Hello, I am tired of getting my period, they are extremely painful, and I spend a day or 2 not being able to do anything. I suspect I have endometriosis but where I live the wait-list to see a specialist is very long. I might see a specialist overseas later in the year.
Anyways, I was reading that you can take hormonal contraceptives and skip your period, pretty much indefinitely (that’s what chat gpt told me š ). I remember being on them when I was 18 (35 now) but wasn’t a fan of taking pills every day. But now, I am seriously considering doing that until I can see someone about the endometriosis.
So, I am looking to hear about other women’s experience with them?. Do they affect your mood (good/bad way)? Did you have to try different ones before getting to the one that worked for you? Do you skip your periods? Side effects?
Thanks a lot.
Comments
I took continuous birth control pills for several years so that I wouldnāt have my period. I also had endometriosis prior to a hysterectomy & my periods had me bedridden for days. I also started to get menstrual migraines the week of taking my placebo pill. I never had any issues when taking the continuous pill – it was way easier than dealing with the issues that came from my period. Iād just take a pregnancy test every 4 weeks to make sure I didnāt accidentally get pregnant on the pill.
I take the pill continuously for endometriosis. Havenāt had a period in years. Itās fabulous! I take Lo Loestrin FE. My moods are more stable than when I wasnāt on the pill, as I used to get PMS pretty badly.
PCOS not endo, I don’t skip my peroid, but even getting them down to light and a week instead of 3+ weeks of bleeding so much I fall over in the shower, puking from pain, and having to set alarms in the middle of the night cause you bleed through a super tampon and overnight pad is worth it. Overall great, smallest pill I take but does make me feel icky without breakfast. Hormones stablized a bit.
There’s like 10+ types of birth control pills, if you feel icky ask for another type.
On skipping periods, it’s fine and perfectly healthy to do so, but my body forces a period every three months when I’m on continuous bc.
On taking a pill every day, that’s why I bounced to nuvaring. It was the first one I ever tried but I got tired of doing it every day. It’s the same substance in a smaller dose. Put it in, forget about it, take it out the same day every month. It’s simply the best.Ā
No birth control has ever given me any side effects outside of a lighter, shorter period, although I’ve only been on two, and neither do I get side effects from my period.Ā
Big fan! I was not reliable with pills in my younger years, so I went with the nuvaring, and kept it in to skip. I eventually upgraded to an IUD but I was pretty happy with the ring.
I don’t think it had a huge impact on my mood, but it helped my skin, didn’t have period pain or the mess, annoyance, or cost of period products.
I took them straight through when I hiked the AT and other backpacking and it all worked like a charm. Iām not the least bit sentimental about having my periods and I used to get terrible cramps. OBC worked great for me. Now that Iām over 40 I was switched to a progesterone only 28 day pill and am having to face how to use menstrual products while on these trips. Ugh.
I love it. Iāve been on BC pills since I was a young teen, though I went off them a few times as a young adult due to lack of insurance. My primary reason has always been period management, not actually birth control. Because of this, I donāt stress too much about taking them at the exact same time every day. Itās just part of my night routine – brush my teeth and take the pill.
I usually take 3 packs back to back and then have a period. Iāll change it up in order to avoid a period or potential breakthrough bleeding when I really donāt want it. You could do it continuously but for some reason I feel like itās a good idea to make sure itās still working down there.
It depends on the person, but my body works well with the pills. Iāve noticed breakthrough bleeding a few times when Iāve taken the pill continuously for a long time (like over 6 months), or when Iāve travelled (different time zone, stress on my body). I know that once I stop taking the pill, Iāve got two days before my period starts. I also know how many days it will be heavy, how many light, and that one day where it seems like itās over but itās a lie. Itās just very consistent that way, whereas itās not when Iām off the pill.
Itās been a while since Iāve been off the pill so itās hard to say what differences there are. I donāt think I had too many mood changes or anything. My libido was maybe a little higher but itās still pretty low naturally. My periods were much heavier and irregular. On the pill feels totally normal to me.
I took BCPs for like, ten years before taking a break because I was single and couldn’t afford it. It wasn’t until I was off them that I realized that they had slowly and surely made me feel like crap. I had more energy, I slept better, I just generally felt better. I’ll never use hormonal contraception again. Next time I need it I’ll either have taken care of it surgically or gone with a copper IUD.
I’ve been on oral BC since I was a teenager, I think pretty much any pill will allow you to skip periods if you just take it continuously. I’ve heard the same thing about depo-provera and IUDs, but never tried those. I’ve never had any bad side effects from the pill, however I will say that ever since switching to a minipill (progestin-only) my blood pressure has gone down a lot.
I’ve had a good experience with Nurx (online telemedicine provider for women’s health stuff). They accept most insurance and mail the pills to you directly, and you only need to pay a small processing fee when your pills are shipped. I think you can probably also pay out of pocket if you don’t have health insurance. So much easier than having to schedule a freaking pap smear every year just to get a refill on my BC pills.
I had mixed results. One type was great! was on it for over a decade they discontinued it and I went through years of trying to find one that didn’t result in terrible side effects. Weight gain, emotional instability, and really really bad hangovers. I’d try one and see how it goes and be willing to try a variety.
I took combined contraceptives for about 10 years, from 20 to 30. I lost weight (apparently my metabolism was wonky), my boobs got a little bigger and it kind of killed my libido (it was shocking how horny I became once I stopped taking them). My hair also got thinner (great for body hair, not so great for my coiffure). Big plus was that I went from 5-7 days bleeding with nasty cramps to just 3 and no cramps.
I did skip some periods, but not many (for example, I would skip one every 3 months or so). FYI, when I did skip one, the next was heavier.
My gyno told me it’s not really that ok to skip several periods in a row (but that was around 15 years ago, medicine might have evolved).
You might want to discuss things with a decent gyno – there are several types of pills, with different side effects. I was lucky I found the right one for me from the start, but I had friends who tried several types with unpleasant side effects before settling on something. I know there are hormonal tests you can take to avoid the trial-and-error but those weren’t available back then.
Iāve been on the pill for 22 years. Without it my cramps are unbearable and my period was so heavy I could t function.
I donāt take it continuously so I do get a āperiodā.
I donāt want kids so Iāll be on it until I can get my tubes tied or removed.
I had many happy years taking pills that meant I only had my period every three months. The period was much lighter and not nearly as painful as my regular period that I took birth control for in the first place.
Plus, I’m happily childfree and why should I have to deal with a period every month for no reason?
I’ve moved onto the arm implant and when my period does happen, its basically a few days of light bleeding and that’s that.
Stage 4 endo here. They helped and the one I took for a while was great, minimal side effects. Then it got discontinued and the replacement really messed me up. If you can find the right one, I think it definitely helped my pain
Great. No negative side effects only positive ones. That said, I switched to a hormonal IUD and havenāt looked back. No pills to take, and no period at all.
Only started on pills before my big 40th birthday trip, with the express purpose of skipping my period during that time. I’ve kept on taking the pills since then but now with the required 1 week break after every 3 weeks.
Incidental outcome – anemia got resolved. Apparently my periods were heavier than what they should have been and thus controlling it with the pills meant my body could replenish hemoglobin more effectively. I’ve finally been able to fulfill my dream to donate to the blood bank. I also no longer get cramps during the 1 week bleed and no longer need those heavy duty overnight pads (sometimes even the diaper type).
So far I’m not noticing any other side effects after a couple of years since starting.
I have PCOS, and have been on some form of hormonal birth control for the past 20 plus years, with a few breaks. Those brakes were enough to convince me that I should be on hormonal birth control. I do significantly better on it. My mood is more stable, my cramps are less, my PMS is more manageable, my sex drive is better, my eating disorders are easier to manage, my ADHD is easier to manage, and I feel like a person who has control. When I am not on hormonal birth control (and I tried a whole bunch of different types of pills over the years, my favorite pill was Diane 35, although it is not recommended for actual birth control, there were some that I tried that sucked for me, and others that were fine, but Diane 35 is my favorite) I am a disaster of a human and I do not like myself as much.
After a blood clot, that was not in any way shape or form related to my birth control, I was no longer allowed on hormonal birth control. And after a few months of ridiculously heavy bleeding, horrific PMS, and generally being the biggest bitch on the face of this planet, I got an IUD. Honestly, my IUD has been better than any pill I’ve been on and I wish I would have done it earlier.
I sometimes spot, sometimes have mild PMS, and sometimes have mild cramps. My overall base mood has improved, my sex drive is great, I just feel better on it.
The problem with asking everyone for their opinion, even though I’ve just given mine, is that all of us have completely different reactions and experiences on hormonal birth control. What works fantastically for one person might be horrific for another. And there’s really no way to know until you try which one is going to work for you, which sucks.
My mom had pretty bad endometriosis, bad enough that she got a hysterectomy to deal with it, for her birth control did nothing (nor did being pregnant apparently, which was, fairly common advice). She swore by mefenamic acid, and I can confirm that they are the best painkillers I have ever had for my cramps (including IV opiates and other drugs in hospital).
I take the pill continuously and have done so for at least a decade. My mood is extremely stable and life is overall so much better without a period – I used to get absolutely horrendous cramps every month and feel like garbage.
If youāre not a fan of taking pills (or youāre forgetful like me), nexplanon has been wonderful! Arm implant good for 3 years and Iāve had maybe three periods in the last two years; experiences can vary but itās been worth it for me! Good luck!
I take BC for fibroids and PMDD (and I suspect endometriosis but yet to be diagnosed), and the only oral contraceptive that worked for me in terms of pain management with low side effects was Lo Loestrin FE. Unfortunately, it has never been covered by my health insurance and would cost me $200-300 out of pocket each month.
I transitioned to the ring which was a life changer. It totally helps with my hormonal fluctuations and mood swings as well as my immense period pain, and instead of maybe having one good week a month, I now have at least 2 good weeks a month, mostly pain-free.
I was spotting EVERY DAY on the ring for the first few months to a year. I maybe missed a period once or twice, but I definitely still had them, just lighter or mere spotting.
God, it was nothing when I was in my 20s.
I tried it again recently and I was so nauseous
I’ve loved it. I had to try a few different combos but I’m on one that REALLY works for me. Better skin, better emotional control, extremely light periods.
I had an IUD for a while but I had to get it taken out because I was going bald, yeah they won’t admit that one before they insert it but a fair amount of women reported it.
I recently stopped taking my 91 day cycle birth control pills(Indayo) because my husband and I are trying to get pregnant. I started taking the pills in my early 20s and now I’m in my early 30s and I’ll say I’m NEVER going back on the pill. controlling my periods was great but once I stopped taking the pill, the difference in my overall well-being was shocking. for one thing my libido has increased 10 fold since stopping the pills. overall, I feel healthier and more in control of myself. but hey not having a period every month is pretty sweet so if you can handle the hormonal side effects it’s worth it š
The pill made me extremely sick. Nauseous; throwing up to the point of blood blisters on my face. After the first couple of weeks it was fine, but even on the lowest dose the on-boarding was brutal. Also Iām not consistent or reliable enough to remember to take a pill everyday, and if you want kids you need to detox from them for sometime (so they say).
Another friend of mine was prescribed a pill in Australia that essentially shouldnāt have been given long term. It caused her to have paranoid delusions and experience manic depressive behaviour. Very scary stuff.
Iāve reliably used the pullout method/temp charting and ovulation tracking for 18 years now with zero issue .
I recommend a vaginal ring instead. You change it once a month instead of having to take a pill every day. I use it to skip my period.
Even when I donāt use it to skip my period, it makes my period light and regular. Thatās worth it on its own!
Iāve been doing this for about 10 years or so and I canāt imagine not doing it. A few times a year, Iāll forget to take a pill (not sexually active so not worried about getting pregnant) and Iām reminded why I do it. Just one missed pill causes horrible cramps and breakthrough bleeding for almost a week.
I started them recently because my period changed after I turned 30, and then flipped the fuck out after I turned 35. I started having much heavier periods, unpredictable periods, worsening cramps, bad insomnia, etcā¦ Iām not sure Iām not in perimenopause actually. Anyway my doctor suggested the pill to calm things down and Iām sooooo glad I did. I started it in December and itās been amazing.
One word of caution – if you get migraines then donāt take birth control pills with estrogen. It puts you at a much higher risk of stroke especially if you get migraines with auras. I take the mini pill because of this and it doesnāt bother my migraines at all, whereas I canāt take the normal pill at (made my migraines more frequent and way more worse).
I was on ortho low and that shit made me fucking insane. I was on it from about 15-20 bc I was on Accutane, then again briefly around 25 and when I started it again in my 20s, I was like holy fuck I havenāt felt like this since high school. ā¦. Wait a minute..!!! Literally the only common thread was that med, literally everything else had changed by that time.
Do not take medical advice or suggestions from LLMs. Please.
You can totally skip your period on the pill though, I did it all the time. Talk to your prescriber about it.
Taking contraceptive pills preserved my fertility in spite of years of endometriosis, so I took only a couple of months to get pregnant each time, in my thirties, and then in my fifties I took continuous contraceptive pills throughout the whole transition to menopause and got to totally skip all the gory horrors my friends told me about going through menopause with fibroids. I totally recommend it!
I had a stroke and was paralyzed from taking birth control that skipped my period. Iām recovered now but I would never let my daughter risk it.
Iāve used Depo for 10+ of the last 13 years with no period at any point of using it. I had terrible mood swings on multiple pills and the shot has been AMAZING. Iād stay on it forever but doctors frown upon that so Iām currently looking for something else moving forward. (Edit: I also had really bad mood swings without any BC so Depo has been my personal godsend evening that out.)
Splitting that time I had the Nexplanon implant for about 2.5 years and that was a terrible decision for many reasons (including permanent nerve damage) but I ultimately had it taken out early because my period started back up and I was having lots of PMS symptoms. I donāt have any with Depo.
Took various versions of oral contraceptive pills for years. Also had sometimes debilitating panic attacks during that time on a semi-regular basis. After I stopped the BC, the panic attacks also stopped. Could be correlation, but I decided at that point that hormonal BC is not for me.
Iām a big fan of not having a period. I have an IUD and have to take a low dose of progesterone on top of that to stop my period, but I was having such severe issues with my period that I was considering a hysterectomy to make the misery stop. My mood is much better too, since I donāt have to deal with PMS anymore.
OP I relate to what you said about not being able to do anything for a couple days with youāre on your period. I hope you are able to see a specialist soon. Life without periods is amazing snd I hope you get to experience it soon!
This is me 3 months ago! Iām late 30s and the periods were just sooo painful š My doctor put me on progesterone pills, and Iāve had no bad side effects. Just that my period disappeared. Itās incredible! I canāt believe I waited so long.
I donāt have endo or PCOS and skipped my periods on the pill. I tend to do it mainly in hot/warm months. Ortho tri-cyclen lo (and its generic mates) all worked for me.
I have PCOS and began taking combined estrogen/progesterone oral contraceptives when I was 19 to keep my periods in check. Every few years I would change to Nuvaring bc I am so terrible about remembering to take my pills every day. The Nuvaring gave me a friable cervix so I went back to oral contraceptives. What I was not warned about was long-term use of estrogen can cause fibroids and polyps in the uterus. I almost bled to death last year and needed surgery to basically reset my uterus otherwise I would have needed a partial hysterectomy. I am now on the Mirena IUD, which is progesterone only. I have had neither a period nor spotting in about 8 months and its great I have no pills to remember.
I canāt take them. I end up extremely anxious and depressed.
I took them throughout my early 20ās and just thought there was something wrong with me. Changed to a hormonal IUD in my mid 20s and felt normal again about 6 months laterā¦ I didnāt realize thatās the thing that changed thingsā¦
4 months ago I was put back on the pill to sync up my cycle prior to egg freezing and ALL the anxiety and depression came back. Panic attacks, inability to talk calmly about things, fear about anything going on in my life. It was really bad, to the extent I canceled my procedure. 1 month later I felt like myself againā¦ and now I know why I was such a MESS during my college yearsā¦ and Iām kind of pissed that no doctor put that together when i was youngerā¦.
Needless to say: I am NEVER going back on the pill. Like ever ever. Iād much rather not have sex if the only other option is oral BC.
IUD insertion isnāt fun, but a doctor who has done a lot of them can make it bareable and you only have to get one once every 4-8 years (maybe longer). Iād much rather have one terrible hour and a few uncomfortable days than an unending stream of depression and panic attacksā¦
I now have not repairable high cholesterol and have had two minor strokes. I think there should be much more warning and requirements for blood tests. The simplicity was great and my mental health was much better on them, until I learned they ruined my blood.Ā
Mirena IUD. No periods, nearly 10 years now! I swapped mine at 5 years because bleeding returned. First IUD hurt more going in than the second. Pain is about a minute or two though. A godsend for absolutely excruciating periods that left me unable to walk.