“Frankly I would rather be gardening than having sex.”
Is this something you’ve ever thought or even said? If so, you are by no means alone. 40% of American women complain of low desire to have sex, and 81% of women have taken the birth control pill at some point in their lives. Is there a connection? Read on to find out.
At 19 I was prescribed the Pill, not for birth control, but rather so I could have a more regular period. Not only were my periods coming only two or three times a year but when they came, they were ferocious! The pain, oh the pain, the “stay home from work” cramps, the mood swings where I’d morph into someone I didn’t recognize, the “I’ve seriously gained 5lbs in two days!” bloating, along with many other undesirables.
This had been going on for a number of years and I decided I’d had enough already. After I relayed all of this to my doctor, she whipped out her prescription pad and sent me along my way. What I didn’t know back then was my troubles were all because of a sneaky hormonal imbalance, and the prescription I was holding would only mask the life-disrupting symptoms I was experiencing.
Fast forward to age 24. I had now been on the Pill for about five years and I still wasn’t happy. I know, I’m hard to please! All those teenage issues had pretty much disappeared but (there’s always a but!) they had been replaced by chronic yeast and urinary tract infections and a really blah sex drive (at 24!). There was a whole year where I had a UTI at least once a month and I remember thinking my low libido was a good thing because I couldn’t possibly handle another UTI or round of antibiotics. Good times!
Since that time I’ve learned a whole lot about the Pill and it’s effects (good and bad) on a woman’s body. I have conversations with women in their 20’s and 30’s almost every day about low desire for sex, pain during sex, vaginal dryness, chronic yeast infections, crazy mood swings and a general feeling that things just aren’t right “down there.”
Recently, I listened to a talk by a doctor named Andrew Goldstein. He spoke about how the pill controls our hormones and I was blown away by what he had to say. This guy is seriously the Pill God! He talked very specifically about why the pill causes a lot of these issues and I just had to share his pearls of wisdom with you!
Fact #1: Birth control pills are not a great idea for every woman.
Some women do very well on the pill but not all women are created equal. A pill that is good for one can be awful for another. This is because we all have different kinds of hormone receptors. According to Dr. Goldstein, some women have efficient receptors – kind of like the way a Prius sips gasoline, they just sip hormones. While others have inefficient receptors, similar to the way a Hummer guzzles gasoline, these women’s receptors need more hormones to function properly. Approximately 1/3 of women have Hummer receptors. I’m one of them and you might be too!
Here’s the deal: All birth control pills lower estrogen and testosterone in the body. They do this by suppressing the ovaries’ production of estrogen and testosterone. The estrogen in a pill is supposed to replace some of the estrogen that your body would be making but a low- dose pill (which is very popular nowadays) is not giving you back enough estrogen and every month you are running at a hormonal deficit.
So women who are Hummers, the ones who need tons of hormones to function optimally (moi!), don’t do well on the pill. Over time it causes their glands to not function, which in turn lowers libido, thins the vaginal tissues, and shrinks the clitoris and the labia. They develop vaginal dryness and pain during sex along with other issues.
Can we just talk about clitoral shrinkage for a second?! Are you gals as freaked out by that notion as I am? Find that hard to believe? There’s actually proof. Dr. Goldstein referenced a recent study done on the pill Yaz. He said they found that in just 3 months on Yaz, women’s labia minora decreased in size and the size of the clitoris decreased by 15%! Whoa!
Fact #2: Birth control pills can decrease your sex drive.
Hold on to your knickers ladies, I’m gonna get a little scientific here. Testosterone is the hormone responsible for your sex drive. The pill causes the liver to make a protein called Sex-Hormone Binding Globulin. SHBG binds to testosterone and makes it inactive. Therefore, when SHBG goes up in the body, it lowers the amount of free testosterone. Not good for your lovely libido. A woman not on the pill typically has a SHBG level of 20-30, but a woman on the pill can have a SHBG level of 200-300 and even up to 500!
A woman’s free testosterone level should be 0.8-1.0 but it dramatically goes down when SHBG levels are too high. Dr. Goldstein described a 27 year-old patient of his who had a free testosterone level of .01, which is 1/70th of what she was supposed to have! That is below the average levels of women in their 60’s! In some cases, the SHBG levels never return to their normal levels, yet doctors rarely if ever warn their patients of these consequences when prescribing the pill.
Fact #3: Birth control pills can cause dryness and painful sex, even if you’ve stopped taking them.
The vagina is a hormone-dependent organ, meaning that it needs adequate amounts of hormones in order to function properly. This is different for each woman – remember the Prius vs Hummer concept. Hormonal signals sent to the glands at the opening of the vagina cause them to produce something called mucin, a slippery lubrication that causes a woman to feel wet. Here’s the kicker: These glands depend only on testosterone to work. If a woman does not have enough testosterone in her body, these glands literally stop working, and she stops lubricating. Since the pill reduces the amount of testosterone in the body by a significant amount, there is decreased lubrication and ultimately painful sex for some women.
Remember the high SHBG levels I mentioned above? If SHBG levels stay high, testosterone stays low and this can take awhile to reverse. This is why women who develop pain during sex while on the pill, might continue to feel pain even if they stop taking it, because of the pill’s long term effects on SHBG levels and testosterone levels.
Okay that is enough gloom and doom for one post. Lucky for you, there are tons of things you can do to turn things around if you are dealing with anything I just described.
#1 You can get off the pill!
I know this is a scary prospect for many women but I personally think clitoral shrinkage is much more terrifying! Dr. Goldstein highly recommends the IUD and I highly recommend a natural birth control method called the Fertility Awareness Method. This involves taking your basal body temperature and observing your cervical fluid. I know this doesn’t sound too sexy but it has seriously changed my relationship with my body. If you want to know more, get your hands on my Ditch Your Birth Control Protocol and also check out the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility
#2 Did you know 33% of US teens and 14% of all US women are taking oral contraceptives for reasons other than birth control?
There are a whole lot of unhappy hormones in this country. You can start addressing an underlying hormonal imbalance you may be dealing with by changing the way you see food. It may seem far-fetched, but every single bite you take affects your hormones and ultimately the health of your beautiful bod! Start by adding in leafy green vegetables. Kale, spinach, and swiss chard are all top 10’s in my book. Extra points if you eat them in at least one meal every day! If you want even more, consider my Fix Your Period 12-Week Program to jumpstart your hormonal health. This program will put you on track to seriously getting your va-va voom back ladies!
#3 If you are having issues with dryness and/or painful sex, here are some solutions.
- You should read my post on Julva, the dream cream for your vulva. It was formulated by my colleague Dr. Anna Cabeca, an OB/GYN, and it contains DHEA, a precursor hormone to estrogen and testosterone. It has worked miracles in many of my client’s sex lives! More lubrication, high libido, better sex! Here’s that post again. You can also get a free 7-day trial – just pay for shipping.
- Try a natural lubricant like SYLK. SYLK is the only moisturizing lubricant made from 100% purified natural New Zealand kiwi vine extract. If you give SYLK a try, you can get free shipping when you use coupon code PERIODGIRL
- Dr. Goldstein suggests speaking to your doctor about a local estrogen/testosterone combination gel (it should have a 10:1 ratio of testosterone to estrogen). It is typically applied to the vulva, in the vagina and on the clitoris. The reason for this is because the nerves in these areas are hormone-dependent, but much more testosterone dependent than estrogen dependent. Hence the reason for the 10:1 testosterone to estrogen ratio. Testosterone will help the lubrication issues and estrogen will help the pain issues. Please note, this is very individualized and you need to see your doctor to determine the prescription and the course that is best for you.
- DHEA is a hormone produced by the adrenal glands. It is a building block that provides the body everything it needs to make estrogen and testosterone and it is available over the counter in the US. According to Dr. Goldstein, there are clinical trials using DHEA intra-vaginally rather than estrogen and/or testosterone that are promising for the treatment of vaginal dryness. He says “It’s great because it gives the vagina the building blocks to make both of these hormones. It not only improves lubrication but it improves the quality of the mucus membranes, the health of the blood vessels and the health of the nerves.” Again, you should consult your doctor before taking any hormones.
- Another resource is Dr. Goldstein’s book When Sex Hurts: A Woman’s Guide to Banishing Sexual Pain. It is a fantastic resource if you want to learn more about Dr. Goldstein’s work.
I believe that good sexual health is your birthright. You need to fully live in your sexual self in order to fully live in all areas of your life.
101 thoughts on “The Pill and Your Sex Drive – How to Start Reclaiming Your Va Va Voom!”
Hi Nicole, I have been diagnosed with PCOS in 2016(when I was still a virgin) My doctor has prescribed Yasmin and advised that it can control my PCOS, I’ve raised my concern to my GP about wanting to have children in future and worried that PCOS/the pills may reduce the chances of fertility and my GP advised that by taking the pills, it increase the chances of me getting pregnant in future since I’ve PCOS. I took GP’s advice and have been on the pill for nearly 3 years. I’ve been with my current bf for 2.5 years and never enjoyed sex, my nipples are extremely sensitive too. It makes me angry whenever it’s been rubbed even against my own tshirt if I wasnt wearing a bra. It’s been bothering me all this time but I wasnt brave enough to ask my GP even though I’ve hinted her a few times about the side effects. It started to affect my relationship now and I’m thinking of stopping the pills. I’m not sure whether my low sex drive was caused by my PCOS or the pills. Since I’ve never had sex before I started the pill but I’ve ever felt horny in the past and didnt have sensitive nipples in the past. I’m concerned that if I stopped the pill, my PCOS might get worse and the chances of me having children would be lower in future. I’m also worried that by stopping the pills, I might have side effects(acne and hair loss) and it might not even help to enhance my sex drive. Not sure what I should do. 🙁
I was on the depo shot for about 2 years and got off of it 3 years ago and from the very moment I got my first shot I lost my sex drive completely. now I know it’s because of the shot. before i was on it i was a TOTAL nympho!! and since I’ve started BC to this day my boyfriend and I don’t even have a fun time during sex and I hate it.. is there any solutions ? It’s been three years since I’ve been off of it and my sex drive hasn’t even came back at all it’s depressing and I’ve completely lost myself I wish I can reverse back into time. Mind you i lost my sex drive at 17 and haven’t orgasmed since, I’m now in my 20’s and can’t even get turned on no matter what I do… pretty sure that’s not normal and I blame the birth control for this 100%
Hi there,
I am in a a terrible state at the moment as I am really afraid my libido will never came back. I had hight testosterone and facial hair growth and so was prescribed contraceptive pill for suspected PCOS. This is extremely frustrating as it seems that it is not well thought through at all that I got prescribed the pill in the first place because I already had a very high SHGB level and did not have high free testosterone.
I lost my libido entirely almost immediately after starting the pill and this also destroyed my relationship. I did not know what was happening and decided that my loss of libido was completely a result of a wrong relationship.
I took the pill for half a year as doctors told me and it has helped with hair growth a tiny bit, but my libido is not back at all, even though I stopped the pill over a month ago. I know some women say that their libido comes back after a few months, but I know that for others they never get it back and I am so terrrified about it that all I can do is cry. I feel very lonely and scared and I am having an identity crisis. Prior to the pill I was a very sexual person and suddenly I cannot undertsand what is sex about at all. Combined with a few other circumstances in my life this is making me very depressed.
Is there anything I can do to ‘encourage’ my libido to come back? I read about maca powder and I ordered some already. I also hear it might be worth it to try a liver detox (no alcohol and so on), Do you have any other advice?
Thank you!
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Sending you lots of love!
Hi there Nicole,
I know you’ve heard this a lot but it just feels good to know you’re not alone, so THANK YOU!!!
Ive been on the pill for about 3 years now and I must say at first I do enjoy the benefits (bigger breasts, clear skin etc.) of it. However, this past year Ive noticed my mood swings got worse and the dryness is more frequent now. Whenever I had my period until a few days of starting a new set of BC ill be in the mood but it’ll all be gone before i get to the 5th pill. My VJJ hurts and is recently becoming intolerable. I am planning to get off from it and try a more natural method. May i have your insight on this? Thank you so much.
Finally there is light at the end of the tunnel. I’ve been having issues with pain during sex, yeast infections and UTI’s since the moment I went on to Alri BC. I’m only 25 and I suffer from extreme dryness and so much pain the moment my bf even tries to have intercourse with me. Only now after about 5 years am I realizing that this could all be caused from my BC. I can’t wait to bring all of these points in this article up to the specialist, and hopefully for once in my life actually enjoy having sex.
Apri BC
Hi Nicole,
I’m almost in tears as a write this. I finally just plucked up the courage to go to my doctor to discuss my issue, and his response was unbelievable. When I was sixteen, I had a great sex drive. Despite not having sex with my boyfriend, I was absolutely desperate to. During my next relationship, I went on the pill to be safe when I finally did engage in sex, but then my drive was gone. I put it down to not really loving the guy. Since him, I’ve had a string of relationships, and I’ve never really wanted to have sex with them. Again, I always put it down to it being with the wrong guy. I now am totally in love. I have the most amazing boyfriend, but I still have absolutely no sex drive. No arousal. I’m completely dry. No sex dreams. Nothing. I’m SO distressed, so embarrassed, and just feel totally worthless. I just told this to my doctor, he smiled, and said “you know, most of time this is just due to a bad relationship”, and then he sent me on my way. I just want to break down and cry. I’m 23 by the way, and have been on the pill on and off for 4 years. I’ve now been off it for 3 months. What on earth do I do?? Is it stress? Why am I not aroused? What’s wrong with me??
Hi, I’m a glad to hear I am not alone, when my boyfriend and I first met we were at it like rabbits! A few months in I got an implant put in and my libido has been decreasing since, now 4 years later it is non existent. Is there a contraception the exists which does not affect libido?
the copper IUD.
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Living a life of a single parent was like a living hell to me, Things went rough when my husband left me and my 90 days daughter and choose to go and stay with his secret lover which i never knew till he packed his things out of the house. The most painful thing was that they both stayed close to my house which made me more jealous whenever i see them together, I taught of a way to stop this and make my marriage work perfectly. I was so happy when i came in contact with Prophet Rita through these details +2348114498994 and via email: pr***************@gm***.com which i found through the internet. Prophet Rita has given me my life back by making sure that my husband left his secret lover and came back to the house which has made me happy to have him back and i am so happy today through the help of this great woman. Please do share with me in this wonderful work of prophet Rita, for she is a miracle to my life and to the world.
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Living a life of a single parent was like a living hell to me, Things went rough when my husband left me and my 90 days daughter and choose to go and stay with his secret lover which i never knew till he packed his things out of the house. The most painful thing was that they both stayed close to my house which made me more jealous whenever i see them together, I taught of a way to stop this and make my marriage work perfectly. I was so happy when i came in contact with Prophet Rita through these details +2348114498994 and via email: pr***************@gm***.com which i found through the internet. Prophet Rita has given me my life back by making sure that my husband left his secret lover and came back to the house which has made me happy to have him back and i am so happy today through the help of this great woman. Please do share with me in this wonderful work of prophet Rita, for she is a miracle to my life and to the world.
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Seriously, stopping the pill has changed my life. I was on it for several years do to issues with a long, heavy period and horrible cramps. I went through several different kinds and finally landed on Seasonique a couple of years after I was married. The changes happened slowly and not all at once, but I ended up being a person that hated sex – despite having a healthy libido and no issues before, I had no sex drive whatsoever, was as dry as a desert and intercourse was horribly painful, no matter how much or what kind we used. Every attempt (even in the rare case that I was in the mood) ended in tears and fighting. I honestly thought that maybe I just was no longer attracted to my husband. Needless to say this affected my marriage. I tried 3 different OB/GYNS that basically told me it was all in my head. Not one of them mentioned it could be from the pill. Finally, I came across some websites that gave a connection between the pill and the issues I was having, so I decided to try to stop taking it. 2 months later, I am a different person. Withing a week I noticed a dramatic increase in lubrication. Within 2 weeks I was ready to attempt intercourse…it still hurt at first (probably from disuse), but became much more tolerable. Now not only do I want to have sex again, but I am able to do so virtually pain-free. My mood is improved and my marriage is thriving. I just want other people to know that things can get better! The only other thing that may be improving things as well is that my neurologist put me on a low dose antidepressant about a month ago for chronic back pain related to scoliosis. I can’t say it is helping with my back pain, but I can’t yet rule it out for helping some of the other issues. Just throwing that out there in case it helps someone else. I’m so glad this site is providing information to women that drs are just not giving.
You’ve made my heart so happy. I’m so proud of you. xo
after reading this whole article I am bawling my eyes out. After getting into a huge fight with my boyfriend over sex (once again) I decided to look up what was wrong with me (I made so many doctors visits and he said nothing was wrong) and I stumbled on your site. When me and my boyfriend first met about a year ago I was having sex with him 2-5 times a day with him. Crazy, I know, but when we could we did it and it was amazing. Shortly I decided to get on the pill to be more responsible and sex has gone downhill since then. We rarely have sex and it’s been the source of many arguments because he thinks I’m not attracted to him when i want him. When we do have sex I want it to end quick so it doesn’t burn after. For a while I felt like I was losing my mind but I’m not. After reading this im never touching those pills again. I want to go to a doctor to check my hormone levels but I would like some input on things I can do to make my sex drive go up. I just want to be in a happy relationship with my man again and it’s hard when I make it seem like I don’t want sex because I’m scared of the pain, infections, or mood swings. Please help me out. Thanks.
Hi there!
I understand your pain
I’m sorry. I know how you feel. My boyfriend and I were the same way; I used to LOVE sex, couldn’t get enough of it but for months now since being on birth control my libido has been steadily dropping. Add to the mix monthly UTIs and you get someone who is not too excited about sex and possibly getting another painful infection. I finally told my boyfriend how I have been feeling and he thought I didn’t want him anymore which resulted in a fight. I don’t know what to do because I want to be on birth control in order to be safe, but I really miss wanting sex and now it’s starting to mess up my relationship.
Hi Nicole,
I’m wandering if you can help me, I’ve been on numerous pills from Yasmin originally to lastly the patch an others inbetween and they all resulted in promising effects from lighter regular periods, free from my previous death cramps and clear skin but being off it has allowed my libido to return when I’m less stressed. The only problem is my skin is worse than before and back to spending days on end in bed with cramps and back pain. I really can’t find a solution for the inbetween. Was trying to establish a contraceptive method but they all seem to do the same thing. Please help!!!!
Should’ve checked my spelling on the last post! OMG! SO glad I came across this website. I started the Pill 3 months before getting married. Never had sex before getting married; waited until we were married to consumate our relationship. We’ve been married almost a year now & I can count on 1 hand how many times we’ve had sex. I feel SO bad for my husband, it’s like he’s in a 20 year long marriage. Prior to going on the Pill, my sex drive almost bordered on making me a nympho…all that changed! I don’t even get wet, let alone have the desire to have sex. I even used to watch porn to relieve myself when the sex drive got too high prior to taking the Pill…it’s like I have a totally different body now. HELP please as I am desperate to save my very new marriage…we haven’t even had our first anniversary as yet.
I am seriously in the EXACT same boat as you. Like word for word. If you find anything to help, PLEASE let me know. Please. @Desperate(Amended)
Hi Kelsea!
I just sent my 3 part video series to you, this should help clear up a ton of questions! xoxox, Nicole.
OMG! SO glad I came across this website. I started the Pill 3 months before getting married. Never had sex before married & waiting until we were married to consumate our relationship. We’ve been married almost a year and I can count on 1 hand how many times we’ve had sex. I feel SO bad for my husband, it’s like he’s in a 20 year long marriage. Prior to going on the Pill, my sex drive almost bored on making me a nympho…all that changed! I don’t even get wet, let alone have the desire to have sex. I even used to watch porn to relieve myself when the sex drive got too high prior to taking the Pill…it’s like I have a totally different body now. HELP please as I am desperate to save my very new marriage…we haven’t even had our first anniversary as yet.
Hi, thanks for this cool post.
My fiance and I have been together for 3 years, she is German and I am from the US, so we have had to work a lot to see each other and surprisingly, in the 3 years we’ve been together, we have only been apart for a total of 5 months. We are currently in the process of getting her fiance visa. I recently spent three months with her in Germany where we had an awesome time, our relationship was stable, we had no problems between us. After I left Germany, she went to South Africa to work with her sister while we waited for the visa process. We thought it would be okay that she stop taking the pill, since she wouldn’t be sexually active. Well it turns out within 3 weeks of being off the pill, she no longer loves me the way she used to. She says that she doesn’t know what is going on in her head. There happens to be a guy that she met and she has told me that she has feelings for him and me at the same time and that she doesn’t know how this happened. She has told me at times she feels suicidal because she can’t understand how she can go from having a beautiful relationship with me to just being overtaken with feelings for another man she just met. I was so grateful that she finally told me because it’s not that she wants this, it’s just happening. She hasn’t cheated on me, but she says that she has to control herself A LOT not to do anything with him.
My question is, Does the pill control a woman’s hormones that much, that she could potentially not find her partner attractive or even love him anymore? I have scoured the web trying to find information about this and I have found some stuff that answers my question and thought maybe you had some insight on this.
In the moment I’m completely heart broken because if my fiance has no control over how to control her hormones and if they are controlling her that much that she no longer wants to spend her life with me, then the pill is a dangerous drug!
Hi Nicole,
I am hoping you can help me. I know this is an old post but I have been searching for years on what caused this change in my body an finally your post showed up. Just like the other ladies who have responded to your post, I too have the same symptoms. It began when I was 20 years old, and now I am 23, and have been off birth control for over a year. Before I had a high sex drive, and now maybe every 4 months or so do I have the smallest urge to have sex. Like I said I know you have heard this before but I am desperately seeking answers to what caused this and how to get my LIFE back. I have seen eight physicians in the past 3 years, and each has a different answer ranging from pelvic floor dysfunction, to this is all in my imagination and sex drive is all mental. Please tell me what to you suggest?? I am spiraling into a deep depression over this and hope is diminishing more and more each day. On top of my relationship with the love of my life is falling apart over this issue. Please help me find an answer!
Thank God I found this website! I feel so relieved I’m not the only one going through this. I had an awesome sex drive, then I got pregnant with my second child and have been on the pill for almost 4 months now and I don’t want sex, I don’t get wet, or it is just to painful and I feel like I’m letting my fiance down because he thinks he doesn’t turn me on anymore and he really does but any w ways Thanks so much for this and would be interested in more information!!!!
There are a lot of incredible questions on here, but it’s so much easier to get clear answers in our Know Your Flow Facebook group. Just paste the following link into your browser:http://tinyurl.com/pkflo6r
There are tons of women in there who’ve had similar experiences and it’s much more private. I also have a free Period Survival Guide for you here: http://tinyurl.com/nh7y55g
Pills are really something and by something I mean bad, really really bad and unfortunately I learned the hard way. I suffered a massive pulmonary embolism, of which I was never told about, God I never knew what it was or it is a risk with hormonal birth control. I took the pill for about 6 years and like most of you ladies my sex drive was non-existent. I had bad mood swings and my husband always complained how I’m never in the mood. The good thing that came out of my PE was I was put off the pill and all sorts of hormonal contraception and VOILA I want to have sex everyday.
Apart from that I’d really like to add. The hormonal imbalance thing is true, the pill is not for everybody. It causes long term hormonal imbalances. I suffered from hypothyroidism and PCOS all courtesy of the pill. My body never went back to regulating hormones and caused all these problems.
So yeah do weigh your options before going for the pill. It seems like the easiest way but trust me its not. I wish someone had told me about it.
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing your story with us! I really wish there was an educational system in place to teach young girls about these issues. It’s up to us enlightened women to spread the word! 🙂
After reading your article and many of the comments, I am feeling like I am not so alone any more. I started the birth control about 4 months before getting married. My fiance and I waited to have sex until our wedding night, but I have always had a very high sex-drive…until I started the pill. I have now been married for almost three months and my sex drive is non-existent. It’s SO frustrating and difficult for both me and my husband. Nicole, if you have ANY advice for how to get my sex drive back PLEASE inform me 🙁 This is definitely NOT normal.
I read posts day in and day out and I have never responded to one. But FINALLY.. one that makes sense! I have been taking birth control since I was 18 and I’m now 22. I have absolutely NO sex drive at all, I never think or want sex in any shape or form. I feel terrible because my boyfriend has moved here for me from Australia and now he thinks I’m not attracted to him. Our relationship has gotten so fragile because of this issue. I am terrified to get off the pill because I really can’t imagine being able to support a beautiful little baby right now, but I fear I’ll slowly break my relationship down if i don’t act soon. Nicole I would love any advice for my situation, I’m willing to make a few diet and lifestyle changes, eat spinach! or whatever you think would work. A direction to take would be extremely appreciated!!
THANK YOU!!
Hi Nicole, SO glad I found this site! I have been taking BC since I was about 16.. I am now 25. I originally started on BC as my cramps and menstrual cycles were unbearable and extremely painful… I have been on OrthoCyclen for many years now.. and I am finding.. like most women on here that I am getting really bad side effects. My mood swings are out of hand.. the smallest thing can set me into tears.. and sex drive? What is that? I feel so awful for my boyfriend as I love him dearly.. but I want nothing to do with sex. I was thinking about switching BC’s.. but I’m scared of dealing with all those new possible side effects. I am also terrified of going off of the pill. Hoping you can help me out with some insight. Thank you!!
I’ve been taking Yaz for 3 years on my doctor’s advice because of seriously low iron caused by excessive blood loss during my periods. I am now constantly dry, feel almost sore like I have thrush but I don’t, I have no sex drive whatsoever and OMG, my clitoris has shrunk to barely nothing. Also, on the 4 days when I’m not taking Yaz each month, if I am having a stressful week, the headaches during those 4 days are so debilitating as to keep me off work. This week we are reviewing my treatment and I am telling my GP I am going to come off the Yaz. But my biggest worry is: will my clitoris return to normal size without Yaz – or is this permanent?
So I started taking birth control 8 months before i got married (sustaining from sex before marriage) to prepare my body for it and I have had horrible cramping and nausea and periods twice a month with Alesse and Triciclen 21 and so just about 6 months ago my doctor suggested to put me on Apri21. Sex is minimally pleasurable, starting from marriage last august has on and off been feeling like my vagina is on fire! my doctor just said it must be getting used to having sex more since i was a virgin prior (thats after 3 months married). Now being on Apri21 I don’t get much cramping, just sometimes in the middle of the night, and my periods are very light (sometimes get the week before i am supposed to get it) but what worries me the most is it seems like every other time we will spend over an hour fore playing and i can’t get wet at all and lube isn’t wet enough that sex hurts so we don’t even try! it is so frustrating! do you know if this pill is lowering my ability to get wet and the reason for the burning pain i feel in certain positions? and what can i do about it? the IUD also scares me not being effective enough or risk of it moving or string getting stuck. also, we both have a busy schedule and the fact that its hard to and painful for me therefore i rarely want to have sex that we mainly only have sex once a week. could the dryness also be because we don’t have sex enough? how often should we be having sex? THanks so much!
Hi Nicole, I recently started taking birth control about a month and a half ago. I was started out on a very high dosage for a week until I couldn’t stand the sickness and emotional upset it caused. I quit taking it and about a week or so later started on a lo dose of microgestin. I took it for a complete month, no sickness which was nice but I’ve COMPLETELY lost my sex drive and ability to orgasm, which is extremely rare for me. Sex with my boyfriend has become horribly frustrating and disappointing for both of us. I decided to stop taking birth control altogether after seeing the side effects and researching other effects it has on our bodies. I wish I would have done more research first instead of gladly swallowing the pills my dr gave me thinking they would be fine. My question is, I’ve only been off of them for a week after only having taken then for a solid month, what can I do to get my sex drive back and start functioning again to save my sex life and my sanity?
Hi, I’ve been on the pill for the last 2 months as I’ve started a new relationship. I mainly got on the pill to use it as a form of birth control but having my periods regulate up as well is amazing. But now I’m getting not so fun side effects like absolutely drastic mood swings (got a past of depression also), nausea, headaches among a few others but the most noticeable one was I was no longer “getting wet” which was a huge downfall and rather irritating. However, it was a smallish price to pay for effective birth control. But the last time I was intimate with my boyfriend, we both noticed that I had become “wet” again. This both worries the crap out of both my boyfriend thinking that the pill is no longer working….is that a plausible conclusion for me to make? Thanks 🙂
I know this is old but I’ve just stumbled across it when late night googling..
I started taking Femodette when I was 15, I had a really high sex drive but it went massively downhill and I hated being touched by my boyfriend. We split up and I met someone else, who I’m still with nearly 4 years later. We had a LOT of sex and it was normally me instigating it. I got ill with a chronic condition but still had some of my sex drive. I came off the pill for a little while to see if it helped with my health but no, so I went back on it. I now have no sex drive at all. I never have sex and when I do, I don’t enjoy it 🙁 it makes me feel so sad and distant from my boyfriend. I feel it ruining the relationship. Could this be the pill, or not? I came off it 3 weeks ago and I’ve started having some sexual thoughts… But I still really don’t want to have sex.
Hi!
I loved this post. It helped me feel a little less hopeless. I’m sure you’ve heard stories like mine. I’ve been married a little over two years. My sex drive was through the roof before marrying, I would say abnormally high for a girl. (ex: I once had an orgasm solely from making out-no petting or tongue, just kissing). However I got on birth control about a month before, and since that time, I have had zero sex drive at all. I feel depressed and hopeless. I wasn’t sexually active before getting married,and after marriage, sex was not enjoyable to say the least. About two and a half months after starting birth control, I got back off of it. While on birth control, I was depressed, this is the only thing that changed after getting off.
Continuing symptoms I’ve had since getting married include:
-several UTI’s
-constant vaginal dryness (including anal fissures)
-no sex drive (I can’t get turned on-much less orgasm)
-and recently I skipped my period altogether (while testing negative for pregnancy).
The strange this is, it’s like my body still works, but my drive is turned off. My husband can get me worked up to the point where I’m self-lubricating, but I never get the hormonal rush like I did before we were married. And then, all it took was for us to make out.
My doctor hasn’t been very helpful, and I am really at a loss for what to do. As you can imagine it has really effected my marriage and happiness. What do you suggest???
Hi Mickey!
I have sent you a follow up email – be sure to check your inbox for it. 😉
This was so good to read! Thank you so much for doing all this research! My question is how long do the effects of decreased libido last after you get off the pill?? I’m a little terrified about permanent damage. I’ve been married only 4 months and the pill totally killed my libido. I used to have a great sex drive and could easily get off but now NOTHING is working. I got off the pill 2 months ago and haven’t noticed a change yet. Also sex was extremely painful for me at first and I was on the pill then. I feel so bad for my hubby I want my sex drive back!
Hi Brittany!
It can take up to a full year to recover your sex drive (depending on how long you’ve been taking the pill), but in the meantime you can take my home study course to get your hormones revved up and back on track! You can learn more about it here. nicolejardim.com/home-study/
🙂
Hi Nicole, thanks a lot for reaching out to anyone and writing this post. I have been using the birth control pill Kariva (low hormone) for around 2 years now. Before that I used it for 2 years with a year in between without it. i started taking it to manage my PMS.
For the past 5 months or so I have noticed an increase in the decrease of libido.
It caused a significantly less amount of sex to occur between me and my boyfriend who I am seriously attracted to. it also caused my boyfriend to wonder if I am even attracted to him anymore because I am usually never really into having sex anymore. Once we get into it, I will enjoy it but I just don’t respond like I used to. Once I considered the loss of libido to be the effect of my birth control, I was SURE it was that. And I googled it, and I discovered my assumption was right and that A LOT of other women are unfairly experiencing these side effects too.
I’m going to be discontinuing Kariva and most likely will not be switching to another birth control due to a good assumption that all of them will decrease libido eventually. My boyfriend and I will be choosing condoms.
It’s just really unfortunate that I was not told about this. On the Kariva web site it lists loss of libido as a rare side effect. I would like to gander that it is a moderately occurring side effect, not rare. I think more people suffer from it then the company thinks.
Thanks, again!
I am in a similar position as Taylor, I am 20 years old, and I have been on the pill since I was 16 to regulate my periods because without birth control my periods are terrifying. I feel as though I have no sex drive, and it is awful because I am a college student and I want to be able to find a boyfriend and all but if I have no sex drive and don’t feel sexually attracted to anyone, how is this going to happy?!?! I’m wondering also about a type of pill that could help to boost my sex drive because I cannot just stop the pill.
Thanks for the post, this is such an important issue for women.
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Ok this is my scoop.
In 2008 I had my tubes tied, and then everything went downhill. I was moody, bloated, clotting, irritable, and bitchy. I went onto a low dose pill for 3 years which messed me up even more. I didn’t use the placebo pill and went straight into a new pack, so no period. Loved that part. Yeah now I had adrenal fatigue, low dhea and estrogen which made me very fatigue, and my memory was fading badly. I don’t have a libido either which is the least of my worries. I am 45 and I felt like an 80 year old. Totally! I read an article that stated that all my problems are caused by that freakin pill.
https://nicolejardim.com/the-pill-your-sex-drive-how-to-start-reclaiming-your-va-va-voom/comment-page-1/#comment-43636
I then got a hormone and adrenal test which showed everything wrong with me. I am taking dhea and pregnonlone drops, herbs, vitamins and finally feel like I used to feel. I feel normal and able to remember everything. Beachbody. I am under a doctors care but outside Kaiser. Kaiser wouldn’t give me a test at all. What’s the point of having coverage? Exactly my point.
What is important here is how much women need more care and if we don’t get it how detrimental it is to OUR LIFE.
I think that there needs to be more answers for us out there.
I started the pill when I was 15 to regulate my period. I started having sex at 18 and have been a sexual monster until I stopped. I got pregnant and went back on the pill and my sex drive was some timey. I managed to have a second child got back on the pill and my drive was totally gone. I just could not even make myself do anything. Now, I am 35 and I am not with my husband anymore, I completely stopped the pill and my libido is still not there. Its gone! I cant even make myself think about sex any more. I just want to get my sexual monster back. Don’t know what to do.
Hi! I am 18 and I started the pill about 6 months ago. My boyfriend and I have been together for 4 years and I am extremely attracted to him, but when I started the birth control Orthotrycyclen I lost every bit of my sex drive. It is gotten so bad that I will just lay there while he does what he wants. I have no desire but I don’t want to punish him because of the pill.. I do not want to get off of birth control at all right now, that is not an option for me, but I was wondering if there was any type of birth control that wont kill my sex drive? Im way too young for this to happen to me! Please email me if you can find the time. Thanks so much
Taylor – I’ve sent you an email directly x
I have been on the pill for three years for imbalance, mood swings and I had just been tested for hormonal levels. It was way low. My progestine, and dhea. I am still taking the pill but I am thinking of stopping it. I would love to talk to you first.
I was on the pill for about 1 year. Got married a few months ago and completely had no sex drive. We had done other things before getting engaged and there was never an issue. It’s been about 3 1/2 weeks since I went off. Theres a slight difference, but not too much yet. About how long should it take to come back to normal? Please help 🙂
I have been on orthtricyclen, tri nessa, and tri sprintec. I started taking bc when I was 18 and ever since I have had a decreased sex drive. I’m now 26 a newlywed and have absolutely no sex drive. I’m absolute attractive to my new hubby, but he thinks I’m not 🙁 I want to change my birth control, but have no idea what to try as far as the pill goes. I’m not comfortable with an IUD, I’ve done a lot or research and it all comes up the same.. no sex drive.
I was taking karvia birth control for about 1.5 years and then randomly i decided to skip the period week the blue pills on the kariva pack. well everything was going well with that so i decided to try and skip the period pills again the fallowing week and so i did so and i felt totally not me and then i started noticing that i had no clitoral sensation or any want to be have sex. This was in september of 2013. so i started doing some research about it and i found out that the kariva birth control period week pills have a small amount of hormones in them which i did not know about. and since i messed it up i have not had any feeling since then. I have talked to my obgyn and she just doesn’t understand how it can all just go away. so i quit taking kariva in the end of november and so i went all of december of 2013 off the pill and i have been off since. I just had my second period off kariva and i still have no clitoral feeling. is it gone forever! or do i need to let my body go through a few more cycles before it comes back. I am afraid that it will never come back. I had high clitoral feeling and sex drive before birth control and as i was on it i noticed it slowly declined and then ever since i skipped that one month and a half or so i have had no clitoral feeling at all. I am so afraid that it will never come back.
Nicole,
I m going to meet my bfrnd aftr a year and we have lots of plans including sex. He is nt ready to use condoms so tell me is it will be safe for me to use pills twice a week as I am only 24.
I’m 39 I have zero sex drive and never have.. I’ve been on the pill since I was 21. Could my sex drive be gone for good!? This is insane. I feel horrible for my husband because I could care less if I ever have sex. I feel nothing. Ughhhhhhhhhh
Will my libido return if I get off the pill?
Oh Becky, I’m so sorry to hear about this! I’ve sent you an email x
I’ve for years wondered about my lack of sex drive, and I’ve recently been experiencing dryness. I explained this to my doctor and he seriously suggested that ii see a therapist and that it might be in my head. I’ve been in the pill since I was 14 and am now 31. His only thought was to try putting me on a lower dose combination birth control. I’ve been taking it four days and I’m incredibly nauseous and have had a headache every night. Have you heard of the low dose by pills returning some of your sex drive? I really don’t like the thought of being without birth control since we don’t want children, but I would love to have a sex drive…
Hi Christina, thank you for commenting and for sharing your story. I’ll send you an email. xo
I have been on the pill for years after becoming pregnant on using the IUD. I came off three months ago and finally….the sex drive is back. Studying to be a midwife now I finally realise how much our vaginas are meant to have hormones…pity my doctors never revealed this.
Hi Amy, glad to hear your sex drive is coming back! Unfortunately doctors don’t always get it right, but it’s great to hear that you’re looking for your own answers.
Wow! I kept trying to convince my boyfriend of these problems I was experiencing (all of the above) and he constantly kept thinking that I was just making excuses! I think I know my own body, but he just didn’t think I was interested in him anymore. I was always dry, so he immediately thought he didn’t turn me on (not so). It was painful to have intercourse; I describe it as feeling raw. I always feel bloated and unattractive, I have melasma on my face (worse in the summer), migraines come as they wish, and I feel irritable a lot. Most of the time I don’t even want to be touched! All of this is so sad to me because I blame all these things to our very recent breakup after 5 years. 🙁 I really enjoyed this read because I know that I’m not alone and that there is a resolution! I just stopped the pill about 4 days ago and I’m hoping for some improvement without having to seek medical treatment. I have heard horror stories of going off the pill. More bloating, moodiness, acne, and even hairloss! Wish me luck as I will also hope for the best for all of you!
Hi Amber, and thanks for sharing your story. I’m so sorry to hear about your breakup, but I hope you start finding some symptom relief soon. Watch your inbox, I’ll send you a quick email.
I have been married for 12 years. Since the beginning I have been saying this was a problem. She has only listened that there even was a problem after someone else pointed out it could be hormone problems if a wife has no desire for her husband. We are both fairly attractive and get along really well most of the time. This has taken a huge toll on me and has robbed us both of God’s best for us. I urge all of you wives to not only stop using BC, but secure your marriages by actively improving your sex drive. Between dating sites, social media, porn and BC, marriages in our society are more threatened as a physical union than they ever have been. Sex is not just sex. It is a critical component of marriage and when either party stops making it a priority it becomes an unmet need waiting for fulfilment.
Im 21 and Ive been on the pill for about 2 years, I switched from Yaz to a lower dose pill because I read about all the illnesses Yaz and Beyaz caused. I never had any problems on Yaz but since a few months back ive just lost my sex drive completely and I have cramps everyday of the month not just when I am on my period. This has become a real problem, I just got married and whenever my husband wants to have sex I always come up with an excuse not to. I dont have a problem with orgasms, just a problem with getting started. I just dont want to and at times its painful. Do you think this is due to the pill? Because now im thinking this is what is causing my problems.
Firstly, thanks so much for sharing such a great post with us.
I’ve been taking the pill for 10 years to control skin issues and hair overgrowth. I was diagnosed with PCoS.
Every time I came off the pill I had massive issues with skin and irregular cycles.
I now have no sexual drive and I’m suffering from some bad stomach issues (diagnosed as IBS) and I’ve been thinking about stopping the pill again to see if I improve.
Any ideas on how to control skin and hair overgrowth?
All the doctors I’ve seen told me to stick with the pill but I don’t want to put up with the side effects 🙁
Thank you!
Hi
I have been on the pill since I was 14, I am now 22. I went on the pill because I had irregular menstrual cycles, extreme pain and heavy flow.
When I met my boyfriend(now fiancé) I was on tryphasil. When I moved in with him I went on Yasmin as it was easier for me to get in town than going to the clinic back home.
I never initiate intercourse. It doesn’t bother me if I don’t get any. it is taking its toll on our relationship. I want to go off the pill or just increase my libido but we don’t want to fall pregnant. The symptoms you have mentioned match me.
What do I do?
I am so glad I have come across this read today!
very informative – so thankyou!
I have been thinking about changing my pill for scarily well over a year and never done anything about it because I haven’t really had any problems for 7years!
I am on cerezatte. & have been since I started taking my pill when I was 17, now 24 nearly 25 I am noticing my non existent sex drive may actually be down to not me but my pill.
I have had no other side effects other than mood swings (not often) but some… crazed moments, which is very not me. I am one of the most down to earth chilled out person going. I am putting 2 and 2 together and am very scared my pill is actually making long term effects on my health and libido.
Willing to take any advice as I feel a bit in the dark and the doctors don’t always suggest what’s is best for ‘us’.
I am looking mainly ay the implant & injection!? but am very scared about weight gain from these.
Please help me get my libido back!.
Much love xx
I went off the pill for 3 months,it was a nightmare.my skin freaked out and I was exhausted all the time. I had to get back on the pill. Do you have any suggestions for getting off the pill and avoiding bad skin an exhaustion???
Hi Danielle – thanks for commenting! I’ve sent you an email inviting you to a quick chat to see if I can help you at all – and this could be a great post for another day.
I am so glad I came across this website and post. I am just about in tears reading through it and everyone’s comments, as I finally don’t feel so alone about my issues! I had no idea what was wrong with me, but now I realize what the pill is capable of. I was only on it for about a year and a half (I had such horrible, horrible cramps each month and was told that birth control can help control that), but that was enough to start messing with my body. I decided to stop taking it because I wanted to be natural again and it honestly didn’t help that much with the cramps. Ever since then I have had issues with dryness and no urge for sex (which is sad because I just got married a few months ago). I wish I had learned about this stuff sooner. Thank you so much!
Samantha, thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I’m sending you an email right now – and I’m so glad you don’t feel alone (because you definitely are not!) xo
my boyfriend sent me this link after I told him am having pain during sex and really not getting wet ‘down there’ I want to quit the pill before it complicates my sex life any further.
Thanks alot for the Insight Nicole.
Hi Nicole,
I started taking birth control in October of 2012, and stopped in March of this year due to mood changes, no periods, and loss of sexual interest. Ever since I stopped the pill, I have had issues with my eyelids and surrounding area swelling every morning, going down sometimes throughout the day, just to start the process over the next morning. My periods have finally become more regular, but I am still only having them once every month and a half. My sex drive is still nonexistent and it’s starting to cause serious problems in my relationship. Can you tell me if these symptoms are normal after quitting the pill? And if so, about how long do they last? My blood tests show my testosterone levels are very low, and my eye doctor can’t figure out what’s going on with my eyes. I’ve been dealing with these symptoms for about 7 months now. Please help 🙁
This is terrifying… but also such a comfort to read. It sounds exactly like what I’ve been experiencing over the past 6 months… decreased libido, pain during sex, headaches. I want to talk with my doctor about getting off of the pill, and am curious about your opinions on the (non-hormonal) IUD. Thanks!
I enjoyed reading this article and can fully relate! Im 24 years old have a under active thyroid! And am on the contriception pill!!my sex drive is pretty much non existant! Am am seriously thinking about stopping my pill. I really hope this improves my moods and sex drive? I dont know what else to do? My thyroid levels are normal as ive bn on medicine for it the last 3 years! So think my pill might be holding me back!
Thanks for the great article Nicole! I took the Implanon out 10 months ago as it caused me to develop acne (which cleared up straight away thank God!). I then went on Dianette but only stayed on it for a few months as it affected my mood. Now I am on Jasmin and have definitely noticed a decrease in libido and ‘wetness’ down there.
Are there any or contraceptive pills that cause significantly less elevation of SHBG than others??
Thanks 🙂
This website is a God sent. I’ve been on the pill for 6months, been married and sexually active for 3months. The first night was a disaster then things got better, we tried lube but for the last few weeks I’ve had no sensation at all!
Clitoral shrinkage is the scariest thing I’ve ever heard! Thank you for the info. I’m off to the quack tomorrow!
So glad you’ve found it so helpful, Giselle! Good luck with your doctor!
After taking the pill for a few years my ability to orgasm completely disappeared. When I finally realized there may be a link between the pill and my inability to climax I went off the pill. I am happy to say that I can orgasm again, although unfortunately my orgasms are still very small in comparison to how they once were. Of course, when I asked two different doctors about this they told me it was purely a psychological issue. I am so glad that people are finally waking up to this.
Thanks for providing such detailed information! I was recently prescribed low-dose birth control pills to keep ovarian cysts in check, but I’m extremely concerned about starting it out of the fear that it will decrease my sex drive and affect my mood. Do you any advice for this?
I’ve avoided taking the pill up until now at almost 25, but I’m trying to do what’s best for my overall well being!
Thank you again!
Ash, please send us an email to Su*****@ni**********.com/nic so that we can discuss your options further. xoxo
This is the most helpful article i have ever read. I am currently seeing a specialist about my constant UTI’s and they have given me a continuous supply of antibiotics to take after sex. (Another chemical to add to my system, along with Yasmin Pill)
After reading this I’ve noticed it could all be linked. The problem I have is after an MRI scan when I was 13, the docs thought I had Endometriosis; as I was too young for a laparoscopy they popped me straight on to the pill for the past 11 years.
Don’t get me wrong, the contraceptive pill has been my saviour when it comes to painful periods and heavy bleeding, but if I could I would rather not take anything.
I’ve tried to come off of the contraceptive pill before and those pains came back with a vengeance.
By IUD do you mean the coil? Do you think this would be an option for me? And which type?
My GP suggested not going on the coil as I have ‘too much going on down there already’ha, but I’m worried the implant or injection will just be more hormones with more side effects.
I would really appreciate some advice. I’m 24 and can’t keep taking antibiotics in the fear of having another UTI!
Thank you so much for this blog!! I have been on the pill for about a year now.My boyfriend, who I have been with for about a year, and I have been noticing extreme differences in my sex drive. A year ago I felt like it was on my mind 24/7 now sex feels like a chore. I am only 21 years old and this scares me. Many times afterwards I would find myself crying and my boyfriend worried. I wasn’t just crying because I was scared about what was happening to me but also because it hurt so bad!!!! I have my yearly tomorrow and I’m going to talk to my doctor about my problem. I feel like the only fix is just coming off the pill. My main worry though is, Will my sex drive ever come back? Will sex always hurt from now on? Or is there a chance these side effects will reverse? Thank you so much for helping me through this difficult time.
my husband used to take viagra but every time an ad came on the TV and listed all the side effects, I got nervous (he did too). So I looked for a natural or more healthy alternative. i found out that cialis and extenze are no different. then i found the Testosterone Pills from the Doctor Max Powers brand. read about it online and realized that my husband had those same symnptoms. My husband takes the Testosterone Pills from Doctor Max when he is not on the road and it makes our house a fun, friendly environment. He’s less edgy and very passionate. Constantly initiating sex and hugs all day.
Hey Nicole!
This post describes my situation perfectly! (unfortunately) I just got married about a month ago, my husband and I were both virgins, dated 6 years before getting married and having sex. It was such a struggle to obstain from sex, which we did, but we did some foreplay while dating and it was alway SO easy for me to reach orgasm. I started the pill about 3 months before getting married. After a couple of months I noticed that I wasn’t thinking about sex that much at all anymore and when my husband would try and do things I didnt really like it anymore. I just thought I had my mind on planning the wedding. But now, we’ve been married a month and its only worse. I cannot have an orgasm anymore. It feels like nothing feels good anymore. Sex is so hard and painful for me.
I just need help. We waited so long for this and now that were finally “sexually free” I feel like I dont care about it. I want to be back to my old self but im afraid to get off the pill because we are not ready to have kids. Are there any birth control pills that increase libido? Any other suggestions? Thanks so much for your insight and help! Feel free to email me.
Hi Ashley, this is obviously a huge problem! You’ve waited so long and it’s not supposed to be like this! Unfortunately, it is not going to go away if you stay on hormonal birth control. If you’d like to get an expert’s opinion, send us an email to su*****@ni**********.com and we’ll get you scheduled to chat with me. You want to address this before it becomes permanent. xoxo
Nicole,
I was on the pill for seven years, but recently switched to the shot.
Within the past five months, I have had a harder time reaching orgasm and they haven’t been as intense. I have also noticed that my clitoris is nearly missing in sight. It’s terrifying.
Is there any way to get it back to its normal size, or am I doomed?
Hi Kayla, thank you for your comment here. I’d love to chat with you more, send us an email to su*****@ni**********.com and we will take care of you! 🙂
Hi Nicole!
I’ve been on the pill for just about 3 years now. I’m still in college and have been in a serious relationship for over 3 years. I’ve really been wanting to get off the pill for awhile now (as I’m starting to experience more negative side effects) but am very nervous about just using condoms or managing my cycle. Do you think reading the book Taking Charge of your Fertility would make me feel more
Comfortable with going off the pill? I’m feeling quite lost on the subject, so any advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
Love the blog!! Thank you!!
Hi Mackenzie, thanks so much for sharing your story here. I am a huge proponent of the fertility awareness method and I highly recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility. If you come off the pill, I recommend using FAM for 4-6 cycles before using it as birth control. If you want to learn more I’d be happy to have a chat with you! Email us at su*****@ni**********.com and we’ll get you set up! 🙂
Hi Nicole, I want to get off the pill, but I’m worried about the affects on my skin. The last time I tried getting off the pill, my skin just broke out in inflamed pimples. I know the pill is bad for me, but I just don’t want to go back to breaking out. Do you have any suggestions?
Devon, I am going to send you an email in a moment to get the conversation started! 🙂
Nicole,
I love your posts and can fully relate to almost every one! I took myself off the pill after 10 years at age 26 and never looked back. I had all the same issues you described here and some of them have still, 3 years later, not fully recovered. Great advice and great to bring awareness to the issue! I’m going to look into some of the hormonal options they offer here in New Zealand! Love you loads!! xx
Arielle! Thank you so much for writing this. I feel so strongly that women really need to get the lowdown on what is being prescribed to them so they can make the right decisions for themselves. I’m so grateful to be able to share all that I learn with all of you 🙂 xoxo
I can’t believe what I have read. I was on the pill for 11 years (i came off it a year ago) and I suffer with all these symptoms. I have just had a laparoscapy a couple of weeks ago to try and find out more but all they found was a tilted womb. I am definately going to talk to my doctor about this.
Hi Sarah, thank you for your comment. I hope I’ve shed some light on this topic for you. If you can find a doctor willing to do hormonal testing for you then I’d suggest you go for it. Or, naturopathic doctor or someone more holistic would be very helpful also. Take care.
Nicole, this is such a great blog – EVERY woman needs to understand this & it’s fantastic to hear you talking so frankly. Let’s hope the mums out there are able to inform their teenage daughters…. Another great resource on the pill (and any other hormonally controlled contraception – patch, IUD with hormones etc etc) is: The Pill, are you sure it is for you? by Alexandra Pope and Jane Bennett. The book covers the same sort of points and is filled with great research & empowering ways to reconnect with your cycle. And as for clitoral shrinkage … I can’t imagine ANY woman in their right mind choosing that!!!
Thank you so much Lon! I really appreciate all the information, I will check out that book for sure. I felt very strongly that I needed to reach as many women as I could with this info.
Clitoral shrinkage? Seriously? I want to cry! LOL I’ve been on the pill for five years. As I read this I’m having a lot of lightbulb moments. Wow.
Thanks for sharing Lisa! I know, it’s quite frightening.
Whoa! I’ve been on the pill for ten years and I had no idea about any of this. Why aren’t we told about these things! It’s infuriating. I’ve had lots of the issues you mentioned in this post and now it all makes sense. I’ve learned more in one blog post than I’ve learned in all the doctor’s visits over the years. Thank you so much for shedding light on this Nicole!!
Thank you for your comment Melissa. Thankfully there are doctors out there willing to educate us.