Hormonal Contraception: The Pill [General Discussion]

Is there any way to tell if my pills aren't actually working? I have heart issues, so I’m more prone to coagulation problems. I’ve been on them for five months now (four packs of Diane and one of Yaz), and so far, I haven't dealt with headaches or breakthrough bleeding, but I’m pretty anxious about it—and my boyfriend is too. It feels like something could be brewing under the surface without me realizing it😁 and how often should I be getting blood work done to check? So far, my doctor hasn't mentioned anything (and I honestly forgot to ask him👎)

Benjamin Taylor4 said:Is there any way to tell if my pills aren't actually working? I have heart issues, so I’m more prone to coagulation problems. I’ve been on them for five months now (four packs of Diane and one of Yaz), and so far, I haven't dealt with headaches or breakthrough bleeding, but I’m pretty anxious about it—and my boyfriend is too. It feels like something could be brewing under the surface without me realizing it😁 and how often should I be getting blood work done to check? So far, my doctor hasn't mentioned anything (and I honestly forgot to ask him👎)

My cousin has had heart problems since she was a kid, and she’s been on birth control since she was 14 for medical reasons. She’s 20 now, and her doctor says her heart is doing just fine. In fact, her condition actually improved and isn't nearly as dangerous as it used to be. So... in her case, it didn't have an impact at all. That said, it really depends on what kind of heart condition you're dealing with.
Personally, I had to stop taking Cilest because the mood swings were just becoming unbearable; I didn't feel like myself anymore. I was only on it for four months before I called it quits. You really need to talk to both your primary physician and your gynecologist to be safe. Given the heart concerns, you'll definitely need regular labs to keep an eye on things. 😉

Benjamin Taylor4 said:Is there any way to tell if my pills aren't actually working? I have heart issues, so I’m more prone to coagulation problems. I’ve been on them for five months now (four packs of Diane and one of Yaz), and so far, I haven't dealt with headaches or breakthrough bleeding, but I’m pretty anxious about it—and my boyfriend is too. It feels like something could be brewing under the surface without me realizing it😁 and how often should I be getting blood work done to check? So far, my doctor hasn't mentioned anything (and I honestly forgot to ask him👎)

Call your doctor right away and ask for a referral for the specific tests you need. I had my labs done last February and everything was fine. However, I just got my results back today, my blood work has worsened, and now I have to stop taking the pill entirely. I didn't have any side effects at all and wasn't in a high-risk group either.

So please, make sure you get checked out! 👍

You just never know.

Eric Newman3 said:I have a question... I have been using Yasmin for about three years now, and everything has generally been fine,
but I was wondering how long your periods typically last while on birth control pills... my last two cycles have felt quite sparse. It isn't as if they were particularly heavy before, but these recent ones seem unusually light.
Regarding hygiene, I change my pad twice during the day, but I don't feel there is any need to change it more often than that.

Mine lasts about 3-4 days, and it's really light too. But honestly, that seems totally fine!

Benjamin Price3, what do you mean by your blood work getting worse?? Which specific results are down?

edit: sorry, just realized you already posted about this in a separate thread.😉

amberheron64 said:Honestly, I’ve been feeling pretty terrible ever since I started taking Logest—just awful, really. I’ve been on it for three days now, and the constant hunger is relentless, plus I feel incredibly bloated... it’s just a nightmare 🙏
On the other hand, those Diane pills worked perfectly for me—zero complaints whatsoever

It seems like that Logesta stuff works for everyone... at least, that’s what they say. For me and two of my girlfriends, we felt the difference within the first couple of months—it was such a headache trying to figure out if it was actually doing anything. But after that, all five of us saw results. Looking back at the thread above, I noticed someone mentioned things slowed down after using Logesta... though, if I’m being honest, my own hair growth has always been a bit on the slower side... 😍 I’m running on fumes here... my legs are practically giving out... 😍 🙏 I've been taking Logest for quite some time now... 😉

shadowfox49 said:Here I go again with another question:
Things have gotten a bit fuzzy 😢
It’s not huge, but there's definitely a difference (or at least, I see it).
The first time I noticed things getting a little thicker was during a three-month break after being on Logest for half a year. That was back in September, and my stomach area got fuzzier, my bikini line covers a slightly larger area, and I have more fine hair on my face. It’s stayed like that until now.
Today I went to put on a bra and realized my breasts are actually covered in light fuzz, about half a centimeter long.
Should I be worried? I'm a little scared that in six months I'll turn into a mild orangutan, or that once I stop taking these pills for a year, I'll turn into a full-blown orangutan.😢

That’s strange... I’ve been on Loestrin for over a year now, and my hair grows much slower. In fact, I actually have significantly less hair, especially on my legs.

Amanda James6 said:It seems like that Logesta stuff works for everyone... at least, that’s what they say. For me and two of my girlfriends, we felt the difference within the first couple of months—it was such a headache trying to figure out if it was actually doing anything. But after that, all five of us saw results. Looking back at the thread above, I noticed someone mentioned things slowed down after using Logesta... though, if I’m being honest, my own hair growth has always been a bit on the slower side... 😍 I’m running on fumes here... my legs are practically giving out... 😍 🙏 I've been taking Logest for quite some time now... 😉

I just really hope I don't start losing my edge—ugh, how creepy is that...
But hey, I'm not actually sobbing, we're just being dramatic—though, honestly, I'm a total crybaby normally, but ever since I started this medication, I haven't shed a single tear.🤣 🤣 🤣

So, I heard I was supposed to be taking them more regularly too.
I think that break I took messed things up, because that’s when I actually started getting my period back.
Did this happen to anyone else?
Ugh, I’m definitely going to have to grill my gynecologist next time about what to do. Honestly, I’m terrified of the moment I stop the pill or take another break.😲

And now I’m just sitting here tearing up. A few hours ago, I was absolutely livid. I wanted to send my boyfriend straight to hell. I think he sensed the mood, though. Tea isn't helping. Sweets aren't helping. Nothing is.😢

So, I absolutely demolished a box of K-Plus banana bites today—and honestly, I did the exact same thing with another box yesterday—so now I’m just sitting here working my way through these little chocolate puffs... you know, the dairy-free ones. It’s just one after another, and another, and another, and another, and ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am definitely going to end up gaining weight if I keep this up.

amberheron64 said:So, I absolutely demolished a box of K-Plus banana bites today—and honestly, I did the exact same thing with another box yesterday—so now I’m just sitting here working my way through these little chocolate puffs... you know, the dairy-free ones. It’s just one after another, and another, and another, and another, and ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! I am definitely going to end up gaining weight if I keep this up.

Well, for some women, those pills actually trigger a massive appetite! My advice? Skip the candy boxes and grab some carrots or something crunchy instead.
Don't come asking me in a few days why you gained weight from the Logest. It isn't the medicine doing it—it's the snacks!

Roger Sullivan63 said:Well, for some women, those pills actually trigger a massive appetite! My advice? Skip the candy boxes and grab some carrots or something crunchy instead.
Don't come asking me in a few days why you gained weight from the Logest. It isn't the medicine doing it—it's the snacks!

Since I started Diana 35, I haven't even had a craving for sweets—even though I was taking them specifically to get rid of these breakouts. And they aren't coming back, either, because I've spent ten years dealing with acne all over my back, arms, and chest... it simply cannot happen again.😠

And honestly, I can't do the carrot thing—believe me. The ones they sell in the grocery stores lately are just bitter, dry, and frankly revolting. Where did all the good, juicy, sweet carrots go? If anyone knows where to find the decent stuff, please let me know, because I used to absolutely love carrots—but what they're selling right now?😲Gross.

amberheron64 said:Since I started Diana 35, I haven't even had a craving for sweets—even though I was taking them specifically to get rid of these breakouts. And they aren't coming back, either, because I've spent ten years dealing with acne all over my back, arms, and chest... it simply cannot happen again.😠

And honestly, I can't do the carrot thing—believe me. The ones they sell in the grocery stores lately are just bitter, dry, and frankly revolting. Where did all the good, juicy, sweet carrots go? If anyone knows where to find the decent stuff, please let me know, because I used to absolutely love carrots—but what they're selling right now?😲Gross.

Have you ever actually considered tackling acne with something like Accutane? I mean, I suppose I’ve spent quite a bit of time reading up on it, though I haven't personally gone down that particular rabbit hole myself—not that I'm an expert or anything, of course. It seems like such a heavy-duty, intense route to take, almost a last resort when nothing else seems to touch the problem, which I guess is exactly why people turn to it. It’s a pretty daunting prospect, isn't it? All those discussions about side effects and the sheer intensity of the treatment... it makes one wonder if the payoff really justifies the rollercoaster ride. Maybe it's worth it for some, but I can certainly see why someone might hesitate before jumping in headfirst.
I’ve cycled through everything you can think of—antibiotics, three different types of birth control, the whole works—and honestly, I guess I’ve just reached the point where Roaccutane is the only thing that actually seems to be doing anything for me. It’s funny, in a frustrating sort of way, how much effort goes into finding something that actually works.

Olivia Cox77 said:Have you ever actually considered tackling acne with something like Accutane? I mean, I suppose I’ve spent quite a bit of time reading up on it, though I haven't personally gone down that particular rabbit hole myself—not that I'm an expert or anything, of course. It seems like such a heavy-duty, intense route to take, almost a last resort when nothing else seems to touch the problem, which I guess is exactly why people turn to it. It’s a pretty daunting prospect, isn't it? All those discussions about side effects and the sheer intensity of the treatment... it makes one wonder if the payoff really justifies the rollercoaster ride. Maybe it's worth it for some, but I can certainly see why someone might hesitate before jumping in headfirst.
I’ve cycled through everything you can think of—antibiotics, three different types of birth control, the whole works—and honestly, I guess I’ve just reached the point where Roaccutane is the only thing that actually seems to be doing anything for me. It’s funny, in a frustrating sort of way, how much effort goes into finding something that actually works.

Well, I don't have acne anymore—Diane cleared it all up for me... they were just gone within three months. Before that, I was using Acnefug ($83 once a month), trying ten different kinds of creams, some even more expensive pills, Dermowash soap—my parents spent thousands upon thousands of dollars on it,
and when the dermatologist recommended Diane, my mom wouldn't let me take it because it clashed with her religious views.🤣 🤣(Yeah, she's a total religious fanatic, no doubt about it.) So, after a few months, I started taking them, and then two months later she told me to stop—but I kept taking them in secret, because I knew she would absolutely kill me if she found out...

But seriously, Diane worked wonders, because I used to have breakouts all over my back, arms, chest—just these huge red and white cysts everywhere...

And I ended up using Diane for a couple of years as both an acne treatment and my birth control.

Will taking one capsule of Zenafluk (150 mg—a beast of an antifungal that wipes out everything in its path) mess with how Logesta works?

shadowfox49 said:Will taking one capsule of Zenafluk (150 mg—a beast of an antifungal that wipes out everything in its path) mess with how Logesta works?

Yeah, there have been reports about birth control failing when you're on these kinds of antifungals. It's like trying to drive with a leak in your gas tank; you can't count on it to get you where you need to go. My advice? Use some extra protection, like a condom, just to be safe...👍

Hmm, I got a different story over on the other thread. 😕
Sent an email to my OB-GYN a few days ago, so now I'm just waiting to hear back.
Won't be having sex for another 5 or 6 days, which gives me plenty of time to get the facts straight.
Once I know, I'll let you guys know what the deal actually is! 😁

No interaction was found between birth control and a single dose of fluconazole for treating yeast infections! If you need long-term therapy, that’s a whole different story. I did a little digging on Google, so here is what I found... 😁

http://www.mayoclinic.org/uputa.php?id=139
http://www.webmd.com/vademecumi/rx/diflazov.html
http://www.webmd.com/lijeci/flukonazol.htm

So, I’ve got a question: I’ve been dealing with irregular cycles forever—basically getting my period naturally every 3 or 4 months. Now, I’ve been told I can’t take hormone therapy because of my epilepsy meds (supposedly they clash or whatever)—but then I just realized my OBGYN actually prescribed Duphaston to trigger my period! From what I know, that’s basically hormone therapy right there. So I was taking hormones this whole time? All my doctors kept insisting I couldn't touch hormones. Like, what gives??? Honestly, I haven't had any side effects from the Duphaston so far... just wondering.
They kept telling me they'd only look into hormone therapy if I actually wanted to get pregnant, and even then, they said it might be risky. I have no clue why, but now I'm sitting here wondering how I'm supposed to take hormones when they told me not to—except without them, I wouldn't even get my period... anyone else dealt with this before?

My experience with quitting birth control pills has been absolutely horrendous. I was on Diane for about four years due to PCOS, and during that time, my periods were actually quite manageable—just a few drops here and there for two or three days.😍Then I switched to Triquilar, and it was more of the same for about a year. About eight months ago, I finally stopped taking them because my doctor told me I shouldn't continue; apparently, my bloodwork wasn't looking great, maybe something related to clotting issues. Well, two months after stopping—total HELL!!! It’s just acne upon acne, covering my back, my face, my chest... It is honestly TERRIBLE!!! And before I ever started the pills? Not a single breakout. Does anyone else have experience with this? I guess you wonder if it eventually passes quickly? I've been using the AcneStop collection from Aphrodite, and I even see an esthetician once a month, but nothing seems to be helping the situation...😢😢😢