[ken9018]

Hello, I'm not sure anyone has ever been through this, so Ill ask. Apparently my parents think that my anxiety, ocd and depression is worse the week before my period, the week during my period and the week after my period. They've told me to speak to my gyn about this and I did. She suggested birth control to regulate my hormones. With this BC I'll only get my period 4 times a year. That part sounds great. But I've spent a little time looking up the medicine online and the side effects some people have are worrying me. I have severe health anxiety so once I get an unusual ache or pain/ side effect, then I'll be back to square one running back and forth to hospitals and not being able to go to school. Has anyone ever dealt with this before?

[possum220]

It's good that your parents have noticed and are helping you. Birth Control is one way to reign in rampant PMDD to a point but it may not be enough if your anxiety is off the chart and you are dealing with other issues. Antidepressants like Lovan tend to target PMDD specifically.

[88Butterfly88]

I was on birth control for a short time. I was prescribed it mainly for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). It made me get my period more often and it lasted for a longer amount of time. I don't recall how my mood was. I don't know if this was a PCOS related side effect or not but I had to end up going off it. Sorry if this isn't much help.

[Aviza]

I don't really think birth control is the answer here. You need to see a psychologist to get treated for the real issue.

[ken9018]

Thanks for the replies, but it was my psychologist who suggested speaking with my gyn about taking something to ease my depression, ocd and anxiety around and during period time.

[technigal]

If it were me, I would do a trial of the BCP for 6 months and see how things change. For me, I have been on BCP for 27 years (well, I was off it to get pregnant), I have PCOS and endometriosis so it has been a life saver in that aspect.

[88Butterfly88]

My doctor used to prescribe me PRNs and told me to take more during my period. Something to consider.

[healingme4me]

As far as health anxiety, mine was prescribed as a preventative measure for ovarian cancer. It does have some positives. Perhaps, also, as you watch the pills decrease in the pack as the days go forth, it will help with a visual mental awareness of your cycle? More so than just crossing days off a paper calendar.

Even if you do eventually find yourself with a medication for anxiety, this can be checked off the list of either what works or what doesn't work.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Birth control...I love it! I have four periods a year and they're super light. I'm on it for PCOS.

[Moreta]

I love BC. I'm on depo, so I don't get a period at all. I'm much more calmer. My husband enjoys that I'm calm. haha.

[giddykitty]

Not sure what you've decided and I'm not here to change it, just looking for help myself. But I'm with you about concerns of side effects. I tried a few pills and it kinda aggravated something like leg bloat/cramps?? I'm not even sure how to describe it. It wasn't really cramping. I don't know. It was just uncomfortable.(bear in mind though that I have likely a preexisting condition that I had also started treating near that time) It did help regulate my period though and alleviate the physical aches and pains and probably the moods. It's a tough call. I personally went for the regular periods over the regulated ones, but it's becoming a problem again, particularly for my partner, but also because I get debilitating symptoms to where I'm either in bed for the physical aches or just depressed. :/

[ken9018]

Update... Its been so so for the first 1 week and half. The second day, I had the worst nausea, and really couldn't eat. Then the next week, I had strange stomach aches, which caused a panic attack. I'm trying to hang in there because I'm on the 4 times a year period pill. Dealing with these first side effects have been tough but I really want to get through them because having my period only a few years would be great.