Period vs pill? Pms vs pill side effects? Help

[Trixabellee9393]

Hi guys sorry if this is TMI but I have always had awful pms and awful periods and it takes away at least ten days of each month where I just feel like crap. I’m finally going to try the pill which I’ve avoided due to side effects I’ve heard and not wanting to be on loads of tablets as I’m already taking anti depressants... what’s the pill like? Does it give you side effects? No idea what to do I’ve been prescribed the progesterone only one! Never taken the pill before so I have no clue! Help! Xx

 

[Chickenandgravy]

I took the pill for 9 years. Only when I got off it did I realise how much of a fruit loop it made me. I gained weight and the mood swings were something else. Also made me break out terribly, so bad I ended up on roaccutane.

I was also only ever allowed the pop pill as I suffer badly from migraines so can't have combined. Probably not what you want to hear!

 

[hnoz]

I feel like we always hear so many negatives of the pill! I was on it for about 8 years & have been off it for a bit less than a year now but I didn't experience any negatives from being on the pill at all. It massively helped me as a form of birth control and it made my period more reliable.

Many women take the pill and don't have any of the crazy side effects we hear about all the time. I think it is worth trying, generally they say give it about 3 months for hormones to level out and then you can tell how you react on it. If it doesn't work for you there are other pills, or other forms of long term contraception, like a hormone free coil.

 

[Trixabellee9393]

Thank you - I want good and bad opinions so yeah just be honest thank you everyone xxx

 

[FizzyFruits]

I came off the pill years ago originally but my periods were getting more painful every month- I was bed ridden for days of the month, exhausted, used to lie outside on the patio for most of the night cos the cold air was the only thing to help stop me feeling incredibly sick, I would shake violently, my partner would have to put ice on me etc. I tried the tens machine things, and prescribed pain (high dose naproxen) didn’t touch it- in the end I finally managed to get the doctor to send me for a scan and turned out it was fibroids. She put me first on the progesterone only pill but I bled (lightly) constantly on it, it did stop the pain though, so in the end I went back on the normal pill and now I have no trouble - just a little pain when I take my break from it. I’m on Gederel- Which I’ve found good for me. Microgynon used to make me nauseous when I was younger. In an ideal world I wouldn’t take anything but I couldn’t cope with the pain anymore- it was exhausting me and having a huge impact on my life. I’m 38 and haven’t had any children.
I hope you get sorted - bad period pain is the absolute worse xx

 

[Ohflogoff]

Evening primrose oil capsules for the pmt. period cup for the period.

 

[EyeSpy88]

I have been on the pill for the last year and love it! i take desogestrel which is progestogen only and I like it most as it stops my periods completely (suffering before with quite heavy ones) I have no side effects that I’m aware of anyway, still get slight pms but nothing like I did when off it.
i took Microgynon (combined) in my teens to early twenties and had no side effects from that either
im lucky that’s been the case my sister has been through lots of different ones as they don’t agree with her so I guess until you try it you don’t know x

 

[Tricham]

I seem to be one of the lucky ones. I've been on 2 contraceptives in my life - the implant and the mini pill (current). With both of these my periods stopped completely, and I don't have any side effects.

 

[Wingingmotherhood]

The mini pill (progesterone only) negatively affected my mental health and I didn’t realise how much it did until I came off. I was on antidepressants when I started taking the pill & weaned off them but still felt really low. As soon as I came off hormonal contraception it was like a dark cloud had lifted. The mirena coil did the same, although apart from that side effect I loved it as I had no periods and I didn’t have to think about taking a pill every day.

Evening Primrose Oil helps my PMT. I’d never go on hormonal contraception again.

 

[kadykal95]

I had bad cramps and heavy periods.
I've been on Cerazette (mini pill) for nearly 3 years and i had a light period for the first few months then they stopped completely. No weight gain, spots or anything like that. Maybe a slightly lower sex drive but thats about it.

 

[Dex]

I’ve took cileste continuously for about 8 years it’s now discontinued so am on a new one called cilique. It’s combined pill. Main reasons I take it is because I suffered with hormonal acne and as a form of birth control. I’ve never had any issues on the pill at all, and my acne is almost non existent. I find it useful to plan and track when my period is. My periods are very light and last a couple of days.
I get some pmt and slight cramps but I was lucky and never really suffered with them before.
I’m actually coming off the pill this month as planning on starting a family

 

[Mamacita]

The mini pill (progesterone only) negatively affected my mental health and I didn’t realise how much it did until I came off. I was on antidepressants when I started taking the pill & weaned off them but still felt really low. As soon as I came off hormonal contraception it was like a dark cloud had lifted. The mirena coil did the same, although apart from that side effect I loved it as I had no periods and I didn’t have to think about taking a pill every day.

Evening Primrose Oil helps my PMT. I’d never go on hormonal contraception again.

Exactly the same for me. Still have bad PMS without the pill or Mirena but wirh them it was more like I was always in a state of mental PMS. I need to try primrose oil. Will any do or should I look out for a specific brand?

 

[Catherinez]

I was on the combined pill for about six years, had to try several different types, the first one I was on really messed up my mental health, I’m now on the progesterone only pill as the combined pill ended up giving me blood clots in my lungs last year so I’m not even allowed back on that sort of contraception again, funnily enough I used to suffer with migraines too, I was allowed to carry on with the combined pill because I didn’t have the vision problems with migraines, but so far, since coming off the combined pill over a year ago I haven’t had any migraines.

 

[Wingingmotherhood]

Exactly the same for me. Still have bad PMS without the pill or Mirena but wirh them it was more like I was always in a state of mental PMS. I need to try primrose oil. Will any do or should I look out for a specific brand?

I just use boots own brand xx

 

[lexle]

I was on microgynon for 4 years before I had my son and then I went back on it for another 5. No side effects at all, my periods were light/medium flow and never had any pain with them

 

[Lulu Goss]

I’ve been on microgynon for 7 years now. The first few months took a little bit of adjusting in terms of mood swings but since then I haven’t noticed anything different at all.

I always had really heavy painful periods. Since taking the pill, my periods normally only last for 3/4 days - one heavy day and the rest very light bleeding. It’s so much more manageable. I used to have a whole week of feeling crap but now I know it’ll just be the one day and the other days I feel fine!

It’s also nice to be able to control it a bit more too, for example if you’re going on holiday you can skip your break and not have a bleed.

 

[HoneyBee29]

I was on the pill for 9 years and had no major issues with it while I was on it but I did notice after I came off it that my mood was a lot better. I would fall into moody/depressive episodes every few weeks and I did speak to the doctor at one point and they didn’t think it was the pill causing it but now I’m off it I’m convinced it was. Just be careful which one the dr puts you on microgynon is prone to giving people depression. My sister had to come off it cause it was giving her depression but if your already on anti depressants they will probably start you on a different one

 

[cholulamare]

I was on the pill for 9 years and had no major issues with it while I was on it but I did notice after I came off it that my mood was a lot better. I would fall into moody/depressive episodes every few weeks and I did speak to the doctor at one point and they didn’t think it was the pill causing it but now I’m off it I’m convinced it was. Just be careful which one the dr puts you on microgynon is prone to giving people depression. My sister had to come off it cause it was giving her depression but if your already on anti depressants they will probably start you on a different one

Which one were you on for 9 years, if you don't mind me asking? Microgynon?

 

[HoneyBee29]

Which one were you on for 9 years, if you don't mind me asking? Microgynon?

Yes I was on Microgynon

 

[Sosig]

I’ve been on probably every pill in my late teens/early 20s and not one of them agreed with me.

I used to cry every single day without fail, sometimes it would be for ridiculous reasons like it started raining when I left the house and other times I’d genuinely not feel able to start my day without a whinge