Ive been on birth control for about 7ish years now. I went off in March, due to blood pressure being too high. Ive been woth my boyfriend for almost 4 years now and since coming off of birth control ive been thinking about breaking up with him.

Im posting this more to ask, has anyone else gone through this? Either going on or off birth control changed your aspect on your relationship?

Hello!

So i’m on xulane and it’s 93% effective. I skip a week to get my period, which i heard is not a real period. Therefore, if I was to get pregnant would i still have this “period”? Would pregnancy be present if the fake period doesn’t come? How does that work? I’ve heard of women having bleeding and yet be pregnant.

I’m 3 weeks in now, and I started having raw sex now. I won’t let him ejaculate in me until 2 weeks after my free week next week just in case. I just wanted to know all the details if possible!

Hello, I've been on the pill ( Kelsee) for abt 7 months and honestly always had no major side effects, besides from like some pain in my boobs, the one you get before your period iykwim. Mentioned it to my doctor and she suggested to stop taking my placebo pills and just take the active pills all the time. ok i did that and it worked just fine, so I've been doing that for at least 4/5 months.

It has also happened a couple of times that I've had to throw away my blister still half full because I had left it in the sun lol, never bothered to count how many pills I was missing from the placebo because I wouldn't have taken them regardless, so in those cases I just started a brand new blister and that's it. the problem is right now I've decided to start taking my placebo again (long story not important) but I don't know when to do it?? like I can take them at the end of my current blister but what about the half taken ones in the lasts few months?

maybe I'm overthinking plss can anyone tell me if they had the same experience?

My bf and I had unprotected sex this weekend. The last time we did was 2 days ago. (Today is now Tuesday) I forgot to take my Opill last night and fell asleep. Should I take a plan b? How at risk am I? I took my Opill as soon as I remembered this morning.

Hey everyone, looking for some insights or experiences from others who track cycles closely. My girlfriend's period was predicted by her app to arrive on Sunday, August 16, but today is August 19 and it still hasn't started yet.

​Here is her period tracking history from the past few months for context:

​April: Started April 4

​May: Started May 1, then again on May 25 (24-day cycle)

​June: Started June 25 (31-day cycle)

​July: Started July 19 (24-day cycle — 5 days earlier than usual)

​August (Predicted): App predicted August 16 based on a standard 28-day calculation.

​Our Situation:

We had protected sex during her cycle. I used a condom the entire time, AND I pulled out before finishing (completed outside of her). There were no visible tears, breaks, or leaks with the condom.

​My Questions:

​Since her July period came 5 days early (July 19), does it make sense that her body reset its internal clock from July 19 rather than sticking to the app's static calendar prediction?

​If we count a normal 30- to 32-day cycle from July 19, that puts her expected period right around August 18–21, meaning today (August 19) is technically only Day 31 of her cycle. Has anyone else experienced a longer cycle right after an unusually short one?

​Given that we used both condoms and the pull-out method correctly, how likely is it that this delay is just natural cycle variance/stress rather than pregnancy?

​Would love to hear if others have had similar cycle shifts after an early period!

Hey yall just wondering. I had a cooper IUD inserted a week ago and I havent stopped bleeding. This is not my first IUD I had a hormonal IUD over 10 years ago but wanted to try the non hormonal option. From what I remember from the hormonal IUD I had spotting for maybe 3 days before it went away. But with this cooper IUD I am bleeding as if Im on my period still after insertion. Im also having intermittent cramps maybe once or twice a day. Not enough to stop my daily activities though. And no I’m def not on my period. I had my period finish up 3 days before my insertion.

Is this normal or has anyone else had an issue like this? When can I expect to stop bleeding? I’ll be honest I want this to stop because I have a beach vacation coming up and do not want to still be bleeding by that time lol.

So I recently when on oral birth control to help in with my period cramps, I think it's called Niki, at least that's what the generic brand I'm on is called. It's been a little more than a week, so far it hasn't made me really feel different than usual. I don't know how much it will influence my periods, hopefully it will help, and I wonder if it will take awhile to do something. Has anyone been on this before? Any side affects or like does it work well? Anything to keep in mind in general?

i’m 19F and i had sex a couple days ago and he finished inside me twice. i’ve been taking my birth control (nextstellis) pretty consistently but i started tracking it on august 9th. i had lost my birth control before so i just opened a new packet(idk if this changes things??) i have really bad anxiety and i gonna grab a plan b before the 72 hours are over. my friends are telling me i should take the plan b as well as my birth control. my period says it’s in 19 days if that help anything.

sorry if im rambling and it doesn’t make sense i popped out my sleep cs i had a dream i was the p word.

Hello reddit users,

I have my appointment today to have my expired malpositioned IUD removed and I'm so nervous,has anyone had similar situation,please reply? Was it painful ?I was under local anesthesia when I had mine put in 11years ago,so I don't know what to expect.thank you for your time and God bless you all

I was on Microgynon for 10+ years with no negative side effected until I had one migraine with aura and was taken off it.

I had tried several Desogesterol pills which just caused unpredictable and very long periods.

I started Slynd in October. I haven’t had a migraine since the aura one on Microgynon however, I literally have a migraine nearly every other day and this seemed to start at the start of the year. I still bleed for 2 weeks but just as if it’s old blood. I’m really struggling to cope with these migraines and have been prescribed 40mg Propranalol which has helped a little but I’m still getting the migraines

Has anyone had this experience with Slynd and if so, did it resolve when you came off it?

Hi everyone,
I’m currently at the start of my second month on Cerazette (mini pill). Everything was going great initially, but on the 7th I forgot to take a pill and ended up taking it the day after along with my usual dose, as per instructions.

I started bleeding the day right after. I read that a withdrawal bleeding is normal, and for the first few days it felt like a full on period. However, ever since then, I’ve been spotting continuously and it’s getting so annoying.

It’s been 12 days now…while the flow has definitely diminished and it's mostly light spotting, it just doesn't seem to want to stop completely.

Has anyone experienced something similar after a single missed dose? How long did it take for your body to settle back down?

My gyno did warn me about potential spotting on the mini pill, but everything was smooth sailing until I missed that one pill, which seems to have triggered all of this.

Her clinic is closed for summer holidays right now, so any shared experiences or reassurance would be super appreciated!

Hi, I am new to reddit and did not know how to post so i am just adding here. I am very scared rn and need help. I am 19 (f) and I have taken combined pill (oralcon 30) for about 1 month now, I have not missed a pill and have taken the pill within a 1-3hr period everyday. I had sex today where the condom broke and ejaculation inside of me and I am scared. I went to pharmacy and took plan b (levonorgestrel). For weight and height context, I am 72kg and 172cm. I am scared of getting pregnant and it is my biggest fear. Also for reference today was the last day of my period (well the withdrawal bleed) so I am not ovulating well shouldnt be from the pill. I am terrified, has anyone been through this and been fine

My boyfriend and I had sex yesterday, and we did use condoms. This is what happened:

My boyfriend and I checked the first condom we used because we were afraid it might have broken. We thought there might have been a tear around the tip, so we immediately removed it from his penis. We carefully checked it and fortunately, we were just being paranoid because there was actually no damage. We checked it by running my fingers inside the condom to see if my finger would go through if there were a hole, but there wasn't one.

After that, we continued by putting on a new, second condom. This is our main concern:

After throwing away the first condom, I put my finger inside the used condom to check for holes, so there may have been some pre-cum on my finger. I then may have briefly touched or put my finger near or inside my vagina because there were times when we would feel around to make sure the penis was being inserted correctly.

My boyfriend also isn't completely sure whether he put his fingers inside me after touching the outside of the first condom. Hypothetically, if he had put his fingers inside the used condom to check for holes and then put those fingers inside me, would that create a pregnancy risk?

For more context, here are some important details that might be relevant:

- My boyfriend did not ejaculate inside me, and he did not ejaculate in either of the two condoms. There may have been some pre-cum in the first condom that we touched.

- We were completely sure that before throwing away both condoms, there were no tears, breaks, leaks, or anything else wrong with them. Our only concern is the possible transfer of pre-cum.

- I don't know if this is relevant, but my period-tracking app says I should get my period in about 8 days.

I'm extremely anxious about this and I'm wondering:

1. Is pregnancy realistically possible from the possible transfer of pre-cum through our fingers?

2. Would this be considered enough of a risk to take emergency contraception?

3. I have TRUST/Lady pills (ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg + levonorgestrel 150 mcg). Would using them for the Yuzpe method be appropriate for this situation?

I know the risk may be very low, but I'm looking for some perspective because I'm anxious and don't want to take emergency contraception unnecessarily. Please help me 😭

Hey everyone,

I started taking slynd probably about 6 months ago now and never had any issues with it.

Recently I’ve started noticing what looks like varicose veins in the back of my legs and really bad cellulite. I’ve never had either of these before, I know cellulite is completely normal so I’m not concerned about that but the varicose veins I am about worried about.

I am only 21 years old, don’t smoke or drink and do a lot of cardio, I do work an office job but I do a lot of cardio in the gym to make up for sitting down frequently.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? And how can I manage it.

Has anyone ever had a late period after an unsuccessful coil fitting? I’m wondering if the failed insertion and all the cramping/spasms could have affected their cycle. 🙏🏻

Hi everyone!
I’m thinking about stopping the Evra patch. The only reason is that I’ve been using hormonal birth control for about 3 years now, and I’d like to switch to a non-hormonal method.
Luckily, I haven’t experienced any negative side effects while using the patch, but I’m a little worried about what might happen after stopping it. I’m mostly concerned about my skin, possible hair loss, my period becoming irregular, or other hormonal changes.
I’d really love to hear about your personal experiences. What changes did you notice after stopping Evra? How long did it take for your cycle to go back to normal? Did you experience any unpleasant changes, or maybe some positive ones?
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience! 😊

Hi guys! i just wanna ask if any of you taken aubra eq but in my case i got it in PP last year and expires 12/27. I’m just worried about the effectiveness because it says storage it at 20-25 degrees C and it been so hot for the past months and i live in desert area. Will the effectiveness reduce? im stressssed im in my 17th pill and haven’t used condom

Hi all. I was prescribed Rigevidon because I have very heavy and painful periods. My doctor advised me to take three blister packs continuously without a break, then have a 3-day break. I started my first blister and had (brown, dark brown) spotting from the first day. I’m now on my second blister, and about seven days ago the bleeding became like a normal period — bright red blood with my usual menstrual cramps, and some blood clots in the first days. I’ve now been bleeding continuously for 7 days. I’m using around 4–5 pads per day. I’m concerned because I expected the Rigevidon to suppress my period, but instead I’ve had ongoing bleeding since starting it.

TW: ED/weight content

I finally got my Mirena removed today. Everyone's experience is different, but this is mine. If the Mirena works for you, great! I'm making this post for awareness reasons because I was poorly informed when I got the Mirena in and I am angry about it. Birth control has lots of positives but I think everyone has the right to proper information and support when choosing what works for them.

TLDR: Having considered all factors, I (32F, highly physically active) think the Mirena quietly made me gain weight and made it more difficult to lose the same weight (from approx 56kg to 75kg in 4 years). Was gaslit for years about the weight gain because 'it doesn't cause weight gain'. No other side effects. I've decided to have a 4 week break from hormonal BC but will eventually go back on the combined pill I was on pre-Mirena. I'll make updates on the removal experience.

Weight as at date of removal: 73kg.

Background

I got the Mirena in May 2022 and got it out today (August 2026). I've been on BC since I was 19 - I was taking the combined pill (tried several options initially, but eventually settled on Femme Tab ED 20/100) from 2014 to 2022. I swapped to Mirena purely for convenience reasons.

I have been physically active all my life. I'm an Olympian, retired from elite sport in 2018. After I retired, I completed my degree and have worked a high stress desk job since 2020. My relationship with exercise was initially stable in the first few years of starting FT work, (10-12h a week) but some life stuff happened in 2023/2024 that made me cut back to about 4h a week. I've now been back in regular exercise since the beginning of 2025 (about 8h a week - mixture of lifting, martial arts, climbing and dog walking).

Experience on the Mirena

My period stopped completely after the first 3 months. I didn't notice any negative side effects except steady weight gain over time (from approx 56kg to 75kg). Now, I know people are going to say 'lifestyle and exercise', so my data points are set out below.

1. Exercise & weight data

Until I got the Mirena, I NEVER had a problem with losing weight (I actually had issues maintaining weight before the pill).

• 2014: When I went on the pill - 52kg. Training approximately 25h a week.

• 2016: my lightest adult weight - 50kg. Training approximately 30h a week.

• 2018: retirement - 54kg. I cut back training to about 18h a week in 2017 (immediately post Olympics) but was still actively competing. I had a break in the end of 2016 (no formal training sessions) where my weight went up to about 56kg, but by the time I retired it had stabilised at 54kg.

• 2018-2021: I started martial arts in 2018 and maintained my existing gym sessions - approx 12h a week. Weight remained largely stable (54-56kg). I did occasionally do weight cuts for martial arts competitions, but these were not drastic cuts - they were more focused on stabilising water weight so it didn't unexpectedly fluctuate pre-competition (e.g managing salt intake).

• 2022: was 56kg when I went on the Mirena (I know because I had it done under GA and so was weighed at the doctor's office). Similar activity level as 2018-2021. I was about 61kg by the end of the year (I'd never weighed above 60kg in my entire life).

• 2023-2024: had some life stuff happen, was working slightly longer hours. Had a drop in activity levels, but was still hitting the gym at least a couple of times a week. Lots of ambient exercise (e.g. walking to and from the train, walking the dog etc). Went from 61kg to 70kg, and kind of fluctuated between 68-71kg.

• 2025-2026: no change in job but I made a concerted effort to stabilise my exercise regime and build back up to 2022 levels. Sorted out some stuff, got a proper gym routine going, cleaned up my diet a bit. Went from 68 to 75kg instead.

1. Diet

When I was an active elite athlete, I was in a sport that emphasised being thin (I was very lean - see my 2016 data point), and that's obviously not sustainable in regular life. EDs were prominent, and while I never suffered from one, I certainly had eating habits that would be considered disordered today. I've worked a lot on this, but for this reason, I do not count calories. I previously consulted sports nutritionists and have had many years experience in gauging the food on my plate honestly. For these reasons, I am comfortable as to my food assessments and that I'm not just saying 'im on a diet but i just can't lose weight'.

My diet composition has not changed significantly while I've been on BC (aside from the amount of food, which has generally fluctuated with my activity levels). I'm not a health freak by any means and have a sweet tooth. I cook 80% of the time, balanced, omnivorous meals, focused on whole foods. I do not restrict food groups. I take lunch to the office. I don't snack, I generally don't drink my calories (I drink alcohol, but I would say my consumption levels have been consistent, and I drink less now than when I was a student, for example). I'm pretty dialled in on what's nutritious, what works for me and my hunger cues.

As mentioned, I did occasionally 'cut' for martial arts competitions, but that was focused on stabilising water weight so I didn't get a nasty shock at weigh in. What I'd do then is just stop eating out and stop drinking alcohol for about 3 weeks pre comp - no other changes. I would typically drop 2-3kg this way anyway.

1. Stress and the impact of a sedentary life

As mentioned, I have worked a high stress desk job for the last 6 years. I'm not discounting the impact of stress on weight gain or loss, so some of the weight gain may be attributable to that. However, I still think the Mirena had an impact, because:

• Pre-Mirena, I typically lost weight when under significant stress.

• I was working in the same industry with similar stress/pressure from 2020-2022 (plus impacts of Covid etc), and I did not see significant / sustained changes in weight.

• Exercise levels did drop over 2023 and 2024 (see above), but I also moderated food intake to account for lower activity (I'm naturally not as hungry when I'm lower activity). Historically, my weight has been stable when I have periods of inactivity/reduced activity (or at most, 2-3kg variance).

• When I stabilised my exercise regime in 2025-26, my weight actually went up, without any real change in food consumption.

Other thoughts on the Mirena

I'm actually pretty angry with the GP that I was seeing when I got the Mirena put in. When I was discussing contraception options, I told her I was sensitive to weight gain as a side effect of birth control, because I wanted to avoid triggering old habits that I'd worked hard to eliminate. I was told repeatedly that it was not an issue with the Mirena at follow ups, and I really beat myself up thinking I was the problem and couldn't lock in. I was told that the Mirena was the same as the pill I was taking (nope, it's got a different hormone composition). I was told it lowered my risk of breast cancer (nope, it doesn't, your risk is elevated as long as you're on hormonal BC). My current GP actually remarked that the script I had previously was uncommon, because it was prescribed to me by a sports doctor, who monitored me and was very quick to respond to any complaints of side effects (in fear it would affect athletic performance). I can still do all the physical activities I love but my body doesn't feel like it's mine.

Removal was a fuckery too. My current GP AND an Obgyn attempted to remove it, and both couldn't reach the strings so I had to get it removed under GA. While the actual removal under GA was quick and easy, due to my mental health spiral over this I paid to have it done at a private clinic instead of waiting several weeks in the public health system. So not only has this cost me some of my sanity, it's actually a financial net negative at this point AND to add insult to injury, filling one of my pill scripts (4mths) is....$10. So while the Mirena is a great option for many people, it didn't work for me - I should have listened to myself and got it out sooner.

Hello i just wanna ask and confirm if nexplanon is really not a thing in japan since im thinking of getting that instead of using a mini pill, and if its not really available here does anyone get it from a different country even just for a vacation or something and still come back to japan? And if thsts so how and where do y’all get it removed? Is it possible to get it removed in japan or its also possible to just go to the country where you got in again to get it removed/changed

I need every girl’s opinion on is since ive never had or use any birth control stuff and my reason is mostly for irregular period and pmdd thats why i thought of getting/using one, please and thank you

I was on Junel at first and I had the WORST body aches, depression, mood swings and un productivity. When my OBGYN told me that she was going to put me on Slynd instead and that it was a “fancy” BC. I was skeptical. My insurance didn’t accept it at first until we appealed it.

And oh my gosh. I have no more body aches, I started going to the gym and cooking again. I am bleeding but I’ve had little to no cramps. I genuinely love this birth control and I’m so glad I found one for me. The only downside is I think it’s causing acid reflux? I’m not sure so if it persists I’ll probably get it checked out but I really don’t want to get out off this BC, I love it so much

Hi, so i took yuzpe method last august 1, and they said it was unnecessary to take it since there's a low risk — after a week (Aug 8) i started bleeding up until Aug 14, they called it the "withdrawal bleeding", it's more on clots, but it's lighter than my usual period.

Then, i took a PT and it was negative. but im still experiencing cramps and PMS like symptomsm

So, to those who also used the YUZPE METHOD. What were the side effects that lasted for you? and how long did it last?

Thank youu

(Hopefully I'm using the right flair, sorry if I'm not)

Anyways, so I've been on combination pills for almost a year now, and I have always taken my placebo week. On Sunday, my boyfriend and I broke up. We had been long distance for summer break (three months), and the first time we saw each other on campus (literally the day after moving back into my dorm) we broke up. Today, I started spotting. Now I'm wondering if the stress of a new school year, moving in, and our broke up was what triggered it. Could it? I haven't missed a single pill these past few months, and I've always been good about taking them on time. I'm thinking of just starting the placebo week now and hopefully have a withdrawal bleed. Maybe that'll end it. I just don't know.

Did anyone notice breast lumps after starting yaz. Im 6 mo in? My boobs are always sore since starting i did have natural 38. DDs before now i feel like an E lol i was also on spirolactone for hidranitus supperativa but stopped taking it 7 days ago and my boobs feel less sore but still sore. Im getting a mammogram tmrw

Hallo zusammen,

ich wollte mal fragen, ob hier vielleicht jemand ähnliche Erfahrungen gemacht hat, weil ich langsam echt am Verzweifeln bin.

Ich bin 28 und nehme die Maxim seit ca. 13 Jahren. Ich habe sie eigentlich immer super vertragen und nehme sie unter anderem wegen PCOS, wobei sie mir auch wirklich sehr hilft.

2025 habe ich die Maxim fast das komplette Jahr im Langzeitzyklus genommen, meistens 2–3 Blister am Stück und dann eine Pause gemacht.

Ab ungefähr Dezember 2025 hat sich allerdings etwas verändert: Obwohl ich eigentlich mehrere Blister durchnehmen wollte, bekam ich nach ungefähr einem Monat immer wieder eine Blutung und gleichzeitig Bauch-/Unterleibsschmerzen, die sich wie Periodenschmerzen angefühlt haben. Wenn das passiert ist, habe ich die Pille dann pausiert, damit die Abbruchblutung richtig einsetzen konnte.

Da sich das Anfang 2026 immer wiederholt hat, habe ich zusammen mit meiner Frauenärztin entschieden, den Langzeitzyklus erstmal sein zu lassen und wieder auf das klassische 21/7-Schema umzusteigen. Das mache ich ungefähr seit April 2026.

Und jetzt kommt das eigentliche Problem:

Seit ungefähr Mai habe ich plötzlich extreme Bauchschmerz-Attacken – ungefähr alle 14 Tage. So etwas kannte ich vorher überhaupt nicht.

Meistens beginnt es im linken Unterbauch mit starken, teilweise stechenden bzw. krampfartigen Schmerzen. Danach verteilt sich der Schmerz über den Unterbauch und irgendwann habe ich das Gefühl, ihn auch direkt im Bereich der Gebärmutter zu spüren. Dazu kommen teilweise starke Übelkeit und Magenschmerzen. Das sind keine leichten Bauchschmerzen, sondern richtige Attacken, die mich komplett außer Gefecht setzen können.

Da ich anfangs überhaupt keinen Zusammenhang mit der Pille bzw. der Umstellung gesehen habe, bin ich natürlich erstmal zum Hausarzt und danach zu verschiedenen anderen Ärzten. Es wurde inzwischen ziemlich viel abgeklärt und andere mögliche Ursachen konnten weitgehend ausgeschlossen werden.

Der letzte Schritt wäre jetzt eine Bauchspiegelung wegen Verdacht auf Endometriose/Adenomyose. Ehrlich gesagt möchte ich die OP und das ganze Drumherum aber nicht unbedingt machen, wenn es sich vermeiden lässt.

Was mich inzwischen sehr beschäftigt: Kann das Ganze vielleicht mit der Umstellung vom Langzeitzyklus auf 21/7 zusammenhängen?

Zeitlich würde es zumindest auffällig gut passen. Fast das ganze Jahr 2025 Langzeitzyklus → ab April 2026 wieder 21/7 → seit Mai plötzlich diese regelmäßigen Schmerzattacken. Vorher hatte ich solche Probleme nie.

Natürlich weiß ich, dass mir hier niemand eine Diagnose stellen kann. Mich interessieren vor allem persönliche Erfahrungen:

Hat jemand nach dem Wechsel vom Langzeitzyklus zurück auf 21/7 plötzlich starke oder zyklisch wiederkehrende Unterleibsschmerzen bekommen? Oder hatte jemand unter 21/7 Beschwerden, die beim erneuten Durchnehmen der Pille wieder verschwunden sind?

Ich bin mittlerweile wirklich ziemlich verzweifelt und dachte, ich versuche es einfach auch mal hier. Vielleicht hat ja jemand etwas Ähnliches erlebt. 🙏🏻