From the moment I moved out and started living independently, I have been very hands-on with my health. As most of you know, I have hormonal issues and I make sure I take great care of myself lest I go through Alopecia again. 

The moment I got my med card, I immediately tried to find my forever doctors and build relationships with them. One of the doctors that I made sure to find was an OB-GYNE so that I can finally understand why I had such painful menstrual cramps. 

My cramps were so bad that I remember pretty much passing out during class and having to be taken home for the rest of the day. It got progressively worse till I was in my late teens, but my elders just chalked it up to normal period blues and just gave me pain meds and a hot pack, and the occasional school absence. 

When I started working, however, I couldn’t continue doing that because I had to earn my living. So, I went to the doctor and got everything checked – nothing. My doctor even initially thought that I was faking just to get prescription pills or doctor’s notes, maybe because I was so young at that time. 

It took a bit of time (and a couple of other doctors), but with enough visits and tests, one doctor finally believed me and I was prescribed oral contraceptive pills to see if that will help with the pain. It did, but my period got heavier. My doctor and I worked around all the possibilities until I got settled with a brand that helped my chronic dysmenorrhea, didn’t give me cystic acne, and didn’t nearly bleed me out. 

Yes, I say doctors, because I changed my OB about 4-5 times before I found someone that didn’t 1. Judge me for choosing to get contraceptive methods at a young age, 2. Didn’t lecture me about abstinence and give me side comments regarding my private life, and 3. Made an effort to understand and respect me as both a human being and a patient asking for guidance. 

I’d say those first couple of years of trying to find a doctor who matched my vibe and was willing to work with me were very discouraging. If this was the normal experience of every woman trying to find help from their doctors, no wonder only about 31% of women visit their OB-GYNE yearly. 

If only there was a way to avoid the negative experiences altogether… 

Excitingly, there is now! 

Introducing Ease, a platform dedicated to helping women access sensitive health services from the comfort of our homes!

They aim to help minimize similar issues that I myself have experienced before; the hassle of scheduling a doctor’s visit and waiting at the doctor’s clinic only to be uncomfortable due to doctor-patient mismatch. 

They do this by offering accessible telehealth doctors who are experienced in dealing with sensitive issues and are ready to answer even the most basic of questions. 

Ease PH reached out to me to try their services and I was pleasantly surprised. 

I first started by creating an account with them, then scheduling an appointment with one of their doctors. All that was done in under 10 minutes due to their user-friendly website. 

You can create an account using your Facebook or Google accounts, or by simply filling out the sign-up form. 

To schedule an appointment with one of their doctors, you just have to fill out a simple questionnaire regarding your contraceptive options and any other questions you may have. Once scheduled, you’ll receive a confirmation email and a message from the doctor about a couple of hours before your appointment. 

The doctor assigned to me was Dr. Riccia Tan, and she was so nice and understanding and answered all the questions that I had regarding the different types of oral contraceptive pills. 

While I have tried pills before, there were a few concerns that I wanted to be addressed now that I have learned about what else they can do for me, and as I have also gotten a bit more mature. 

Previously, the only thing that mattered to me was that pills helped me function as a normal person during my period – meaning no excruciating menstrual pain. 

Now, I wanted to explore the possibility that oral contraceptive pills can also help me maintain my oily and acne-prone skin. 

After a lengthy discussion (I had so many questions that Dr. Tan answered attentively), I chose the Charlize brand, which can help regulate cycles, manage cramps, and lighten periods. As per Dr. Tan, aside from the listed benefits, her patients also found that they felt “blooming” and more confident while being on this brand as it helped with their well-being. 

With that, I ordered my first batch. To order yours, just go to the birth control pills tab, and select your preferred brand. They have a multitude of payment options, such as Gcash, Grabpay, Coins.ph, Cash On Delivery, Paypal, and credit/debit cards. 

The ordering process was easy breezy, just like the consultation.

(insert delivery review) 

Order date: 3/30 

Ship date: n/a 

Delivery date: n/a 

Also, before I forget, if you still have questions after ordering your products or consultation, you can freely message the doctor that was assigned to you via Viber or email. You can also chat with Ease support should you need immediate assistance. 

From registration and consultation, I would rate Ease 5/5, because I was indeed able to go through their process with Ease. 

While I haven’t received the order yet, their customer service staff are very eager to assist and provide updates. As of 4/5/22, they said that Charlize was still out of stock and will ship the items at the soonest possible time. 

I am happy that there is an option like this for women nowadays. I wish this was available to me before, as it could’ve saved me a lot of time when I was younger. I could’ve gotten information better instead of putting up with the judgment I experienced in doctors’ offices and pharmacies while getting myself figured out. I could’ve explored my options instead of relying on what the doctor told me, even though I was no longer happy with the results of the pills I was on. That time, I couldn’t really tell my doctor at that time that I was so moody and that I didn’t like the weight gain and cystic acne that I was getting because they made me feel like I was such a bother and that it was my fault that I was getting all these side effects because I chose to go on birth control. 

I would highly recommend Ease to women who are looking to explore their options or who are in need of a supportive and accessible platform to get their birth control needs. 

Prices: 

Consults start from P300 and contraceptive options start from P60. Free shipping is available as well. 

Are there real doctors on Ease? 

Yes, all the doctors on the Ease platform are registered medical practitioners who hold a Philippine Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) license. 

Time frame: 

Birth control pills and condoms take 1-3 days to arrive in Metro Manila and 3-5 days for the rest of the Philippines. 

Other contraceptive options are also available on site.

Disclaimers: 

Ease is not a pharmacy or a clinic. They are service platform that improves access to sexual and reproductive health services through the use of technology and supply chain innovations. 

However, they work closely with licensed doctors and pharmacies to ensure that the process of attending consultations and obtaining medication is as streamlined and convenient as possible. 

Ease also does not replace your primary care provider but helps you avoid scheduling multiple appointments by providing convenient access to a range of sensitive healthcare services. We encourage you to continue seeing your primary care provider, especially for annual check-ups and urgent care.

My family and I waited anxiously for my first period, or menarche, if you will, as it meant I’m “normal”, or as normal as I could be. 

10-year-old-me, about a year before we discovered I had hyperthyroidism

Quick background, I had hyperthyroidism, and when the treatments didn’t work, I underwent the RAI or Radioactive Iodine procedure and now I have hypothyroidism. 

13-year-old me, about a year with hypothyroidism

So, back to my puberty story. 

Since I got the RAI procedure before my first menstrual period, there were concerns that my puberty might be affected. It wasn’t, as I bled for the first time in May 2010, and have not missed one, ever. 

I wish that was all, and we lived happily ever after, but that’s not the case. 

Due to my hormonal issues, I always made it a point to keep myself in check. My family always made it a point to check on me every now and then, and, coming from a family in the medical field, discuss it from time to time. 

I thought that was normal, but when I started living alone, apparently it wasn’t. 

A study in 2010 said that most teens get their sexual education from friends (74.9%) and media (57.0%)*. As I grew older, this became my truth as I discovered that what I knew about my own body and how it works is not all there is. There is so much more to know and understand than a couple of hormone levels that I needed to keep in check. 

I met my first boyfriend during our JS Prom

When I had my first serious boyfriend, I didn’t get “the talk” from my grandmother, but I did get the “learn from your parents and don’t make the same mistake talk”, and the “You’re smart, be safe statement” from my father. When I had my first OB-Gyne visit, I got weird looks, and the initial judgemental questions from the doctor, until I explained I was there because of extreme dysmenorrhea and I can no longer afford absences from work. When I bought the medicine prescribed to me at a local drugstore, the pharmacist looked at me twice before ringing up my order. When somehow my friends saw that I was taking pills, they snickered and asked if I was having fun. 

The only one who was comfortable talking about sexual health was my best friend, and we were both very confused. We weren’t sure of exactly what to believe, and what risks we may have been taking by following contradicting statements online. As girls from a Catholic school, the only things we were sure of was “You don’t talk about it.” and “You don’t do it.”.

I only got myself figured out by 24. I now have an OB-Gyne that I completely trust and feel 101% comfortable with, taking the correct pills for my severe dysmenorrhea, found friends that are non-judgemental and provide help when needed, and I can finally talk to my family about sex and everything that comes it without getting shamed for it. 

Shout out to my PH Influencers <3

Shout out to my amazing BFFs <3

One of the best resources that I have found is RH Care Info, The Philippines' Reproductive Health Care Information Site. It is an interactive website aiming to educated and support everyone, especially the youth, about how important it is to be informed and how every individual has the right to make their own choices about their sexual and reproductive health. 

I browsed through their site and I am amazed at how easy it is to navigate and find exactly what I was looking for. The layout is also very friendly and not blatantly about sex ed. How I wish this was available during the times when I was confused and trying to find answers without being scared into thinking I had cancer or that I wasn’t normal. 

Here's how to use the Health Facility Locator on the website:

1. Pull the website or enter https://rh-care.info/providers/ in the address bar.

2. Fill up the required details, most especially your location.

3. Check your available clinics from the map or the list generated, and feel free to make your appointments through the provided contact details