is the patch a good choice of birth control?

Question

i’m trying to decide what i want to use as birth control and I was leaning towards the pill but then i read about the patch and i kind of want to try it.... is there anyone that’s tried it that can tell me about it?

Answer

I’ve had the patch for a few months now, my big issue was my mood and how god awful I get around my period and an extended PMS, I still have cramps and at first you will get them just kinda whenever, but now mine are concentrated on my weeks off the patch. I’m actually gonna start with a continuous prescription and only have like 3 periods a year. As for it falling off, I’ve had some difficulty, but it was mostly putting it in the right place where it won’t come up in the middle or something, but sometimes things just happen.

Answer

I was on the patch about 10 years ago in high school and I remember it not being to bad the only complaint is that it can loose stickiness with excessive water but I remember a few times I would get it to stick back on and it would take a while before it would lose its stickiness so even in the summer time I was able to swim with it I honestly want to go back on it I recently started the pill and wasn't able to make it a full month I threw up or felt extremely nauseous every time I've taken it to the point I just stopped

Answer

I've been on the patch for five years and I have no real complaints. My sister has been on it for four years and has no real complaints. Since it is a sticker, getting used to having it on your body and where a good place to put will depend on your lifestyle. I wore it on my arm for four years and only had issues with it not staying put while swimming, so I just didn't go to the pool, or took it off for the hour or so that I was in the pool and put it back on when I was done. And unlike the pill, it's okay if you mess up once or twice! Because of the nature of the slow release of the hormones, if you have to change it a day early, that's okay; if you forget about it and change it a day late, that's okay too - just don't make a habit of changing it early/late EVERY cycle. And I had some messy experiences trying to skip my period, but that could just be my body 🤷🏼‍♀️

Answer

I just started the patch about a month ago and I love it, you don’t have to worry about taking a pill everyday or going through the pain of an IUD.  A lot of people are afraid the patch will fall off but I haven’t had any problems with it thus far and neither has my sister who’s had it for several years and there’s ways to put it back on or you use your next weeks patch.  There hasn’t been a lot of side affects although the first few days I had it my mood was all out of wack, nothing I don’t normally experience during a period, but that went away very soon.  I mean I haven’t had the patch that long but so far so great I really like it and I think it’s a pretty great form of birth control and my insurance pays for it which is always a plus.  I hope this helps :)

Answer

I’ve never been on the patch as I’m a swimmer and just wouldn’t trust having a sticker on my body in the water frequently. Also I don’t like the idea of showing off the fact I’m on birth control to the world as hiding the patch in a racing suit or a bikini is pretty much impossible.
I’ve heard good things about it though. I’ve got a friend on it and she really likes it and has had no side effects at all. But, I do know another girl that had a nasty reaction to the patch and found it really irritating to have the sticker residue on her all the time. So there’s mixed things out there. I personally suggest the Nurvaring which is also similar to the pill, but you leave it in for 3 weeks and then take it out for a week before putting a new one in. It’s a lot less work and no one can see it. I’ve never had any reactions or side effects while on it. 
Bottom line, everyone responds to birth control differently and you may need to try a few brands or types to find what works for you. I’ve been on methods that friends have loved, but have just not worked for me at all. And vice versa. Every woman is different so it can take some trial and error.

Answer

I used it as a teenager and loved it, but since strokes run in my family my doctor took me off of it. So if your family has a history of strokes don’t use it, it makes your chances of having one more likely.

Answer

I liked it. Just hated that it was a sticker. It helped my skin and ovarian cysts though.

Answer

Okay I was on the patch for about 4 months, it did it’s job it regulated my periods and made them a bit lighter I also didn’t have a pregnancy so that’s all good. Now for what went wrong for me,
- I had extreme mood swings (rage, uncontrollable crying, easily irritated, etc.)
- I still had bad cramps
- I was still bleeding a fair amount (I have very heavy periods, though my period was shorter in length)
- I had random bad cramps on days outside my period 
-I developed a rash underneath the patch, it would be itchy, red, scaly/dry, and when it take it off it would actually rip my skin
- it made me thirsty all the time 
- and actually caused acne 
So for me the patch just did not work, I think it’s a good steppingstone for birth control if you don’t want the pill and don’t want anything invasive (implant, iud, nuva ring). The application was easy and it’s very well explained in the pamphlet. I have the iud now and I like it much better so far. My advice try it see if it works I know some people who absolutely love it, it just wasn’t for me personally. Good luck and just remember that birth control is a balance you may need to try more than one😊