IUD Gave Me A Decrease In Sex Drive, Sporadic Mood Swings, And Some Weight Gain

Get to know how a 30-something year old can bring back some vaginal elasticity, and how she struggles through the birth-control blues.

Case #: 534

Concern：

I am 34 and have had three children through natural birth. I tried vaginal exercises and had very little, if any, improvement with vaginal looseness.

I had an IUD placed about ten months ago for birth control. Since then I have noticed a decrease in sex drive, sporadic mood swings, depression, some weight gain and a large decrease in my menstrual period.

I have considered vaginal rejuvenation surgery to take care of my vaginal looseness, and I am currently considering having the IUD removed because of the onset of depression, mood swings and weight gain. Is there a less intrusive way to fix these problems?

Discussion：

Birth Control Bingo

It's no secret that some OBGYNs have left a handful of women lacking a certain bedside manner. True, they have very busy schedules and try hard to give each woman in the stirrups her fair share of time. Unfortunately, sometimes picking out your new form of birth control is a little bit of a gamble. For instance, the first form of birth control I ever took gave me shooting pains behind my knees and the back of my head. I had to eat a hearty meal before I took it everyday because it made me light headed, and my menstrual cycle lasted almost two weeks!

The Stories Untold

Many forms of birth control have “add-ons” that aren't necessary for every woman's body. An IUD in particular includes synthetic hormones that can increase moodiness, weight gain and take away a woman's ability to orgasm. In this case, the high levels of estrogen contained within the IUD could be the culprit of a low libido. 10 to 25 percent of women who choose a IUD as their personal form of birth control will stop using this form within the first year. Every form of birth control contains side effects that could possibly hinder your health. It's important to recognize these effects for what they are to ensure a certain quality of life.

Progesterone to The Rescue

When I finally realized that the negative affects my birth control gave me was a big deal, I made an appointment with my OB immediately. It turns out, I'm one of those women who don't need the add-ons. The birth control I take, and love now is purely progesterone based with very little additives.

Because of my personal experience, I would encourage any woman who feels she is having an odd reaction to her birth control to alert her doctor immediately. Your health is nothing to gamble with.

Your personal physician will be able to determine and pinpoint what exactly is causing the adverse reaction and find a form of birth control that better suits your needs. I would also recommend some good yoga moves and a natural libido restorative to get you back in the mood.