Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Good luck.....😉

Hey, I have a question. I’m hitting 40 soon, and my doctor is suggesting I should probably phase out the birth control pills by then—though honestly, I’ve been taking Yaz for the last few years without any issues at all. He’s recommending I switch to an IUD instead.

I’m feeling a little anxious about it. I trust the pills 100%; I’ve been on them for 21 years now and haven't run into a single problem. I’ve had three kids, so I think I’ve checked that box enough times.

I don't smoke, I don't drink, my blood pressure is fine, I haven't gained weight, and I stay in pretty good shape... Does anyone know if age (and specifically how old) actually dictates when you have to stop hormone therapy? And how reliable is the transition to an IUD? Is there any chance I can stick with the pills for a few more years?

If anyone has dealt with this exact situation, please let me know what your experience was.

I don't have any firsthand experience with this, but I’ve read that it's generally recommended to stay on birth control pills until you hit about 35. It definitely seems to be age-related, where the older you get, the higher the risk becomes for blood clots or breast cancer. As for the IUD, I've mostly just heard horror stories from people about their experiences with them. But honestly, why aren't we talking more about condoms? 😁

Look, I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic when it comes to condoms; honestly, they didn't exactly inspire much confidence back in my younger days either. And now, after what feels like an eternity of marriage, if you actually manage to carve out the time and find the energy 🙂, the thought of worrying about whether a condom is actually reliable—or having the mood completely killed by the whole ordeal—would just ruin it for me. That kind of thing is for the kids; at my age, I'm already well past that stage of life 😢

Robin Bishop8 said:So, here’s the situation. My girlfriend just started taking Loestrin. She's finished 11 out of the 21 pills in her pack. She began the cycle on the first day of her last period, which was the 30th, and she mentioned today that she's experiencing that brownish discharge. That usually happens right before her period starts, which I assume is pretty standard for most women.

The question we have is this: why is she seeing that brown discharge only about ten days after her last period ended?

Thanks!

As long as it’s just spotting, there’s really nothing to worry about, but if she starts experiencing actual bleeding outside of her period, it basically means the pill isn't performing quite as well as it should and you'll need to be extra careful with other forms of contraception. If that becomes a recurring thing, it’s probably time to switch brands since these ones clearly aren't the right fit for her body, though since it's only minor spotting for now, everything will likely turn out just fine. 😉

Donna Newman24 said:Hey, I have a question. I’m hitting 40 soon, and my doctor is suggesting I should probably phase out the birth control pills by then—though honestly, I’ve been taking Yaz for the last few years without any issues at all. He’s recommending I switch to an IUD instead.

I’m feeling a little anxious about it. I trust the pills 100%; I’ve been on them for 21 years now and haven't run into a single problem. I’ve had three kids, so I think I’ve checked that box enough times.

I don't smoke, I don't drink, my blood pressure is fine, I haven't gained weight, and I stay in pretty good shape... Does anyone know if age (and specifically how old) actually dictates when you have to stop hormone therapy? And how reliable is the transition to an IUD? Is there any chance I can stick with the pills for a few more years?

If anyone has dealt with this exact situation, please let me know what your experience was.

Back in my high school days—I was actually in a medical program—they taught us that doctors generally don't recommend hormone pills for women once they pass thirty-five.
I wonder why you're feeling so apprehensive about the IUD, because personally, I've always found it to be a much more practical choice, even if it feels a bit less "natural" in some ways 😢. As long as you stay on top of your annual checkups, or go more often if you feel the need, everything should be fine; typically, an IUD stays in place for anywhere from five to ten years.

Around here, we typically use IUDs that last about three to five years at most. The Mirena is definitely the go-to choice; nobody really touches the basic ones anymore. In fact, word on the street is that Mirena is the top pick for women over 35.

😲 Are you on the 35?
I suppose I really ought to start considering an alternative. Though, my friend is already 41 and she still takes Yasmin without any issues whatsoever.🙄
I'll certainly have to look into it.

I’m holding out hope they might change their minds and grant me some "extensions." 🙂 It’s not like being 40 makes you ancient, right? And honestly, I know people who hit 44 or 45 and were still stuck in that same boat...

Donna Newman24 said:I’m holding out hope they might change their minds and grant me some "extensions." 🙂 It’s not like being 40 makes you ancient, right? And honestly, I know people who hit 44 or 45 and were still stuck in that same boat...

😱😱

I'VE GOT A QUESTION. I WAS AT THE OBGYN AND THEY PRESCRIBED ME LOGES BIRTH CONTROL PILLS—SO I'M WONDERING WHAT YOUR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN WITH THEM. ARE THEY ACTUALLY RELIABLE? CAN YOU HAVE SEX WITHOUT CONSTANT ANXIETY ABOUT GETTING PREGNANT IF HE EJACULATES NEARBY? THANKS SO MUCH!😉😉😉😉😉😉😉😉

Premature ejaculation? 🤔
When you're on the pill, you don't have to stress about anything—you can totally have sex without a condom because the whole point of those pills is to stop ovulation so pregnancy isn't an issue at all.

Btw, turn off your caps lock, it feels like you're yelling at me! 😉

Jeffrey Walker3 said:Premature ejaculation? 🤔
When you're on the pill, you don't have to stress about anything—you can totally have sex without a condom because the whole point of those pills is to stop ovulation so pregnancy isn't an issue at all.

Btw, turn off your caps lock, it feels like you're yelling at me! 😉

Hahaha, thanks! Okay, turned it off. Sorry—wasn't really paying attention to the keys. And thanks for the answer, honestly. I've only ever used condoms until now, so the idea of side effects and risks makes me a little nervous—even though I feel like the pill is a super reliable way to prevent pregnancy. Plus, we really want to skip the rubber for a bit so we can just relax and be in the moment. I'm not even worried about what might happen since he finished inside me anyway, hehe.

There are girls out there who won't even let you finish inside without being on the pill, but honestly, I take them just so I don't have to stress—I totally trust them! 😉
condoms are such a hassle 😁

Jeffrey Walker3 said:There are girls out there who won't even let you finish inside without being on the pill, but honestly, I take them just so I don't have to stress—I totally trust them! 😉
condoms are such a hassle 😁

Whatever, I don't know about you—that’s exactly why I went the pill route. Honestly, I just love the idea of things reaching a climax without all the extra hassle. Using condoms? No thanks. They just drive me crazy—much better off without them, if you ask me.🙂

Donna Newman24 said:I’m holding out hope they might change their minds and grant me some "extensions." 🙂 It’s not like being 40 makes you ancient, right? And honestly, I know people who hit 44 or 45 and were still stuck in that same boat...

It’s not actually about how old you are, it’s more about the hormones involved. Even before you hit 35, doctors usually don't recommend staying on birth control for more than ten years straight. You really shouldn't mess around with your health like that; honestly, using a condom is a much better bet than dealing with long-term medical issues.

I don't play games with this stuff... I've always taken my pills under a doctor's supervision, following whatever they tell me. After all, they spent years in med school while I didn't 😁

So if they say I need an IUD once I hit 40—then fine, that's the plan. I'm not exactly thrilled about it, but I'll deal.

So, for the last few days I’ve been on Logest, and I’ve also been taking my antidepressants—basically Elgonil, Deprozel, and Misar every single day...
Not to drag this out forever—but my doctor told me straight up that mixing these daily pills is totally fine, whereas two different pharmacists at the drugstore told me it wasn't exactly the brightest move because combining them could either tank the effectiveness or crank the effects way too high... anyone actually dealt with this before?? MEOW 😍

So, I'm wondering if anyone here who actually knows their stuff—or maybe someone who’s personally dealt with this mess—can tell me if mixing birth control pills with antidepressants is actually safe? Like, are we talking zero consequences, or is there a catch?
Basically, my doctor told me it’s totally fine to take them together without any issues, but then I went to the pharmacy and two different pharmacists gave me a completely different vibe—they were basically telling me it might not be the brightest idea because one could potentially tank the effectiveness of the other, or even crank it up too high... you know how it is when you get conflicting advice and nobody seems to have a clue.
For context, I'm currently on Logest for contraception, and I'm taking Deprozel, Elgonil, and Misar for the depression side of things—every single day.
Thanks for any input🙂
MJAu😍

So, I was reading somewhere that it’s actually pretty sketchy when you’re on birth control pills and you start feeling these weird pains down in your lower legs—you know, like in your shins or calves. Does anyone actually know why that happens?