Tried 4 diff BCPs.. looking for suggestions for something new

bella1829 · 08-16-2008, 10:10 AM

Hi everyone, in about two years, I've tried 4 different BCPs. I started with Mircette (stopped it b/c I had no appetite on it and I became very depressed), Tri-Sprintec (stopped it b/c it made me psycho and depressed), Kariva and then Alesse (and I stopped both of those because of the depression, and Alesse made me break out). I've been off BC for almost a year and I'm thinking of maybe going back on again- I suffer from painful cysts and extremely painful periods. When I was in college, sometimes I'd have to skip class b/c I couldn't get out of bed b/c of the pain.

However, I am nervous about the depression factor, even though I have always been on a vitamin B complex. (I never experienced depression except when I started the BCPs). Also, some of the pills I tried got rid of my appetite completely, and I'm 23, 5'2" and just under 100lbs, so I really don't want to be losing weight. I was prescribed Yaz last year but I never filled the prescription b/c I was sick of trying different pills.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've tried talking to my doctor about it but honestly I don't think she's really listening to all of my concerns, I think she only cares about the kick back she's getting from writing me a new prescription.

Thanks for any help ladies!

EllieFrog · 08-16-2008, 10:10 PM

The first pill I ever tried was Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo and it worked pretty well for me. I didn't experience any depression on it, but it made me a bit more agitated and I experienced more intense moodswings then usual. I used to break out before getting my periods (nothing major, just a few here and there) and that completely went away after I started taking the pill. Even after I quit taking it I don't break out at all anymore.
My periods were also a couple of days shorter, lighter, and very regular (I could literally predict my period to the hour almost every single month).

So overall the pill was great, except I had a couple of issues with it... it made me gain about 10lbs and I had absolutely no libido whatsoever. I am the same as you (22, 5'2", around 100 lbs). So the weight gain was a really big issue for me... that's the main reason why I stopped taking that pill. I was off it for about 1.5 years and everything went back to normal.
Now I'm on a different pill (Necon 1/35) and everything seems to be working out okay, though this pill is affecting my body differently (mostly just breast growth). I've only been on it for about a week so hopefully things won't change for the worse later on when my body gets used to it.

I would suggest trying OTC Lo, but then again everyone reacts to each pill differently. So you should talk to your doctor about it again, and if she doesn't listen then simply go to a different doctor and see what he/she says about it.
Good luck!

bella1829 · 08-17-2008, 09:52 AM

Thanks for your input, I hope your new pill works out for you too! Actually though, Tri-Sprintec is the generic for OTC Lo so I was on that for about 7 or 8 months when I realized that it was the pill that was making me go absolutely crazy!

However, I was watching TV the other day and I caught the end of a commercial for a POP.. progestin only pill? Has anyone had any experience with those or heard anything about them?

frankieswife · 08-17-2008, 12:33 PM

You may want to try either Orthotricyclen or Orthotricyclen Lo. I recently went off birth control but I was on it for almost 6 years and Orthotricyclen (regular, not Lo) was the best one I was on. Orthotricyclen Lo was too low of a dose for me. It is good for clearing up any acne and also it made my periods very light and short (4 days). Good luck!!