Two months after giving birth to our youngest son, I decided to take birth control injectable for family planning. For the longest time, we were relying on the calendar method but it still gave us 2 more kids. I was 35, underwent three ceasarian sections, and will biologically be on the high-risk group if I get pregnant again. I am cool with three kids, no plans of adding a new bub. So in July 2017 I had my first shot of depofemme. I took shots every three months for at least 2 years. After stopping the shots, I experienced hormonal imbalance.
Depofemme Experience
The shot is administered on the arm. It wasn’t that bad but it had a sting.
My OB since 2016, Dra. Adan, has advised me to watch for any changes or symptoms that may appear. I felt normal naman. My period has not returned since being pregnant with Bunso.
But in the next months and years, I felt the dryness down there. And I saw the change in my sex drive. It didn’t want to exist anymore. Haha! Also my period did not come. In short, I have not had my mens for almost 4 years. Other than those, I had no other symptoms.
Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms
When the lockdown started in March 2020, I was not able to go back to my OB for my shot of depofemme. The closest clinic was closed. We do not own private transportation, hence going to her other clinics was not an option. Besides it was still ECQ.
From May to August I experienced spotting anytime of the month. There were days when I spotted for a day, some a few days. That I thought I was already having my period. I had another round of bleeding right after two weeks. Surprise from the reproductive system! I reckon that my body was adjusting because I was no longer under a hormonal injectable.
Getting Help
In September, I had my period that lasted for 2 weeks. It was heavy, heavier than I have ever experienced in my entire years of being fertile! While waiting for my period to be over, I was taking vitamins, most specially malunggay capsules. I hydrated very well kasi alam niyo na nakakatakot ma dehydrate dahil grabe talaga ang flow.
When a week passed by and there was no signal that the bleeding was stopping anytime soon, I contacted my OB and asked if she was accepting online consultations. She replied back and gave me the instructions on how to register for the teleconsult.
It was a breeze. I texted the app. The app sent me instructions how to pay, which I paid via GCash, instructions on how to send proof of payment – all through text messaging!
After the confirmation, any text message I reply on the thread will be received by my doctor.
A link was sent through text message and we met online. My OB and I spoke through a video call on a Sunday. She accommodated me even if it was a rest day. The best talaga OB ko!
She prescripted me iron supplements and multivitamins and tranexamic acid. I was advised to get a pregnancy test. After confirming that I was not pregnant, my OB gave me the go signal to take the tranexamic acid.
The bleeding stopped after a few days. In that cycle I had my period for 16 freaking days.
The Next Cycles
On the next cycle it was the same hormonal imbalance symptoms, heavy bleeding that lasted for more than a week.
I was also spotting in between the cycles.
In November’s when I experienced another cycle of heavy bleeding, my OB added mefenamic acid to help manage the bleeding. She also gave me options on how to “fix” the hormonal imbalance I was experiencing. I agreed to the three-month hormonal pill that I need to take every day.
Fixing the Hormonal Imbalance
I was prescribed the hormonal pill, Yaz, by Bayer. She explained that it is the hormonal pill that had the least known side effects. I needed to take the pill on the same time for three months. The pill will help me fix the hormonal imbalance symptoms I have been experiencing.
It wasn’t cheap. Yaz costs more than 800 pesos. Other than the pills, I also bought essential oil blends for hormonal imbalance. I got my rolls from OilyBlends Mom PH.
When my period came, I experienced cramps. For me to get to sleep, I had to take mefenamic acid for the pain. When the cramps went away, the heavy bleeding happened again. But this time it was shorter. Only two days. My period was also over in 6 days.
Last month’s cycle was better!
Period lasted for less than a week, only light to medium bleeding, and I did not experience any cramps.
Did it fix my hormonal imbalance? I dunno. I am still taking my last hormonal pills and have yet to see my doctor soon. But I can say that my period now is better than the previous months. It’s manageable.
I am hoping not to take the pills anymore. It is a form of birth control but I think my body wants to get back in-charge.
I still don’t want to get pregnant.
Parang ako
Good Morning Mommy Kat 💕 Till now takot parin ako uminom ng mga pills kasi dami ko na nakausap na may side effects siya like tataba maraming tighawat at makakalimutin kasi ako Cs problem (para sakin) kaya naman Ang gamit namin ni Hubby Condom feeling ko mas safe siya 3yrs nanaming gamit yun Pero na Enlighten naman aoo ng nabasa ko to Thank you for sharing this Mommy Kat 💕 Keep safe and Godbless 🙏
Gumamit ako ng pills for almost 2 years, kasi takot pa ko sundan ang anak but when i take this pills ngbago tlga hormones ko dati malakas ako mag period pero when i started take pills 2 tk 3 days nlng wala na dati po ksi 5days wala naman problem sa cycle kasi sakto naman every month, but dami ko mafeel mabilis mapagod, laging hilo, mabilis mamanhid ng paa at ng gain talga ako ng weight para akong cravings lage momi, kaya mga times na yan ngdecide na ko stop mgpills para bumalik sa normal kong body but my good side naman sya ngbloom ako ang ung skin ko gumada at pumuti ako when i take pills.
Nung nag injectables po ako talagang after 3 months inayawan ko na kase po nung nagkaroon po ako talagang di na nawalan ng regla. Tapos kapag akala ko po wala na at spotting na lang,tuloy tuloy naman po ang spotting. Kaya tinigil ko na po kase natakot ako bigla eh. Kaya nag pills na lang po ako at so far po wala naman side effect..
Love this Mommy Kat,iba iba talaga ang reactions ng katawan natin sa kung anungmang contraceptive na gamit natin,ako nagpills ako pero lagi akung nahihilo at dry skin ko kaya decided to stop muna..
Nag inject dn ako mommy Kat for 2 shots ..Nung una ok naman kaso dna ako dinatnan ..until this last few months ..lagi na maskt ulo ko and feeling q dry na dry dn ako ..at nangangati dn ako thats why I decided na itigil na dhil baka lalong lumala Ang reaction sa ktwan ko ..for now pinag iisipan q pa Kung ggamit ako Ng pills 😊
Oh may sakit ng ulo na side effect sayo at itchiness. Sakin naman wala kaya tinuloy ko lang. Okay din yan na you stopped. Iba-iba kasi din tayo ng reactions sa contraceptives.
Ito yung reason kung bakit takot ako gumamit ng contraceptives 😭 takot ako sa mga possible side effects. 3mos palang ako after manganak still can’t decide kung ank family planning gagamitin namin. Before kasi withdrawal, 6 yrs bago nagka baby ulit. 2 time cs so ayaw ko na umulit.
Thank you for sharing your experience, still can’t decide. Huhu 😔
Yes, iba iba kasi ang effect ng contraceptives sa katawan. Pinaka unreliable ang withdrawal. For us nagwork naman ang natural method, 4 years din bago nasundan si Kuya V.
Ako personally di pa ko nakatry ng pills. Maraming haka haka akong naririnig na dahilan para matakot ako.
Pills is like other medicines, it depends talaga sa response ng body natin. Hindi tayo magkakapareho ng side effects kung meron man. If not needed naman to use pills, better na mag natural method na lang 🙂
Thankyou for sharing mommy…as of now hindi ko pa din alam kung anong gagamitin kong contraceptives
You’re welcome. Madami naman tayo choices need lang natin mas maging informed para makapag decide tayo for our body and our family. 🙂
I take pills too (for breastfeeding mom) and pansin ko nga super dry talaga down there and wala gana sa sex, st dahil nga dry sya masakit kapag may contact kami ng asawa ko. Pagka ubos ng pills ko mag change siguro ako into injectables and let’s see kung anong effect sakin.
Thank you mommy for sharing your experience.Twice na ako na CS and up to now wala akong gamit na contraceptives due to my health condition.
Love this mommy Kat kasi very effective.
Ako mommy dati i inject every 3months bakuna pero nagstop ako ksi madlas sumskit ilo nagkakaroon ng side effect balak kos na mag pills
Ako mommy injectable talaga ako kase mas sanay na ako dun, kaso d lang ako nreregla at lumalaki pa ung tummy ko kaya nag decide kami mag asawa na mag pills nalang ako kaso naman lagi ko nakakalimutan uminom ng pills kaya tinigil ko na din minsan kase oag nagttake ako ng pills mainitin ang ulo ko tska iretable kaya tinigil ko nalang. Ngayon mamsh mag 1 yr nakong walang protection. Yung bunso ko 2 yrs old na. Sana wag muna masundan hehe. Withdrawal nalang kami. Kung bbgay ni lord tatanggapin namin pero wag muna ngayon kase pandemic pa mahirap magbuntis ngayong may pandemic.
Grabe pinag daanan mo mommy my experience naman is injectable contraceptive and di din maganda effect sa akin spotting lang din menstruation ko..kaya stop ko siya kasi iba paki ramdam ko mainit sa ulo tapos lagi akong bugnutin…. buti nalang na overcome mo yung durugo ng abnormal mommy..hoping na sana magtuloy tuloy na.
Ang hirap po talaga mag birth control lalo na at need talaga dahil high risk ka mommy. In my case nakapag try po ako ng injectable for almost 1 year pagkapanganak ko sa panganay ko.Ang dami ko pong nararamdaman na side effects hindi po ako nag karoon ng mestrual period at dahil dun ang bigat po lagi ng katawan ko at palaging may masakit sa akin Kung Hindi ulo balakang or balikat,Mabilis din akong hingalin. Kaya nag decide ako na tanggalin. Widrawal ang ginagawa namin ni mister ngayon at effective naman dahil 7 years bago nasundan ang aming panganay
dati niretahan d8n ako ng pills at sadyang may sidr effect sa akin.. nataba ako..
Sakin po Mommy Kat Lahat ng contraceptives ay di po sakn hiyang. Dahil din po siguro highblood ako. Sobrang sumasakit ulo ko. Need ko n po tlga mag contra Kasi tatlo na po anak ko. Ligation sna. Kaso dipa daw ako pwd. Sinabi ko po un nung manganganak nAko. Kaso ayaw pa nung doc. Yung dalawang anak ko Po withdrawal pero nabuntis parin ako. KAYA di rin posamin safe Ang withdrawal.
Ang inject po sakin is hindi okey dahil paunti unti lang regla ko minsan nga po wala pa eh .kaya i decided to change kaya nag pills po ako so, yung pills naman sakin is very okey siya sa health ko and tlga naman na maganda labas ng period ko marami .pero yung nga lang po nakakatakot dahil kapag nakalimutan mo lang siya ng isa malalagyan at malalagyan ka .
Hiyangan din talaga ang hormonal pills mommy. Kaya pag may hindi magandang effect stop nalang then magtry ng ibang contraceptives until mahanap mo yung hiyang sayo.
Grabe pala momsh pinagdaanan mo dahil sa hormonal imbalance, medyo nakakabahala din..
Dati nag ttake ako ng pills, kaya hindi ako nagkakaroon ng menstrual cramps tapos kokonti lang din lumalabas kapag may red days ako, pero tinigil ko din sya dahil ang effect nman sakin tumataba ako..
Hiyangan din talaga ang paginom ng mga pills at yung mga injectables.
Yes mommy. Hiyangan po talaga.
nagkaganyan din ako side effect din pills kaya tumigil ako .
This is helpful ,… considering all of it pros and cons