HELP!! Birth Control problems - Sexual Health - Women Message Board

13304 · 10-28-2002, 06:35 PM

My girlfriend just switched from Depo-provera to a BC pill called ortho-cept. She was on Depo-provera for about 2 years. When she first got on the shot everything seemed fine. As time went on she seemed to lose her sex drive. In addition to that she said sex was becoming painful. Well she went to the doctor and got tested for various infections and problems and came out clean. This process took quite a while. She had virtually no natural lubrication and we figured that was the cause of the pain. Well needless to say we have had sex maybe a handful of times in the last year or so. Before the shot we were having sex and everything was just fine.

Two weeks ago yesterday she began taking the ortho-cept birth control pill instead of getting her next shot. Since she started taking the pill she has noticed her breasts are tender, especially around the nipple area. She has also developed a discharge. We haven't tried sex yet since she switched to the pill.

Are these normal symptoms for starting or being on a birth control pill? Has anyone else noticed similar symptoms while being on Depo-provera or a birth control pill? We both feel like depo-provera was a mistake.

Greenoctopus18 · 10-30-2002, 12:21 AM

I haven't tried depo-provera or that particular type of pill, but I have heard lots of horrible stories about Depo-Provera causing all kinds of health problems that persist for some even after discontinuing the shot. But I can see how people would find it appealing.

The pill should have had an information leaflet in the packet listing all kinds of common side-effects, or you could look up the companies site and they should have a copy of it.

Breast tenderness is definately common.
The most common listed side effects for my pill include: headaches, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, breast tenderness, change in libido, depressive moods. It also says that vaginal discharge may occur as a result of an overgrowth in yeast, which is esily treated.
These should only last within 3 months while the body adjusts.

I guess all birth control would do the same as they are similar....

paulb · 10-30-2002, 01:31 AM

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Originally posted by 13304:
My girlfriend just switched from Depo-provera to a BC pill called ortho-cept. She was on Depo-provera for about 2 years. When she first got on the shot everything seemed fine. As time went on she seemed to lose her sex drive.

This does seem to be a moderately common side-effect of the depo-MPA injection. Broadly summarised, women have two primary sex hormones. Oestrogen makes things grow, including breasts and the lining of the uterus (which is what makes the "periods") and very importantly, makes you feel good!, whilst progesterone cancels growth and favours certain secretory functions.

MPA (Provera/ Ralovera) is a progestogen - a synthetic progesterone, and giving it on its own causes a somewhat unbalanced situation in the progesterone direction - virtually no breast growth stimulation, trivial or no periods, and the woman misses out on the nice feeling Oestrogen gives her if her body "gives up" and doesn't make any by itself.

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In addition to that she said sex was becoming painful. Well she went to the doctor and got tested for various infections and problems and came out clean.

Not surprising. One of the interesting side-effects of MPA is that it makes the vagina very unfriendly to Candida or "Thrush", and probably the other non-sexually-transmitted infections as well.

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This process took quite a while. She had virtually no natural lubrication and we figured that was the cause of the pain.

That would have been exactly the reason. You have to (well, women have to...) enjoy sex to lubricate, and without lubrication, it hurts and of course, if it hurts, you don't enjoy it!

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Well needless to say we have had sex maybe a handful of times in the last year or so. Before the shot we were having sex and everything was just fine.

What obviously varies from person to person, is how much the imbalance of hormones upsets things. Some have no problems at all (and even enjoy the freedom from "Thrush") while others just don't feel good.

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Two weeks ago yesterday she began taking the ortho-cept birth control pill instead of getting her next shot. Since she started taking the pill she has noticed her breasts are tender, especially around the nipple area. She has also developed a discharge.

Both of these things indicate no more nor less than that her system has plenty of oestrogen in it and in fact, it had "forgotten" what the oestrogen feels like! You didn't mention the nausea.

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We haven't tried sex yet since she switched to the pill. Are these normal symptoms for starting or being on a birth control pill?

Absolutely!

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We both feel like depo-provera was a mistake.

Unfortunately, when things don't work out, which in this case means the treatment wasn't monitored properly, people start talking in ridiculously melodramatic terms such as "a terrible mistake" or "permanent damage" or "crippled me".

The injection must last for three months for contraception, and people want it to be reliable, so enough is given for four months, and it may keep working for six or slightly more months. But after that, the amount in the system becomes less than the natural hormone levels, and there are no residual effects from the hormone - it's just doing exactly the same job as if the body makes progesterone itself, but stronger.

A competent (in this area) doctor can combine the Depo-MPA, which is the most effective (actually, the implant is as good) contraception available, with the "pill" (actually, only Oestrogen is necessary, to re-balance things), to control bleeding for those who have irregular bleeding on Depo-MPA, and to improve mood and sexual desire. This means that you can use only enough Oestrogen (by patch or tablet) to get the good effects, but not cause heavy "periods", and have extremely effective contraception since the injection is still working, so there is no risk of pregnancy from missed pills, only possible bleeding.

It's actually a terrific form of contraception - if you understand it - and (the doctor does) know how to use it properly.

Blastoff9600 · 10-30-2002, 07:46 AM

Paulb,I just had to comment when I read that you said that Depo Provera has no lasting effects. Have you not read the studies in which they found it has lasting effects on bone density? They have found that women on it for more than a year wind up losing quite a bit of their bone density. This has been proven and it is a lasting effect. Also there are cases of impaired fertility that can last YEARS or is even permanent. I was on Depo for six months. I stopped it because of the mood swings,loss of sex drive,weight gain,and the constant bleeding. I was warned of the the side effects except the bleeding and weight gain. I also knew that fertility should return between 3 to 18 months after the last shot. Well low and behold after those 18 months and no pregnancy I had to start seeing infertility specialists. I saw several over the following years in my search to get pregnant. We wanted a second child,just to let you know I had no problems before Depo. Anyway of those doctors everyone had had patients before me that were on Depo and having problems and they told me that I would not be the last they would have to treat thanks to Depo. I even had them tell me they wished Depo Provera had never been put on the market as birth control.
Depo Provera can have lasting effects that can go on for years and years. I know I fell into that area. If you do a search you can find several sites in which other women have had to deal with long term effects of Depo Provera and these effects are documented by doctors.
I know mine has been documented as have other friends of mine. I even know a few doctors who tell their patients not to use Depo Provera because of the long term effects they themselves have seen occur and what they have researched on it.

[This message has been edited by Blastoff9600 (edited 10-30-2002).]

13304 · 10-30-2002, 10:11 AM

She did mention she felt a little nauseated the first few days she started the pill. I think that has passed though. At least she has not mentioned anything about it. We both hope that the pill will get her back to feeling a little closer to normal.