When to get on birth control

This is a discussion for your Ob/Gyn or primary physician. Everyone's bodies react differently to different medication. Likewise, certain birth controls may require a certain span of time for prime effectiveness. Plus, in trying to figure out which is best for you with minimal side effects (weight gain, break outs, mood swings) is all trial by error.

Best option is talk to your doctor.

This is a discussion you need to be having with your Doctor, not a bunch of women whose bodies react differently to different things. What works for me might be horrible for you and vice versa.

Birth control is so different for so many girls. I've personally never had many issues with it...I couldn't wear the patch because it irritated my skin, but I've been on the pill since I was 15 because I had terribly uncomfortable cycles.

You'll want to start birth control a few months before you need it and get used to taking it regularly. If it's the pill, you'll want to be regular on taking it especially at the beginning. The ring is a bit trickier--three of my friends got pregnant on the ring when they missed a single day of it.

You might feel a bit different the first few months as your body gets used to it---I know a single change in my pills gives me crazy vivid dreams for a few weeks (still going through that as we just STOPPED the pills). For me though, on birth control my skin is clear, my cramps gone, my mood swings minimal, and my cycle is..well, more regular that it used to be.

Talk to your doctor and see what they recommend for your situation as there are so many options including IUD.

Agreed, talk to your doctor and discuss all options. I'm on the lowest dosage and started it in February (for a wedding in June). I'm taking it more so I don't get my period on the wedding and during the honeymoon.

I would definitely talk to your doctor about it. I had a horrible reaction to BC mood wise. It may have been one of the worst periods of my life. I was an anxious, crying mess. So I couldn't imagine attempting it again during wedding planning. Due to the range of symptoms, discuss it with your doctor to see what may work best for your situation.

Talking to your doctor is a must, however to be effective you need to be on it at least a month. You also don't need birth control to be safe. You can use condoms if pregnancy is what you are trying to avoid.

I would honestly have this conversation now with your doctor. Everyone is different and will have different reactions. For me I was on 4 different types of pills until I found the one that worked for me. Every pill I tried made me have a constant period, as in for months on end I had a period every.single.day. Obviously no one wants that reaction. Now I'm on lo loestrine and I don't even get my period anymore.

There is a lot of trial and error to birth control, start sooner with it, not later

I have heard different things from different doctors. Depo is a month but causes weight gain in some people. Everyone reacts differently though. I didn't gain any weight on any bc but my sister gained a lot.

There is the copper iud. Which doesn't rely on hormones. So that may be an option if you don't want the hormones.

Why would you get on it after marriage?

Go talk to a doctor and start asap. It took me three different kinds to find one that worked for me. All birth control pills are not the same, they all have different hormones that your body will react to differently.

Talk to your doctor about how long whatever method you choose will take to be effective. I've gone on and off of BC a few times and I've always been told to use condoms for the first 7 days and then after that it's fine, but that's specific to the pill and the type of pill I use.

As others have said, hormonal BC can have some side effects that are difficult to get used to. I've never gained weight or had crazy mood swings the way others report, but I do tend to struggle with nausea for the first month or two after getting back on the pill. The copper IUD is non-hormonal, but caused pretty awful cramping for me.

You might need to try different methods before you figure out what's right for you. I would suggest waiting until after the wedding so you can deal with any side effects without having to stress about the wedding. You can use condoms in the meantime.

Wait, sorry, I just saw that your wedding is over a year away. In that case, I'd probably start now and see how it works for you given that you have plenty of time to get used to side effects or change methods.

There's different types of BC - the pill and other hormonal methods can have radical side effects, so best not to experiment right before the wedding (depression/mood swings, weight gain, acne etc) Talk to your doctor about methods, or just use condoms until the week after the wedding.

@FutureMrsP - really? If your imagination isn't up to that scenario, I doubt we can help you.

I would start asap, and carefully consider all your options. My favorite, when I used it, was nuvaring, as it has a very low incidence of side effects, since it can release a lower amount of hormones continuously.

Keep in mind that hormonal birth control is not as effective in women who weigh over 150lbs. Many doctors don't tell you this, and it takes some digging to find it. Fat stores estrogen, so the more fat you have on your body, less of your birth control hormones will actually be free in your body for use, and will be stored in fat cells instead.

Starting immediately gives you the chance to wait and see how they make you feel and any side effects, including a loss of libido and weight gain, acne, etc.

This is definitely an area that you should be talking to your doctor about rather than an internet forum.

It's normally recommended to be on it for at least a month, but definitely talk to your doctor.

I have been on birth control for quite some time do to sever issues with my TOM however, I believe when I first started the dr made it clear all birth controls are different and require different timelines to be effective.

You need to be on it for a month or longer. And I would go to a ob/Gyn ASAP so you can be regulated before your wedding

Start as soon as possible.

Some people (like me) have terrible side effects (like depression and loss of sex drive) with BC.

I have tried pills, Nuva ring, depo shot, and mirena IUD. I am now off BC and feel so much better! We've decided that we'd rather risk having a baby than deal with how miserable I am on BC.

Talk to a doctor. Also keep in mind any medications you are already on that may interfere with hormonal birth control. You may want to figure out if you want something long term or short term as well. This is definitely a discussion for you and your doc. I'd recommend going to a Planned Parenthood for information too, but at the rate they are being defunded, they may not be able to assist you.

Yes, definitely talk with your doctor!!