Attention women of sj.com

I also think it depends what pill you are on.

I was on the patch and then Seasonale (when it first came out), and it effed with my hormones so bad, I was seeing a shrink because I was majorly depressed and couldn't stop crying all the time.

Luckily, my shrink wasn't a prescriber (she wanted my PCP to do the prescribing), and he wasn't ready to put me on mood meds. After some tests, he determined that it was my damn BC that was causing these terrible surges in emotion (we're talking bad - like crying for three days on end, not able to work bad).

So I'll never touch the pill again. I'll gladly have the worst.cramps.ever. in exchange for a balanced emotional state. Well, that, and a Vicodin every so often.

 

I've been on Depo Provera since 2001 (one shot every 3 months).

I haven't had a period, cramps, PMS, nada, since then.

I love it.

 

Am so jealous. I can't get my doctor to put me on Depo because of its adverse effect on bone density. I was on Depo for three years before I moved to Calgary.

I may talk to him about it again but I am in that 'zone' where I'm supposed to be careful of taking the pill.

Unless they've changed that in the last 10 years ...

 

I was on Yasmin, but went to the generic Ocella a couple months ago. Apparently most women have bad reactions (weight gain, skin problems, bloating) but I haven't had any problems at all. I've thought about looking into Depo, but haven't done it.

 

I got my IUD almost two years ago and I love it. No hormones, no babies, no prescription, no monthly costs, nada. I paid $40 to have the GYN put it in and that's my only cost for 10 years, if I choose. It is so the way to go. I estimate I've saved about $700 so far.

 

I'm also on the generic and haven't had any problems. But I haven't been able to cry for a really long time.

 

That's what I did. It was cheaper to have that done than to get my tubes tied. Plus, it is actually more effective. The plus side, of course, is that I have no period. And no cramping.

I got my first one right after my daughter was born. This is my second. I've had it about 1-1/2 years. For those of you that have already had children, it is a path I recommend you checking in to.

 

I WISH I had that problem. I'm a crier.

 

Well, it has it's advantages and disadvantages. When I lost my journalism gig, I cried that night but not since. I honestly think that's why it took me so long to get over it.

 

A fair point. I cry over everything. I have people who can attest to it. Hell, I've been known to cry at a commercial.

 

I wish I was that lucky. I've cycled through at least a half dozen different Pills over the years, all of which have had one side effect or another. Yasmin was probably the best of the lot. However, I only had three months of samples and there's no true generic yet. Ocella put me on such an emotional rollercoaster, I just went back to the previous Pill I'd been taking (with lower estrogen, I think) before I even consulted my doctor.

I wish I could switch to a long-term method like an IUD or Depo-Provera. But, to me, those methods likely equal side effects I can't escape.

 

Every time I talk to ANYONE about this, I realize how lucky I am. I've never had a side effect from a pill. I don't get terrible cramps when I'm not on the pill, or abnormal periods. Damn, I'm lucky.