I have 7+ day long periods where I bleed heavily.

I started mensing in late elementary school, I was 9 years old.

At first they were irregular but light. Occasionally they would be extremely painful. Exercise/PE did not help alleviate anything despite what my teachers - usually male/PE teachers - told me.

I could not take pain killers to school.

In middle school they were still irregular, but they were no longer light and caused even more pain.

I missed close to a week of class per month because of them.

I was taking ibuprofen every half hour for pain and still couldn't move. By high school I had moved on to alieve but was still in pain more often than not.

My flow was always heavy, meaty and dark. For most of the 7+ days it was like this. Sometimes I feared that I was loosing pieces of my uterus.

I also had really bad acne that acne medications and creams were not helping.

And to top it all off I was emotionally unstable, despite taking anti-depressants. Later doctors/psychiatrists - again male - claimed that it was all just part of growing up as a NORMAL female.

I had an ultra sound to check for ovarian cysts or other complications. There were none.

I started BC in high school at the suggestion of my female GP.

After going on BC my period were still heavy and still 7+ days long, but they weren't as constantly heavy and the pain was practically gone.

I was no longer immobilized.

My acne reduced significantly and my emotions were no longer running rampant.

After an additional change to my antidepressants I was a functional member of society.

I am not the only woman to have these issues.

Dysmenorrhea is a medical condition known by doctors.

One of the "cures" is BC or hormonal regulation.

BC is one of the cheapest and most effective hormonal regulators out there.



I went off my BC recently because I was no longer in a sexual relationship.

After a month my acne was back, I had gained weight and my emotions were more extreme despite my antidepressants.

This only confirmed how important BC is to my functioning as a productive member of society.

If you think that the other medical uses of Birth control are all myth/rumor then I invite you to spend a few months with me when I am not on my BC. I will even go so far as to go off my antidepressants which you also probably think are fake. And while I'm at it I won't touch a single pain relief pill.

After spending this time with me if you still think Birth Control is bunk and only used by women who don't want to have babies I will applaud your ability to delude yourself and belittle me and all other women.

I'm speaking out against legislation that will reduce a woman's access to Birth Control. There are already doctors and Pharmacists that are refusing to prescribe or fill this medication to women who want or need it.

Preventing pregnancy is not the only use of birth control, just like control is not the only use of religion.

Be a beautiful person and respect another persons needs, even if you don't always agree with them.

My use of Birth Control is not effecting your life negatively.