So this is something a little different.. but something I feel more people need to talk about. That’s it.. the big embarrassing C word (not that one…) CONTRACEPTION! I have always hated getting my period, I don’t get awful pains or anything, but I just hated the not knowing of when it was going to come. Staying at friends houses and worrying I would wake up and there be a massive red stain on their bed sheets. When I first started looking at my options it wasn’t even about contraception, it was to help with my skin.. and that’s how I started with the pill! My roommate was also on the pill which helped as we would set alarms on our phones and remind eachother to take it at the same time every day!
I started to stop take it as much when I was in America, towards the end I was travelling around and crossing different time zones I just kept forgetting and not being able to work out what time to take it at. When I got back from the states I got back onto it purely because I liked knowing when my period was going to come so I could plan around it.
Now this next bit I need to stress is my own opinion and is not backed by any scientific evidence, it’s just how I felt and how/why I changed. Basically my best friend who was also on the pill got a pretty bad clot in her leg and ended up hospitalised. Now it may not have been entirely due to the pill, however knowing the pill can cause this I freaked out and stopped taking it completely. I stopped taking it for a while while I looked at my other options.. injections.. coils… all sorts of scary things, but not a lot of other things would still allow my period to come (although I hated it, i always worry I’m pregnant if it doesn’t come.. is that just me?). That’s when I discovered the patch.
The patch, as with a lot of hormonal birth controls, does still warn of blood clots in the information. I just want to get that out there. After research I decided I would try it out.
It’s hard to describe the patch.. it’s like a rubber flesh coloured plaster. You stick it on your body, change it every week for 3 weeks then go patch free for 1 week which is when your period will come. Now I’m notoriously bad at describing things so here is where I wear my patch (I like to switch things up a little, it adds a little excitement to my otherwise boring life ha!)
It fits my lifestyle perfectly, I don’t think about it all week, because it’s flesh coloured it blends into my skin so you can hardly even notice it and is a great option if you don’t like taking tablets!
I feel like I’m the only person who has the patch! Whenever I mention it none of my friends know about it, so that’s why I wanted to write this blog!
I also feel I should say that I didn’t start using the patch as a contraceptive, more as a method of knowing when my period would be.. the baby proofing is just an added bonus! I should also note that although this is a contraceptive it is recommended to also use condoms to protect from other nasty things!
Again this is just my opinion, always go to your doctor or clinic for more advice!
M
Madeleine's Mind 