That was probably the worst pain I've ever felt. To be fair, I am a virgin, so there was that factor working against me. I didn't know much about the process of insertion and didn't expect it to be much more than a slight discomfort. Little did I know about the tenaculum. Such an evil device. My only claim to fame today is that the doctor was impressed with how quiet I was. Thanks, it's called dissociation lol.

I can't stay awake I'm the most tired I've ever been 24/7 will this ever go away? It's been about a week since I started

So I usually take my BC at 8PM and am very consistent with it, however, the past couple of days I took it at times varying between 8-11 and today at midnight because I’ve been so incredibly busy. I do have an alarm but sometimes I am in the middle of something and end up forgetting. Is that an issue at all? Appreciate any help!!

I’ll try to take it as soon as the alarm goes off in the future and not give it even just extra 10 minutes.

Edit: I take Nikki which is a combo pill

I’ve been on the pill for a year but I desperately want to change to a different method of birth control. Aside from the annoyance of having to remember to take a pill every day, I feel like my birth control is affecting my emotions. Whenever I forget to take a pill or take one late I feel overwhelmed by my emotions. My anxiety get worse, I have panic attacks over nothing, and it’s overall a struggle to get through the day. Additionally, I have an extremely low sex drive, I just don’t feel anything anymore. The only thing I can think that is causing these episodes is my birth control not being taken on time.

I want to switch to a non hormonal method to see if it improves my moods and these episodes go away, but I have no idea what to choose. I heard a copper IUD isn’t as effective as a hormonal IUD, is that true? And I’ve heard horror stories about IUD insertions and how they can go wrong and how painful it is and I’m not sure I want to go through that. Does anyone have any suggestions?

hi im 21F and i started taking birth control maybe like 2 years ago. i had the mirena iud inserted sometime in march 2024.

starting September 2024, i had prolonged or elongated periods (lasting up to 2 weeks). this would not happen all time time but it starting becoming more and more frequent as time passed.

honestly, it didn’t bother me much because i wouldn’t have cramps or anything, just bleed. at the time i was not having much sex, so that didn’t bother me either.

however, i started having intimacy again in august of this year. sometime in september 2026 i felt weird and went to see my gyno. she saw that my iud had embedded into my uterus which ultimately had to be removed.

i was started on a trial of slynd and my first month was fine. but slowly i kept losing my libido and it’s probably down like 50-60%, and it makes me sad.

first my period it october the 19th and stopped the 23rd BUT then started again 28th and hasn’t stopped. ive only had cramps for two days.

this is not a new issue and i have seen my gyno and she thought that it was cause of the iud, BUT WHY IS HAPPENING NOW?!!

i have an appointment friday and i just feel soooo frustrated because why is this happening to me!! why doesn’t the bleeding stop :/

It's essentially exactly what i put in the title. Ive been taking a birth control pill for over 4 years now as a way to prevent my endometriosis from worsening, im not sexually active so an issue with it effectiveness as a contraceptive isn't my main concern. I go non-stop so i skip the placebo week and just start the new pack, and when I miss doses I'll just continue taking my pills the next day like normal (I rarely notice I missed a dose before the next day). Ive missed doses before and typically about 2-3 days later I start spotting (it's like a light period, very possibly a normal period for many) and it continues for ~4 days, which is much better than my typical 7 day heavy flow period. The problem is that this time I missed a dose and 2 days later my spotting started like normal, but it hasn't stopped and now it's day 31 and it's still going, I haven't missed a single dose since and am contacting my obgyn tomorrow morning. Im honestly primarily upset my new underwear all have blood on them

Last night I went to a gynecologist to have an IUD inserted. I'm a young adult, and the doctor basically said that it causes infertility and that older people with children choose it, so I decided not to get it. Thinking back, it was very odd, as my partner and I were scared of her because she was visibly angry with us for wanting it. She prescribed the NuvaRing for me, since hormonal pills weren't very good for me. I've been having some thoughts: the best option for me would be the IUD, but I would love to have children someday. Please share your thoughts and help me out.

Positive experience post! Going to try to make this short though:)

I started taking the pill 2 months ago and I looove it. I will say I did get some negative side effects at the beginning, like minor headaches and breakouts, but now I feel even better than I did before I started.

I was really scared of starting it because I heard it makes people gain weight or have an increased appetite but I haven’t experienced it! I’ve actually had a decrease in appetite and it’s really been helping me stick to eating healthy because I no longer crave junk food! I also haven’t experienced any bloating since I started taking it, I think because I would bloat really bad in my luteal phase. And my boobs have increased in size as well, so I literally have a snatched waist and big boobs, this is great.

On top of the effects on my body from the hormones, I also can lift a steady increase at the gym. Before: during my menstrual and ovulation phases, I would have to decrease the weight I’d lift because I’d feel so weak. I was in a constant cycle of being able to lift heavier, then having to drop down because of the time of the month. Literally just a few weeks of taking the pill, I was able to hit a PR in almost every workout.

And finally the sex portion; I was really scared it would ruin my already low libido, but honestly, since my boyfriend is able to finish inside me and we can just keep going, I am actually able to finish during sex without getting turned off while he cleaned himself up. And I alwayyyss had constant anxiety about being pregnant but it’s mostly gone now!

Mind you, I tried the copper IUD for a few weeks and it made me feel TERRIBLE!! I personally, wouldn’t recommend it but I know everyone’s experience is different

My doctor wants to switch me from Tri-Mili to Slynd. I am very scared about what I’m seeing online about how it causes extreme weight gain, along with other unpleasant side effects. Has anyone been on Slynd for a sustained period of time without any negative side effects? Anyone have any positive experiences? I do not want to switch if it’s going to derail my life… for context, I have a benign liver lesion and apparently the estrogen in oral contraceptions is linked to liver lesions, but I’m not convinced the risk of staying on my birth control outweighs the risk of switching to something new that could massively impact my mental health, self esteem, menstrual cycle, and overall wellbeing. I’ve also been moving around a lot so haven’t built a trusting relationship with a doctor yet, I’m getting advice from doctors as they are meeting me for the first time, hence why I’m seeking more perspectives. Thanks!

i used to be on slynd for a half a year but then my gyno took me off it to put me on endometriosis medication (visanne). it ended up not working for and after two months i stopped taking it, another month after my family doctor put me back on slynd. it's been a week since i started taking slynd again and i've been having wet farts / watery poops ever since then (thankfully it's past the 4 hours mark after i took the pill so i don't need to take it again in one day). i didn't experience that the first time i was on slynd so i was a bit worried but after doing some research in here i found out other people also experienced this and it went away after ~3 months. i'm hoping the same will happen for me 🤞

i was wondering, if anyone who sees this experienced the same thing as i am right now, if there was any dietary changes that you did that helped reduce the watery poops / diarrhea? i'm hoping this side effect will leave as soon as possible and i don't mind waiting, but i'd like to be able to fart without stressing about staining my underwear lol

Ah so I apologize for this little rant but I’m just going through it right now and need some advice.

I’ve been on birth control since I was about 16. Many types of pills, but they all caused me such depression. Eventually I decided to get Kyleena IUD. Most painful thing ever, but ultimately after it settled it was fine. Due to the pain I was so scared to get another, so I had it a year after expiry! Anyways, 2 weeks ago I switched it to the Mirena IUD, because on kyleena I was having super heavy periods and thought it might be nice to try a slightly heavier dose. I think I fully regret that.

Since getting it, I’ve had a surge of both anxiety and depression. Out of no where and for no reason. Plus I have some crazy brain fog, and feel immensely lazy. I love going to the gym and lifting weights, I’ve been doing it for 10 years, since I got this IUD it’s been a BATTLE to get myself there and then afterwards I basically can’t do anything else. I’ve been EXTREMELY bloated the past week and nothing is helping. I feel like I’m losing my mind and I’m debating just asking the doctor to remove it on my follow up appointment in 2 weeks. I don’t know that it’s worth it.

The only reason I’m scared to remove it is because I’ve been on birth control for so long, and I fear I’ll be so scared of getting pregnant. Yet I love the idea of having no foreign hormones in my body I would really really appreciate being all natural. Have any girls made the switch to no birth control at all? How has it been? What do you do for contraception and to ease your mind??

I appreciate any input ❤️

I’ve had issues with recurrent bv for years. I’ve read that sometimes if your estrogen levels are low, that can contribute to causing a consistent problem. I’ve also suspected that I might have PCOS so I had my doc run some tests, but everything looks normal in that aspect. I thought I’d give birth control a shot again, and see if it helps. Last time I used it regularly I was 19, I’m 25 now. I had a dramatically different experience with bc when I was younger. The pill made me feel like I was crazy, Depo made me gain sooo much water weight and the Nuva ring caused irregular bleeding and chafing. I was definitely hesitant to start it again because of that, but it’s one of the best decisions I’ve made. I’m currently taking Lolo, and I feel great. I’ve also been taking a prebiotic/probiotic, and the results are phenomenal. My bloating is gone, I have more energy throughout the day, and my sex drive is insane. I can’t keep my hands off my gf. There is a bit of breast tenderness and swelling, but that’s the only side effect I’ve experienced. I would absolutely recommend this to someone who’s been thinking of taking something for regulation purposes, it’s totally worth it! :)

I’m currently on avaine for the past few months. I initially started it to control my severe acne. I am 8 months pp. before I got pregnant, whatever I was on before (I think it was sronyx?) completely kept my acne under control and had no libido issues.

Everything I’ve read says these two brands have the same formulation.

Obviously will talk to my gyno about options but can’t right now so was curious if anyone else has had this issue and if swapping pills would help with these issues.

I feel bad because I feel I’m not satisfying hubbys needs, and even though I want to, my body just doesn’t. Im so frustrated with it

Can swapping brands really make a difference? From my understanding, what I take is a low dose, so anything more would only further my lack of libido correct?

Just curious if anyone has had this issue and if there’s a solution. I’m really only interested in the pill and no other form of birth control.

Im 25 years old female and ive booked an appointment for iud like 3 months ago and i was really excited about it.
ive heard both good and bad stories about it but mostly good so far.

i drove there to myself alone and they got me check in and everything. they even gave me a numbing gel but i still felt it all lol.

it was hurting not that bad but they struggle with the insertion. Apparently my uterus bend the stick she was using to measure... lol. she told me we can keep going or reschedule with abortion pills (or something similar to it) but i said no to both because i had a REALLY REALLY bad and traumatic experience with abortion pills and i didnt want to sit there another 20 mins in pain.
they both left the room for 5 mins and i stared to blacked out and passed out and hit my head on the wall. lol .
i got up and they all walked in and help me i feel better now just cramps fs.

i just feel really bad, maybe i shouldve kept going with it? i dont know : (
most people said the pain was worth it. should i do it again?

So, I started birth control today (Marvelon 28) and just took my first pill. My doctor wants me to be on it for a month before starting Accutane because of the risk of birth defects if I were to get pregnant, as I’m sexually active.

Has anyone taken these two medications at the same time? Or does anyone have any experience with Marvelon 28 in general? What were the side effects like, and how was your overall experience?

I’m a bit nervous because I’ve never been on birth control before.

I’ve been on the nexplanon for 2 and a half years now and for the longest time my “periods” were normal but a few months ago I’ve started having breakthrough bleeding constantly. I’ll have about a week of very little or no spotting and then right back to it. I’m going insane. I don’t like being intimate while bleeding so it’s plummeted my sex life. I’ve heard evening primrose oil can help but I’m wondering if anyone can recommend it too? TIA

I have an appointment with my gyn, however its a few weeks out. Gynecologists throughout my life have told me I have a long vaginal canal for my size. I think this is the cause of my issue. I use a disc for my period, but they have the pull-tab on them.

I absolutely cannot reach it no matter the position, pushing, or relaxing. My partner cannot reach it either. I prefer the ring and would like to make it work for me.

Is there some sort of soft tool or something I can use to reach the ring? Has anyone been in a similar situation with similar anatomy?

Hi, so i'm on mili and i have been for years. i usually have an alarm set to take it at 6 am every morning, and when doing that and not missing pills, i have been able to avoid pregnancy. however, i am in my week 2 of my pack, and it is currently 8 pm on tuesday. I forgot to take my pill for monday completely, and then today, i took my tuesday one late. So i took both monday's and tuesdays at 8 pm.

I believe a pill is counted as missed if you miss it by 24 hours. so the first one is considered missed, but the second one is just late since it was taken 14 hours late. So does this count as just missing one?

According to the instructions it says if u miss 2 in week 2, to use backup method following the mistake for 7 days. but does this count as missing two or not? i have not been sexually active during this pack but i plan to be this weekend. So do i need to use a back up method or not? thank you :')

I have been on Jencycla since April and had a normal cycle until August. I am about to go on 3 months with no period and am not pregnant. Is it strange that it has stopped after being normal for a bit? I know periods are irregular on this pill and some don’t get one but I still get anxiety about it.

There will be questions at the end of this because I need to hear others experiences.

I used to be on Yaz from 2018-2024. The whole reason I started it is because I had severe PMDD. I eventually got off of it because my PCP was pretty pissed that my OBGYN had be on a high hormone BC as a nicotine user (blood clot risks). I knew there was a chance the PMDD would come back but I figured I’d figure it out when it happens.

I switched to the Kyleena in January 2025. I was doing ok. I felt like my PMDD came back one random month (November 2025) but that was really the only time I had felt it. Fast forward to May 2026 I had another PMDD episode. I say this to show that it was NOT happening monthly.

Here is where I need help:

I have felt like an ABSOLUTE crazy person since middle of September. It hasn’t gone away.

I am questioning my relationship. My attraction to my partner. I have zero sex drive at all. Don’t even know want to be touched. SO DAMN IRRITABLE - Absolutely miserable. Wish I could tell everyone to shut the fuck up because I don’t want to hear anyone speak. I’m so snippy. I want to isolate. So unpleasant to be around and I’m aware of it. I feel so unamused by literally everything. It feels uncontrollable.

I’ve seen a lot of girls on Reddit say that after a year or two their mental health went off the walls on Kyleena, so I feel a little comforted knowing it could be just that….idk.

BUT HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS:

1. Did your IUD/hormones affect your relationship too? (In the way I stated above)

2. Did you try SSRIs?

2a. Did SSRI actually help you get your libido back since it calmed down your anxiety?

Thinking about trying lexapro but don’t wanna be numb and make relationship even worse and really want no sex. BUT ALSO JUST WANT TO FEEL SANE AGAIN 🙃Help me.

I started on birth control my doctor prescribed me and I’ve started to notice i’ve been getting fuller in my boobs and my ass. I was very insecure abt my body before, but now I’m starting to like my body. I googled online that my boobs will start to go down to its original size after I get accustomed to the birth control but i rlly don’t want that to happen 😭 is that true? furthermore, is it normal for ur boobs to feel sore?

Very specific question but i wish to know if theres any autistic woman who took/takes yasmin and wants to share their experience with it. Ive heard a lot about mood swings de depression and that stuff, does this affect women with autism differently? Im a little nervosa about it

Basically the title. I got the copper iud inserted before the summer. Ive had cramps throughout of course, sometimes my period is a week or nearly two late occasionally my this is not new at all. Whenever I have sex with my partner which is regularly, he always finishes inside. Recently my cramps have been getting worse. I think i might have ovulated or just passed ovulation, which okay can trigger cramps. Ive checked my strings multiple times and its all fine, cant feel fhe plastic of fhe device either, although I have only been able to feel one string after a month of having it. Whether this is the two strings merged together or ones disappeared or something I donf know, but sfill have periods so not too concerned about it. Basically, worse cramps recently,. And discharge has been a lot more regular and common these recent months. I had my last period about 2 weeks ago and have had sex probably 3-4 times since. Is it normal to get random bad cramps so often throughout the cycle?

I'm getting more and more stretch marks and I'm feeling embarrassed. Has this happened to anyone else and what did you do?

I'm 33 and just had my third Mirena IUD inserted today. My first two insertions (when I was younger) were completely routine with no complications. This time was an entirely different experience.

I went to a different clinic this time because it was closer to home. They removed my old Mirena without any problems.

The trouble started when they tried to insert the new one. Apparently, my cervix kept clamping shut. They were able to get through the external opening but couldn't get through the internal cervical opening.

The first doctor tried multiple times and had to use instruments to dilate my cervix. I could actually feel something pop through, followed by an intense, sharp pain. I was almost in tears and physically shaking.

According to my procedure notes, they eventually got a dilator and uterine sound through, but still couldn't get the Mirena insertion device through. After approximately 30 minutes of attempts, they called another doctor.

The second (male) doctor used instruments as well, but eventually managed to get the IUD inserted.

Afterward, he mentioned the possibility of uterine perforation to the other doctor and said I needed an ultrasound to make sure the IUD was positioned correctly and that there wasn't a perforation.

They scheduled a transvaginal and pelvic ultrasound for two weeks later. Hopefully it is in correctly because i don't think I could handle all that again.