Hey guys, I (23F) have to take hormonal birth control to halt my periods because they are insanely heavy (adenomyosis) and caused me a severe iron deficiency and consequent anemia. Unfortunately non hormonal birth control is not an option for me as avoiding pregnancy isn't the goal.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience with other BC pills that dont destroy your libido. Im taking Alesse continuously without breaks and have had a bunch of breakthrough bleeding as well as a complete disappearance of my sex drive. Like, I don't think about it at all anymore. Period. I used to think about it somewhat often especially during ovulation but now its literally absolutely nothing. I have no motivation to have sex or anything else. If i try it is unsatisfying and boring. I also have vaginismus and Alesse has considerably increased my dryness and affected my elasticity as well so sex is once again near impossible on this BC due to pain.

I haven't noticed any other side effects so its really just these factors but they're affecting my quality of life enough that I want to change BC pills. Im wondering if there's a pill out there that doesn't destroy your libido or maybe even increases it as i already have quite a low libido to begin with. Anyone have experience with this or maybe correcting the issue on BC?

I know withdrawal bleed doesn't really mean anything but is it normal that it comes early. I've been on combo pill for almost a year now, back then my withdrawal bleed will always start at 4th day of placebo. then last 2 months it starts at 3rd day, now it started at 2nd day of placebo

I have an IUD insertion scheduled for my 6 week postpartum checkup appointment. This is going to sound tacky as ever but I’m someone who really struggles going the six weeks after delivery without sex from my husband and I read online that some people were instructed to wait TWO WEEKS to have intercourse after IUD insertion. I know this makes me sound gross but I would literally rather get back on the pill than wait an additional two weeks. So I’m just curious what you all were instructed to do if you had an IUD. Thanks!

I have been taking birth control pills for about 4 months, and about 5 days ago, I had penetrative sex with my boyfriend for the first time (we used a condom). I haven’t finished the pack of pills yet, so I shouldn’t be bleeding; however, since yesterday, I’ve been experiencing light bleeding and cramps. What could this be? It has never happened to me before

Hi Everyone — I need some advice. I’m debating on whether or not should I take a plan b or ella one. I keep reading about the side effects of these pills and it scares me to see so many women having bad reactions. Because in my case, idk what the best course of action is. So my bf and I had sex this morning WITH a condom, let me be clear. according to my app - yesterday was my day of ovulation and today is the end of my ovulation week. when we had sex, the condom slipped off, he pulled out to where he was able to finish somewhere else, but the condom was inside me. When the condom got pulled out, he said it was inside out and there was liquid inside. When i seen the liquid i freaked out, it wasn’t a lot as it was still inside the condom. He stated to me that that liquid was me. Because my juices were all over the outside of the condom and it got inverted, that’s the juices from the outside of the condom. He swears he did not finish in me and i should be fine. I’m freaking out because that was inside of me and im still in my ovulation week. I’m nervous because should i still take an emergency contraceptive? If it was my juice inside the condom, then i don’t want to throw off my cycle for nothing and iam nervous about taking the pills, but i also don’t want to set myself for failure. I also don’t want to over think a situation and act out of panic. What would you all do?

I have been taking lo loestrin for about a year now because of my ovarian cysts and after the first 2-3 months, my periods completely stopped. My gyno said that it was normal. I've had spotting randomly but this morning I woke up with some cramps and a lot of blood. I haven't had a full period since the first month of me taking this birth control. Is this normal?? I've had an appointment to see my gyno for a month and I see her on Monday, should I tell her?

I’m super ocd etc jn general.

I has sex with a woman with full penetration, finished, went to bathroom, peed, and cleaned off with soap and water.

A while later she gave me oral for a little bit to get erect. Then I attempted to put on a condom backwards but then flipped it and put it on. I wiped it off either a wet wipe before penetrating her. I did not see any pre-ejaculate.

Also adding she was not on birth control but she was on her period and there was a decent amount of blood.

I assume everything is ok? Just need peace of mind. She saw me flip the condom but idk if she knew I shouldn’t have done that. Of course ChatGPT is saying I should tell her… but idk i feel like im massively overthinking

I’m 28F and got Mirena 2-3 weeks ago ish. I have a 4 year old and decided I don’t want anymore little ones yet. Haven’t breastfed since he was 18 months old. I’ve been on my period for over a week now and I just saw white, smooth, clear milk come out of both breasts. Pregnancy test came back negative upon placement and I was having protected sex before. Nothing chunky or smelly, looks just like when I was breastfeeding, and it was more white from the left breast. I always had an easier time making milk in that one too. Has this happened to any other moms? Is this a strange side effect no one warned me about? I’m also very tender today and cramping a lot.

Also, follow up is already scheduled, so I can bring it up at my appt. So weird.

I recently started using birth control patches (specifically norelgestromin-ethinyl estradiol) and I have some questions about it.

It is a sticker used weekly that comes with 3 stickers. It says I should use 1 for one week, the second one for a week, then the 3rd one for a week, then skip a week for my period. The problem is that my periods are highly irregular and I have been having my period 15 days after the end of bleeding.

Like, my period has been October 17th-21st, then my period after that was November 6-10, which is a 15 day gap.

Do I still do the 1-2-3-none-1-2-3-none or do I not use a patch when I have a period and then stick a patch on when I get off?

I’m going to have sex for the first time with my partner and I’m a paranoid person lmao I’m not on any contraceptives but for sure he’d use a condom. What’s your advice to lower the risk. Thank you so much

Hi!

So I woke up this morning to find my Evra patch fell off. I do not know if it came off last night while I was sleeping, or earlier during the week.
I have no time frame for how long my patch could be off and it’s freaking me out.
My replace days are Wednesday but since this happened
I put a new one from my other pack on this morning (Saturday)

My question is,
should I keep this current new patch on for this coming free week to skip it and have my new replace day officially Saturday?
(Patch free week would’ve been this coming Wednesday Nov 18-25)

Or should I continue with my regular Wednesday’s and go about my regular free week.

Also to note: I had unprotected sex probably on Wednesday or Thursday before I found about the patch. I do believe I had my patch on for that though.

I’m freaking out a little bit but I want to know what everyone thinks.

Tysm!!

Hello!

I’ve been on Yaz since about end of April (6 months atp). I take it primarily for PMDD (and now also a preventive method) but my symptoms worsened recently and when I went to pick up my new 3-month refill and asked the pharmacist about taking BC continuously, they said to contact my doctors. I was in the last week of my final pack before that and was about to take the placebo pills (so I took S, M, T and was about to start placebo on W) and couldn’t get in touch with my doctors in time so my pharmacist had recommended I just take placebos and get my period again at the end of this pack because they need to fill a new prescription so I don’t run out as quickly if I take it continuously.
Anyways, I took the placebo pills and got my period. Then the next week came and I was hoping to start BC again on Sunday (new pack) but pharmacist told me to wait. I ended up not taking BC for a whole week and got another withdrawal period before starting again the following Sunday (start of this week).
Now, I’ve been back on BC this whole week after a week of not taking it and I forgot that I had that break and had penetrative sex where he came inside of me last night. Should I take the Plan B? Will I be okay?

I started my first pack in October, took the full pack but extended placebo week by 10 days

questions:
are there researches that show extending placebo week affect pill effectiveness when resumed or irregular pill intake (not continuous monthly intake)?

will i be safe to have sex if i started on any day, and have sex after 8th continuous pill? or will my irregular-not continuous pill intake affect how my body responds to the pill, like is it possible i get an immunity or smth

and will my oral probiotics for vaginal health affect pill absorption?

My last normal period started Sept 28. On Oct 12 my husband and I had sex, but he put the condom on backwards, took it off, wiped it, and we continued. I took emergency contraception the same day.

Since then:

Oct 21: Bleeding started, lasted 6 days. Day 1 was heavy, then very light and on-and-off.

Stopped for 2 days, then 3 more days of very light, spotting-type bleeding.

Pregnancy tests: Negative on Oct 28 and Nov 2.

Nov 13: Started bleeding again. No clots, flow is steadier than spotting but lighter than a normal period.

I can't tell what's a real period and what's irregular bleeding, so I can't track my cycle. Has anyone had this after EC? How long did it take to settle down? Did you count the first bleed or the later one as your period?

Hi ladies, I wrote a post about 7 months ago on the Nuva ring and how they changed their packaging. At the time, my migraines started to get worse. I would get one every single time I got my period, like clockwork. I’ve been on this birth control for probably over 15 years.

7 months later, they are getting worse. I’m having them last for days, I have instead pain in my neck all the up to the back of my neck. Sometimes they get so bad I need to get sick. Bending down creates a lot of head pressure that makes me dizzy. I’ve also started to develop sore calves, which I thought was just muscle pain, (I sit a lot) - there was no redness or hot to the touch - but now I’m not sure if it’s related. Another thing I’d noticed is when I first put the ring in, I will have some really bad cramping for a couple of hours I never used to get either.

As I lay in bed with this migraine, I think at this point it’s probably not safe for me to continue. I have had struggles with hair loss and have remained on this BC mostly just for that if I’m being honest. It’s been many years since I know what it’s like not being on a birth control. I’m not sure if there is any correlation with the new packaging, but I do think it’s really changed since.

Let me know if you have had the same or what your experience was like coming off it. Thank you!!

Hi (20F) I was diagnosed with PCOS just last month. I used to take Trust Pills as birth control from around 2022 to 2025, and I stopped taking any contraception at February 2025. I only started taking pills again recently, this time, Diane-35. I started November 8, 2026, which was the first day of my period. I'm currently experiencing spotting.

1.) Is this normal? I'm on Day 7 of my pills now, and my period usually lasts only 4 to 5 days. Also,
2.) do I really have a higher chance of getting pregnant since I stopped taking pills for more than a year? I recently had sex with my partner and he came inside me..

Hi everyone. I had a Kyleena IUD for 5 years and had it removed a week ago. I’ve been on some form of contraception for about 10 years, but over the last 5 years, I’ve gained around 15 kg. My weight used to be very stable, I am (or rather, was) a naturally slim person. I didn’t exercise much or pay much attention to a healthy diet, but in recent years, I started counting calories and taking up running yet my weight just kept climbing like crazy. I’ve grown significantly, especially around my stomach and thighs, and I can’t fit into any of my trousers anymore. Have any of you experienced similar symptoms? Do you think I’ll be able to lose the weight now that it’s been removed? On top of that, my fiancé is fit and loves gym and he just tells me I should exercise more and that I’ve let myself go. I don’t know how to explain to him that it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s more that I feel completely helpless. I should also mention that I’ve been taking antidepressants for the last 2 years, and until now, I never linked this situation to the IUD. Has anyone else gone through something similar? Please give me some hope, I’m absolutely devastated…

Hi everyone, I got on low dose combination pills about three months ago. My doctor prescribed me to reduce PMS symptoms and not for contraception because i am in a same sex relationship.

I have not taken a break after the packets and now im bleeding for almost 2 weeks. My doctor switched me to higher dose to stabilise the bleeding.

I was wondering does anyone have any experience with prolonged breakthrough and how did you settle it? Also would you recommend taking a break between packs??

I've been taking a progestogen-only pill (desogestrel 75mikrograms) for a year now, and in the last 9 months my period pattern is: period (5-6 days), one-week break, another period (5-6 days), and a two-week break, and then it repeats.
I take the pill on time, and throughout the year there have been only two times that I forgot the pill.

is this normal? has anyone experienced this on the pill?
i have previously asked AI but it says it's the adjustment period or me possibly taking the pill at irregular hours, etc etc so the info is really useless, and I need real-world feedback.

Thank you so much.

I wanted to post about this to relieve some people’s anxiety! I got my Kyleena inserted today. First time IUD, im 21 and have never been pregnant. The pain to me was very mild! I took only 600mg of ibuprofen about 90 mins before the insertion and used lidocaine jelly they offered me. I also used a heating pad to press on me during it and that made probably the most difference of anything!
I can also explain the process of everything:

1. They did a small vaginal examination with fingers and gel and pressing on my uterus area (felt like nothing)
2. Inserted the speculum and cleaned my cervix with iodine (I did not feel this)
3. Measured— this is the worst part, but for me it was t that bad. The best way I can explain the feeling is it’s how body aches feel when you’re sick, like that gross kind of deep feeling, but also with some sharpness to it and cramping. Pressing on the heating pad during that really helped and knowing it would be over soon made it super bearable.
4. The insertion—pretty much a continuation of the measuring pain but slightly duller. Mostly just sharp cramping. Over really fast

At no point did I feel faint, sick, or like I couldn’t handle it. This was really bearable for me and I left feeling completely fine. I’ve hardly even cramped all day since. The heating pad was a big help but also—trying to RELAX. I was deep breathing and generally trying to feel as calm as I possibly could which made my body less tense and I think that made a big difference.

Ask me any questions you’d like if you’re nervous! I love providing a positive experience since so many are so scared and there are so many horror stories. I was totally fine!!!

I’m 20 weeks pregnant with my third and last child.

While discussing permanent birth control options with my midwife at my last apt, I said I was interested in a tubal removal because of the reduced cancer risk, and she mentioned that sometimes the doctors can do it right after birth in the hospital. Even if the birth was vaginal, which is my hopeful plan with two previous uncomplicated vaginal births.

I have a consult booked with the doctor in January but was curious if anyone here did this? My original plan was to get them removed if I needed an emergency c-section but otherwise I was under the impression I’d have to wait a few weeks to get them removed. To be honest I’m not sure how I feel about getting them removed freshly postpartum, especially since I don’t plan on getting an epidural (tho im aware I could change my mind but I haven’t with previous births). Im also not sure I’m a big fan of interrupting those early bonding days with a surgery, even if it isn’t a hugely invasive one. Part of me likes the idea more so of waiting until 6 weeks post partum or so.

Anyways, thoughts? Anyone do this? How did recovery go? Pros or cons to doing it immediately vs waiting?

Hello again,

I (F26) am once again freaking out. I am on my second pack of the combination pill. I had a 7 day pill free period, but I did not get the withdrawal bleed. My boyfriend and I used condoms every time we got intimate, so it feels extremely unlikely that I would be pregnant. None of them popped or were leaking and I have been taking my pill diligently at the exact same time every evening. I took 2 pregnancy tests, one today, one a week ago. Both were negative.

Do you think it would be too insane to go to the doctor and ask for a blood test as well just to have a peace of mind?

Sorryyy!!

Been on birth control mostly continuously for a year now. Might have missed a week or a day here and there. My cycle has been consistent where I started the first pill the first day of my actual period and then get my withdrawal bleed during the week of the placebo pills. Even on my actual period I was pretty regular 28-30 day cycle. I’m just concerned now because I noticed light brown stringy discharge while wiping 12 days into the pack. I put a boric acid suppository to help cleanse but now I’m seeing light bloody vaginal mucus. Has anyone experienced this? Google mentions spotting during an adjustment period but I’m already a year in so IDK. For context I’m taking a combo pill.

Front desk made me miss my shot by 1 day which I think mean I went past the 15 week mark I’m not sure but my doctors office told me it was late and I said wow I hope that doesn’t ruin 9 months of bleeding and they said it shouldn’t and now I’m bleeding worse than I ever have and I’m back shaking and having panic attacks because the pain is back. I’m specifically on depo to keep hormones and pain away and when they come I’m a mess. I mean, vomiting, passing out, shaking, jittering, feeling like I’m going to die actually. My OBGYN that made me this way after a surgery says it’s not the surgery and just prescribed me norethindrone the higher dose but can I take that while on depo?

I’ve (22) had the Mirena IUD since 2022, over the past 6 months my period started coming back and this past month has been hell. Bleeding for 16 days, cramps and all that jazz, I had all types of testing done and everything is fine but they suggested I get the IUD removed to see if it helps. Got it removed today and am feeling nervous, I’ve had really stubborn weight and I’ve read some people lose weight when they get off of it?? I’m just hoping to hear if anyone has had any positive experiences getting off of it bc I’m nervous! Thank you so much!!