What Is The Best Contraceptive Pill For Me
Contraceptive pills are tablets taken daily to prevent pregnancy. Taken correctly, they are up to 99% effective. But, because of things like missing a pill, or having diarrhoea or vomiting , on average the pill is actually about 91% effective.
There are two different types of pills available: the combined pill and the mini pill. For both types, there are many different brands available. All the different pills are almost just as effective at preventing pregnancy if taken correctly. But, some types are more suitable if you have certain health conditions or need a longer timeframe in which to take them each day.
Your doctor or pharmacist will make sure it is safe for you to take the pill before prescribing it. As different brands use different combinations of hormones, you may find that one brand works better for you than others. Working out which pill suits you best can be trial and error, based on what benefits you want to get out of the pill and the side effects you might have. We can give you pointers to help you discuss with your doctor where to start.
Most contraceptive pills need a prescription from a doctor, but two mini pills are available over the counter following an assessment by a pharmacist, and can be bought online conveniently with Superdrug Online Doctor.
The contraceptive pill does not protect you from sexually transmitted infections . The only way to do this is to use a condom every time you have sex.
Which Contraceptive Pill Has The Most Side Effects
While many women take the contraceptive pill without problems, some women have side effects. The pill affects each woman differently, so you may get different side effects than another woman on the same pill, or the side effects may be more or less serious. Both the mini pill and combined pill cause side effects, though they are slightly different.
Side effects of the contraceptive pill are caused by hormonal changes, so taking a contraceptive pill with a lower dose of hormones, such as Gedarel 20 or Mercilon, may help with side effects.
Minor side effects are usually temporary, and often improve in a few months as your body adjusts to the hormones. If you are still experiencing side effects after 3 months, or if youre finding the side effects too much to deal with, speak with your doctor about switching pills.
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When To Talk To Your Health Care Provider
Depression is serious and it should not be taken lightly. If you are experiencing depressive symptoms, you may ask your health care provider to refer you to a mental health professional, especially when the symptoms of depression you are having begin to affect your relationship with your family or at work.
If you or someone you know is having overwhelming feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, seek help right away.
You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK .
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Is It Easy To Use
Ease of use is definitely worth considering, because it can impact your ability to take as directed for the best results.
For instance, if youre always on the go, youd probably benefit from a method that you dont need to remember to take daily.
And since some options involve more than popping a pill, consider how comfortable you are with a method like, say, a birth control ring that you need to insert yourself or a birth control shot thats administered using a needle.
Hormonal Birth Control & Depression
Further research is needed to confirm whether hormonal birth control causes depression, but more recent studies indicate that birth control can lead to depressive symptoms.
A large-scale Danish study published in 2016 found that the research participants who took hormonal birth control were more likely to be diagnosed with depression or to be prescribed an antidepressant. This side effect was most commonly found in adolescents who were taking hormonal contraceptives.
Interestingly, much of the research reports that depressive symptoms subsided over time with continued use.
A separate 2016 review also studied the relationship between combined hormonal birth control and mood, but the results were inconclusive. The study authors suggested that more research and data are needed.
While there is still no definitive evidence to confirm that birth control causes depression, every person reacts differently to certain medications. If you have experienced negative side effects from your birth control, including depressive symptoms, talk to your healthcare provider about what other options might work for you.
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How Hormones Affect Your Mental Health
Hormones possibly play a role in messing with your mental health.
A small study showed that people with depression had lower levels of estrogen during the follicular phase, or the time between the first day of the period and ovulation, during which time estrogen levels normally rise.
These changes in estrogen levels may explain the reason why people experience depressive symptoms more often in the premenstrual phase, postpartum, and in perimenopause.
Similarly, when a person is using hormonal birth control, it can alter the normal level of hormones in their body, which could possibly bring changes to their mental health.
Environmental and societal factors also play a role in ones risk of depression. For instance, a family history of mood or anxiety disorders, stressful life events, adversities during childhood, and social isolation can all cause someone to be diagnosed with depression.
Would You Prefer Contraception You Do Not Have To Remember Every Day
Not all contraceptives have to be taken every day or each time you have sex.
You do not have to think about some contraceptives for months or years.
These methods need to be inserted by a health professional into your uterus or arm :
The contraceptive injection can be given 1 of 2 ways: either by an intramuscular injection into the buttock, or as a subcutaneous injection into the thigh or abdomen.
This is given every 8 weeks or every 12 weeks, depending on the type.
The subcutaneous injection can be given by a health professional, or you can be shown how to inject it yourself.
Other contraceptives that need to be changed or replaced every month or week are:
Other contraceptives used or inserted just before sex are:
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Mood Swings And Hormonal Birth Control
When beginning the pill, mood swings can be a common indicator of an onset of emotional changes. The mood swings can be characterized by anger, sudden onset of tears, feelings of lack of joy, etc. If you notice these symptoms do not waste any time and set up a time to see your doctor. The earlier you can address the symptoms the better. From personal experience, sometimes doctors will advise you to stay on the pill, promising these feelings will level out. Worse, one doctor shared that she knows of other colleagues who will tell patients the feelings are all in their heads.
If it feels like a doctor is brushing aside the very real emotional symptoms you are experiencing, try getting a second opinion. Your emotions and mental health matter and you should not have to suffer from depression and anxiety in exchange for contraception. When you visit a doctor, discuss potential alternative contraceptive options if the symptoms feel unbearable . And if you have a history of anxiety or depression be sure to share that with your doctor too.
How Can Pandia Health Help
Its now more convenient than ever before to try birth control. Dont forget to with Pandia Health to get your prescription delivered for free. We also write prescriptions for individuals who live in AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MI, NV, TX, TN, PA, WA, or WY! If you live in one of these states and need help deciding which birth control might be best for your lifestyle, you can set up an online consultation with one of our expert doctors. Join our community of empowered women and get that #PandiaPeaceOfMind knowing youll never run out of birth control on our watch.
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Should Women With History Of Depression Avoid Hormonal Birth Control
Studies are still not clear if hormonal birth control pills make depressive symptoms worse in women.
For instance, the 2017 Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that depression is not considered as a contraindication to hormonal contraceptives for women suffering from depression, citing a lack of enough evidence to prove the relationship between the two.
The CDC, along with the World Health Organization, also added that the use of combined hormonal birth control, the implant, the IUD, and the shot is not linked to worsening depressive symptoms among people who were previously diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder.
In contrast, a different study concluded that women who take progesterone-only minipills or combination oral contraceptives were more likely to receive prescriptions for an antidepressant compared to women who did not use these types of contraceptives.
Which Contraceptive Pill Will Affect My Sex Drive
Women report both an increase and a decrease in their sex drive when taking the contraceptive pill.
The effects of all pills on sex drive are very unpredictable and vary from woman to woman. If you are unhappy with the changes you notice or feel, it is worth waiting to see if they disappear after 3 months. If they do not, talk to your doctor about your options.
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Which Contraceptive Pill Is Best For Pcos
PCOS is a common health problem caused by hormonal imbalances. Some of the main symptoms are irregular periods, growing facial hair and difficulty getting pregnant.
Hormonal contraception can help balance and regulate your hormone levels, which can reduce PCOS symptoms. The combined pill is recommended to manage PCOS symptoms because it regulates the oestrogen and progesterone in your system.
If you cannot take the combined pill, your doctor may advise you to try the mini pill. Regulating your levels of progesterone can help manage the symptoms of PCOS.
What Contraceptive Pill Should I Take If I Am Overweight
If your BMI is over 30, you should take the mini pill. This is because the combined pill can increase your risk of blood clots and heart problems. If you have a high BMI you are already at a higher risk of these. Our doctors recommend Cerazette or Cerelle when starting to take the mini pill if you have a high BMI.
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Different Types Of Mental Wellness Sites And Why You Should Pick Them
Mental wellness internet sites are an excellent way to get information on various psychological health and wellness problems and therapies. They can also be an option to standard specialists.
When you are searching for a mental health and wellness website, there are lots of points that you must take into consideration. These include the experience of the specialist and the web sites credentials, as well as their area as well as cost.
When you are looking for a psychological health and wellness site, you intend to make certain that the specialist recognizes mental health conditions. The place of the therapist is convenient. They have a level of know-how that will help you. It is essential to recognize what qualifications they have prior to selecting your website.
Heres Exactly How To Find The Best Birth Control Pill For You
Thanks to the plethora of options at your disposal, choosing the right birth control can feel like youre blindfolded and trying to pin the tail on the contraceptive donkey. Even if you narrow your focus to just the pill, you still have a lot of possible choices out there. But if you do your homeworkand are prepared to possibly engage in some trial and erroryou can pinpoint the best birth control pill based on your needs.
Birth control pills that contain a mixture of estrogen and progestin are the most common type out there.
So, how do combination pills work to keep you pregnancy-free? During your typical menstrual cycle, theres a hormonal surge that triggers the release of an egg to potentially be fertilized, Justine P. Wu, M.D., a family planning expert and assistant professor in the department of family medicine within the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan, tells SELF.
” overrides that normal hormonal surge, and because of that, there’s no egg released, says Dr. Wu, who is also a board chair member of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals. Progestin does its part by thickening your cervical mucus to make it harder for sperm to move and thinning your uterine lining, which makes it less likely for any egg that does get fertilized to attach to it.
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Why Confusion Surrounding Birth Control And Mental Health Continues
The confusion appears to be a result of the longstanding fact that men have dominated the healthcare space, and as a result, have determined womens health care outcomes and treatment options. Perhaps thats the reason we have years of research claiming hormonal birth control did not impact womens emotions, despite many women sharing first hand that they were feeling sad, anxious, and depressed after starting the pill.
At the end of the day, understanding that the womens health care space has been largely dominated by male scientists is important. That dynamic is changing, as are peoples viewswomens voices are being heard and the impact is resounding. Voicing our views and symptoms from the effects we feel from birth control is important.
Women tend to underreport or choose not to self-report symptoms of depression or anxiety because of the societal stigma that remains. But by women reporting how certain health care solutions make them feel, we allow other women to do the same, paving the pathway to change and improved healthcare solutions for a variety of womens health care issues.
So if youre feeling adverse emotional symptoms from birth control, or any medical solution, reporting these adverse symptoms is powerful. By doing so, youre playing your part in improving womens health care for women everywhere.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Postpartum Depression
Postpartum depression in women occurs after they have a baby as a result of changes in hormones. During pregnancy, the hormones estrogen and progesterone are at their highest. The major drop after childbirth may lead to increased feelings of sadness. While postpartum depression manifests differently in each individual, common symptoms include the following:
- Feeling sad, hopeless, or overwhelmed
- Having thoughts of hurting the baby or yourself
- Not feeling connected to the baby
- Having no energy or motivation
- Eating too little or too much
- Losing interest or pleasure in things you previously enjoyed
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Having aches and pains that do not go away
Some of these symptoms could be indicative of additional health conditions. Therefore, it may be a good idea to track your symptoms in a journal, so you can provide your doctor with greater context. From there, they can help you find an appropriate treatment method.
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Which Contraceptive Pill Is Best For My Skin
The best pill for hormonal acne is the combined pill. It can help to balance and regulate your hormone levels, preventing acne flare-ups.
Acne happens when the pores of your skin become clogged up with oil, dead skin, or bacteria. This sometimes happens because your skin produces too much sebum, an oily substance that helps protect the skin. It has been found that oestrogen can reduce the amount of sebum your skin produces, making the combined pill an effective treatment for acne.
Dianette is a combined pill that can be prescribed to women as a treatment for acne rather than as a contraceptive, but it does have a higher risk of blood clots than other pills. This means its not a recommended contraceptive pill. Yasmin and Lucette are safer alternatives that doctors may recommend for acne.
Just How To Utilize The Net For Mental Health And Wellness Treatment
Psychological health and wellness treatment has actually been altering swiftly with the intro of new modern technologies. People are turning to the net for self-help and also mental health treatment.
On the internet therapy is primarily used for stress and anxiety monitoring and also anxiety. It can also be used for other psychological health issues like consuming disorders, dependency, trauma, etc.
Some people make use of on-line counselling to connect with others who have similar troubles or experiences, which can be very useful in handling ones own mental health. Best Birth Control For Anxiety
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No Your Birth Control Wont Cause Depression
Women who struggle with mental illness often dont take the most effective birth control methods because they worry the hormones in these contraceptives can trigger depression and suicide, a myth that has been perpetuated by recent studies.
A new Northwestern Medicine study has found hormonal contraceptives the pill, IUDs, vaginal rings, etc. do not cause depression, and women should feel free to choose from the wide variety of effective birth control methods available.
This is a very common concern, said senior author Dr. Jessica Kiley, chief of general obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a Northwestern Medicine gynecologist. For some patients with anxiety disorders, when you discuss a contraceptives potential side effect, they get very worried. Were hoping to encourage women to focus on their contraceptive needs and learn about options that are unlikely to cause depression.
The study is the first to provide guidance in the official journal of the American Psychiatric Association on the choice of contraceptives for women with depression and other psychiatric disorders. The study is a comprehensive review of published research of contraceptives for women with psychiatric disorders. The authors goal is to help women plan pregnancy for when they can manage both their mental and reproductive health. It was published November 10 in the American Journal of Psychiatry.