Fertility Awareness Method

I took the pill for 11 years, from the time I was 22 until I was 33. I chose to go off of it because at that time I hadn't had sex in almost 2 years and I wanted to see if my moods would improve. I found that my moods improved immensely.

When I first went on the pill I was very depressed and sick, but I managed to get used to it over time and the symptoms dissipated. However I was amazed at how much my moods improved after I went off of the pill.

Now I'm 35 and at this age from what I've read the risks associated with taking the pill increase. Plus another 2 years had passed until I had sex again. I knew that going on the pill or other options that included synthetic hormones was off the table for me.

I discovered the fertility awareness method. I've been charting since August which was months before I began a sexual relationship with my boyfriend. I'm very religious about checking all the signs and I use precaution.

The advantages here are that I know what's going on with my body and what to expect usually on a day to day basis with each cycle, give or take. I've been more alert to when PMS is expected to hit so I've been far less likely to become irrational and irritable unexpectedly. I'm not saying I don't continue to get these symptoms. I've just noticed that i have a much better handle on them.

Best of all for me anyway is that my moods have been so much better since I no longer take the pill and I know what's going on within my body. It does take precaution though.