If you are/were on hormonal BC... depression?

ShanJosh777

I started back on the pill about 2.5 months ago and I feel like it's making me crazy. I was on it for about 9 years prior to having DS and I don't remember any issues at all.

I'm taking the generic of ortho tri-cyclen. I have been feeling so depressed for the last couple of months, zero motivation, overly emotional and weepy. And as much as I hate to admit it, kind of disconnected and annoyed with DS more often than not. I was thinking about making an appointment with a therapist, because I am going through some other things (i.e. a divorce) that I could probably benefit, but that has been going on for almost two years now and I have never felt like this. So I started thinking back to what has changed and it dawned on me that I started taking this pill around the same time I started feeling very noticeably depressed.

I have an appointment with my gynecologist to follow up on the BC anyway coming up in two weeks, so I will definitely discuss it. I guess I'm just wondering if anyone else experienced this? I don't even know what other options I have for BC besides an IUD and I don't know if I'm totally sold on that. What do you use that doesn't make you crazy?

The sad thing is I don't even need it for actual birth control, I just had been having awful AFs so I decided to go back onto something to see if it helped, which it has in that respect.

ktb31

Yes, the pill makes me noticeably depressed and overly emotional.  I feel so much better not being on it, it's just not worth it to me.  But I also get very hormonal during my period and I'm pregnant right now and I can feel the hormones just raging.  I think some people are more prone to having hormonal issues.  Definitely talk to your doctor about it and try going off it to see if that helps.

Mustang Sally

The very first pill I ever went on made me severely depressed.  I started sleeping all day (it was in college), I stopped eating, I was a weepy mess most of the time, everything became a "disaster", and I did have thoughts of suicide.  Strangely enough, it wasn't until I started having migraines (I had never had them before, and I was getting an aura and everything) that it occurred to me that the pill could be causing the migraines and maybe even the depression.  

When I went off that pill all of a sudden I felt like myself again.  My roomates were like, "She's back!"  I am very weary of hormonal birth control since then.

I finally found a low dose pill that I was on with zero side effects for 5+ years.  After weaning DS1 I went back on it and BAM!  Headaches, depression, acne, you name it.  WTH, 5 years with no side effects and now this???  I think I'm over the pill for good now, I just seem to be way too sensitive to the hormones.  As for other birth control...  we were just using condoms for a while, but now that I think we're done having kids I just don't know.  I might try the Paraguard IUD (non-hormonal) but I'm not sold on it either.  But as my doc said, you can always take it out. 

JoannaJes

When I started hormonal BC again right after having DS (after being off of it for 2+ years), I fell into an almost instant depression. About 4 days into it, I realized it might be the BC. So I stopped it, and felt much, much better quite quickly. It's always worth it to stop the BC and see if your moods are affected.

I got a Paragard inserted after having DD, and am very happy to have consistent BC without having to deal with the hormonal side effects.

LuvinMyKids

What is the name of what you are taking?  I could have typed your post myself.  I have been on BCP's on and off (only off while pg and BFing) for the last 16 years.  Never had a problem until I started back up 2 years ago after I stopped BFing our 4th child.   I am also on the generic pill- Trinessa is what I take.  I have thought MANY times that this pill is making me feel not myself....

ShanJosh777

LuvinMyKids:

What is the name of what you are taking?  I could have typed your post myself.  I have been on BCP's on and off (only off while pg and BFing) for the last 16 years.  Never had a problem until I started back up 2 years ago after I stopped BFing our 4th child.   I am also on the generic pill- Trinessa is what I take.  I have thought MANY times that this pill is making me feel not myself....

What I'm taking is Tri-Sprintec, but I believe Trinessa is the same thing, just a different generic name.