I have been on Sprintec oral contraceptive birth control for about two and a half years now and it's been a little bit of a ride. I was put on the pill for medical purposes before I started actively using it as contraception. I was a little scared of the pill at first because of all of the things I was hearing about it. After actually going on the pill, I learned quite a bit that actually helped me out. So if you're considering going on the pill or just want to know some stuff about it and compare your experience, then read onward!
Disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I wrote this article based on a lot of googling and personal experience. So, if you're seriously considering going on the birth control pill do some research and consult a doctor or medical professional to find one that is right for you.
1. Every pill is the same.
There are combination pills, which come in 21-28 day packs depending on the brand and contain both Estrogen and Progestin. They have one week that either has inactive pills or no pills at all in order to induce a menstrual cycle. There are also Progestin-only pills, which are also called "mini-pills" they contain only Progestin and are 28 days of active pills. This means you may not get your period at all. It depends on how your body reacts to the pill.
Both prevent pregnancy.
2. The pill makes you gain weight.
https://unsplash.com/photos/5jctAMjz21AActually, that depends on how your body reacts to the pill. Personally speaking, I haven't gained an excessive amount of weight from being on the pill. I've hardly gained weight at all.
3. If you don't take your pill at the same exact time every day, it won't work.
As long as you take the pill once a day, the effectiveness will remain the same. Even if you miss one pill, the recommendation is to take two pills the following day, which is usually included in the instructions that come with each pill pack.
**The exception would be if you're taking the Progestin-only pill. With this pill, you need to take it at the same time each day or it's less effective.
4. Being on birth control can lower your chances of fertility later on.
It's very possible to get pregnant as soon as you stop taking the pill. There is a period of time in which all of the hormones will exit your body, but it doesn't mean you have any worse chances of getting pregnant than you had before you started the pill.
5. Your body needs a break from the pill.
The only reason to stop taking your pill is if you are trying to get pregnant. Other than that, you can stay on your chosen method of birth control for as long as you want.
6. Using birth control to skip your period is not healthy.
It's actually totally safe. Just be prepared for some breakthrough bleeding, which is more likely if you just started a new pill, if you're on a tri-phasic pill, or if you delay it for more than a month or two. Click here for more tips on safely skipping your period.
7. The side effects are the worst.
Actually, your body may have little to no side effects at all. Birth control can cause all of these things but not limited to: nausea, breast tenderness, headaches, weight gain, mood changes, missed periods, decreased libido, vaginal discharge, etc.
Personally speaking, I haven't really noticed any changes to my body or my brain function in the last couple of years. But it all depends on your body and the way it reacts to the pill. You could get slammed with all of the above.
8. The pill makes your skin worse.
I personally have experienced this. I frequent breakouts while on the pill. But I know a lot of people who have successfully used the pill to clear their skin instead of taking an acne medication.
9. You don't need to use condoms when you're on the pill.
That's very false. With perfectly flawless use, birth control pills have less than 1% failure rate. But with regular use (this means some forgetfulness or bumps in the road here or there) the pill has a 9% failure rate. It's highly suggested to use another form of contraception while on the pill.
You also need to consider STD/STI protection that the pill can't provide on it's own.
