I could have searched for my old thread, but didn’t want to tax the server.
I tried Desogen (birth control pill) for 4 months.
It served its purpose-to stop my cramps, which were horrible.
Howeve,r the Only side effect it had was making my flow wayy to heavy. For hours at a time, I had to change my super tampon each hour.
I didn’t want that.
Now this is my first try with Allesse-though its the generic Aviane.
It has less estrogen.
I hope it works.
How are your experience son the pill?
Which one do you take?
I am no longer on the pill, but I was on them for approximately three years.
I was on Ortho-cept, and didn’t have any huge problems, except for the complete and total loss of any sex drive and my blood pressure rising somewhat. Technically I went off them because I wasn’t seeing anyone and had no need, but the BP and lack of a sex drive were also issues.
As far as periods while on the pill: mine was much lighter and shorter, and incredibly regular - I knew almost down to the hour that it should start.
But I don’t know that I would go back on the pill. I’d have to think about it very carefully and discuss it with my doc before that decision was made.
Ortho-Novum (1/35). Been on it about… 4 years now. No real side effects, been pretty happy with it. My period is somewhat lighter than it was before (just have 1 heavy day – used to have 2 or 3).
I know a few people who had to try several different brands/formulations before finding one that they were happy with. Individual body chemistry and all that.
I’ve been on Tri-phasil 28 for many years now (off and on, actually). I’ve found that my periods are lighter, I know to the day when I’m going to start (which I never did before and was a major headache for me!), and I have little to no cramping.
Ortho Tri Cyclen here, been on it for gasp going on 9 years.
My periods are much regular, and lighter than they were before. I’ve had no side effects. Very mild PMS is about as bad as it gets.
Alesse-28 here (though I toss out the sugar pills - can you imagine a placebo CAUSING migraine? 
).
I have been on this pill for about 2.5 years, and had minor side effects, mostly increased frequency of migraine, which I was prone to to begin with, but are not debilitating for me. I have gained a bit of weight, but I have a VERY inactive lifestyle, and I’m a university student, etc, so the pill is certainly not the only cause, if it had any effect at all.
My ridiculously irregular periods (ranging from 26 to 57 days between times) is now ridiculously stable - I can predict my period starting to within 2-3 hours most times. I also have lighter periods - except for the first 2 days. They are as heavy as they used to be, and tampons are useless for me since I’d have to replace them more frequently than is practical. The next 2 days are incredibly light (making tampons useless again, since they dry me out so badly then!) My period is 4 days long, rather than 8, and my cramps, although still bad, are a lot better than they used to be, meaning that I am now at least able to stand up if I have to
I am happy with the pill, not only for the contraceptive benefits, but also simply for stabilizing my body, and giving me some peace of mind. Note, I had just become sexually active when I went though that 57 day “dry spell”. The women in my familty have NEVER had trouble getting pregnant - you can imagine how freaked out I was!
SO, yeah, there;s TMI for you
I took Desogen for about a year and it made my periods lighter, shorter, and WAY more regular. Unfortunately, I started busting veins in my legs all the time, and all the women in my family have problems with blood clots in the legs, so I quit taking the pills.
I’ve taken Ortho-Cept, Ortho-Tricylcen, and Desogen. I’m currently taking Yasmin, which has one very good side effect - it’s a slight diuretic, so no more water bloat. I also take it twelve weeks on/one week off because I get worse-than-usual migraines the week I’m off.
Necon, which is the generic version of Modicon. I’ve been on the pill for um, 16 years now? (yeesh!). For the first 5 years I was on Ortho-Novum 7/7/7. When I started to notice that I was depressed and in a bad mood right before my period every month, my doctor put me on Modicon, which is milder.
From what I hear, Modicon is one of the lightest BCPs around.
I’ve been on the damn things so long that I wouldn’t know a side effect if it bit me in the nose. For all I know, I have a completely different personality off the pill. Occasionally I ponder about going off the pill and seeing what it’s like, but I’m afraid that “what it’s like” will be “I’m pregnant.” So I stay on it.
Off them now (hubby got fixed - yeah!) but am now 36 and had been on them since 18 - with the exception of the 4 year period where we were trying to conceive or I was breastfeeding.
The last three years I was an ortho novum 7/7/7 girl. No issues. No PMS, nice light periods. But I never had any issues with any of them.
I take orthocyclen to regulate my periods, which used to be to the ratio of about 5 weeks on to about 1 week off.
I’ve been taking it for about 6 months now, and other than having normal period problems (backache, cramps, iritability) for about a week a month, everything’s fine.
I throw out the sugar pills, too…I have a hard enough time remembering to take the pills I need to.
Ortho tri cyclen, and like it, other than the modification of my sex drive. I’m thinking baout swapping to the patch though. Its made my periods lighter (thank god) and regular (THANK GOD). Rare cramps (once in this last year have I gotten even noticable cramping, and I used to get horrible cramps every time.)
So almost all good stuff.
I take Trinordiol-21, available in the US as Triphasil. It’s a beaut. Periods lighter, little to no period pain, PMS down to light breast tenderness and irritability. No sugar pills, rather 7 pill-free days.
I was on Microgynon (marketed as Levlen in the US) before that, but it made me weepy and unstable. In the context of PMS, I can cope with irrational anger, but irrational crying is not my bag at all.
Yup-- Triphasil for me, too, and it really is a beaut. No problems at all. I was on Orthocept and Ortho Tri-cyclen before, both of which caused horrible cramps and heavy flow, and the first week of every pack I’d feel nauseous for hours after taking a pill.
Loestrin the last time I was on the Pill, but I have no reason to be right now…no problems, no side effects, and somewhat lighter periods. Good stuff, Maynard!
A lifetime ago, before I started trying to get pregnant, I was on one of the Orthos - I think it was Ortho-Novum, but I’m not sure. It’s probably a formulation they don’t have anymore. It worked just fine, the only side effect I had was some minor weight gain, and I was happy with it for the twelve years or so that I took it.
Eight years later, after my second child was weaned, I tried Ortho Tri-cyclen. Although my gynecologist told me that my symptoms couldn’t have anything to do with the pill, by the time I’d been on it for a month I was depressed almost to the point of suicide, had noticeable hair loss, and had no sex drive whatsoever. After taking it for three months, I decided on my own that it might be worth seeing if maybe the pill had something to do with what was going on. I quite taking them and my symptoms improved slowly over the next six to eight months. I still have no idea whether the pills caused my problem or not, but I’d need some very persuasive evidence that they didn’t before I’d try them again.
I’ve been taking Mircette for a little over a year. It’s made my periods regular and fairly light. Whereas pre-pill, my period lasted about 8 days, it now only lasts 4. Mircette has also helped <i>enormously</i> with PMS and cramping. Even though I don’t need it for contraception right now, I’m still taking it for all of the above benefits.
I’m on Alesse-28 have been for about 6 months now and find it works great. My periods have been regular as clockwork (mostly) , and none of this one month light the next month heavy with lots of cramps thing going on. I’m also not as bitchy before my period. I find it works great for me.
Yes, the desogen stopped my cramps, but I am stumped as to why it got lots heavier. Not good. I hope the Alesse is better that way.
Yes, I throw away the extra pills also. I don’t know why they even put them in there-if you can’t count to 7 (the days you dont take pills) you shouldn’t be taking anything!
I think…
I was on a high dose pill when I was 16 for ovarian cysts. After a year this was reduced to a low dose (Levlen ED) which I’ve been on for about 7 years.
No problems at all. Zero cramping or noticeable water retention. Rare mood swings. All in all, it works great.
I should be off them completely within six months, not because they don’t work for me, but because I’m not comfortable remaining on hormonal birth control.