Side Effects of Seasonique: How it Effected Me

As technology progresses, doctors, and scientist make advancements, so do the medicines created for patients. This is the case with a mainstay of women since the 1970s, the birth control pill. In the last several years, doctors have stated that it is unnecessary for a woman to have a menstrual cycle once a month. With this in mind, many women of childbearing age have opted for birth control pills that taken constantly for three months, just as prior versions were. However, the newer versions such as Seasonique require a patient take them at a certain dosage from a three-month dispenser and the final week of the pack contains a lower dose to allow for the once quarterly period.

In taking Seasonique for the regulating of my menstrual cycle, I did experience some side effects, most were tolerable. The first side effect that I experienced was problems sleeping. I had not had problems falling asleep prior to that, but I did experience it after about a week of being on Seasonique.

Another side effect that I experienced was breakthrough bleeding about ten weeks into the cycle pack. This was light bleeding and it only lasted approximately two days. I also began to have problems with my eyes becoming drier than they ever had in the past. This caused me to have to use rewetting drops and not to be able to wear my contact lenses for longer than about four hours.

Finally, the worst of the side effects that I experienced was a change in weight. As with many other birth control pills that I have been on in the past, I found that I gained about five pounds in the first two months on Seasonique. I must increase my exercise to fend off the excess weight.

All of these side effects went away after just a bit. However, I did call to discuss these issues with my gynecologist, just to make sure that everything was in order. Again, all of these side effects were tolerable, and the only one that still exists is the breakthrough bleeding that I experience a couple of weeks prior to the onset of my menstrual cycle.

All in all, I figure that I would rather deal with a couple of days of breakthrough bleeding and a three-day short cycle once a quarter, than to have to deal with the ones that I used to have once a month, when I wasn't on Seasonique.