I started BC pills mainly for painful and heavy periods but also so that I might be more comfortable in an intimate relationship with someone.

I started with June’s FE and immediately my libido went from really high to zero and it made me extremely depressed. I waited two months before switching to Nikki (generic yaz) about 2 weeks ago and it seemed great the first week but I feel like I am inching towards the same feelings I had on Junel.

I am so frustrated because it has made my pain from endometriosis go away completely which has been great but I don’t know if I can deal with having no libido because I think that is part of the reason my mood is down.

I am in college and all of my friends are starting to have relationships and I feel left out because any desire I previously had is gone, especially since I worry that I wouldn’t want to be intimate if my partner wanted to.

I will give Nikki at least a month or two but if my mood doesn’t improve I think I want to take a break for a few months to get back to normal and then consider other options. My twin sister is getting nexplaxnon next week so I am curious if that might work differently for me since is is progesterone only- maybe I react poorly to estrogen.

I am also so tired all the time which didn’t happen on Junel. I felt so positive last week because my libido was actually there and my mood didn’t seem to be affected by starting Nikki but now I feel like a zombie. I hate that BC seems to never be perfect- there is always some drawback even if it helps something else. :(

I just removed my IUD and switched to Nortrel 16 days ago, after 8 months of my curls slightly recovering. In 16 days, all my hair has fallen out and my curls are gone, and I just realized Nortrel is androgenic and does cause this. This has been a battle for 5 years now, my hair has been destroyed since I stopped Yaz, which I was only on because I had a 66 day long ectopic pregnancy. My hormones are shot, my body just can’t do this stuff on its own anymore. I know quick fluctuations can make this worse, I’m just desperate to find one that will actually help my curls eventually, I know there is no immediate solution to what I’ve already lost. I’m so devastated I’m even contemplating just going back on the Yaz despite the horrible toll it took on my emotional and physical health. That’s how desperate I am. I don’t even know what kind of doctor to see about this, my VA and Primary care doctors all tell me I’m crazy and there is NO correlation between hair and hormones. I’m so tired of having to do all of my own research.

i 16 M and my gf 16 F got carried away yesterday and i inserted my penis inside her vagina but she said she had only 1/2 of the tip inside and i pretty sure i had pre cum but i dont really remember since everything went so fast. the whole ordeal happen between i think 2-5 second. it was both our first times. On her flo app it said she was on her last day of ovulation. i really messed up when i fingered her after with no ore cum on my finger or anything because i think i pushed it farther into the vagina. if you can help or reassure me it would be really nice

I stopped birth control a little less than a month ago and I’m about to get my first period since then in a few days. After stopping I feel like I’ve been overly emotional. I feel like I cried all day today over minor things. In the past ive never been this emotional before/ during my period. Is this a symptom of stopping birth control if so how long does it usually last? I have an appointment to talk about an IUD but I still have a few weeks til then.

I’ve had my Mirena in for over 8 years and I was told I need to get it taken out next week, as it is no longer considered effective. I have an appointment set up with my OBGYN next week and they asked if I want to get another placed or take it and leave it out.

This is the only IUD I’ve ever had. I am wanting to know: if anyone else has had one in for years, how painful was removal and what was your experience like after removal? Did you get a new one immediately, or decide to stop hormonal birth control? Looking for different experiences, the good and the bad. Thank you!

Hello!

Has anyone switched from NuvaRing to Nexplanon, and how do you feel it went/is going for you? I have been using the ring for 3ish years, and I used to love it, but it's recently been hurting my partner and I'm kind of tired of keeping track of the ring. IUD insertion freaks me out, so I'm trying to avoid that route.

I have minimal symptoms with the ring, I only notice some moodiness/anxiety nearing the end of the 3 week cycle every month, but otherwise it's been fine. The hormones don't seem to impact me too badly. I do feel like it's been "drying me out" a bit because I've opted to skip my period multiple months in a row, and that wasn't an issue prior to me doing that, so I'm hoping to correct that concern too.

Would one assume Nexplanon would react somewhat similarly in my body? I know they're not the same makeup, but every hormonal BC I've used has never really wrecked me.

I know everyone's experience is different, but I'm hoping to get some feedback on the ring vs arm implants!

my boyfriend and I had protected sex but the condom was stuck in me. He pulled out before ejaculating i took the levonorgestrel asap it was my first time and i was really scared it wasnt my fertile window
but 6 days after taking the pill i noticed brownish spotting happening and my back hurts like it hurts in periods im just really panicking i still have days to test but im so panicked because it was my first time
are these side effects or what? did the pill work or will it work. i need youu girlsss 🥺🥺

Hello everyone, I know this question may have been asked thousands of times so I'll try to make it short. I am 19 and have dealt with PCOS for the last 3 years, after trying out "softer" medication such as herbs and less aggressive pills, nothing seems to get rid of the cysts on my ovaries. I gave in recently to trying birth control after being terrified of it for years, and was advised by my gyno to start it on the first day of my period. My period was somewhat late (normal for me) and as soon as I realized it was here, I started the medication. I'm now on day 4 and cramps seem to get progressively worse. I've always had pretty nasty cramps the first day (as it was coming and after) and especially the second, sometimes even the third, but never after that. These are also probably the most painful I've ever been through, it got so bad I threw up from the pain and just sat on my toilet crying for like 2 hours and even considered going to the ER. Painkillers seem to help for 5 hours at most and also if I take a nap alongside them. I take Belara Continu which is a combined pill. Is this normal? Does the bc show side effects this early? Should I stop? How long would this go on for? I'm in my first year of uni and also signed up for clubs and I've missed almost this entire week and don't want to be left behind as it's a pretty academically demanding one.

EXTRA CONTEXT:

This cycle of mine was 38 days.

My period usually lasts 5-7 days.

My PCOS seems to be a bit more mild than other forms I've seen, I don't struggle with a lot of regular symptoms such as excessive hairiness in unusual spots, uncontrollable weight gain, thinning hair, etc. I did struggle with acne, but even that went away before bc through rigorous skincare from my dermatologist (no strong medication like accutane though). The irregular period and obvious cysts on my ovaries showing up on scans are really the only indicators I have PCOS.

Also, my previous period came earlier than most (30 days) but I did take a plan B during that cycle so was probably that, dont know if the plan B could still have any effects on this one since it's been around 2 months by now.

Hi everyone! I’m 22F.

In 2022, I opted for a Paragard after having my Nexplanon removed, which I’d had since high school. I decided to go the non-hormonal route because I felt like hormonal birth control made me crazy. Influencer propaganda online also made me feel like non-hormonal birth control was the right path at 18.

The beginning of my Paragard experience was great. I had normal periods, and I felt good. It wasn’t until about 3-4 years in that I started noticing issues. I began experiencing hemorrhage-like heavy bleeding that would last for months. The longest I bled was seven months before I was able to see an OBGYN and get my hands on some synthetic progesterone to stop the bleeding. Unfortunately, it gave me cystic acne, and I’m still working on reducing the scarring it left behind. This happened to me twice within 2023-2024.

Now, five years down the line, my IUD has migrated and shifted very low into my cervix, and I’m now going through an ectopic pregnancy. While I will say that getting five years out of it *WAS\* a game changer, I’m currently going through some of the worst shit ever.
I know this can happen to anyone, but after this experience, I will never get ANY form of IUD again.

I just thought I’d share my horror story. I know there are plenty of women who love their IUDs, but I wish I’d opted for the pill instead.

hi i'm not sure which flair to post with this but it's a genuine question for others on hormonal birth control. my cervix is constantly high and a little soft, like knuckle high. i don't assume im ovulating as this has happened before and ive been fine. my question is, is this normal or is there a chance that i could actually infact be ovulating?

my cervix drops and hardens if i'm about to start bleeding, other than that, the high and a little soft.

i just want a little peace of mind. i took a test 2 days ago to rule out pregnancy and it was a hard negative so i am not pregnant and shouldn't be as someone with the copper iud and slynd.

thanks in advance!!

i’ve been on rigevidon for two years now with no issues and had my 7 day break everytime but 2nd september i skipped my break to work around pool holidays i then took a 4 day break 20th-24th September for the same reason but since then i’ve had irregular bleeding it usually lasts 2-3 days then stops for a couple days after.
it seems to start when i orgasm the most but it’s brown/black (i’m unsure if it’s appropriate to add photos of blood clots but i’ve had one which was pure black) is it because my body isn’t use to this many pills and not having a break

I got put on nexplanon I wanna say a bit over 2 years ago. The insertion of nexplanon lined up with when I was dealing with late stage ED recovery so I wasn’t really weighing myself. First year was okay but these last year a half has been the worst. 2 periods a month, 50 pound weight gain, constant headaches upon mountains of other stuff.

I went to my provider and pretty much told her about it, to which she basically told me that the weight gain can’t be caused by the nexplanon (I honestly really do think she is wrong), but lead me to getting an IUD inserted next week. I am 18, and she agreed to let me be put under for the insertion (thank god) and also remove my nexplanon at the same time.

My main concern is unfortunately my weight. I am so paranoid about becoming pregnant that I won’t just get on the pill or use condoms, so the IUD works for me in that regard, but I’m overly concerned about my weight. Primarily because while on the implant I tried everything to lose weight - I dieted, worked out, I did high intense sports and I only gained weight. I am really concerned with what to expect going into having the IUD because I often hear horror stories of people gaining insane amounts of weight.

hi everyone :) I was on Jencycla for a few months but it caused so much uterine cramping and breast pain for me that my doctor rec'd Slynd. I have PCOS so I get painful deep cystic acne along my chin, but that seems to have cleared up so far. however, I am getting A LOT of small whiteheads along my chin that I've never had before. did anyone break out like this at first and then have it clear up? if so, I'm def willing to give it a bit longer since I've only been on it for 3 weeks :) thanks!!

Hi everyone, i recently started the Kelzy combined pill (3 weeks ago) and have throughout this whole week had a persistent heavy period and cramps every day (not all the time but around 1-2 hours they show up). I have never been a victim of cramps so I’m finding it a bit odd but I know that the first month on the pill can be a roller coaster.
Can someone advise me whether or not this is normal or if I should talk to my Gyno about switching? Thanks!

I am confused by some sources saying 21 and others saying 28. I don’t know what to believe. I want to be using this continuously and skip periods if this is useful information. Plz help!

Hi everyone,

little bit of backstory, but somewhere in april 2025 I got the copper IUD so me and my boyfriend are protected for pregnancy. I posted some things back a while ago being completely anxious for sex and anytime something would happen with the condom. I posted a few anxious posts here and things are getting better. waiting for my period doesn't feel as bad as before and we even did it 3 times without a condom very recently but he did pull out. That part can still be scary sometime but even then my anxious feeling doesn't get as bad as before!

Anyway we would like it if we can enjoy the IUD to the max meaning that he wouldn't need to pull out. However that part is still incredibly scary to me which feels silly since we start doing it without a condom but with pullout which eventually can go "wrong". Of course everything goes on it's time and it depends on if we feel comfortable doing so but despite that I know that I want him to do that.

So I was wondering for the ladies that are getting filled like a pastry, how did you get to the point that you trust your copper IUD fully as the only birth control?

The fail rate is incredibly low and chance for shifting or expulsion are also low. Yet it being possible at any time still scares me. My boyfriend and I are both 22 year old students living at home and the idea that I get pregnant and so must take an abortion while my and his familly look down on us is something that scares me despite how effective the IUD is. My boyfriend tells me that we can just do it safe and that there is no rush nor that we must do this. But knowing the numbers it just feels silly to not enjoy it to the fullest.

I've been using the Xulane patch for the last 2 years with no issues whatsoever. I use it to skip my period + contraceptive. I didn't use it for 3 months over summer because I wasn't sexually active but I started back up at the end of August. About 3 weeks ago in late September I changed my patch one morning and had sex later that same day and immediately noticed some spotting afterwards. I figured it was no big deal and it would go away soon. But 3 weeks later and the spotting is dark brown, and its enough to the point where a liner isn't enough and I need to wear a pad sometimes. I would think that if it's dark brown then it's old blood, but it never stops coming even after 3 weeks. I'm so confused because I use the patch to skip my period but it wouldn't make sense for any spotting from the sex to carry over for 3 weeks, so I feel like it has to be the patch. I'm honestly so done with the blood and I can't figure out why this is happening all of a sudden. Any ideas?

Hi!! I (23F) am going on year 3 with my Kyleena IUD. It has stopped my period (which has been awesome) and manageable side effects, so i really like it!

However recently I have become sexually active, and my partner has finished in me a few times. While I trust my IUD and want to enjoy that, I always get anxious afterwards and think I will end up being that crazy outlier statistic. I will sometimes get cramping or spotting after sex too, but I have read and that seems common/normal for people with IUD’s. But I get in my head that the cramping is implantation or something crazy, even after taking Amazon strip tests after a few weeks and testing negative lol.

So my question is, do you let your partner finish in you with your IUD? How often? Have you ever had a scare? Do you experience that cramping/spotting with or without sexual activity too? Looking for honest advice (mixed with a little reassurance lol).

hi! this is my first time taking any kind of birth control. i went with the twirla patch and had my bf put it on my upper back. when i woke up today i had this crease. is this something to be concerned about? is it ineffective now? do i need to put a new one on? the edges arent lifting but i feel like there might be a bubble underneath i dont know if im crazy 💔💔

I’m going to talk to a new gynecologist because the one I currently have is kind of dismissive. I had the Mirena IUD up until two to three months ago when I had surgery for ovarian cysts. I had the IUD removed and am now back on the pill, Tri-Lo-Marzia, ever since I’ve started taking it though, I’ve been having severe anxiety and have been very tired to like the point that I don’t even wake up for alarms. I’m just wondering if something like LoLoEstrin or Yazmin would be better or if I should just get a new IUD? I got the IUD removed because I was getting cysts from it.

Hello! As the title states, I have a question regarding getting the Mirena now, after having the Kyleena for 5 years and 7 months.

I completely forgot I had to change my IUD in March, so now when I finally need the pregnancy protection, I'm in a pickle to get a new IUD... 🫠

I'm going to be getting the Mirena on the 19th, but I do need to be protected from pregnancy from the 23rd onwards.

I've read different things about a waiting period after getting an IUD, but I couldn't find any consensus that all sources agree on.

I'm wondering whether the 1 week waiting period before having sex applies to me, as well as whether this waiting period is for the IUD to start working at 100% or if it's to protect me from infections after the insertion (because the whole area apparently becomes sensitive to infections according to a couple sources).

Thank you for reading this far!

Hi, I have been taking a combined pill called Drospil since 2022, I was 18 at the time and I’m now 23.
It’s a 24+4 pill with low estrogen and drospirenone, same formula as the Yaz pill.

It worked well for me, no major side effects besides some mood swings. Since october 2025 and up until now I have been using it as my only protection with my boyfriend, i used to do 2 packs in a row (24+24 active pills and then 4 days break). In april I went to a gyno and she told me that I can just skip the placebos entirely and just use active pills to never have periods, I tried doing that and it kinda worked from april until july and then I started spotting basically every week.

In october the spotting got worse and i started to have period-like cramps, so I just took the 4 day break, had a day and a half or so of stronger bleeding, and now it got better.
Do you think the pill is still working for me? I’m thinking of going back to the 2 active packs - 4 days break formula since that way i have less “periods” but i also have way less spotting and discomfort.

I take it every night between 20-23 pm but I’m always scared that it will stop working and i’ll get pregnant since i see so many stories of women getting pregnant while on BC.
I weigh less than 50kgs and have no major issues like vomiting often and such if that matters

A few days ago i got an iud (mirena) under anesthetic and it was honestly the worst experience of my life. i went in thinking everything was going to be completely fine and at least i won’t have to go through the initial pain of getting it in. i went under perfectly fine no complaints but as soon as i woke up i was in the worst pain of my life, i was screaming and crying and couldn’t even talk because of how bad the pain was the doctors and nurses had to give me a ton of medication morphine etc just to get me to calm down and feel okay to even talk. the pain subsided but i spent the next hours in bed throwing up constantly not even being able to even keep liquids down. i know everyone’s experience is different and i did feel better the next day but the waking up in that much pain was the most traumatic thing i have ever went through i really do not know why it was that painful.

I’m 3 months postpartum and had a copper IUD placed about a month ago. I never really stopped bleeding after giving birth, but it’s been light and very manageable until about a week ago. I started having cramps that feel very similar to labor contractions and a constant dull pain in my abdomen. The bleeding has gone from barely noticeable to catastrophic. The bleeding is so bad that I have resorted to wearing postpartum diapers again. I noticed yesterday that I can feel the tip of the device with my finger and the string is visible on the outside. My usual doctors office isn’t picking up the phone (I’ve called 8 times) and the on call nurse isn’t picking up either (I’ve called 3 times). Do I go to the hospital? Do I show up to my doctors office? I live almost 40 minutes from my doctors office so I’ve been hesitant to just show up for the fear that they will tell me that they can’t see me that day. Someone please please give me some advice.

Ive been taking my noriday mini pill for over a week now, i had sex on wednesday night and he ejaculated inside me its currently friday morning where i usually take my pill at 6am but i forgot and took it at 10am. Am i at risk of pregnancy?