Rate Oral Contraceptives

[Nuzzolese]

All I can do is recall my experiences while being on certain pills. I can't be sure whether or not the pills are the sole cause of my experiences, or if other factors caused them or contributed to them.


The first brand of THE PILL I ever tried was called Alesse, which is a .10 mg dose of levonorgestrel progestin and a 20 mcgm does of estrogen. It's usually recommended if you have problems with depression or moodiness, breast soreness, weight gain, or headaches. I think I gained weight on it. My face seemed to get all puffy from it. It wasn't an obvious or odd-looking thing, just kind of a general fatness like a pregnant woman would have. The benefit was that my periods were shorter and I didn't have as bad cramps. I think I was actually more moody and depressed. Since it is lower in estrogen content than in androgenicity, it is reported to carry a higher chance of side effects like acne and hair growth, but I didn't notice any of these.



Then when I got off the pill, my periods stayed abbreviated. That was nice.

The second brand I tried was OrthoTriCyclen Lo and I loved it, it was perfect. Except that my periods were longer and more painful than they had been.

Now I'm on OrthoTriCyclen - actually by mistake, it was a mix up at the pharmacy - and my periods and PMS are only slightly alleviated. I have had breakthrough bleeding though, which isn't bad, it's extremely light and rare. I have actually lost weight since starting this. It's a norgestimate progestin in phase doses of 0.15, 0.215, then 0.25 and doses of 35/35/35 mcgm of estrogen. It's recommended for people with problems with depression/moodiness/acne. I never had acne problems so I haven't noticed a change in my skin. The moodiness, I don't think has changed much from the last brand I took.


To compare levonorgestrel (Alesse) with norgestimate (OrthoTriCyclen): The former has a much higher potency, milligram per milligram, of progestational and androgenic activity (the things that stop menstruation and cause side effects like acne) than the latter.

[QweenOfBoggle]

I have been on quite a few different types. The first one I went on was Orthotricyclen...I was young when I first was on it and it made me terribly moody (although it may have just been the fact that I was young), but I switched because of that...

I then went on Yasmin. It was okay, pretty much the same as Orthotricylcen as far as side effects (moodiness/weight gain).

I decided the moodiness was too much to deal with, so then I went on Orthotricylen-lo. It was better with the moodiness but I decided just recently to try something different...

Now I am on Loestrin-24. It's different in that you have 24 regular hormone pills and only 4 "blank" pills. I love it. My periods are 2 days; I'm not moody; it's wonderful. I would recommend it over everything else...and I've experienced no spotting either so it's perfect! :)

[Nuzzolese]

The last time I was at the dr. I asked about Loestrin-24, it's the one with the iron supplement in place of the inactive pills, right? But my doctor was all hesitant about prescribing me a new pill if she didn't think I needed it. And then, what do you know, they mix it up at the pharmacy anyway.

[abcdefz]

Garlic


Iffy. Best used if your boyfriend's a vampire, though, but even then it's only 100% effective in folklore.

[HEIRESS]

I havent taken any for 3 years

Diane-35 made my hair start falling out so that has pretty much put me off the pill for life. and now I have really shitty skin. weeee.

[Nuzzolese]

I just found out that there really is a product called The Today Sponge. I thought that was something they invented for Seinfeld!

[insertnamehere]

why did you make so many things bold?

i've been on levora-28 for... umm... i think going on three years? and never had any problems of any kind. actually, not a solid 3 years. i went off of it for awhile cause i didnt want to go back to the gyno when my prescription ran out.

[Yetra Flam]

A blow job is the best oral contraceptive.

Oh man I so wanted to make that joke, but I thought it would be inappropriate for this discussion. Ladies only.

[Nuzzolese]

why did you make so many things bold?

i've been on levora-28 for... umm... i think going on three years? and never had any problems of any kind. actually, not a solid 3 years. i went off of it for awhile cause i didnt want to go back to the gyno when my prescription ran out.

I bolded the key phrases. DUH

[Nuzzolese]

You guys just don't understand or take seriously all this shit women have to think about. I mean, we have to worry about taking these hormones and we have to worry about blood clots and strokes and our skin and weight and hair falling out and YOU... you just spray and run, chanting "BJs and buttsex!" It's all a big joke to you.

[abcdefz]

I've never been crazy about women taking oral contraceptives, actually. So there.

[Nuzzolese]

Oh, I see, "keep 'em pregnant, keep 'em home"?

[Yeti]

Make sure to also have a good dinner ready at night.

[abcdefz]

Oh, I see, "keep 'em pregnant, keep 'em home"?



Wow. Where did that come from?

No chance the man has any responsibilities?

[Bob]

Oh man I so wanted to make that joke, but I thought it would be inappropriate for this discussion. Ladies only.

i was gonna do it too actually but i'm glad i didn't because apparently it was pretty obvious

i win!

[Rock]

I'd rather use a rubber than deal with a moody, yo yo weighted, unpredictable period having, stroke having, wife.

A rubber with some strange that is.

[synch]

I was going to say something along the lines of what Rock said.

I'd have left out the moody and weight bit though.

For protection.


pun intended

[Bob]

prophylactics

[Documad]

I just found out that there really is a product called The Today Sponge. I thought that was something they invented for Seinfeld!

It was funny because it was real. I can't remember why they took it off the market, or why it came back.

[HEIRESS]

Foam is the new sponge

[Nuzzolese]

It was funny because it was real. I can't remember why they took it off the market, or why it came back.

I think I read something about contamination in the water in the factories. It sounds like a good method if it works. You can buy it over the counter at any time, you do it all yourself, and it works immediately for up to 24 hours. You don't have to go to a doctor or get any prescriptions.

[Bob]

or why it came back.

seinfeld, probably

[Bob]

why am i posting so much in a thread about oral contraceptives? i need a hobby

[insertnamehere]

I think I read something about contamination in the water in the factories. It sounds like a good method if it works. You can buy it over the counter at any time, you do it all yourself, and it works immediately for up to 24 hours. You don't have to go to a doctor or get any prescriptions.


I'm pretty sure the fact that they aren't totally reliable had something to do with it. Just rock a rubber, I'd say. Or syphyllis. Whichever you prefer. I hear once syphyllis gets to the brain, it makes some people be really unbelievably happy all the time.

[Nuzzolese]

I hear once syphyllis gets to the brain, it makes some people be really unbelievably happy all the time.

Al Capone, for one.

[beastieangel01]

First one I was on was Yasmin.
I LOVED it, but, that could be because it was my first pill and it regulated my period pretty well. Before then I'd go anywhere form a month to three months for my period, AND they would be heavy and 7 to 9 days long.

So once on Yasmin, it was once a month for 3 days and I was in heaven. And I didn't really notice too many changes. My boobs got bigger though that's for sure.

Then I got on OrthoCyclen (sp) and it was alright. I honestly cannot recall big positives or negatives.

Then I got on Mercette (again, unsure of the spelling) and it's making me moody as all hell. Like others have said, I am not sure if it is because of surrounding circumstances or the pill itself. But I get much more emotional than I used to. So much so that I want to switch pills.

[HEIRESS]

FOAM

[cosmo105]

i first started on ortho-tri-cyclen (regular, not lo) when i was just 16, and it immediately (like, the next week) threw off my body chemistry in ways from which i'm still reeling. when i came off, after 5 years of being on it i felt really, really different. like, a cloud had lifted and i was myself again. it was weird. when i went back on a higher-estrogen dose i got pretty intense mood swings and gained some weight pretty quickly. i've been off oral contraceptives for several years now and will never, ever go back on them. i'm hopefully getting a copper IUD sometime in the next few months but if not, rubbers are a-ok for me.