Seasonique anxiety.

[engravers.livejournal.com]

So... I did a bad thing. I googled experiences with Seasonique, which my doctor just prescribed me today (although I wont start it until the 29th). I have awful anxiety in general and I have always been TERRIFIED of taking any kind anything other than antibiotics, whether it be birth control or pain killers because I am so afraid of the side effects or dependency/addiction. But I'm going to be moving in with my long-distance boyfriend in a month and quite frankly, the diaphragm sucks and is really inconvenient. So I figured I'd pull up my big girl panties and try the real stuff, until I read about never-ending periods, acne breakouts (which, along with weight gain, my doctor told me to my face would most definitely not happen on this birth control? Wut?!) The pharmacist already warned me that I'd probably experience some spotting while my body adjusts, which is fine, but... Weight gain and acne are the biggest reasons I have refused birth control - I just don't want to create any problems for myself, you know? I've never ever had any legitimate health problems (other than being quite overweight, although I have no problems and my health is otherwise perfect) and my periods have literally been regular since day one; they have consistently been five days long with cramps only on the first day. I've always considered myself pretty lucky in that aspect and now I'm terrified that my beautiful five-day-long period is going to turn into a months-long period from hell.

So I guess I'm just wondering if you all could share some success stories with Seasonique or the generics? Because now I kind of just want to throw the pack out and become a nun. :(

Comments

Trigger warning: brief mentions of suicidal thinking

[mari-mac1109.livejournal.com]

I LOVE Amethia, a Seasonique generic! It's been the one pill to work for me and not worsen my depression/anxiety (Yaz generic Gianvi), cause me to bleed nonstop (LoEstrin) or cause me to get pimples (Ortho Tri-Cyclen generic, maybe Tri Sprintec, IIRC!).

I had breakthrough bleeding on my first three-month cycle, about around the last week of each month, but not too bad. I haven't had with this pack (my second). It hasn't caused any weight gain and has seriously helped my mood stabilize. I used to get awful (sometimes suicidal) mood swings the week before my period. Not anymore. :)

[engravers.livejournal.com]

Oh thank goodness. Thank you! I'm hoping I'll be one of the lucky ones to have success with the first HBC I try. I know it may not happen which is okay, I'm just really afraid of lasting damage :( thank you again though, it helped!!

[lily-55.livejournal.com]

I haven't used that particular pill, but I had a very similar freak out when I started my hbc (Alesse). I read a bunch of stuff on the Internet about weight gain, it causing or worsening anxiety, etc. I was terrified to use it, but after a good long chat with my doctor I went ahead - and it is amazing! I did not gain any weight, become more anxious or break out. In fact, it helps with my pms related anxiety! I think every pill affects each of us differently, and you hear more negative stuff than positive. Chances are extremely high that you'll tolerate it just fine :) and if you don't, there are other options.

Best of luck!

[engravers.livejournal.com]

Oh yay! Thank you so much! This definitely helped!

[static--sound.livejournal.com]

Ugh I am really the wrong person to comment on this, because my experiences with Seasonique were TERRIBLE. But do keep in mind that every body is different and everyone reacts to different kinds of birth control differently.

But to be honest with you, Seasonique DESTROYED me for a while. I gained a lot of weight almost instantly, got super moody and worst of all had the months-long periods from hell. I seriously had my period for 3 weeks on it, was off it for a week and then had it for 3 more weeks. This continued on a for a while and then it "stabilized" and started coming just every three weeks for 10-15 days. And THAT lasted for about a year. Keep in mind after the first 3 weeks of period-ing I quit taking it. Now, almost exactly a year later, I FINALLY had my first "normal" period in over a year. Meaning I had an entire 28 day cycle, had my period for about 6 days and then stopped.

Idk. It was hell for me, but just 'cuz it was for me doesn't mean it will be for you.

[engravers.livejournal.com]

You know I adore you and everything, you are honestly one of my favorite people on this dear old website, but this is kind of... Not what I wanted to hear. I mean, I already said that I had bad anxiety about it and I specifically stated in bold that I wanted to hear success stories so I could calm down, not horror stories that will reaffirm my anxiety. You're on my friends list and I just posted an entry on how bad my anxiety is, which you commented on. So to share a horror story when you actually know how I freak out almost seems cruel to me, honestly. I know everyone reacts differently to all birth control but as you know, I am a person easily swayed by outside opinion, and that is really what I was hoping to accomplish with this post.

[static--sound.livejournal.com]

honestly, I read briefly skimmed the post seeing as it was very late when I read it and for some reason thought you were just thinking of taking it and asking for opinions on it. I'm legitimately and truthfully sorry for sharing information that may have upset you. I know you have bad anxiety which is WHY I commented in the first place. I wanted you to know what could happen. but again, I misread the post and didn't do what youd asked.

however, I think you should know I would never, ever do that to be cruel to you. that pill made my life completely awful for a long time and at the time I thought you should know that before you took it.

like I said, every single human is different and every pill has different effects on every body. just because it was terrible for me doesn't mean it will be for you. many people have had success with it and loved it so hopefully you do, too. again, I'm sorry I upset you and I'm sorry you thought I was being cruel. I never have anything other than the best intentions when commenting to my LJ friends. :/ 

[engravers.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, it occurred to me after that you may not have seen the "success" part, especially considering the hour :( wah. I hope you don't hate me :(!

[static--sound.livejournal.com]

I don't hate you at all! I hope this method works well for you. :)

[loototherah.livejournal.com]

I haven't used Seasonique myself, but I have a friend who's on it and she absolutely adores it. We haven't talked in detail about it, but I know she's very happy with only having four periods a year instead of twelve. In addition, she was able to successfully diet her way down to a size six from a size ... I think it was fourteen, AFTER she started her BC. So, she didn't have any horrible stories of weight gain or inability to lose weight!

I've never had any godawful experiences on BC, per se. No massive weight gain, no new accumulations of zits (though I really wish BC would get rid of the ones I already was developing...), etc. My first BC worked for my cycle but eventually affected my mood to the point where I realized I wasn't quite myself anymore. No big deal, I went back to the gyno and asked for something different. Now I'm on Lo Loestrin, which is my BC godsend. :) So whether you find your meant-to-be BC on your first try or not, don't fret! You'll never know until you try. I'm so glad I decided to start BC. I was significantly (and still am) less worried about getting pregnant if a condom breaks or anything like that, I know with much more certainty when my period is going to come (though Lo Loestrin pretty much got rid of my period -- I only "bleed" for a day), I no longer have cramps, and having to take a pill every day has helped me get into a routine.

So! Long story short, there will be horror stories about every type of birth control. However, the majority of women who take each form don't suffer from all, or even some, or even any, of the negative side effects.

My only other advice to you would be this: If for some reason Seasonique makes you more nervous than other birth controls because of its method (four periods a year), then I would check all the posts in this community about stacking packs. Seasonique pretty much just stacks BC packs for you, from what I understand (I could be wrong, but that's what I've heard). Stacking is a common practice! Women regularly skip periods while they're on BC on purpose.

I don't think you need to declare nunhood just yet. Give Seasonique a fair chance. :) The best thing about BC pills is that you can stop whenever you want (as opposed to getting Implanon or something like that). That's what I did with my Nuvaring. I just didn't put one back in, and boom. Done. That was it!

Good luck!

[engravers.livejournal.com]

Thank you sooo much. I have read up on stacking but Seasonique stacking for me for 3 months is way cheaper! I only paid $20 for it with my insurance. $20 every 3 months, I mean, there literally could not be a better scenario for me, haha. But seriously, thank you again for this comment, it really made me feel better. I guess there's no point in freaking out because anything could happen and I won't know until I try. :)

[archangelbeth]

...HBC co-pays are totally irrational, if you pay the same amount for 3 months vs. 1 month, just because of brand! I want to go around with newspapers and nerf bats and chase insurance beancounters. (Not to make you pay more, but so other people could get, like, 3 packs and pay the same!)

Ahem. Anyway, far as I know, Seasonique follows the same 21/7 rules as almost all other combined estrogen/progesterone HBC. So if you ever get weird bleeding, you can figure if you'll be able to abide by 21-or-more active pills on either side of a 4-7 day break, and if so, take that break. That's often the fastest way to unconfuse a confused uterus.

[shihtzulover.livejournal.com]

Different birth control pills affect people differently, and this is actually true of pretty much all medications, even supplements. Also, people are much more likely to write negative reviews than positive ones, so what you read on the Internet tends to often be really skewed.

Some people may experience weight gain on the Pill, but so many don't. Also, while the Pill can make acne worse for some people, it is also often prescribed to improve acne. Personally, I found that my acne became worse at first on the Pill, but then pretty much went away completely. Now that I'm off, it's coming back a bit. Like I said though, everyone is different.

Some people say that birth control pills make their anxiety worse, but I feel like my anxiety is more out of control since I've been off the Pill. Again, just individual differences.

Good luck, and remember - you can always try a different brand or switch birth control methods altogether if you're unhappy.

The good news...

[gryphonwing.livejournal.com]

Even if this pill doesn't agree with you, you can so taking it and go back to normal. There are very very rare exceptions but the overwhelming majority of us aren't affected long-term by our HBC. If we stop taking it, its effects go away.

Probably you'll be fine... I've taken lots of brands and never had any side effects to speak of. Like others have said, the internet is full of the bad stories because "it was fine" isn't something people feel it's necessary to share. But even if you don't react well, you can just stop, or try a new brand. :)

[ineverycolor.livejournal.com]

Loestrin is my favorite birth control. Everybody's body works differently. But I like that it's a low hormone one!

[lurkerwisp.livejournal.com]

I've been using a generic of Seasonique for a long while now. It's been pretty much wonderful to me. :)

All the horror stories aren't the only stories, they're just the only ones people usually come to the internet to spread.

[encircleme.livejournal.com]

Exactly this. I rarely post reviews of places or things I find awesome, but I often post negative reviews about places and things I thought sucked. People rarely put pen to paper or fingers to keys to sing something's praises.