Tuune success story: ‘You don't need to settle, or suffer, with side effects from your birth control’

Looking back, I’d never really given my birth control the thought or consideration it deserved—and I certainly never felt like any doctor ever had. 

Maybe this was because every time I went to the doctor (aside from it being so hard to get an appointment in the first place) it was always such a major rush. 

Maybe it’s because when I finally did get an appointment, I never felt like my doctor was giving me all of the information—like what side effects I might get from different types of birth control or the risk factors for different methods. 

Maybe it’s because no medical professional had ever asked me my opinion before. 

Regardless, I chose to go on the pill.

Enter anxiety, PMS and plenty of periods 

When I started the pill, my job at the time had really irregular working hours, so I was struggling to take my pill at the same time every day. That’s when the anxiety started. 

It was stressful enough dealing with the constant worry of a potential pregnancy from not always being able to take my pill at the same time each day, but this was something more. I started feeling increasingly anxious a lot of the time. 

There might have been other things contributing to this, other life factors and whatnot, but I had a sneaking suspicion that my pill was also involved. I wanted to figure out if it was the additional hormones that were negatively impacting my mental health—so, I switched to the implant. 

This seemed like a really good option for me as I wouldn’t have to worry about taking it each day and I’d heard you could skip your periods altogether on it. This would have been a godsend for me as I get really painful cramps, but my periods didn’t stop...

To my horror, the complete opposite happened and I got double periods instead of none!

I was having two periods a month and all of the crippling cramps that came with them, plus, PMS—my mood was all over the place. 

I felt completely exhausted and hopeless. Why did my doctor never mention the possibility of these horrible side effects? Why did I have to put my body through this trauma before finding out?

After 6 (seriously unpleasant) months of PMS, I got my implant out. I was totally burnt by my experience with hormonal birth control.

After that, I just stuck to condoms—but I wasn’t fully happy with that solution either. 

Turning it around with Tuune 

It was around this time that I heard of Tuune. I was recommended by a friend but I was suuuper skeptical because of all my bad experiences with side effects and feeling like doctors weren't giving me all of the information about risks upfront.

Thankfully, my concerns were quickly brushed away. The whole process with Tuune was really calm, considered and informative— it felt like the total opposite to trying to talk to any doctor about birth control!

The Tuune team walked me through Tuune 360—which was like a super detailed health assessment that looked at my medical history and any previous symptoms I’d had on birth control, my mental and physical health, my lifestyle and even my opinions and goals for using birth control. 

Then, I got a personalized health report and they suggested that because of my previous complications and side effects I book a consult with one of their doctors to discuss my results.

I’m really looking forward to the consult. By acknowledging that my case might need more consideration, it proved to me that Tuune were assessing me individually and are really committed to finding the best birth control for my individual needs. 

Because the whole process is online, it’s so accessible. Especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s felt near impossible to get a doctor's appointment for anything that’s not an emergency. So the accessibility of Tuune felt like such a huge relief! 

The personalized approach is really awesome, I learned so much. I feel way more informed about all of the different birth control types out there, like which are right for me and which aren’t. This includes the slightly alarming fact that combined pills aren’t safe for me because sometimes I get migraines with auras. Why had my doctor never told me this?

I feel really empowered by the knowledge I now have about my body, hormones and individual health. Most of all, the Tuune experience has let me build a positive relationship with birth control again. I feel like I have all the information I need to make informed choices about which birth control to choose next.

You don’t need to settle or suffer with side effects

It’s a real problem that so many women and people with cycles don’t feel listened to by their doctors or health providers when it comes to birth control. 

We’ve suffered and settled, in silence, for too long. 

But there are alternatives out there! It’s such a relief that options like Tuune are opening up the conversation and making this space super accessible. 

Rest assured, the professionals at Tuune will make you feel comfortable, valid, and heard. Give it a go—they really are determined to help you find the best solution for you.

Written by

Ellen B

Ellen is one of Tuune's earliest users. She used Tuune 360 after a long struggle to find a birth control option that didn't give her side effects. Now, she feels more in control and armed with all of the information to make an informed choice on her next steps with birth control.

Medically reviewed by

Annalisa Hayes (she/her)

Copywriter at Tuune, Annalisa has worked for various pioneering health-tech startups and healthcare companies with purpose-led missions. Driven by empowering people to take control of their health, she helps make the science behind hormones accessible for our community, so they can make clued-up choices about their healthcare.