After Five Years, I Got Off my Birth Control
The birth control pill has been around since the 1950s, and we all know the obvious reason it was created. However, there are many other reasons birth control is marketed to young women. For one, it helps lessen the pain during the menstrual cycle, a.k.a. relieving cramps, and even controlling how heavy your flow is. It helps reduce acne, and it can prevent certain cancers. It all seems good and healthy. However, if you type into your search browser “long-term side effects of birth control,” the first couple of results look like:
Blood clots
Gallbladder disease
Heart attack
High blood pressure
Liver cancer
The reason I went on birth control my freshman year of high school was because I suffered from really bad acne and had incredibly painful period flows, to the point where I would leave school early. After talking to a gynecologist, I realized birth control was the best option, and I liked the idea of it because I thought it would have made me look mature and older compared to my friends.
My first year on birth control was fine; it cleared up my acne, and I didn’t see any changes to my body or my mental health so I didn’t see the issue with it. However, as time went on a few months after I hit my one year mark of being on the pill, the biggest change I noticed was my cup size. I went from a double D to a triple F as a sophomore in high school. This major change in my body made me heavily insecure. On top of my cup size getting bigger, I went from 125 pounds to 140 pounds in one year. Nothing changed; my diet was the same. I had always made it a priority to move and workout, but it messed with me mentally going from an average build to all of a sudden not even recognizing myself.
In my first year, I had an issue with throwing up — constantly and uncontrollably. My parents and doctors couldn’t explain it for a long time. I would be on walks with my mom and no matter what meal I ate afterwards, I would throw up anywhere. It was horrible and got to the point where I just had to eat rice or chicken for weeks because they couldn’t figure out what was causing it. I saw a specialist and even went through a small procedure to try and find the root cause, but everything came up blank. Then, through my own research, I discovered vomiting uncontrollably was a side effect of the type of birth control I was on, so my doctor switched me to a smaller dosage. That should have been my first sign, however I overlooked it because it was helping my skin and relieving my period cramps so much that I wasn’t ready to give up those two luxuries, and eventually my body adjusted.
Fast forward to my second year of college. My skin is starting to break out, and I’ve gained control over my weight. I didn’t feel a need to continue to be on birth control anymore — I kept thinking about how I don’t know my true self. I always felt moody, emotional and I didn’t like the fact I was putting hormones in my body that I knew nothing about. So, I went off of it. I did some research to brace myself for what could change and I prepared myself for:
Acne
Stomach cramps
Changes in menstrual cycles
Heavier periods
This is what I experienced: after a week of being fully off of the pill, I noticed my skin went from oily to dry which caused my acne to flare up. My hair began to grow rapidly, and I experienced harsh headaches and stomach pains. My next period was painful to the point where I reconsidered getting back on birth control, however after already going through a couple more they have gotten better. I started to track my period, which is a must if you’re sexually active; you need to track when you’re ovulating which is 12-14 days before your monthly cycle. But after a few months, my body has adjusted and I feel great! I’m happier, more patient with others and feel so clear headed, which is new. I guess I’ve felt cloudy for a long time but didn’t notice because I had grown so conditioned to that feeling.
We encourage you to listen to your body, and always make the best decision for you!