We've been butting into the Diary of Valerie Mates lately with talk of birth
control pills.  I've been meaning to pop this item in here, but have just
been too dang lazy.  So, now I'm finally doing it.

Discuss!

10 responses total.

I take them - I have been for about 6 and a half years, now.  They were
prescribed because I am not menstrually regular, and after I got married,
because I didn't want to get pregnant.  I was on ortho-novums, but they made
me a bit wonky, so I went on Lo-Ovral, which I've been taking for about 6
years - I now take the generic.  I haven't noticed any side effects.  

I was put on them when I was diagnosed with PCOS.  They helped regulate 
my moods and periods, and the only "side effect" was a bit of morning 
sickness and low energy on the first Wednesday of the pill cycle.  I 
was on Demulen, and it was wonderful.  Three-day periods and no PMS or 
cramping.  :)

I went off them two years ago (for God knows what reason), so I plan to 
go back to the health department and get them for about $5/month.  Yay, 
health department.

If I don't take them, I could develop cancerous cysts (eek!), plus 
there's that whole getting pregnant thing...

(PCOS - polycystoidal ovarian syndrome - my eggs don't always break 
through the ovarian wall, which means they can get stuck and form 
cysts, which can become cancerous or burst or other nasty things.  The 
pill keeps me from ovulating, hence no painful or dangerous cysts).

I take them to regulate menopausal symptoms.  They help, along with Ibuprophen
to make 1-3 week, dangerously heavy periods become and stay 4-6 day light to
moderate periods.  They also help with the hot flashes (STeve refers to them
as Power Surges :-).  Blue Cross covers all but the co-pay.  

I don't worry about birth control.  Even if I had not had a tubal when Staci
was born, at fifty the chances of prenancy are extremely thin.

My next door neighbor the pediatrician tells us how she scolded one patient
for continuing to have lots of babies past age fifty.  Don't count on the
statistics.  You can get pregnant until a year after your last period.  For
some people that is age 35, for others age 58.

I didn't say it was impossible, I said it was very rare.  I don't have to
worry about it.  I had a tubal ligation when Staci was born.

I just wish my body would hurry up and go into menopause. Grump. I have the
miserable periods, etc. but pills don't work on me. They've tried. I've had
one endometrical ablation and am having another in two weeks. Sigh. I don't
know why my body doesn't react to the pills the way most people's do...

The birth control pills alone don't work for me.  I take 600mg of Ibuprophen
every 6 hrs around the clock starting 1 day before I expect my period
(fortunately the pills do help with that), until flow stops.  This has helped
to keep the flow light rather than extremely heavy, even last month when I
couldn't take the Ibuprophen because of another procedure I was having done.

Some things that work for me to ease my periods are to pretty much eliminate
caffeine around that time (I don't get all that much, anyway) and to make sure
I am getting exercise.  Cardio work really makes me feel better, but yoga
comes in handy too.

I've been taking birth control (only ortho tri-cyclen) for the past 4-5 years
because it helps regulate my period and it helps keep my face clear. It's been
working really well, and i'm really happy that it has the plus of helping keep
my face clear.

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