Ladies, Why I Ditched My Birth Control...the Stuff You Ask Google

Ladies, this one is for you! Today is my singular day of the month where I know I'm going to have a period next week. I am one emotion-filled moment away from the flood gates opening. I'm tired and hungry and my filter is busted...yaaay! To honor everything going on with my body today, I decided to write a post honoring women, and talk about something we don't really openly discuss! After sitting in the salon chair yesterday and chatting with my colorist and friend, this theory has been validated. It is time to expose what I believe to be the truth about hormonal birth control and the battles we face as women still trying to figure out what the flip is going on with our bodies.

If you are taking some form of hormonal birth control here are a few vague, but desperate questions I know almost every single one of you has typed into Google search (myself included). 1. Why don't I want to have sex anymore? 2. Am I still attracted to my partner if I have no sex drive? 3. Why do I have no energy? 4. Why can't I think clearly? 5. Why am I getting so many yeast/bladder or urinary tract infections? You are not alone! Even for as many years as we have all existed in our bodies, it all still seems so incredibly complicated. And it is, our bodies are built of a complex set of systems! Being HUMAN can sometimes be completely overwhelming. Hormones control everything in our bodies, not just our moods and our reproductive systems. We're talking the functions of vital organs, growth, immunity, and even before we were born, hormones played a part in the development of our brains. When we start to add in new variables, i.e. synthetic progestin and estrogen, or any medication that doesn't occur naturally, I'm sure you can imagine that things could start to get a little out of balance when we interfere with our bodies' natural processes.

I began taking oral birth control pills when I was 20 years old because I was experiencing horrible mood swings and PMS symptoms. I decided to switch to the patch after gaining 20 unwanted pounds, and then to NuvaRing which is worn internally for three weeks at a time. I was able to lose the weight, but then began dealing with hormonal acne. The kind of acne that literally changes the shape of your face and is so painful, you never want to leave your house or look in the mirror. The only way that I could manage it was by cortisone injections into each new acne cyst that boiled up, which helped, but was still a band-aid solution. I started to consider the true root of the problem as I began getting consistent bladder irritation and was so uncomfortable I humored the idea I was developing Interstitial Cystitis just like my mom. This is a serious condition where the bladder lining becomes ultra sensitive to movement and slight food sensitivities. It essentially continues to weaken if not managed with extreme modification to diet and lifestyle. I could potentially lose the ability to have sex, ever, and would have to change my active lifestyle. This was when things got real, no way could I deal with any of that happening to me! I was exhausted, anxious and depressed, in pain, foggy, embarrassed by my skin, and had almost entirely stopped thinking about sex because it hurt and would cause problems with my bladder for days afterward. My last doctor's appointment ruled out any signs of infection, but my doctor prescribed me antibiotics anyway (another band-aid). This was when we decided that we needed to move back home for awhile. Without a support system of friends and family both my husband and I knew, that the outlook was no bueno. It wasn't until we'd been back in Kansas for a month that hubby told me about an article on the effects of NuvaRing he'd read and everything started to make sense. I quit my birth control. With the help of some herbal supplementation my libido slowly returned and my skin has never been more clear. I can think clearly and am able to manage my depression and anxiety AND I have no more bladder irritation symptoms! Real talk girls, birth control was ruining my life.

First thought was, "I can't quit my birth control because I REALLY can't deal with being pregnant!". That statement was a little lazy, I'll admit it! Sexual maturity comes with some responsibilities. There are so many other ways to avoid pregnancy, or yes, I'll go there, terminate pregnancy. We all are in control of our own bodies! News flash; condoms have the exact same effectiveness percentage as hormonal contraceptives. And again, it is entirely possible to manage your own fertility without the use of hormonal birth control. Hell, you may even learn some more about yourself in the process! I encourage you to purchase a basal thermometer and learn about your natural cycle; there are apps for that. Do some research on natural remedies and get back to nature! I now know exactly when I'm ovulating from the way my discharge looks. Why are we so disconnected from our bodies that we don't know these things about ourselves?

No woman should ever feel like she has no choice other than to be on birth control or medication to avoid pregnancy or manage heavy bleeding, cramping, PMDD, PCOS, or Endometriosis. You have options ladies. Options that are natural and healing. Let no stone go unturned and approach your unique situation with an open mind! Try to avoid pharmaceutical band-aids that cause more problems than they help solve. Get in tune with your body and your cycle. If you do decide to stop taking hormonal birth control your body may need a little help with the transition back to your normal cycle. Sometimes things get worse before they get better. You may be irregular for a while or have acne flare ups. I have had much luck with a supplement called Estroblock to help my body get rid of the synthetic estrogen and progestin from using hormonal birth control. I has also been able to almost completely get rid of any evidence I ever had hormonal acne using Mario Badescu skincare products (amazing), and a high quality, home Derma Roller system (more on these later)!

So this is me starting the conversation. Let's keep it going and take ownership of our womanhood!

Elle WhiteFebruary 7, 2016Comment

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