Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

A place for conservative women to discuss true women's liberation, the role of women in healing America, the truth about feminism and more...
Post Reply
butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by butterfly »

How Hormonal Birth Control Harms Women:
1) Depression
2) Low Libido
3) Hair Loss
4) Weight Gain
5) Lack of Periods and Post-Pill PCOS(poly-cystic ovary syndrome)
6)Post-Pill Acne
7) Fatal Blood Clots

http://www.larabriden.com/the-pill-is-b ... rms-women/

Dr. Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor who helps women understand hormonal imbalances that lead to PMS, acne, PCOS, weight gain, depression, hirsutism (facial hair), insomnia, and more. She explains the dietary issues that cause women to experience these problems and which foods and supplements can minimize them.
She helps women to have normal periods without PMS.
She explains how to get off of hormonal birth control and minimize the withdrawal side effects of hair loss, acne, etc, which, because of the withdrawals, actually cause many women to stay on birth control.

After reading through her site, I implemented some of her most basic suggestions and had the most pain-free period that I've had in a long time. I've also seen other improvements with mood and sleep and skin. Look through her blog. I knew hormonal birth control wasn't right for me, but now I believe that it isn't right for anyone.

What has been your experience with "the pill" or other female hormone issues? Have you found natural ways to overcome them?

User avatar
Sarah
Level 34 Illuminated
Posts: 6705

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Sarah »

I too would not recommend them to anyone. I was only on them for a year right after getting married, but after stopping use I had a hormone imbalance that prevented me from ovulating, having a regular cycle, and getting pregnant. It took a few years to discover the imbalance and correct it with more hormones.

User avatar
kittycat51
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1793
Location: Looking for Zion

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by kittycat51 »

Sarah wrote: June 9th, 2017, 5:29 pm I too would not recommend them to anyone. I was only on them for a year right after getting married, but after stopping use I had a hormone imbalance that prevented me from ovulating, having a regular cycle, and getting pregnant. It took a few years to discover the imbalance and correct it with more hormones.
Wow I would have thought that I wrote this! :p Seriously! I believe it has messed me up over the past 30 years.

Michelle
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1795

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Michelle »

So, yes to this!

I didn't use it long, but man it did a number on me. Also, there are a lot of hormone disrupters in our environment that are contributing as well: cosmetics, foods high in phytoestrogens like soy that are being added to lots of processed foods, detergents, plastics including fabrics like polyester, medicines, etc.

I could write a book. Suffice it to say, when I could find no answers or relief from doctors, even though I had been praying for help, I prayed more fervently.

The answers I got didn't make sense at first, but I was desperate and I knew they were from the Spirit. After I obeyed and began to see improvement I found confirmation in the scriptures. Then I mentioned it to my former midwife, she immediately responded with a wonderful website that filled in all the blanks (the medical reasons why the things I had been directed to do helped.)

I am glad for the order that I received answers because it has been a blessing both in confirming how I hear the Spirit, finding the answers in the scriptures as a second witness that those who will listen can hear, as well as helping me to stay the course when I just want to take it easy and do what is everyone else is doing.

As I have encountered others with fertility issues and similar health issues I have wanted so bad to share what I learned. As a general rule though, the Spirit stops my utterance. I asked the Lord why once and the answer I got was: they wouldn't be willing to do it anyway.

My testimony: it took 9 years to get my first 3 kids, and 6 years to get the last 4 (next one due in December!) I never thought I would get 7 kids and I have considered each one a bonus baby.

One sidenote: I have followed the counsel to "live together naturally and let the children come." I was directed by the Spirit to neither prevent or go to extremes to invite children. No counting dates, checking fertility signs, no doctors intervening with therapies and treatments for infertility. Just trusting the Lord. It was hard when they would come 35 months apart and everyone said to just tell your doctor after 12 months and get a pill, but I can say with a firm conviction, it was better the Lord's way. I don't know what would have happened, but I have met a few women with similar stories who took the doctors advice and don't have as happy an ending. Listen to the Spirit in your own situation.

butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by butterfly »

Sarah wrote: June 9th, 2017, 5:29 pm I too would not recommend them to anyone. I was only on them for a year right after getting married, but after stopping use I had a hormone imbalance that prevented me from ovulating, having a regular cycle, and getting pregnant. It took a few years to discover the imbalance and correct it with more hormones.
I've heard this from several women, too, how the pill messed up their cycle and made it hard for them to conceive.

I didn't realize that you don't actually make progesterone when you're on the pill. The pill just gives you synthetic hormones and the manufacturer times it so that you bleed on the 4th week but it's not actually a period.

Birth control couldn't be prescribed in the 1950s so they manufactured the pill to allow you to bleed 1x/month and doctors said it's use was to regulate periods, not for birth control per se. So this "medicinal" use for regulating a menstrual cycle is what got the pill legalized, but you actually don't have to even bleed when you take the pill. It's all a gimmick to make you think your body is going through it's natural cycle, when in reality your hormones are turned off by the pill and replaced with fake ones.

User avatar
Yahtzee
captain of 100
Posts: 710

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Yahtzee »

This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.

User avatar
Yahtzee
captain of 100
Posts: 710

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Yahtzee »

butterfly wrote: June 9th, 2017, 5:20 pm How Hormonal Birth Control Harms Women:
1) Depression
2) Low Libido
3) Hair Loss
4) Weight Gain
5) Lack of Periods and Post-Pill PCOS(poly-cystic ovary syndrome)
6)Post-Pill Acne
7) Fatal Blood Clots

http://www.larabriden.com/the-pill-is-b ... rms-women/

Dr. Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor who helps women understand hormonal imbalances that lead to PMS, acne, PCOS, weight gain, depression, hirsutism (facial hair), insomnia, and more. She explains the dietary issues that cause women to experience these problems and which foods and supplements can minimize them.
She helps women to have normal periods without PMS.
She explains how to get off of hormonal birth control and minimize the withdrawal side effects of hair loss, acne, etc, which, because of the withdrawals, actually cause many women to stay on birth control.

After reading through her site, I implemented some of her most basic suggestions and had the most pain-free period that I've had in a long time. I've also seen other improvements with mood and sleep and skin. Look through her blog. I knew hormonal birth control wasn't right for me, but now I believe that it isn't right for anyone.

What has been your experience with "the pill" or other female hormone issues? Have you found natural ways to overcome them?
Butterfly, I just wanted to thank you for the link! I'm reading some great stuff that will hopefully bring some relief. I suffer from a few autoimmune diseases already and it sounds like she thinks there's a connection. Lots of answers to questions. Thank you again!

User avatar
Rose Garden
Don't ask . . .
Posts: 7031
Contact:

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Rose Garden »

I was raised with an anti-contraception mentality so I wasn't eager to try it and fortunately my husband was of the same mind. Still, after horror stories from the doctor about women getting pregnant right off the bat after having a baby, I decided to try the mini pill. It took about three weeks for me to get to the point that I was having dangerous thoughts toward my baby. I stopped taking the pill that day and now run scared anytime anything hormonal is suggested. It took a week after stopping for me to start pulling out of the deep depression I'd sunk into while taking the pill.

Fortunately, without birth control, I naturally have babies about two years apart. After baby number four came along, my first husband and I decided to drop any attempt at contraception, including timing or non-hormonal methods of birth control (I had an IUD for a while). It was wonderful not to worry about it and just let the babies come. I realize that might not work for some women who get pregnant super easily or who have really hard pregnancies but it was really nice for me.

User avatar
Rose Garden
Don't ask . . .
Posts: 7031
Contact:

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Rose Garden »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:19 am This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.
My heart goes out to you. What have you tried in the way of vitamins or herbs? I had success in reducing cramps in my teen years using calcium supplementation. You'd probably need more than just one simple fix with all your problems. There are things that are supposed to help. There are a lot of herbs that are supposed to be really good for female issues.

User avatar
kittycat51
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1793
Location: Looking for Zion

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by kittycat51 »

Just like Michelle stated I KNOW in our current day and age there are so many hormone disrupters. X( I have watched my daughter-in-laws; they were both on birth control in high school to control out of whack and heavy periods. WHY at such a young age??? (They are sadly a product of current society and all of the stuff our bodies are inundated with.) Because they both hate what the pill has done for them they are on "inserted" birth control. This makes me cringe also because I don't think we really know the long term consequences of those. Both had trouble conceiving when they were ready and it took both longer than expected to conceive. (one suffering from a miscarriage)

I was one that was like clock work before I got married on periods. Then after being on the pill WHAM no periods. I am blessed to have my 5 boys, (thanks to fertility medicine) Not only have I suffered for years from messed up hormones I suffer from several autoimmune diseases. I believe the pill is partially if not highly to blame for all of this. SO after YEARS of being messed up, my doctor put me on a hormone troche. ALL IT DID was set me into menopausal symptoms...the worst night sweats, hot flashes and emotions. It gave me periods every 2 weeks and made me feel worse than NOT having them. I quite taking them and am trying herbal supplements that help with normalizing estrogen levels. I feel more even now...we'll see.

I admire Yahtzee for your choice. My only hope is that more women will follow the Spirit on what's right for them.

User avatar
Yahtzee
captain of 100
Posts: 710

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Yahtzee »

Meili wrote: June 10th, 2017, 8:50 am
Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:19 am This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.
My heart goes out to you. What have you tried in the way of vitamins or herbs? I had success in reducing cramps in my teen years using calcium supplementation. You'd probably need more than just one simple fix with all your problems. There are things that are supposed to help. There are a lot of herbs that are supposed to be really good for female issues.
I don't remember all the herbs, we tried every alternative everything when I was a teen. Worked with a master herbalist, homeopathic, energy work, you name it. I had a little relief from one of Dr. Christopher's concoctions. I noticed the biggest change in endometriosis when I removed all environmental estrogens from my life. I no longer needed prescription pain killers. So I know there's an environmental impact.
Nothing has ever helped me be regular though. But now I'm on thyroid meds and I'm curious to see if those help once I'm done breastfeeding.
Currently I'm taking magnesium, turmeric, and B vitamins.
I need to eat better. I eat plenty of good food, but I don't avoid sugar. Inflammation is a big problem for me though and after reading the site butterfly linked to I'm sure there's an autoimmune component with this.
I've had to cut wheat and dairy from my diet before and didn't notice any changes, but I didn't fix other things. It seems silly it'd be so hard to eat better, but it really is.

User avatar
Rose Garden
Don't ask . . .
Posts: 7031
Contact:

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Rose Garden »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:39 pm
Meili wrote: June 10th, 2017, 8:50 am
Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:19 am This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.
My heart goes out to you. What have you tried in the way of vitamins or herbs? I had success in reducing cramps in my teen years using calcium supplementation. You'd probably need more than just one simple fix with all your problems. There are things that are supposed to help. There are a lot of herbs that are supposed to be really good for female issues.
I don't remember all the herbs, we tried every alternative everything when I was a teen. Worked with a master herbalist, homeopathic, energy work, you name it. I had a little relief from one of Dr. Christopher's concoctions. I noticed the biggest change in endometriosis when I removed all environmental estrogens from my life. I no longer needed prescription pain killers. So I know there's an environmental impact.
Nothing has ever helped me be regular though. But now I'm on thyroid meds and I'm curious to see if those help once I'm done breastfeeding.
Currently I'm taking magnesium, turmeric, and B vitamins.
I need to eat better. I eat plenty of good food, but I don't avoid sugar. Inflammation is a big problem for me though and after reading the site butterfly linked to I'm sure there's an autoimmune component with this.
I've had to cut wheat and dairy from my diet before and didn't notice any changes, but I didn't fix other things. It seems silly it'd be so hard to eat better, but it really is.
No, it's not silly at all. I have had the same problem. I've improved my eating considerably by not trying to stop eating bad foods and focusing on adding good foods. As I've included more nutritious food in my life, the bad foods have fallen out on their own.

My greatest success was with natural sweeteners. I struggled with addiction to sugar for years. I overcame the addiction and went about two years without eating sweets but then I got pregnant and the cravings were more than I could stand. I was guided to a site on natural sweeteners which claimed that natural sweeteners kill cravings for sugar. I went that very day to buy some natural sweeteners and within two weeks my cravings were gone. During that two weeks I ate as many homemade sweets made from my natural sweeteners as I wanted. The first three days I ate half a cookie sheet of candied nuts per day, plus toast with honey a couple times per day. The fourth day I couldn't eat very many nuts before my body told me to stop.

When you crave sugar it's because your body needs the nutrients from natural sweeteners. Your body is telling you what it needs. When you eat processed sugar, you don't get the nutrients that you need and so your body keeps desperately sending out those same signals.

I highly recommend trying a switch to natural sweeteners and eating as much as you want. Just make sure the natural sweeteners you choose are actually natural. A lot of sweeteners are passed off as natural that really aren't (turbinado sugar, "sugar in the raw", and xylitol are the most common).

When I started eating natural sweeteners, unnatural sweeteners just naturally fell out of my life. When I switched from margarine to butter and are it plentifully, a lot of snack foods fell out of my life, like chips and things like that. Wouldn't you know, the Lord actually knew what he was doing when he created the earth and everything on it . . .

Juliet
captain of 1,000
Posts: 3701

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Juliet »

The fact is, it is very easy to not get pregnant. After you have your period, around day 11, before you have sex, reach down and check your vagnial mucus. If it is nice and stretchy, you will get pregnant. Do not have sex for 5 days. Then, you're good. As you practice, you start to get a feel for how your body works and then you can probably shorten it down to only abstaining for 3 days a cycle. This is the easiest birth control in the world. Even if you have 2 forms of birth control your whole reproductive life, you will still statistically have 2 kids. It is so much better to just take charge and learn how the body works. Then you know for sure when you are fertile and not and then you don't have to rely on outside sources that don't really even work.

Another thing I have noticed, is after ovulation, if I did not get pregnant, my body goes through a grieving process. That for me is what causes the hormone problems. It is your emotions actually grieving for the loss of the egg that could have become a baby. So, notice around the week after ovulation (which is day 11 or so depending on your cycle length), notice if you get really emotional around this time if your fertile time came and went without you getting pregnant.

User avatar
Yahtzee
captain of 100
Posts: 710

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Yahtzee »

Meili wrote: June 10th, 2017, 2:23 pm No, it's not silly at all. I have had the same problem. I've improved my eating considerably by not trying to stop eating bad foods and focusing on adding good foods. As I've included more nutritious food in my life, the bad foods have fallen out on their own.

My greatest success was with natural sweeteners. I struggled with addiction to sugar for years. I overcame the addiction and went about two years without eating sweets but then I got pregnant and the cravings were more than I could stand. I was guided to a site on natural sweeteners which claimed that natural sweeteners kill cravings for sugar. I went that very day to buy some natural sweeteners and within two weeks my cravings were gone. During that two weeks I ate as many homemade sweets made from my natural sweeteners as I wanted. The first three days I ate half a cookie sheet of candied nuts per day, plus toast with honey a couple times per day. The fourth day I couldn't eat very many nuts before my body told me to stop.

When you crave sugar it's because your body needs the nutrients from natural sweeteners. Your body is telling you what it needs. When you eat processed sugar, you don't get the nutrients that you need and so your body keeps desperately sending out those same signals.

I highly recommend trying a switch to natural sweeteners and eating as much as you want. Just make sure the natural sweeteners you choose are actually natural. A lot of sweeteners are passed off as natural that really aren't (turbinado sugar, "sugar in the raw", and xylitol are the most common).

When I started eating natural sweeteners, unnatural sweeteners just naturally fell out of my life. When I switched from margarine to butter and are it plentifully, a lot of snack foods fell out of my life, like chips and things like that. Wouldn't you know, the Lord actually knew what he was doing when he created the earth and everything on it . . .
Oh my gosh, I will second what you said about butter! Even a glass of whole milk keeps snacking at bay.
What kind of natural sweeteners? Just anything that isn't processed? All I can think of are honey and stevia. But unprocessed stevia is hard to find.
I will definitely try that. My sugar addiction is bad. Thank you!!

Michelle
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1795

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Michelle »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 3:25 pm
Meili wrote: June 10th, 2017, 2:23 pm No, it's not silly at all. I have had the same problem. I've improved my eating considerably by not trying to stop eating bad foods and focusing on adding good foods. As I've included more nutritious food in my life, the bad foods have fallen out on their own.

My greatest success was with natural sweeteners. I struggled with addiction to sugar for years. I overcame the addiction and went about two years without eating sweets but then I got pregnant and the cravings were more than I could stand. I was guided to a site on natural sweeteners which claimed that natural sweeteners kill cravings for sugar. I went that very day to buy some natural sweeteners and within two weeks my cravings were gone. During that two weeks I ate as many homemade sweets made from my natural sweeteners as I wanted. The first three days I ate half a cookie sheet of candied nuts per day, plus toast with honey a couple times per day. The fourth day I couldn't eat very many nuts before my body told me to stop.

When you crave sugar it's because your body needs the nutrients from natural sweeteners. Your body is telling you what it needs. When you eat processed sugar, you don't get the nutrients that you need and so your body keeps desperately sending out those same signals.

I highly recommend trying a switch to natural sweeteners and eating as much as you want. Just make sure the natural sweeteners you choose are actually natural. A lot of sweeteners are passed off as natural that really aren't (turbinado sugar, "sugar in the raw", and xylitol are the most common).

When I started eating natural sweeteners, unnatural sweeteners just naturally fell out of my life. When I switched from margarine to butter and are it plentifully, a lot of snack foods fell out of my life, like chips and things like that. Wouldn't you know, the Lord actually knew what he was doing when he created the earth and everything on it . . .
Oh my gosh, I will second what you said about butter! Even a glass of whole milk keeps snacking at bay.
What kind of natural sweeteners? Just anything that isn't processed? All I can think of are honey and stevia. But unprocessed stevia is hard to find.
I will definitely try that. My sugar addiction is bad. Thank you!!
A guy here in Utah sells stevia seeds, you can grow your own (indoors if I remember correctly.)

I can't get the link to copy completely. Follow the link and do a search for stevia. I've met him many times and bought from him before, so no worries there.

http://www.mcssl.com/mobile/calebwarnock

butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by butterfly »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:19 am This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.
Wow, I can't imagine how hard that must be! Good for you listening to the Spirit. I'm sure you've been searching for answers for years, but I'll link to here just in case something might be useful
http://www.larabriden.com/endometriosis ... ally-work/

Dr. Lara explains that endometriosis is actually an autoimmune and inflammatory disease, which was news to me. So it's more akin to lupus than to PMS. She mentions Mirena as being helpful, like you said. She says that dairy and gluten cause inflammation and therefore exacerbate endometriosis.

There are other herbs and supplements she recommends in the article.

Another interesting point she makes is that there are 4 different kinds of PCOS so if you know which kind you have, you can know how to treat it http://www.larabriden.com/treatment-for ... the-cause/
According to her, the most common type of PCOS stems from insulin resistance, so the first step to healing, if you have this type, is to abstain from sugar.

Keep searching for answers. Your body wants to be healthy and to feel good- the Spirit will get you there :ymhug:

butterfly
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1004

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by butterfly »

Juliet wrote: June 10th, 2017, 2:56 pm The fact is, it is very easy to not get pregnant. After you have your period, around day 11, before you have sex, reach down and check your vagnial mucus. If it is nice and stretchy, you will get pregnant. Do not have sex for 5 days. Then, you're good. As you practice, you start to get a feel for how your body works and then you can probably shorten it down to only abstaining for 3 days a cycle. This is the easiest birth control in the world. Even if you have 2 forms of birth control your whole reproductive life, you will still statistically have 2 kids. It is so much better to just take charge and learn how the body works. Then you know for sure when you are fertile and not and then you don't have to rely on outside sources that don't really even work.
"The Fertility Awareness Method is a natural hormone-free method of birth control that when used correctly is actually more effective than the pill. 99.6% effective to be exact. "
http://fertilityfriday.com/22-fertility ... now-about/

I enjoyed learning about my cycle because I could know when I was likely to be moody or to have cravings. This gave me willpower because I could know that the way I was feeling was only temporary.

User avatar
Rose Garden
Don't ask . . .
Posts: 7031
Contact:

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Rose Garden »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 3:25 pm
Meili wrote: June 10th, 2017, 2:23 pm No, it's not silly at all. I have had the same problem. I've improved my eating considerably by not trying to stop eating bad foods and focusing on adding good foods. As I've included more nutritious food in my life, the bad foods have fallen out on their own.

My greatest success was with natural sweeteners. I struggled with addiction to sugar for years. I overcame the addiction and went about two years without eating sweets but then I got pregnant and the cravings were more than I could stand. I was guided to a site on natural sweeteners which claimed that natural sweeteners kill cravings for sugar. I went that very day to buy some natural sweeteners and within two weeks my cravings were gone. During that two weeks I ate as many homemade sweets made from my natural sweeteners as I wanted. The first three days I ate half a cookie sheet of candied nuts per day, plus toast with honey a couple times per day. The fourth day I couldn't eat very many nuts before my body told me to stop.

When you crave sugar it's because your body needs the nutrients from natural sweeteners. Your body is telling you what it needs. When you eat processed sugar, you don't get the nutrients that you need and so your body keeps desperately sending out those same signals.

I highly recommend trying a switch to natural sweeteners and eating as much as you want. Just make sure the natural sweeteners you choose are actually natural. A lot of sweeteners are passed off as natural that really aren't (turbinado sugar, "sugar in the raw", and xylitol are the most common).

When I started eating natural sweeteners, unnatural sweeteners just naturally fell out of my life. When I switched from margarine to butter and are it plentifully, a lot of snack foods fell out of my life, like chips and things like that. Wouldn't you know, the Lord actually knew what he was doing when he created the earth and everything on it . . .
Oh my gosh, I will second what you said about butter! Even a glass of whole milk keeps snacking at bay.
What kind of natural sweeteners? Just anything that isn't processed? All I can think of are honey and stevia. But unprocessed stevia is hard to find.
I will definitely try that. My sugar addiction is bad. Thank you!!
I keep trying to respond to this and I keep getting distracted. Basically, natural sweeteners (besides honey) are only available at the health food store but not all that are available there are natural. Evaporated cane juice is great because it can be used like sugar. It has a strong flavor, though, that you need to learn to work with. If you can find a Korean brand of brown rice syrup, I highly recommend that as well. The American brands have a bad taste to them and I don't recommend them at all. Brown rice syrup can be used for a lot of things but you can't bake cookies or anything chewy with it because the added moisture makes everything turn out more like cake. There are a few other natural sweeteners, such as date sugar and maple sugar and syrup. They aren't as versatile or are really expensive, so that's why I stick mostly with the evaporated cane juice and brown rice syrup.

By the way, I haven't noticed diminished cravings from using only honey. I don't know why. I'm wondering if it's the minerals in the evaporated cane juice and other brown-colored sweeteners that we are needing. Some honey in the store has added water, I heard, so that might have something to do with it as well. Pay attention to your body signals when you try things. The sweeteners you like the best are most likely going to be the ones you need.

I suggest finding a couple of easy recipes that you really like and focusing on them for a few days. I did the candied nuts and toast because they were both super fast and easy. Sorry I can't give you a link to the site I learned from. It has been off the internet for years. I'm sure you can find a lot of other information online now, though. A lot of people are focusing on natural sweeteners these days.

User avatar
Yahtzee
captain of 100
Posts: 710

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Yahtzee »

Ladies, thank you so much for sharing your experiences and resources with me! I kind of hijacked the thread, but hopefully more women will learn better ways to help themselves as well.
I think the Lara Briden site may be an answer to my prayers. The more I read, the more it all fits together. I either have thyroid PCOS or inflammatory. Either way, I think a lot of what you guys have shared will help much of the inflammation in my body.
And Michelle, if you know Caleb Warnock we're already friends! :ymhug: it's been a few years, but I've been a to a handful of his workshops. He's amazing!

tdj
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1485

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by tdj »

butterfly wrote: June 9th, 2017, 5:20 pm How Hormonal Birth Control Harms Women:
1) Depression
2) Low Libido
3) Hair Loss
4) Weight Gain
5) Lack of Periods and Post-Pill PCOS(poly-cystic ovary syndrome)
6)Post-Pill Acne
7) Fatal Blood Clots

http://www.larabriden.com/the-pill-is-b ... rms-women/

Dr. Lara Briden is a naturopathic doctor who helps women understand hormonal imbalances that lead to PMS, acne, PCOS, weight gain, depression, hirsutism (facial hair), insomnia, and more. She explains the dietary issues that cause women to experience these problems and which foods and supplements can minimize them.
She helps women to have normal periods without PMS.
She explains how to get off of hormonal birth control and minimize the withdrawal side effects of hair loss, acne, etc, which, because of the withdrawals, actually cause many women to stay on birth control.

After reading through her site, I implemented some of her most basic suggestions and had the most pain-free period that I've had in a long time. I've also seen other improvements with mood and sleep and skin. Look through her blog. I knew hormonal birth control wasn't right for me, but now I believe that it isn't right for anyone.

What has been your experience with "the pill" or other female hormone issues? Have you found natural ways to overcome them?
I've only been on the standard birth control pills twice, and both times were under a year. Once, was after my oldest was born, and we just didn't want anymore children for awhile. I took that birth control for exactly 11 mos. I had none of the classic side effects.

The second time I took it was right after my youngest was born. I had her by c section and was told that if I got pregnant too soon, I would either have to have an abortion, or risk almost certain death from a hemorage from my incision not being healed enough. That was one decision I did NOT want to ever have to make, so I made sure to take the birth control pills. Once again, I never suffered from any kind of side effects. I didn't even get the positive part of missed periods.

tdj
captain of 1,000
Posts: 1485

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by tdj »

Yahtzee wrote: June 10th, 2017, 12:19 am This is long, but there's a point. TLDR at the bottom.
I've had messed up periods since they started. I have endometriosis and PCOS. I've never had a regular cycle and would get so sick I'd throw up. Lots of missed school from periods.
So I was messed up before I ever tried hormones.
I went on the pill a month before my wedding. I got morning sickness on the dang thing!! So they put me on the mini pill. Two months into our marriage my husband said he'd rather have triplets than have me on the pill any more. I was a hormonal depressed mess!!
I went off and nothing was better or worse. It didn't seem to affect me long term.
After my second baby (3 years to get the first, 3 more to get the second) I tried nuvaring because my midwife raved about it. Within 6 hours of inserting it I was in the ER because I tried to kill myself.
So now I don't do hormones. I run away screaming.
I was told my endometriosis was so bad I couldn't have any more kids without help, but 2 years later we got a wonderful surprise.
I did opt to try Mirena when told it could help with endometriosis. And it did!!!! Oh my goodness, I love that device!!! No more pain, no more pms. BUT after 4 years I got the STRONGEST impression from the spirit to remove it. I did and instantly became pregnant with my fourth.
Because of numerous pregnancy problems, I felt it was best to have a tubal ligation. I am at peace with it and felt the Lord accepted my decision.
So now I'm having the WORST periods again (still breastfeeding, but baby is one now), PMS is as bad as high school, and I'm sorely tempted to get another Mirena, BUT the Spirit is practically yelling at me to NOT put any foreign objects in my body.
I can't speak for all women, but innately now I feel there is something very wrong with these.
TLDR- hormones made me depressed and suicidal, but Mirena fixed endometriosis problems-loved it!! Despite that, the spirit says not to put foreign objects into my body so I'm following that.
That's too bad that you found something, but can't use it. It's possible that this Mirena stops the fertilized egg from attaching to the uterine wall. If so, then that explains why the Spirit doesn't want you to use it.

Juliet
captain of 1,000
Posts: 3701

Re: Hormonal Birth Control, PMS, etc.

Post by Juliet »

I have had unbalanced hormones and I have tried to look at it from a spiritual point of view. Our cultural view of the role of motherhood is messed up and a lot of women are emotionally out of touch with who they are and that makes what our bodies do painful. By spending more time getting in touch with my femininity it has healed me like taking kinks out of a hose.

I believe women were designed to have peaceful lives in order to get pregnant and mother babies. Not at all like the stress ridden world we assume is natural. I believe it isn't natural and it isn't fair that women are supposed to try so hard to be men. No wonder we all have hormone problems.

I never took the pill I knew that would be trouble.
I am expecting my 5th child in 9 years of marriage and I am a stay at home mom. I sleep in, homeschool and give my children respect instead of coercing them what to learn, and I take time to enjoy the sunshine every day. My husband takes care of me financially and I have space to take care for myself and my family's emotional well being. And that is what makes me feel like a woman, actually being a Woman and not pretending I am a man the way we were taught in school.

I feel like women build emotional houses of safety for their families and just because the houses we build aren't seen in no way means they are negligible.

Post Reply