ZemOk, I have a question for my uterus-having friends. Maybe any MDs who have some insight. Do you get more depressed on birth control, no matter what kind it is?? I swear, every time a doctor tells me a certain kind won't have that effect on me, they're wrong!
Follow up - how many of you have had a hysterectomy, and what was your experience?
Kim Possible 
@zem I had signigicant problems that necessitated a total abdominal hysterectomy. Other than the migraine from an extreme drop in estrogen the day of the surgery, I felt much much better. I even remember the exact date. I did HRT for a year or two. I know each person AFAB has their own decision to make, but since I've lost friends to ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, which often have no early symptoms, I was glad to have them removed.
@kimlockhartga Wow! That had to be intense! Glad you're doing better. Maybe TMI, but I have fibroids and have had MAJOR heavy bleeding. Don't know if the bleeding is because of the fibroids, but because the doctors gave me birth control and it stopped the bleeding, they didn't care to investigate any further... I'm thinking I might just want to yank the thing out at this point.
@zem also, this will sound nuts, but I pioneered a surgical technique for my own surgery, and it made a big difference. My surgeon calls it "The Kimberly Method." 😃
@kimlockhartga You have to elaborate haha.
@zem Since it was open abdominal surgery, they stitch you up by layers. I asked her to inject lidocaine in each layer as she went, and she did so. I had absolutely no pain as a result. Needed no pain meds. She was impressed at the results. You can't do it for every surgery, but in this case, it worked beautifully.
@kimlockhartga Wow, nice! You should be a doctor! haha
@zem At one time, I wanted to be a psychiatrist and help people, but a) medical school and b) some truly harrowing truths I probably cannot handle hearing. I had to be an advocate in other ways.