To stay on the pill or not

LegacyUser

I've been on the pill (Microlite) for almost six years now. Recently I was put on medication that makes hormonal contraceptives a lot less effective and it got me thinking whether I want to bother being on the pill anymore at all and was wondering has anyone else had the same dilemma, because I really can't make up my mind.

My reasons for coming off it are because I've been on it for so long, I started when I was fifteen and to be honest I barely remember what it was like to have a period while I wasn't on the pill. I'm in a relationship at the moment and my OH says he has no issue with using condoms all the time. I never liked being on it in the first place, it actually made my cramps worse when I got my period but I just delt with it because it was a lot better than accidentally ending up pregnant.

The other side of things is I'm only 20, I'd consider it a bit of a disaster if I was pregnant now. Since I've been on it so long half of me is saying just bear out the last year or two untill you finish college and then come off it. I had a brief chat with my doctor and she reckoned that there was no reason why I would want to come off it but then I talked to a locum another time and she was wondering why I was on it at all with the medication I'm on. I don't really know how to make up my mind

Overheal

A locum wha

Get a 2nd (or 3rd) opinion. A professional one.

Lollipops23

OP I recently decided to come off the pill, only to give my body a break. I do it every 3-4 years, reckon it keeps me ticking over.

As long as you and your OH are smart about using condoms (perhaps in conjunction with spermicide or something?) you should be fine. As you've already discussed it with him, I'd say go for it, particularly if your meds are rendering the pill useless.

dudara

Overheal wrote: »

A locum wha

A locum is a doctor who stands in for another doctor while they're on holiday etc.

Tartopher

If you're afraid you may have an accident with condoms you should consider other non-hormonal types of contraception like the coil (not the mirena) or even a diapraghm. Is it all hormonal constraceptives? Maybe you could ask your doc about the mini-pill or the Implanon? They have different hormones to the combined pill that you're on. A friend of mine is on the Implanon due to the medication she has to take

kjl

+1 for above the coil is the best form of contraception, no hormonal imbalance and safer then condoms.

Lumen

This reminds me of a mildly amusing incident with a girlfriend about 15 years ago.

She was round my place with a bunch of friends; we were sitting around at the end of an evening and I suggested to her that she stay over.

I heard her say to me in a lowered voice "I can't tonight, I forgot my cat". Thinking she was worried about a pet needing to be fed, I responded in a booming voice "What are you talking about woman, you don't even own a cat!". Conversations stopped and heads turned, to catch her respond slightly awkwardly "I said I forgot my cap".

Confused (we had never discussed contraception and I thought she was referring to headwear), I ploughed onwards "Cap? What? What cap?".

Explanations followed. It was considerably embarassing.

Moral of the story: men, pay attention.