I have ALWAYS been the type of person that has been very open about what goes on inside the human body. Some people tell me I share too much, but honestly, we’re all humans. I am not embarrassed to talk about my period, and neither should you. It’s a natural part of the human body, and there’s no sense of feeling ashamed of it. I love being a woman, and I embrace my femininity every day but there’s always that one time of the month where I just go on the rooftop and scream because one periods are inconvenient, they are expensive, and they HURT. They just downright suck and I wish they did not exist but it is what it is, and I turned to birth control for a while to help it.
I got my period when I was about ten or eleven years old. I was pretty young, but I knew it would happen when I grew up with an older sister. I was not ready for how much pain I would be in though. It got to the point where there were times I would almost vomit or pass out because my cramps were so bad, so when I was fifteen I went on birth control. I will spare you all the details of it, but I was on it for five years, and when I turned twenty it was time for me to find a new doctor which means my script ended. Those months where I was no longer taking the pill, I changed into an entirely different person. I was so much happier, and it’s true birth control messes with your hormones and most pills are two different hormones that make your emotions even worse. I already had depression and anxiety, but it was heightened when I was on the pill. I enjoyed how I felt mentally, but my cramps were worse and I did not like the fact that I did not have that backup contraceptive method.
A lot of my friends had turned to IUDs as a contraceptive method instead of the pills, they felt it was right for them and the idea of not taking a pill every day was just a relief that was lifted off their shoulders. I made an appointment with Planned Parenthood to figure out my different options, and I had settled on the IUD. However, the IUD and my uterus did not get along, so we decided to try a different pill which she compared with my previous symptoms as well as my mental health. After being on the pill for two or three months, I could feel myself slipping into that old state that I was in for so long and I HATED it. So, I made the executive decision to try Nexplanon. It is an implant that goes right in your arm and it prevents pregnancy for up to three years. Obviously, I am not a doctor so I cannot tell you everything there is to know about it, but so far I LOVEEEE IT!
It sits in my left arm and I hardly know it is there unless I hit it on something. It feels like a hard piece of plastic in my arm which I was a little wary about, but honestly, it does not bother me. The “procedure” took about five minutes and it just consisted of her numbing the spot she was going to put it in, making a small incision, and then putting it in which resembled a staple gun (sounds scary, but you could not see her doing it so you would not know). Of course, there were risks to the procedure, and having it in general, but there are risks with all forms of birth control. Since I got it, I have felt much better when it comes to my mental health. I was nervous about how it would affect my weight, my skin, and my period overall. I have had no major side effects since I got it (fingers crossed I do not jinx it). My periods have been much much lighter since I got it, and my cramps are almost non-existent. It is such a relief not to have to worry about taking a pill everyday or going to the pharmacy once a month. It is nice to just have it in there and not have to think about it. The implant works for me, but it will not work for everyone. Unfortunately, birth control is one of those things that requires trial and error at times. What may work for me, may not work for you. But, I think it should be an option to consider if possible!