The more I read about the pill the more I wonder how it’s even possible that it’s still the most commonly used method of birth control. It’s incredible that we’ve put up with the negative side effects for over 50 years.
We’ve been seduced by the promise that comes with it. The convenience of it. The trendy advertisements full of young happy women enjoying themselves. Even the cute packaging. But it’s time that we pull back the lens and look more critically at hormonal birth control.
I’m all for feminism and empowerment, but not if it comes at a cost. As far as I’m concerned the side effects outweigh the benefits. There are several known risks associated with hormonal birth control. After all, it is a drug.
Before I dive into the 6 reasons why you shouldn’t take the pill long term, I want to share with you the cliff notes version of how the pill actually works. The pill has 3 main modalities by which it prevents you from becoming pregnant:
- The pill interferes with the communication that takes place between your brain and your ovaries. It disrupts your hypothalamic pituitary ovarian axis. It must do this to work. This is how it prevents you from ovulating.
- The pill prevents you from producing fertile quality cervical mucus. Without mucus sperm can’t live inside your vagina or get anywhere near your eggs. If the sperm can’t get to your eggs then you can’t get pregnant.
- Finally the pill prevents your uterine lining from fully developing so even if somehow an egg was fertilized it would have nowhere to implant.
The reason why the pill works is because it disrupts the healthy function of your endocrine system. That’s why you don’t get pregnant on it (most of the time anyways).
But back to the main point, why you shouldn’t take it for the long term. Let’s clarify long term. As far as the scientific studies go, long term is 2 years or more, but we all know that a growing number of women use hormonal contraceptives for much longer than that. Many women have taken it for more than 10 years. Let’s talk about why that isn’t a good idea.
The pill lowers your sex drive
The pill shuts down your ovaries and prevents them from producing sex hormones. It prevents your ovaries from producing estrogen and progesterone, and that is one of the main reasons why it’s such an effective birth control method. When you’re not producing estrogen, you don’t ovulate, and when you don’t ovulate you can’t get pregnant.
What’s the downside?
When you shut down your ovaries, you shut down your testosterone production also. Your ovaries produce testosterone, and even though you’re producing only about one tenth the testosterone that men do, you need it. If that wasn’t bad enough, the little testosterone you have left is bound by a protein called Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG).
The pill increases your SHBG levels. The result is that SHBG binds to the rest of your free testosterone and prevents your body from having access to it. [1]
When you’re on the pill your free testosterone levels are 3 or 4 times lower than they would be if you weren’t on it. So say bye bye to your normal sex drive.
If you don’t think you’re affected by this, I want you to ask yourself how long you’ve been on the pill? How old were you when you first started taking it? In all fairness, are you sure your sex drive is still in tact?
I know that you’re much more likely to blame yourself, and assume there’s something wrong with you. But perhaps it’s time to look at that pill pack and consider if the reason you’re not really into sex these days is because of those pill hormones.
The pill shrinks your clitoris and causes painful sex
Although this might sound crazy to you, this is really a thing. Long term hormonal contraceptive use is associated with the decreased vascularization of your clitoris, as well as a reduction in the thickness of your vulvar tissues. [2]
Hormonal contraceptives are also associated with an increased risk of having pain with intercourse. Not a huge surprise there. If it’s messing with the tissues around your vaginal opening, then of course you’re more likely to have painful sex.
All I can say is that if you’ve ever experienced pain with sex and you’re not sure why it’s happening….and you’re still on the pill? Know that it is a known side effect of hormonal contraceptives and act accordingly.
The pill causes depression and anxiety
Remember when we talked about how the pill lowers your testosterone levels? Well wouldn’t ya know that low testosterone is also associated with an increased risk of depression. If that wasn’t bad enough, the pill interferes with your Vitamin B6 metabolism, and guess what? Vitamin B6 deficiency is associated with depression.
Maybe that’s why so many women complain of feeling lethargic, sad, depressed, moody, anxious, and generally like there is a haze over them while they are taking those little pills.
It’s not in your head. It’s right there in the research. [3][4]
Long term pill use puts you at an increased risk of cervical cancer
The longer you take the pill the higher your risk of developing cervical cancer. [5] Honestly, you can’t make this stuff up. What’s interesting is that long term pill use is associated with a deficiency of folic acid, and it turns out that your cervix needs folic acid to stay healthy.
If you’ve ever had an abnormal pap, been diagnosed with cervical dysplasia, or had an HPV infection that won’t go away, all of these conditions are associated with a deficiency of folic acid. [6] If you’ve been on the pill for a long time you’re more likely to be deficient in folic acid. The longer you use it the higher your risk.
Long term pill use is associated with a delay in your return to fertility
If you’ve used the pill long term and you’re just coming off of it, it will take you about twice as long to conceive (on average) compared to women who have never used the pill. [7] One of the reasons for that is that it could take several months for your period to return at all. It could take even longer for your periods to return normally and come regularly.
Since you have no way of knowing if your period will come back right away or if it will take several months, it’s a good idea to come off the pill 1-2 years before you’re ready to actively start trying to conceive.
After using the pill long term you’re not 20 anymore – your fertility has changed
The biggest myth about your fertility is that it doesn’t change with time. We have been programed to fear our fertility to the point that we think we could get pregnant on every single day of our cycles.
Can you relate?
What happens after 10 years on the pill is that you are 10 years older. If you are now 34 years old and you’ve used the pill (or other hormone method) on and off for over 12 years, you are no longer 19 and your fertility is different than it was when you first started taking the hormones.
At some point you need to restrategize in terms of your plan to start a family someday. You don’t have the luxury of assuming that you’ll just get pregnant right out of the gate.
You might…and you might not.
What if it takes you a whole year to get pregnant after coming off the pill? What if it takes 2 years? What the research shows is that your fertility is more likely to be delayed when you come off the pill as you get older, so it’s up to you to decide how to manage your fertility when you enter into your mid 30s and early 40s.
My suggestion?
Get off the hormones while you have time on your side. Find out what your natural cycles are like and go from there.
Grab a copy of my new book The Fifth Vital Sign: Master Your Cycles & Optimize Your Fertility for more on the side effects of the pill, how it impacts your fertility when you’re ready to have a baby, and why I recommend coming off the pill 18 months to 2 years before you start trying to conceive. Click here to read the first chapter for FREE.
Hello lady like most of you I have decided to stop my birth control pull I started them Jan 2917 and ended April 5th I had a really bad 22day cycle or what they call old blood release and I suffer from pcos ! I’m a mother or 8year old twins and started birth control to conceive my last child ….my husband decided to come from Iraq early a week after I stopped the pill and like married couples do we became rabbits I have been on and off spotting only in the mornings and we have been still making time to try and conceive … I followed the ovia app and it automatically told me I was ovulating not really sure if that’s true being that I have been spotting Non-Stop only in the morning my have been outrageous and I have been extremely naughty I know this is a bit too much but I am desperate and find out how to conceive while off birth control 5 of my ovulation days we decided to go for it but how am I supposed to know if the birth control method really will work how do you know when your ovulating while on birth control?
I noticed a few typos unfortunately I am using my work computer and it is not posted correctly I started birth control in 2017 Jan I decided this month which is April so do a way with it to try to conceive hopefully this helps the first message make more sense
Thank you for writing this it was really interesting!
Do you have any information or opinions on the hormonal coil as an alternative? I’ve heard that it contains less hormones and they’re localised so less side effects but would like to learn more.
Xx
Hi Laura, A hormonal coil contains the same hormones, so it will have the same types of effects long term. Even though they may contain “less hormones” they still need to contain a sufficient amount to suppress your natural hormones or they wouldn’t work.
This is so interesting. My doctor never told me that there were any negative side effects to long term BCP use. I just got off of them as soon as I found out they were messing with my hormone levels. I have been having some unrelated health issues(GI) and took blood tests for that and my doctor said my estrogen levels are very high. My liver is not cleansing out the excess estrogen created by the pills. I am 27 and wanting to conceive within the next couple years. That was enough for me to say goodbye! i am hoping that I don’t have problems conceiving. I’m upset that my doctor never informed me of these risks.
I’ve been on the pill for over two decades and today is my first day off. I was incredibly irregular before going on them (every three weeks to three months). Is there any way to know when it is coming? I would hate to be caught off guard if I don’t end up with all of the cramping of yesteryear.
I did look over some of your articles yesterday and noticed that you said that diet can play a huge factor in PMS symptoms. I have cleaned up my diet tremendously in the past few years removing hormones, gmos, most processed foods as well as removing chemicals from my household and hygiene products. I hope this helps. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Hi Lisa,
hopefully you will still able to read my answer. I had been on continuous BCP for about 20 years, I am now 37 and 4 months ago, I got off the pill. Important to mention: I have been practicing a healthy life style for about 2 years and it DOES definitely play a role! Just to encourage you to continue and be patient. I don´t eat grains, sugars, flour, I eat meat, protein, high amount of healty facts and lots of veggies and fruits. A also stay away from hormons, GMO and only use non-toxic natural cosmetis and household cleaners (btw, they work much better than the commercial ones!). So here is the point: before I started the BCP, my cycles had been unregular with PMS, medium to heavy flow, long periods (6 – 10 days). During BCP using, my “periods” lasted for about 5 days with spotting before and after, PMS still happening. I had no other side efects from the BCP and no gynecological issues. After starting the healthy life style – while still on BCP – my PMS went away. However my sex drive went drastically down and I started to spot and bleed every other month or so at about the second week of new package of BCP. And my moods were getting worse. I guess it was the healthy lifestyle did some cleaning and regeneration of my body which just wasn´t in sync with the artificial hormone intake anymore. So I decided to go off the pill and I studied information about symptothermal method – my partner and I don´t want kids yet. My first cycle after getting of the pill was 35 days and not sure if I ovulated. The following cycles are not regular in the length (35, 21, 30 days) but I ovulate everytime (confirmed by a clear temp shift) and I have no PMS, my mood is better, I feel so great, my periods last for 3 days (for the first time in my life) and are medium to light, no spotting. So if you give your body the nutrition it needs and stay away from stuff that harms it, you will most likely have much better and faster adjustment to a healthy cycle. Just note, that after the BCP, EVERYTHING is possible – irregular jumping cycles, ovulating/not ovulating, missing cycles, weird symptoms, be fertile right away or not. Honestly, symptothermal method is a wonderful way to find our what is going on in your body after getting off the BCP and how is your body doing in returning to the natural functioning. And can help your doctor to determine a possible issue, should there be any.
I was on the pill from age 13-18, and took myself off last year, I recently went to the doctor because of extremely bad cramping to the point where I can’t move, and my doctor told me if I don’t want to go on birth control there’s nothing she can do for me, any suggestions with some natural remedies?
I have a quick question. How long is considered long term?
Thank you!
Hi Brittany, that depends on the research article. Some list “long term” as 2 years or more. If you’ve used hormonal birth control for 2-5 years or more I would consider it long term use.
I was on the pill (Ortho Tri-Cyclin and generics) for 15 years (age 17-32) and loved it. I got on it mostly to see if it could clear up my teen acne (it did, 100%), but I continued use once I became sexually active at 20. I never really had any menstrual issues before, but I didn’t experience any side effects on the pill, either – aside from the gloriously clear skin I have had all throughout my 20s and early 30s!
I got married in 2017 and we’re going to start trying next year, so I read Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I was blown away – it taught me so much that I never knew. I thought it was so cool. I wanted to see what my cycles are like and make sure I had time to regulate before trying, so I came off the pill around New Year’s 2018 and started temping and checking CM. I noticed EWCM on CD14 and CD15, felt 20-minute sharp (but not really unpleasant) pain on CD15 (ovulation pain, which I got as a teen and my mom did too), and got a sustained temp rise 0.8 degrees above all the previous temps right after! This cycle I noticed watery CM CD11 and 12, EWCM on CD13 and 14, ovulation pain, and then a temp rise, followed by a 13-day LP. It’s so cool to see my body doing what it’s supposed to, especially since I expected it to be wonky for a while coming off the pill! My sex drive is the same as it’s always been on or off the pill – moderately high.
I am so into learning about and practicing FAM now, and have been listening to your podcasts, Lisa, and think you are great. However, I have been really put off by how one-sidedly negative FAM practitioners seem to be about the pill. I think you have a lot of really great points about how women/people in general are not taught enough about fertility, and are prescribed the pill when they have menstrual issues instead of solving the problem. But I think because people doing FAM have disproportionately had bad experiences on the pill, it seems to bleed into a confirmation bias that results in making blanket statements about how the pill is bad. I have read a good amount of research and there really is not real evidence of long-term damage, at least not anything outweighed by long-term benefits. In this post, for example, you mention that pill use may raise the risk of cervical cancer – but not that it lowers the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer. My mom is an ovarian cancer survivor, so personally I am more concerned about lowering my risk of that.
Anyway, I just wanted to provide my anecdote from someone who loved the pill and also loves FAM, because I just don’t see that in FAM circles. I would never say the pill is right for everyone, and it’s a shame that FAM isn’t offered as an option to women who have a bad time on other contraceptive methods. But it was right for me, and I sometimes the discussions around the pill in FAM circles just seem to act like people like me don’t exist and the pill is just universally terrible. I am so grateful to the pill for allowing me to simply not think about my cycle in my 20s (and not getting me pregnant by men that weren’t right for me!). Now that I’m married I’m so glad to be doing FAM, but the pill allowed me to not having to abstain or use barrier methods for over a decade, and to not have to spend a lot of time figuring out how to clear up my skin. I called it my “magic no-babies pill” and I still feel that way even though I’m now using the magic of my own body. I wish I there were more FAM resources that if not pill-positive, were at least not constantly pill-bashing!
Hi Kristin! Thank you for sharing your experience. Not everyone has a rough time with the pill so it is important to share positive experiences with it. With that said, there are certain physiological changes that every woman experiences. The pill suppresses hormones (most notably testosterone, estrogen & progesterone), depletes key nutrients (i.e. vitamin B6, B12, folate, zinc, etc.), shrinks ovarian volume, clitoral volume, and causes a temporary delay in the return of normal fertility. There are enough resources out there (including physicians) telling women that the pill is harmless, so I feel that it’s necessary to present an honest view of the research. The side effects I listed above are not my opinion, they are what the research shows. Yes studies have shown that the pill reduces the chance of developing ovarian cancer, but it increases the risk of developing liver cancer, breast cancer, and cervical cancer. It’s a complicated discussion, and it’s important to give a voice to women who did not notice any side effects while taking it. However, it’s also important not to gloss over the side effects. Taking the pill long term comes with several very real risks and this post is all about providing information. As women, we can only make informed choices about our health when we have complete information, and women are rarely given complete information when they first start taking the pill.
I have bad tennitis. I have been on the pill for a total of 18 years. In researching what could be causing tennitis, I found that birth control pills can cause or worsen it. I have never had a problem with birth control pills. That’s not true. I normally use tri-phasal pills. I was put on a single phase pill once and immediately became depressed. It was so extreme that I knew it was the pills. I was put base on a 3 phase pill and the depression was immediately gone. Other than that, the pill helped me regulate my periods and I never had to worry about getting pregnant when I didn’t want to. I had 4 kids in between taking the pill. I’m wondering if I’m paying now for being on the pill for so long. I had tried natural family planning once and got pregnant. I’m happy to say that I had wanted more kids anyway!
Good day. Last October 2017, 2 “cyst” well Im not sure just pop out beside my belly button. Every 1st week of the month other one is swelling and pain around my navel occurs too. I already seek many doctors and they don’t know what it is and where did it came from.. Ultrasound result of my full abdomen is normal – done last Dec. 2017 .. I’ve been using contraceptive pills for 3 years. My monthly period occurs at every last days of the month and the “cyst” swells after my menstruation (1st week of the following month). Is it possible that it is related to my monthly period and should I seek for an ob gyne specialist? Thank you.
Hi Issa, have you heard this episode? http://fertilityfriday.com/176/
I’m another very happy long-term BCP user. From 18-34 years, I enjoyed zero anxiety about accidental pregnancies and experienced none of the side effects listed (of course, only time will tell regarding long-term risks which I did consider before taking them). I went off the pills a couple months before trying to get pregnant and got pregnant immediately. I have had two more very easy conceptions since then and am considering getting back on the pill vs. permanent methods of birth control. In my anecdotal experience, it has been the way to go!
I was on the pill from 16-28, got off them in 2012 when I got married and we were trying to get pregnant. I always had regular periods (started at 11), and they went back to normal immediately upon ceasing the pills and continue to this day.
My body seemed to do all the things my research said it should do when off birth control. Except get pregnant. Six years later and I haven’t even gotten a false positive. I’ve never had a pregnancy “scare” (I’ve been sexually active from 16 and regularly from 18 on). I rarely have a late period (max 3-4 days), even six years into no birth control, and still no luck.
We haven’t used any protection since 2012, and worked like mad for the first two-three years to time everything right. I’ve given up “trying” since 2015, but we’re not preventing it either. The longer I wait and the older I get, the less it seems reasonable for us to even have kids. Adoption or IVF are not for us, so these days we are just trying to figure out how to tell our parents they may not have grandkids.
I have been on the pill for 18yrs. I was put on the pill bc my periods were so bad I could not walk. Heavy flow and extreme cramping. This year the pill stopped working and I had a period with heavy clotting for 5 weeks. A ultrasound showed I have fibroids. I could get a UFE but would have to continue birth control to regulate heavy flow and cramping or have a hysterectomy and finally get off the pill for good. I
Hi there. Thanks for the article. I’ve been using the pill for probably around 8 years. I only started using it for my skin and it did an incredible job at keeping my skin perfect. I am now 27 and I went off the pill about 6 months ago. My skin went completely crazy and I’m having a hard time keeping it under control. I thought my hormones would be more stable at 27 years old and that my skin would sort itself out. But apparently not. I did some research and apparently zinc is good to take for skin after you leave the pill. Is this true? Is there anything else I could take to get my skin back to normal again? I am strongly considering going back onto the pill for this reason but I’m trying to find an alternative. I also haven’t had my period again since I left the pill but my main concern is my skin. Please could you suggest something for me to take or try?
Hi Nadia, have a listen to this podcast episode about dealing with post-birth control syndrome. It’s not uncommon for skin to get worse before it gets better post-pill.
Hello! I went on the birth control pill at age 18 when I got into college because I was so irregular and I had crippling cramps. I’m now 26 and I’ve gone off the pill a few times to see if I’m regular and sometimes my period won’t come, and others my period never ends (lasted 3 months and then I went back on the pill). I’m going to get off the pill again and am now taking a folic acid supplement but I’m wondering what else I can do to help my body regulate itself (if at all possible)?
Hi Karly, Have a listen to this episode! There’s a wealth of information for where to start: http://fertilityfriday.com/12/
Hi,
I was on a Yaz pill from the age of 19 and stopped at the age of 22 after moving overseas. My period has been irregular for a full year following my idea of stopping the pill, I had no idea what was going on in my body and the doctor keep telling me I was stressed and underweight. I had 5 months in which I actually stopped having periods.
Now I am 25 and feel much better, my cycle is regular now. However, I still have as many breakouts as a teenager and have a really terrible premenstrual syndrome, the first day of my period is just a nightmare.
I have been in the same relationship for 8 years.. and I would love to have a baby in the next couple of years. My partner has been using condom for all this years, however, he is asking me to go back on a pill as it may help with my irritability and skin.
I am really afraid that the pill may decrease my ability to have babys in future.
Could you please suggest me a method that can be heathy for me while helping my relationship?
Thank you
Hi Elizabeth, it’s your decision (and only yours) whether or not to go on the pill. Grab a copy of my book The Fifth Vital Sign. I have two chapters on the pill. Go through them with your partner so you both understand the side effects, and then decide if it’s worth it to use hormones. In Chapter 10 I talk about ways to manage your fertility without hormones including the fertility awareness method. Also have a listen to my pill reality series (on the podcast!) Wishing you the best!
Hi i am in BCP for almost 4yrs from the time of my first birth 2014 until December 2018. I drop it off just this January 2019, i had my period for January and it is too heavy lasted for almost 4 days but then this February i am expecting my period on the 13th and it is super light as no blood comes out after 7 days i took pregnancy test then it came positive. Can you enlighten me is this still the effect of long term BDP use?
A positive pregnancy test means you are pregnant (so it’s a good idea to confirm it with your doctor).
Hi, I came off the pill 10 years ago at 34 yrs and was taking it long term since I was 18, so 16 years. I had no problems with the pill and had no period pains or heavy bleeding, great skin, felt good, no probs. Since coming off Ive had ovarian cysts, endometriosis, infertility now i have a uterine polyp that prevented an IVF cycle working last year and I am 44, no children :(. Been waiting a year on NHS to get polyp removed. I just wish there was more information when I was younger, the doctors just hand it to you and don’t explain anything and as an 18 year old I trusted their every word and feel very depressed by it all. .
Hi Lisa! My name is Hannah Baker. I don’t even know where to start ! I want to share a bit about my story and also just thank you for what you are doing for women ! First I want to thank you for speaking about the women’s body and how it works ! You are seriously blowing my mind and making sense of a lot of things happening to me! So here’s my story with a question I need an answer too!
I have never been on birth control until I got married ! I’m 23 and have been on birth control for 1.5 years. I stopped a month ago because I had some really weird side effects, I was having night sweats (gross), I stopped getting my period 8 months ago, and just found I am more sad and not myself. I spotted from June 2018-september 2018 and since then haven’t had a period. I went to my nurse practitioner in august convinced I may be pregnant and she did a test and said no I wasn’t. I asked if not getting my period would affect my chances of having children and she said no, just think of it as a bonus side effect…. I now know that thats not the whole truth and was super enraged when my friend suggested I listen to the modern moms podcast that you were on. I now know that its terrible not to get your period and honestly felt weird about not getting it, just didn’t feel natural. my friend told me about FAM and her great success with it so I started researching and bought the book “taking huge of your fertility”. I went off birth control mid February 2019 because my husband and I want to try having children in may and my practitioner said maybe I should come off birth control a few months before if im more comfortable with that. Which after my research and listening to your podcast I now know the reality of what birth control does to your body. You mentioned in a podcast that it can take 6 months to get your period back and 2 years to regulate your cycle and that trying to have children right after birth control is not ideal because your body has lost so many nutrients. I got my period back 3 weeks after stopping birth control and was really excited then found out that its a withdrawal bleed bc my body has had so many nutrients taken out because of birth control.
I am tracking my cycles now or have been preparing since I haven’t hard a real period yet. I guess what I want to ask is if we still decide to get pregnant in may and that truly happens, what are the potential effects to my baby and is it worth the risk?
Hi Hannah! Everyone is different, but even if your period comes back right away, your body still needs time for the nutrients to be replenished. The risk of miscarriage is higher immediately post-pill, so if you are able to take a period of 6-12 months (minimum) to focus on nutrition, supplementation (for both you and your partner), and healthy lifestyle choices, you’ll be setting yourself up for health in pregnancy and postpartum. Have a read through Chapter 17 of The Fifth Vital Sign for additional details.
I think the writer here really needs to distinguish cause-and-effect from correlations. Just because something is correlated, does not mean that one directly causes the other. There are many variables that can come into play to cause both items to be related. I noticed this in MOST of your statements.
Secondly, some of the sources you posted only found those correlations with oral pills, and not other methods (IUD, patches, etc.), which means that it may not be an issue with tampering with your hormones, but rather with oral pills specifically and the complications with their route.
Obviously, many women have the issues experienced above. But not everyone. And maybe not even most. Making blanket statements is not productive, but educating people on potential risks can be, when detailed properly.
There is a great deal of evidence that shows cause and effect. I detail the research in my book: The Fifth Vital Sign (over 1000 references to sift through).
I’m 20 now, been on contraceptive for 6 years. I’m not wanting kids both me and my partner agree we are to young but he doesn’t like the idea of being on the pill for so long… And to be honest I’m worried it will affect my fertility for the future when I do want kids. I’ve never really known what it’s like being off the contraceptive while sexually active but I also don’t want to get pregnant so young… If you could give me some feed back on what I should do or some insights of what you think I would appreciate it because I am scared and unsure of what to do
Hi Jeanine, there are a variety of non-hormonal birth control options including fertility awareness, condoms, withdrawal, cervical cap, and others. I go over these and other options in my book The Fifth Vital Sign. Also, have a listen to the fertility awareness episodes of the podcast: http://fertilityfriday.com/fertilityawareness
Hi Lisa, I’m working my way through your older podcasts, I downloaded many for a vacation and I’m hooked! We are a 36y/o couple trying for baby#1 after I’ve been on BC 🤦 for all but about 4-5 years of my menstruating life. Now, it’s a big regret. We’ve been trying for 4 cycles since IUD removal.
I’m really interested in your next mastery class but as a fellow Canadian, I hope you have a Canadian billing system?
I don’t spend my Canadian dollars in US funds, it’s a political stand of mine to support our currency and our economy and not the US. I hope you have alternative means of paying in Canadian funds?
Thanks so much, I’d love to be part of the next group. Feel free to reach out privately. I think this question could be a good addition to your faq section 🙂 I can’t be the only one who feels this way?
Thanks so much! 🥰
Hi Erica,
I’m so glad you found the podcast! For Fertility Awareness Mastery I charge in US funds. Women join my program from all over the world (including Canada). The money is converted into Canadian funds once you pay, so you are able to see the converted rate at that time. I already have several women on the waiting list for next time, so I do hope you decide to join us! 🙂 L.
Hey! As a journalist, I appreciate the thorough research and attribution here. However, I think it’s dangerous to oversimplify some of it the way you do in some of the headers, especially where it reads “The pill causes depression and anxiety”. That’s just inaccurate, and frankly, a dangerous conclusion to draw from the research you link to. I’d recommend changing the headers to be more accurate, e.g., even editing to read “The pill may cause depression and anxiety”. Otherwise, your good information is overshadowed by irresponsible oversimplification of the research and science.
Hi Sarah, I stand by my comment. I my book, The Fifth Vital Sign, I detail the ways the pill causes depression and anxiety in women. It’s even more dangerous that most women on the pill have no idea about the multitude of side effects clearly shown in the scientific literature. Much less dangerous to actually tell them about the side effects (so they know) as I do in this article.
I’ve been in the pill since the age 16 , I haven’t really had any side effect well none I’ve really notice, can’t really remember how I was off it I am now 22 .. but am worried about my fertility and weather the pill can or will effect me .. I’ve been in a relationship for 5 years and really considering coming off it as am scared it may leave me not being able to have kids and that something me and my partner wants although he wants to wait another 2 years am just not sure weather it’s a good thing for me to continue on the pill for that long .. suppose my question is can the pill affect me from having kids
Hi Zoe, grab a copy of The Fifth Vital Sign for more details on the side effects of the pill. In Chapters 7 and 8 I cover the side effects with over 250 scientific references to back it up. It is important to know the effects on your body, as well as how it affects fertility.
Hey Lisa,
I am 31 years old, married. I get my periods every month and I am experiencing heavy periods on an average once in 5-6 months.
This heavy periods or (menorrhagia) is happening with me for past 2-3 years I am complaining to my gynecologist about my Heavy Periods.
This year Nov 2018, I had the heaviest period, it came on 33rd day since last period and instead of slowing down, flow (along with clots) increased on 5th day onwards. 5-8th days were horrible and my doctor suggested me to start BC pills. And I am on my BC pills since Dec 2018.
I know its just 6-7 months and I am not seeing any major side effects right now. I am not really sure whether it fixing my hormonal imbalance causing menorrhagia. As I still experienced heavy period, once twice when I had a bit more physical exertion throughout the month. I am on my BC pills since Dec 2019.
I want to stop taking pills and I want my fertility back on track and I really want to start conceiving.
The doctor is not letting me stop taking pills, and not even telling me till when I am supposed to take these pills.
Can you share your insights on this, I am not really sure of what to do.
Hi Neha, your doctor cannot tell you that you have to take birth control pills. Your doctor can recommend birth control pills and you can choose whether you wish to continue taking them or not. If you are experiencing abnormal bleeding, you may have to consider going to a new doctor who is willing to investigate (do testing like an ultrasound to determine if there is a problem). Birth control does not heal, cure, or fix anything. It simply masks any problems that are there. Consider getting a new doctor if you are not satisfied. Have a listen to this podcast episode. Also, grab a copy of The Fifth Vital Sign for more on the side effects of birth control, and why it is not a solution to period problems.
Hello! I just turned 30 last week and stopped BCP two cycles ago. I took my first BCP at age 14, just for a few months (Yaz) but it made me horrifically sick. I started again at age 18 (Nuva Ring for a few months and then Microgestin for the rest of the 12 years). I took Yaz at such a young age to try to regulate very heavy/painful and irregular cycles as well as to clear up very horrible acne (one woman once told me that looking at my face broke her heart). I started again at 18 because I fell for the lies that periods are gross and a light/regular/or even non-existent period would make me the happiest. I took BCP continuously for most of the 12 years so I only had bleeding 2-3 times a year. I took 6 months off of the pill when I was 21 and my cycles were extremely regular (I could predict AF to the hour!) Soon after I started taking it continuously again I got my first abnormal pap, and co-testing confirmed an HPV infection. I had abnormal paps for the next 6 years. I’d have colposcopies twice a year that showed the cells continuing to get more and more abnormal and spreading further through my cervix. A Dr also told me the softer interior cervix cells were migrating to the outside of my cervix. I had a crying procedure (freezing off the infected cells) but my paps continued to be abnormal. I begged doctors to tell me why the infection was not going away and at what point do we do something about it. 4 different doctors just kept telling me to keep getting colposcopies every 6 months. During these 7 years I experienced excruciating pain during intercourse and would bleed heavily every time. Believe it or not, but I never once suspected it had anything to do with the BCPs. Finally I started going to a women’s clinic where a nurse-midwife told me to start taking folic acid and suggested I may benefit from giving myself the week off every month instead of taking the pills continuously. My next pap came back normal and I haven’t had an abnormal since. At the same time, the intercourse pain and bleeding completely vanished (Drs we’re suggesting seeing an intercourse physical therapist which freaked me out!)
I never realized what else BCPs we’re doing to my body until now that it’s been a few months. I’ve been trying to lose weight for years with no success, but in these past 2 months I’ve lost 15 pounds with no additional effort. I have only had 1 migraine rather than the usual 2-3 every month.
I am so glad to have found FAM. I have been to countless doctors for all sorts of symptoms and health problems and no one ever suggested it could be the birth control. My husband and I are excited to start TTC and I am so thankful for resources like this to help me get healthy and to finally embrace my fertility and natural cycles rather than thinking they are gross.