Birth control — miracle drug or nightmare?

If you experience side effects, talk to your doctor…but what happens when your doctor dismisses you?

After 3.5 years on hormonal birth control aka (The Pill), I started to feel “off.” The side effects were insidious…

First I took a summer off grad school.

Then I got into a heated argument with a gym attendant.

My acne worsened. And the tears were ever-flowing.

I figured it was the result of grad school & a full-time job. After all I was warned it wouldn’t be easy...

Finally in August 2020, I graduated. I was finally going to feel normal again. Instead, the crying, irritability, and anxiety intensified. I knew something was wrong & I DID consult a doctor.

She told me I was stressed from Covid…

My job was stable, I loved working remotely, and the tricky part of my job (event planning) was eliminated. I was no longer pulling late nights at the library or cramming for tests between work and class. Even with the uncertainty of covid, my day-to-day life was easier than when I was a grad student.

I tried eating better, walking more, and of course — therapy. All of these helped me cope. But I was still a mess.

Fast forward 1.5 years + 3 doctors later, and I was still a mess. But now I was a mess that had been prescribed Prozac.

For me this was the last straw. I knew deep down that the birth control was to blame. I wasn’t anxious all the time, and I felt depressed sporadically. The negative feelings seemed worse around my period, but it never totally went away.

Even if doctor’s told me it “couldn’t be the birth control because you’ve been on it so long,” I needed to know for sure before starting another medication with it’s own set of risks and benefits.

I met with a lovely pharmacist who validated my theory.

1 month later… I’m calm, cool, and collected. I’m motivated. The migraines are less intense. I’m less argumentative. Life is finally looking up.

Do I regret taking birth control? No. The first 3 years were great. I was able to focus on school, my career, and financial independence. I didn’t have any side effects. At the time it was the right choice for me.

But do I regret staying on it for 2.5 side-effect ridden years? Absolutely. I’ll never get back the time spent laying alone in the dark waiting for a migraine to pass, crying in the shower, or starting stupid arguments. I’d certainly be further along in my career, if I hadn’t been fighting inner chaos for over 2 years straight.

There’s not a one-sized fit all solution.

But the current attitude that women should “try harder to control thier emotions” or “just take a Prozac,” doesn’t work. Prescribing someone an anti-depressant, without ruling out side effects from current medications, is irresponsible.

Side effects aren’t always instant.

You’re not a hypochondriac and it’s not in your head. Side effects are real (even if they show up 3 years late) and it’s time we take them seriously.