Ladies (this doesn't really apply to men but someone might have some insider knowledge),

I almost feel as though I am posing a very personal question/concern and it might not even be appropriate to initiate on this bulletin board. However, seeing as how people have discussed their bowel movements, hair loss, warts, drinking urine, and smelly boyfiends/husbands I decided that maybe this wasn't too much a breach of social etiquette.

Many (if not all) raw foodists, vegans, vegetarians and the like abhor the use of "traditional" pharmaceutical interventions. It is easy to understand why. I have never observed the topic of oral contraceptives discussed anywhere.

Where do you stand on the use of oral contraceptives - the pill, the patch, the shots, and the like? Please note: this is NOT a question about whether or not to use birth control. Obviously, these synthetic hormones are not natural and do have a number of potential deleterious side effects to the body and the environment.

If you don't mind sharing, do you use them? Do you have concerns about using them? Have you stopped using them? Have you noticed differences? As a raw foodist, vegan, vegetarian, etc, what are your thougths on this topic? Any you are willing to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Patty

I have had nothing but bad experience with oral contraceptives. I went on them last summer. The whole time I was on them, I was bleeding. That was a 3 month period. I became anemic. On top of that, I became severely depressed. My mood swings were out of control. I was angry all the time, and crying a few times a day. I didnt realize it was me, I thought that all of a sudden my boyfriend had become an asshole, I amost broke up with him. Finally one morning, at about 6, I found myself screaming at him. He was just looking at me like I was crazy. I was crazy! I stopped, and realized- this isnt me. I stopped taking the pills. My period finally stopped a few days later. It took me probably 3 months to feel like myself again. It really ruined my life for thyat 6 month period, I even thought about suicide a few times before realizing it was the pill. On top of all that, the hormonal changes I put my body through gave me severe ovarian cysts, which ruptured and sent me to the ER. That was very painful and also took a few months to clear up (with the help of raw foods). My mom and sister both recently went of BC and both have said "I didnt realize how much I havent been myself in years until I became myself again!". This is the problem with BC. You dont realize that you arent yourself! You just think the world has gotten worse! I always tell people not to use it. Its not natural. Your hormones dictate so much of what is going on inside your head and your body, why would you want to mess with that?

I use a Mirena IUD. Its working out very well. I dont like the idea of having something plastic in my tummy, but its better than a baby for me right now.

I never could tolerate them. Copper IUDs seem to be the least invasive to me.


I have taken taken the morning after pill.


It seems the longer and more ethereal the television ad and the larger the magazine ad, the more destructive the oral contraceptive. Copper IUDs don't get much space.


Have you ever read the horror stories about Depo Provera?


I would rather have my tubes tied than resort to chemical manipulation of my hormones.

i have had a terrible experience with oral contraceptives! my doctor convinced me that it would help with pms, this was when i was on the sad diet. so i started taking them. not only did they make my mood swings worse, but they also caused me to gain wieght, retain water, and have excruciating headaches which i had never had before. it was horrible.

so, then my doctor tried to get me to try different types of bc to try to determine which one was right for me. well, i decided that i would not put myself through this. i haved used condoms ever since till i met my husband.

my husband and i use the pull out method, which i know is not 100%, but NOTHING is 100% effective!

i have a friend who got bruises all over her body from oral contraceptives and later it was discovered that she had cervical cancer. which she believes came from the oc's.

aqua, i too, took the morning after pill once. it was horrific to say the least. it made me so so so so so so so sick. like, i have never wretched so much in my life. the worst stomach pains and cramps ever!

i just do not believe in chemical manipulation of my hormones. i have regulated my pms and cramps through raw healthy living, and as i said, no method of birth control is 100% effective, so i am happy to take my chances with the pull out method and condoms.

besides, my husband loves it when he pulls it out and i put it in my.......

ok ok ok, sorry. i will not go there.

but the bottom line, the drug companies and doctors want us to think we need them for even the most basic, natural human instincts and we just dont.

pilhourova, that's right, there are all sorts of better alternatives!

I'm glad(?) to hear that I'm not the only one who suffered on the pill. I had all the same frantic depressive emotions that you have described. I knew it was the pill, but the guy in my life at the time said it couldn't be, and I don't have any girlfriends close enough to ask. (he's gone...ahem.) I stopped taking it when I left him, and regained my poise.

If I were in a long relationship again, I'd opt for an IUD. I don't see this as going against a clean lifestyle. And I think it's better for us than latex condoms--and certainly we won't allow any lambskin inside us.

does anyone use the rythm method?
when I can accept the risk of it, I'd like to use it.

measure twice, cut once.

"In Watermelon Sugar the deeds were done and done again as my life is done in watermelon sugar." ~r.brautigan

I make paintings

I wonder why gen. practioners always tell you there's right one for you.


Are they programmed to say that ?

Do they believe it ?


Just wondering .

aquadecoco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder why gen. practioners always tell you
> there's right one for you.
>
>
> Are they programmed to say that ?
>
> Do they believe it ?
>
>
> Just wondering .

they probably believe it cuz they`re programmed to say it. drug companies dictate alot more than we like to believe

I took oral BC for 5 years (before raw) and it killed my sex drive. When I went off it, like Selenes said, I didn't realize how "not myself" I had been that whole time. I read that this lack of sex drive is actually a common side effect of BC that gets swept under the rug. Apparently it's because BC contains only female hormones and no testosterone, so those hormones bind naturally occurring testosterone in women... and testosterone is what creates sex drive in both men and women.

I don't have a current acceptable method of birth control so until I figure something out, for now I don't go past oral sex. I'm finding this to be a surprisingly pleasureable arrangement, actually. I thought it would feel like deprivation but so far I just feel good and I'm having fun.

I'm not swearing off intercourse for good, but it's kind of really nice to just be natural and spontaneous with someone with no fear or worry of pregancy.

I think this topic comes up A LOT of the eat.rawfood forums.

you might try searching there.




A LOT!

_____________________



it could be your thoughts...

[www.writerwriterwriter.com]
[www.lulu.com]

short and sweet....and DEEP

_____________________________________________________ ...and FREE

I used to be depressed whenever I went on the pill. Esp. the first cycle. I was a robot, that functioned somehow, Each time I tried again, I felt worse. Now I'm married and I'm glad that my otherwise SAD husband agrees I should not use it (we use other ways).
I've seen ads on TV ow about "Yaz" and wonder if that is worth trying but then again, the pill is a huge intervention with my body and I don't really see it happening.

The ads are all illusion - they know exactly how to tweak our trust and emotions, but it's just another toxin making them money selling 'freedom' and 'confidence' and control over our lives.

hey, you guys know about the other topics forum right? that's the place for this kinda traffic i think.

the pill is the devil. dousing your body daily with enormous levels of hormones, well how could that NOT be seriously traumatic?
i have a little tool called the ovu-trac. i spit on a slide and look at my biosalts each morning which show me definitively where i am in my cycle. it's much more reliable than mucus charting which is subject to all kinds of variables. it cost about $100 but that's much less than a baby!

Coco you are right. This should have been posted in the "Other" topics forum. I keep forgetting about that category.

Mea culpa.

Patty

I was going to post about THE PILL and decided to reply to yours.

I have an experience to share. I had previously been on the pill most of the past 7 years, on and off a little but mostly on it.
I went off the pill about 4 months ago.
SO MANY CHANGES. (unfortunately bad ones)

I got acne all over- worse than ever before and it still has not cleared =(

I LOST MY BOOBS !!!! I WENT DOWN A WHOLE CUP SIZE =( =( From a FULL B/nearly C to an A!!!

I am so depressed about this--- I Know, I know, it is superficial, But I can say honestly that they were one of my best qualities and I guess I got personally attached to them. Now I am a mere A cup, which I NEVER imagined I would be (not that theres anything wrong with it, just that I was happy with mine before)

I can't believe the pill could be effecting my breast size THAT MUCH and really do not understand it.

Does anyone have any help or information on this?? I do NOT want to be on the pill, because I don't want to be ingesting anything unnatural or have excess hormones, etc. BUT I really would like my acne cleared and (mostly) my boobs back. (Any suggestions for natural breast enhancement!? -once again, I know its silly but I really did like them just how they were before they shrunk)

also, I know this is not due to losing weight, because the rest of my body is the same as always.

Anyhow this is my experience with the pill.... If anyone has any help I would appreciate it.
Thanks =)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2007 10:15PM by vegcase.

I used depo provera, which I hated, and the pill, which I also hate. I have ovarian cysts, and they put me on the pill to try to get rid of them. Apparently it worked, or at least it had by the last time I went back to the doctor.

Now, my fiance and I don't use anything. We aren't actively trying to have kids (something my doctor told me would require fertility drugs, etc.) but we really want one, so if it happens I'll be so happy. So far, though, maybe 9 months without, not even an inkling of anything. Then again I only found out I had cysts in May, and was on the pill for 1 month.

Back in the old, old, old days they used Queen Anne's Lace as a contraceptive. I don't know how it works, though, you'd have to research it. You drink it like a tea I guess.

Maybe try a diaphragm or something if you don't like chemical contraceptives?

two questions

1) can someone go into more detail about the dangers of latex for women?

2) is there a link to the machine that charts a woman's cycle?

i have heard that nutmeg is a contraceptive.

The reason I started this topic is that after 18+ years on OC I am considering stopping for health reasons. Interestingly, I don't take them for birth control but for health reasons - control ovarian cysts and emotional issues. Since going raw I have no started "breakthrough bleeding" and I wonder if it is worth it to even stay on it. I am also trying to clean up Candida in the body and being on the pill does the opposite - it promotes Candida growth because of how it upsets the body's chemistry.

Vegcase, was your cup size that large before starting the pill? The pill can cause a fibrocystic condition which makes breasts fuller and lumpier. I have no other suggestions for getting the size back other than exercises that improve your pectoral muscles to provide some support. Also, try to keep things in perspective. Their are women who have had mastectomies who would kill to be a size A again.

Patty

pihourova Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i have heard that nutmeg is a contraceptive.


Taken orally by the woman?

aqua, yes. i read about it in a book by tom robbins, jitterbug perfume.

but, i found this on wikipedia, which suggest its used to induce miscarriage instead, dont know how accurate any of this info is, either from tom robbins or wikipedia:

[en.wikipedia.org]

[en.wikipedia.org]

[edit] Herbal abortifacients
Many herbs and plants sold "over the counter" today, including Wild carrot, Black Cohosh, Slippery Elm, Pennyroyal, Nutmeg, Mugwort, Papaya, and Common Rue are themselves abortifacients. Typically the labeling will contraindicate use by pregnant women, but will not contain an explanation for this contraindication. There is little available data on their efficacy.

I have just started the pill and it is going okay for now....A couple of months ago I fell pregnant and decided to have an abortion (sorry if I am offending anybody, I just couldn't manage a baby in my life right now financially and with my career, relationship etc...) I found the experience so traumatic that I decided to go on the pill. Although I know there are some potentially side effects I have decided I will try to cope with them. It is very important to me to be able to have a healthy sex life where I know I am not going to fall pregnant. So far I have had some spotting and I have felt more emotional than usual but hopefully that will go soon. I know there might be risks but I really can't go through the physical and emotional trauma of having an abortion again and I am sooo not ready to have a baby. Maybe when I am more stable in my relationship and career I will consider the rythm method...so if I slip up it doesn't really matter if I fall pregnant because I will feel ready to have a baby.

Just be cautious and find some alternatives before you need them.... so if you find you want to quit the pill, you'll about know other preventions.

tashi, i understand how you would be afraid to get pregnant again after going through that. but even the pill is not 100%. have you considered a diaphram or the coil? or even condoms? if you feel you must use a form of bc, you could do one of those without drugs.

but please know that i am only giving suggestions. you must decide what is right for you. it is very personal for all of us, and if you feel that the pill is right for you, then the pill is right for you.

love and luck to you, sweety!

your body isnt made for that crap

i took them for about 6 months,in order 2 get my period back

i ended up becoming severely depressed, had an appetite that would have fed a football team, blew up into a cow, got a horrible pizza face (severe cystic acne that scarred my whole face), and towards the last 3 months i lost my period, and continued not 2 have it for another 3 months even after i had stopped taking the ortho tri cyclene...
the only thing that brought it back was raw

thank god i found rawfood, because before i took the bc i had not had my cycle for a year and 1/2, and not even the magic pill could bring it back

I was just thinking about this stuff. I'm brand new to raw foods and was wondering how and where BC plays a part. I've never had much of a problem with BC until after I had a baby. Even then, its hard to tell what's what when you're eating a SAD diet. Is your headache caused by your BC or your crappy diet?
Anyway, BC actually seemed to do me some good, cleared up my skin, etc. Then came the baby. I went on the ring after having a baby. That didn't work for me, but I liked the concept of once a month vs. taking a pill everyday. Plus its a bit expensive. I think it gave me headaches too, plus I was dealing with a post-pregnancy body and my cycle wasn't back to normal yet and I really wanted to get back to having "one period" a month! My nurse-midwife put me on OTC-Lo, and I still wasn't getting back to my normal cycle. I was still bleeding a lot months after having my baby and even a year after I was having my "period" about twice a month. 3 years later I'm now on Apri and its going okay, but if I take a pill later in the day than my normal regimen, I'll start bleeding for a few days again. Jeez! I don't think I've had too many PMS issues, so I've sort of lucked out in that category, but I want to go more natural. I'm finally paying attention to what I'm putting in my body instead of just doing what's socially normal!

Horrible horrible experiences with about 20 different BCs. I now use Persona (endorsed by the pope no less! ;-)

It's a little machine that tells you when you can have sex w/o any chance of preg, when you could possibly get preg (so you can decided whether or not to take the chance, or use other barrier/pull out methods), and when you are ovulating.

Basically it works like the ovulation predictor tests that you pee on, except that it keeps track of your cycle and gives you a green or red light..yellow light means "please pee on the stick and insert into machine for evaluation". This happens 8 times a month. There are drawbacks, ie must carrry the machine with you when you travel, you only have a 3 hr window to test on those 8 days.

Unfortunately, in my case, I found out something I would have rather not known..that I'm not ovulating regularly. Might have something to do with a cyst I had (that recently ruptured - no complications), am going for tests next month (thank god I have AMAZING health insurance, which I ran out and bought right after watching Michael Moore's "Sicko".

Hope this helps. I believe Persona is available in the US, UK, France, Spain, Scandinavia.

I would put up a link but I'm not sure we're allowed to do that here..google...

The machine costs $80-$160 (depending on country), then you spend $20-$30 monthly on the test sticks. When you have no boyfriend/lover/husband for a month or 2 you can skip the tests. But this method requires some discipline...you have to follow what the machine says!