(the Pill) who has experienced...?

a) is there any evidence of its long term danger?



Mixed studies suggest many different things. Don't smoke when you're on the pill, they have found that it can cause blood clots. Studies show a reduction in cervical cancer with pill users. Some suggest a slight increase in risk for breast cancer for women who are already predisposed.

I don't worry too much about long term dangers because the immediate danger of me continuing with my period the way it was off the pill would have resulted in 3 wks out of every month non-functional due to my period.



b) does it really result in odd moods and depression? anybody found this?



I get odd moods/depression sometimes the weekend before my period starts (it starts on a Monday, so just Saturday/Sunday), but that only started when I switched to Generic. (After almost 6 yrs on non-generic... Exactly the same my you know what)



c) found it aggrevates acne?



Many BC pills help with acne. I've never had acne, either pre or post pill, so I can't really comment from personal experience.



d) found it leaves you with less sex drive??



If this is less sex drive, heaven help my bf if I ever go off of it. He'll never get to sleep

When I was on the birth control pill, it ruined my mood and my sex drive. I felt depressed a lot, and well.. yeah. Since being off of it for a few months, I've felt much, much better.

I was on the pill for 4 years. In the past year, I have had 3 pulmonary embolisms. One of those resulted in me almost losing my life.



I can never take the pill again.

The complaint I've heard the most from women who have taken the pill is that they have lower sex drive or some weight gain. (Not all women have these.) Most people, though, haven't had major health issues due to them. If you have or develop health issues that might change whether you're a good candidate for the pill or not.



There are different types of birth control meds out there. If you find that type A doesn't work for you (for whatever reason), you can talk to your doctor about changing.

In my experience...



a) is there any evidence of its long term danger?

I'll leave that to the others!

b) does it really result in odd moods and depression? anybody found this?

No, it did not change my moods.

c) found it aggrevates acne?

No, but the injection did at first, less so now.

d) found it leaves you with less sex drive??

No.

I really believe that a lot of the dangers depend upon your own personal situation. Different women are pre-disposed to different conditions than each other, and so the effects of the same pill can vary. In addition, there are several formulations of bcp's available. I think that this (that everyone's different) is part of the reason that different studies have different results as well.



I am a firm believer that the pill can affect moods and depression (and let's just say that IS believes it too ). I know lots of gals though who take it and seem just fine. Then there are the horror stories on sites like this: http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com...stlist&Board=7

There are good stories there as well, but the negative ones are enough to make me believe that side effects are not as unheard of as the "establishment" would lead you to believe.



It may be that these women were more likely to suffer these symptoms anyway, and that the hormones just served as a "trigger" of sorts. The thing is, you don't know if you're susceptible until you start suffering the problems.



As for acne, I've not heard of anyone saying that it gets worse on the pill, except maybe for a few weeks at the beginning. I did have some face discoloration (like you get when you're PG), but it's supposed to face once you stopping taking the pill.



I definitely didn't have a lower sex drive , but the emotional side effects came into play somewhat.



The most common complaints I hear are: weight gain (small amounts though, usually) and depressive feelings. Not cool.



There are some studies that suggest (but not prove) that the levels of estrogen (particularly in some pills) may encourage abnormal growths that are present in the uterus.



I'm definitely much happier now. It was nice only having to remember to take a pill and basically not having to think about birth control at all, but for the long term, I'm convince the potential dangers outweigh the benefits (for most women).

I love my birth control pills. I haven't had any trouble with acne or less sex drive. I can't say anything about depression or moods because I dealt with those before the pills.



And a lot of it is finding the birth control pill that works best for you. I've been on 4 or 5 different kinds.

a) is there any evidence of its long term danger?



Read the packet. It tells you risk factors, etc. For many women, it REDUCES your chances of several problems, and can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer by 50%. I had no problems with it at all and took it for 10 years without interruption, and conceived easily and immediatelly after stopping taking the pill.



b) does it really result in odd moods and depression? anybody found this?



It actually helped make my moods a little more steady. I did not experience depression on it. I had been depressed as a teen and started taking the pill around age 18 - whether it was the pill, or just growing out of my youthful hormones that made me better, I won't claim to know.



c) found it aggrevates acne?



Made mine way better. THat I WILL credit to the pill since it fixed my blotchy skin the first month I took them.



d) found it leaves you with less sex drive??

My boyfriend/husband could barely peel me off of him for 10 years, so I would say, no ;-)

I have been taking Yasmin for 2 years now. I haven't gain any extra weight. My acne is still the same. It just usually comes with my period. My sex drive is still crazy, my poor boyfriend.

a) is there any evidence of its long term danger?



There are certain risk factors when you take birth control. But be careful to understand that not all pills are the same and they carry different risk and benefits. One of the biggest no-no's while on the pill is smoking. From all I have researched, smoking is a big factor in many cancers, including cervical cancer. Also, smoking while on the pill may increase your risk of heart attack or stroke but nothing suggests that the pill itself is a risk. There is a slight risk for blood clotting but I don't know if other factors are involved in those cases. They also document a risk in developing high blood pressure but I am guessing that is for those already pre-desposed. I have diagnosed low blood pressure (usually 90/60) and that runs in my family.



Being a long-term pill user significantly reduces your chances of endometrial and ovarian cancers. There is much drama concerning the risk for breast cancer but I have found many studies that suggest that there is no increased risk from the pill alone. One study that claimed an increased risk of breast cancer studied women who took the pill for a number of years and then had a child. I don't know what the risk is of long-term use for women with no resulting pregnancies. The whole issue is very cloudy. I was also told by my dr. just a few weeks ago that long-term pill use decreases a women's risk for heart disease. I did some searching and found studies to back that up but at the same time there are many sites and articles saying the opposite.



b) does it really result in odd moods and depression? anybody found this?

I don't remember what happened when I first started on the pill because that was 10 years ago and I was a teenager with teenager hormones and angst already. I have had girl friends who have said that they experienced mood changes at first. Remember that you will be adding hormones to your body and that can cause any number of changes. And not all pills are the same. A lot of the women (and men) I've spoken to about negitive mood changes were taking the depo shot. That seems to be the method of bc that makes women's moods go haywire.



c) found it aggrevates acne?



Again, since I was so young when I started taking it, I don't recall having such a reaction. I've never really had an acne problem save for the odd zit here or there. And I have never had the whole face breakout. Maybe the pill helped me out then, I never really gave it much thought.



But today, there are many pills that specifically aim to help acne. I think the ortho-pills do that?



d) found it leaves you with less sex drive??



I have heard that some women can experience that. It didn't seem to effect my drive any and in fact it may have increased it! I have other disorders down there that have caused more of a hindrance to my sex life than the pill.





There are so many conflicting studies for the pill that really all you can do is read and research on your own and talk to your doctor. Most side effects depend on other factors (such as age/smoking/genes) that no two women will have exactly the same experience.

i have been avoiding taking the pill and have been keeping track of my cycles in order to avoid getting pregnant and usually making the guy wear a condom, but not always. they don't like wearing them and i don't them either. it isn't that hard to keep track when ovulation is taking place but i admit it can be a little worrisome if you are having sex close to when you should be ovulating.



i just don't like the idea of messing with the body's cycles the way the pill does. although most studies seem to suggest that bc pills made now might be safe, the concept behind them bugs me so i am gonna try not to take them.

the pill keeps you regular. if doesn't mess up anything. that is pretty risky of you. i hated that anxiety of wondering if i was pregnant or not. i feel a lot more relaxed about having sex now. but i still make my boyfriend wear a condom. just in case. we really don't want kids until we are married and a couple years down the road. but yea, it doesn't mess with your body. yes, if you are a smoker and stuff then it can mess you up. just another reason not to smoke.

Not really. You may bleed on a regular basis, but the basic idea behind most bcp's is that they keep you from ovulating altogether. Predictable, yes, but not "regular".

well when i wasn't on the pill i would have my period. then sometimes not. then have it two weeks apart from eachother. it was not regular. then i went on the pill and i have it once a month now. i know it keeps you from not ovulating

The thing to remember is that, like with every other drug, everyone has different reactions to the pill. My sex drive has slightly decreased, acne is a no show, weight gain never happened, so yeah.

Serious side effects aren't very common, but I believe drug companies are required to let you know what they are. Talk to your doctor.

I mostly went on the pill because my periods were so horrendous. Heavy as, and with the worst cramping imaginable. I had to go home from school some days because of it. I felt awful. My mum was the same when she was young.

Since going on the pill though, I'v been fine.

So yeah, chat to your doctor.

It completely depends on the pill. I've been on 5 different brands and it took 5 times to get it right! Most pills killed my sex drive and made me a little depressed. Death of the sex drive is actually one of the most common side effects of the pill (maybe that's why it's so effective). Everyone's body is different, so what works for me might not work for you. I had the worst trouble with Yasmin (caused severe depression and stomach pain) and Ortho-tri-cyclen lo (I bled for 3 weeks straight and had breakthrough bleeding a lot). I'm on Loestrin24 now and haven't even had a period in 2 months (it's common). I love it.

For me...



a) is there any evidence of its long term danger?

Pass... to be honest not sure.

b) does it really result in odd moods and depression? anybody found this?

I've found i've been in a few funny moods since, i've been crying much more than i used to over silly things.

c) found it aggrevates acne?

Mine's the same

d) found it leaves you with less sex drive??

No



I might think about coming off it soon, not sure.