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Grand Member
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: Eastern USA
Posts: 780
17 
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Jun 10, 2007 at 08:25 AM
#1
I guess this is a funny thing to be indecisive about: I was in a 5-year relationship in which I used the birth control pill. Now I'm no longer in that relationship (and am abstaining from sex), and yet I've continued taking the pill because I'm undecided about whether it's a good idea to go off it or not. I know at some point I'll probably be in another relationship (at least I hope so!) and will want to use that form of contraception again. Is it a good idea to keep my body stable by just staying on it? Or is it better to take a break from the pill? What do other people do? It seems silly to continue taking a contraceptive when I'm not having sex. Yet I'm worried about stopping and ultimately restarting.
Can't decide whether to open that new pack today or not... Thanks, Sidony |
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Grand Member
Member Since May 2007
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 805
16
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Jun 10, 2007 at 09:22 AM
#2
Hi -
I haven't been on the pill for years.....but, I wouldn't just stop without first asking your doc if there will be side effects, so I'd open that pack today  Tranquility __________________ 
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Grand Member
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: Eastern USA
Posts: 780
17
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Jun 10, 2007 at 01:26 PM
#3
Nah I don't have any side effects from stopping (have stopped before though not recently). Just wondering what other people do -- stay on the pill so that contraception is already in place if you get in another relationship? Or wait 'til then to worry about it? My doctor will tell me to go whichever way I want on this, so I'm curious how other people handle it.
Sidony |
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Guest
Posts: n/a
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Jun 10, 2007 at 09:50 PM
#4
I guess it depends on if it helps the symptoms of your period or not. Does help your cramps? Shorten your period? Keep your skin clear? Now I'm gonna pretend I'm a commercial:
If the answer to one or more of these questions is 'yes' you might want to consider staying on the pill. Before I got married and was in different relationships (many, many different relationships, lol), I stayed on it more because of period symptoms than for the contraception factor because I would always use extra protection with anyone I was "dating" or dating. So yeah, I would stay on it in between. I'm not on it at all anymore, not because I'm married (cause I don't want kids.... definitely not now anyway), but because no matter which type of pill I took, I would get migraines during my period. |
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Grand Member
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: Eastern USA
Posts: 780
17
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Jun 10, 2007 at 10:34 PM
#5
Nah, doesn't make any difference in my periods. Actually I do have one advantage in being off the pill, and that's that my normal cycle is 6 weeks long instead of 4 (more convenient). But I always had it easy in that I rarely had cramps or any other effects. I mostly like the pill because I'm really paranoid about pregnancy. Of course, I'm not actually having sex so it seems a bit unlikely....
 I just wonder whether there's really some sort of long-term effect to masking the body's real cycle. I opted not to start a new pack of pills. Now I'm gonna be all paranoid for a while that I'll suddenly want to have sex with someone. I don't mind using condoms -- I just worry that they're not protective enough. And the backup methods (at least the ones I know how to use) are really inconvenient.... Blah. We need a pill for men for a change! Sidony |
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Legendary
Member Since Jan 2007
Location: U.S.
Posts: 10,383
17 106 hugs
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Jun 11, 2007 at 05:23 PM
#6
sidony, I think it's good to give your body a break from the hormones. Good luck. I have never been able to take birth control pills successfully as they change my mental state. I get very manic, followed by being really depressed. It's hell! My method of choice has been the diaphragm.
__________________ "Therapists are experts at developing therapeutic relationships." |
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Grand Member
Member Since Feb 2007
Location: Eastern USA
Posts: 780
17
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Jun 13, 2007 at 03:38 PM
#7
Hey sunrise,
Sorry to hear they had such a bad effect on you! When I first tried the pill (about 15 years ago), the hormone levels were considerably higher than they are now. I had mood changes too. I don't on the new low-dose ones. I don't even feel any differently in the few days it's been since I stopped taking them. I wonder if I'll feel any different after a while. Hm. I've thought about other birth control options (assuming I ever start having sex again!). I'd thought of the diaphragm or sponge, but I'm really afraid I'd put it in wrong or have trouble removing it or something (sorry if this is getting gross). So I don't know if I'd ever manage it. I've used condoms with spermicide in the past though I hate running off to use the spermicide. I like the idea of the sponge (since it lasts 30 hours -- how long does a diaphragm last?) but have no clue if I could manage it (I probably couldn't).... Sidony |
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Wise Elder
Member Since Oct 2004
Location: AZ
Posts: 8,663
19
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Jun 13, 2007 at 06:22 PM
#8
I just started a low dose today. My cycles have been unbearable so my doc put me on a low dose pill. However, I take another medication that makes the pill less effective, so I'm definitely not relying strictly on that to keep from getting pregnant.
Hope things go well for you getting off of it! __________________ |
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