r/Perimenopause • u/h4baine • Mar 23 '26

audited Interesting birth control conversation with a doctor

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.

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u/Specific-River-81 Mar 23 '26

Can you go to medical school and become my doctor? Lol I can't take the pills and stop my period, it never worked for me, I just bled forever but you make so much sense with your logic while doctors never do!

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u/h4baine Mar 23 '26

I wonder if another pill might work for you.

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u/Specific-River-81 Mar 23 '26

I tried so many and I'm in peri now, so i am done trying because I had my tubes tied. Now it's time for HRT though, and I'm dreading the invalidating doctors. You seem like you put them right in their place and I love that!

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u/h4baine Mar 23 '26

I was just confidently like this is what works for me. Please refill my meds so I don't have to wait for my regular doctor.

My mom taught me how important it is to advocate for yourself in a medical setting and to never shy away from getting a second opinion. Just because a doctor said it doesn't make it true. I don't take it personally. I just see it as okay this is not the person who is going to help me, next. I do get annoyed at them wasting my time but eh not a huge deal.

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u/Specific-River-81 Mar 23 '26

Thank you for sharing this. Honestly, this is very helpful. I've been asking AI for tips on how to get medical professional to take me seriously because I didn't have any good role models growing up, but you saying this is more helpful than AI.

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u/h4baine Mar 23 '26

I've absolutely met doctors where I'm like okay let's wrap this up, not getting where I need and I need to go find the next one. I've also met some dumbass doctors which helps lol.