This week, I took to my Instagram (@indcstro) to discover what horror stories or miracles women have had with contraception. I have had my fair share of stories, so I thought it would be interesting to collect various experiences. At 16, I was put on the Rigevidon pill; it completely ruined my body. Giving me massive blood clots and cramps that were so bad I couldn’t physically move. It also ruined my sex drive, making the pill somewhat pointless for me to be on. At 18, I got the Mirena coil, which was fairly painful to have inserted although, the worst of the pain was the months that followed. However, since it settled, I haven’t experienced any pain or discomfort, and it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. Despite this, everyone’s bodies are so different that is why it’s important to hear other people’s experiences to provide comfort to your own.
“I used to have two periods a month, which were really bad and heavy cycles. Both periods would last over a week, so I was always either due on or on my period and suffering from really bad PMS. I went on Rigevidon to regulate my cycle which helped a lot to be honest; I never really had complications with it. It allowed me to have only one controlled bleed per month. Although I already had massive boobs, which I inherited from my mum, they are literally triple the size when I’m taking Rigevidon. My conclusion is that if you have horrendous periods and want juicy boobs, then go for it. However, I did gain about a stone due to the appetite increase it caused me.”
“I am currently taking Rigevidon and I’ve never had a problem, but then again, I’ve been taking it since I was around 12 or 13 when I first started getting my period. Because of this I don’t really have much I can compare it to, but I do struggle with disassociation and mood swings, which makes me wonder if I’d be a completely different person if I came off it.”
“I was on the pill once but it caused me to be on my period for four months, which made me extremely ill. The doctors then had to give me another pill to stop me bleeding even after the pill. I also got anaemic, suffered with fatigue and overall was just constantly ill and struggled to do day to day things. I then decided to try a new one, which was traumatic. I mainly did it because I was in a relationship and to try and fix my cycle, but it didn’t. So, during lockdown I stopped taking it and recently got the non hormonal coil inserted. It was horrible when it comes to pain, but it didn’t last and was definitely the best decision I’ve made because now I’m protected during sex and there’s no hormones messing me around.”
“I was on Rigevidon! Honestly, I didn’t have many severe symptoms I guess but my mood was really low constantly. Looking back it might have been due to that. I later swapped it and I’ve now had the implant for 1 and half years, but I’m thinking of getting it removed due to how long I’ve been on it for. It’s not consistent either, one day I can be so heavy and then the next day I’m spotting. I’m just tired of each day being different on the implant.”
“I got the implant in November and have been bleeding pretty much every day for four months. I had to start taking the pill on top of the implant to try and settle the bleeding, but it is still really irregular. I know that the implant works really well for some women, but I wish I had been more aware of how much of an impact it would have on my body.”
“When I first started taking the pill I was on Cilique, but now I’m on Lizinna and I’ve had no problems. The only thing I will say is that I do get headaches quite often, but I don’t think that they are related to the pill. The doctor thinks it’s fine, but I only started to notice the headaches when I started taking the pill.”
“I’ve taken Rigevidon, which was awful and made me gain so much. It also gave me mood swings, and I constantly felt horrible and gross. I’ve also taken Yasmin which Is great, but it made me constantly lose weight. Right now I’m on Microgynon 30, which is the best pill for me.”
“I was on Yasmin and Rigevidon from the ages of 15 to 19 and come off due to feeling awful constantly. Now that I’m 21 and not on birth control, I look back and I feel amazing in myself.”
“Weirdly enough, the Rigevidon pill has actually been my lifesaver. It was actually the Mirena coil that f*cked me up.”
While you can see from the above answers that many women try out different birth control methods, the pill has remained the most popular form of contraceptive in the U.K. for over 50 years. If you are thinking about going on contraception, it’s really important to research all of the different methods available to decide which one is best for you. I hope that reading these experiences from other women helps give you an insight into what different birth control is like and how it affects our bodies differently. If you are still unsure about which birth control is right for you, you can check out this website here, which will help guide you to the options suitable for you. Additionally, you can also receive more support and guidance from your GP or local sexual health clinic.