Pillbox

Feeling sexually uninspired in the new year? Well, stop blaming your partner (although it probably is all their fault) and start re-thinking your birth control. According to new research coming out of the UK,the pill could be to blame for your blundering libido. . . . women who rely on the contraceptive pill may be putting themselves at risk of long-term sexual dysfunction. While I have suffered through hellacious bouts of horror ("sexual difficulties" incuded) thanks to the pill, I'm having a hard time believing that birth control could lead to life-long sexual dysfunction. Believe it or not, there are patterns among pills that cause serious problems for women and they are often the most prescribed by doctors (Ortho Tri-Cyclen anyone?). Why is this you ask? Hmm...well, per usual I'm thinking it has something to do with pharmaceutical kickbacks, but I digress. The real issue here is education--sexual, reproductive, and medical. Young women will often just accept whatever pill is first prescribed to them and think that all the awful side-effects are just par for the course. If we do go back to our doctor with complaints, we're told to "hold off ," "take them for three months and then we'll see about switching," "these effects are normal," etc. Well I'm always curious as to the last time said doctors felt like they wanted to physically assault anyone who touched them, gained 15 pounds in 30 days, hated everyone they've ever known, or just generally wanted to die. Because that's what taking bad birth control feels like. So, perhaps instead of insinuating that birth control is evil and will inevitably lead to sexual dysfunction, scientists need to figure out how to make birth control that isn't so volatile to our bodies and doctors need to get hip to listening to us. Until then, there's going to be some irate, non-fertile bitches ready to attack.