Birth Control (dont read this if you dont want TMI!!)

KatyDidlettes · July 2010

Hey Ladies,
So I have a question that is seriously NOT wedding related. I went off the pill about 2 months ago, which has been fine (just using condoms right now). I am LOVING it, no I hate the condoms, but I love not putting the hormones into my body and I have been tracking cycles etc on fertilityfriend.com, I am not TTC I just am interested in how I actually work, since really, I have no idea and have been on the pill since I was a teenager.

Annyyyyyways, my FI hates it. He thinks it is cute that I get all excited (I dont go into too much detail) learning about how my body works, but he hates using the condoms and frankly the sex is way worse because of using them.

Anyway, I need to figure out something else, but I really dont want to go back on the pill. Do any of you guys use a cap, diaphragm, sponge etc? I would really live to know more

amandasw · July 2010

another one I've heard of is the copper-T, which is an IUD and does not involve hormones - it just prevents implantation. No experience with anything but birth control though, good luck getting info!

nicholemhughes · July 2010

IUD. I personally don't have one, but my sister has one and she LOVES it. I have a lot of friends who have it as well. It's super low maintenance.

jennlin · July 2010

i talked to my doc about using IUD's and they're not recc for people who haven't had babies yet because your body may reject it and it's easier for it to come out, and you may never know it came out, then surprise! baby!

there's two types of IUD..the copper..and then the miranea..or something. starts with an M. the copper one has no hormones..doc said it could be slghtly more painful at insertation, with a little more cramping during periods. but your periods don't become "regular", it just goes to what your body would've done naturally

the M one, is sligthtly easier, but then, it has hormones, and regulates your period to every 28 days like the pill.

i'm allergic to latex, so condoms are a no-no for me...i've tried the polyurethane one but they smelled so bad H and i just "pulled-out" instead. (i also did this unsafe, bad bad method with my ex). i was really lucky to never get pregnant, but i know two people who got preg like this.

when will you be trying to TTC? if it's soon, then pull out is not too bad of a method, because if you do get preg, then it really isn't a big deal, right? just a little head start...but if you still want to wait a few years.....then...you'll probably want something more safe/secure.

KatyDidlettes · July 2010

I think we will start TTC about a year after we get married, so that is almost 2 years from now.

Kaye Smith · July 2010

I'm used to being on the catholic boards where i feel like i'm going to hell for using contraceptives! i've been on the nuva ring (after using the pill and then the patch) and it's been so, so easy. I feel like one of those stupid commercials because i've recommended it to a lot of my friends.

sarack · July 2010

One of my best friends has an IUD, never had kids, and she loves it.

koosh ball · July 2010

IUD's are more and more common for women that have not had kids. The rejection rates are not high enough to not allow women without kids to have them. I would find a younger doctor who isn't set in their ways. They are much more likely to give you an IUD.

I had the Mirena which is the hormonal IUD and hated it. I am on the odd side though. Most people *love* it. It did basically stop my peroid which was a nice bonus. The problem is that the hormones tend to cause more 'male' like problems like facial hair, bad small, zits. Yadda. I had it removed at the one year mark and have been happy back on the pill!

emilyasiegel · July 2010

I used a diaphram for years, and honestly it was not that bad, you can put it in hours before you may, uh, need it

It is messy though, so that can be kind of gross, especially taking it out afterward, sorry, probably way TMI!

I use a mirena iud now and I love it! I do not tolerate hormones well, I turn a little psycho

and the hormones in the mirena are super low dose, I have never felt like I was on hormones at all. I love not having to worry about anything besides a quick string check in the shower once a month.

Merryfj · July 2010

I second the nuvaring. It uses a lower dosage of hormones because it is centrally located versus the pill that courses hormones through your body. You have to be comfortable putting it in and taking it out but I've never had an issue. Super easy and you only have to deal with it once a month.

Kahalagurl · July 2010

Jenn, do you have a chinese dr? cause thats the advice that my last gyno (who delivered me) gave me (not doing an iud till after I have my first).

I have been using condoms for almost three years after the mayo clinic found out the pill gave me blood clots! My current rheumatologist suggested the Depo-provera shot. It lasts three months and supposedly good for people with lupus.

I am going to surprise FI on wedding night that we won't have to use condoms

jennlin · July 2010

oh yeah~ i wanted to use nuva ring, and the dr said it would be good for me, but since there's no generic for it, it's ridic expensive and i decided to stick with pill (90 dollars for 3 months, instead of 10 for 3 months).

kahlua, you go to the dr that delivered you? wow. s/he really watched you grow up!! i'm weird..i've gone to a different doc every checkup i've had since i was 17. there was only one doc i ever liked and wanted to go back to, but she transferred to olympia by the time i was due for another appt.

Pixel'sMom · July 2010

I just got DEPO shot today since IUD was a bit too traumatizing for me- one in ever few hundred women can have a 'rejection' reaction if you haven't had kids yet. So I spent 6 hours in fake labor rejecting a tiny plastic strip basically. Not fun.

I'm still trying to figure out what I can use besides the shot at this point...

KatyDidlettes · July 2010

The shot freaks me out. I dont like the idea of being suck on birth control if I change my mind, and i also know a few people who have gotten pregnant while on it! Cant imagine being pregnant with all those hormones being passed on to baby it is just too much for me to handle

Sweet_Adeline · July 2010

I had the copper IUD for 10 years and I *loved* it. I'm really sensitive to hormones and so I was never good at taking the pill, or staying on Depo (hence why I have an 11 year old at 30, lol). I have friends who got Mirena before having kids, so I'm sure there are dr.s that will do a copper one as well.

I completely understand not liking being on hormones. I'm on the pill now because FI and I want to start trying right away once we are married and I want to be able to just "stop" the birth control withut a doctor appointment, lol. I had the IUD out last summer.

fancynewbecca · July 2010

Wow! Just a sidenote, thank you so much for asking about this! I always find getting info and experiences from people is really helpful when talking to my doc.

jennlin · July 2010

pixels mom~ yikes! i didn't know you went into fake-labor rejecting it..the doctor told me it just falls out if you your body rejects it..... scary!

Pixel'sMom · July 2010

Jennlin,

Just like shoes, have to keep trying till you find something that feel comfy.
I have Endometriosis
So, I found out the painful way that it won't work for me! I might've been talked into have kids before the experience. But not after, that's for sure. After that weekend he came close to getting snipped, he didn't want me on any birthday control after that. I really wanted to avoid hormones but looks like the shot is my only option for now.

KatyDidlettes · July 2010

I like the idea of an IUD but even the slight chance of damage before having kids REALLY freaks me out. It is super rare that it can damage you but I just freak out. I have a totally irrational fear of infertility. (But oddly, my mum did too before she had me I guess I can blame it on her- she also consieved on their first try!). I am thinking about a mix of natural family planning and a cerv. cap for the off times and condoms for the fertile times, but I donno if I can convice FI of that.

kinmir30 · July 2010

Obviously I am the odd one out here, but I did the Mirena IUD and I HATED it. It was totally awful!!!! I gained 30pounds in one month on it because it makes your body completely think that you are pregnant. I was on it for about five months and the entire time I was seriously bloated and had total full on period cramps. And it causes some serious mood swings and depression, which is awful. There was also a time where I got some serious blood clots. This is total TMI but just a warning. But I was sitting on the toilet and I had huge blood clots just literally dripping out of me for like five minutes. It was sooooo scary and traumatizing. It is very painful for insertion also. Apparently a lot of people love it....but I had a not so pleasant experience with it.

After I took that out, I got on the Nuvaring and I have been on it for about a year and half now and I love it. However, it does release hormones, that's how it works.

Not much advice on the other methods. Sorry.

Birth Control (dont read this if you dont want TMI!!)

Re: Birth Control (dont read this if you dont want TMI!!)

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