We can't win.

[Hrshy11]

Every few months I decide I want to switch BC brands, then chicken out or find a way to convince myself not to.

Been on OTC Lo for 5 years. Effects that annoy me: Weight, response (sex). I love that it keeps my skin in check because I had bad acne before I went on it. Been getting BTB a little last year or so.

My weight was part because I am hypothyroid and the stupid doctor at the clinic didn't tell me to raise my Synthroid when i started BC. So i went for 6 months while my metabolism went to a crawl. Finally got it righted and been fighting it ever since- if I work my butt off and run 15 times a week and eat perfectly i will lose maybe 10 pounds in 3 months but i will tone and lose inches. I have cellulite all over now and my hips keeps just getting bigger.

My libido seems fine but my body doesn't seem to respond much. Granted I don't know if it would anyway because I started BC before I became sexually active (intercourse-wise). I have a history in my family of depression/anxiety so I am very aware of those possibilities.

My doc gave my a sample of FemCon Fe for libido and I was set to try it until i saw how much more expensive it was on my insurance, so i never took it. Although I need to double check it.

Now i am back to wondering if I want to switch to something else... but.

You can't win. First of all it effects everyone differently, so you can't even get a accurate read. Two, once you get a pill that solves one thing it wreaks havoc on another:

Lower estrogen, Lower progestin for weight loss=Alesse, Mircette, Loestrin
Alesse has higher androgen: higher sex drive but more acne/hair loss
Mircette has low androgen, but I am hearing all about blood clots
Yaz/Yasmin: would be higher estrogen for me and I hear too many "i was psycho" stories.

I guess I am too scared to chance becoming pimple ridden, gaining more weight, going psycho, getting clots, or losing more of my libido so i don't even WANT to.

ARGH!!! Why couldn't this Pill have put weight in my chest not in my butt? I was already pear shaped enough.

[AmberCandy]

I have had the same problem you have with finding something that works. I've been on everything from OrthoCyclen to Yaz and they've all been terrible on me. If they didn't make me the most overly emotional angry person in the world, they gave me migraines. But for the last 5 months I have been on the generic of the Alesse you mentioned called Aviane. It doesn't do those awful mood swing effects to me, but it has made me breakout a little more than usual. Very annoying. Maybe you should talk to your OB about a low-dose pill???