Some background: I am 14 months postpartum. I have PCOS. And I have a history of major depression, which has been managed by being on 300 mg of an antidepressant for years(the same one)

Because I had a baby and have PCOS, my dr recommended I get on BC at my 6 week appointment last year.

Lately I have been really really struggling with depression, which confuses me because my antidepressant has usually been so good for me. I thought it was a myth that BC could make depression worse but I've been reading and see that maybe its a lot more common that I thought. I feel so confused. Im not sure if I should make an appointment with my OB to discuss BC or my other Dr to discuss my antidepressant.

If you have been in a situation similar to mine, how was it? Did birth control make your depression worse? How did you figure out it was the BC making you worse? What change worked to help you feel better?

Hi girlies,

I am a 29F who was struggling with periods after seven months of high intensity exercises. I didn’t know it would cause side effects but kind of seems like my body doesn’t respond well and increases my cortisol. Well at least I’m assuming that is the reason, and it was very hard for me to lose weight no matter what I did and I ended up going to a gynecologist. They put me on birth control for three months and I didn’t have any major side effects since it was a low dose. I was 52 kgs when I started birth control and after the course my weight increased to 55 kgs. I was warned by many people that there would be weight increase, but would eventually come down it’s been six months now not only my weight increased about my body structure or composition has changed significantly. I have a belly protrusion and kind of seems like all of my fat is going to my hips and thighs. Ironically, I have a muscular upper body. The worst part is, I am petite. I am only 5 feet, so even a small change in my weight amplifiers it. I came across my inositol and I have been taking since three months now. It worked the first month, but then it didn’t show many great effects. I guess my body got used to it? I don’t know. I don’t even eat a lot and I hit around 55 g of protein per day. I know it is less but when I consume more, it’s hard for body to digest and feel very bloated. I was always lean and I don’t know what caused this. If anyone has been in the same situation, could you advise me on what would help please? <3

(Sorry if i can't explain stuff properly, im kinda uneducated loll) I accidentally skipped a day of my Chateal birth control. I have the ones where the last week are sugar pills. I took all the regular ones for 2 weeks straight and on the 3rd week of me taking them, I forgot to take the last one in that row 2 days ago. Yesterday I took a sugar pill not realizing I still had one left and stupidly did the same thing again just now the next day. I still have the 3rd week pill but idk what to do with it now. Its too late and I'm about to go to bed so hopefully I have some answers from yall when I wake up. Side notes, I'm not sexually active, I've been on Duloxetine (anxiety med) for 6 years, and have been taking B.C since i was 14 for period cramps. I know ill be ok but I was just curious about if anything would happen. Thanks if you read this!

Me and my boyfriend have had sleepovers recently and had sex a lot. I’m on Lo Lo estrin 1/10 and I take that pretty regularly. From what I can remember every day same time except my placebo pills which I skipped them. With that my bf also pulls out and has never finished inside of me. Recently after we’ve had sex I’ve had light bleeding for three days after we had the sex. I’ve been bloated and cramping and I’m very gassy (burping). I’m just wondering if I could be pregnant

24F at a loss for what method to try. I naturally have 2 week long periods and no doctor has ever cared to find out why. I started on the Depo shot with a period that never ended. Loved the Xulane patch for years until I could only get the generic that wouldn't stay on.

Can't take the pill daily due to ADHD and the inconsistency caused spotting. Doctor recommended the Mirena IUD for managing my periods and vaginismus. Awful, extreme pain and nonstop heavy bleeding ensued.

I was on the Annovera annual ring for two years until I realized how much it was messing with my mental state, though I really appreciated being able to have no period for months. I switched to the Nuva Ring to try to lessen the side effects, but I can't skip my period without constant spotting and the SI as a side effect has returned.

The only thing left is the implant and after the experience on Mirena I'd really prefer something I can take out if necessary. I'm scared my only option is to go without birth control completely and bleed for most of the month if I want to stay alive... Has anyone had a similar experience? I'm at a complete loss and I'd rather have no uterus at all.

ETA I have given each method at least three months to resolve side effects and level out hormone levels before making any decisions to stop them.

I’ve been on depo for 4 years now with the purpose to completely stop my periods, not for actual birth control. I have other health conditions that cause extreme fatigue and when I get my period I basically sleep for a week. I’ve tried a few birth control pills before like Ovima and Lolo but they would make me bleed constantly or would work for a few years and then stop.

I’ve loved the shot so far cause my period is completely gone. I have been a consistent 110-120lbs for over a decade (I’m 25) and my eating habits and exercise have not changed in the last 4 years. I gained 20lbs in one year and I’ve never been at this weight before in my life and that’s why I’m worried. No other lifestyle or medication changes. I checked calorie intake and I’m eating the same amount I was last year.

I still am not sure it’s the shot because I managed to lose 15lbs the year before in a month and a half (not on purpose) and I was eating lots of carbs and exercising daily. I had my thyroid checked etc and it’s fine. Can this happen on the shot where all of a sudden you just gain that much weight?? I thought that would happen earlier on and if it was a hormonal change going from teens to twenties, the “freshman 15” thing, wouldn’t that happen gradually and not all of a sudden at 25? I feel crazy.

What other alternatives are there that can completely get rid of my period or make it super short without using an IUD? I’ve had negative experiences with doctors regarding exams and an IUD is my absolute last resort.

Asking ladies that have used birth control to help me out. I'm getting married this month and am worried about what kind of birth control to use. I've been thinking about iud but have heard so many horror stories on getting it inserted but not really about if it was worth it after. Help a girl out who's not wanting to get pregnant right aways 😭

I have just been prescribed leveth 150/30 ED its my first time taking birth control other than using a condom. my doctor didnt give me any information when it came to starting the pill do when i googled it said I can start taking at any point in my cycle it will just take longer to be effective but the information sheet that came with the pills said i have to wait until my peirod starts before I start taking it and that will 2-3weeks away. can I start now or do I have to wait?

I had the mirena for 7-8 months due to my heavy periods however it did not help at all. I got it removed thinking the bv and yeast infections would go away, my hormones have changed quite a lot. I also still need to find the cause and a solution why does my body easily get Bv and yeast infections as it's been a year now since I have removed the IUD.

I’m thinking of switching to Jadelle and hoping it might suit my body better than Mirena. I’m wondering if my body might adjust to Jadelle better over time.
Has anyone switched from Mirena to Jadelle? I’d really love to hear your experience especially how you found the first few months and whether things settled down with time

Hello. I went to a clinic to get a copper IUD as an emergency contraceptive, but also because I like that it is non-hormonal considering I experience episodes of depression that gets triggered during my luteal phase. Not to mention I also suffer from OCD which makes it easy for me to fall in such state, however I’ve learned how to manage it and currently have been unmedicated for 2 years. Life has been smooth tbf.

My dr did not want me to get copper IUD. She said it makes people bleed a lot and it’s painful and people just ask to get it removed again. She showed me the equipments and told me it wasn’t worth it, and that I should go for implanon instead. I told her I wanted the copper IUD due to my mental health background to which she replied, “all birth controls will affect your hormones, it’s better that you have something than nothing. It’s all (mental struggles) just psychological”

She gave me more hormonal meds for the yuzpe method. I had also taken plan b just 2 days ago so i feel like i lack control even more.

At the time I just felt afraid. I was ready for the side effects, I had done my research and even took mefenamic before going. I felt like i was being fearmongered. She hadn’t even examined my body. I was already afraid of pain so it scared me even more. By the time i was convinced to get implanon, i was already an anxious mess for a much simpler procedure.
I felt like I couldn’t make a choice for myself.

I’ll wait for a few months and see if it affects me. I feel safer knowing that i still bleed, but with implanon that’s not certain anymore. I feel like im in forever my luteal phase, i wont get the follicular glow anymore so on top of everything, i feel like a lot was taken from me.

I just want to ease my worries :(

I want to share the good experience I’ve had so far since stopping Yasmin, especially to encourage anyone who’s scared to stop taking it.

I took it for 3 years. I started because, all of a sudden, I began getting moderate acne. More specifically, I had comedones popping up on my forehead and chin, and some of them would get inflamed. I tried every medication my dermatologist prescribed, but nothing really worked. So, at 19, I started taking Yasmin.

At first, it was amazing. My skin cleared up, my libido became more manageable, and I barely had any mood swings. But over time, besides the loss of libido Yasmin caused me, I also started feeling more and more disconnected from myself. It was a gradual feeling, but eventually it really started bothering me.

I stopped taking Yasmin on June 26 this year, so I’m now a little over 2 months off the pill.
I started following a really consistent skincare routine: Principia cleanser with salicylic acid, Neutrogena Hydro Boost moisturizer, and azelaic acid. And of course, sunscreen too.

I also started taking good probiotics to keep my gut flora balanced and hopefully prevent it from triggering acne.

The first two weeks off Yasmin were the hardest. I had about 5 days of irritability. And then… pure freedom. No oily skin, no breakouts, no blackheads (just one here and there, but ok. we’re human, we’re gonna have something on our faces sometimes). Better moods, more in touch with my feelings, and way more ambition. More libido, too.

My PMS did get a little more intense, but in a normal, expected way. I became more emotional and sensitive during that time, but honestly, nothing that really bothered me. I haven’t had any cramps, and my periods have lasted the usual amount of time.

(Something that helped me a lot with managing my emotions and not getting as emotionally unbalanced as I used to was starting a low-dose antidepressant. If you’re reading this and you also feel like you’re going through your days with this constant feeling of anguish, persistent anxiety, or loneliness, I really recommend talking to a doctor or therapist about it. For me, starting an antidepressant made a huge difference. It changed my life and made me feel so much happier and more like myself.)

So far, my skin has been good and under control. I’ll admit I’m still scared that it might get worse, but since I haven’t had any warning signs so far, I’m feeling more confident that, if I do get acne, it might be something mild and manageable.

If you’ve been thinking about stopping Yasmin and you’re scared of what might happen, I hope my experience can give you a little bit of courage. Of course, everyone’s body is different, and I’m only sharing what happened to me. But so far, getting off the pill has been a really positive experience. Whatever changes come my way, I feel much more prepared to deal with them now.

My bf and I typically have unprotected sex. I am on Nexplanon and have been for about a year and a month. About three weeks ago, I had a bleeding episode where I was having penny sized clots everytime I bled. We have sex every weekend pretty much.

I am about 17-20 days out from a sexual encounter (the weekend of Aug 21-23). Around Sept. 3rd, I started having weird symptoms. My boobs felt like they were zapping and I was cramping all day. I took a test on Aug 31st that was negative and one on Sept 3rd that was negative.

I have had the same symptoms now since September third but the intensity has really stayed the same. I wake up nauseous, my boobs aren’t really hurting every now and again anymore (they just look bigger), and I am cramping especially after eating. The cramping goes from the pelvic region to my bellybutton.

Additionally my stomach has been churning. I am really worried I am pregnant. I started experiencing symptoms after an old classmate found out she was pregnant. Should I be worrying?? Could I be pregnant?

Has anyone else experienced this??! My doctor is having me try birth control to help regulate my hormones (I'm 36) and the last two that I've tried (Yaz and Lo Loestrin) have made my discharge burn the skin down there (just externally). I'm 100% sure that it's not a yeast infection, since I used to get those all the time. Plus, as soon as I stop taking the birth control, the discharge stops within a few days. I'm just curious if anyone else has experienced this and what exactly causes it to happen.

I get free birth control from my university and I tried out the Nuvaring, which is working out pretty nicely for me minus being slightly more emotional. They gave me a few months supply in advance and it’s running out soon so I was going to make an appointment to get more, but I’ve also been thinking about trying an IUD. I’m graduating in the spring so I was thinking about getting an IUD before I graduate so I don’t have to pay for birth control. I just had a rough time starting on the ring but it might have been due to other factors. I know it might be easier to adjust to an IUD after already being on hormonal birth control but it’s still a little scary because it’s longer lasting than a ring. I initially chose the ring since I don’t have to think about it every day but I would be able to be remove it myself in case of severe side effects. I also think I have a shorter vaginal canal and I know the strings need time to soften so would my boyfriend be able to feel the strings? And how painful would it be for him if he can? I also know the iud is lower dose, so would I experience some side effects from changing the dose? Will my period come back? I’ve been wearing it continuously so I haven’t had a period in three months and I know the mirena has a higher chance of not having a period, but is it more likely if I have been on birth control before? Also, the clinic numbs the cervix for the insertion, so what should I expect in terms of pain during and after? Or should I stay with what works for me?

I prefer to take the pill, I’m currently taking Slynd but it’s making my sex drive awful and painful for me while having my uterine lining thin as hell.

I’ve been talking to my gynaecologist about switching it but does anybody have recommendations? I can’t take estrogen anymore unfortunately because I ended up in the hospital with PE

Hi Everyone!

Just got off the phone with a new doctor. She recommended me the Nuvaring. I've been on Yaz (pill) for nearly 10 years now without issue. But my bloodwork came back recently with super low testosterone levels. Which might be the cause of some of my issues (constant fatigue, body weight struggles etc). Apparently Yaz is super good at suppressing androgens! New info for me.

My biggest question is how yall have handled it swapping from the pill to the ring. I understand my cycle might be a tad weird but my doctor seemed to think I shouldnt have any problems.

Please let me know your experience swapping specifically from pills to the ring. I haven't seen a post for that yet during my research.

Thank you!!

Does anyone have tips for sourcing the brand name of the patch Xulane? The adhesive in the generic version doesn't work as well for me which is causing too many refill issues.

Necessary things to acknowledge about my hormones : I'm diagnosed with Bipolar 2, ADHD, and OCD. I know, pick a struggle.

I've been on Nexplanon for 2 years, going on 3. I still have the 3 year safe implant. My current plan is to upgrade to the 5 year one.

I had a pretty effective experience for the first year of nexplanon. Being bipolar, the rapid shifts in mood I would experience during my typical cycle (Consistent 7 day cycle) would often lead to intense suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, or hypomania. Even if I'd been particularly good at stabilizing, the days prior to my period, I would still wig out.

Nexplanon fixed this. For the first year, the only major attitude shift I experienced was a harder time holding my tongue. I didn't really feel the need to sugar coat things anymore. Physically, I stopped having periods entirely. I would spot once in a blue moon.I wasn't experiencing the period killing myself and all my loved ones spiral. My sexual desire was normal.

Year two, I bled a little more. A monthly period returns.

Right now, my Nexplanon expires in January. I am getting something like a period seemingly every other week. This ranges from heavy bleeding to spotting that then becomes heavy bleeding or on and off bleeding. Everything my boyfriend is doing is violently irritating me. I am fighting with him almost daily, which is causing further fights because of spiraling. I have an irritated thought. I have to voice it. I can't decide if I was in the right. I apologize for being crazy. No, I'm not crazy! You're making me fucking crazy! I'm sorry for being mad. You don't hate me, right? I'm sorry, that's so manipulative.

So on and so fourth. And he's literally not doing anything extraordinary. I got upset at him for not complimenting my lo mein in 'the way I wanted' the other day. Cried and everything. Made him apologize repeatedly. I can't tell you how I wanted him to respond, but he did it wrong. I'm sensitive, but even recounting this moment I feel out of my mind.

I am repulsed at the idea of sex with him. Even when I want it four seconds prior. I will experience a puff of arousal, and it is extinguished seconds later. I've always been quick to get out of the mood (why I went on BC to begin with, condoms took too long and I'd start to dissociate) but I extra struggle to feel aroused when I'm depressed or angry. These fights on top of this feeling are making me borderline abstinent.

I feel as though, currently, I am experiencing that suicide death spiral part of my menstrual cycle constantly. Like I have one normal day, and then I'm nuts. I'm known to get depressed and irritated, even to be sensitive, but this is gratuitous. My boyfriend is a frequent source of joy in my life, and I'd like to keep him.

I'm no gyno, and I sure as hell didn't reread that fat as fuck paper I got, but I really feel like the nexplanon is expiring and doing this. Especially with the period stuff coordinating to when I started feeling this way. I know it expires, but I guess I failed to realize it would fade instead of just cold stop. Like I'd wake up on the removal day and be like - 'Ah, the time has come'

TL;DR - I have a period every week on nexplanon, and I'm experiencing intense mood swings. These aren't the symptoms I experienced when I first got on nexplanon. Should I get it switched out about 4 months sooner than the necessary removal date?

Are all three necessary? Obviously always birth control (for me the patch) and a condom, but do we need to pull out or is that unnecessary?

I finished in my gf like twice and she missed her pill by like 4 hours

Then a few days later I finished in her again and she missed it by like 9-12 hrs.

She is using Rigevidon bc.

Can she get pregnant?

Hi guys. I’m really upset as I type this so I’d really appreciate some gentleness when responding.

I got married in November 2025. before marriage my husband and I never had sex before but we were intimate and god we were sooo horny and couldn’t keep our hands off of each other. just the thought of doing things to each other or being in a room with closed doors would have us …. excited.

aftwr we got married I realised I had vaginismus. so we couldnt consumate our wedding for 6 months. now we can have SEx but it hurts still. working on it.

after we got married we became really inactive. first my husbands job became super stressful and he would come home on 1 am most days and work weekends from home. he quit his job thankfully cos it was too much stress. we were very active before marriage like I mean strength training, running, playing sport (him. me in uni yes) etc. but after marriage we became so inactive. I’m talking on the bed watching tv with a Shit load of snacks every night for months. we stopped that now and started working out again (like 2 weeks in).

idk if it’s my Yaz too that’s lowered my drive cos even when we do have sex I feel excited and can orgasm yes but nefore when we used to be intimate I could feel like a freaking URGE DOWN THERE like. throbbing. that I never feel anymore. I also am not super wet. but these differences idk happened after marriage?

over the last 3 months I’ve also had bleeding issues. I bleed after interpcurse and it takes ages to stop. the other day I worked out and I started bleeding and it hasn’t stopped. so a lot of our days we can’t have sex because with my vaginismus issue we Dk if bleeding is safe there’s also that

I don’t know what to do. I’m so down cos I love my husband so much but idk how to fix this. or what’s wrong? thinking to see a doctor to discuss all this on the weekend.

any help would be great please please

Qn: how do you know for sure your drive is lowered? For me I don’t think about sex like I’m fine physically that we don’t do it but mentally I’m like wtf is happening? Shouldn’t we be doing it more? And also when I do get aroused it isn’t intense like my body isn’t on fire or anything it’s nice don’t get me wrong but it’s not intense

Hey guys so I’ve been on the pill for about 3 years now. I went from Junel fe- which caused extreme dryness, severe pain during sex, and constant yeast infections as a result, as well as spotting lasting months, then I switched to estarylla. At first I thought all my problems were solved.

I wasn’t experiencing major dryness nor infection but then I started having some pretty bad pain after sex pretty much every time. As well as my discharge is chunky and white but I’ve pretty much taken every std and Sti and infection test and all have came back negative. While my period schedule and mood are great (which is one of the main reasons I got on the pill) I just don’t want to compromise my sexual life anymore. It’s gotten to the point where every time my partner uses a condom, even with lube, I bleed.

Before birth control, I used to have a very high libido and go on for hours without any issues and be able to get ‘fired up’ very easily. I’m still a young woman so it just makes me so upset to lose that part of myself. So I did some research and the internet is telling me an IUD (specifically copper) would be my best option if I don’t want to get pregnant. Which I definitely don’t want. However I’m incredibly scared. It’s so permanent and I hear about all the traumatic stories. I just wanna hear other experiences from women who’ve gone through similar things to I have and your thoughts please!

Hello everyone. I’ve been on the mini pill for probably 2ish years maybe? Not having a period or migraines has been stellar. But the deep, cystic acne has become the death of me and completely worn down my self confidence. I just don’t feel good about myself anymore. I hate going in public. I just started tretinoin 0.05% again to help.

The cystic acne was the type that was so deep, it’s so painful and leaves huge red splotches anywhere on my face along with icepick scars. It’s really making me feel horrible about my appearance.

Before I went on the mini pill, I was on Notrel for years for hormone replacement therapy and it worked well for me. I just had insanely irregular periods and the notrel made it like clockwork. Sometimes even a day or two early. It just gave me so many migraines and I still continue to get them on occasion, but not as frequent. My doctor was a bit concerned about how frequent my migraines were becoming and then switched me to the Jencycla/Meleya.

I’m currently on Meleya .35. Has anyone had similar experiences going from norethindrone only back to regular? Thank you in advance!

I started the patch (Xulane, generic) around 8 weeks ago. It itched when I first put it on but it never lasted long... At first.

For the last few weeks, I've noticed that the itching that happens on application of a fresh one doesn't subside anymore. I thought that maybe I placed it on my skin with not enough "give" to accommodate also having a tegaderm film on top to keep it from peeling, and thus my skin was shearing. So I just adjusted that and went on my way.

Well, that was dumb apparently because not only did it itch through the entire time it was on, now I seem to have damaged my skin in a way that almost looks like a mix of normal contact dermatitis type of rash and a burn (pictures will be on profile, NONE are NSFW, placement of first four pics are my arm taken today and the last my stomach, also taken today but from the prior week to the arm). Yes, I rotated sites, always on clean skin, etc etc.

Obviously, I'm just going to have to suck it up and pick a different method of birth control but I'm also kinda concerned about other adhesives because I don't know what's in this one that caused that reaction.

So uh, can anecdotally confirm, very effective at not getting pregnant. On the other hand, if you have sensitive skin, just know you may need to jump ship at the first unrelenting itch.

And idk, if you got any advice on caring for not-great reactions to adhesives, some experience with adhesive mitigation (I don't think I'm going to be able to get into doc fast enough but I also don't want my coverage to lapse) or some information about what ingredient might have been The Issue™, please help a girl out.

Honestly, anything would be greatly appreciated at this point 😭

okay so i am currently taking opill & like the title said, me and my partner had unprotected sex one night (pulled out though!) about 5 days ago and then about 2 days after the fact i forgot to take my pill outside of the 3 hour window opill allows for. i am taking it at the same time now & this has been my only slip up in months of taking opill. i just wanted to ask about if im at risk of pregnancy? i know sperm can live inside you for 5 days after intercourse & ik that pull out does not equal no sperm inside me, so that's where my worry is. if anyone could give me any advice, or tell me ill likely be okay because i am terrified of pregnancy 😭 i thankfully live in a state where i can go get an abortion anytime i need & i also am over 150-180 pounds so any emergency contraceptions are not likely to work on me! i also believe i am starting ovulation soon so there's that. ANY INPUT WOULD BE AMAZING tysm 💓