Birth control and libido

The label on my pills mentions that they might either boost or tank your libido. So, I guess we'll see how lucky anyone gets. Unfortunately, mine has basically withered away to the level of a houseplant.

I’ve cycled through Triquilar, then Logest, and then Yasmin. Once my period finally disappeared, I realized Yasmin just wasn't doing it for me—it felt like it was wrecking my ovaries—so I switched over to Trinovum, where one pack only comes with $4.75. I’m totally new to this forum, but this whole thread about losing your libido really caught my eye because I’m dealing with the exact same thing. I’ve been with my boyfriend for four years now, and during that time, I’ve rotated through three different types of birth control. He’s constantly begging me to stop taking them for the sake of my health, but honestly, I’m not a fan of condoms as an option.

There are two main reasons for that—I hate how they feel and I don't trust them. But right now, my sex life is basically non-existent, whereas it absolutely skyrockets during the window when I'm off the pill waiting for my period. What's the deal with those patches people were mentioning? Do they actually work just as well as standard pills?

I’m pretty sure my period vanished just because of Yasmina 🤔

p.s. patches work exactly the same way as pills

brightbear said:your period disappeared because of Yasmin🤔

p.s. patches work just like pills

They don't work the same way. Patches and vaginal rings act locally by releasing hormones, which means fewer side effects. The only catch is that patches aren't recommended for anyone with vascular issues, like thrombosis or similar conditions.

I’m dealing with a similar issue to *zodiac*, so rather than starting a whole new thread, I figured I’d jump in here and see if anyone can offer some insight.

To give you the breakdown: my main struggle is a significantly low libido (which seems unrelated to my birth control) and painful intercourse whenever we actually do try.

Since I started being sexually active, I’ve been on oral contraceptives.
At first, it was... let me think... I believe they were called Trinovum... those didn't sit right with me. Then I switched to Triquilar, which also wasn't a great fit, then Celeste... then Logest... (all under a doctor's supervision, of course), until eventually, I landed on Yasmin.
Yasmin seemed to work for me (or maybe it still does?!).

But the core issue remains: that extremely low drive.
Because of this, I went to see my gynecologist. Her initial advice was just to relax, manage my stress levels, and maybe watch a movie with my partner to get in the mood... all while staying on Yasmin.
My partner and I tried watching movies and various adult content, and I did my absolute best to unwind... but nothing happened.
The desire just isn't there, and even when he tries to stimulate me, my body doesn't respond—I can't achieve any natural lubrication.
So, back to the gynecologist, who suggested using a lubricant this time. We’ve practically tried every brand on the market. They help a little, sure, but the actual act is still painful.

Naturally, that meant another doctor's visit... and this time, she advised me to stop taking Yasmin altogether.
It’s been... well, about a year now, but nothing has changed. (I’m not currently on Yasmin or any other form of contraception—since, uh, well, I don't really need it at the moment... cough, cough...)

I truly love my partner; he's the one person I can see myself growing old with (I know that sounds a bit sentimental, but it's the truth). So, I don't think the issue lies with our connection.

But because of how I am right now, our relationship is suffering. As understanding as he is, I’m genuinely afraid he won't be able to deal with this situation much longer.

Sorry for such a long post... I just wanted to provide as much context as possible.

Ultimately, my question is: has anyone else here dealt with something like this? And if so, how did you fix it?

My gynecologist actually advised me that if you notice a drop in your libido, it serves as a built-in signal from your body that it’s time to take a break. I had been taking them consistently for two years straight, but about a week ago, I decided to stop because my sex drive had completely bottomed out. I've been on a hiatus for about six months now.

I went through this exact same situation once before, and my solution was to step away from them again. During that previous break, everything seemed to normalize and improve, yet here I am, two years after restarting the pills, facing the same frustrating pattern all over again.

So, I have a question. A friend gave me some birth control pills, and I ended up taking four of them. She told me they might just cause a little bit of nausea and that's about it—that they don't actually cause bleeding, but instead, they just terminate the pregnancy. Is that even possible? I’m feeling a little uneasy about the whole thing, though I’d like to think she wasn't lying to me. I know a few people who use those pills and they didn't experience any bleeding and didn't get pregnant either. The pills are a dark yellow color, almost like a brownish shade? Thanks.

gentlesurfer72 said:I have a question. A friend gave me some birth control pills and I took four of them. She told me they might just cause a little nausea and that instead of bleeding, they simply prevent a pregnancy from developing... Is that actually possible? I'm feeling a bit anxious, though I know she wouldn't lie to me; several of her friends use these pills and didn't bleed or get pregnant either. The tablets are a dark yellow color. Thanks!

What was your intention behind taking them—were you using them for regular contraception or as emergency contraception?

restlesstiger102 said:My OB-GYN told me that when your libido takes a hit, it’s basically your body’s way of signaling that it's time for a break. I had been on them for two years straight, and about a week before I finally stopped, my sex drive just completely tanked. So, I've been taking a break for six months now.

I went through the exact same thing once before, so I decided to take a hiatus then too. Everything improved during that break, and now that I've been back on the pill for two years, I'm facing the same issue again.

I decided to step away from them. I haven't taken any pills for nearly a year—ten months, to be precise.
I've scheduled a follow-up appointment with my doctor to see what their take is this time around...

As for my sex drive? I'm still waiting for it like I'm waiting for 😉Godot
.

gentlesurfer72 said:I have a question. A friend gave me some birth control pills and I took four of them. She told me they might just cause a little nausea and that they won't cause bleeding, but instead, they just stop a pregnancy from developing... Is that actually possible? I'm a bit worried, though I know she wasn't lying to me; some of her friends use those pills and didn't bleed or get pregnant. The pills are dark yellow. Thanks.

Honey, I’m not entirely sure what your goal was with those pills, but if you were trying to use them as an "emergency contraceptive," you really need to see a gynecologist. Taking that massive dose of hormones all at once without medical supervision isn't safe—the side effects can be quite intense.
(P.S. — An emergency contraceptive only works effectively if taken within 24, or at most 48 hours, after unprotected sex. The sooner you take it, the better the chances it will work.)

If you are looking to use them for regular birth control, I’d advise seeing a doctor again so they can prescribe the specific brand that works best for your body.
You don't necessarily need a full exam if you aren't comfortable, though I highly recommend it if you are sexually active (especially if you aren't using condoms). It's enough to just visit your OB-GYN, tell them you want to start contraception, and they'll likely send you for blood work. Once they have those results, they can pick the right option for you.
Don't let fear or embarrassment hold you back... please look after yourself. You're young!

I was on birth control for about a year and a half. I tried Yasmin, which was okay, but Logest? That was a total disaster for me. My libido completely vanished, and honestly, sex became painful. About a month ago, I finally decided to stop taking them altogether. And let me tell you, I finally had intimacy without that look of pain on my face! 🎉 🙂

It’s back! 😍 🙂

Of course, I stopped taking the pills 🙄

I have experienced this exact same cycle before; back when I finally decided to stop taking them, everything returned to normal eventually. It has become a predictable pattern for me where, roughly every two years, my libido takes a noticeable hit due to being on the pill. Since it has already been two years since I last stopped, I simply decided to discontinue my medication this month. I cannot claim to feel any tangible results from stopping just yet—it is far too early to tell—but I am quite confident that within about two months, everything will be back to its natural state as it was before.

I can feel it... and honestly, it happened so much faster than I expected. I really thought it would take at least two or three months to kick in...

It has probably only been about a week since I stopped taking them, so there is absolutely no way I could feel any significant changes just yet.🤣
Someone mentioned in a previous thread that they couldn't even engage in intercourse because their libido had completely vanished... though, to be fair, I suppose I could still physically manage😬—meaning things like maintaining enough lubrication and such.

In my experience, the issue was strictly a matter of interest. For instance, if a partner tries to be intimate, my reaction is essentially just, "Oh, please leave me alone," and so on. It would take much longer for me to actually feel any sense of desire. However, once I actually became interested, the physical sensation would be😍
.
I also found that I had zero desire to initiate intimacy myself. To put it plainly, sex felt rather underwhelming; the mere thought of it didn't hold any significance for me. Even though I would reach climax if we actually proceeded with the act, it's still a struggle because a partner begins to feel rejected when they realize you simply aren't interested.

I am planning to take a six-month break from medication, and quite honestly, I am praying that I don't end up pregnant. I refuse to use condoms,😬 so I am actually feeling quite relieved right now that I am in a long-distance relationship.🤣

Honestly, I feel a little better knowing I’m not the only one dealing with this... It feels kind of pointless to be on birth control when—let's be real—what's the point if you don't even have the drive to get laid in the first place?

I don't know... I was on Yasmin before and just wasn't feeling it at all. I took a break for a bit and everything seemed fine, then I started taking Triquilar and it's the exact same story. Plus, I have this massive fear of getting pregnant, so I rarely feel like I can actually relax during sex. I didn't really have that issue while on the pill, but now...

What do you guys think I should do?? 🙂

Elizabeth Davis said:Honestly, I feel a little less alone after reading this... I find taking the pill completely pointless because—what’s the point of having the physical ability to have sex whenever you want if you technically never actually want to?

I don't know... I was on Yasmin... I wasn't exactly feeling turned on... I took a break for a while and everything seemed fine... then I started Triquilar... and it's the exact same story. I have this constant, paralyzing fear of getting pregnant, so I can almost never truly relax during sex. I didn't deal with that specific anxiety when I was on the pill, but now...

What should I do?? 🙂

Condoms?

Susan Hernandez51 said:condoms?

Look, I already said I can't really relax unless I'm on the pill... maybe I've gone without a condom once or twice, but that was... well, only if there was a *really*, really, REALLY good reason for it. Plus, back then I was just some kid head-over-heels in love, you know? I'm not exactly a child anymore, though I am definitely smarter about this stuff now... 🙄

I’ve been struggling with my libido lately... and honestly, I haven't tried fixing it with medication until now. I just assumed this was what happens after being in a long-term relationship for years... turns out, it’s actually the birth control. My biggest fear is getting pregnant, which is why I take the pill, but it’s absolutely killing my sex life.
Well, obviously the pill protects you from pregnancy -> by making sure you DON'T have sex because your drive is totally gone.. 🙂 It’s pretty easy to stay from getting pregnant when you aren't even interested! 🙂

It’s definitely the birth control. That was my experience with both Yaz and Loestrin—it’s honestly awful when your libido just completely vanishes. Once I realized Yaz was the culprit, I ditched it immediately for Loestrin, but the same thing happened all over again... so I spent a few months wondering if I should just quit everything to see if it was actually the pills. I stopped taking them, and within two weeks, 😁

I don't know how it could come back that fast 😕 But I wasn't kidding, it definitely came back 🙏