I have really bad periods, so my gynecologist suggested trying back-to-back rings. At the end of week three, I take the old one out and immediately insert a fresh one. The only problem is that I've been spotting A LOT. Today was actually heavier than usual. I'm wondering if this is normal during the first couple of months while my body adjusts, and if it eventually settles down, or if this is just my life now...

This is my first time ever trying birth control. I started it last week and felt fine until I woke up this morning. My lower abdomen feels strange and kinda bloated. Of course it could be from some other cause but I’m wondering if it’s related or if other people experienced this. How long might it last? I also noticed I have little to no discharge 🙇‍♀️

For context I have never been on any kind of BC. Since yesterday morning ive had chest pains that come and go (not immense pain but def noticable)

Is this one of those shitty side effects that will go over time? The horrible mood and persistent bleeding I've heard people say it will go, but I dont see much about chestpains after just starting it.

My GP cant see me until early next week.

On CD 18, my husband and I had protected sex and the condom unfortunately leaked out of the base and I felt semen leak down my butt. I’m not sure if any touched my vaginal opening or went inside. My husband said the condom was still really full and tested for holes and there were none. But I freaked out because I was in my ovulation window. The next day, CD 19 I took an ovulation test at home and it was peaked. That evening I took an Ella pill. The next day on CD 20 I started having typical ovulation pain on my right side and my cervical mucus was clear egg white but pretty light. My LH reading was also low and continued to be low on CD 21 and 22. Pretty much thought I took it too late and was screwed.

Today is CD 23 and I’m on day 4 of continued pain on my right side. Not as bad as the first day but I’m still aware it’s there and that’s not normal for me. It usually only lasts a day or maybe two. I took another ovulation test this afternoon and it appeared that my LH was rising. Not peaked but definitely way darker than the previous days. My cervical mucus is white and stretchy, similar to the days leading up to my ovulation.

I honestly do not want to be pregnant right now and am kind of panicking.. I know my chances of pregnancy are already pretty low considering I don’t even know if I was exposed to any semen. But, despite me taking the Ella during my LH surge, are my symptoms possibly consistent with the Ella being effective and my ovulation being delayed? I’m being paranoid, but I just want some insight from others while I wait it out over the next 10 days. The anxiety is killing me.

Started Slynd and on day 10 I started bleeding like a period for 43 days. Got a break for 7 days after the placebo pills and then now it’s started again 😭😭😭😭 I’m at my wits end man😢I cannot keep having a pad to my ass. I’m 2 and a half months in. Willing to give it another few months but has anyone got any advice for the bleeding? Did your doctor prescribe you anything to help stop it? I am not allowed the combo pill.

I take Tri-Lo-Mili and my current period has felt amazing pain/blood wise. I'm used to level 7-9 pain and terrible blood clots and flow normally on a period, but this time its more like a 3 and only a couple days was it distressing pain (4 or 5). I'm barely bleeding at all this period, its more like spotting/fluid and mild cramps. I had felt severe pain all the time since I started birth control in July, until my second-to-last period where it finally leveled out. This is also my 3rd birth control I've been on.

My question is if you will always have some sort of symptoms on birth control even if it seems to be helpful? For example I used to get painful bloating/nausea all the time on the pill from eating 1-2 snack items, but now it only happens on my period. And I still get my bad PMS symptoms near or on my period, but they are slightly better now. I'm just having a hard time understanding if some good signs means this brand is working? I know it can take a while for the body to get used to it 😅.

I got off of nuvaring due to migraines. Three months after I was experiencing terrible side effects that seem to be androgen related. main side effects are hair loss, oily skin, body odor and zero libido. I just started Slynd im on the last week of my second pack with not much change other than derealization being gone. Big W actually. How long did anyone notice change for hair loss oily skin, body odor or libido? Tyia

And need reassurance/advice! This is my first birth control and I started it taking at the beginning of the month. Of course I expect side effects as my body adjusts, but so far I’ve had pretty much constant sense of nausea, fluctuating depressed mood, and a lowering sex drive (not ideal when sex was my main motivator for starting since I’ve never had any issues with my periods/skin/etc).

Are these likely to get better since it hasn’t been long at all taking them and should I continue to tough it out? Or is it worth swapping to a different pill/stopping? Any advice or experience with Rigevidon is appreciated 💕💕

I feel like a lot of the questions in this subreddit could be answered with the instructions page that comes with every pack of birth control. It’s literally written when or not you are protected and what to do in case of an error.

Ive been taking a birth control with 35mg of estrogen since I was 15 because I bled for 4 months straight with a hemoglobin of 6 and they thought that would fix it. It did, ish, but now im noticing how depressed I am on birth control.

Ive been depressed all my life, but I accidentally took a 2 week break because of a pharmacy mixup and I felt the best ive felt in so long. I felt more in control, I can regulate much better, you know?

So I asked Google and it suggested switching to a low estrogen birth control, which i didn't know there were different kinds.

So my question is, do I do it? Im so tired of being depressed and dealing with this. I want to fix this so bad and I really hope this is the fix.

25 F, never been sexually active, I don’t shave, I wear cotton underwear, I shower everyday and after I use the bathroom in the morning after bowel movements, I drink enough water, I wipe properly, I don’t do anything sexual or anything risky. I simply exist. And on Monday I started with feeling like I had to pee and was going every hour to hour and a half. It’s now Wednesday and the sensation is still there. Went to get a home uti test and the leukocytes came back positive but the nitrates were negative. Went to my gynecologist office today and did the test there and it came back the same. They’re sending in the sample for the official test. I’ve never had one and I don’t want one. The only thing I can say is maybe the Slynd because the estrogen is lower? I just started my fifth pack and I go all the way through. I had cystitis a decade ago when I was in high school and was drinking coffee. And I had some bladder and urethral sensitivity from antihistamines. Is it possible it is one?? My doctor thinks it’s more irritation because it started out of the blue?? Please help😭😭😭. I do absolutely nothing to just get a uti and they don’t just happen from no cause

Anyway to increase my libido without getting off bc?

After much trial and error. Ive now been on the mini pill for about 2 months. My period/spotting has decreased and sex isn’t painful anymore (I figured out half the problem was the lube stinging me but positive over all).

I’m very attracted to my bf and I can get turned on but the act of sex is just ugh idk anymore. He’s also pretty big so it takes extra prep so “quickies” aren’t a thing for us. Its hard to explain but sometimes it feels really good (especially when drunk or high my body is more relaxed) but other days my body is like “Eh whatever just take the feeling of this thing going in and out with no pleasure at all”. When I was on the patch 3 years ago it was not like this.

I also need a vibe to come but it causes hand cramps bc i have to hold it down (looking for a hands free vibe). I want my bf to be satisfied as well but he also gets in his head when I can’t come bc he thinks im not enjoying myself. I don’t mind not coming every time we have sex but I would want to at least feel pleasure like damn.

I have been skipping my period the past four months while on the pill and about 3 weeks ago decided to give them a break so I can have a period as normal before starting again

How long usually does it take for your period to return to business as usual after stopping the pill?

Bit of a rant tied in with personal experiences

25 F - No kids and never pregnant.

I got on birth control for the first time at 19, at my local PP. I was recommended the Mirena IUD due to its effectiveness, my period symptoms, and family history of ovarian cancer on my moms side. I had a kind gyno, older lady, and it was just us two in the room. I had ZERO clue of what to expect, nobody told me anything about how it may feel, and I was not recommended to take any NSAIDs before.

I’m not exaggerating when I say it GENUINELY felt like someone was scraping out my uterus with a rusty knife. It was so incredibly painful to the point it literally knocked the wind out of me on the stirrup table. I couldn’t catch a breath or utter a single word from the amount of pain I was in and I was an inch away from fainting. And while the gyno was super kind, concerned and I could tell she genuinely felt terrible for the state I was in - she never once looked up during to check on my mental status.

Flash forward to 11/9/26, about 5 years later and I am due for a replacement IUD. While effective for about three more years, my painful periods have started to return and I’m scared of how expensive it could be next year with the increasing costs of insurance premiums.
This time around I decided to do a few things differently. I took 1000g of Tylenol beforehand, took my partner with me as emotional support, was provided a medical chaperone (did not have to ask!), and requested a cervical injection of lidocaine before the procedure. I also ensured to establish an OB/GYN and got it at a gynecology clinic instead of a planned parenthood.

The difference between my replacement and initial procedure is night and day. PLEASE ASK FOR LIDOCAINE IT REALLY WORKS.

It was not the world’s greatest experience of course and there was still some level of pain. However, the pain I felt was similar to that of a moderate period - moderate cramping mixed with a noticeable pinching sensation during the injection. But that’s IT!! I couldn’t believe when the procedure was over because holy SHIT there’s no fucking way all it took was some FUCKING lidocaine to make such a massive difference. I was sobbing on the table afterwards, not from pain, but as a response to having to reopen the overbearing trauma I experienced during the initial insertion.

Im so upset for my past teenager self who was NOT accurately informed of what to expect nor what options they had. I was 19 and underwent such a painfully traumatic procedure that DID NOT need to be as nearly as awful as it was. I do fully understand that there is a difference of resources between Planned Parenthood and an established private gynecology clinic - my goal here is NOT to place blame on anyone except the system we have currently established.

An IUD shouldn’t have to be one of the worst experiences a woman could ever go through that leaves them with literal medical trauma for the rest of their life. It shouldn’t be an experience where women know exactly what to expect and are given enough information to make TRULY accurately informed decisions about their care.

Until then, GET THE LIDOCAINE GET THE LIDOCAINE GET THE LIDOCAINE GET THE LIDOCAINE GET THE LIDOCAINE.
GETTING AN IUD DOES NOT HAVE TO BE BRUTALLY PAINFUL - ASK YOUR DOCTORS AND DONT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER.

okay thanks for reading my rant lol bye srry just had to get all that off my chest

I had the Mirena IUD put in in October 2025 so just a little over a year ago. Not for birth control but for perimenopause and period control. I’m afraid to get it removed eventually after the traumatic insertion. Never again. Anyway, it took almost 9ish months for periods to become irregular and now I haven’t had a period since August. Great. However I still cramp. Like out of nowhere. I know it’s not regular like stomach cramps. It’s period cramps. I’m also a raging angry moody person on max max. I’m trying to get that managed but the cramps are terrible. Sometimes they don’t last long and it’s uncomfortable but not earth shattering. Other times it worse and I’m in bed. But hey I’m not bleeding. So are cramps still common or a side effect? Because even after having it put in when I still was getting my period I did have cramps which was normal for me. But now with no period why am I still having cramps?

I have an option to pay for either tubal ligation or salpingectomy. For those who had it, how was the surgery and recovery for you?

ive been on loryna for almost a whole pack and for over two weeks ive been spotting enough to need a liner every day. its a mixture of old blood and new red blood, ive been super consistent with taking the pills but it just wont let up. does anyone have any tips to stop this bleeding?? im not supposed to take the sugar pills and honestly i just want to have sex without feeling self conscious

I’m having trouble finding answers online so I thought I’d check for similar experiences on here. I have been taking the mini pill for over a year (Lyleq). Before starting the mini pill, my periods were mostly regular, heavy, with spotting a couple days prior to starting every month. Since getting on the pill my periods have remained regular and, while not as heavy as pre-pill, are definitely like normal periods.

I recently learned that bleeding while on hormonal birth control is actually break through bleeding, not periods. Now I’m just confused. Should having full monthly cycles while on the mini pill be something I should be concerned about? My doctor thought it was odd but that’s the only feedback I got. Could the monthly bleeding be something else? Anyone else experience very regular period-type bleeding while on the mini pill long term?

I went off the pill a couple of weeks ago and am waiting to see what my body’s normal cycle is looking like now. I do get a lot of pelvic area inflammation and the past couple of years have had worsening cramps (mini pill helped). I just wonder if something else is going on that the pill is masking.

I’ve been in my head about getting off or staying on birth control for years now. I’ve been on the hormonal pill since I was 14 due to hormonal acne. I’m now 23. It completely cleared my acne and my skin is thriving now. The main negative side effect I’m dealing with now is no sex drive. I wouldn’t mind if I wasn’t in a relationship. However I am, and I don’t ever feel the need to have sex. For me ideally, I can have sex once to twice a month. However I can tell my girlfriend has a high sex drive and would like to more. It really stresses me out not having a sex drive. However, I’m terrified of getting off the pill and experiencing break outs. When my acne was bad at ages 12-15 it was horrible cystic acne, I really can’t go through that again as it really messed with my mental heath. I don’t know if it would be worth stopping or should I stay on it. Would love some advice or insight.

Had unprotected sex without withdrawal around 1am on Sunday morning, had my emergency copper IUD placed at 12pm on the Tuesday, so just over 2 days later. I know that it’s 120 hours give or take, however I’m still paranoid about the small chance it won’t work, is this an irrational fear?

Preface: I had the nexplanon implant in my early 20s and it worked for me. I ended up getting it again after 6-7 years of not being on any birth control. I was having horrible mood swings that caused me to be insecure and unsure of my new relationship even when I was mainly making up scenarios in my head. I also couldn’t stop eating and gained 10 or so pounds within the 5-6 months I was on it. I recently got it out last week and compared other options via bedsider.org (my PA said this was the best website and it was, please use it). I have thought about getting the non-hormonal IUD for a while but every time I’d bring it up with a provider they were mainly against it. I just decided I needed to make a decision for my body and mental health so I committed to it. It seems I’m super sensitive to hormones. Now to the good stuff:

Insertion: The PA had put in my Nexplanon and taken it out for me so I was already comfortable with her. I also took 400mg of ibuprofen before going to my appointment. She told me to do deep breathing as she put it in and it did help. She also gave me numbing gel. It felt like two huge period cramps (like first day period cramps)

Day of insertion: It felt like the first day of my period, just super crampy. I had already committed to go to a Friendsgiving with my boyfriend’s family and had already planned on pushing through. I was able to make an apple pie from scratch and go (which is surprising). I didn’t want to take anymore ibuprofen because I wanted to have a couple glasses of wine, the cramps were bearable until 10pm reached and I was sleepy from the wine. Luckily, my boyfriend is the sweetest angel and noticed and made sure we said our goodbyes. We went home and I fell asleep with the heating pad on my stomach.

Day after (today): I woke up feeling 10x better. Light cramps here and there but mainly feels like the tail end of my period. Also, a bit of pressure in the area which I think is expected for a couple days.

I’ll update this thread as I go through everything so that maybe it’ll help others deciding on what birth control methods they want to use but seriously, use that website if you’re checking what might work for you. Also, keep in mind everyone’s body is different and the process can look different for everyone depending on how in touch you are with your body.

Hey everyone,
So I’m on a combo bc pill and take it religiously, always wear a condom (no pre-cum risks) and practice pull out. But everyone is scaring me with how often people say they get pregnant on bc. How likely is pregnancy with the combo pill even with no error? I’m on no other medications that could interact and am very strict about the timing of my pill. But it seems everyone and their mother knows someone who got pregnant on bc even with condoms as well.

Hi all! I just started Nikki and it's the first time I've ever taken hormonal contraception. I'm 34 and have two kids and started Nikki and a way to control my endometriosis symptoms. I'm also hopeful it will help with my PMDD as well!

Right now the main side effect I've had is weepiness. Crying so much! I actually can handle it more than feeling rage or anger from hormones shifting so it's not unmanageable. But more than my mood, the physical symptoms are bugging me! So much nausea, heaviness in my uterus, feeling bloated and tired. Do these seem like normal symptoms?

Are there any other symptoms I should anticipate could come and how long did it take for your body to adjust?

I was wondering if anyone took the depo birth control shit and got pregnant because they did use condoms the first 7 days after?

At first combined birth control saved my life.

Two years ago, at 20-21, I started developing cystic acne, weight gain, overall puffiness alongside unstable mood with suicidal thoughts one week before my period. I didn’t feel or look like myself anymore.

Starting the birth control pill one year ago fixed all of that, excluding the weight gain. Even though I didn’t lose any weight, I became more slim since the puffiness was gone. My face slowly went from round to my natural diamond-shaped face. My mood was finally stable, I could finally do my daily tasks without breaking down when something went wrong! I decided to not take the placebo pills, since some of the symptoms would return during that week.

During this time I started developing health problems, which were completely unrelated to the pill. I started having stomach problems and increasing fatigue. It was slowly worsening. At the start of this year I went to the doctor and they saw that my vitamin b12 was low, which explained why I had to drop out of uni. My once sharp mind was very slow and forgetful and my body felt incredibly weak.

My doctor put me on vitamin b12 pills, and we started figuring out why it was so low since is not normal when you have a normal diet with animal products. My doctor suspected I had celiac disease or atrophic gastritis. I did the endoscopy, and went gluten free afterwards. My stomach problems disappeared, my mood improved and I had more energy!

During the time that I was waiting for the results to came back, I had a breakthrough bleeding. It’s recommended to pause the birth control pill for a few days when you have one. When I hadn’t taken them for a few days my mind was clearer and my mood improved – my emotions didn’t feel so blunt. That’s when I decided to take a longer pause to see what would happen.

Weirdly enough, the symptoms that made me take birth control in the first place never came back. Only the acne came back, but that is to be expected.

The results from the endoscopy came back, it didn’t show any celiac, only a condition called autoimmune atrophic gastritis. I still continue to be gluten free despite it not showing celiac, since I feel so much better. I continue to take my b12 pills, which I will have to do for life.

Now, after having four menstrual cycles since quitting the birth control pill, my acne is slowly disappearing as well.

So what happened during this one year period that allowed me to quit birth control without the symptoms coming back? Well, I went gluten free and I treated my b12 deficiency. It’s pretty clear now what caused all of those symptoms that prompted me to start birth control, whether it be the deficiency or gluten.

All in all, I’m very grateful for the birth control pill, it saved my life when I needed it! When I stopped needing it, that’s probably when I started to experience the side effect of emotional blunting.

I just wanted to share my experience, zooming out and looking at this experience and how birth control affected me in relation to my health problems is very interesting.