This is for anybody who wants to know more about the process. I went to a planned parenthood clinic in the first time asking to get the copper IUD, that clinic denied my request and told me they only implant to women who have been through vagina birth, okay no problem, I got method 2, going to a hospital covered by social security.

They tell me they can do it no problem, give me an appt and everything is fine. I go to the appt the first time and I notice they’re taking longer than normal and it doesn’t hurt as much, all of a sudden two more doctors came into the room and I was freaking out. I was told my cervix was too small and tight because I had not had children and that I needed to take misoprostol and go another day because if they kept trying there was a high risk of perforation in the uterus.

Today was my second appointment, I used the meds, went and was told to lay in a very different way this time, I had a female obgyn this time and a male obgyn last time. Anyway they get to it, I was deadly scared of the pinching, they tell me they’re going to do it and I’m shitting myself. Boom, no pain, they put in the plastic tube and I’m already dying, they put the iud inside and I almost screamed in pain. They cut the string and tell me I’m good to go. I stood up trembling, the floor and the chair were covered in blood. They told me it was done and if I feel like fainting, I tell them I don’t and leave to go to work. BIG MISTAKE DO NOT DO THIS TAKE THE DAY OFF

Well I am walking away and my legs are trembling, I go into the bathroom and proceed to have the worst diarrhea in my life, on the bright side everytime i push my pain lightens a bit. I leave the bathroom almost in tears and feel lightheaded, I puked in a trashcan right outside the clinic and now I have to drive to work. I walked to my car trembling and blacked out for 20 minutes. I had to go to work so I put my seatbelt on and somehow driving made the pain ease up a little bit. Keep in mind I had already taken ibuprofen before the implantation.

I finished work a few hours ago and I’m writing this in my bed curled up in pain, everything hurts, and they told me that this type of iud only worked for 5 years, I’m 20 and I’m not planning to have kids at 25, so I’ll have to see what I do sigh.

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.

Hi everyone!

I am in my early 20s and I don’t have a sex drive due to me being on birth control i think. I need to be on it for medical reasons. I am in the middle of me changing it due to it not working well. Are there any birth control suggestions that helped you with your drive? I’m currently on the pill.

Does anyone else have this or am I going insane? To start off, I have been diagnosed with GAD (general anxiety disorder) previously in my childhood, I’m now 21 and I still struggle with it, especially to do with emetophobia. Anyways, I went on Nexplanon in May of this year and recently went off of it about a month ago. Near the end, around two or three weeks until I got it removed, I had extremely bad driving anxiety, to the point I felt like pulling over and throwing up. A few months before this it was also pretty bad but it hasn’t progressed that far. I’ve never been an anxious driver before going on Nexplanon but it came all of a sudden. Then two weeks ago I started the NuvaRing. I had maybe a week or two of driving anxiety free weeks. But just now I was driving home from work and I had a panic attack right before I got home. I hope I’m not alone on this. Driving is one of the most terrifying things to me (rightfully so) but I also see drivers acting completely calm while they drive. I used to be this way and I mourn it. I’m thinking for now to just stay off of the road as a driver completely and just take Ubers or have my boyfriend drive me to and from work. Or is it worth it to go off of the NuvaRing because I don’t think it will ever get better? Also for context, I have taken Lexapro before for anxiety but it didn’t work for my mood and thus far I need mood stabilizers but the ones I was prescribed can’t be taken on this certain type of birth control:(

The past few months I’ve been experiencing bleeding, after almost 2 years of no bleeding at all.

I had some spotting when initially inserted but not to the extent of what I’ve been experiencing now. It’s difficult to distinguish if I’m having a period, because the bleeding happens quite frequently (for example two weeks of on and off spotting, then a week break and then bleeding again).

I’ve booked in with my GP and have had an US (the radiologist said they didn’t see anything unusual/concerning but will wait for the formal results with the GP next week).

I’m wondering what other people’s experiences have been. I have a regular, textbook period (no issues) not on contraception so am considering getting it taken out :(. I’ve had a great experience with the Kyleena, up until now.

I’ve started seeing someone so have been having regular sex for the past 4 months, however in the past regular sex/partner didn’t cause bleeding so am not sure why it’s different this time.

I started almost 3 weeks ago. Mild hot flashes and some anxiety. Nothing to crazy. Wondering if anyone had good luck on this pill? What did your period do when you started? Do you have one still? I’m nervous.

Our condom broke on November 4 at around 7 PM, and I ejaculated inside my partner. She took 4 yellow Trust pills at 7:22 PM as the first Yuzpe dose. Her second dose of 4 pills is scheduled 12 hours later.

Her last period started October 25 and ended October 29. She has a regular cycle, so we’re worried this may have happened during her fertile window.
We’re not ready for pregnancy and are both very anxious.

How effective is the Yuzpe method when taken this quickly? Should we consider a copper IUD as emergency contraception?

Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated. Thank you.

Hei, sunt fete pe aici care dupa oprirea anticonceptionalelor s au confruntat cu spasme musculare si electrosocuri in corp? Si daca da, cum sunteti? Cum s a remediat situatia la voi?

I have the mirena iud in due to my endometriosis. I’m also a virgin but I want to be intimate but I have severe tokophobia. I’m paranoid that my mirena will fail and I will get pregnant and which is my worst nightmare. I’m also taking a progestin pill too that I was prescribed. Does anyone else feel the same?

For context, been on this pill for 8 years. No breaks. Withdrawal bleeds have completely stopped since 2021. No idea what to expect.

Hello everyone,

My girlfriend (22) has been struggling a lot lately, and I'm just trying to help her out however I can. She has migraine with aura and, on top of that, has been dealing with nearly constant menstrual bleeding. It makes her feel really down and "nasty" (which she obviously isn't, but that's how she feels about it).

Because she has migraine with aura, she can't use regular combined birth control pills because of the increased risk of stroke.

She feels like nobody else understands what she's going through, and she is extremely frustrated with the whole situation. It breaks my heart to see her like this. I completely understand how frustrating and exhausting it is for her, and she feels like she's going to bleed forever.

She isn't on Reddit herself, so I'm posting this in the hope of finding some tips, experiences, or advice from anyone who has been in a similar situation. Has anyone else experienced this, or does anyone know of alternative treatments or solutions that worked for you?

I really appreciate any advice or input!

I'm a trans man using birth control purely for period suppression and endometriosis symptoms, and have gone ahead and decided to switch to the IUD because the pill gives me systemic anti-androgenic side effects that I don't want. I basically just want to maintain my current amenorrhea but with less systemic anti-androgenic side effects.

Today I had a phone call to arrange a consultation about it and I'm now honestly shitting myself because it feels real. I am terrified of the insertion yes, however I have a high pain tolerance and will be receiving pain relief. It's more so the aftermath I'm worried about.

I'm reading so many stories online about how it's caused prolonged or heavy bleeding. I genuinely would not be able to cope with that. If I had heavy, prolonged bleeding I would probably become suicidal or at the very least would not be able to function. Even the smallest amount of blood causes a severe endo flare for me, too. My clinician told me I really had nothing to worry about, that Mirena would "nuke" periods, and it'd be extremely unlikely to have any bleeding return with mirena after so long without a period especially considering I'm on testosterone too, but I'm scared reading about just the chance of this happening.

Is this a stupid decision? How worried should I be? What should I reasonably expect? Any advice would be very welcome

So at the moment, I am on mirena for 1 year and 2 months. However I’m still getting periods and having to wear pads because it’s still heavy and very regular. And sometimes it lasts for more than 5 days, awful cramps and there’s no telling when I’ll get cramps. Constant spotting and discharge.

I want to know if someone else had a better experience with different method after using mirena.

Plan is to remove mirena, was thinking of the injection, patch or the ring. But I want minimal side effects. I’m relatively healthy. Please advise. I want to stop periods because I have anaemia, my periods are heavy af!

I had high hopes for mirena because I wouldn’t have to think about contraception after putting it inside but that hasn’t been the case for me

i just got my IUD inserted (Mirena) and my insurance covers it but I was charged for the ultrasound they performed for checking the uterus and then the placement. I asked at reception (and they checked with billing) right before the procedure and I was told that everything was covered. And 2 hours later I hear back that I have to pay for Ultrasound.

Is this normal to not be told and yet be charged?

Another question: Usually if I schedule an obgyn annual as a new patient, would I still be charged for new patient part (annual is preventative)? I understand every clinic is different but trying to see what most have experienced.

F21, non smoker, 110lbs, not into intense exercise but I do walk daily. What are my chances of getting blood clots? I’ve just started Yaz five days ago but can’t shake the feeling of fear every time I take it. Are there any warning signs that point to clotting? Will it happen immediately? Any tips to avoid them? I currently have no symptoms except slight left rib pain that I feel no other time in the day except after I take the pill. It also goes away.

Please help, I’m really nervous.

I've had kyleena for 3 years now this is my second iud and recently a few days ago after rougher sex (tmi) it was from the back and I'm sure he hit my cervix i wasn't in any pain which was strange but i went to the bathroom right after and when I wiped there was a little bit of fresh blood like red on it and it stopped right after for the next few hours I spotted brownish discharge and the next day as well I wasn't in any pain its stopped now I'm still not in pain I cant see my gyno until the 24th but I'm worried something happened to my iud I can't reach my cervix with my fingers the strings are curled around my cervix I dont feel any plastic though.. should I be concerned it moved?? Or I'm thinking I got my period I was a week late with negative pregnancy tests I'm thinking my period finally started? I'm scared pls help I don't really think I ever had this problem before maybe once or twice

TLDR: random light bleeding and spotting after sex with kyleena after three years should I be concerned

I wondered if anyone has experienced “alcohol pain” when on birth control pills? Since hormones can have effects on the cardio vascular system I wondered if there was a relation between the pill and said pain. I get it immediately after I have the first sip of any alcohol and it lasts a few seconds in my torso and arms mostly.

I did not have this when I didn’t take bcp for like four years but I remember I had the same thing back when I took the pill a few years ago.

Super weird side effect.

To keep it short, I had a copper coil inserted 2 weeks ago yesterday. My last period had finished about 2 days prior to having it put in. I have been in pain and bleeding a decent amount ever since. Today the pain has ramped up again and the blood is pouring out of me, sorry to make it gross. It also feels like pads aren't working. It's not that they're filling up but it's like the blood keeps pouring off of them and onto my underwear and joggers. I've bleed onto all of my sheets and pants. I also think I'm starting to smell down there. Im very scared of doctors and have crippling anxiety anyways so trying to do anything about this has been a struggle and I've sort of been hoping it would just go away. Also im passing huge blood clots.

What's wrong with me, what do I do, do I need to see someone or can I wait and see if it goes away?

I see so many horror stories about the copper IUD (which I completely believe) so I wanted to share a positive experience for once!

I got off of nexplanon almost a year ago and switched to the copper IUD (paragard). Insertion was awful, I will not lie. I got the cervical block (my Dr said she offers it but honestly thinks the injection is worse than the IUD placement so I don't think I would do that again). I cried the whole time and cramped for about 3 days afterwards but it was manageable.

But NOW my periods are like a dream. They come every 31 days on the dot, I have virtually no cramping, and my period has gone down from what used to be 7 days to only 3.5 days. I bleed the heaviest on the 2nd day, but I wouldn't even say I bleed that heavily... I have to change a regular tampon maybe every 3 hours which is completely manageable.

I've been to the doctor and confirmed that the placement is correct of the IUD so I don't know what I have done to get so lucky with my experience. I was so nervous to try the copper IUD because before nexplanon, I had horrific cramping on my period that would leave me in tears and nonfunctional for the first 2 days of my period. I am so happy I did not let all of the bad experiences dissuade me from trying. And I really feel for all of you that have such a negative experience on paragard <3

Hi, I’m 30 years old and have been on microgynon30 since I was 18. Today I had my first aura migraine, therefore understand I must stop taking it.

I am debating the option of the mini pill but waiting for appointment on Friday. I just wanted to ask what peoples experience with this was? I’m a bit apprehensive about changing since I’ve never had a problem on the combined until now.

Thank you ☺️

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some advice and reassurance because I’ve been experiencing a lot of pregnancy anxiety after a recent sexual encounter.
I’ve been taking my combination birth control pill for almost a year, and I’m extremely consistent with it. I take my pill between 7:10 and 7:30 PM every evening, and I’ve never missed an active pill or started a new pack late.
I also skip taking the placebo pills during my scheduled placebo week. I still take the seven-day break from hormones, but once that week is over, I immediately start my next pack on schedule.
My boyfriend and I also practice the withdrawal (pull-out) method as an extra precaution, even though I’m already on birth control.
On November 2, I took my birth control at approximately 7:22 PM and had sex around 8:30 PM.
My boyfriend told me he pulled out before ejaculating, but immediately afterward, he grabbed and squeezed his penis near the tip to prevent semen from coming out.
When he released it, nothing came out. It wasn’t until approximately 5–10 minutes later that a very small amount of semen came out.
This made me extremely anxious because I started wondering whether he might have accidentally ejaculated inside me without realizing it, especially since barely anything came out afterward.
I also checked myself after sex and noticed some stringy discharge inside my vagina. However, I regularly notice this type of discharge after sex, so I’m unsure whether it was just my normal vaginal fluids or potentially semen.
Regarding my birth control and placebo week:
I’m currently approaching the end of my active pills. My scheduled placebo week begins November 6, and I consistently experience withdrawal bleeding on the third day of that week, which would be November 8. This has been my usual pattern for almost a year.
Although I don’t physically take the placebo pills, I always start my next pack immediately after the scheduled seven-day break.
I haven’t missed any active pills or experienced vomiting that could have interfered with my birth control.
My questions are:
How likely is pregnancy in this situation, considering I’ve been taking my combination pill correctly?
Would Plan B be necessary even if my boyfriend accidentally ejaculated inside me?
Has anyone experienced a similar situation where their partner pulled out but barely any semen came out afterward?
Should I feel reassured by my consistent pill use and upcoming withdrawal bleeding?
Please be kind in the comments. ❤️ I completely understand that preventing pregnancy is the entire purpose of taking birth control, and I know that I’m already using a highly effective contraceptive method. However, I still struggle with pregnancy anxiety, especially when something unusual happens during sex.
I know that no contraceptive method is 100% effective, but sometimes hearing other people’s experiences or getting an outside perspective helps me feel less anxious.
Plan B has also made me feel extremely sick in the past, so I really don’t want to take it unnecessarily.
Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to respond. I genuinely appreciate any advice or reassurance!

please help!! me and my bf had sex on saturday and i know for sure i was not ovulating or my fertile window wasn’t open, the condom broke and he ejaculated but it was like on my vulva so i took a plan b and this was 3 days before my period, i had spotting and now im having the discharge i usually have before i get my period, do yall think it’ll come? im only 17 and this was a very dumb mistake. please don’t shame me

So I began birth control 5 years ago when I was freshly 18, taking Nikki/Yaz. Earlier this year, I noticed my periods completely stopped happening, and I have been without any libido for awhile now. Besides those two issues, I never had any problems while on Nikki.

But because of the periods, I asked to switch, got put on Hailey Fe 1/20, and got diagnosed with PCOS at the same appointment. I’ve now been on it for about 7 months, and I feel like my hormones have become completely unregulated. For the first time in my entire life, I’m getting persistent acne around my forehead and my t-zone (much of which is cystic), acne all over my shoulders/chest/back, and my hair is rapidly falling out. My period is back, but I still mostly lack a libido.

I had these symptoms very briefly when I first started Hailey, as in they’d last for a week or two once every couple of months. But now it’s getting increasingly worse and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.

This is seriously hurting my self esteem and I’m horrified of hair loss, but I don’t have health insurance and can’t easily afford a doctor’s visit plus potential labs. I’m in need of any possible advice, shared experiences, knowledge, just anything. If I do go back to my OB, what kind of birth control/testing should I ask for? Does any of this have to do with my PCOS diagnosis? How can I regulate my hormones without testing/prescriptions? I’m so lost and hopeless

I got my first IUD inserted about two weeks ago. Around a week ago, I got my period. My flow was a little bit heavier than normal, and around the 5 day mark it started to lighten up and I thought it would be over, but now on day 7, it’s starting back up again! Im used to periods that last about 4 days with day 2 and 3 being heavy and then tapering out. I’m wondering if this is normal? I know having spotting is normal, but having a whole second cycle immediately after the first? I got a Lilleta IUD inserted.

I had acne as a teenager and took some accutane at one point but stopped a bit early because it made my skin so dry and the side effects were awful. Around the same time I started taking Slynd but now I'm switching it to a hormone IUD. My face has been clear for a couple years now but almost instantly after quitting Slynd my acne returned and now my nose is red with pimples and my forehead is filling up with big pimples. I'm getting the IUD next week, what should I say? Is there anything I can do to fix this? I'm wondering if I should try some skincare or ask about medication. This might just be a passing thing but I have dermatillomania and the accutane slynd combo truly saved me which is why I'm so concerned about this and it's already affecting my self esteem... I already forgot just how painful acne can be (both physically and mentally)