it is not impossible that I
may decide to have children in the not too distant future.
I
think when planning to use hormonal contraceptives, women have to
choose wisely and weigh all their pros and cons. We have to remember
that such wide-spread use of hormonal contraceptives by women is a
fairly new phenomena, spanning back only about 40-50 years, so many
long-term side-effects may still be unknown.
Always
find a doctor that you are comfortable talking with about these
issues, and be sure to always put your health first. What may work
for another woman may not necessarily work for you.
Thanks
for stopping by!
If you
have any suggestions for next weeks Fem-Talk Friday [FTF], please
leave a comment below.
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