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Hormonal contraceptives are medicines (with hormones in it)that decrease your risk of getting pregnant.  This can be in the many forms: a pill, a patch, a ring inside the vagina, implants under the skin, or an intrauterine device.

Most women do not have serious side effects.  If symptoms are mild, I suggest hanging-in-there for the first three months–as most will go away.  You may feel

• Acne,
• nausea,
• sore breasts,
• decreased sex drive,
• irregular periods,
• headaches,
• or weight gain.

The best way to decrease the side effects is to take  your medicine as prescribed: if it is a pill, take it every day at the same time or day.  If you are using a patch or a ring, be sure to follow the doctor’s schedule.  This will help decrease the hormonal variations in the body which should decrease your adverse symptoms.

And, as always, a condom helps decrease risk of infection and an unplanned pregnancy.

Hope this helps.