The Inconvenient Truth About Birth Control

[chaotic life]

Also, two of my daughters have Von Willebrand's Disease. Evil birth control will be the only option that preserves their fertility, allows them to have the choice to have children and hopefully avoid the hysterectomies all of the older women in their family with this disease underwent by 25 to stop the life threatening bleeding that occurs anytime they must cycle. There are damn good medical reasons for hormonal birth control to exist and be prescribed far beyond merely avoiding pregnancies.

[FakePigtails]

Re the whole "birth control pills cause abortions!" line:

Even if the BCP does cause the uterine lining to become somewhat less friendly to implantation, how does that matter if it ALSO prevents ovulation? You can't be killing babies (ie. microscopic fertilized eggs) if no egg is released.

Also - can we have a show of hands here from everyone who had a doctor who DID mention risks and side effects? I heard all about the risk of blood clots (the most serious potential side effect), got asked repeatedly if I was smoking, and had my doctor refuse to prescribe me it once when she heard that I wanted to take it for a vacation that was a 15 hour flight away (since she was worried about the blood clot risk).

I remember having my adjustment to the meds being monitored, having the public health clinic note any unusual ups or downs in my weight, discussions about more minor side effects like effect on mood, etc. I also remember breast cancer risks being discussed.

I love this analysis about the potential of losing fertilized eggs due to the pill: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfem ... ntrol.html

[Cannelle]

I'm 16 weeks pregnant and STILL throwing up (and I have a lovely headcold to boot). Come on, fundies, tell me to my face how wonderful pregnancy is and how I need to have more and more babies and never use birth control again. I DARE YOU.

[mockingbird]

Wow, I was just looking through the comments.

And the author's response:

I find it really disturbing that there are doctors (OBs, even!) who refuse to prescribe birth control. Imagine asking for a prescription and being told that you can't have it because he doesn't believe in birth control. I think usually if you're unwilling to do part of your job because of your religion, you should get a different job.

Yep, I know one. Fundy Catholic - luckily not my personal doctor. When I found this out I was biting my tongue not to rage at him (of course it's a man lol). I did end up asking him questions about circumstances in which preventing pregnancy is vital to the woman's health (this was right around when the one fundy Catholc blogger we follow, who has a bleeding disorder, got pregnant again so that situation was fresh in my mind), and he said he had never encountered that in his own practice, but he would value her health over a possible pregnancy and thought there would be a theological/Catholic ethics way to justify her using some form of birth control or being sterilized. That made me feel a little better... I still don't think it's his place to make those decisions for other people, though.

I mean I kind-of get where this blogger is coming from if you had a bad experience with a medication... I think it's a natural instinct to want to protect other people from having that happen to them and be vocal about a danger you maybe weren't aware of (or more likely, didn't take seriously/thought would never happen to you). But the thing is once you cool down it's good to look at the facts and see if that really is a trend, or if you just happened to land on the wrong side of statistics. I just had an argument a week or so ago with someone in a FB group who had a random reaction to a common medication - one that wasn't listed in the side effects. It was basically just a freak accident type of situation. She was trying to convince us we were bad people if we were ever to take that medication or let our kids take it... I think the situation was just so fresh that she didn't have the perspective to know she was overreacting and the truth was she was just that one in the million/this wasn't something that is a significant risk to anyone else (at least as far as we know right now). I was so frustrated because she was insulting me for saying I thought the benefits outweighed her "risk" but I could tell she was probably just still in shock from what happened - seemed like this blogger took that too far or never gained perspective.

I take BC (I have to for hormonal reasons) and I had side effects with the "off" weeks, so I just don't do the placebo week, which means no periods - it is wonderful :lol: My doctor said that was better (periods on the pill are fake, b/c you don't ovulate) than trying to keep switching brands as I think I was on my third one by that point. Anyway when I told one of my pretty devout Catholic friends about this, she freaked out because I wasn't allowing nature to take its course or whatever - she's not anti-birth control typically (she is more devout as in very observant, but is socially liberal), so it was just kind-of funny that THAT was what set her off.

[singsingsing]

I don't want to derail the discussion, but does anyone have any experience with the mini pill (progestogen only)? I'm trying to decide what kind of birth control to eventually go on, but I'm really paranoid about blood clots (I know it's rare but I have a history of severe health anxiety) and my mother and sister both had bad reactions to the regular pill. I've heard the mini pill can cause mood swings and depression, though. Any thoughts?

[shesinsane]

Funny, I think the inconvient truth about birth control pills (with a nod to 2xx1xy1JD) is how many women take them for reasons that have nothing to do with birth control. They like to rail against "slut pills", but the inconvient truth is that women take them to help a myriad of issues that exclude exposure to sperm. Remembe Sandra Fluke, labeled by the right as the woman who wanted us all to pay for her having sex? Her testimony was about a lesbian friend who needed birth control pills for ovarian cysts, but the Georgetown health plan that all students had to buy (which nobody calls Jesuitcare) wouldn't cover the prescription her doctor said she needed. It's very inconvient that Fluke's testinmony had nothing to do with contraception and everything to do with other reasons woman benefit from the pill, so they ignore what she actually said and rely on Limbaugh's incorrect talking points.

[anjulibai]

The Pill is the reason I exist.

My mom had awful endometriosis (sp?). She was told for years she'd never conceive. For a very long time, she used absolutely no birth control whatsoever, and didn't get pregnant.

Then she got a doctor who told her to go on the Pill for 3 months and it would even her out. Then, when we went off, she'd get pregnant.

So she went on the Pill for 3 months, and the month she went off, boom, pregnant with me.

I guess the fundies would say I'm not supposed to exist then?

[Ariel]

I don't want to derail the discussion, but does anyone have any experience with the mini pill (progestogen only)? I'm trying to decide what kind of birth control to eventually go on, but I'm really paranoid about blood clots (I know it's rare but I have a history of severe health anxiety) and my mother and sister both had bad reactions to the regular pill. I've heard the mini pill can cause mood swings and depression, though. Any thoughts?

Mentally, the mini pill was fine for me. The physical effects were pretty sucky though. I had significant (more than 10 pounds) weight gain. I also was spotting almost non-stop even though I was really good about taking my pills regularly and at the same time of day. I was on it for 4 months and I averaged 1 week/month where there wasn't some sort of spotting or period. I don't have these problems when I'm on the other type of hormonal birth control.

[twinmama]

I take BC (I have to for hormonal reasons) and I had side effects with the "off" weeks, so I just don't do the placebo week, which means no periods - it is wonderful :lol: My doctor said that was better (periods on the pill are fake, b/c you don't ovulate) than trying to keep switching brands as I think I was on my third one by that point. Anyway when I told one of my pretty devout Catholic friends about this, she freaked out because I wasn't allowing nature to take its course or whatever - she's not anti-birth control typically (she is more devout as in very observant, but is socially liberal), so it was just kind-of funny that THAT was what set her off.

I'm on a pill that only has 2 days of placebo (LO Loestrin FE), so I don't get a period either and I LOVE IT. It doesn't have a generic, so it costs me $25 a month rather than being free but damn if no periods isn't worth $25 to me!! I haven't had one since way before my kids were born 2 years ago (aside from that normal postpartum bleeding obviously).

And my mid-60s Catholic mother was on birth control when I was young. She was very Catholic then, but still used it. I only remember one family at my church that had a ton of kids, everyone else was 2-3 kids tops so I'm guessing lots of birth control was being used.

[August]

I don't want to derail the discussion, but does anyone have any experience with the mini pill (progestogen only)? I'm trying to decide what kind of birth control to eventually go on, but I'm really paranoid about blood clots (I know it's rare but I have a history of severe health anxiety) and my mother and sister both had bad reactions to the regular pill. I've heard the mini pill can cause mood swings and depression, though. Any thoughts?

The problem with the mini pill is that you have to be very strict about taking it at the exact same time every day. A couple of my friends have used it, but used condoms as well just to be sure.

[FakePigtails]

Funny, I think the inconvient truth about birth control pills (with a nod to 2xx1xy1JD) is how many women take them for reasons that have nothing to do with birth control. They like to rail against "slut pills", but the inconvient truth is that women take them to help a myriad of issues that exclude exposure to sperm. Remembe Sandra Fluke, labeled by the right as the woman who wanted us all to pay for her having sex? Her testimony was about a lesbian friend who needed birth control pills for ovarian cysts, but the Georgetown health plan that all students had to buy (which nobody calls Jesuitcare) wouldn't cover the prescription her doctor said she needed. It's very inconvient that Fluke's testinmony had nothing to do with contraception and everything to do with other reasons woman benefit from the pill, so they ignore what she actually said and rely on Limbaugh's incorrect talking points.

No, remember if only we'd all go to their special pro-life expert doctors we could avoid the "band aid" of hormonal bc for our various period problems. Instead we're being lazy and just using pills to mask our symptoms :roll:

[ADoyle90815]

I know quite a Catholics over 50 who have used it too! (including my parents) I'm 44 I went to a Catholic secondary school, the vast majority of my classmates were Catholic, there were no mega families (larger than 4) in my year or below! There were more mega families at the Anglican school up the road.

There's a reason why I only have a younger brother as my parents not only used birth control, but my dad even had the big V done. I don't know about my uncles, since the ones that are heterosexual and who got married also had no more than 2 children. I have one uncle who was gay, but he committed suicide because of Catholic guilt.

My grandparents were devout Catholics who pushed their beliefs on my dad and uncles to the point where the only times they now go to church are for weddings and funerals. The only reason we grandchildren were baptized was to shut the grandparents up, especially in the case of my brother who nearly died of pneumonia at a month, and my micropreemie cousin who was lucky to have survived the NICU, as nearly 30 years ago when he was born, most who were born at the same gestational age died within hours. He was born at the same gestational age Josie Duggar was.

I've also noticed that my birth control pills have been free since that law went into effect.

[Hane]

I know quite a Catholics over 50 who have used it too! (including my parents) I'm 44 I went to a Catholic secondary school, the vast majority of my classmates were Catholic, there were no mega families (larger than 4) in my year or below! There were more mega families at the Anglican school up the road.

Tons of us over-60s did, too--including my 80-year-old aunt, who was in her 30s when the Pill came along.

I know a Very Catholic ob-gyn who wouldn't fit me for a diaphragm because barrier methods went against his beliefs (this was in the mid '70s), but would prescribe the Pill because it mimicked a natural hormonal condition.

[Jane_Goth]

Tons of us over-60s did, too--including my 80-year-old aunt, who was in her 30s when the Pill came along.

I know a Very Catholic ob-gyn who wouldn't fit me for a diaphragm because barrier methods went against his beliefs (this was in the mid '70s), but would prescribe the Pill because it mimicked a natural hormonal condition.

My mum told me that her priest told her that she should follow her conscious (sp?) when it came to BC that was round the time of Vatican 2, so mid 60s I think.

[mockingbird]

I'm on a pill that only has 2 days of placebo (LO Loestrin FE), so I don't get a period either and I LOVE IT. It doesn't have a generic, so it costs me $25 a month rather than being free but damn if no periods isn't worth $25 to me!! I haven't had one since way before my kids were born 2 years ago (aside from that normal postpartum bleeding obviously).

And my mid-60s Catholic mother was on birth control when I was young. She was very Catholic then, but still used it. I only remember one family at my church that had a ton of kids, everyone else was 2-3 kids tops so I'm guessing lots of birth control was being used.

Mine isn't free either because I have to take the brand name as the generic one makes my stomach upset. But I definitely think that is worth it too, haha!

I grew up Catholic in a very Catholic town and I could count on one hand the adults who were vocally against the pill. Most people also had small families. Where I live now though, Catholics have a bad reputation as crazy/fundy. I think that's a combo of Catholics truly being more conservative here (we have a Traditional parish downtown which only does the Latin Mass, which would NEVER fly back home or where I went to college - when I was in high school, one of the priests at my church tried to get permission from the bishop to do a Latin Mass once just for the experience as he was really into church history and there was a group of us who were born after Vatican II and interested in attending just to see it, but he was never allowed), news stories about the Pill/Obamacare, and the area being more Evangelical so lack of awareness/exposure to Catholics. I still consider myself Catholic even though I don't go to church much (due to the conservative churches) and people are always surprised to find that out lol.

One of my friends, who is Jewish, is engaged to a Catholic guy and is getting married jointly by a priest and a rabbi. She has been asking me for clarification on things that the priest has brought up in their marriage counseling/pre-wedding meetings. So of course one of those is birth control (not sure if the priest brought this up or if it's just something she researched because she's really interested in religion and has been learning about Catholicism on her own time too)... I keep telling her that NO I cannot offer her any clarification on why it is so ebul beyond the church teachings because that's not really a mainstream belief anymore and I certainly don't agree with it :lol:

[julie paradox]

The pill I was taking till last month had to be taken at the same time to within three hours - that's etynodial diacetate (Femulen in the UK). It's been withdrawn from circulation (oh, that's why I had to go to three pharmacies last time) and I'm now on Cerazette which is desogestrel and has a 12-hour window similar to the combined pill.

They won't give me the combined pill because of my migraines. I took it for years but on a routine visit they said oops sorry advice has changed we can't even re-prescribe it now.

(Incidentally, I've never had placebo pills. They were still in existence when I started taking mine but I think it's looked on as a bit old-fashioned over here.)

I've never had any noticeable mental problems. I hesitate to blame the libido thing on the pill, because all sorts of other things have gone on too. The only real trouble I had was very irregular bleeding. It's too soon to say whether this new one will clear that up.

I used to think that I was one of these lucky women whose periods stopped on progestogen pills. Turns out it must have been the breastfeeding all along...