Combination birth control pill vs Cap or diaphragm

I had my first baby in 2024 and decided to breastfeed for about 9 months. After I was done, I decided to get on birth control pills. I have never really been on birth control pills in my life. I have struggled with hormonal acne since I was in 8th grade. It has really affected the way I feel about myself. I was very happy with how my skin looked while on this pill. However, after being on it for about a year, I started noticing averse side effects “down there”. I have absolutely no desire or sex drive which is not normal, it’s dry, and occasionally would cause itching and burning and skin discoloration. I have decided that it’s just not worth it anymore, and I decided to quit taking this pill. I’m very lucky to not have had any other side effects. I’m crossing my fingers that my body and hormones return to the way they were pre pregnancy and pre birth control.

Feel miserable and made depression worse, consistently crying all the time over stupid things, waking up is evil

I've been taking Aviane for years, to help regulate my periods. Before Aviane, they were irregular (it could be a month and a half before The Dot.) and could last 5-7 days, and my mental health was terrible the week before. (PMDD) I have terrible memory at times, but I know for a fact that Aviane has regulated my periods and has shortened them! They're now only 3 days long, if that tells you anything! I can't remember much about my first few months taking the pills, but overall, it's been helpful!

I’ve been using the FemCap for years now and honestly, I’m so impressed. It’s non-hormonal, super discreet, and once you get the hang of insertion, it’s incredibly easy to use. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a hormone-free option.

I had to come off hormonal contraception due to health reasons so needed a barrier method. It was quite awkward to insert and always had to keep checking it in case it dislodged itself, was sometimes painful or uncomfortable, my partner could feel it. I was also using an approved spermicide with it but still became pregnant within a month of use.

My very favorite thing about the Caya is that there really are no side effects. I am not putting anything into my body that is changing the way my body functions- I put it in, leave it in a while, and then I remove it. No hormones, nothing! I’ve been advised that while the Caya can be 80+% effective when used correctly, it’s best to use it with spermicide and condoms. It is tricky to insert the first few times but super easy to remove and I quickly got the hang of a quick and easy insertion! I did find it really difficult to find a pharmacy that sold the Caya (I guess they aren’t as popular now)- but all in all, it’s been fantastic so far! I love that my body gets to function as it normally would but that the Caya helps prevent pregnancy