Do you use (or have you ever used) hormonal contraception, like the Pill, IUD or implant? Fancy telling us what you think about it?

[RowanMumsnet]

Hello

The team at the Telegraph's Wonder Women pages are interested in hearing about women's experiences with hormonal contraception - and, specifically, the emotional and libido-related side-effects it can have for some women.

MNers have occasionally told us that they're frustrated with the current range of available contraception, and that some of you feel reluctant to take contraception that works hormonally. Of course, lots of you also seem perfectly happy with hormonal contraception, and appreciate its reliability.

The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare states that 'women can be advised that combined hormonal contraception may be associated with mood changes, but there is no evidence that it causes depression'. The Wonder Women journalists are interested in whether any of you have experienced mood changes, or emotional effects, or effects on libido.

So: have you used, or do you currently use, the pill, a hormonal coil or implant? How did you find it? Did you notice any effects on your mood or libido, or did you find it unproblematic? And even if you did find it a bit problematic, did you think that it was worth it for the peace of mind?

Of course, maybe you find the hormonal contraception completely fantastic and have taken it without any trouble for years. Would be really interesting to hear all views and experiences.

Thanks
MNHQ

I'm currently using cerelle/cerezatte which is ok for me (apart from initial bleeding which stopped after 3 Months!) I don't have a period with these at all. I have tried injection, microgynon and the copper coil. Of all of these the injection did not agree with me at all. (Sent me dolally! And made me put on weight) The coil I loved but got pregnant so I have lost faith in it. I find this pill I'm on at the moment the best for me it hasn't affected my libido and my weight is relatively stable. I do wish they'd invent a contraceptive with no side affects but that'd be the holy grail

I'm on my 3rd implant now. They've been great for me and I can't imagine having to actually think about contraceotion! My periods are barely noticeable too, which is obviously a huge bonus. I have gained quite a bit of weight, but much as I'd like to blame the rod it's more likely to be my Jaffa Cake addiction that's responsible. Can't recommend them highly enough. Implants or Jaffa Cakes.

Currently on the injection for the first time and my sex drive has taken a nose dive, I've been moodier and get hot and sweaty at times (not something I ever suffer with). I am also spotty (again, never am normally). So I won't be carrying on with it. I get similar symptoms on microgynon.

The implant was my favourite. It did cause irregular bleeding for the first three months, but I had no mood issues and I felt like me. It was definitely worth it for peace of mind and reliability. I'd use it again but luckily my dh is now willing to take his turn to be responsible for contraception.

I'm very much looking forward to never having to mess about with my hormones ever again.

I use the implant, the only side effect is that I'm hungry all the time!

I started out on Cerazette which gave me constant bleeding, stomach pain and made me feel like hell. I cried at everything, had a screaming argument with my BF at the time because he fell over my shoes and felt like crap.

I then moved to the injection which was brilliant for a couple of years. I came off it because I couldn't get an appointment to see the nurse for the injection at my surgery and they were concerned that it was aggravating my arthritis by thinning the bones. No periods, no mood swings, nothing bad at all - felt like me!

I'm currently on the implant - no periods, no mood swings etc etc. I'm coming off next year when it expires and am unsure what to go for as we are considering children and am concerned about the long time it can take for fertility to return.

I was on the combined pill for years but when I went back on it after dd was born I noticed myself getting increasingly angry like scary ragey angry about relatively small things. I think it also lowered my sex drive.
Felt much better (and hornier!) with a copper coil but fell pregnant with it in situ so tried a Mirena coil after ds was born. It was awful - same ragey moods and a plummeting libido thanks in part to constant spotting (for 10 months...)
Got a copper coil again now (phew!) but worry about the possibility of another unexpected blessing...

I've had an implant, of one sort or the other, since i first read in cosmopolitain magazine that they were to be introduced in this country, in the early 1990’s.

Its been brilliant for me, hardly any bleeding, hardly any spotting even but i can, i think, still detect my menstrual rhythm. If I'm eating badly, then i do get spots just before what would have been menstruation. Lots of sugar, get spots. Lots of fresh fruit and leafy green veg, glowing skin.

Im now over the age when they think they are necessary, but wondering when to do when its finished, in May. The stats that 99% of women no longer require contraception over the age of 52 doesn't fill me with confidence and i gather the blood tests are useless til the implant is removed.

Used microgynon til i came off it to ttc DS1, then they wouldn't put me back on it afterwards (migraines despite it never being a problem before)
Pushed the mirena which i had and lasted 24 hours before i begged for it to be removed - stomach cramp pain, worse than contractions
Then went on Cerezette which made me crazy - furiously angry or hysterical weeping at everything
Then noriday which i had no side effects with but did have to be very specific in the times it was took and i messed a few up and then arrived DS2!
Now using condoms which i don't like for various reasons (spoil spontaneity etc) but can't find anything else that work tbh

I used microgynon for three years with no problems but I wanted something more long-term so I tried the implant. I bled for three months without a break and then it changed to one week on, one week off. I was spotty, depressed, paranoid, jealous whenever my then-boyfriend wanted to spend time away from me... the list goes on. I was given the pill to control the bleeding but it didn't work so I had it removed.

I tried the nuvaring for a few months but that was just too weird, it was much bigger than I expected and it felt like I was wearing one of those 1990's jelly bangles in my fanjo. No thanks.

I went back onto microgynon and was sick as a dog for a month, no idea why. I felt nauseous all day every day, my boobs were sore, my head hurt, I was tired - I actually took a pregnancy test because I was convinced there had been a mishap!

I'm now on the injection and it has been great having no periods for a couple of years but I'm worried about using it long-term. Plus I'm constantly starving and I gain weight really easily but lose it slowly. I've got an appointment to have the copper coil fitted next month because I want a break from hormones.

I used the Evra patch for years and thought it was great. I had some minor side effects - mainly nausea and food aversions before my break week, but nothing as bad as the pregnancy version! It was reliable, easy to use and only had to change it once a week. Periods were lighter too and mood swings actually far less compared to patch-free.

When I got pregnant for the first time they discovered that I shouldn't be on oestrogen-based contraceptives for medical reasons. So after birth I tried the progesterone-only pill (I don't remember which brand it was). It was awful. Very low mood, like full on miserable, sad, useless feeling, constant bleeding, gained weight very quickly. Hated it. Came off of it after about a month as I was hoping I would adjust to it but then just gave up. Took months afterwards for my cycle to settle down too. Definitely not worth it.

Don't want to try any other oestrogen-free methods as they are longer lasting (eg shots are 3-monthly) and don't want to risk the same reaction but even longer to leave system. Don't want anything implanted or inserted. So we're also using condoms which is a bit annoying compared to the freedom of the patch, but far preferable to deal with the hormones of my natural state than the craziness of the POP. Somewhat nervous of getting pregnant unplanned though especially as that is how DC2 came about. Keeping track of cycles and fertility as a minor backup as it is my only other tool.

I used an IUS for 16 years with no periods and no problems!

i use microgynon and have been on it for 15yrs, no problems ever, suited me from day 1. GP has encouraged implant and injection in the past but im happy with this. im planning to come off it next year ttc.

I'm now on my third implant (so over 7 years) and it works perfectly for me. No side effects that I can attribute directly to it, I have put on weight but there are other factors which impact that too.

I have no periods now (sporadic for the the first year but light) and no symptoms of monthly cycle like pmt or moodiness.

As said by a PP, my only issue is what to do when this one runs out as I'll be 49.

Hormonal contraception robbed me of my libido for my almost my entire adult life until I started TTC. I started on the pill at 16 and was on it almost continuously for a decade, then I had an implant put in. The implant seemed fine for a year while I had no periods, but when they came back they were completely irregular and were accompanied with horrendous PMT which was totally unpredictable because of my irregular periods. I felt crazy for about a year before I had it removed to TTC, then my libido appeared out of nowhere and it was revelation.

Between pregnancies and since my last pregnancy I have had a copper coil. I will never use hormonal contraception again, and DH has had a vasectomy so that I can be done with the whole bloody business.

I used the combined pill for about 3 years, and the progesterone only (mini) pill (2 different sorts) for about 1 year. I found they affected my mood and libido strongly.

I didn't notice the effect of the combined pill at first, but upon stopping it, due to a diagnosis of depression, (Dr suggested it may be hormonal, ie low mood related to pill) it felt like coming out from under a black cloud. I don't know how else to describe it. I felt more positive, and also started to feel like having sex!

I knew I never wanted to use the combined pill again after that, but thought I'd try the mini pill a few years later (unsatisfied with copper coil- heavy bleeding continually, and didn't feel that just condoms were safe enough). I tried 2 different sorts, but the effect was possibly even worse than the combined pill. Mood became much lower, the world seemed grey. Libido disappeared, thus making the point of being on the mini pill pointless. Stopped taking them and felt so much better.

I'd never try hormonal contraception again. I now use condoms only, although I would still use the morning after pill if necessary.

First went on mini-pill in early teens as cycles appeared and promptly went to hell (anaemia, severe pain, totally unpredictable) as did PMT. Took years to settle down. Not sure the PMT ever has!

Combined pill in mid-20s, as the wayward cycles had started to get too bad again. It did help, but at the cost of ramping up my migraines to the point of being incapacitated every couple of weeks and a fair bit of weight gain. The migraines subsided to a level I could cope with once I was off the Pill. Tried several kinds too. It was a choice between monthly head pain or abdo pain. What a choice. I remember being very fed up.

Tried Depo-Provera next. Within 6 months I had no cycles but was getting severe abdominal cramping and had blown up like a balloon. Libido? What's that? Took it for a year, and it took another year to get cycles back and eventually libido reappeared.

Wanted to try Mirena but the GP couldn't, ahem, install it.

DH and I pretty much gave up at that point and reverted to barrier methods! I will never willingly do hormonal contraception again. Won't need to worry soon, roll on menopause... I shall cheer.

I used the combined pill from age 16 to age 28. It helped in that I had lighter periods and cleared my skin (went thru various ones before settling with Yasmin). It was very effective as no pregnancies.

Came off it to conceive dc1 and fell pg 4mo later. Went back on it between dc1 and dc2 (fell pg 4mo after coming off again).

I've decided to stop using it as a) want a break from hormones and b) dh is talking about a vasectomy. We are using condoms atm.

I've not taken it for a couple of months and definitely feel hornier, though my spots are reappearing. I was worried about taking hormonal contraception in my mid-30's, but my GP isn't concerned.

Oh, also tried the depo-provera injection in my late teens and gained a stone and completely lost my libido.

I started with Microgynon which left me bleeding the whole time I was on it, then tried various ones with varying side effects. Can't remember having an emotional effect from any of them, but the other side effects were bad enough to keep me changing them until I ended up on the current pill, Cerelle.
I have no periods, no libido and a horribly spotty body, but this is the best of a bad lot.

I don't know about anyone else, but I don't like not having periods. I find myself worrying about pregnancy often, and while obviously not bleeding is nice, it doesn't sit right with me.

It works, so it's worth it for now, but I don't want to be on it for the next couple of decades.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/a2322236-Depo-Provera-Weight-Loss-Gain-your-experiences-please

I was on the pill from 17-25. It (can't remember which ones I took pre children) was ok. But I had breakthrough bleeding and random spotting for the last 5 years.

After DD2 I took microgynon for 3 whole days. My mood was out of control, very very low and I felt really depressed. I didn't take the rest of the pack as it really shook me up. The gp was not helpful and said all the pills had the same ingredients. And that I should have finished the pack. .

I don't really want to mess with my hormones again. Especially if it not something I can stop or remove easily myself.

www.pbiforum.net/en/pbi/rd/237/Morningside-Healthcare-launches-generic-contraceptives.htm

because they are cheaper!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/a2324851-Been-seriously-ill-DP-gone-out-on-the-piss

Used combined pill from 18 to 30 - the type got changed due to the great scare of the ?mid nineties? Total absence of pregnancies, but fairly lethal PMT.

During second pg I had a nasty pain-free migraine which I mistook for a stroke so the A&E staff said that I couldn't go back on the combined pill. I took minipill for a while but the worry about whether I'd missed one drove me paranoid. Nowadays I'd probably be fine on the implant but it wasn't as heavily pushed back then. DH had a vasectomy shortly afterwards, which had scary temporary complications but is fine now.

Mirena could for me. I am on my 3rd - changed every 5 years - and have had no problems at all. The fact that my periods are now negligible is a real bonus. As the menopause begins its relentless march, I thin it should help there too.

No problems with mood, weight or libido, but all of these are now bothering me so I am off to the Dr to see if at 47 I am now menopausal.

Well.....

Used the combined pill (Dianette) for a month in my early 20s. Woke up one night feeling like I'd been shot in the head, unable to speak, swallow, move/feel one side of my body. After a brain scan ruled out stroke and tumours, I was diagnosed with hemiplegic migraines. Over a decade later, I still get them. The medication that controls it is not nice and I may suffer them for the rest of my life.

Mini pill - horrendous PMT, put on weight, enormous sore breasts. No thanks.

Implanon (arm implant) - not too bad, I had no issues while on thia per se. I had this for 3 years, got it removed with a view to getting pregnant. After nearly 2 years of trying I became ill with an unrelated condition & we stopped for a while. After about 6-8 months I was a lot better & we started trying & got pregnant first time. I've since heard that the implant can take quite a long time to get fully out of the system, not the couple of months advised by the health care profession. I cried many tears over those two years, and wish they had just warned me it can take a while to return to normal.

Mirena coil - total nightmare. I had this in for about 18 months & had a lot of side effects not on the 'official' list, or much worse than I'd been led to expect. Libido totally went, I was perpetually grumpy, couldn't sleep properly, weepy at odd times, tired all the time, appetite totally changed (increased & I just wanted to eat carbs & sugar). Most of it got better when I had the thing out.

Copper coil - yes I know it's not hormonal but I think it warrants a mention. I have this at present and am sick of it. In the 6 months since I got it, I've started losing my hair, developed severe joint pain, have a strange metallic taste in my mouth at times, and have up to 10 days of severe nausea every month. I dare say if I wasn't tired from being in continual pain, and occasionally vomiting, I'd feel a lot better. I asked the doctor about the joint pain & nausea & her advice was to take paracetamol (cheers for that, DH is having to help me dress every day but we all know paracetamol cures everything ). I googled my symptoms & guess what came up..... not on the official NHS list though - just dozens of similar reports from women struggling with the copper coil.