For those who have used Mirena

[siniang]

Sometimes coming off contraception completely for a trial period can help improve depression.

And for the record, this trial period should be a minimum of 6 months, even longer. I know women for whom it took over a year to get back to even somewhat normal cycles after getting off the pill.

(for me, seeing if my depressive tendencies where caused by the pill or not, was also part of why I stopped it, twice actually over the years - in addition to the super annoying and frequent and unpredictable spotting at the end)

 

[Fadeaway]

From what I can find, is they usually exclude women who already have a diagnosis of depression, anxiety etc. When doing trials so the research is limited to personal stories. I found one study about progestern withdrawal and panic disorder and it pointed out the severe lack in studies and this is a real shame because our cycles have such a huge impact on our mood and birth control is prescribed to treat cycle related mood issues, but they understand so little.

 

[anon1234]

I saw a few people here talking about how they experienced heavy bleeding. I have had serious obgyn problems for years. If you have heavy bleeding, you must ask for an iron deficiency panel. I found out I was depleted and actually needed IV iron. Side effects of iron deficiency or depletion include irritability, anxiety, tiredness and depression (amongst a plethora of other crappy things like hair falling out). Wish they had caught it sooner.

 

[siniang]

I've been meaning to add and then forgot

our cycles have such a huge impact on our mood and birth control is prescribed to treat cycle related mood issues, but they understand so little.

Birth control is also prescribed like candy. To teenage girls still in development. Many people don't even know what their "normal" is. It's insane.

When I was 15 or 16 or so, I was prescribed the pill for my acne. I had no contraception needs. Yeah, I had (still have) major acne, but heck, I was 15 or 16, so absolutely nothing out of the ordinary! The one they gave me was high-dosage and is known to cause liver damage as to why it should never be taken long-term (>3 months). No one mentioned that. I only learned this years later when I spend more time on the topic of the various contraceptive methods out of personal interest. Had I actually started taking it (I didn't start it for other reasons), I'd taken it long-term, because I didn't know better.

The whole topic of hormonal contraception really is borderline negligent.