My journey with taking birth control started the end of my senior year in high school; I started taking it because my body would go through awful periods.
The feelings I felt about birth control were off the charts, I thought “wow I will finally be cured of my awful cramps,” and I believed this would be my savior.
Don’t get my tone wrong, I am still on birth control to this day, but the journey started off rougher than I thought it would. Before going on birth control I had down the bare minimum of research of the different types and which one would benefit me best, I trusted my doctor would prescribe me the correct one that would cure me of all my problems.
The first one I took, I took it religiously at the same time everyday never missing a pill; I started doing research after starting birth control of some of the effects so I tried to stick to a schedule. I was on this pill for about two months when I started noticing the effects, my anxiety was always on, I was more depressed even though I was happy about graduating and starting my future at Winthrop, and I couldn’t stand human touch.
I was a big ball of emotions that could be set off any moment; I could be driving down the road and start crying at a simple. After I noticed these effects, I called my doctor and scheduled an emergency appointment; he promptly saw me (yes my doctor is male) and discussed what my body was going thru and attributed it to too much estrogen in the pill so he switched me to the lowest dosage.
The second pill wasn’t awful, no mood swings, no amplified anxiety or depression, and I felt relatively normal, but when my periods came my body was being torn to shreds again. I was just starting college on this pill so I stuck with it till it got to much and I made an appointment for Christmas break to see the doctor again. This appointment was different because I didn’t see my normal doctor so I had to retell my story over again, she started me on something with low estrogen but not the lowest and hoped that would cure my pain.
I am now on pill number six which is a variation of pill three, and I am hoping this one is the one to cure my pain.
This journey has not been an easy one, but I encourage all women to do their research, don’t be afraid to ask questions and to tell your story; it could save your life in the long run. Birth control is a serious and controversial topic, but it needs to be discussed with young women so they know their options.