If you have questions about or want to discuss methods of birth control, this is the place for you! Please see our sidebar for some great resources.

I’m a F(20) I’ve both spoken to the doctors and looked online and i can’t seem to find a way to sort this out, i have been on BC for 3 years now, i was first on the pill, which was supposed to stop my period completely i had bled for 80 days whilst on it so i spoke to my doctor who then put me onto the combined pill but of the evra patch, at first i was still bleeding on the patch and then it stopped for a few days it was around this time that i started to develop greenish,yellowish discharge which obviously was alarming so i consulted with a doctor who had tested me for STIs which came back normal but for the 2years i’ve been on the Patch i have bled for 79% of it. I consulted with the doctor again where she said that if i have spotting to take the patch off for a week if i didn’t want to take it off for a week i could do it for 3 days, but when i took it off for a week, my period would be really heavy i don’t know where all this blood is coming from but it just doesn’t stop and if it does it stops for a week at most. i will not get out on the coil, implant or injection as i don’t like any of those ways, so resulting to this i’ve decided to stop taking the patch. Does anyone else have experience relating or know what could cause this?

Hi everyone. Two weeks ago, I lost my birth control pills before I could even start the placebo pills. The same day I lost it, I bought a new pack, starting with the very first pink pill, as you do when you start a new pack. Since then, I haven’t had my period.

I’m on Lizelle, and in my experience if you skip the placebo pills and immediately start the hormonal (pink) pills, you will not get a period.

From the Lizelle website:

“Period may be delayed until the end of a new strip, if the white placebo tablets in the 4th row are not taken and a 2nd strip of Lizelle is immediately started.”

I’m posting here because I received some doubtful advice from this new obgyne I consulted with (my regular one was away and I needed to consult on another matter). She told me that even though I skipped the placebo pills, I should have gotten my period. She even went as far as to assume that I may be pregnant. I’ve regularly been on the pill for a few years and we’ve always done it with a condom, so I’m not sure where she got the idea.

I took a pregnancy test and it came out negative. I’ve also scheduled another appointment with a different obgyne so will be updating this asap.

In the meantime time, can you guys share any similar experiences? I’m just a bit paranoid and would really love to hear them. Thanks!

we (F17 M17) accidentally had an encounter of not pulling out and creaming in during ovulation week. my ovulation date is usually 2-3 days later than the predicted date. this month the predicted date is 15th and we had sex on the 14. we had a plan b pill that was scheduled to come on 14th but it got delayed from the medical company. im not very fertile to begin with but im overthinking, anything i could do to help my situation?

I (26f) stopped taking the pill (Levlen ED) around 6 months ago after 10 years of constant usage and have been having a really tough time - I have not had a period in 6 months, I’ve lost a considerable amount of weight, have had a crazy libido and honestly don’t quite feel like I know myself at the moment which is unfortunately now affecting aspects of my long term relationship. I’m feeling really lost and was wondering if anyone else has experienced this roller coaster since coming off the pill and if anyone had any tips on how to make this process easier? Has anyone come off the pill in hopes on being on no birth control but have then had to go with an alternative option to help manage symptoms? How long did it take for your hormones to balance out?

My doctor’s only advice is to give it time and increase my calories but feeling so unstable is truly burdening me. Any advice is very much appreciated ♥️

I've had 2 Implanon implants with zero issue, but I got this latest one inserted last Wednesday and ever since I've had SEVERE panic, depression, and suicidal ideation. I feel like I'm stuck in a cage about to be murdered or something.

Is it possible that I'd be fine with the other two, and all of a sudden this third one would cause issues?

Problem is, my life is also shit at the moment, and I'm not sure if everything has just gotten to me and it's coincidental, or if this really is the implant.

Any help appreciated. Please.

i just saw on a reddit post that is can, but i’ve never heard this before not even from my doctor but i feel like if it’s true my doctor should have told me ??? wasn’t sure what to flair this as sorry.

I got my Nexplanon a little over 3 years ago. My entire time so far has been perfect, no cramping, no spotting, no periods, no negative side effects.

Before Nexplanon, I had irregular periods, but I my cramps were never a big deal. They barely hurt.

For the past 3 months, I have had what I would call regular periods for the first time in my life. Which is nice! The downside is 2-3 days before my period, I’ve been getting INSANE cramps. Worse than any pain I’ve felt in my life (I’ve given birth AND had a kidney stone/infection, so that’s saying something)

Like, crying and leg shaking sever abdominal pain. The first time it happened I was at work. I cried in front of my coworkers and had to leave halfway though the day. It was so bad I could barely walk, I was hunched over hobbling. My husband had to pick me up and drive me to the ER, because I thought I had a kidney infection or ectopic pregnancy. The doctors ran tests (not pregnant, no uti) said everything was fine, and to come back if it happened again.

I got lucky the next two times, last month and today I was at home in bed when it started.

The cramping only lasts for an hour or two, but it’s the worst pain I’ve ever felt. Like I said, I can barely move until it stops. Has this happened to anyone else? Did it get better after removal, or is this just something I have to live with now?

Also: my doctor said it should last 4 years, but I’ve heard online it lasts 3-5. I can only assume it’s run out, but of course I don’t know if that’s possible.

I (24F) had a Kyleena IUD for about 8 months in 2022-2023 before I decided it wasn't for me, mainly due to the weight gain and poor affect on my mood and mental health. I thought it would resolve after I had it removed but it's been almost 2 years now and I still feel the same. I'm super depressed I'm continuously gaining weight at a rapid progression... I understand that I'll need to see a doctor about this, but has anyone else had a similar experience? I know that a "Mirena crash" is a thing... but going on 2 years now seems ridiculous :(

Edit: included my age for more context!

I am on my 3rd pack of Nikki which is a combo pill. Two Sundays ago (the 5th), I took the first Sunday of my pill pack around 11:30pm and sometime between 2-4am I threw up unexpectedly. I am not exact sure on the time because I stupidly didn’t check because I wasn’t thinking about how it could affect my birth control. The next morning, I called my ob’s office and asked what her opinion was and she said that I should be fine and if I wanted to be extra cautious, to use a backup method for 7 days. Yesterday (approximately 8 days after “missed pill”) I let my bf finish inside of me and for some reason I’m just worried if it still wasn’t enough time to be protected again. I just need advice. My ob says I technically didn’t miss a pill and that it had enough time to absorb but what I read online says otherwise so I’m just worried.

Do women on hormonal birth control experience a similar emotional/behavior effect during the 4 week pill period as women with a natural menstrual cycle

Hi! I have been on this birth control (blisovi combo pill) for years now but i noticed that some months i would have spotting a week before my placebo week. Its a little brownish pink. Is that normal? For context, my partner and I have unprotected sex and Im pretty good at taking my pill at the same time everyday. Other months my period happens during placebo week which is expected.

[ REPOST SINCE I HAVE TO CLARIFY SOMETHING MORE ]

Hello guys, I have a meeting with my long distance bf after a while on 20th Dec last year till 2nd Jan. I start my Zoely bc a long way before he coming which is 8th Dec last year aka the first day of my period.

After he go on 2nd Jan, I take Plan B at noon because we did have unprotected sex in the morning and I was on the second day of placebo pills. After finish all the placebo pill on 4th Jan. I stop Zoely completely since I’ll not have intercourse anymore the day my partner go.

I got Apple Health to track down my fertile window and when I got period. I have always believed this app before because of its accurate. I also adding my pills contraceptive factor on this app when I start Zoely on 8th Dec till I stop Zoely on 4th Jan.

After stop Zoely, app predicted I may got period during 5th Jan. I bleed on 6th Jan till 10th Jan as the app predicted. The bleed was light the first 2 days then turn medium to heavy bleed.

The app tell me my next fertile window may start on 16th Jan and my next period likely start on 3rd Feb and I feel like the day I got my first bleed to the next one is a bit too close

So my question is, is the first bleed I have it’s just a withdrawal bleed, and the next one I got on 3rd Feb is the real natural period?.

When should I be worried about pregnancy or I should not be worried at all since I got my first bleed and also drink Plan B after a last day of having intercourse during I’m on second day of placebo pills?

I’m sorry and I know this is too long since I have to adding some background in order not to confuse anyone. Any help would be appreciated and help my anxious condition 🥹..

Hi! Just wanted to share that I got the Kyleena iud yesterday, And now I’m having terrible IBS symptoms that I haven’t had for a while. Not sure they’re related at all but if anyone is panicking about this - I’m with ya!

I’m 23 and I am considering getting an iud inserted. I have always been really afraid of hormonal birth control so the only option for me seems to the copper iud.

1. I wear a disc during my period, would using this cause my iud to move?

2. would lifting weights (like hip thrust) be an issue

3. Growing up my periods were very heavy and painful, as I’ve gotten older they’ve become more manageable. Those with naturally heavy periods, do you think it’s manageable with the copper iud, what’s your experience like?

4. I recently got a horrible UTI and yeast infection at the same time (i know literally a nightmare) for the first time in my life, I had been on some antibiotics before it happened for a sickness and I guess my defenses were super low. I am paranoid of ever triggering something like that again, would the string possibly cause this?

5. Since there’s a piece of copper in there, has your partner noticed a change of taste or smell down there?

6. How do you know if it has been out of place? Is this something that I will be able to feel?

Im also worried about the pain in general and km anxious about have something inside, it’s such a shame there aren’t more non hormonal options. Pls tell me your experiences about these questions or anything at all, thank you!!

I (25 F) got the Nexplanon inserted Oct 2024. Instantly had issues with my carpal tunnel and pinching and folding. Then change in my smell and discharge. I hadnt changed anything in my life. Never had issues before. Havent been sexually active.

Made a post before and people suggested BV. Wasnt that. Thought maybe my hormone medicine i was taking long before was the issue. Nahh. Now ive also been continuously bleeding some times heavy other light but always continuous. Super frustrating and thinking after these next two months if nothing changes Im removing it and going back to the pill. Id rather risk a pregnancy than constantly having a diva cup in and smelling terrible.

Any random advice or speak yo truth moments?

I started taking birth control about a year ago. Not for any sexual reasons, but for my period. My period has always been really heavy and long lasting, and often made me feel really sick. I’d miss out on a lot of important stuff. It could last for two weeks or more. So I started taking birth control. I don’t know what kind the first was, but it made me so nauseous and sick and i couldn’t afford to stay home more than I had been. So I stopped taking it, and moved to the patch. It’s really hot where I live so the patch literally fell off of me within like 4 hours of having it on from sweat. So I took a break for a few months, and about a month ago I started taking this new BC. It’s like generic Yaz or something???? bye. I had been taking it with Zofran for like a week and all was well, but I was nervous it was going to make me super sick again and I was going on a trip to New York so I stopped taking it temporarily. And that’s when I got HELLLLAAAA sick. Like throwing up so much, can’t walk, passed out once, I feel horrible. Is this because I stopped taking birth control for 5 days ??? or am I just sick? or is yaz evil? Should I take it again or switch to something else or stop it? im just so lost. my period is the worst to deal with but this shit is making me sick so much

I also take Prozac every day too 💋

My birth control is making me break out in hives. I have been bleeding for the past 6 days, I’m not on the ‘period week’ I’m on the second to third row of pills. I had unprotected sex two nights ago. But I want to stop taking my birth control pills tomorrow in hopes that it helps with the breaking out. I literally cannot sleep because I’m scratching all night. I’ve gone through four tubes of Benadryl cream, three containers of lotion and I have to reapply hourly.

I've been on the mini-pill (Slinda) for some time, and unfortunately, they've had some pretty negative effects on my body. I've experienced severe constipation, extremely oily skin ( and scalp ) , and a lot of facial acne. On top of that, I've become angry and easily irritated for no apparent reason. I also found out that the mini-pill has a higher risk of ectopic pregnancies and might cause bone density loss if used long-term, which is concerning. I was feeling so much better on the combined pills. I was happier, clear skin and better overall digestive function. I know that individual experiences can vary and that not everyone will get the same side effects that I got. I just wanted to make this post to share my experience with everyone here and help people choose their birth control pills and pick what's suitable for them :)

(Sorry, not sure what to tag this)

Hello there, I recently just got my Nexplanon implant inserted about 2 days ago, and before that I was taking the vienva combo pills for a week. This might be a stupid question to ask, and I’m just asking to ease my anxieties, but if I continue to take the pills consistently up until my 7 days for Nexplanon is up, then am I still technically protected?

My doctor had told me that it was up to me whether or not I wanted to continue taking the pills, but that she had no issues with me finishing the pack. I just want to know if it still counts and works the same. I still plan on using condoms, thankfully, but the pill is still my main source of bc?

Sorry again if this is dumb to ask, the answer might be obvious lol but I just need the clarification just in case.

So my boyfriend is coming down to see me and I want to have raw sex, but not finishing inside. I’m not good at taking the pills at the EXACT same time every day. It’s usually like a 3 hour difference sometimes. I take it before bed or whenever I feel like it (near night time). Will I be safe if we have raw sex, even though it has a 12 hour window? What are my chances? Also i’d like to mention it’s going to be on my placebo week for most of his visit.

my partner finished inside me and im on my last day of my period - my cycles usually vary around 27~35 days. I know that the chances of being pregnant is not high, yet i’m still quite anxious about it. Normally i would just take it but the only thing concerning me is that i took plan b twice last month - i’m worried about the side effects.

I know plan b is never plan a, i’ll be talking to my doctor asap to go on the pill 😭 should i take the plan b so i can worry less until my next period comes?

Has anyone taken the depo and got off of it? I’ve been on it for a little over 3 years and I’ve been wanting to get off of it for a while. I know the recommended amount of time is 2 years but my doctor has been recommending me to stay on it because of me losing a lot of weight in a short period of time. She didn’t want my hormones to get a lot worse than they were.

But now I’m in a good spot and I’ve been the same weight for almost 3 months now and I want to get off of it. I think some of my issues I’ve been having is due to the depo, even though it has helped me so much.

I’ve been really worried about the withdrawal symptoms because it took a year and a half to get my body used to it and to actually be able to function normally. I stopped having my irregular heavy periods and cramps that would be so bad I would miss work. I didn’t really gain weight but was able to lose a lot of weight. Never got pregnant, and everything is normal and I’m healthy even with my chronic fatigue.

It’s like my body is fine with it but the past 9 months I’ve been just itching to get off of it but don’t know if that’s the best for my body or not. I don’t want to get off something that’s helping me but I’m also scared of the side effects for being on it for too long.

If you did get off of it, how bad were the symptoms? Did it make you feel different in a good or bad way? I want to know to help me decide.

I just took my first pill a couple hours ago. I didn’t even want to start birth control:(. I get horrible periods but I love to be natural and just let my body run its course. I have such bad health anxiety. But now I’m in so much pain in my lower stomach, my body feels disconnected, and I have such bad migraine and I’m so angry and just want to scream. I just want this to get better and I hate it, yes I can stop taking it but I don’t want to give up day one I just feel so sick and angry and hurt and all alone 😞😞. Did anyone else get bad cramps on day one . I just need some support to help me get through it. There’s just too many horror stories I really don’t want to be apart of it 😭

Hi I’ve been on the nuvaring for about three months now to suppress my ovaries for endometriosis growth and the universe is playing some big joke on me. My issue? IT WONT STAY IN! I keep calling my obgyn and they assured me this does not happen in anyone else and that I MUST be making a mistake in how I’m inserting it. I suffer for all three months with it half out of my vagina before I can finally get into the office. My obgyn confirms yes it is too low and tries to shove It back up only to confirm that the canal is indeed too short to hook around the cervix. Instead I get a surprise sucker punch to my pubic symphysis bone as she hooks it onto that. She asked how long I wanted to follow up and we agreed upon three months. When did it fall out again you might ask? THE PARKING LOT AS IM LEAVING THE OFFICE. Do I suffer another three months with it hanging half out of my vagina? What else is the solution here because I’m not shoving it back up 400 times a day 😂

I was prescribed Zithromax for bronchitis. I started the antibiotic during the beginning of my placebo week and will be finished the antibiotics before i start my new pack of sprintec. Do i need to use a backup method or am i still protected when i start this new pack ?

I have migraines with aura so I have to have a birth control method that’s progesterone only. I’ve been on numerous oral progesterone pills, but I’m afraid of the effectiveness of them since you have to take it at the same time everyday and the window is shorter. I currently have Nexplanon and need to get it out in March. I’ve had a love hate relationship with my nexplanon and I’m undecided if I want to get it again. I haven’t had awful experiences, but when I have high stress in my life, I’d have two periods a month. I’m terrified of IUDs (I’ve had numerous friends with horrible experiences including their uterus pushing it out!!!), I’m not sure if I’m 100% comfortable with my body to move forward with the nuvaring (but I think i could be convinced), and I’m worried about oral progesterone pills due to the low window and the current state of reproductive health in my state. I want to hear everyone’s opinions and experiences with progesterone only bc options because my appointment is coming up and I have no idea what direction I’m going.

I’m 21, I have PCOS, I’ve been on my period for 27 days now and I’m a smoker. My doctor says I need to be on a combo birth control, and put me on the patch. I brought up my concerns of clots and strokes from estrogen in the bc but she said I have no risk because I don’t have any predisposed conditions, and I’m not over 35 so I should be ok to smoke and use the patch. I’m just concerned about what I should do. I’ve been on the mini pill but it’s not helping with the period issues. She says the only way is with bc containing estrogen. I feel backed into a corner and frustrated. She’s a great doctor and I appreciate her but like wtf do I do to feel like I’m keeping myself safe while also not continuing to have this period that’s terrorizing me.

Hello, I’ve been on the minipill for about a year now since a doctor told me I can’t take the combo pill anymore. It’s great so far, I’m not worried about its effectiveness as a contraceptive since I take it continuously to not have a period. The dosage window is so short though, like I’m supposed to take it within an hour of the same time every day. I try to stick to this but sometimes things happen and I end up a couple hours off. The weird thing is the side effects I get when I mess up like this? Without being too TMI, it’s like I start ovulating the next day. It’s been so long since I had a regular cycle that I kind of forget, but I’m 90% sure it’s ovulation — some cramps, that sticky clear gel type of discharge, h*rny out of my mind LOL. What I guess I’m worried about is that it goes back to normal (like “default” phase that doesn’t vary when taking the POP) in a couple days (a week max) if I take the pills on time and get back on schedule. But if I’m really ovulating for that week, then never actually bleed…? Is it just building up or something? And also, why does it go straight to ovulation — does that mean when I’m on the continuous pill it’s all just hanging out in the follicular phase? Is that normal?? I guess I always assumed continuous hormonal birth control keeps you in the luteal phase or, like, just pauses the cycle altogether until you stop taking it and your hormones change again. This feels like too stupid of a question to ask my doctor.

So basically I took my birth control pills at different times for 2 days then I forgot to take it the next 2 day. The next day I took the 2 in the morning and that days pill at night( I take my pills in the morning always) the next 2 days I had my period and then the next day I had unprotected sex and he didn’t pull out.

I have been on the same birth control for the past 4/5 years (I’m 22 and it’s the only one I’ve ever taken) I never bleed when it’s the placebo days.

Should I take a plan B or not. Right now it’s been 4/5 hours. I just need some advice cuz I have no clue if I am ovulating or not

I was weirdly feeling paranoid about being pregnant after intercourse with my husband the other day, and then realized my Kyleena IUD has been in for 5 years and 8 months! So I'm 8 months past its expiration date. Has anyone had it in for longer than the 5 year mark, and still not gotten pregnant? I'm almost positive my doctor told me it's actually good for 7 years, but now I can't find evidence of that anywhere online (just that mirena is good for 7 years). Super worried about pregnancy now, and because of a gap in jobs situation I don't currently have insurance so not sure when I'll be able to get it replaced!