Contraception never crossed my mind until all my friends started to go on it. Even then, I never considered it until I started to notice that my cycle was becoming more irregular by the month.
When I mentioned this to my friends, they suggested that I speak with my GP about the possibility of going on contraception as the majority of them were on the pill to help regulate their cycle. I hesitated for a while up until my second year of university.
Once I realised that my irregular periods were becoming a bigger issue than I thought, I booked myself in for an appointment with my local GP and discussed which hormonal contraception would work best for me. I was prescribed on the mini pill which is a form of contraception containing progestogen.
I was made aware of the possible side effects that are most commonly experienced by women such as mood swings, headache, nausea, breast tenderness, acne, weight gain and spotting. Things that no women would wish to experience. Although I was reassured that everyone reacts differently to contraception and that it will take up to three months for my body to get used to it.
Unpredictable bleeding for the first few months is one of the most common symptoms, it was not something I was looking forward to as I went on the mini pill for the reason to stop me from bleeding irregularly.
After being on hormonal contraception for three months, my bleeding was the same but more irregular than usual. After my check up with the nurse, she gave me the alternatives of either staying on the same prescription or changing it. I decided to change it, which worked for me.
My second prescription stopped my unpredictable bleeding, I was not experiencing any major symptoms, except for mood swings and anxiety. My world would crumble down after my own parents made a comment about how I have changed a lot as a person and that I gained weight.
This was my breaking point and I decided to change my prescription for the third time. Shortly after starting it, I concluded that I needed to give my body a break and that the mini pill just wasn’t for me.
This was one of the best decisions that I have made. I no longer experienced any mood swings or anxiety; my periods surprisingly were regular and I felt comfortable in my own body. I was off contraception for nearly six months. Although being in a relationship comes with the fear of unwanted pregnancy.
I researched online about other methods that I would feel comfortable trying. Some of my friends recommended the coil, to which at the time I refused, because I was scared of the pain I might have to go through during the insertion process.
The coil, also known as intrauterine device (IUD) is a small T-shaped device made from plastic and copper which can protect you against pregnancy for between five to ten years, depending on which type.
I scared myself even more when I turned to TikTok and Instagram for advice and searched the experiences other women had on the coil, all which were negative. When one of my friends caught me watching these videos, she sat me down and explain that much like the other hormonal contraception, the coil would react differently for every woman.
This is when I though to myself and laughed at how ridiculous it was that I was scaring myself thinking that my health would be put on the line. I braved up, picked up the phone and arranged an appointment at my local sexual health clinic.
I am not going to go into detail about the process of getting the coil, but I will tell that it was less painful than I expected, then again, each woman has a different experience. It has been about a month since I’ve gotten the coil and I have not had any major issue. The most I will experience is cramps every now and then which is normal if you are on the coil.
Moral of the story, don’t do what I did by hesitating and going to social media for advice. If you are thinking of going on contraception, changing methods of birth control, or even getting off the contraception, always speak with a medical professional who will aid you with more support and advice than TikTok can.
It is also important to acknowledge that friends and family have your best interest; so its significant to also listen to them and take their advice.
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