TMI - I Feel Like A Walking Hormone (Sorry, Another BC Discussion)

mrsdee15

Hello,

I've never officially introduced myself, though I've had a few posts.  Hello, how are you?  We're getting married in August, 2015, and we are so excited!  It's so great to be able to participate in these boards, I've learned a TON.  

Anyway, I am on the generic Seasonique, and this weekend is my one of four periods a year.  Before this, I was on Nexplanon for about three months, and it was the first time a birth control made me feel crazy.  Anyway, this entire past week I could feel my uterus crying out, was sore, and felt moody, but now that it's officially what we like to refer to as "not the father's day" (HIMYM reference...) I feel like a giant piece of estrogen.  I'm so grumpy (mostly in my head, I've been trying to curtail it) and overly sensitive.  Does anyone else go through this?  Do you have a way to help it?

I am really looking forward to participating more on these boards!

southernbelle0915

I was on seasonique like ages ago and remember not liking it at all. I'm on my second Mirena IUD and I'm in love. Few to no side effects (for me), nothing to remember and effective.

Sugargirl1019

Hi, I have nothing super helpful to offer. I used to be on a birth control (Necon 1/35) and it made me go batshit crazy emotional. I changed to Lo LoEstrin Fe and have had no negative mood things.

So, maybe you need to switch again. I'm sorry!

climbingsingle

I personally would switch pills if I felt like that. I've been on different versions of the pill over the years - never one like Seasonique though. But I've always felt better when I'm on the pill (cramps not as bad, PMS symptoms also not as bad).

mrsdee15

That's actually a good point - maybe it is time for another switch! I hadn't thought of that.

ETA: It's weird I hadn't thought of a switch considering I just switched about 9 months ago from Nexplanon... 

moutonrouge

I always thought the SNL skit about Annuale was a really accurate portrayal of how Seasonique has made most women feel. And if you haven't seen it, Google it. 

I would swap. I switch from the shot to pills and then between a few kinds of pills before I found one that I liked. It took some trial and error, which I wasn't expecting, but my doctor wasn't concerned. 

mrsdee15

I'm going to have to look that up!

levioosa

I was on Seasonique and HATED it.  I was super crazy (like, ask me how my day was and I'd burst into uncontrollable tears for no reason crazy) and I gained 40 pounds.  So....not my best birth control experience.  Viorelle has been the best for me emotionally, however, I still gained weight.  I've been on a ton of different hormonal birth controls and Viorelle has been the only one so far that's helped me feel "even keeled" in terms of emotions.  

I know Seasonale (which is what Seasonique used to be) was pulled for health issues.  I would probably consider switching.  

mrsdee15

I'm definitely going to ask about that one.  And also I'm HP-obsessed, love your name and siggy!

levioosa

mrsdee15 said:

I'm definitely going to ask about that one.  And also I'm HP-obsessed, love your name and siggy!

Thanks!  

And you can ask about low estrogen hormonal birth control.  It should help with the mood swings.  I've heard good things on here about the IUDs, but I can't personally attest to them, and I have some apprehensions about them for myself.  

Also, my body tends to waaay overreact with birth control, hence the outrageous weight gain.  I've never seen anyone else gain weight the way I have, if that helps.  But I've never heard anything good about Seasonique.  

blabla89

I've read that taking calcium supplements around that time can help to ease premenstrual symptoms (I bought a giant bottle of them and but always forget to take them, so I can't tell you whether it actually helps). I think all the symptoms you listed are definitely worth talking with your doctor about. Maybe there's a better BC option for you.

dcbride86

Most BC makes me grumpy, fat, and kills my sex my sex drive.  I actually always used to say that BC only works because it makes you fat and not want to have sex lol

Now I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclin Lo, which I LOVE, but it's really expenisve.  It doesn't have a generic, so it's $50/month (FI pays 1/2).  Not ideal, but it is what it is.

cupcait927

ssautter said:

Most BC makes me grumpy, fat, and kills my sex my sex drive.  I actually always used to say that BC only works because it makes you fat and not want to have sex lol

Now I'm on Ortho Tri-Cyclin Lo, which I LOVE, but it's really expenisve.  It doesn't have a generic, so it's $50/month (FI pays 1/2).  Not ideal, but it is what it is.

I'm fairly convinced that my BC is what has destroyed my sex drive. I just have zero desire to have sex and it makes no sense. I'll have to ask about Ortho Tri-Cyclin Lo next time I go to the gyno.

MegEn1

I've been switching BC for about a year and a half now. I went hormonal crazy on one thing and ever since then my sex drive is gooooooone. I hardly think about sex, hardly daydream about it. Sex now gives me anxiety because I know my body is going to take forever to react at all. I feel terrible for FI. He knows the issue but sometimes he can't help but feel like its his fault, like he should be able to seduce me past these medical issues. Which is insane - I know I want it but my body just refuses to get going.

How do you other ladies handle it?

RebeccaB88

I love Seasonique. Love love LOVE.  I feel so good on it.  It's the most perfect pill ever for me and they will have to pry it out of my cold, dead hands.  I still have a few PMS symptoms, but they aren't bad at all, and my cramps are manageable as well. 

birdybride2014

MegEn1 said:

I've been switching BC for about a year and a half now. I went hormonal crazy on one thing and ever since then my sex drive is gooooooone. I hardly think about sex, hardly daydream about it. Sex now gives me anxiety because I know my body is going to take forever to react at all. I feel terrible for FI. He knows the issue but sometimes he can't help but feel like its his fault, like he should be able to seduce me past these medical issues. Which is insane - I know I want it but my body just refuses to get going. How do you other ladies handle it?

this is me. I reached a point to where I was going to try the paragard IUD (non-homornal) and if that didn't work we were going to stick to condoms because I was so over feeling like this. Luckily the paragard has worked wonders so far, but if something happens in the future I just won't get back on BC. I can't handle feeling like my hormones were taking over my life in that way. 

MegEn1

birdybride2014 said:

MegEn1 said:

I've been switching BC for about a year and a half now. I went hormonal crazy on one thing and ever since then my sex drive is gooooooone. I hardly think about sex, hardly daydream about it. Sex now gives me anxiety because I know my body is going to take forever to react at all. I feel terrible for FI. He knows the issue but sometimes he can't help but feel like its his fault, like he should be able to seduce me past these medical issues. Which is insane - I know I want it but my body just refuses to get going. How do you other ladies handle it?

this is me. I reached a point to where I was going to try the paragard IUD (non-homornal) and if that didn't work we were going to stick to condoms because I was so over feeling like this. Luckily the paragard has worked wonders so far, but if something happens in the future I just won't get back on BC. I can't handle feeling like my hormones were taking over my life in that way. 

Is Paragard the copper one? I had the copper one. When they first put it in and I was about to leave I was hit with a wave of hot and intense pain. I ended up in the doctor's bathroom, in my undies, lying on the floor trying to get cool. There were good days but most were bad - sitting in the car too long made me cramp. I finally went and had it removed, and the moment she pulled it out my body just unclenched and relaxed.

I'm so scared of just condoms, I don't trust them as the only method. But I'm tired of having to chose between feeling sub-human and being in withering pain!!!

princessleia22

Everybody reacts differently to different BC methods.  It usually does require some trial and error. I think nearly every BC method mentioned on this site has had people comment about loving it and others that said they hated it.

I know a lot of people like the Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo, and most have few side effects, since it had lower hormone levels. But it made me really depressed, super emotional, made my cramping worse, and caused me to gain weight. Around that same time, my doc also determined that my blood has extremely high clotting factor and I really shouldn't be on estrogen. So, now I've been on a progestin only mini-pill for about 3 months.  This month my period was super light and only lasted 2 days, so that's a huge plus.  But I've definitely been gaining weight.  There was also some moodiness and emotional issues up front (I actually took a pregnancy test just to be sure because the side effects made me feel pregnant), but most of those seem to be wearing off finally.  I'm still trying to decide if I should try switching to something else (mainly Mirena or Nexplanon)... but avoiding estrogen BC limits my options.  I'll probably give this one a few more months, since the side effects seem to be fading and see if it continues to get better.

mrsdee15

That's so interesting to hear some of you say that it lowers your sex drive - mine is totally lower too.  Probably is time to talk to the lady doctor about this.  Total random, but have any of you notice it have an effect on your hair?  Mine is suddenly growing in really coarse and dry.

ETA: And the weight gain... ohhh the weight gain...

princessleia22

mrsdee15 said:

That's so interesting to hear some of you say that it lowers your sex drive - mine is totally lower too.  Probably is time to talk to the lady doctor about this.  Total random, but have any of you notice it have an effect on your hair?  Mine is suddenly growing in really coarse and dry.

ETA: And the weight gain... ohhh the weight gain...

The weight gain is the one bothering me the most right now.  I've gained 20 lbs. since my wedding in June. And this week I just hit my highest weight ever, which was a big eye opener.  And I feel super bad that it all happened to coincide with the wedding... I don't want anyone (especially DH) to think that I'm letting myself go now that I have him locked down.