Let's Chat About Birth Control

Beads921

Yep. I'm so over the pill at this point. I'm tired of taking it everyday, and I've been getting horrible headaches with my period that I'm hoping will go away if I switch. And apparently Yasmin, the brand of pill I've been on for the past 3 years, is the one with the highest risk of blood clots. Oh, and I'm sick of condoms, which we use as well as the pill, because I just don't trust it...I occasionally forget a pill, I'm chronically on antibiotics, and I'm not 100% consistent in the timing (usually within a 4 hour window).

Anyone use NuvaRing? That's what I'm leaning towards at this point, but I'm going to chat about it with my doctor later in the week. Or any other suggestions are welcome. I think I basically know what my options are, but hearing other people's experiences are always helpful.

AudgiePodge

I used the NuvaRing.  I believe Sea does also.  I loved it.  The only reason why I stopped, is because we're TTC.  I've also had the Mirena and the Depo shot.  If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask.

Edited to fix the redundancy.

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:c652e09e-3207-464d-9673-f5bd21047fe2">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]I used the NuvaRing.  I believe Sea does also.  I loved it.<strong>  The only reason why I stopped, is because we're TTC.</strong>  I've also had the Mirena and the Depo shot.  If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. Edited to fix the redundancy.
Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]
Is this generally known news and I'm out of the loop or is the the first such "announcement"? Either way, count me in for a SQUEEEE! And holy crap, you're getting married in 12 days!<div>
</div><div>Sorry for threadjacking, Beads. I'm not a huge fan of my BC. It is something called mononessa. I still have some acne that I'm pretty sure follows my cycle and I thought the pill took care of most of that, so I am leaning toward switching. Also I have some pretty shitty mood swings. Good luck to you though :) </div>

bourgehm

I've been over the pill for a long time. I just wasn't myself. Right now I'm practicing FAM (now good enough at it yet to actually use it as birth control). It takes a while to get the hang of, but I'm learning so much. Even if we decide not to use it as birth control, I love knowing my body.

aah009

yes Seatea and I also use Nuva ring! I had a hard time taking the pills. I took over 3 different kids and they all made me sick. I haven't had any weird side affects from the Nuva Ring.  It's so easy to use and you don't have to worry about taking pills. I would recommend this kind of bc.

[Deleted User]

I have tried a lot of BC pills and so far my experiences haven't been very good...  depression, anxiety, moodiness, acne, fatigue, spotting all the time...  fun stuff.  I just started Yaz so we'll see how it goes!

AudgiePodge

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:5a6c877a-136f-47ee-b007-c217b19c6647">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]I<strong>n Response to Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control : Is this generally known news and I'm out of the loop or is the the first such "announcement"? Either way, count me in for a SQUEEEE! And holy crap, you're getting married in 12 days!</strong> Sorry for threadjacking, Beads. I'm not a huge fan of my BC. It is something called mononessa. I still have some acne that I'm pretty sure follows my cycle and I thought the pill took care of most of that, so I am leaning toward switching. Also I have some pretty shitty mood swings. Good luck to you though :) 
Posted by cschiano[/QUOTE]

<div>Surprise!</div>

CASK85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:742b92bf-60d8-4b80-8f43-c3f1aa56242b">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control : Surprise!
Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]
I like surprises :) can we dress your baby as a taco?

hollyb78

I've been on the Depo shot for about a year now and I really like it.

AudgiePodge

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:efca1dc1-ff8c-4982-b2a3-3ef8905da3ba">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control : I like surprises :) can we dress your baby as a taco?
Posted by cschiano[/QUOTE]
Yup

ravenray

OMG Auntie!   BABIES!!!  That is so exciting! Keep us updated!!! 
Sorry for the thread jack.  I have nothing else to add.  I don't do anything.  But it is interesting to hear what works for people for future references!

bsidebella

I was over the pill a long time ago. I was on Yaz, and not only did I gain weight I couldn't get off, I was depressed and went on crying jags that lasted hours; I spotted for 8 months straight and I'm 99.99% sure it was the cause for my gallbladder removal.

I'm thinking about getting Mirena or some sort of IUD, one that I don't have to worry about taking every day - that's another thing I hated about the pill. I was never good about taking it on time. 

jemmini6

I've been on the same pill for the last 5 years, I've never missed one and I generally always take it within the hour window you are supposed to.  I'm not saying it's right for everyone, but I guess I got lucky in that I found the right pill for me the first time and it's become such a habit that it's not really a burden anymore.

On the other hand, both of my sisters were HORRIBLE about taking their pill, so one went on NuvaRing (she liked it, but it was a bit over her budget) and the other got Mirena, which she's having issues with, so she's also considering the NuvaRing.

Beads921

Yay Audgie! That's so exciting (all you threadjackers are totally forgiven).

I'm glad to hear about the positive NuvaRing experiences! I considered Depo, but I live over half an hour away from my doctor, so getting the shot every month would be really inconvenient.

luvdncn90

I am getting on the IUD at the end of this month. I decided to go with this because we have a high family history of breast cancer so estrogen can increase that. They have the copper IUD and the estrogen IUD. I am choosing to go the copper route.

It's supposed to be really good and of course there are some mild side effects just like there are with all other types of BC but I chose it because it works for up to 7 years and my mom was on it before she decided to get her tubes tied. She said she loved it and would recommend it to anyone.

M and I definitely don't want babies so I decided 7 years is a good long time. I have heard it hurts to put it but I'd much rather do that then take a pill everyday or get a shot every month.

ETA: For terrible just terrible spelling.

luvdncn90

Jemmini- I haven't seen you around here in a while! How are you?

Oh and your siggy challenge prompted me to look up Cabo and now M and I are considering that for one of our honeymoon/vacation spots when we do get marred!

PaigeMcC

THREADJACK: AUDGIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!  Yay!


Back on topic:
Tell me more about this Nuva Ring....

zoiesmurf

I started on the pill (Ortho Tricyline Low(sp?)) and it was terrible! I had such bad migraines and an even heavier flow that I switched after only a couple months. I used the Ortho Evra patch for several years and actually really liked it. I ended up going off it because the other issues I was using the BC to help control starting coming back. So now I also use NuvaRing and love it thus far.

I considered the Depo shot when I was looking to change after the patch, but my mother had an allergic reaction when she used it so my doctor highly reccomended against it. HTH!

GreenPepperBurger

I've been on the pill for almost four years and I have no complaints whatsoever. It did give me some sludge in my gallbladder (which "miraculously" went away when I went off the pill for 3 months...hmmm), but other than that, I love it. But I'm super anal and take it at the same exact time everyday.

zipis1

I love my Mirena IUD. I don't use it as BC (FI and I don't have sex), but it's more effective than sterilization. And for a bonus (and the reason I have it), it oftentimes stops your period! It's also good for 5 years, and saves you a lot of money in the long run.

Also, just fyi luvdancin, the copper IUD (assuming you're taking about ParaGard as you're in the US) is actually good for 10-12 years (used to be 10, but recently they've been finding it's good for even longer. The Mirena, I think, they've been finding is good for like 6-7 years too, but I don't remember for sure).

Anyway IUDs are my recommendation. I couldn't love mine more if I tried, and it's one of the most popular and least hated forms of BC in the developed world. It can tend to hurt like a b*tch when you first get it in, but after it settles it's great.

AudgiePodge

A note on IUD removal:  I bled constantly like a normal flow for a whole month after.  It was miserable.  I didn't have a period while on it, so I thought of it as 'payback', but it's a normal side effect of the removal.

deburnin

I just went off BCPs in January and switched to the ParaGard IUD. Coming off the pills has been HORRIBLE for me. The best way to describe it is puberty all over again. I'm glad I decided to go off them now. I'm having issues with the IUD too at the moment. TMI, I keep getting infections and have had the worst cramps I've ever had. I absolutely refuse to go back on the pill after the experience I've had coming off them though so as of right now the plan is just to tough it out with the IUD. 

I do love not having to remember a pill and I mysteriously lost all that weight that my doctor said wasn't caused by the pill right after going off it.

The pain of the IUD wasn't that bad. I was expecting worse after reading other people's comments. I guess, it depends on your pain tolerance. I did have some mighty bad cramping in the evening though. The nurse who did mine said it's like a mini-contraction (Yeah, not looking forward to having kids if that's the case lol).

Beads921

I've heard that they often don't let younger women who haven't had any children get an IUD (and when they do, that it's more painful than for women who have had children). That could be totally false though. That's mostly what's turning me off of the IUD - the pain factor. Well, that and I think if my period stopped, I'd just feel constantly nervous about being pregnant, even though I know they're very effective so it's not likely.

scooterpie7

I use  the pill (Levlen), and have for years, and have never had any problems with it (except I am a useless, super disorganised person, so always forget to take it).
I don't really like the idea of the more 'permanent' contraceptives, though I don't really know why. They'd probably be perfect for a scatterbrain like me.

[Deleted User]

Audgie how exciting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was on the Nuva Ring, taken off to try another birth control as a way to figure out if I have Endometriosis, and just recently got back on the Nuva Ring because I loved it so much!! It costs more than the pill since there is no generic for it, but the Nuva Ring website has monthly coupons to knock down the price a bit.  It is a lower level hormonal birth control, so my moodiness is way low and it actually helps with the period cramps from the devil. 

The Nuva Ring is not scary to put it (I have recieved comments from friends that they are scared to put one in), it will not come out with everyday activities, it will not come out with sex.  If you have a problem remembering to take it out and put a new one in you can ask your doctor for the Nuva Ring timer.  They are pretty handy!!

DanieKA

I'm on the pill, Apri. I'm just indifferent about it. I've been on 3 or 4 different types throughout the past decade and they've all had varying side effects, from migraines that lasted three months after starting a new pill (I wish I could remember the name of that one. The headaches went away after those 3 months, but I HATED them and decided to switch pills after my year prescription was up), to spotting.

The pill I currently take is ok. I never had mood swings or other emotional issues from any pill I've taken, and I've never gotten pregnant so I trust the pill (I'm pretty trusty taking it consistently and within an hour window) and SO and I are...active. Let's just say more than the "average" 3-4 times a week, so if a failure was in the cards I figured it would have happened by now. Knock on wood. 

The only deal is that I got on this low (estrogen, I think) dose pill to combat the headaches from the last pill and I spot now in between periods. Probably happens once every 4 or so months. When not on the pill, I am like clockwork. A short 26 day cycle, but very, very consistent. Never early, never late. I've never spotted in between cycles except while on the pill. I'm not sure if this is a side effect of the low dosage, or because my cycle is naturally on the shorter side, it's messing up the timing and my body wants to start a few days sooner than I'm done with the pill. Who knows. It's nothing a liner can't cover and it's more of an annoyance than anything, but at this point I'm over switching pills, but I also don't want to switch methods of BC. I'm "good" at the pill. Take it consistently and it works for me. 

AudgiePodge

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:c2e991aa-732b-4716-ba6e-f3782f55833b">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]I just went off BCPs in January and switched to the ParaGard IUD. Coming off the pills has been HORRIBLE for me. The best way to describe it is puberty all over again. I'm glad I decided to go off them now. I'm having issues with the IUD too at the moment. TMI, I keep getting infections and <strong>have had the worst cramps I've ever had</strong>. I absolutely refuse to go back on the pill after the experience I've had coming off them though so as of right now the plan is just to tough it out with the IUD.  I do love not having to remember a pill and I mysteriously lost all that weight that my doctor said wasn't caused by the pill right after going off it. The pain of the IUD wasn't that bad. I was expecting worse after reading other people's comments. I guess, it depends on your pain tolerance. I did have some mighty bad cramping in the evening though. The nurse who did mine said it's like a mini-contraction (Yeah, not looking forward to having kids if that's the case lol).
Posted by deburnin[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>How long have you had it?  I had bad cramping too.  It was constant if I didn't take pain medication.  My gyno set me up with an ultrasound and it turned out my IUD  caused a cyst to grow on my ovary.  That what was causing my cramping.  I'm not trying to scare you, just give you a heads up. I don't know if the copper once causes cysts like the Mirena can, but I also heard that the cramping is pretty bad in the beginning for the ParaGard.

</div>

Sparrow87

We use good old fashioned condoms, I was on the pill when I was a teenager but had terrible head aches.  I've considered the Nuvaring but I don't trust myself to do it right every month! 

AudgiePodge

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:ded2c456-3aca-47a4-a41f-f72b970c40b8">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]We use good old fashioned condoms, I was on the pill when I was a teenager but had terrible head aches.  I've considered the Nuvaring but I don't trust myself to do it right every month! 
Posted by Sparrow87[/QUOTE]

<div>It's really pretty fool-proof.  You just plop it up in there, wait a few weeks, then dig it out.  Wait a week and repeat.</div>

[Deleted User]

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:31cc05fb-31be-473b-b69f-a47329fcd092">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control : It's really pretty fool-proof.  You just plop it up in there, wait a few weeks, then dig it out.  Wait a week and repeat.
Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]

This should definitely be the new directions on the Nuva Ring package!!!!!

deburnin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_lets-chat-birth-control?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:559e1580-2d3e-41f5-a4f2-2ca199b8ecb4Post:fa6ad1a6-6e26-4618-a7ed-5a718b0aadcf">Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Let's Chat About Birth Control : How long have you had it?  I had bad cramping too.  It was constant if I didn't take pain medication.  My gyno set me up with an ultrasound and it turned out my IUD  caused a cyst to grow on my ovary.  That what was causing my cramping.  I'm not trying to scare you, just give you a heads up. I don't know if the copper once causes cysts like the Mirena can, but I also heard that the cramping is pretty bad in the beginning for the ParaGard.
Posted by AudgiePodge[/QUOTE]

<div>I'm on month four of having the IUD. The cramps are only during my period and the last period was infinitely better than the two before. The first period with the IUD I was in bed the entire time. This last period it was only one day and I just took some Midol and was pretty much fine. I'm hoping for more improvement next month. Thanks for the heads up though. :)</div>