Experience with a birth control patch?

You've highlighted my biggest concern with the patch, innocents_lost... I worry about it coming off and how effective can it possibly be if that happens. I asked my daughter "what about in the summer, when you want to swim and such?" and she said "well I guess I could wear it in a spot that my bathing suit covers". But more than the appearance, I don't want her losing them! I just assumed taking pills would be simple. I hadn't considered the depo shot... and I don't know if the nurse suggested it. I will have her discuss it with the doctor in a couple of weeks at her appointment. Can I ask if you had any issue with weight gain? We've read that it's not uncommon to gain +/- 10 pounds with the depo shot. She's had some weight problems and has been working hard and sensibly losing weight for about the last 8 months. She is down about 16 pounds and doesn't have much more to go, according to the doctor. She would be really upset if she gained it back through no doing of her own :( Again, thanks for the information... it's always helpful to hear from people that know, rather than just reading the information :))

Wow... yes that'll definitely be an issue for my daughter... another question she'll have to discuss with the doctor! It will be likely be a factor in the method she decides to try :)) She's done so well with her weight loss and she's had such miserable menstrual cycles since she started that I'm really hoping she finds a birth control method that isn't going to add to the negatives.

i personally have not had any problems with weight gain from the needle that i have noticed i am hevier then when i started on it but thats to be expected as i was 16 when i started taking it lol I do know that my friend is on the pill and the brand she has been on (which have been several) weight gain has been a big problem for her with it every time she go's off the pill she loses the weight again but as soon as she go's back on she gains about 15lbs

I am the same way... my younger daughter is my "allergy" kid. She has an egg allergy that made getting immunizations tricky, penicillin allergy, stuff like that... she had asthma in the later years of grade school but seems to have outgrown that now, thankfully. So we're always really careful about anything she does related to health, medication, etc. I just assumed she'd be put on the pill, for some reason. My older daughter started BC at 16 (4 years ago) and was prescribed the pill... I figured it would be the same process this time around. I would have loved to have been rid of my menstrual cycle... still would, actually ... so I probably would have considered the shot for myself too if I hadn't had a tubal.

I understand completely. I am super funny about stuff for my girls too. There are side effects to all the BC's. I like sticking with what has been around the longest and that would be the pill...it was the first BUT...that depo shot has been around a while now too and I have had friends use it. They don't even worry about the monthly burden!! That YAZ is still fairly new I think.

both me and my friend tried the YAZ when it firsts came out it made me want to sleep almost 24/7 no matter what i was falling asleep in class at work etc and it put my friend in the hospital with blood clots for 2 days scary experience

I would love to have not had a period in years, to be honest... in fact, I always say that, since I opted for a tubal, I shouldn't have to have periods at all anymore LOL Unfortunately, it doesn't work like that :( Thank you for the recommendation of the depo shot, soapies... I appreciate it!