Woman suffers severe health issues and loses friendships due to progestogen contraceptive pill

A young woman said that the contraceptive pill made her so "nasty and rude" that she ruined friendships and earned the nickname "Rowdy Russell" from her friends, as doctors failed to recognise her intolerance to it.

Katy Russell began using contraception at 15 to alleviate period symptoms. In September 2021, during a relationship, she was prescribed the combined mini pill. However, she soon experienced severe mood swings, anger outbursts, and weight gain, indicating something was wrong.

Despite these symptoms, now 22-year-old Katy claims doctors initially told her it was just her body adjusting to the pill, so she continued the medication until February 2022. Her mood swings caused friends to distance themselves, and even her boyfriend asked her to stop the pill, calling her a "b*tch 24.7." Seeking alternatives, Katy opted for the implant, but her experience worsened.

She experienced extreme bloating, back acne, and a six-month heavy period before having the implant removed and switching to the hormonal coil in January 2023. The coil, however, left her in severe pain, and after its removal in June 2023, doctors discovered she was allergic to progestogen, a hormone in all the contraceptives she had tried.

According to the National Institute of Health, progestogen primarily prevents pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation. Katy says it took years for doctors to identify her progestogen intolerance, leaving her "traumatised" by her contraceptive experience and vowing never to use hormonal contraception again.

Katy, originally from Manchester and now living in Bristol, said: "You use the pill because it is considered a safe option, but you change as a person. Someone telling you to stop because you're horrible makes you feel lost."

Her friends called her "Rowdy Russell" due to her behaviour during her period, describing her as "rude, snappy, and unpleasant to be around." The contraceptive also caused severe acne and weight gain, prompting her to discontinue its use after nine months.

"The implant seemed fine initially but led to nearly six months of constant periods, bloating, and body dysmorphia," she explained. The back acne, she noted, was particularly difficult to treat.”

Katy had her implant surgically removed after it migrated from her arm to her elbow, leaving her with permanent scars. She also developed an ovarian cyst from the coil, requiring surgical removal.

Katy said: "It was a bad procedure (having the implant removed) because I had two ladies basically cutting my arm and pulling my arm open trying to find this implant which had moved. I've now got a scar from where I first got it placed and a scar pretty much on the other side of my arm from where the implant ended up.

"Within six months of getting the implant it went from the front of my arm and then down and around to my elbow. As soon as I started getting cramps (while on the coil) I couldn't walk. I was basically just crippled on the floor in agony, tears and consistent pain. "The pain was so unpredictable I could have been driving and then suddenly have to pull over because the pain made me physically unable to drive. Sometimes it would be that bad that my friends would have to drive out and get me and I'd have to leave my car so that I could get home."

Reflecting on her journey, Katy said her intolerance diagnosis has come as a 'relief' but says she's now been left with even fewer birth control options if she ever decides to go back on it. Katy said: "The majority of contraceptives have progestogen in them apart from I think the combined pill but again I can't have that because of my migraines. "My only options now are condoms, a certain type of pill or the copper coil but I'm scared of the copper coil and the pill because my experiences were horrible. For me now I'm never going to go on contraception again because I don't want to have to go through any mental or physical changes again. I don't even think it's worth it. "I would rather use a condom or risk it because I can't do it again."