Burlap & Satin

I took Yasmin for about half a year and I swear it nearly killed me. Not physically, but mentally - I was SO depressed. I couldn't believe it, but when I stopped taking it, I went totally back to normal. At that point I swore I wouldn't take oral BC again. From then on it was charting/temping and condoms. I am a big advocate of charting. It removed the question of when/if I was ovulating and I knew the day my period would show up. Clearly if you aren't as diligent as you could be, *ahem*, babies happen. But you know... babies happen on BCPs too.
I'm currently torn about what to do right now. Since I am BFing, I don't expect to have my period or be able to chart, and I'm not able to take regular BCPs. I thought I would try the mini-pill, but what I'm learning about it is kind of scaring me. I am leaning toward just condoms for a while. :)

Yasmin is exactly what I am taking. My new doctor (who isn't great, but is a doctor) told me that Yasmin has slightly more hormones in it and so maybe that would help me have real periods and a sex drive again. (I didn't like having "ghost periods" on Yaz, it just didn't feel normal. Plus, with my thyroid problems, how was I supposed to know if something was off if I wasn't even having a normal period in the first place? That's why I switched.)
I don't seem to be depressed so far, just massive anxiety at night right after I take it. My energy level has been a little low, but when you have hypothyroidism, it's hard to tell what's thyroid and what isn't.
No matter what form of b/c we use, it would be always be backed up with condoms. I've had too many girlfriends get pregnant while on the pill or even while just using condoms and for me, an "oops" pregnancy just isn't even an option. We don't want ANY children EVER, so it's hard to figure out how to feel confident with sex without panicking about pregnancy. Who knew waiting until marriage would be the more complicated thing to do? I sure didn't.

Hi,

After almost a decade on and off the pill, I started to feel uncomfortable about what synthetic hormones might be doing to my body long term, plus my period was getting lighter and lighter...how did I even know things were working right down there anymore?

Fed up w/the pill, I started to wonder if there was any good alternative. Failure rates for condoms, rhythm method, even the pill - sigh.

I finally decided I wanted an IUD - the hormone free kind (there are two kinds). Weird concept, "foreign body" in the uterus. But I did some reading and I made the decision it was the way I wanted to go. It's been great.

It did hurt going in. And there are slight risks w/that procedure, punctures and whatnot, made more palatable if you want to remain child-free for always. I'm really happy I did it. Periods slightly heavier, but getting older can do that anyway (I'm 34).

If you visit a doctor who doesn't want to give you one, go to another. It's not their decision, it's yours! :) Good luck with whatever you decide.

Diane-35. I've been on the Pill since I was 19, starting with Gynera, and that seemed okay until I had crazy breakthrough bleeding and was switched to Diane, which is perfect for PCOS. And I feel awesome.

I have taken Neocon 1/35 and Seasonale in the past (a few years ago) and just started (like 4 days ago) Lo/Orval. I never remember feeling anxious after taking them, just nauseated, especailly with the Neocon. The Seasonale didn't seem to have the nausea effect on me that the Neocon did and it was nice that you only had 4 periods a year. I guess I am just crazy sensitive to the nauseating effects of hormones...pregnancy is going to be fun one of these days.
As far as BCP alternatives, have you tried taking it right before you go to bed? That has worked pretty well for me in the past as I can usually sleep thru the worst of it. Or just trying a different one with different drugs.
For non BCP alternatives there is an IUD (I know a couple people quite happy with their Mirena's which are supposed to be better than the ones with no hormones) or how about the BC patch? I know at least one person that is going that route.
Hope this helps! Amazing what we do to stay away from motherhood!

Thanks so much everyone for all this wonderful feedback! I have lots of research to do apparently. (Ironic, as I was a pharmacy technician many years ago and thought I'd hear of every type of b/c out there, but I guess not.)
I can't say that I'm comfortable with an IUD. There are several reasons for that, but the big one just being that it scares me and makes me uncomfortable. I'm a person that changes my mind a lot and an IUD just seems like an incredibly permanent solution I may not be ready for just yet. I know that I don't want children EVER, but I also know myself and I know that in 5 years I could completely flip and be all "I need a baby NOW!" I'm laughing at this idea, but again, I know myself and it's entirely possible. Maybe then I would be ready for something like that, but right now I'm just looking for something that gives me reassurance but doesn't make me feel so damn crazy.

hmmmmm i am now reading this with great interest...i dont recall how long ago i switched from yasmin to yaz but i do know my sex drive has tanked, with little spurts of awesomeness once in a while...and emotionally i've been a bit blah lately. now i'm wondering if it's the switch from yasmin to yaz even though the pills are so incredibly similar...

I haven't been on the pill for about five years (because I kept forgetting to take the damn things and just kinda, uh.. quit). I took Ortho Tri-Cyclen for years and never had any problems. I don't know if they even make that anymore. I need to go in for a check up and get back on the pill, so I've been wondering too. Hope you find one that doesn't mess with your body so much! Side effects suck.