My Decision To Go Off Birth Control and My Walgreens #Skindependence

When I first started my blog I really wanted to find my way into women’s lives, and thanks to social media and this blog, I feel like I have truly developed an incredible girl-gang! So thanks for joining ‘Team Taylor’ because today, I am going to talk to you about something we all dread, and if we are lucky, shows up every month like ‘Clock Work’! You know, your PERIOD, otherwise known as ‘flow’. Yea, she’s a party pooper of the ultimate degree, but if you learn your body, there are things you can do to make you a bit more comfortable during that time of the month.

Day after day, women wear 100 different hats at any given time including: wife, mother, daughter, sister, CEO, bossbabe, Tomboy, father etc. etc. So when talking about wellness and living a balanced life, I knew there would come a time to discuss reproductive health, and thanks to Walgreens #skindependence campaign, I was offered the chance to share my story about why I decided to go off hormonal birth control. That little pill known as Lo Loestrine Fe took away my period for four years! I am now back on project flow, and want you to know that I have taken the 7-day challenge, and am happy to offer a big thank-you to Walgreens for giving me the courage to share my story.

You see, as thirty-one year old women, I am surrounded by friends who are getting married, having babies and unfortunately know more than a few women who have struggled to get pregnant. These women are just like you and me. Beautiful, young, strong, rock star women who had to go through rollercoaster IVF to bring their perfect miracles into this world. One I know well, Nicole Peteocelli, our RD who got pregnant naturally and surprisingly the second time around! She is an inspiration to so many women out there, and after sharing her story I started to really think about what I was putting in my body every day, and why was I so sure that it was going to go back to business as usual. The truth of the matter is that I wasn’t. So thus began the journey of quitting the pill I have grown to rely on and love…cold turkey. Gone would be the days of period freedom, super clear skin (for a little while…thanks R and F) and the freedom to ‘do it’ without the fear of getting preggo. Which is the first question I always get when I tell people I have officially gone off the pill. Are you trying?! No, we are not, and for the record, it is Ok to be in your thirties without a baby! I just felt the need to prep my body, and get it in working order before we try to combine the Walker-Sinning chromosomes sometime in the near future.

So what was I feeling while on Birth Control you ask? 

Honestly, I did not realize how many side affects I was having due to the BC because they weren’t typically physical, but more emotional side effects.

Dreaming:

I was having these epically vivid dreams every night, which Cory and I sympathetically called ‘my adventures’. The dreams would be so real that I would wake up feeling beat up and like I have been awake swimming in the ocean or jumping off cliffs for eight hours. It sounds adventurous, but that mixed with travel is a recipe for disaster. Now I only get them a day or two before my actual period begins. I have been able to sleep better now than I have in ages!

Keeping My Emotions In Check:

I wouldn’t feel extremely happy or really sad for that matter. There were many days where I felt like something was bubbling just underneath the surface. Yes, it could have been PMS even though I was not getting an actual period, but I often thought with the life that I live, why didn’t I feel happy? Like really, really happy all the time?

After about three weeks off the pill…BOOM! There it was. I literally was bursting with happiness. Like, crazy, mind-blowing happiness. I wasn’t as tired, I was still traveling, and when the mind-blowing part settled, I just felt simply happy, calm and at peace like I never had before.

I Have The Boobs of an Old Woman:

WTF was wrong with my boobs? Ok so I know BC and hormones make your boobs get bigger and smaller whenever they feel like it. On my previous BC my chest ballooned to an almost unrecognizable size, and then on the low hormone BC, they kind of shriveled up and ugh! Not a pretty sight, but now, I can enjoy the natural fluctuations and get these puppies out to play on PMS days.  That is one upside of getting your period. The other is the reassurance that your body is doing the job that it was meant to do.

Onto the 7-Day Challenge:

I haven’t been to the feminine care aisle in years and trying to navigate through it is darn overwhelming! There are braids and cups and underwear, oh my! I always reach for my regular two boxes of tampons, get them quickly into my basket, and run quickly to the checkout counter, because I am a mature woman you know?

Well this time I had the Dri-Fit ™ system on my mind, so that made it a little less overwhelming, and took the guesswork out of what I was looking for. I was hesitant to try a pad again, and if I am honest, I have not used one since high school, but I thought what the heck!? My spandex has dri-fit technology…so why can’t my pads?! I was pleasantly surprised by the fit and comfort, especially while I slept. I slept through the night, and by my surprise really did stay nice and dry!

With Tampons come specific obligations, like barely getting through an hour without having to change it, and the constant worry of the dreaded leak during a big meeting or in my case teaching a class. Day two of my period is always the worst for me. I was really nervous about wearing a pad only for the entire length of my period, but after a few hours I was still dry and comfortable. I just had to make sure to wear no-show panties like the Under Armour Seamless and/or tie a shirt around my waist if I wanted to wear spandex leggings. This is not what I expected! They certainly did not feel super-bulky like my pads of middle schools past! I really enjoyed that I could move from the ultra thin to the liners as my period got lighter and lighter, never having to deal with the delicate maneuver of making sure everything was situated up there correctly.

Overall, I enjoyed my #skindependence and was happy that Walgreens asked me to come on board for this campaign! Comfort is key in my book and I plan on keeping pads that have the Dri-Fit ™ system on regular rotation! If you want to try them out then feel free to join our sweepstakes from June13-July 22 and enter for your chance to win themed prize packs, featuring Well at Walgreens feminine care products with the Dri-Fit ™ system, Walgreens gift cards, and “time of the month” essentials!

Enter Here: Well at Walgreens #Skindependence

or Shop Well Products and use the coupon provided below:

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Here is a coupon for $1.50 off any ONE (1) Well at Walgreens Brand Ultra Thin or Maxi Pads with Dri-Fit™ (excludes 20ct. liners)

Oh, and here are some TWFit Tips on how to make your period not be such a pain in the uterus!

Get Techy: Download an app to help you track your period. I love using my Bella Beat Leaf to track mine.

Step away from the java: A week or so before you are supposed to get your period. Try to swap your morning java for herbal tea. This will help keep cramping at bay.

Supplement: Try taking a blend of hormonal supplements such as Evening Primerose Oil, Omega-3 Fish Oil and a good Probiotic.

Exercise and Eat Whole Foods:I know this is the last thing you want to do, but exercising will get your blood pumping and eating well will fuel your body, give you increased energy and help keep those annoying cramps and bowl issues to a minimum.

Go Dark: Try dark chocolate at least 70% cacao…this is self explanatory!

Pain Relief: A couple of Advil and a heating pad is all you need to keep the pain away.

If you are thinking of taking the plunge off the BC…I say go ahead and give it a try! Be prepared for some mild headaches, painful nipples and a little acne for a little while, but for me it was 100% worth it! With so many feminine care products and systems out there, like the Dri-Fit ™ system, they are all here to make this normal bodily function, run more smoothly and comfortably. So give it a try for yourself today, and get yourself some #Skindependence!