Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have been Paleo for nearly 12 months. I felt fantastic all the time - my energy and mood levels were great. Recently my husband had his vasectomy reversed - we don't know if it worked yet but we were advised to wait a while before trying to conceive to allow things to "return to normal". Along that line of advice my doctor prescribed me Yasmin birth control pills. After just 1 week on the pill I felt AWFUL - I had pains in my back and legs, sever cramps in my legs, headaches and mood swings, crying at the drop of a hat,cravings for carbohydrates with complete loss of appetite at the same time, didn't want to go to work.... I stopped taking the pill after the 2 week mark thinking that this must be ridiculous! Especially as Paleo has actually compeltely rid me of any Pre-menstrual pains altogether. I am looking at trying the Ladycomp/Babycomp instead although it is very pricey.

This experience truly made me realise how healthy and well I feel on Paleo. It was a fantastic eye opener. I had been on the pill throughout my late teens/into my early twenties and probably never realised how much damage I was doing. I hate the thought of putting artificial hormones into my body. The experience really made me feel that I have created (or am creating) a healthy body for producing a baby so why would I want to ruin that by taking BC pills right up until the intended conception. Has anyone else had this experience? Has anyone else considered that they should stop taking the pill in order to see how well Paleo is working?

flag	asked Feb 20 2012 at 5:45 MayaBee 1,384●2●9

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I used this microscope for predicting and tracking ovulation when I was trying to get pregnant, it is pretty nifty, and not too expensive amazon.com/… You can do everything ladycomp can with a digital thermometer and a copy of Take Charge of Your Fertility. – Happy Now Feb 20 2012 at 9:45

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BTW, kudos for your body awareness, awesome story. I think most women get pressured to take hormonal birth control at some point in their lives by well meaning docs who don't understand the physical and emotional burden they are asking women to undertake (sure it is less than pregnancy, but still significant). If guys had to deal with even a fraction of the side effects women endure on it, much more research would go into either perfecting and/or personalizing the hormones better, or there would be far more sophisticated barrier methods. – Happy Now Feb 20 2012 at 9:53

Katie · Answer 1 · 2012-02-20 06:47:07Z UTC

YES! Nobody believes me when I tell them the pill might be the cause of their unanswered symptoms that even doctors can't figure out. There is also a milk product in most oral contraceptives that they tried to blame for my intensely painful bloating in my intestines during the two weeks that I took the pill. I gave up after two weeks of trying it for the first time. Never again :)

I didn't need that to see how well Paleo was working, if I go through a Whole 30 and then have a non paleo food my body reacts almost instantly with things that I just lived with my whole life (Allergies, mild asthma, acne...)

Glad it is working for you and you have become more in tune with your body!

Amanda · Answer 2 · 2012-02-20 07:26:01Z UTC

Paleo or not, the pill sucks! I was on it for about 8 or 9 years. I went through huge episodes of depression. I was suicidal at times too. There were times that I was so crazy I don't even know how my now-husband stayed with me through it! I went off the pill 6 months before getting married because we were going to try having kids soon after getting married, and my emotions and well being did a total 180!

It's interesting because the whole time my mom said that she thought the pill was behind my being crazy emotional and my weight gain, but I never considered it because the "science" didn't support it. I'm also in a science field, so I almost religiously believed the conventional science. Now my husband and I practice the fertility awareness method.

For me I think realizing what the pill (and the nuvaring) did to me (what "shouldn't" have happened according to the "science") is part if what sent me down the path to questioning more of society's conventional wisdom. We should always question studies that are supported by someone who will profit from the results. It seems obvious to us ("paleo people"), but the mainstream sheeple will only ever believe what the TV tells them.

LastingOne · Answer 3 · 2012-02-20 07:33:49Z UTC

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I stopped using HBC several years ago because they made me nutty. Absolutely bonkers - almost suicidal. I've been a devout LadyComp for years. It paid for itself long ago. If you are trying to conceive, consider the BabyComp as I believe it will also act as a LadyComp later (meaning it tells you when you are ovulating so you can use protection).

When I was was very ill a few years back, my LadyComp was the one thing that indicated to me that I had stopped ovulating. It is that sensitive. It's so stupid that we can't have them here in the US, but that's another diatribe. :)

answered Feb 20 2012 at 7:33

LastingOne
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	Thanks for this - I think I will fork out for the BabyComp - Even over a 2 year timeframe it works out cheaper than the pill and yet you can use it for 10 years. And of course health wise it works out a LOT cheaper than the pill!! – MayaBee Feb 20 2012 at 23:33
	You're welcome! Some companies (I bought from a popular one in Canada) will offer discounts on refurbished BabyComps/LadyComps, so it's worth calling and asking :) RaxMedical I think is the distributor and they also have a payment program. In essence you can use the LadyComp to try and get pregnant (which is good because it's cheaper), you'll still get the idea of when ovulation occurs. Mine doesn't hold a charge anymore, but after 6 years it still measures my temp accurately! It's out of sheer laziness that I haven't replaced the battery. – LastingOne Feb 21 2012 at 6:30
	I'm in Australia so I can only order from the Australian distributor - no discounts unfortunately! After seeing how awful I was after 2 weeks on the pill my husband has also agreed that babycomp + barrier method will be best (its a hard decision after not having to worry about it with a vasectomy for 7 years)! I guess I could on-sell it once i'm done. – MayaBee Feb 23 2012 at 1:10

MayaBee · Answer 4 · 2012-02-20 23:32:02Z UTC

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Thanks everybody for your responses - its been very interesting and I think empowering as well! Anymore stories would be welcome.

answered Feb 20 2012 at 23:32

MayaBee
1,384●2●9

Birth Control Pills - Did they make you realise how good you felt on Paleo?

4 Answers