I asked you/the internet to share your experiences re: birth control.  My intention was to re-post what I hoped would be a fairly diverse collection of stories.  Each person is different— precious little snowflakes of biochemical diversity we all are, and as such, another person’s experience won’t necessarily be predictive of your own.  Nonetheless, I think there’s something worthwhile in creating a space for women to share their experiences re: birth control.  Other readers may find their experiences echoed here, and some may find leads on birth control options they’d like to talk more with their doctor about.

Thank you to everyone who took time to write in.  Here are your stories: 

I use Nuva Ring and love it. I don’t have any negative side effects, and my physical and emotional symptoms of PMS are much more manageable since I started the ring.
Before that I was on Mircette (a low estrogen pill) which I am pretty sure was partially responsible for insane emotional erraticism. Though that may just have been college. I tried Alesse and had dry heaves. My first birth control pill was Ortho Tri-Cyclen which I hated. I gained 10 pounds and cried all the time.
I have generally had good experiences with both latex and polyurethane condoms (the latter because I had a latex sensitivity for the first year that I was sexually active.)

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I had a really bad problem with my sex drive while on birth control. I took Seasonique and Ortho Tri-Cyclen.  I had NO sex drive at all, which kinda defeated the purpose.  I went on a very, very, low hormone pill (it started with a “D” but I can’t remember the full name) and my sex drive was a little better, however, when I came off the low-dose, my sex drive came back with a ROAR!  I never had problems as far as spotting, or flow, or missed periods went, but I’ve always been regular. My best friend used the Depo Provera patch and the Nuvaring. The patch always fell off, and the ring came out all the time, especially during sexy times.

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I’ve been on Triphasil and on Yaz. Overall my experiences have been fine, though since I’ve been on the Pill since I was 16 (now almost 33), I don’t know what I’d be like off it.

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I’ve been on Alesse, Mircette, Ortho Tri-cyclen and Ortho Tri-cyclen Lo. All of them made my menstrual migraines so severe that I spent several days in the hospital.  I switched to NuvaRing and loved it for years…but it killed my sex drive dead. My husband and I were only having sex once every three months.

I attempted to get a hormone-free IUD, but my uterus was too small for Paraguard (I’m only 5 feet tall, so it’s probably just because I’m small).

So my husband and I are stuck with non-latex condoms (because I’m also sensitive to latex).  It’s crazy— all the birth control options out there, and only one works for me.

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I was on Cyclessa (a tri phasic) for 2 years, it gradually sapped away my sex drive. Took a year off and was then on Aviane for 4 years, which was perfect in every way except that is also sapped away my sex drive to nothing at the end. Have been using condoms for the past 4 months, it’s hard going back (but if the alternative was never wanting sex, worth it).

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I was on two different pills—Loestrin FE and…something else (it’s been ages). I didn’t like either of those because they killed the libido. Then I went on Implanon (an arm implant thing similar to Norplant) which was okay for a while, and then I started having my period all.the.time. Like seriously, every other week or so. That sucked. I had the Norplant removed, and ever since I’ve been just using condoms, which I also hate. There’s really no winning.

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I’ve been on Trivora (horrible side effect of feeling pregnant all the time, and I feel awful when I’m pregnant), Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo (amazing, no side effects other than maybe some weight gain), and now the Mirena IUD (which I love).

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I’m really bad about remembering to take pills, so I can’t take any BC pills at all. I take Depo Provera, which a lot of women have mixed stories about—but it’s only been great for me. I don’t have periods AT ALL.  My libido goes down, which is great for someone who has a super high one, and no cramps or anything.
Basically I have no negative side effects at all.

I plan on going on it again next month. I’ve been off it just a few months, and I can’t take all this blood.

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I’ve been on the pill for like seven years and never had a real issue with it- I took Levlen, then switched to the generic Levora, and now I’m on the same dosage of a pill called Portia. No ill effects for me.

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I had bad experiences with Marvel and Ortho Tri-Cyclen but I have been on Alesse for 7 years and like it fine enough.
I get a wicked headache if I take it straight through to skip a period, but when I don’t do that, it’s fine.
(Aviane is the generic brand of Alesse)

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Not having been pregnant ever, just about everything works for me (hah.)
But I was on Yaz for like, the greatest year ever. I didn’t get my period once, and I had perfect skin.
I tried Junel for about six weeks before I just refused to take it because of all the yeast infections it gave me. It also killed my sex drive, and just about dried me up.

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I was on Depo Provera patch a long time ago…I hated it because the edges would rub and get lint from my clothes. So that didn’t last long. Then I tried the pill, and I got three week long periods. Not the kind of birth control I was hoping for. So now I just stick to condoms. However, Trojan ecstasy condoms break like you wouldn’t believe. Totally sucks. So I’ve had to do the Plan B thing on 2 occasions. In other words, I’ve had rotten luck with birth control. Oh well.

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I was on Ovcon 35 about 5 years ago. I only took it for three months before I stopped and haven’t taken birth control since- the side effects were awful and half of them seemed to be the result of too many hormones (heart palpitations, depression, mood swings) and the other half seemed to be not enough hormones (breakthrough bleeding, starting my period the week before the placebo week, etc). I’m not extremely sexually active but I rely purely on condoms when I am, now.

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I have had good luck on Aviane, a bleh experience on Ortho Tri-Cyclen (weight gain, anger management problems, skin issues) and a horrifying experience on Yasmin (basically went insane, volcanic rage episodes, crazy crying jags, massive insomnia).
I’m sticking with Aviane.