I am very curious about Birth Control side effects. Please help!?!

I am very curious about Birth Control side effects. Please help!?

I was researching birth control and I wanted to ask women with experience about the side effects of Birth Control. I read about weight gain and depression. I don't want either of these. I also heard about nausea and irregular periods. These side effects scare me very much and I was just curious about how common these side effects are. I really want to use Birth Control when I start having a sex life but I fear the side effects. Please tell me about your experiences with birth control and the side effects. Also, if you will, give some suggestions of types of Birth Control that have the least side effects. Thank you very much!

Birth control pill: These have the GOOD side effect of making your periods much lighter, and also can help clear up your skin if you have problems with acne. The bad news is that the pill can cause you to gain weight, retain water, and can have some serious side effects like blood clots if you are older (over 35) and smoke. Also, some health insurance plans do NOT cover the pill and some brands can be quite costly!

IUD: No hormonal side effects, unless you use the version with hormones and then the effects are pretty mild. Disadvantages: You need to see your OB/GYN to get it inserted, which causes some cramping. Also, the IUD tends to make your periods last longer and get MUCH heavier, so this probably isn't for you if you already have bad periods.

Condoms/Creams/Jellies: These are all available over the counter, and are relatively inexpensive and free of side effects. The major disadvantage is that creams/jellies are messy, and condoms can--um--kind of interfere with his sensations. Also, none of these are super-effective forms of birth control, with failure rates ranging from 20-30%. Probably not a good choice if you REALLY don't want to get pregnant.

It has been a while since I've had to deal with birth control (had my tubes tied up 7 yrs ago), but the newer lower dose pills are pretty good from reports I have heard from users...I have not heard any of them complain about weight gain or depression, and also have not heard the nausea complaint.

I had a LOT of problems with hormonal birth control (used the Lo-Ovral pill/Depo-Provera shot) and ended up gaining 15 pounds on the Lo-Ovral...and ending up being a grouch all month long with no sex drive and a short temper...

I did use the IUD as well, which I liked better but unfortunately because my uterus is tipped, did not stay in and I had to go back several times per year to get a new on inserted.

Honestly, the best form of BC that I have used is my current one...had my tubes tied up after my daughter was born. No side effects, no chance of pregnancy.

Your best bet is to start researching some of the methods you are interested in online, and then ask your doctor about them.

My sister (who's quite a bit younger than I) uses the Nuva ring, and is very happy with it.