Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Thomas Roberts9 said:They suspect something similar in my case too; depending on the report, they call it a heart murmur or mitral valve prolapse... and my doctor mentioned it's quite common in younger people. However, I can't quite wrap my head around why the symptoms seem to vanish, or become so faint, when I skip my medication, yet once I take them, I get this stabbing sensation that forces me to take shallow breaths because any deep inhale triggers it again... it lasts maybe 30 to 90 seconds before things settle back to normal, which is honestly such an uncomfortable way to feel 😢.

Anyway, I spoke with the gynecologist's nurse, and she advised me to keep taking the pills and to come by for my referral in the next few days.

Same exact thing happens to me.

I gotta say, even though I've known about my heart condition since I was a kid (congenital defect), my gynecologist didn't see it as a reason to skip the pill. So, I was on birth control for about a year (eventually stopped due to other issues—my bilirubin and liver tests went south, so I had to quit)

BUT, and I mean this, the stabbing didn't happen more often while I was actually on the pills. Like, I still get that sharp pain today, even though I haven't touched the pills in ages.

Since yours only shows up while you're on them, as you mentioned, that's weird to me. Whether that pain is linked to the heart prolapse, the pills, or something else entirely? I guess we can't really know. Best bet is probably just getting some tests done to figure out what's actually going on.

Well, it’s true that they don't reach out all that often—maybe once a month or even just once every couple of months—but naturally, it still matters to me.
Thank you so much for all the information provided. I honestly can't say for certain how soon I'll be able to squeeze in an appointment with a cardiologist—given how impossible it is to get a slot these days—but I am definitely heading to my gynecologist. Following the advice shared by Hannah Ward11, I’ll make sure to insist that they re-examine my vitamin K levels, vaginal swab results, and platelet counts, along with everything else relevant to those tests. It might not be directly related, I suppose, but one can never really be too careful, can they?

So, here’s the situation
Up until now, nothing has happened, even though I’ve been on these pills for quite a while.
I actually have one extra pack left over—meaning I either missed a day or just started my next cycle a day later than planned.
I haven't exactly been following the schedule strictly; I’ve been taking them somewhat irregularly rather than following the daily sequence. I set alarms on my phone and everything, but somehow, I completely missed one day without realizing it.
Well, it is what it is. I’m just hoping I didn't miss a day during that critical first week. :S
Anyway, I’m supposed to finish the last one this Saturday. Since I have that extra pack lying around, should I take it now or just leave it? :S

hmm, according to the info on Triquilar, I can actually take 2 tablets at once.. Honestly, I’d probably just go for it...

Jeffrey Walker3 said:hmm, according to the info on Triquilar, I can actually take 2 tablets at once.. Honestly, I’d probably just go for it...

Honestly, I have no idea when I actually missed a pill. It feels strange because I skipped one day and didn't even realize it happened until now.

What I really need to know is whether I should take this last one or not. :S

Since my period usually starts on Saturday, I don't want to mess up my cycle or anything. :S

Honestly, I’d probably just double up... but who knows what your pills are actually saying!
I already mentioned earlier that I realized I missed one right in the middle of my cycle—honestly, I can't even remember which one. So, I just took two that day: one a bit early and the other at the usual time. That was back in week two. My period showed up totally normal afterward, just like always!

My dearest ladies, how on earth are you all navigating this particular struggle?
I’ve been taking oral contraceptives to manage some issues with acne and irregular cycles. In the beginning, everything seemed perfectly fine, but it has now been a full year since I started the regimen. The trouble is that my libido has steadily ebbed away over time, and now it has effectively hit zero. Mentally, the desire is still there—I can feel the impulse in my mind—but when the moment actually arrives, I find myself instinctively trying to avoid it at all costs.
On top of that, I’m dealing with intense vaginal dryness, which makes intimacy quite painful, and that only serves to further kill any lingering interest in sex. We have tried using various lubricants, but they haven't made much of a difference in alleviating the discomfort.
I honestly feel at a loss as to what else I can possibly do. 😠

Keith Thomas21 said:My dearest ladies, how on earth are you all navigating this particular struggle?
I’ve been taking oral contraceptives to manage some issues with acne and irregular cycles. In the beginning, everything seemed perfectly fine, but it has now been a full year since I started the regimen. The trouble is that my libido has steadily ebbed away over time, and now it has effectively hit zero. Mentally, the desire is still there—I can feel the impulse in my mind—but when the moment actually arrives, I find myself instinctively trying to avoid it at all costs.
On top of that, I’m dealing with intense vaginal dryness, which makes intimacy quite painful, and that only serves to further kill any lingering interest in sex. We have tried using various lubricants, but they haven't made much of a difference in alleviating the discomfort.
I honestly feel at a loss as to what else I can possibly do. 😠

Maybe try switching brands? Perhaps something with a lower dosage would work better. I’ve dealt with the exact same thing—Yasmin works okay for me, but Cilest was a total disaster. I'm starting a cycle of Qlaira this month, so fingers crossed for some improvement...

Hey, I’ve been taking Novynette pills and everything seems fine, except my breasts are hurting 😁
I've been on them for 10 days now, so I'm wondering why my breasts ache?
I mean, this really doesn't feel normal to me 😁

I’m hoping this question doesn't come across as foolish, but do you all practice internal ejaculation while you're on birth control?

I'm planning to get back on the pill, and looking back to when I was with my ex, he never used to finish inside me. My new boyfriend has that desire, and I know it's something almost everyone does, but I’m still feeling a bit apprehensive. When you're using a condom, at least there's visual confirmation that nothing happened (in a best-case scenario 😬), but with him, there's no way to be certain. I am extremely disciplined with my medication and have never missed a dose, so theoretically, there shouldn't be any cause for concern; however, I can't shake the memory of what happened to my friend. Even though she was on the pill, her gynecologist confirmed she had actually ovulated 😱.

Yeah, that's exactly why I use them 😁

And those exceptions? Honestly, I'm speechless 🤷 I've only ever forgotten my pill twice in two whole years, and even then, it was over 12 hours later, so we just stuck to condoms for that cycle. That's literally it...
Plus, my friend is on the pill too, and I know they don't bother with condoms anymore because of that...

For Thomas Roberts9:

This might sound a bit ridiculous—but those are textbook symptoms of panic attacks. I deal with this myself; even when I’m completely calm and fully aware of what’s happening, I still feel this intense pain and crushing pressure in my chest. To be clear, I’ve already been to the cardiologist and everything came back fine. I’ve also noticed these symptoms ramp up significantly during PMS—it gets pretty intense. If you're experiencing something similar, please don't think you're "breaking" or losing your mind—it’s just your body reacting to the daily accumulation of stress... it reaches a breaking point. So, definitely look into that possibility. I really hope you start feeling better soon...

rowdyhawk27 said:So, here’s the situation
Up until now, nothing has happened, even though I’ve been on these pills for quite a while.
I actually have one extra pack left over—meaning I either missed a day or just started my next cycle a day later than planned.
I haven't exactly been following the schedule strictly; I’ve been taking them somewhat irregularly rather than following the daily sequence. I set alarms on my phone and everything, but somehow, I completely missed one day without realizing it.
Well, it is what it is. I’m just hoping I didn't miss a day during that critical first week. :S
Anyway, I’m supposed to finish the last one this Saturday. Since I have that extra pack lying around, should I take it now or just leave it? :S

I wouldn't take it if I were you... it would be one thing if you had actually missed a pill yesterday and were trying to "make up" for it today, but taking an extra pill just because you have one left over doesn't make much sense. It’s happened to me quite often where I've skipped a dose, and I would never double up because I feel like that's just too much hormone to hit your system all at once; besides, if you already missed a pill, taking that "extra" one later won't actually compensate for what you missed yesterday or a few days ago..

Keith Thomas21 said:My dearest ladies, how on earth are you all navigating this particular struggle?
I’ve been taking oral contraceptives to manage some issues with acne and irregular cycles. In the beginning, everything seemed perfectly fine, but it has now been a full year since I started the regimen. The trouble is that my libido has steadily ebbed away over time, and now it has effectively hit zero. Mentally, the desire is still there—I can feel the impulse in my mind—but when the moment actually arrives, I find myself instinctively trying to avoid it at all costs.
On top of that, I’m dealing with intense vaginal dryness, which makes intimacy quite painful, and that only serves to further kill any lingering interest in sex. We have tried using various lubricants, but they haven't made much of a difference in alleviating the discomfort.
I honestly feel at a loss as to what else I can possibly do. 😠

Switch your pills!
I went through the exact same thing. One specific brand really did a number on me! Eventually, I went back to the one that worked perfectly for years, though I had originally switched because the other option was so much cheaper. It helped a little, but not enough. Then, after taking a two-month break, I started a different brand, and everything finally felt normal again..

Jeremy Kern32 said:For Thomas Roberts9:

This might sound a bit ridiculous—but those are textbook symptoms of panic attacks. I deal with this myself; even when I’m completely calm and fully aware of what’s happening, I still feel this intense pain and crushing pressure in my chest. To be clear, I’ve already been to the cardiologist and everything came back fine. I’ve also noticed these symptoms ramp up significantly during PMS—it gets pretty intense. If you're experiencing something similar, please don't think you're "breaking" or losing your mind—it’s just your body reacting to the daily accumulation of stress... it reaches a breaking point. So, definitely look into that possibility. I really hope you start feeling better soon...

Thanks for the advice, but I don't think that's quite it. My summer was incredibly stressful and I didn't have any issues then, yet now that things have finally settled down and I've started taking birth control pills, this problem has surfaced. So, I don't believe it's that, and I don't really suffer from panic attacks—I'd know if I were having one. 🙂 I do get anxious in certain situations, but my anxiety usually manifests through my digestive system rather than cardiovascular issues. 😛 Plus, as I mentioned before, I have a minor deformity in my heart valve, so I know it's related to that, though I can't figure out why the medication is making it worse...

Since we're on the subject, I did go see a doctor. My blood work looks okay, though my cholesterol is a little high again, and the doctor actually suggested I stop taking the pills altogether. I wasn't exactly thrilled about that suggestion because I know my acne will return and my skin will suffer, but I suppose I don't have much of a choice... 😢

Jeremy Kern32 said:For Thomas Roberts9:

This might sound a bit ridiculous—but those are textbook symptoms of panic attacks. I deal with this myself; even when I’m completely calm and fully aware of what’s happening, I still feel this intense pain and crushing pressure in my chest. To be clear, I’ve already been to the cardiologist and everything came back fine. I’ve also noticed these symptoms ramp up significantly during PMS—it gets pretty intense. If you're experiencing something similar, please don't think you're "breaking" or losing your mind—it’s just your body reacting to the daily accumulation of stress... it reaches a breaking point. So, definitely look into that possibility. I really hope you start feeling better soon...

She’d only have a panic attack when she was on the pills anyway. Even without them, she’d still be feeling that stinging sensation.

Thomas Roberts9 is just sitting there. No context. Just a name. What’s the play here? [User] says:
Feeling pretty down now that I’ve finally taken over this thread—was stuck at the doctor's office for a while.Blood is fine. The levels went up slightly again, but he basically told me to stop asking about them. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled. I know my skin is going to break out and get all greasy again, but whatever. It is what it is. 😢

Maybe your face will calm down too. My daughter has been dealing with nasty acne issues herself. She ended up on birth control because of it, but she had to stop taking them after years of use due to some vascular problems. Her skin looks fine now, though. Whether it stays that way, who knows? But her face has been clear for a few months already.

melloworca6 said:She’d only have a panic attack when she was on the pills anyway. Even without them, she’d still be feeling that stinging sensation.

Thomas Roberts9 is just sitting there. No context. Just a name. What’s the play here? [User] says:
Feeling pretty down now that I’ve finally taken over this thread—was stuck at the doctor's office for a while.Blood is fine. The levels went up slightly again, but he basically told me to stop asking about them. Honestly, I wasn't thrilled. I know my skin is going to break out and get all greasy again, but whatever. It is what it is. 😢

Maybe your face will calm down too. My daughter has been dealing with nasty acne issues herself. She ended up on birth control because of it, but she had to stop taking them after years of use due to some vascular problems. Her skin looks fine now, though. Whether it stays that way, who knows? But her face has been clear for a few months already.

I really held onto that hope myself, but after I stopped my medication back in February, my skin just completely fell apart through August, with new breakouts appearing almost daily.🙂 Then, about two months ago, I started the pills again, but now I'm facing the same dilemma of having to quit them for the same reasons... plus, I have seborrheic dermatitis, which seems much more manageable when I'm on the medication. So, I suppose I'll have to focus on my diet and try to cut out sweets; even though I don't eat anything particularly greasy or heavily spiced, I've always had a bit of a weakness for chocolate. Who knows, though—maybe things will stabilize by the time I hit thirty, much like what happened with my little sister, who saw everything clear up once she entered her thirties.

I know this isn't quite the main topic, but I truly wish you all the absolute best in this coming 2011, especially regarding your health and hopefully with far fewer headaches.👍

Please don't judge me for asking such a superficial question, but which specific pills actually caused your breasts to "grow"?
Personally, I’m as flat as a board. When I was on Yaz, my bust size went up by a full cup, which, admittedly, I absolutely loved. However, Yaz also caused me to pack on five pounds, all of it concentrated as cellulite 😢. I didn't initially believe the weight gain was linked to the medication, but the moment I stopped taking it, the pounds started dropping off and the cellulite completely vanished... so, there you have it.

Two quick questions:

Regarding weight gain from the pill—does it happen because the medication spikes your appetite and you end up eating more, or do the hormones themselves cause direct weight gain?

Second thing, I’m planning to go get my birth control prescription this Monday. It’s my first time, and I don't want to wait until next month, but there's a chance my period might actually start this Monday. Will my gynecologist be willing to write a prescription without an exam if I happen to be on my period? From what I've read, you usually start taking them on the first day of your cycle. I’ll bring my blood work results, and I'll ask the doctor about any other requirements when I go in for the referral.

I’m going to post this here—even though I know there’s already an open thread about Diane 35.

I was taking them for about a year straight. I finally stopped at the end of November, and my period came back totally normal right after I quit—but now, this current cycle without any pills, my period just isn't showing up. It was supposed to arrive on December 21st; if I had just kept messing around with the pills, I probably would have gotten it by then. At that time, I was dealing with some pretty intense PMS symptoms, but nothing regarding the actual period itself. I actually went in for an ultrasound on December 29th, and they told me both ovaries look clear—they basically said the period will come, just not anytime soon.

How late has yours been, and how much of a delay is considered normal?