Birth control seemed like a godsend. It was January after my first semester finally ended, and I had only gotten my period twice since coming to school. I had always been incredibly irregular, going anywhere from 28 days in between getting my period to 108. It hadn’t really been an issue before, but I was much busier now and couldn’t take the time to wonder if that headache was PMS or if I was stressed, or if that cramp meant I dehydrated or about to get my period.
But, since starting birth control, my period has become regular, but it’s also brought on a lot of side effects. For example, it takes around three months to get your body stable on a birth control pill, which is a very long time. I started getting my period before the placebo pills, which is when you’re supposed to get it, and it lasted three days after the placebo pills (when I was back on the active ones).
I never ever got emotional before I started the pill, and since I have started it, about a week before I’m supposed to get my period I’m an absolute mess. The pill is supposed to help ease the pain of cramps, but my birth control has only made them worse so far.
Because my period used to be so irregular, the positive of knowing when I’m supposed to get my period and then actually getting it around that time outweighs the negative things. When I went to the doctor to get the pill prescribed, I was told that it was supposed to make your periods lighter, your cramps less painful, and even help clear your skin. That, so far, has not been the case for me. But, even so, getting my periods at a regular time has helped me tremendously. I’ll take the side effects if it means I no longer have to worry about when or if I’ll get my period this month.