Expert: Diane Cheryl - 2/4/2011

Question
Thank you for taking the time to read my question. I have tried about five different methods of birth control. Just a little history, I got started on ortho tri cyclen at 12 for acne, however when I started liking boys at around 15 it began to take a horrible affect on me. I was very feverish and sick all the time. Tried a different one and it caused my period to go for 25 days out the month and stop for seven, tried another one to get control of that one and it made worse. So I stop taking birth control all together at 18 and my period returned back to normal. Several years later I had a couple tumors that needed to be removed, one doctor wanted to try and shrink them with birth control. The mehod was a pill a week after I began taking those pills I started vomiting excessively, stopped using those those and tried nuvaring. Unfortunately nuvaring caused an internal infection and cause swelling inside. I honestly can not remember what the pills were I took, but my question is; is it safe to say that I should call it quits to any type of birth control, or is there a birth control that let's out less hormones or something. Again thank you for taking the time to read my question.

Answer
Ronnie,

You are a prime example of why I don't recommend hormonal birth control at all to anyone. The only birth control methods I do recommend are Natural Family Planning and condoms. And neither of these are 100% safe in preventing pregnancy as well as any hormonal method. You can find out more about NFP at http://www.ccli.org

Are you in a situation where you need to take birth control at this time of your life? If you want to email me privately, my address is CHERYL51@aol.com

Hope to hear from you soon.

Diane Cheryl