Hormonal birth control a godsend -- stop trashing it

[Anonymous]

There's a movement afoot to trash the birth control pill. And all at a time when young women need extremely effective birth control.

No, BCPs don't trash most women's sex drive. Heck, they greatly improved mine. And my overall health as I no longer had crushing cramps every month.

Some of this talk is fueled by rightwingers who want BCPs to fall out of favor.

That would be a disaster for women.

[Anonymous]

Of course. FDA approved the first OTC birth control pill. Women wont need a prescription or their husbands approval get one now!
So conservatives are freaking out.

[Anonymous]

I am so far from being conservative or anti ocp (or anti abortion!) I think it’s great it will be otc. However, a minority of women do experience mood side effects and it’s important people know that (not so they won’t take them but so they know to be aware if they start having new issues to consider that as a contributing factor.) -mental health professional

[Anonymous]

Why why why do rightwingers want no BC? They are thinking that far ahead?

[Anonymous]

its a godsend until it isnt

fully support multiple options and discussions and access that doesnt mean it works for me personally.

I also think women should be more informed about their cycle and how it works a lot more than they currently are. For women using it primarily for pregnancy prevention, there can be other options.

[Anonymous]

Please don't start drama by propping up a straw person to fight against. If you want to share positive recommendation, go ahead. Don't make a war of it.

[Anonymous]

It's also changing our water, everything that lives in the water, and ultimately everything, by adding estrogen. And on a more individual level, it changes perception of attraction.

It's not only positive.

[Anonymous]

I might have been you when I was young. That’s before I learned I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and my mom almost died of a blood clot, and the hematologists warned me that I could never use hormonal BC again. One of them, a woman, told me she was angry about how many young women with clots she saw.

These aren’t risk-free. And it is not some conservative conspiracy to say that.

[Anonymous]

That’s like, your opinion, man.

I agree it’s a godsend on a population level but I get SO SICK of the gaslighting and people telling women 1) their symptoms are in their head 2) it’s more effective than it is (expect an unplanned pregnancy after a decade of typical use).

[Anonymous]

OP, I think the BC pill is really important and will definitely fight for it to be widely available.

But don't be weird and make it so no one can say negative things about the pill. I tried it for 6 years and it was hell for me. Major side effects, it did in fact harm my libido, it made my skin worse, I had mood issues on it. Never found a formulation that works for me and honestly I think hormonal birth control just doesn't work for me -- DH and I used condoms and now he's getting a vasectomy. It's been a better solution for us.

I think it's important for people like me to be able to share my experience because it ensure that alternatives to the pill are available. IUDs because popular specifically because the pill doesn't work for everyone. Not only does not everyone respond well to it, but a lot of young women are really bad at remembering to refill their prescription and take it, which obviously makes it less effective.

There's a difference between criticizing the pill as the universal form of birth control (thank goodness it's not) and trying to reduce access to it because you are an anti-choice, anti-woman ghoul. Please make sure you aren't lumping everyone in together.

[Anonymous]

I do think that women should be cautious if they have a family history of breast cancer. I'm glad that the pill is OTC to increase access for everyone else, though!

[Anonymous]

Definitely God sent but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any issues with using hormonal birth control. I feel like birth control has become politicized so people who say anything negative about it tend to be against birth control and they tend to not acknowledge the negatives. People who are pro birth control tend to minimize the negatives. I was on the pill and got many side effects. I am now on a low progesterone iud (the Kyleena) and I’m much happier.

[Anonymous]

I’m a bleeding heart liberal who thinks BC is critical for so many people for so many reasons.

But I’m also a highly educated woman who has researched many medical issues for a variety of reasons.

Personally, I have never used the pill.

Why?

I’m a stroke risk given my severe migraines.

I know a young woman who was pressured into going on the pill following delivery. Long story short: stroke! She died. She was a migraine sufferer who never should have been on the pill.

I’m perimenopause and I won’t use HRT. I didn’t use the pill when I had crime scene level bleeding (had a hysterectomy instead). Breast cancer in my family tree makes me hyper aware of risks.

I don’t think anyone is trying to mount a senseless PR campaign against the pill…particularly on dcum. But many of us have done our homework. You should do yours and then make an informed choice. Don’t rely exclusively on doctors who might not connect the dots.

Chemically altering your body isn’t always the best choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I do think that women should be cautious if they have a family history of breast cancer. I'm glad that the pill is OTC to increase access for everyone else, though!

It *decreases* your risk of breast cancer.

[Anonymous]

I will fight for free access to birth control and any and all reproductive/gynecological services. However, hormonal birth control was absolutely devastating to my body and wreaked havoc on my mental health. I could not take it. I tried several times over my 50 years. Condoms and tracking/temping were far better for me personally. I only conceived when I wanted to. Now in peri we’re still careful (a long shot is still too high stakes to mess about).

So, I get your advocacy and support access but understand bc is not one size fits all.