Taking back control of your body
My periods combined with un-noticed lactose intolerance—labelled as IBS—were hell. I wish I was being dramatic, but I would be bedbound and missed a LOT of school.
I was immediately offered the pill at the ripe age of 14. You can only imagine how that went down.
After being on it for 8 years, the complications caused by the pill made periods seem like the lesser of two evils. Being off for the first week or so felt no different, which is weird to think about and hard to process.
Taking this tiny little drug for years, then stopping. Being stressed about what’s happening because it ‘must’ be taken at the same time every day.
Ending this clockwork felt, oddly normal.. I didn’t have to get used to not taking it anymore. It’s like all those habits were just gone overnight.
For years having this constant thought in your head about taking it, mostly because missing a pill seems like the worst thing. Like some sort of mass destruction would come if even just one was missed, and yet missing 7 is nothing.
And it would, for me at least, missing one would cause so much pain so much stress. It’s like your body knows it’s ready to be free of it, and it feels good to be off it.
Not to mention the relief of not having to worry about taking it. Being off the pill is such a liberating experience, taking back control of your own body, no longer having synthetic hormones dictate your life.
“I feel a lot more normal since coming off the pill”
– Niri
But you don’t just want my experience. Niri is a 22-year-old woman, who was on the pill for 3 years. Starting with the ‘mini’ pill, which was horrible for her, and switched to the combined pill after the first year.
The pill caused Niri really heavy periods, she could be wearing the super absorbent tampons with a pad under and both would be bled through in just a few hours.
Obviously, somethings not right there, so she decided to come off. She was fine being on it, but it was more of a mental thing for her.
“I hATE THE IMPLANT, BUT I HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE”
– MASIE
Masie is currently on the implant after years of trialling any and all options available to her. She has an entire pool of issues surrounding hormonal contraception.
Like many women, she can’t have oestrogen, years of struggling and minimal options. Constant pleading with doctors, as most of us have, them telling us to deal with it—simply is not good enough.
The implant is progesterone only, and one of the more intrusive forms of contraception since it is injected under your skin in your arm. It must be replaced every three years and causes complications for many people.
No woman should have to lose their autonomy over complex feminine needs. With no control over the pain, sickness and symptoms that periods can leave you with, there’s simply no way to live.
These issues control your life, leaving Masie with limited ability to do day-to-day activities. The intensity of both the pain and bleeding affect all aspects of living.
The Femme Files 
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