Just a PSA about how natural cycles is a shady business. They charged me $150 for another year of service without giving me a chance to cancel. Oh - but they said they did… how u might wonder? In an email that was disguised as another bullshit promo email, titled “Your NC Journey!” With NO INDICATION of a charge coming up. I get a million emails a day, I’m not going to stop to look at each one, are u kidding. And so I get the invoice and I say um, no, I don’t want this service anymore and I can’t afford this right now, I need a refund, and they continue to double down on their “policy” even though I literally asked to cancel the DAY the charged me, before it even went through. It’s shady fucking business practice, hide your “notification” in an innocuous promo email, then rake in money from unsuspecting users. I’m fucking pissed and $150 is a lot of fucking money for me. I’ve had this issue with another subscription service and they understood and refunded me. Fuck NC. They’re fucking shady & unhuman.

I was on nikki for probably 6 months before I stopped mid September after my period. I had sex once since then on October 1st. My period is 3 days late now and no sign of coming (no cramps, no spotting) I’m freaking out but my boyfriend says it’s probably just getting off the pill. I noticed I’m bloated a lot and some acne on my face showed up. I know I should take a test but I’m scared I’m only 17.

Is this a normal for getting off the pill or am I cooked

Hello,

Like the title says I stopped the Dianne 35 pill. I have had no period since June 28 when I stopped, and my partner just edjaculated inside me without permission. It's Oct 17 and I don't know if I have ovulated or not but I've been super hormonal and I'm really hoping to get my period. Google said a delay of 1 to 3 months is normal for my period. I took 3 pregnancy tests last month and all said negative. If I take a plan B, will it work?

A little more than a month ago I was prescribed by my OB the lady pills as treatment to my PCOS, and I am not one of the fellows who uses PCOS as birth control (like????) and I've been taking it religiously since August. Consistently at 3pm. No miss no delays.

I will be going on a date with a special someone this month, and I'm assuming we'll do the deed. Searched online that you should take the pill on the first day of your cycle, or abstinence for 7 days if not. Well since I am well over that timeframe, am I protected to have sex?

Would really love to hear your suggestions as this will be a first time to me, as a year ago I usually opt for the dude to do the contraceptives, but since I'm already taking the pill due to PCOS, might as well 🤷🏻‍♀️ Hahaha

Thank youuu!

I just completed my first month on drospirenone, being used to manage my PMOS but also using it as a contraceptive whilst having unprotected sex. I’m not quite sure about how the protection works and when to start the next blister pack.

Due to PMOS I have extremely irregular periods and I’m not sure when my next period will be. However, since day 18 of my period I’ve been having dark brown discharge/blood (literally no idea what it is…). I don’t have cramps so I’m pretty confident it’s not a real period but I don’t know what it is and if it means I should be starting my second blister pack of active pills now. For a bit more context, today is day 24/final day for this month for me to be taking active pills.

My final question is: if I don’t get my period within the next four days where I’m supposed to be taking the placebo pills, am I still protected against pregnancy? My PMOS in the past has delayed my period by up to 4 months, and my doctor’s orders have been to start a new blister pack on the first day of my next period. I’m concerned about if I will be vulnerable to pregnancy if I have unprotected sex whilst my period is delayed in this way, since I think I won’t be taking the pill for an extended period of time.

Sorry if this didn’t make much sense. Any advice from people who have been in similar situations, or who know what to do in situations like this would be greatly appreciated.

Hi, I’ve been on the Nexplanon for the past year or so and all of a sudden I’ve experienced my periods being so long I scheduled an appointment to get it removed but I’m not sure to which other form of birth control to switch to.

I was thinking birth control pills but I’m not sure if it’s as effective as the nexplanon which I liked bc I didn’t have to think about it. Any recommendations?

I just started the Nikki (Yaz) birth control pill last month on the 27th. This is my first time even on birth control and the first placebo pill I'm supposed to take would be next week on Wednesday. Would my period most likely start on that day or would it be later on?

I only ask because I've got a busy next week, specifically Wednesday, ahead of me and I'm nervous. I usually have painful periods that are on or off (such as one month I can barely move and am bedridden, the next it hurts the most on the 1st day and is fine the rest and I can function as usual). Like I've been cramping like crazy for the past 2-3 days already so it's adding an extra layer of worry.

Hi! I’ve been taking Diane-35 for about a year now, and I’ve never missed a pill or had issues with breakthrough bleeding until now.

I’m currently halfway through my active pill pack, about two weeks before my expected period. I initially noticed some brown-tinged discharge, which eventually progressed to more noticeable brown bleeding the following day. It’s not heavy enough to soak a pad, but it’s definitely more than my usual discharge.

What’s strange is that my body feels like I’m actually having my period. I’ve been experiencing fatigue, mild abdominal discomfort, and muscle soreness in the same areas where I usually feel it before my period.

I normally experience PMS-like symptoms around two weeks before my expected period, but this is the first time I’ve actually bled during that time.
I’ve also noticed an unusually high libido over the past few days, although I’m aware that ovulation is generally suppressed while taking the pill.

I haven’t changed my pill routine, so I’m confused about why this is suddenly happening after a year of consistent use.

Has anyone experienced breakthrough bleeding for the first time after being on the same pill for a year or longer? Did it resolve on its own, and did your doctor explain what might have caused it?

I’m planning to consult my gynecologist, but I’d appreciate hearing similar experiences.

My girlfriend had recently been on the pill, after about 10 months or so she and I both noticed it messing with her mentally so I suggested she get off of it. She did and feels better, now she’s mentioned getting a copper IUD. She is extremely nervous and is worried about the potential pain it could cause.

For what it’s worth, after she mentioned getting the IUD, I told her I would pay for it and I’d get snipped after we have a kid/kids later in life.

I’ve been trying to read all I can on Google about it and I’m coming across so many mixed reviews. I’d like some advice and insight from women who have/had the copper IUD and personal experience so I can relay the info to her (she’s not a big Reddit girl) Her and I both would appreciate all the information you’re willing to share and possibly answer a few questions

I’m 20F, and I could really use some advice from people who have been in a similar situation.

I started taking hormonal birth control (Yaz Plus) 2 months ago for PCOS and during my first month, I experienced a pretty intense depressive episode. I would get ready, go to university, come home, and start crying for seemingly no reason.

I felt emotionally overwhelmed and couldn’t handle things the way I normally would.

Looking back, I think I’ve struggled with my mental health for a long time. I’ve always been anxious, I tend to spiral over the smallest things, I overanalyze social interactions, and I often feel out of place around other people. I can get incredibly overwhelmed by thoughts about my future and things that other people seem to handle normally. I’ve also struggled with attention and concentration, (to the point that i can’t sit down and read a book no matter how much i want to) for as long as i remember and I’ve wondered whether I might have ADHD.

I think the birth control may have intensified feelings I had already been suppressing or made me more aware of them. Before this, I often felt emotionally numb, whereas during that episode I would suddenly cry about things I hadn’t really allowed myself to feel.

I need to admit something else, too. During that period, I started taking my mom’s escitalopram without a prescription. I know that was very irresponsible, and I’m not planning to continue self medicating. I took small portions of the 10 mg tablets, and I remember feeling noticeably better. I felt more motivated, could concentrate on studying. I understand that responding positively to an antidepressant doesn’t necessarily mean I need one, but it made me wonder whether professional treatment could actually help me.

I recently spoke to my mom about how I had been feeling, and she immediately booked me an appointment with a psychiatrist.

The thing is, I’m absolutely terrified of gaining weight from psychiatric medication.
I already struggle with my body image because of PCOS, and I’ve spent a long time feeling uncomfortable in my own body. I’m scared of finally getting some relief from my mental health issues only to gain weight and feel even worse about myself. I know weight gain isn’t inevitable with every medication, but I keep reading stories about people gaining a significant amount of weight on antidepressants, and it scares me enough to consider cancelling the appointment altogether.
Part of me also wonders whether I’m overreacting. Maybe this was just a reaction to the hormones, maybe I’m being too sensitive, or maybe my problems aren’t serious enough to justify psychiatric medication. I keep thinking that other people manage their lives without needing medication, so why can’t I?

Now I’m torn between two options, and I genuinely don’t know which makes more sense.
Should I wait until I finish this month’s pack of Yaz Plus, speak to my gynecologist, and ask her to switch me to a different birth control pill to see whether my mood improves? Maybe the depressive episode is primarily hormonal, and changing brands would be enough.

Or should I go ahead and see a psychiatrist now, rather than waiting, since I was already struggling with anxiety, overthinking, low moods, and possible ADHD symptoms before starting birth control?
I’m worried about going to a psychiatrist too soon and being prescribed medication I might not actually need. At the same time, I’m worried about delaying help for problems I’ve been dealing with for years just because I’m scared of the side effects.

I know strangers online can’t diagnose me or tell me which medication I should take. I’m mostly looking for personal experiences and some perspective because I feel very conflicted. I want to get better, but I’m afraid of what getting better might cost me physically.
Thank you to anyone who took the time to read all of this.

Hello!

Just hoping for clarification on what it means when people say about taking a combined contraceptive pill late!

When they say it’s just a late pill rather than a missed pill if it’s less than 24 hours, does this mean if it’s 24 hours since you were meant to take it? Or 24 hours since you took the last one??

I ordinarily take the pill at night, but early on in the pack I forgot one night and have been taking it the next morning instead (ie taking Mondays pill on Tuesday morning).
I forgot to take the pill this morning, and have only remembered this evening. It is Saturday, but I should have taken Fridays pill this morning. Instead this evening I have taken Saturdays pill so I can get back to taking it in the evening.

Google is saying to take the other pill too, however it feels way too close together to take two at once? Is it going to be problematic if I just skip taking the one pill I “missed” altogether?

Hi all,

I was stealthed almost 2 months ago, and had taken a pill late during that cycle when i was assaulted. The guy did NOT ejaculate I realised what was happening and gtfo of his place so fast lol.

I referred to my pill packet and it said to just keep taking pills into my next pack / skip a withdrawal bleed so i did that and didn’t take plan B. I was spotting the entire month both before the assault and after randomly anyways.

I had a withdrawal bleed (including clots) in September though not as heavy as normal as i’ve always had SUPER heavy periods and it was slightly shorter than normal. I had been taking my packets continuously for about 3 months though so it was my first period in a while.

I’m wondering if I should have taken a pregnancy test? I tried to a while back but it got so wet it didn’t work lmao- it read as blank. Should I take another test or is the fact i had a bleed indication enough that it’s okay?

I’m on Yasminelle combined pill and have been for 3 years.

Hello,

I lost my last active pill(24+4l, then stuck to my schedule(so my placebo got extended by a day), I took my active pill yesterday and had sex while withdrawal bleeding today.

How's the risk on this? Should I take a plane B

I got an IUD and the strings have been going into my partner’s pee hole and causing him discomfort. I got it checked by my OB to make sure it’s in the correct position and they said everything looks good so they trimmed the strings but not too much because they need to soften and coil etc. We have given it some time now but he still can feel it occasionally when he goes deep. This might a stpid question but could he still be feeling it because he has an unusually long c*ck?

Hey guys. I started taking swingo 20 (im currently at the end of my second blister) due to myoma and bad period cramps. My first withdrawal bleeding went okay, but now im bleeding since monday and now its saturday, not to mention really bad cramps. The blood is bright red like from a clean cut and theres a lot of it especially when i wipe myself.im getting really paranoid, i didnt miss a single pill last sex without ejaculation was on october 4, and with ejaculation was last saturday and now on Thursday (while i was bleeding). Is it normal or should i go to the urgent care? Thank you 🙏🏻

Okay for context: I (24F) didn’t have penetrative sex for like, 6 years (so pardon my paranoia in all this), but I’ve been on various birth control pills since I was 16 for hormonal balance reasons, not necessarily for contraception. Around 3 months ago, I got on Slynd, and my experience has been AMAZING. No lingering side effects, no more bleeding, no nothing. I have it in a pillbox with all my other meds and I take it before I go to bed every night, but that time varies, so sometimes I’ll take it at 10pm, other times I’ll take it at 2 or 3am. It just depends on when I finish the day. I know, I should be better about this, I know, (I’ve been more consistent this week,) but the 24 hour grace period is too good to me.

Yesterday night, my partner (26M) and I had sex with no protection, and I told him not to pull out because I’m on birth control and I kinda wanted to know what it was like haha. We did the same thing the morning after. Later on in the day (aka: today), I started worrying pretty bad about how I sometimes don’t take my pill at the exact time every day and how that might affect things, so we bought a Plan B just in case. I haven’t taken it yet, and it’s been a little over 24 hours since the first round of sex where he finished in me.

TLDR: Is it worth taking the Plan B if I take my Slynd diligently every day, but at slightly times? I know I probably sound paranoid, but I just really want to make sure that I’m protected and that I’m doing everything right (again: I haven’t had penetrative sex in a long time, so this is all new to me…). I know Plan B can be kinda intense, and don’t want to throw my hormones out of wack unnecessarily… any reassurance (and no judgement) would be appreciated.

I've been on Drovelis (Drospireno + Estetrol) for around 4 months now and am overall tolerating it well. I'm skipping the placebo pills since I have endometriosis. My boobs have been consistently swollen and tender though. I know that is common as your body adjusts to new hormones but I'm starting to get a bit nervous that it won't go away again. Has anyone been in a similar situation?

I’ve only been with my partner for 2 months so as you can imagine we’re enjoying ourselves in the bed a lot, I used to be on the combined pill but due to a stroke like migraine I was taken off of it, and now have been put on the desomono mini pill. I have been on it for 3 weeks now, and have been bleeding for 7 straight days since the beginning of the second week pretty heavily which is way longer and heavier than I’m used to, I was told 1 in 3 women will experience constant bleeding on it, but the more I research the more it seems that almost every woman bleeds continually on it. I’m so scared it’s not going to stop and I miss the combined pill so much, I hate this and I hate bleeding non stop and not being able to be intimate with my partner!!! What’s other peoples experiences?

In January 2025, I took Plan B (Escapelle) for the first time, and for the following nine months, I felt like I wasn’t myself. I’m finally starting to feel better, but I still have fears and anxiety, and I don’t feel like the person I was before all of this happened.
Here’s what happened: On the first day after taking it, I felt completely normal, and my menstrual cycle wasn’t affected at all. On the second day, I started experiencing shortness of breath, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. On the third day, I had a full-blown panic attack, and from that moment on, everything changed.
I started crying almost every day because I was terrified that something was wrong with me or that I was going to die. I experienced all kinds of physical symptoms and constantly felt physically weak. I developed severe anxiety and became afraid of so many things that had never bothered me before.
Eventually, I was prescribed Adaptol (mebicar, an anti-anxiety medication), but I honestly feel like it may have made things worse. After stopping it, I tried drinking coffee twice, and both times I had a terrible reaction that felt like a panic attack. I haven’t touched coffee since around April, even though I used to love it. I’ve also been avoiding alcohol, and I’m not entirely sure why.
It’s been so long, and I just want to feel like myself again.
Has anyone experienced similar symptoms after taking Plan B or while taking/stopping Adaptol? Did anyone develop anxiety or become sensitive to caffeine after something like this?
And most importantly, if you used to love coffee but had to stop because it triggered panic attacks, were you eventually able to drink it again? I miss my favorite coffee so much, and I really hope I can enjoy it again without being afraid. ❤️

I, (19F), used to be on a birth control for a year, but then I stopped and got on the shot. After the shot, I wasn’t on any form of birth control for 3 months. I just got on Hailey (combo pill) 1.5 months ago, and I’ve been experiencing a lot of pain in ONE leg. Especially at night and when I’m not moving, it’s certainly not EVERY day, but like 1-3 times a week for over 2 hours each time. 2 weeks ago when I saw my mom last, my calf was in pain and throbbing all day. Now today, that same leg is in pain, specifically my knee! We’re going to go to the ER/Urgent care tomorrow just to check. No swelling, redness, or warmth. Still, gonna check. I’ll update you guys… I thought it was growing pain / pain from walking on campus, but it’s only been my right leg the entire time.

Hi all !

I recently made a post about how my doctor said i can't have the patch since it increases me risk of stroke, and that i'd have to go on progestin only birth control.

I asked you guys about your experiences with progestin only birth control, and the responses were very varied.

I am now looking for people with experience primarily with SLYND. It is the BC I will most likely be using and i've seen a few comments about it in my previous post. I want to focus all my attention on Slynd now since it's the BC I am most likely to start taking.

RELEVANT INFO:
-I cannot use any BC that contains Estrogen
-I have no reproductive issues (Like PCOS, Endometriosis, PMDD, etc)
-This would be my first time using BC
-Canada

So, anyone who is willing to share their experiences with Slynd, please do so in the comment section ! It will help me decide if i want to take the plunge and try it.

Thank you guys !! keep being awesome :)

I have been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and depression. My mental health got so bad that I got my Kyleena IUD removed and while I had a few days of no issues at all, I’ve been dealing with depression so severe I can’t even function. I can’t stop crying. Has anyone else experienced this and how long until you felt human again?

Other side effects of removal I’ve experienced have been brain fog, severe nausea, breast pain, and abdominal pain.

Has anybody been given the nuva ring due to spotting on the mini pill (o pill)? I was told that I could take both together until bleeding stabilized but that it was not a risk to take them both together indefinitely? Has anybody else had experience with these together? Is this a strange thing to be offered? I would assume the effectiveness is increased?

​

I'm thinking about taking Norethindrone at the end of this month to delay my period a few days for a romantic getaway October 28th - November 1st. I'm due to start bleeding the last day of the trip (Nov 1st or 2nd), and I really don't want it to come a day sooner. Has anyone successfully taken half the dose? I know they recommend 5mg 3x a day, but I was thinking about taking 1.5mg (half a pill) 3x a day. Will that be enough to keep the uterine lining thick? I'm super worried about side effects, so I don't wanna take the full dose :( but curious if people still stop their period from coming when taking half a dose still 3x daily. Or, would two 5mg pills twice daily be a better option. I think 3x a day would be best as it won't give your body as much of a chance to dip in progesterone. Panicking about this important trip and don't wanna bleed the last day or two!!! But also super worried about side effects from meds!!! TIA

Hey all, just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and sharing my experience.

For some background: I have tried what feels like every BC method known to man, and have had negative experiences with all of them. The copper IUD is the only one that didn't bombard me with side effects... At least, it didn't until my body rejected it 🥲. That said, due to some bad cramps and PMDD symptoms I talked with the Dr recently and decided to try the one method I only briefly used to somewhat tolerable results back when I was 19: Nuvaring.

I put it in on Sunday. Felt great. Actually overall my mood has felt more stable and calm. Wednesday I had some moderate nausea but only for one day and increasing water intake helped it. Yesterday I felt great!

Then I woke up today with the worst PVC (premature ventricular contractions) episode of my life. For those who have never had that, it feels like your heart suddenly flutters or skips a beat. I have been previously diagnosed with PVC, around a decade ago, but typically my episodes are very few and far between and only last a couple seconds. They are always noticeably more frequent during my period, though. I waited for it to pass but after around an hour it became clear it wasnt passing. I started to get nervous, but since there was NO pain/dizziness/shortness of breath I told myself it wasnt an emergency and headed to urgent care.

Dr gave me an ECG, immediately spotted the PVC as it happened repeatedly during it (is happening what feels like every fourth or fifth heartbeat). He asked what if anything I had changed recently and I said only thing I could think of was the nuvaring. He told me that he hasnt heard of nuvaring causing PVC or exacerbating it at all, and I said mine seems to be worsened by my period so I assumed it might be that. He continued to ask me about other lifestyle factors: caffeine (hadnt had any in days), alcohol (I don't drink), sleep, etc.

He said out of an abundance of caution I should remove the ring. Prescribed me propranolol, and then sent me on my way. I got home and immediately took out the ring but my heart continues this insane PVC episode and even though the dr swears it is benign, I continue to be very anxious. Just want to know if anyone else has dealt with this symptom and if so how it went. Im focusing on electrolytes and water today and hoping for the best but it is SO scary and uncomfortable. 🫠🫠 Sucks because I was loving that my mood felt better !!!

Tl;dr started nuvaring Sunday and by Friday morning had a bad PVC episode dr claims benign and days is likely unrelated. Anyone else?