Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Noah Allen8 said:Ah, okay... so, I guess, during that year when you weren't taking them, how was your skin doing then?

It wasn't exactly great either. I honestly thought things were getting worse because I quit seeing my dermatologist, but now that I'm back on Diane, I'm starting to think they were actually the cause—well, I hope so... 👍 Personally, I didn't even notice much of a difference, but my boyfriend certainly did. Ugh, men... 😂 It’s not like I was breaking out everywhere, just enough to be noticeable 😁 and enough that I had to cover up with concealer and foundation if I wanted to go out. But now? That's all in the past. I don't even touch the makeup anymore. 🙂

driftingraven12 said:I have a question. When you're doing those routine blood tests (because of the pills), who actually sends you? Like, who gives you the referral—your OBGYN or your primary doctor?🙂

Your OBGYN should be the one handing you that referral.

If you aren't planning on seeing a specialist, 🙂 then it’s much more convenient for me to just stop by my primary care physician since they’re right around the corner from my house...

I’ve been on Trinovum for about two and a half years straight now. Honestly, I feel fantastic and haven't noticed any side effects or anything weird at all. I KNOW, I really need to get myself checked out by my gynecologist 🙈 but I just wanted to pop in here and see what you guys think...

That’s a question that has weighed on my mind for quite some time. I was on Triqular initially, then switched over to Yasmine, and I stayed on them for nearly nine years—if my memory serves me correctly—without any breaks in between.
I ultimately decided to stop taking them after some rather concerning test results came back. Honestly, if it had just been down to what my gynecologist recommended, I probably would have kept taking them right up until I conceived.

It all really comes down to the quality of the pills you’re taking, much like how choosing the right fuel can make or break a cross-country road trip... But once you hit that three-year mark, it’s probably a good idea to take a breather, or at least that's what my doctor advised during our last check-up...

Richard Jones13 said:I’ve been on Trinovum for about two and a half years straight now. Honestly, I feel fantastic and haven't noticed any side effects or anything weird at all. I KNOW, I really need to get myself checked out by my gynecologist 🙈 but I just wanted to pop in here and see what you guys think...

It really comes down to the specific pill and how your body handles it.
Technically, breaks aren't mandatory if everything looks good, but regular checkups and blood work are non-negotiable.
If your labs are clean, there’s no reason to stop, regardless of how long you've been on them.

For instance, I've been on them for three years with perfect recent blood work. Meanwhile, a friend of mine had to quit after just six months because her liver enzymes spiked.
It’s entirely individual.

I’m in the exact same boat as those famous gynecologists. I take Yasmin because of endometriosis. She claims you don't need to take any breaks from them since they're considered next-gen pills. She even told me you can keep taking them as long as we're in our fertile years.
I've been on them non-stop for four years now. Still, if I didn't have this condition, I’d definitely be cycling off them, probably at least once every six months.

Every year or two, I’d take a month-long break from my cycle. Even though all my medical tests came back perfectly normal...
And since my period was usually late anyway, those gaps tended to stretch out to a full month...🙂

Mark Kelly4 said:Every year or two, I’d take a month-long break from my cycle. Even though all my medical tests came back perfectly normal...
And since my period was usually late anyway, those gaps tended to stretch out to a full month...🙂

Taking just a month off is like throwing a wrench into a finely tuned engine; it just throws the whole system out of sync. If you're actually serious about taking a breather, you really need at least three months to let everything reset properly.

hey 🙂
so i’ve got a quick question if anyone can help me out...

i've been taking Logest
and before hitting the gym, i sometimes grab some L-carnitine... so i was just wondering if that has any kind of negative effect on birth control at all

might be a bit of a silly question, but i'm curious

thanks

I’ve finally made the decision to start on hormonal contraceptives, so I’m trying to get my ducks in a row regarding the logistics. Does anyone know exactly which tests and screenings I should be asking for at the doctor's office, and more importantly, what kind of total damage am I looking at in terms of costs?

Thomas Palmer7 said:hey 🙂
so i’ve got a quick question if anyone can help me out...

i've been taking Logest
and before hitting the gym, i sometimes grab some L-carnitine... so i was just wondering if that has any kind of negative effect on birth control at all

might be a bit of a silly question, but i'm curious

thanks

I used to take liquid L-carnitine and the pills too when I was working out, all while being on Trinovum.
The birth control did exactly what it was supposed to do, but unfortunately, the gym and the L-carnitine didn't do much for me. Even after 8 months of training, I haven't lost a single pound. My body shape hasn't even changed—like, the weight stays the same and I still can't fit into my old clothes.
Anyway, fingers crossed it works better for you! 😉

Richard Jones13 said:I used to take liquid L-carnitine and the pills too when I was working out, all while being on Trinovum.
The birth control did exactly what it was supposed to do, but unfortunately, the gym and the L-carnitine didn't do much for me. Even after 8 months of training, I haven't lost a single pound. My body shape hasn't even changed—like, the weight stays the same and I still can't fit into my old clothes.
Anyway, fingers crossed it works better for you! 😉

Thanks so much for getting back to me

I'd say something about the gym stuff, but I don't want to get too off-topic...

Anyway, thanks again🙂

Hey there! I have a quick question for you all... my doctor recommended I start taking Yaz pills, and I’m supposed to begin the regimen in just a few days. To be honest, I’ve never used hormonal birth control before—this is all brand new territory for me—so I’m feeling a little bit anxious about the whole thing. He mentioned that these are relatively new on the market and that they are quite effective and generally well-tolerated by most patients... but here’s the kicker: the fact that they are "new" is exactly what’s weighing on my mind. It feels a bit unsettling when you realize there isn't decades of long-term data available yet, you know? So, I wanted to check in with this community—is anyone here currently on them? Have you had any unexpected side effects, or perhaps heard any horror stories from friends or family?

Is it even possible that these pills are giving me more breakouts than before...?
All I’ve been reading about is how much better he's gotten, not worse...
Is it even normal for things to get worse before they actually start getting better...
So, I’m totally out of the loop here... if anyone could help me out...
Yeah, I noticed my boobs have gotten a bit bigger lately... does that stuff ever just go back to normal, or...? Honestly, even before they grew, they were plenty big enough for me anyway...

Thanks, guys...

Hey ladies, I’ve run into a bit of a snag because my memory is basically non-existent lately. So, I’ve been on Yasmin birth control for a while now. I started my last pack and was doing everything by the book—I took my 9th pill on Thursday. But then, life happened! On Friday, I had to head out on this super sudden trip, and everything was such a whirlwind that the pills completely slipped my mind. Basically, I missed my doses on both Friday and Saturday. I finally got back and caught up on Sunday, and I’ve been back on track yesterday and today, feeling totally fine, except for one little thing: I just realized I’ve started bleeding. What do I even do now? Should I just power through and keep taking them? Or should I stop, wait out those seven days of placebo, and start a brand new pack on day eight? Honestly, I’m totally lost here.

Trinovum
So, I’ve been weighing the idea of switching over to them, primarily because of the cost factor... and also because, frankly, everything else I’ve tried left me feeling a bit... well, let's just say "triangular" and nauseous, plus my libido hit rock bottom, and Yasmin is just way too expensive...
what has everyone’s experience been like with them?

swiftbison25 said:Trinovum
So, I’ve been weighing the idea of switching over to them, primarily because of the cost factor... and also because, frankly, everything else I’ve tried left me feeling a bit... well, let's just say "triangular" and nauseous, plus my libido hit rock bottom, and Yasmin is just way too expensive...
what has everyone’s experience been like with them?

Honestly, I’d suggest not skimping when it comes to this stuff.☕
And maybe check in with your OBGYN first—these aren't exactly candy you can just pick up whenever you feel like it...

My gynecologist didn't even bother asking if I was taking anything, so I just took the initiative and told her myself; she simply suggested I take a break from everything, no pills required...