Great write up Erica :) My experience regarding birth control in Germany was also very frustrating. I don’t wanna have children, ever. So yes, getting pregnant is basically my worst nightmare, but I wasn’t very into taking the pill, mostly because of the hormone part. But at the doctor here it was the only option, or then upgrade to the Spirale -UID which has anyway hormones or worse, copper. When I asked about the only method I know it doesn’t involve hormones (- Hey, what about sterilising me?), basically hell broke lose :D and they told me no doctor in Germany would agree to it, because I haven’t had children yet.

About the pill, I first tried one pill that gave me one period regular, the other 3 times a month. Later we found out it had created a 3 cm cyst and that’s why I was bleeding 3 times a month... I changed to Zoely now, which took away my periods and I’m way too happy about that. I feel like a man, in the best way: I have 0 pains since over 1 year, no worries, no mood swings. I’m a guy :D Problem is, my doctor is not so ok with me not having periods, even if the information about this pill clearly states that 1 out of 10 women don’t have the period using it.

I really don’t know how my adventure will end, but I don’t know how to go back now to no pill, at least not while I’m still in a long term relationship.

Thank you for writing about this topic and for being on the mission of discussing this topics openly. Usually I only share my experiences in private, because that’s what you’re supposed to do, right? But I completely agree that talking about it helps, and in my opinion, if we talk about it, hopefully, some of the men in our lives will hear how hard all this is in our lives and bodies, and maybe they start demanding a pill for themselves :P

Hugs,

Monica

PS. I’m sure a guy walks into the doctors office, asks to be sterilised and he gets it done.