Alesse Birth Control Pill

[Virg]

Hi there!!

I was on Alesse for about 5 years. No problems whatsoever. I have since switched to the "no name" version of Aviane. It is made with the same percentage of estrogen so you body doesn't notice the change, but your wallet does. Talk to your pharmacist about it

[saraece]

I have been on Alesse for 12 years, no problems whats so ever. It got rid of my cramps that I used to get pretty bad. And it only took a month to get out of my system while trying to get preggers. It seems the pill (all types) reacts differently to different people. Just have to find your fit and watch for symptoms while taking it.

[Maura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat81 I guess the reason I really didn't think to research a different method is because I was originally prescribed Pills for my severe cramping. Here is some info on what Maura was talking about if girls want to check it out Advantages and complications of IUD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat81 Hmm I wish I would have researched that out for myself. I have had every hormonal problem associated with pills. From suicidal thoughts, constant breakdowns, snapping peoples heads off. Menstrating for a month, not menstrating for three months! At times, I thought I was going crazy. I am going to stop taking it in September after the wedding we are going to TTC. But after that I will keep that in mind. Thanks

kat i had the same problems as you with the hormonal pills, all the crazy symptoms and wacky periods. the link you posted is decent in terms of information, but there is a statistic on the page that is incorrect. it is not true that 7 out of 100 women experience expulsion after the first year or first month. its actually a lot lower than that, its around 2% according to the research pamphlets my physician gave me. most of the time the women who expel it are women who have never had children before. my first one expelled after about 6 weeks, and the same day they took the old one out, they put a new one in. ive never had a problem since. the reason why women who havent had kids are more likely to expel it is because your uterus is not used to having a foreign object in it (ie a baby). your body sometimes tries to naturally expel things that dont belong there.

i had really bad cramping before the pill, while on it, and after getting off it. my doctor prescribed ponstel to take care of it about the same time I got my IUD, and it doesnt eliminate cramps completely but they are significantly less painful when i take the ponstel when im having a bad cramping day.

[Sherry]

Thanks everyone for all your feedback. It does sound like different bodies react differently to different pills, which seems to make sense. I've always been really lucky with the pill, not really ever having any side effects. I think the worst thing that's ever happened for me was that when I first went on Ortho Tri Cyclen (the first pill I was ever on), I was really moody for the first few weeks. After the first 3 weeks or so, it went away and I was fine after that. My sister has had a bunch of problems with a number of different pills though, so I know how lucky I am. It's funny that even two sisters can have such different experiences.

 

Anyway, I appreciate all the feedback, and at least if I start experiencing any of the symptoms you guys did, I'll know right away what's causing it. Hopefully it will be much the same as the other pills I've been on. Crossing my fingers...

 

On a completely different note, Maura, I LOVE your new avatar pic! What a pretty picture!

[Opice34]

Everything works differently for different people. Just listen to your body and you'll know if it's okay for you. I've taken three different kinds in my life and I will never, ever put a BC pill in my body again. (And I was on them for endometriosis...)

 

My experiences:

 

#1) Seasonale - AKA "The Death Pill" - I threw up every morning for 3 months. Doc said my body just needed to "get used to it". Eff that.

 

Switched to...

 

#2) Estrostep - AKA "The Fat Pill" - I gained 15 pounds in 3 weeks and 35 pounds overall. I lost 10 pounds immediately when I got off, worked my tail off to lose another 5, and have been stuck ever since. I swear, it changed the entire shape of my body, my metabolism, and my ability to lose weight. I have never, ever had a weight problem until now.

 

Then we tried...

 

#3) Yasmin - AKA "The Blech Pill" - Overall, this was the best of the three, it just made me feel kind of "blech". I became a bit depressed, wanted to sleep all the time, no energy, and nothing really excited me at all - neither anger or happiness. FI said I lost my "spark".

 

I spent 2 years trying to find a BC Pill that worked for me and between the puking, the fatness, and the general discontent, I've decided that I can handle the pain that endometriosis brings. I'd rather be uncomfortable once a month instead of miserable every single day.

 

Needless to say, plenty of people have taken the pills above and have had zero issues. It really is different for everyone. JUST LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. NOT YOUR DOCTOR. I spent too much time listening to my doctor when my body was screaming at me that something was wrong.

 

(When I called to talk to him about my rapid weight gain, he told me just to eat less and exercise more. Effer.)

 

Good luck! But if you're on one that's working for you, I think I'd stick with it!

[Opice34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kat81 I really can't wait to stop taking BC! I mean look at the crap it puts us through!! Blah you would think there would be a better way to not get pregnant that doesn't include yucky condoms or not doing it at all!

I finally decided that if I get pregnant, I get pregnant. Then it was meant to be. I just turned 30 and I'm in a loving, committed relationship, so if we get pregnant, so be it! The timing wouldn't be ideal, but at least I'm healthier. I really was miserable on the pill.

[Opice34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by B&J2008 I've taken Alesse for several years now. Last year, at this time, my period starting messing up after being so predictable down to the time, so I thought that was a sign i needed to switch. I have been on 4 other BC's since last year and have recently gone back to Alesse. The dose is low, so its suppoded to make you have lighter periods, which mine always only lasted about two days. I took Seasonale, which you are only supposed to have 4 periods/year, but I was a raging bitch while on that one, as well as Yaz in which I cried all the time. I then switched to Loestrin 24 in which my period was pretty much nonexistent, which I loved, but I would have PMS symptoms all through the month, they weren't bad, but it was annoying and there is not a generic for that one, so it was expensive even with insurance. So here I am, back on Alesse. I've just been back on it a month, but so far so good! Also, with the others, I felt like my sex drive was down, and my sex drive is never down! I'm back to myself now...haha

Speaking of sex drives....on Estrostrep, my sex drive was OUT OF CONTROL. I gained 35 pounds and was this big disgusting whale and all I wanted to do was have sex all the time. It was INSANE! Poor FI...I'm not sure how he even looked at me during that period!

[Opice34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maura kat i had the same problems as you with the hormonal pills, all the crazy symptoms and wacky periods. the link you posted is decent in terms of information, but there is a statistic on the page that is incorrect. it is not true that 7 out of 100 women experience expulsion after the first year or first month. its actually a lot lower than that, its around 2% according to the research pamphlets my physician gave me. most of the time the women who expel it are women who have never had children before. my first one expelled after about 6 weeks, and the same day they took the old one out, they put a new one in. ive never had a problem since. the reason why women who havent had kids are more likely to expel it is because your uterus is not used to having a foreign object in it (ie a baby). your body sometimes tries to naturally expel things that dont belong there. i had really bad cramping before the pill, while on it, and after getting off it. my doctor prescribed ponstel to take care of it about the same time I got my IUD, and it doesnt eliminate cramps completely but they are significantly less painful when i take the ponstel when im having a bad cramping day.

Sorry for the multiple posts...

Maura, my new (and fabulous) doctor has recommended an IUD to me, too. I'm just a little nervous about having a foreign object implanted inside me though! Does that freak you out at all?

[Kat81]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opice34 I finally decided that if I get pregnant, I get pregnant. Then it was meant to be. I just turned 30 and I'm in a loving, committed relationship, so if we get pregnant, so be it! The timing wouldn't be ideal, but at least I'm healthier. I really was miserable on the pill.

Yeah, if my wedding wasn't 5 months away I would totally stop. I just know I would get pregnant as soon as I stopped taking it and nothing would fit! I can handle five more months THEN after that I am done!! I will use some other form.

[Maura]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Opice34 Sorry for the multiple posts... Maura, my new (and fabulous) doctor has recommended an IUD to me, too. I'm just a little nervous about having a foreign object implanted inside me though! Does that freak you out at all?

Opice, see the MQ buttons at the bottom of each post next to the QUOTE box? click MQ at the bottom of each post you want to quote to multiquote so you dont post 5 times in a row

now re: the IUD having a foreign object inside my uterus... its literally about 1.5 inches and is so super small and thin. its maybe 1/4 of a cm wide. its really no big deal. i really would rather have that inside me than littering my body with chemicals from hormonal BC pills IMHO.