pill messing up everything & need advice?

[kellise]

Wonder if anyone has any words of wisdom or similar experiences. I have 8 mth old DS & since having him my periods have begun to be long & heavy & although I beleive this isnt uncommon after childbirth I felt I needed to do something about it as it was getting too much & we werent planning on any more (also have 2 yr old DD) for a while if at all I went to the Dr & talked about contraception & was given the pill which was prev on before DD.
I started to take first packet straight away as per Dr's inst & was fine for a couple of weeks but then started to breakthrough bleed on wk 3 & began with a most horrific migraine, was told to keep taking it & begin next pkt straight away but migraines got worse & bleeding continued & so begun mood swings, dizziness & general feeling like crap.
I couldnt take any more so yesterday didnt take my pill & low & behold the black cloud of migraine / moodiness / feeling crap has gone but the bleeding remains.
I really don't want to take it any more & am totally put off anything hormonal also, I have made appt to go back to Dr next week but after talking over options with DH he suggested we just use condoms & although I know its probably not the same feeling wise for him I can't help thinking it would make life easier for me as my sex drive seems also to disapear on the pill also & figured beter for him to get nookie that is less sensitive than nothing at all!
Does anyone use condoms as contraception & find they are OK, I am just a little concerned about us throwing caution to the wind in the heat of the moment & being pregnant shortly after!! as we really can't afford for that to happen!!
Anyone had experience also with v long periods & know of anything I can do to help them eg herbal etc as I would rather take that than take hormones & the bleeding was partly the reason for the pill in the first place.

Hi - alot of your post could have been written by me. I also have a 2.8yo DD and a (nearly) 5mo DD and went back onto the pill after having my baby. I went back to the same pill as I had taken prior ro having children and then again between having them. Always with no problems.

BUT when I went back onto it this time I just hated every minute of it. I has all the same symptoms as you describe and, at one stage, wondered if it was PND.

In the end, after nearly 2 months, I stopped taking the pill. Everything became normal again and we are now using condoms as contraception. I have to say, yes they do make life better for me but I do worry about DP (who doesn't seem to want sex as much as before either but then, he is probably as tired as me with 2DC and he is up early for the morning feed and then commutes 90 minutes to work!)

I am not sure as to how long we will continue to use condoms. Having to have them close to hand can 'ruin the moment' and there have been times when we are downstairs that going upstairs to get one (TMI) has woken DD1 and then the moment is really broken! We have considered placing them in strategic places downstairs but where do you hide condoms so they are easy to get but can't be gottne by the DC or found by unsuspecting guests?!

I have an appointment to see the doctor to discuss other forms of contraception but am not sure what to go for. The coil apparently is meant to ease bleeding with some women I think (although my bleeding is not really the big issue - I liked the pill as I could predict my period and it was always an easy method of contraception that I never had to think about before.)

Anyway, yes to using condoms for contraception but they do require more 'planning'.

Thanks Dysgu, at least I know all the issues I have had with the pill this time are not in my head as was starting to think maybe its just a coincidence that Im taking the pill at the same time as feeling like this but think that could also have been me trying to convince myself to keep going.
Today my bleeding is heavier & have a very mild period type cramp but hardly anything really, not going to Drs till next week so there is time for it to slow & fingers crossed stop, though Im on week 2 of loosing blood & have only stopped taking pill 2 days ago!
Who knows whats going on cycle wise with me & to be honest I am starting to worry about that but worse is that since having the DS I need a smear & can't get one as I am all over the place with my cycle! which is also starting to worry me!
Let me know how you get on with Dr etc, hope you get things resolved.
Will def stick to condoms until I know where I am (tho @ moment no chance of nookie anyway due to heavy bleed! lol!!)