Oh, to be woman.

So I'm facing a bit of a dilemma right now...to pill it or not to pill it.
I had a mare of a day at my local clinic yesterday - won't go into it too much - but the end result was being given a box of what you can see in the picture above. Not an unfamiliar sight, especially to women with stupid periods and/or no want of a child just yet.
Shouldn't be much of a dilemma really, since this is pretty common, but I've got so much playing on my mind about this thing.
I was reluctantly given it yesterday because it's an older and lower dosage combined pill. Apparently my weight and the fact that immediate family have blood pressure problems means it's the only combined pill I can go on without major concern...at least straight away. I've been told that if I put on more than half a stone and if my blood pressure goes up then I have to come off of it immediately and will be put on the Progesterone only pill (POP) instead.
So here I sit, twiddling a metallic green pack between my fingers, listening to the rustle of the little yellow pills inside whilst wondering if I should push one out of its confine and take it since today is the optimum day to do it anyway. My problem is side effects.
I've been warned that the following will possibly and probably happen to me:
-Increase in appetite (typical on this brand)
-Weight gain
-Headaches/migraine
-Sickness, nausea
-Severe depressive moods
-Wild mood swings
-Bigger boobs
-Sore boobs
-Increase in blood pressure

I'm slightly worried about the weight gain, blood pressure and depressive mood parts of this list. I already waver between having moderate to severe depression without taking sod all to make it happen...I dread to think how it being worse would feel.
Weight gain isn't good because I'm big enough as it is and already trying to loose some of it. The blood pressure thing scares me simply because of what I see dad go through on his tablets and such. I don't really want bigger boobs, but I could live with it (and so can my boyfriend judging by the muttered "Awesome" and the arm gesture that usually backs up such an utterance).
I just don't like the idea of turning into a crazy bitch and upsetting everyone. The idea of not being in crippling pain for 3 - 5 days a month and not having to fork out on tests all the time is highly attractive though.
I suppose it's just remarkable how such a tiny little tablet could possibly warp my body and personality. That's what I'm finding pretty horrible and what is putting me off a lot.

Then again, I say all of this yet I could take it and be perfectly fine on it after my body has settled. Loads of women are perfectly fine on this particular brand.

I've no idea if the positives outweigh the negatives with this. I'd love to be able to speak to my mum about it, but she and I don't tend to discuss matters such as this.

So to take it or not to take it?
I really don't know :o(