Hi all, I am currently undecided about switching pills and I was hoping some people on here might have gone through this and could share what their experiences were in doing so.
I have been taking the progeterone only pill (mini-pill) for about a year and a half now. It's the only bc pill I've ever taken, and for the most part I have never really had any weird side effects. However, over the last year the frequency that I've gotten migraine headaches was increasing substantially, from about 3 per month to about 10 per month. About 2/3 of them were still highly coincidentally timed with my cycle, so I talked to my doctor about switching me to one of the longer-cycle drugs (Seasonale, I think?) and he agreed to try it. I was supposed to switch over to the new pill at the start of my next period, but I missed that because TOM got weird around the same time... either my period came after 2.5 weeks, or I had spotting for several days for the first time in my life... and then got my period another 3 weeks later. Ugh! So I've still been taking the mini-pill, but now I am almost out of them.
The issues with my TOM getting weird were within about two months of when I started trying to lose weight, after I had been losing at a rate of about 2 lbs / week for around 8 weeks or so. However, when I went to write up this post just now I realized that over the last 4 - 6 weeks, my migraines have really been a lot better. I think maybe 2 in that time period, so a HUGE improvement over where they had been.
So I am thinking that losing weight is wreaking havoc on my hormones anyway, but at least my body is already used to taking the mini-pill. I think that I've heard that the pills that contain estrogen tend to cause people to gain weight more commonly than the mini-pill does. Since I'm down around 30 pounds now since I started in october, I'm not super excited about the idea of changing something that would cause my progress to stall. At the same time though, only having 4 periods a year would be pretty fantastic.
So have any of you switched from the mini-pill to an estrogen containing pill during your weight loss journey? Did you notice it causing any effect on your downwards progress, or any other significant side effects that were either good or bad? I'd love any input that could help me decide whether to stick with the mini-pill or finally start the new estrogen-containing pill.
If you are having the spotting issue I would see if that continues, if it does you are going to need to switch pills anyway. Otherwise you are totally right dieting sends our hormones into whack, I know before I went on birth control whenever I would start eating healthier it would push my periods back a bit and when I started eating bad again same thing. The food we ingest affects our bodies in so many ways.
I was on Seasonique for quite some time and it did concide with both some of my weight lost and some of my weight gained. To be honest the big issue is that it can affect your appetite if you are dieting and counting calories or using points or anything like that, you're used to days when you feel hungry and you fight through it so it just might be a week or so of that when your body is getting used to the hormones. I'd say it shouldn't cause much of a weight effect if you pay attention.
But if you symptoms are subsiding and you do stop having breakthrough bleeding/spotting I would stick with your mini-pill, the less hormones you can put in your body the better. IMO
I take seasonique, and its AMAZING. It took about 8 months for my body to get used to the 4 month period free time, and I had veeerrryyyyy light spotting, but now (I've been on it since Spring 09) I have NO problems! It's GREAT!
And I used to take mini pills too, and they helped me gain 40+ lbs right after I started them. I've been on my WL journey on the Seasonique the whole time, so I can't tell you about a change. I do know it makes working out easier when I don't have to wear a tampon for a few days a month!
I was on BC for over two years and this past year I was getting more and more migraines. They usually started four days into the sugar pill week. My doctor suggested going off the pill completely. I was like no way, no how. I can't have a baby!
Well, a coworker pointed me toward IUDs. It is absolutely amazing. I haven't gotten a migraine since. And have not had a weight gain issues.
Pros - goes in your uterus, you don't have to worry about taking anything, stays in for 5-10 years depending on the kind. the hormone one (which I have, didn't cause migraines) sometimes makes it so you don't have a period
Cons - uncomfortable going in. In the 80s, many women became infertile because they had issues with them causing tissue damage, but IUDs have improved since them and my doctor said that is not much of a risk these days. Might have a hard time finding a dr that does it. I didn't, but some don't like to recommend them to patients.
I know this isn't what you asked, but just thought I would share my two cents. I went for about a year and a half of having to miss work and school because of my migraines, and I haven't called off since I stopped the pill. Good luck!
I'm on a combined pill which includes synythetic estrogen. I didnt change from a different one to this one, but ive had no problems losing weight on it
I have never taken the mini-pill, and only switched bcps when I first started them because I was on allese and it was terrible for my mood, skin and periods.
Losing weight will put your hormones a little outa whack, but if you're still not having a regular period it could be cause for concern.
I agree with maybe seeing if theres another form of birth control you would be interested in, and definitely talk to your doctor... but keep into consideration birth control pills will NOT make you gain weight. that is a huge myth, the only thing they can do is change your urges to eat and what you crave. Keep that under control and don't switch up your eating habits and you wont gain weight.
Name a birth control and it seems like I've been on it! Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Ortho Cyclen Ovcon, Yasmin, Mini Pill, Mirena and most currently Paragard.
I don't remember any funky side effects from the mini pill but I only used it for a year while breastfeeding. I didn't have any strange issues when I switched to Mirena (IUD w/ hormones). Though I will say Mirena gave me slight (but manageable) headaches. I had Paragard (10 year non-hormonal copper IUD) put in after the birth of my daughter in September.
In the past doctor's were advised not to place IUDs in women that had not delivered children but I think that's changing. However, if you decide to go down that route you might have to try a few doctors before one will assist.
Thanks for the replies so far! Yes, definitely for me managing the migraine headaches is one of the biggest concerns with any form of hormonal birth control. I had a friend who started using Mirena about a year ago and she really liked it, but she's never had problems with headaches. I was interested in it, but I was worried about whether or not it would mess with the head more. Stopping a pill is relatively easy and inexpensive, getting an IUD removed would end up costing several hundred dollars.
So ade903, your answer is actually more relevant than not anyway. It is very reassuring to me that you had fewer problems with your migraines after switching to the IUD. I know that the doctors at our student health clinic will use them. When my friend had hers put in, they didn't use a local anesthetic and she said it hurt a lot. But I had already asked them and they said they could use the local anesthetic, so that sounded good. But of course at the time I was worried about what would happen if the hormones made my headaches worse, so I decided to try out the mini-pill since it is the same basic type of hormone. So my experience with them to date hasn't been terribly reassuring, but I also realize that the IUD should keep the blood circulating levels of the hormones lower. So hopefully headache issues would be less bad with them anyway, right?? I'd consider the copper IUD to go with a hormone-free option but we have a strong family tendency to react badly to metals. I don't know about copper in particular, but it's not a particular location I'd be particularly interested in testing out!
And yes, I feel kind of silly for not thinking about what mechanism of weight gain would be associated with the estrogen-containing pills. I guess I had been thinking it would be increased water retention / easier fat storage because of the higher estrogen levels, but it definitely makes sense that it would increase cravings etc. Extra cravings can definitely be dealt with, and extra water retention may be annoying but at least it's not fat . Thanks for the info everyone! Now I need to mull over my decision some more.
I think my migraines had something of a 'withdraw" effect of the pill...I would get one or two during the three weeks on, but my horrible one was on that week on sugar pills. I expressed my concern to the dr before we decided on the hormone IUD, but he said the hormone is very minimal and doesn't go into the bloodstream (and also in my case, there is no "withdraw" effect, or at least that is what I tell myself). I was skeptical, but the chance of no periods was too good to pass up. Plus, my insurance is so-so, so changing to the copper one wouldn't have been a problem. Getting mine in felt like really bad cramps. And they lasted a day or two. And I've never had children, either. So I say keep it in mind if you end up on a new pill that doesn't work.
I tell anyone and everyone who is having issues with BC about IUDs lol. I went to TWO doctors, expressed to both of them my concern about going off of the pill and NEITHER one even suggested an IUD. And I had never even heard about it. Luckily my coworker mentioned it. And I'm very happy with it. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask. I probably wouldn't go with copper if you have problems with metal. Ewww lol. Maybe they can do an allergy test? Good luck! Migraines are no bueno...they run in my family (mostly as women in my family get older...only one that doesn't have a problem is my grandma, and she had a hysterectomy after my dad was born, so it must be those darn girl parts!). I'm hoping I figured my issues out forever!
I'm on Ortho TriCyclen Lo and have been off and on for 8+ years. The only complaint I have about it is decreased sex drive (actually that's my fiance's complaint ) Other than that, it's not so bad, and I LOVE having the lighter period and no cramps.
The only thing I'd add about Mirena that I forgot earlier was one side-effect that seriously sucked (for my sex life).
It was like I had a light to medium period for a month straight. Holy cow. Then it dropped off and didn't really happen again. I guess my body was just adjusting. This doesn't happen to most but keep that in mind when deciding to have it put it if you have something special coming up.
Like Ade, I've been very happy with both IUDs and would defintely recommend them.
XL - good point. Mine didn't last that long. And it was very, very light, didn't need to even wear anything...TMI perhaps but it didn't interfere, it just took better planning (and creativity). lol.
I've been on the NuvaRing for two years now and I love it because I don't have to take a pill every day. When I went off it over last summer (due to loss of insurance) I lost about 5lbs and felt frisky. I went back on because the 5lbs (I'm certain it was water weight) was well worth not having babies, and frisky + no BC was a real risk for that. I had to get the morning-after pill over the summer and I put on a cup size as a result, I do not recommend it. Since going back on the ring last year I have lost 35lbs and never once felt like the hormones had slowed me down.
hi there. i've been on the pill for over 10 years and i have migraines when i get my period too (although nowhere near as many as you! ) i've never heard about seasonale though... maybe i should look into it!
that said the spotting and stuff may have to do with your dieting more than the pill itself (although i think it's wise to wait a while for your body to adapt to the new pill...). when i started dieting this year, i had issues with bleeding off-cycle for about 2 months and i considered switching pills, but now it's back to normal. so my advice would be just keep going with your healthy lifestyle and wait it out. if it hasn't stopped in a few months, talk to your doctor again. but i don't think it's too good for your body to be switching pills constantly, so just give it a bit of time and it should adapt.
btw, for the migraines, i was always told that you need to go with a pill that has a really low dose of hormones...
Questions about BC pills and weight loss
) i've never heard about seasonale though... maybe i should look into it!
