I have been on the pill off and on for almost twenty years. My gynecologist thinks that this is OK. However, when I went for a mammogram recently, the technician felt that I may be taking risks by being on it for so long. Have any of you been on the pill this long?

i know this question has been here for a while. i keep looking at it and not answering. now, i am going to answer it. i thinkit is way too long to be on the pill. i think it is way too long to have one member of the marriage responsible for this important decision reagarding birth control. i feel like after this amount of time the onus should be put on your husband to take care of the "no baby" dapartment. he shoulddo this out of respect for you. if he has a problem with that then i would look at that fact for other reasons as well. any woman should be able to go to her husband and say "i feel like my health may be at risk being the one depended on for the birth control in our relationship for this period of time. will you please take over for us?" i hope you can do that. my hubby did the vasectomy thing. he said it hurt but he did get to sit around on the couch for two days, watch golf, and get waited on with a bag of frozen peas on his ...well...you know... they say frozen peas are the perfect icebag!!

The problem is that many women who have been on and off for many years may wish to have more children. I found it juvenile to think back to all types of birth control methods, but the fact is - pills are easy. The concern is that it does effect your health and it is better to be off of them. What to do? is an age old question. Perhaps there is more research in this area or is it all run by men?

Not only are the pills easy, but I know several ladies that trusted depo-provera and ended up pregnant anyway!! And I had an IUD and ended up sterile from it. The pills are the best, except , of course, for total abstinence, and who wants THAT!!!(I am abstinent by necessity (widowed)and it is the pits!!)

Since I started this topic, I thought I would fill you in on the information I received from my GYN on my visit to her this week. She told me that since I am taking such a low dose, there really isn't a problem for me. I do not smoke and my blood pressure is low. She said that it would be a good transition for me when I am in my late forties and approaching menopause. She also said that it helps to reduce anemia and osteoporosis. Recent studies have shown that women on the pill have reduced risk of uterine cancer. She feels that it is fine for me to continue on the pill until I reach menopause. Sounds good to me!

good, i am glad you checked with your doctor. i still can not help but think it would be a hoot to tell your hubby that he needs a vasectomy... just for the good of the family....lol.

This topic is very much connected to the one on menopause and the one on mental illness -- American women are being over medicated and adding estrogen to your system is not a good idea. Everyone should read "What your Doctor Didn't Tell You about Pre-menopause" and "What your Doctor Didn't Tell You about Menopause" -- both by Dr. John Lee. He has a web site if you want quick info. Estrogen dominance seems to be the root of many female problems -- I read somewhere too that only American women suffer from PMS. And estrogen is in the food and water, so it's easy to get too much. Right now I'm trying to get rid of fibroids. My mom had a mastectomy and blames ERT for it, that she was on for 30 years. I just convinced my daughter to get off the pill -- she's been on it for 10 years.