Anyone on birth control?

[kelly-miller]

One of the things they worry about is blood clots b/c the birth control can cause blood clots. Talk to your Dr about her concerns, don’t just guess, then you can make an informed decision. I will say I was on first the pill, then a brief stint with the Depo shot, and finally switched permanently to the patch. I was on one form or another for 20+ years before I happily marched into menopause. Not once did I ever have any threat of a blood clot. I always figured that if they didn’t get me from sitting in a stationary position for 18 hours a day, then my chances might be pretty good.

There are other things to discuss with your Dr before you decide. If there’s a history of cancer in your family, like breast or ovarian, definitely disclose that info b/c they may want to put you on a low estrogen form. If you are prone to migraines, birth control can cause issues with those. I don’t have any experience with iud’s, as well as the nuvaring or an implant. Without getting into your personal reasons for considering it, there are many options depending on your medical history and preference. There are a lot of potential benefits besides the obvious also. Just do your research as with any meds you put in your body and you should be fine. Good luck! I hope this helped.

[alyssa-silva]

I take Norethindrone which is a progesterone-only pill to lower the risk of getting blood clots. I’ve been on it for 6 years now with no issues. However, it did take about 3 years for my period to stop for good. During that time, I’d get it very sporadically but not often.

[brianna-albers]

Thanks, all! This has been really helpful. With my period getting worse (the fatigue is awful), I figure it’s time to look into solutions. I appreciate the help!