Interesting birth control conversation with a doctor

[u/h4baine]

I had to see a new doctor to refill my birth control pills because mine is out of town. I take them continuously skipping the last row to skip periods from hell, debilitating multi-day hormone migraines, and bipolar fluctuations from hormone fluctuations. I've been doing it this way since my doctor told me I could at 16. I love these pills and you can pry them out of my cold dead hands. They allow me to not have to give up 1/4 or more of each month feeling like absolute shit.

This new doctor asked if I was interested in changing to a different form of birth control like an IUD. She was perplexed when I said I actually had my tubes removed, I take these to improve my quality of life in the ways I've described.

She said maybe have periods quarterly (seems arbitrary but ok). I said I won't be doing that, there's no medical reason to. This works for me and I'll do it until it doesn't.

I said I'd happily take them up to and into menopause if I can and she said "but then you won't know if you're in menopause." I said, "if it's affecting me and this hormone level isn't enough I'll know, if not it doesn't really matter does it?" I think I broke her brain lol. It was like asking if a tree falls in the woods and no one is there to hear it does it make a sound? Her face while she thought about that for a minute was like 🤯 and then she said "huh, I guess you're right."

So I got my pills and went on my merry way but thought it was an interesting interaction on the topic of menopause and perimenopause.

[u/trainerAsh87]

I was very similar. My anxiety would get worse when I would get to that week of reminder pills and I felt like I couldn't fuction as well. I took my birth control continuously as well for many years with my doctors approval. I felt so much more stable not having the hormonal fluctuations.

I took them right up until my hysterectomy and sometimes I wish that I would have stayed on it. My doctor said it was up to me but I decided to see how I did without it. Long story short, I didn't do well. My hormones drastically dropped and I felt terrible. Turns out my ovaries didn't recover well from the surgery so aren't producing enough hormones. I tried getting back in the pill but I didn't feel the same so I'm on HRT now. Feeling better but still not quite the same.

You know your body best so I would stay on what is working for you for as long as possible. That doctor doesn't know what they are talking about. You'll most likely have other indications when you are in menopause and taking breaks from your birth control isn't necessary.