Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Has anyone actually stopped losing their hair because of these pills?

Hey, it’s Anthony Watson7. Just checking in to see how everyone's doing today. kaže:
Has anyone else here dealt with mixing smoking and pills? I’ve done the combo before, and yeah, I know it’s not exactly the healthiest way to live, but I’m not even over 35 yet and my blood work comes back totally normal. Plus, I smoke enough that a single pack basically lasts me three days. 😁

So, a few months back, my doctor sent me in for some bloodwork right before she was supposed to renew my prescription, and things looked pretty sketchy—I think it was something about my clotting levels being off or whatever. Because of that, she held off on the refill, but honestly, everything just settled back down to normal once I went in for my follow-up tests.

Anthony Watson7 here—just dropping by. Keeping things moving! kaže:
Hey—has anyone else here dealt with mixing smoking and pills? I’ve done the combo before and obviously, I know it isn't exactly "healthy" or whatever—but I’m not even over 35 yet, my blood work comes back totally fine, and honestly? I smoke so much that a single pack barely lasts me three days. Just wondering if anyone's hit any walls with it. 😁

For me, the box lasts about 3-4 days too—but honestly, I’ve never really run into issues with that combo... at least, I don't think I have. 🤦

mistybear12 said:No, because attempting to take these medications without conducting proper medical screenings would be quite irresponsible, which is why they are strictly prescription only. Not everyone is a suitable candidate for oral contraceptives—certain conditions like diabetes, vascular diseases, or migraines with aura can make them dangerous... That is why American gynecologists insist on comprehensive checkups, including blood coagulation tests and liver function panels. Furthermore, one must consider family medical history, specifically looking for hereditary risks of pulmonary embolisms or deep vein thrombosis, which can sometimes be linked to other serious conditions...

I just saw your reply. Honestly, I already forgot I had even posted on this thread. 🤣

It makes more sense now.

I actually need them for some other reasons—things my doctor mentioned could help—but I really don't feel like driving door-to-door across town just to get a single box of pills.
I know it sounds reckless, but what can you do...

Hannah Kim5 said:I just saw your reply. Honestly, I already forgot I had even posted on this thread. 🤣

It makes more sense now.

I actually need them for some other reasons—things my doctor mentioned could help—but I really don't feel like driving door-to-door across town just to get a single box of pills.
I know it sounds reckless, but what can you do...

Look, it’s not like you have to go all out. Just hit up the OBGYN for a quick checkup, get some bloodwork done, and boom—you're done. That's basically the absolute bare minimum for any kind of follow-up.
After that, you just give them a call when you're running low on your meds to get a new prescription sent over, and that's it.

So, I’ve been on the pill for the last couple of weeks because I have to push my surgery back by two months, which means delaying my period. I was super consistent with it until last Saturday when I totally blanked and missed a dose for the whole day. I finally took it the next morning, so there was about a 40-hour gap. Right after that, the PMS symptoms hit me like a truck. I've had these painful breasts—exactly like when my period is coming—for a full week now. The day after I missed it, I felt this nauseous, cramping sensation in my lower abdomen, kind of like the start of my cycle, but it cleared up once I got back on track with the pill. Did I seriously mess things up by missing that one single pill? 😢

Thank God my period hasn't started yet, so the delay is working, but these PMS symptoms just won't quit. Is that actually normal? I really hope it doesn't show up soon because it would absolutely wreck my surgical stitches. 😢

So, if I take a 7-day break, does the next pack start on day 7? If the last pill in this current pack is Tuesday—meaning my break starts Wednesday—does the new pack kick in on the following Tuesday or Wednesday?🤔
I’ve taken these before, but honestly, I’ve forgotten how the timing works.🤣

edit: Found an answer on this forum. It says the 8th day is when you restart, so Wednesday.😁 Though there are different schools of thought; some say day 7, others say day 8. Total headache.

Hi,
I've decided to start back on the pill. About six years ago, I was on Yasmin for about a year.
Now I'm 30 and have had a baby. What other options do you guys think would be good for me?

I'm 30 and just started birth control for the first time. I went with Yaz. How soon should I expect side effects to kick in?

Nicole Perez6 said:I'm 30 and just started birth control for the first time. I went with Yaz. How soon should I expect side effects to kick in?

Right away, within the first month.
Quick question though—how much do those pills cost out-of-pocket now?

I took $31, without a prescription or anything since my sister-in-law, who’s a pharmacist, grabbed them for me. She told me to take those pills after consulting with a friend of mine who's a private gynecologist in
.

Thanks. They didn't work for me at all. My period wouldn't come on those red pills, and I just had these sharp pains in my chest.

Brian Williams4 said:Hi,
I've decided to start back on the pill. About six years ago, I was on Yasmin for about a year.
Now I'm 30 and have had a baby. What other options do you guys think would be good for me?

I don't really deal with any side effects from Softinell, but honestly, everyone's body is just different...

I did get maybe 2 or 3 breakouts here and there—not all at once—but I just cleared them up with a basic serum. No biggie.

Justin Rogers5 said:Thanks. They didn't work for me at all. My period wouldn't come on those red pills, and I just had these sharp pains in my chest.

I started taking them about a week ago, and so far, everything seems fine.

Hey, I have a quick question. I just called my doctor’s office and realized I completely forgot to ask them, and now I feel ridiculous for having to call back again... haha.
I'm currently on Axia, and since I'm planning a trip to the coast in August, I was wondering if it would cause any issues if I shortened my seven-day break—say, by cutting it down to four or five days, or perhaps six days every time until August?
Last month, I accidentally cut my break short to six days because I hadn't written down exactly when I took my last pill, but there weren't any problems. It crossed my mind to just skip the break entirely and start a new pack immediately, but when I tried something similar last year, it didn't go well at all... I had spotting the whole time.
Thanks in advance!

mistybear12 said:A full blood panel and an extended coagulation profile are both covered under standard health insurance, as they are mandatory requirements when being prescribed hormonal contraceptives in the States...

Yeah, I mean, that’s supposed to be how it works. They never even made me do a coagulation test.

stormyharbor2 said:For me, it was about two weeks—maybe even less. I actually missed a pack once, which made things drag on way too long, and then those menstrual cramps started hitting early...😲

It feels like my acne and breakouts are actually worse than they were before the pill.
Generally speaking, nothing helps the pimples I get during that time until my period actually arrives—and just as my face starts clearing up, the next PMS cycle hits. It gives the scarring zero time to fade. Plus, the PMS is way worse than it used to be; I barely survive those days, and they last forever—sometimes ten days straight. 🤷 If anyone switched from a low-dose pill to something else, do you have any recommendations? I know everyone reacts differently, but I just want to know what to bring up with my doctor if I decide to switch. Actually, during those bad days right after I stopped the pill, I felt much better mentally... though I didn't realize it was the pill at the time.🙂

I didn't have any side effects from Lyndette except for gaining weight. ☕ There was a period where I wasn't on anything because I didn't need it, but now I'm on Softinelle, and again, zero side effects besides the weight gain. I've noticed it doesn't even matter which brand I'm on, I just gain weight regardless. 🤣

But, ugh, yeah, apparently there's some kind of shortage with Softinelle right now... You can't find them in any pharmacy in the city. Even the employees were checking other branches under the same chain for me... 🤔🤔 nowhere. I ended up getting Rosanelle as a substitute, but I haven't started them yet since I'm still finishing this last pack... I'll let you know how it goes if you're interested.

James Collins31 said:Yeah, I mean, that’s supposed to be how it works. They never even made me do a coagulation test.

I didn't have any side effects from Lyndette except for gaining weight. ☕ There was a period where I wasn't on anything because I didn't need it, but now I'm on Softinelle, and again, zero side effects besides the weight gain. I've noticed it doesn't even matter which brand I'm on, I just gain weight regardless. 🤣

But, ugh, yeah, apparently there's some kind of shortage with Softinelle right now... You can't find them in any pharmacy in the city. Even the employees were checking other branches under the same chain for me... 🤔🤔 nowhere. I ended up getting Rosanelle as a substitute, but I haven't started them yet since I'm still finishing this last pack... I'll let you know how it goes if you're interested.

I had no issues getting mine 🤷

So, apparently there’s a Softinelle in the city after all? I was literally scouring the streets looking for them two weeks ago... total waste of time :/

Kimberly Newman2 said:So, apparently there’s a Softinelle in the city after all? I was literally scouring the streets looking for them two weeks ago... total waste of time :/

I don’t know if I should even be posting this on a forum where people actually have it, but honestly... I always just end up grabbing mine at the local CVS, or I've picked some up at those independent pharmacies over near downtown. Most other places just give me this weird look and tell me they don't carry it. Like, sorry I'm not carrying a pharmacy in my purse or something...

So, there were these four boxes sitting right out in the middle of Times Square—you know, somewhere between the street corner and the main plaza. Honestly, at this rate, I’m just crossing my fingers that I actually stumble upon one of them in the next two or three weeks. 😁