Okay, here goes. Long story short, I get depressed on the pill. I was never warned that the progestin in the pill can cause depression, and over the time I've been using it, I've slowly been noticing growing symptoms. Nothing in my life has really gotten worse or changed - it's just my mood. I get angry, I get weepy, I get so upset over things that, before the pill, I wouldn't have bothered about. I thought that I was fine on the pill, and so relieved that I wasn't experiencing any of the side effects...at first. As time wears on, and I've learned to connect the hormones to the mood swings, I'm realizing that I just can't stay on the pill. And, ironically, my sex drive has gone down, and considering that before the pill I couldn't keep my hands off my boyfriend, I know exactly why it's happening. Unfortunately, from my research, I've learned that progestin is in almost every birth control available. The shot is basically an injection of the hormone that's currently driving me crazy. The patch has progestin as well. IUDs sometimes contain it, too; even the ones that don't, the copper ones, have a negative: They tend to increase the pain of menstrual cramps and prolong periods, as many sites have told me. I have breathtakingly bad cramps as it is; I had terrible cramps before the pill, and even on Yaz, which is supposed to certifiably lessen cramp pain, I'm in agony every month. Exacerbating that problem with an IUD doesn't seem like such a good idea to me. Spermicide irritates me to no end and sometimes gives me infections, as I unpleasantly found out when my boyfriend and I still used condoms with that stuff on it. And condoms themselves don't appeal to me...I've been having sex for so long without them that when we occasionally have to use them (like on my period), I hate it, physically and mentally. The sensation isn't the same and emotionally I don't like the lack of intimacy I feel is implied when he finishes into a piece of rubber instead of my body. Besides, we've had them break a few times, so that's worrying. Diaphragms and cervical caps, I am being told by family and websites, are recommended only if they concur with spermicide, so no go there. My question - more like my cry for help, actually - is this, then....What the hell is left, besides sterilization?
I'd suggest you talk to your gyn. She may be able to help with the cramps too. I can understand where you are coming from. I had problems too. I used to have horrible cramps and pms, any kind of pill used to make me really bad. I know condoms aren't all that great but better than pregnancy at your age. You may just want to skip intercourse and try alternate kinds of sex. There is always rhythm. Then you need to be dilligent in taking your basal temp.
