As some of you may know, I had surgery at the age of 13 to remove one of my ovaries due to a cyst that was twisting my ovary.
Once I had my first check up with my surgeon and family doctor post surgery, they recommended going on the birth control pill and staying on it for the rest of my life (only coming off when I wanted to get pregnant). There was no other option to balance my hormones, the pill was the answer.
At 13 I didn't know anything about the pill except that it was used to prevent pregnancy and it would balance my hormones. I didn't know that the pill can cause:
strokes, heart attacks and blood clots
mood changes
nutrient depletions
weight gain
migraines
increased risk of cancer
thinning hair
and honestly so much more
I ignored the giant newspaper sized warning packet that comes with the birth control pill. I only ever opened it once, started reading all the side effects and then thought to myself "if it was that important, my doctor would've told me right?". Boy was I wrong.
I wish I knew the side effects, how it would make me feel and how difficult it can be to come off.
I wish I knew that when I tried to come off the first time I would end up in the hospital again with excruciating pain, only to be ignored by the doctors who laughed at me when I asked if it was caused by coming off the pill.
This is exactly why I'm so passionate about women's health, hormones and the birth control pill. This is why I help women who are struggling with their hormones and wanting to come off the pill.