MY EXPERIENCE WITH RIGEVIDON CONTRACEPTIVE PILL

 I have decided to be a bit more me on my blog this year; when I say more me I basically mean just posting whatever the hell I wanna. If I wanna write about beauty, I will. If I wanna write about parenting, guess bloody what?! I will. I'm not a certain genre of blog any longer and I will be writing whatever I want. So, with this new found mentality I recently put a poll out on Twitter weather you'd like to see a post regarding my experience on the Rigevidon contraceptive pill. 

I feel like contraceptive pills, for some reason are a bit of a taboo. Its one of those things, I used to hate going to my local clinic/doctors to pick it up, I felt awkward, I don't know..maybe it was because I was fairly young but I mean lets face it, contraceptives of any sort are used by ladies of all ages and it shouldn't be a taboo subject. Recently when I was going through a terrible time (which I've since found out was due to the pill), I couldn't find very much real life information online other than doctors advice and I wasn't getting much response via social media.

Before having Bella I was on the Microgynon 30 pill, which is a combined pill that you take for 21 days and then you have a 7 day break which would be generally when your period would take place. Obviously, I have a baby now but I must stress this wasn't due to the pill failing. I was irresponsible with taking it and wa-la, a baby was made. Moving on..

To those who don't know, after having a baby mum has a check after 6 weeks to make sure everything is all okay mentally and physically. This is also the time where you will discuss your method of contraception with your doctor (or as I felt, an appointment literally to discuss contraception - boo). There was no doubt in my mind that I would be going back on to a pill of some sort. I wasn't having anything to do with needles so that was out of the question, I didn't know much about anything other than needles or pills and she didn't try to convince me otherwise. I was told that my doctor didn't stock the Microgynon however there was a pill called Rigevidon which was pretty much the same thing. Cool, I'll have that then - cheers! 

Off I went with my new pill and started taking it then next day. I took it for about a week or so and all was great. I had never had one problem with the Microgynon so I had no idea what kind of side affects these pills could do to you. After literally what could of only been a few days, maybe 4 or 5, I woke up on a Monday morning feeling very strange. The first thing I noticed was that I couldn't type or talk properly, it was like I couldn't find the words I needed to say. I was trying to talk (or in my case text) and it was gibberish, it made no sense. I still don't know what I'd call it, not memory loss quite but it was weird. I had numb and tingling sensation in my hands, mouth and nose. I was scared. K was at work and couldn't get home, my mum was half way across the world so I quickly rung my bestie who luckily is amazing, came and picked me & Bella up and looked after us both for the day. When I got to her house, I went for a sleep.. but when I woke up, I had a killer migraine. I managed to get an emergency doctors appointment because I was so worried, I spoke with my doctor who put it down to exhaustion. I didn't feel exhausted, my baby is amazing and sleeps all night, she never cries - was I really exhausted? I didn't feel exhausted, but I was told it might be more a sub conscious thing although I wasn't totally convinced.

K was working crazy hours that week, so on the Tuesday I decided to go to my nan's for a few nights to get a bit of help. I didn't feel right in myself so I was almost worried I wouldn't be able to cope on my own. The Tuesday I was absolutely fine but it was still nice to have a few extra hands. On the Wednesday I decided to take Bella to a weigh in clinic on my nan's estate and I also arranged to meet up with a few local mummies. Whiles out, my sight started to go funny... I had two big orbs in both of my eyes which was affecting my vision and I also got the same numbness/tingly feeling in my hands and mouth. I swiftly headed home to my nan's After I regained my vision, I had another killer migraine which I slept off. I stayed at my nan's for another night, until K finished work the next day and picked me & Bella up at about 9pm.

My mum was on holiday in Mexico for most of the week, normally she would help me out massively especially if I was feeling unwell. She was flying home on the Thursday night so I knew Friday, Saturday & Sunday she could help me if I needed it. I had no symptoms for the whole of the Thursday but I had a feeling it wouldn't be long before I wasn't well again.. Yep, the next day. Friday morning initially I woke up feeling fine, and had arranged for mum to pop over then we were going out for a drink however as the morning went on the worse I felt. I could feel my sight was going funny and a migraine was starting, so I rung mum and asked her to come over and whiles I waited, I took myself & Bella up to bed. I had about 30 minutes sleep, and I did that the minute it started which I think saved me because I didn't go in to full blown blind-numbing mode.

Then whiles I was sat talking to my mum that afternoon, something came over me. I had been taking this pill for a little over a week. It couldn't be that, could it?! I quickly googled side effects, and did a little research in to the symptoms I had been having. As soon as I read a tiny bit in to it, my mind was made up - it was the pill that was making me so poorly! I decided to stop taking it straight away, and get an appointment with my doctors ASAP. I managed to get one on the Monday, I went and explained everything that was going on. She agreed it sounded like this pill was giving me serious side affects and that I did the right thing by stopping taking it. I haven't taken it since then and to this day I've had no more issues. She also advised I probably shouldn't take any combi contraception, as it sounded like since being pregnant my body no longer agreed with it, which means I'm left with only two options now; mini pill or the injection. No ta!

So where I'm at now. I'm currently taking nothing as I am waiting for another appointment to be prescribed a new pill. I have also been referred to a specialist eye clinic at the hospital, due to the sight loss, they would like to investigate it further as it could be a deeper issue with my eyes. I have my appointment in a few weeks.

Have you had any bad experiences with a combi pill? I would love to hear your stories! 
xxx