Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Chloe Gray5 said:When the hormone dose is too low, your cycle just can't regulate itself properly—that's why you get that breakthrough bleeding. As for protection, though, you should be fine. No need for extra backup.

If you want something stronger, look into Lindynette 30 instead of the 20. That should help get your cycle back on track—plus, they're pretty affordable $11 since you can pick them up with your insurance supplement.

I was on Yaz for two years and it just wasn't for me for a bunch of reasons—one being that annoying bleeding—but I've been on Lindynette 30 for about six months now and I feel way better.

I think I should probably start up on Lindynette 20 again, but they cost me $60 and I don't have any insurance coverage right now.😕

Here’s my deal:
I was on them for about a year and a half, and for the most part, things were totally fine,
but then I stopped taking them two months ago because I lost my prescription (now I’m just doing
a break before heading in to get my bloodwork and everything else checked)
only now my hormones have gone absolutely haywire. I’ve broken out in these nasty pimples—not just on my face, but all over my body,
it’s honestly gross. I'm wondering how many of you guys deal with symptoms like this and how you handle it? I mean, I’ve heard this happens all the time, but I am so done suffering through this. I actually caught myself thinking about just starting back up on my own since I stupidly found my old prescription in the meantime. How smart is that move? Or should I just wait to hear what my doctor says? :/

When should I actually consider taking a "pill break" if I've been on them for a long time? I'm currently using Cilest and honestly, I couldn't be happier with how it's working for me. Thanks! 🙂

That phase doesn't work. It’s a relic from when pills were actually "stronger." Honestly, some doctors still push it today. But for most people, that break serves absolutely no purpose other than giving you a positive pregnancy test. You end up cycling through three weeks on and one week off, right? It's pointless. You don't need a break unless there's a legitimate medical reason to stop—like an upcoming surgery or if bloodwork shows something needs attention. Doing it just to "cleanse" the system? No.

swiftpanther11 said:Here’s my deal:
I was on them for about a year and a half, and for the most part, things were totally fine,
but then I stopped taking them two months ago because I lost my prescription (now I’m just doing
a break before heading in to get my bloodwork and everything else checked)
only now my hormones have gone absolutely haywire. I’ve broken out in these nasty pimples—not just on my face, but all over my body,
it’s honestly gross. I'm wondering how many of you guys deal with symptoms like this and how you handle it? I mean, I’ve heard this happens all the time, but I am so done suffering through this. I actually caught myself thinking about just starting back up on my own since I stupidly found my old prescription in the meantime. How smart is that move? Or should I just wait to hear what my doctor says? :/

That hasn't happened to me, but man, that sounds miserable.. 😢
Whatever the case, please just head to the OBGYN as soon as you can. Don't try to DIY this—honestly, I wouldn't—I tend to be a bit paranoid and super cautious about this kind of stuff, so I definitely wouldn't dare make a move without checking first... If you can't make it in for an appointment right away, maybe try calling her to explain what's going on, though I think an actual exam would be better—plus, she can send you straight to get those labs done immediately.

So, I finally kicked the Logest habit after two years... But here’s the thing I totally blanked on asking my OB-GYN: do these pills actually hang around and keep working for a bit after you stop taking them, or does the protection just vanish the second that last pill goes down? Like, am I still covered for maybe a month or something, or am I basically playing Russian roulette immediately?

Technically, you’re still protected for just a few days after finishing your pack—maybe three or four. Your body doesn't realize you're stopping the pills yet. So, if you have sex on day seven, for instance, your body won't be able to block an ovulation that might happen in two days because you haven't started the next pack. I hope that makes sense. Generally speaking, fertility can actually spike during the first month. You might experience multiple ovulations, and you really shouldn't rely on tracking fertile windows until you see how your cycles settle in and whether they stay regular.

swiftpanther11 said:Here’s my deal:
I was on them for about a year and a half, and for the most part, things were totally fine,
but then I stopped taking them two months ago because I lost my prescription (now I’m just doing
a break before heading in to get my bloodwork and everything else checked)
only now my hormones have gone absolutely haywire. I’ve broken out in these nasty pimples—not just on my face, but all over my body,
it’s honestly gross. I'm wondering how many of you guys deal with symptoms like this and how you handle it? I mean, I’ve heard this happens all the time, but I am so done suffering through this. I actually caught myself thinking about just starting back up on my own since I stupidly found my old prescription in the meantime. How smart is that move? Or should I just wait to hear what my doctor says? :/

Look, if you didn't have issues during that first year and a half, you probably won't once you restart. Plus, honestly, your doctor will likely just tell you to try them again and see how you react.
What you're feeling is totally standard—that's why they don't really recommend taking breaks for short periods.

Lisa Myers said:That phase doesn't work. It’s a relic from when pills were actually "stronger." Honestly, some doctors still push it today. But for most people, that break serves absolutely no purpose other than giving you a positive pregnancy test. You end up cycling through three weeks on and one week off, right? It's pointless. You don't need a break unless there's a legitimate medical reason to stop—like an upcoming surgery or if bloodwork shows something needs attention. Doing it just to "cleanse" the system? No.

Even during that week off, hormone levels stay elevated—so it’s not really a "break" in the way people think, since you aren't seeing those massive swings you'd get if, say, you stopped taking them for an entire month.

Just wanted to clear that up so there's no confusion—she's still protected during that week without pills, provided she gets right back on her regular schedule after. 🙂

Lisa Myers said:Technically, you’re still protected for just a few days after finishing your pack—maybe three or four. Your body doesn't realize you're stopping the pills yet. So, if you have sex on day seven, for instance, your body won't be able to block an ovulation that might happen in two days because you haven't started the next pack. I hope that makes sense. Generally speaking, fertility can actually spike during the first month. You might experience multiple ovulations, and you really shouldn't rely on tracking fertile windows until you see how your cycles settle in and whether they stay regular.

Yeah, I knew that, I just wasn't entirely sure what the situation would look like once I stopped taking it. Thanks.🙂

I really need some advice here! I’m currently in a heated argument with my boyfriend because he’s totally against me taking my medication. Out of nowhere, he started going on about how it could lead to infertility or even cause us to have a sick baby. Isn't that a bit much? I feel like he’s completely overreacting, and I honestly don't know how to explain to him that so many women in America take these types of pills every single day. 😢

Is he going to use a condom if you aren't on the pill? If he won't, you know exactly what we're going to tell you, right?

restlessseal5 said:Yeah, I knew that, I just wasn't entirely sure what the situation would look like once I stopped taking it. Thanks.🙂

No worries.

Can we please stop pushing birth control pills like they’re some kind of holy grail? Everyone knows those things are basically poison—they should be used as medicine when actually needed, not just tossed around as a daily contraceptive.
Big Pharma is straight-up profiting off us by poisoning everyone with stuff we don't even need—pill edition. They keep dropping "new and improved" versions on the market constantly, but let's be real: none of this is properly tested. It’s all a scam. Even professors at top universities tell their students this behind closed doors, and people act shocked! Yeah, drugs are tested on tiny little groups, and then the pharmaceutical giants claim the "real test" is just seeing how the market reacts and tracking side effects after the fact. Basically, we're all just lab rats in this game.

Just take a look at the comments on these contraceptive pill threads

These are actual stories from women who were using different brands under medical supervision and strict oversight. For so many of them, their health and lives were totally wrecked—and for what? Just to have a little more sex?

Honestly, the risk of a condom breaking or an unplanned pregnancy is way lower than the risk of cancer, strokes, heart issues, blood clots, varicose veins, infertility, or PCOS. Seriously, read what these women went through. Some felt fine before the pills and then everything tanked; others nearly died; and some felt okay while taking them, only to face the damage years later.

Look, I know you guys are pretty militant about this and you're probably gonna come for me, but you gotta look at the truth. What kind of "medicine" is something you have to take every single day for years? Would you go through chemo if you didn't have a tumor? Would you take blood pressure meds if your pressure was perfectly normal? Why poison yourself if you're healthy? There are plenty of other ways to handle things, like changing your diet or using herbal supplements.

Preventing pregnancy isn't a good enough reason to wreck your body. If you're more terrified of cancer or blood clots than an accidental pregnancy, just use condoms, track your fertile days, or abstain. Anything is better than what you're doing to yourselves. The worst part? You actually trust gynecologists who couldn't care less about you or your health. They feed you pills like livestock being prepped for slaughter, and you just take it and act proud of it. Once you've destroyed your health, don't come crying to me.

Hey, what’s up—just hanging out. Hope everyone’s having a good one! kaže:
Can we please chill with the militant promotion of the pill? Everyone knows those things are basically poison—they should only be used for medical reasons, not just tossed around as a primary contraceptive.

I know you guys are all trigger-happy and ready to come for me—but seriously, just look at the facts.
You guys are out here swallowing these pills like cattle headed for the slaughter—just taking them without a word and acting all proud about it. Just wait until your health hits rock bottom; you’ll be the first ones whining about it.

I'm not out here attacking anyone—just responding so there’s no confusion, since I'm clearly being such a militant about this. 😁.
Look, Svatko’s entitled to his take—but honestly, women who opt for birth control pills have usually done their homework. It’s not like some doctor just hands them out like candy without a ton of tests and follow-up checkups first.

John Thomas2 isn't out here pushing an agenda—and from what I can see, this thread is strictly for advice on birth control pills, not a debate on whether they’re good or bad. If you want to get into the whole "for or against" thing, there's probably another thread somewhere for that, so maybe take it over there.

Maybe brightranger28 has a point here. A lot of women have dealt with side effects from birth control, sure, but at the end of the day, nobody’s forcing anyone to take them. Like, if a doctor prescribes them to a healthy woman who doesn't actually want them, she can just... not take them. It's not like the doc is gonna show up at her house every morning to make sure she swallows them. 😁

Birth control is basically like any other medication—there's risk involved. But most women taking them are doing so with their eyes pretty much open. If they didn't bother reading the fine print, checking forums, or actually asking their OB-GYN, you can't really blame the doctors (or Big Pharma) for "poisoning" them.

Everyone has their own reasons for being on them or staying off. Personally, I’d never touch them unless I had to because of my PCOS; they don't really sit well with me, but they might be worth it for someone else. 🤷
On the flip side, I’m definitely not judging girls who use them just for acne or protection. If it works for them, who am I to play judge and jury? 🙂

I think we just need to be realistic—which, honestly, most posts on this forum are—and stay aware of what might happen. For every pill out there, there’s a whole thread dedicated to it where people share the bad stuff and the good stuff in equal measure. Everyone has to weigh the pros and cons for themselves, and that's that. 🙂

Hey ladies, has anyone here actually found a tea, a tincture, or some kind of supplement that actually worked to smooth out the hormonal rollercoaster after coming off the pill? 🙂
For me, my last time quitting was basically like being stuck on a damn carnival ride—just non-stop ups and downs.

Honestly, I'm pretty curious about this too 🙂

I actually stopped taking birth control pills about two months ago, and I’m planning to start using herbal teas and drops in the next few days. That said, there's a whole conversation surrounding this topic—though I'm not entirely sure if it's the right place to bring it up here.

Hey cure, has anyone else dealt with gum issues ever since starting the pill? For the last month, I’ve been feeling this constant burning and throbbing in my gums—something I’ve never had to deal with before. It’ll settle down for maybe two or three days, and then boom, it’s right back again. I actually went to the dentist about two and a half months ago and everything checked out perfectly fine. I was reading online that hormone imbalances from birth control can sometimes mess with your gums, but when I looked at the official pamphlet for my prescription, they didn't mention anything about this symptom. Maybe it’s just one of those super rare side effects they don't bother listing??