Birth Control for Periods

Yes, for me I use the depo shot; the pill didn't actually work for me which is why I had to switch, but maybe It'll work for you.

 

You might have a look at this:
Menstrual Cramps: 6 Home Remedies

Of course this is no health advise, so please talk about this with your doctor...

 

For me it caused a lot of headaches and mood swings, although for others the side effects don't happen/can go away.

There's a problem is remembering to take it on time as well since it doesn't always work otherwise. It was hard for me since I take so many pills to begin with so I was very forgetful when it came to the correct timing. It's been easier for me to keep track of the shot since I only need to remember to do it once every three months.

I guess my main problem is that it didn't work at all and it didn't relieve any of my period symptoms (But that could have also been a problem with incorrect timing, which I don't think you'll have an issue with).

Birth control is very nice for anyone with period problems. I have PMDD, so I was required to get medicated because of the severity of my mood swings. It helped relieve me a lot.

 

My sister takes her birth control for this reason as well as preventing pregnancy. She is always saying how terrified she is of going off the pill because she feels so badly without it. I would ask your doctor about it. It's not fun feeling like crap on a regular basis.

 

I would ask your doctor about it. If you do start something, and you start to have bad side effects from it, then they can try other methods of birth control.

 

I had the same sorta issues, when I started my periods they were very servere, bloating, very low mood wise, cramps blah blah blah and started the pill soon after starting period, maybe 6 months.

Anyways, they worked great for me. Highly recommend them. I tried all sorts of remedies, painkillers etc but the pill *solved* it all within about 6 weeks, minor cramps but that's it. No weight gain, or anything bad, but it did worsen my acne a lot. I was on it for about 18 months, stopped, and had no problems since coming off them.

*hugs* I really hope you can find something to ease the symptoms soon, I know how debilitating they can be.

 

As I have a blood condition where I have low platelet counts, I take the pill all the time and do not actually get a period. This was recommended by a Ob/Gyn and told me I was fine to take it this way till I decide I wanna have kids. I ocassionally get spotting but nothing major. I would talk to your doctor though before you decided to do anything like that though, just to make sure in your health situation, it will be fine. I had been taking it the way you deecribed you will for years before, by stoping and still getting a period, however.. I no longer get my period at all as its just easier for me to handle as I still got really lengthy and heavy periods when I got them.

 

Even though I'm only 18, I've been taking various birth control pills continuously since I was about 13 for endometriosis (scheduled for a laparoscopy sometime after October). Endometriosis is a relatively common condition where cells inside the lining of the uterus migrate outside the uterus. Although as high as 10% of the female population has this condition, a majority of cases are not severe and cause little or no symptoms (most women actually only find out they have it when they can't get pregnant). Severe pain however, and especially pain that starts in teen years, is a trademark symptom of endometriosis. In my personal opinion, I think the benefit you gain from not having a period anymore and being relieved of pain is much greater than any of the small drawbacks.

Personally, I think most side effects are a bit overblown. I didn't really experience anything out of the ordinary when I first started taking birth control pills, other than minor weight gain (only 5 pounds or so). They can mess with your moods in the immediate aftermath of taking them, but this almost always goes away within a month or two. Unfortunately, I had to stop taking regular birth control pills close to a year ago, because they began to lose effect and wouldn't stop my pain or bleeding entirely. When I started an agestin-only pill specifically for my endo 7 months ago, my moods were thrown off pretty severely for a few months, but now I feel totally fine - other than my usually clear skin being messed up with acne (it isn't severe, but it's annoying - but hey, still a LOT better than the alternative, which is pain)

Note - I should mention this. If by some chance your painful periods and other physical symptoms are caused by a disease such as endometriosis, do not request a standard birth control pill with both estrogen and progesterone. My gynecologist tells me that few doctors know that estrogen actually fuels the growth of diseases such as endometriosis, and over time, can actually worsen your problem. If pain and not having a period is the only issue you want to correct, I think you should request a progesterone only pill. Progesterone is a little controversial, because some studies show it can cause problems with nausea and muscle aches when you start taking it (I would agree) and even worsen depression in some women. However, a majority of medical journals still continue to agree that for most people, progesterone is actually helpful in the long run with issues such as fatigue, depression, etc. (even if you may go through an initial swing of depression while your body is getting used to it). Progesterone only pills don't work for contraception, but they still stop your period when taken continuously. They seem to be working really well for me, so maybe they would work for you. I'd say it's worth a try, although you should give it at least 2 or 3 months before making a final judgment.

All in all, I'd say the pill and progesterone only pills - especially in low doses - are one of the safest, least side effect ridden medications you can take. Good luck

 

There are two forms of progesterone available, a more synthetic form, and a more natural alike progesterone.
There are people who prefer the more natural version, you should talk with your doctor about it.

 

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a very interesting article John Rock's Error on this subject. Here is an excerpt:

The part that I highlighted in bold above is the gist of the article. John Rock, the co-inventor of "the pill" was a devout Catholic who felt he could reconcile birth control with his faith by maintaining the regular periods of a woman who isn't pregnant, because it was considered "natural". Hence the familiar 21-day hormone, 7-day placebo regimen, leading to regular periods.

But, as the article points out, having four hundred lifetime menses is NOT natural and is most likely damaging to a woman's body. Menses in general are an ordeal for the body to endure...

I am not giving you any specific recommendations, as every treatment has risks that you need to evaluate, but hormone-releasing IUDs like Mirena are certainly very effective in this regard. Again, I stress, you must consult your doctor before making any decisions on this or any other form of birth control that has an effect on your menses.