I think birth control may play a part in bipolar symptoms, at least with me personally. It's always made me feel 'crazy' and out of control emotionally. I'm on mirena and not having nearly as much trouble with it.

Hormones can also take a huge toll on moods.....

I would work with your doctors and take your time with changes ..... Have you just started birth a birth control medication or is this an ongoing problem?

I would let your pdoc know just what problems you're having with your moods and he/she can help you alter meds accordingly

It can take some time to find just the right cocktail..... I'm sorry that you're struggling..... Big hug.....xo

Hi I take Latuda and I was taking birth control for PMDD cycle problems and I have to take birth control without estrogen in it the estrogen birth control makes me depressed. Maybe you should talk to your GYN about putting you on jolivette it doesn't have estrogen in it.

I didn’t like Nuba ring either. I have the SKyla IUD now and have never had an issue; it’s been two years. I would recommend it

Where Birth Control and hormones have effect on BiPolar is in mood and what type of hormones you should and should not take.

During PMS your moods can be effected more. During pregnancy for most Women BiPolar tends to be much more well behaved, low symptoms, low depression...once birth happens....Depression and Suicidal-Depression can hit like a MAC Truck and many ObGyn's misread it as just a little Postpartum.

For women who have Hysterectomy's or go through Menopause and need to take hormones, they should only take Progesterone, not Estrogen. Taking Estrogen makes BiPolar symptoms worse.

@Ellomalley: BiPolar is not manageable with only 1 medication, if I recall your newly Diagnosed and newly on meds. I imagine your Dr. is starting you slow, but it takes a cocktail of different kinds of medication to properly treat BiPolar. Usually a Mood Stabilizer, an Anti-Depressant, sometimes an Anti-Anxiety or adjunct Mood Stabilizer in the form of an Anti-Psychotic or Anti-Seizure med. Latuda alone is not going to Manage your BiPolar, at your next Pdoc appointment I would ask your Pdoc what his plan is for the remainder of your med cocktail.

As for your Birth Control, if your sexually active you need Birth Control, many of them make you nauseous until you adjust to them. Eating something small, like crackers throughout the day, keeping a little food in your stomach can sometimes help. If the Ring isn't for you, you may need to go on pills or there are other options.

Take care,
Kat

thanks everyone for your advice im gonna see a new obgyn about it, maybe give the nuva ring a chance cuz i dont want a iud. maybe the implant or pill. or nothing at all idk. and talk to my psych dr about meds etc.

Might ask about Vraylar eventually. or lithium idk

Some food for thought, anticonvulsants make birth control less effective and a back up plan, like condoms, is needed. So maybe birth control isnt even worth the problems?

I'm on an iud and its "unknown" whether or not any type of hormonal bc, ie nuva ring, the implant, etc is also compromised or just the pill, but in this way of thinking the only thing really 100% effective would be paragard the copper hormone free IUD.

I had problems with MANY different birth control pills in my thirties. I tried so many and didn't want an iud, so I mainly used condoms until I was sure I didn't want anymore children. At 37, I got a tubal ligation done. Of course that's permanent birth control now. They don't "tie" your tubes anymore they usually burn them (at least that's what I remember my gyno said way back then...that was over 15 yrs ago when I had the tubal done). Of course, now they have more choices for birth control other than hormonal pills. Hope you're able to find the right type of birth control for you. Good luck!