Before I was on the pill, I didn’t know anything about them, except for what the doctors and people tell you. 

They say that you’ll experience lighter periods maybe even shorter periods, fewer cramps, a balance in hormones, your acne will clear up, etc…

Hey if something can ease your period and clear up acne then it sounds like a win, win right?  

I never thought to do my own research about them. Why would I, everyone uses them. They’ll even give it to girls who are not sexually active! 

Too good to be true

Birth control pills are cheap and easy to get. You go to the doctor, ask them what options are available for preventing pregnancy.

They do a few tests to make sure you are healthy enough for the pill and poof you have a prescription. Easy and painless.

At first, everything seemed fine. I did have lighter, more regular periods and less cramping. 

A couple of years into taking the pill though I started experiencing Migraines. I had never experienced them before. It was awful. I told my doctor and she didn’t seem concerned so I thought it was just something new I’d have to deal with and I did for a few years…

A couple of years later I started having this intense pain in the upper right side of my abdomen. 

I found out it was my gallbladder. Dealing with gallbladder problems is not fun.

I spent 3 months dealing with gallstones. My whole digestive system was out of wack. I couldn’t eat, I had inflammation under my rib cage accompanied by severe pain. I felt like I was going to die. 

The doctor’s answer was to take my gallbladder out. I don’t believe in having surgery to remove organs. Every organ in our body is there for a reason. They all serve a purpose. Just because it may be causing a problem doesn’t mean that it can’t be healed. 

Although the pain made me think that I should just get the surgery anyway, I thought there has to be a natural way to heal it.  

I decided it was time to take matters into my own hands.

What you need to know

After doing some research, I found out that a top contender for gallbladder problems is birth control pills. Symptoms sometimes don’t start showing up until you’ve been taking them for 5 years. I had been taking them for 5 years…  

Side effects of the pill include: 

Liver Damage
Gallbladder disease
Migraines
Blood clots
Negative hormonal changes
Mood Swings
Nausea

They also kill off all of the good bacteria in your gut faster than antibiotics do. It takes 2 years to undo the damage and replenish good bacteria that have been wiped away after one week of taking antibiotics! 

Healthy gut flora helps keep your digestive system healthy and running smoothly. It also helps you fight off infections, helps with food intolerances and overall health.

The pill also depletes your body of vital vitamins (B vitamins, folic acid, magnesium) and minerals (zinc, selenium, chromium)
My doctor had told me that I should be taking folic acid, and when I asked why her answer was “women are usually low in folic acid so it’s a good idea to take supplements”… Looking back that should have been a red flag. She never asked about my diet or checked my levels.

After reading the negative effects of the pill, I realized I had to stop taking birth control pills right away. 

I have been off of the pill for a few years now. I am still struggling with digestive issues and gallbladder problems. Every once in a while I can feel inflammation and pain in my gallbladder, but since I’ve stopped taking the pill my migraines are gone! 

I do have rough periods again but it has to do with a severe hormone imbalance, which I am working toward healing myself and balancing my hormones naturally.

My gallbladder will never be the same again and I have to work to build my good bacteria up, but I am happy that I still have my gallbladder and I will be healthier for it. 

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Also Read: Living with Gallbladder Disease

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Learning how to balance your hormones naturally and using natural forms of birth control is so much healthier.

Women who come off the pill to become pregnant should be aware that you pass along your healthy gut flora to your growing baby. As I mentioned before, when we take the pill, it kills off the good bacteria. If you don’t have enough good bacteria to pass on to your baby, they could end up having health issues. 

Doctors need to be informing patients about these issues, but unfortunately, I have found that they do not…

My hope is that my experience will help other women think twice before taking birth control pills. 

I feel the risks far outweigh the “benefits”.

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This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. I am not a medical professional and the information contained on this blog should not be used to diagnose, treat or prevent any disease or health illness. Read my full disclaimer for more info.