AIBU to ask how long is too long to be on the pill

[user1469053841]

(TLDR below: I've been on the pill for 13 years, is that too long?!)

I started my period when I was 13, it is hard to remember as it was so long ago but I think I had a couple of normal ish ones but then I had one long, continuous period. I think it was a good 3-4 months long before my mum gave up and took me to the doctor. The doctor put me on the pill for this reason, which I have been on ever since, apart from a 3 month break when I was 15 when the long horrendous period came back.

I am now 26. I am in a stable relationship and we live together. I am not ready for kids for a good 3-4 years but I desperately want kids in my life - fertility is VERY important to me.

There has been a lot of really negative press about the pill recently and says that it has been linked to depression etc (www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-37551855). Also whenever I seem to mention to anyone I know that I've been on the pill this long, everyone looks horrified!

I am freaking out a bit. I never thought the pill had that bad side effects on me - I don't have acne and ever since I've been taking it I've had 4 day, light, regular periods - but it does occur to me I have been on the pill for so long I don't even know what I am like when I'm not on it. I'm overweight , seem to be hungrier than other people and find it difficult to shift and wonder if that also could be linked.

I'm also a little worried that ever since my original horrendous period I have constantly been taking hormones and what if I am actually masking a bigger problem that needs dealing with if I need to protect my fertility? I mentioned this to a doctor a while ago but he fobbed me off as he said no point worrying about that whilst I still wasn't ready for kids.

I'd really like people's advice/opinions if that's ok and also what any other alternatives I would even have!
x

[GinIsIn]

I was on the pill for 10 years and came off it in Feb. I pregnant by May - it's not the same for everyone, but I don't think it's really something to worry too much about.

[APocketfulOfStars]

I was on the pill from 16-29 with no breaks. I conceived within two months of coming off. DS is 6 months and I've just had my first period again.

[SansasEscape]

I've been on the mini pill for 11 years

[Bugsylugs]

It is safer to stay on than to have holidays from the pill. Risk of DVT highest as stat

[marriednotdead]

I was on the pill from age 16 to 33 apart from breaks to have DCs. Got sterilised as I didn't want to take artificial hormones forever. Oh the irony.

Well masked endometriosis appeared and I suffered so got put back on pills and then Depo shots until hitting an early menopause. Am now on HRT!

If I'd known what I know now if have stayed on the pill for at least another decade.

[RestlessTraveller]

I was on the pill from the age of 16 to 39, I thought it was brilliant! Then I came off it and felt like a completely different person. My sex drive shot up and I can't really put my finger on it but I just felt better. I''m now on the copper coil ( no hormones) and it's great.

[Fittedcupboard]

Nice to hear that GPs know nothing about the pill. I guess my extra qualification in contraception and 10 years working in a family planning clinic all disappeare the minute I sit down in my GP surgery.

[Autumnchill]

Same as Restlesstraveller. Been on pill without a break for 26 years and 3 years ago they changed it to Cilest. I stopped 2 months ago and I feel so different! I have been irritable and stressed for 2 years, my boobs have gone from a 36C to a 38E. I had a mini meltdown at work one day where I just couldn't stop ranting, even I was sick of me and so I looked into the side effects and that made me decide. Husband is now on waiting list for vasectomy.

[SlinkyB]

I was on the combined pill from 14 (to help with heavy periods) to 28 when I stopped to conceive. Fell pg after 4 months of trying. Went back on it again after, then stopped again to conceive dc2. Again, only took 4 months.

I've been back on it since, but last year I came off it after talking to close friends who hate being on it. They say they feel "different", have more mood swings and don't like feeling like they're controlled by artificial hormones.

Anyway, after three months of having a break I went straight back to my beloved Yasmin! During my break my skin was worse, I felt down in the dumps and had more mood swings, and I hated not knowing when my bleed would be. I was worried at 35 I was "too old" for the pill, but my lovely GP said his friends who specialise in the field don't have a problem with women 35+ on the combined pill, if they have a healthy bmi, don't smoke and don't drink too much (like me).

I have always had an insatiable appetite. Don't know if that's pill related or not but just accept it now and try to eat healthily.

[Magstermay]

As Fitted alluded to most practices will have at least one GP who has an interest in women's health. This info is usually on their website. I have had some excellent advice from my GP on this and from a friend who is a GP with further training.

However if you see a GP who's interests lie elsewhere you will get a more standard response. Make an appointment to discuss it with the relevant doctor or try a family planning centre if there's not one available.

[kali110]

magsi see people post this yet it's def not how my old practise worked none had a specialist subject. You just booked in with who was free.
I shall have to see how my new practise works.

[ErrolTheDragon]

I was on the pill between about 20 and 51 (gp hadnt noticed I had gone over 50 for a year), except for while I was ttc, pg and BF. I'm another one with pcos which the pill masked/kept under control. No problems except when I restarted, knowing I had PCOS and bad acne having flared, they thought Dianette might be better than conventional pill - well, it worked on the acne but was starting to make me depressed. So I switched to marvelon and that suited me fine.