Cosmopolitan US May2020

IDK, have you read this flowchart yet?

By JILL HAMILTON

s w itch up

birth

control?

Is it time to

your

A.

A few

months,

maybe?

B.

It’s been

84 years.

C.

Technically,

I’m not “on”

any thing.

I use

condoms.

A.

Just broke

up and

downloading

Tinder this

very second.

B.

We’re in a

monogamous

LTR and both

STI negative.

A.

I’ve had

either severe

cramping,

new mood

probs, major

weight gain,

or heavy,

irregular

bleeding.

B.

Acne or

lower libido

(but I’m

hoping they

RIP soon!).

C.

None of the

above,

praise be.

A.

My sun-

stache (aka

melasma) is

not ideal.

B.

Nope.

A.

I forget the

pill a lot and

condoms

break.

So yes.

B.

I trust.

A.

Yup. You

jealous?

B.

Nah.

A.

Mmm, not

particularly.

B.

Hell yeah!

How long have you been

on your current script?

Did you recently update your

relationship status?

Have any of these issues

popped up since you started?

Okay, so clearly, it’s

working for you. But is there

anything you’d change?

Do you ever worry

that your contraception isn’t

working somehow?

Are you traveling all the damn time?

Is your BC situation

affordable?

It’s time to find something

more reliable or better suited

to your bod. See your doctor

for an option that makes life

easier and save the drama for

your reality TV binges.

Your symptoms, budget,

or life plans could warrant a

new Rx. It’s worth exploring

inexpensive, long-term

options like the IUD.

Maybe you’re in an LTR with

your pill pack or one hundred

percent “no glove, no love”

(as you def should be if you’re

trying to find love in a hopeless

place). In any case, sounds

like you’re good.

C

HA

NG

E ISG

OO

D

UP

TO YOU.

..

CA

RRY ON

ST

AR

T

T

h

er

e

B

C

o

p

ti

o

n

s

st

a

n

d

b

e

fo

re

m

e

...

.

SOURCES: HEATHER BARTOS, MD,

BE. WOMEN’S HEALTH AND WELLNESS,

CROSS ROADS, TEXAS; ELIZABETH

WEST, MD, MEMORIALCARE, LONG BEACH,

CALIFORNIA. AND THIS IS OBVI, BUT: THIS

STORY IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR PERSONAL-

IZED MEDICAL ADVICE. IF SOMETHING HINKY

IS GOING ON, CONTACT A DOCTOR.

74 Cosmopolitan May 2020

life

IL

LU

ST

R

AT

IO

N

B

Y^

KA

TI

E^

C

ZE

RW

IN

SK

I.