SO- yesterday I did a little Q&A on Instagram & someone asked me about birth control. SO, today’s planned post is now cancelled, because birth control just sounds more fun to write about rn.

I have been on birth control since I was 17, maybe took a break for a year in between, but ever since the day I told my Mom it would “help with my cramps”, I’ve been popping the pill on the reg.

Then I grew up & everyone started talking about how bad the pill was. I definitely took it into consideration & decided to reevaluate my birth control method. Initially I was interested in the IUD, but left the doctors office with the mini pill instead.

The IUD can be taken out at anytime, but it’s a procedure that I just don’t want to deal with. I’m used to a pill, the pill never bothered me, & you can STOP a pill whenever you want… but I didn’t want a pill with all the NEGATIVE side effects as the one I was currently taking. SO, the mini pill it was.

WHAT IS THE MINI PILL (AKA POP)?

First let’s talk about the COMBINATION pill- this is the pill that is most often prescribed, the most popular form of birth control, a combination of both ESTROGEN & PROGESTIN, & the pill that I was previously on before I made the switched the mini pill (Errin, to be specific)

The estrogen in the mini pill CAN cause a slew of issues: migraines, weight gain (me, I gained like 15lbs), hormonal changes, general psychotic behavior (lol, also me), potential blood clots, decreases sex drive, & apparently it can be super hard to get pregnant after taking the combination pill. The only bonus I see is it can help with acne, but I’d rather have some pimples than be 15 lbs over weight, mentally unstable, & potential fertility issues.

Basically, it just wasn’t doing me any favors & now that I have a thyroid issue, it’s a blessing I got off that pill (it can really f*ck with the thyroid!).

The mini pill on the other hand is a PROGESTIN only pill, meaning it has ZERO estrogen.

Yes, this one can also come with side effects, but I have had a MUCH better experience. First of all, weight fell off & I know this was from the pill cause I originally lost the weight before I had a thyroid issue. I lost a little more because of the thyroid, but the first 5 or so pounds was definitely from the pill (I wasn’t try to lose weight though, it just happened).

My mood was also much more stable & if I get off of the pill today, I am 100% able to get pregnant tomorrow if I wanted. That won’t be for a while, but atleast it’s not effecting my fertility.

There are really only two SMALL downsides I have seen with the mini pill, & they aren’t major:

1. The first thing, you have to be diligent AF with taking this pill. It needs to be everyday at the same time & if you miss by more than 3 hours you are 100% able to get pregnant for the next 3 days. If you are not good at remembering, this is probably not the pill for you. I use a reminder app, so I never miss a pill.

2. They also can make your periods irregular, which in combination with the above, can get scary.

NBD & definitely not reason enough for me to EVER go back to the combination pill!! I am OBVIOUSLY a blogger & not a doctor, so if you’re looking to try a different method of BC, talk to a doctor. They can answer all your questions & determine the best option for you… just make sure to ask about ALL the risks!

P.S. FUN FACT, you can actually get birth control online & the Mini Pill is available at Nurx which makes getting your bc super easy (promo codes here!)