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justbeingme93 · October 2014

bethsmiles · October 2014

To be honest, I said no to the IUD option. The possible (although rare) side-effects scare the shit out of me. And that fear was increased recently when one of my friends almost died from an ectopic pregnancy caused by her IUD.

Implanon is not an IUD it's a rod that is inserted into your arm and is what I'm leaning toward using once BF and I are married (right now we just use condoms). It lasts three years, is generally cheaper than an IUD, and for me the serious side-effects are less worrisome than those that come with the IUD.

Obviously, I do not have personal experience with any of these so this is just my opinion from the research I've done and talking with the midwife at my last exam. But if you are really struggling with the pill right now I suggest switching to condoms for awhile while you make your decision. You don't want to rush any decision about your birth control just because you are unhappy with your current birth control method. Planned Parenthood's website is a great place to start for general information about the various options for birth control if you want more information http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-info/birth-control

justbeingme93 · October 2014

@bethsmiles

Thank you for the feedback. We are absolutely using condoms. We do not plan on buying diapers anytime soon. haha.

Whatever decision I make will not be implemented until I go back to my hometown in late November, so I have some time to research and review. Yes, the ectopic pregnancy is something I noted in my research about the risks. I just want to pick a safe birth control method that isn't going to affect my future fertility.

FoxandBunny · October 2014

I am currently on the pill, so no advice on the IUD here. I don't have much trouble remembering it (give or take an hour or so) and I keep it in my purse so I always have it with me. Plus, I like the monthly "You're not pregnant!" reminder that the period provides (as I'm quite paranoid about it).

I may switch to the implant or IUD later though, when BF and I are a bit more stable (read: wouldn't be as much of a disaster if I did suddenly get preggers). Even though the IUDs and implants have a higher success rate, it still freaks me out not to have a period. I just don't trust BC enough in general to do that quite yet, though it is quite intriguing to me and I'm looking into it more now for future use.

If you aren't totally sold on going the IUD/implant route yet, maybe try the patch? You only have to change it once a week so it's not as constant, and I don't think the timing matters as much. My roommate is on the patch and loves it a lot.

phira · October 2014

I've had an IUD (Mirena) for about two years now. I absolutely LOVE it. It was entirely covered by my insurance (both the device itself and the insertion), which helped a lot.

Placing the device was very unpleasant, but it was temporary and totally worth it. Basically, opening the cervix is pretty painful, and sticking things in your uterus makes it cramp as if you were having contractions. I feel like I was way under prepared for the pain (I thought, "Oh, like a bad period"), but I know a lot of other people thought it was unpleasant but not as bad as I thought.

Cramping persisted for a week or so, but it got less and less prominent starting the very night of the day I had the device placed. I had minimal spotting as well. The biggest problem I had, honestly, is that I have lower back pain and stiffness left over from Accutane, and the inflammation in my uterus triggered it, so I had really bad back pain for a week and a half.

Pros: Don't have to worry about birth control pills, don't have to use condoms (and wow yes there is a HUGE difference oh my god), and I'm one of the lucky ladies who no longer gets a period.

Cons: Insertion is not fun, not getting my period means a skipped period isn't going to tell me I'm pregnant, my acne didn't go away like it did when I was on the pill.

IUDs don't exactly cause ectopic pregnancies, but they do increase the likelihood that if you do become pregnant, your pregnancy will be ectopic. I handle this by making sure I have pregnancy tests on hand at home, and if I have significant breast tenderness or anything else that could be pregnancy, I take a test.

If you can afford an IUD, I highly recommend one (though I can only speak for Mirena).

Swazzle · October 2014

I've had the Skyla IUD for over a year now and I really like it. The insertion DOES hurt and I had cramping for the rest of that day and most of the next but then I felt completely normal and all that was worth it IMO.

For the past few months, I've been experiencing cramps and a light period (same time each month) which is annoying only because I haven't had cramps or any period in a really long time, so I'm just spoiled.

I love never having to think about birth control but knowing that I can have sex without worrying about getting pregnant. I also love that my sex drive is back (it disappeared on my last BCP).

Also, I paid nothing for my IUD.

emmyg65 · October 2014

I had the longer term IUD, ParaGard (good for 10 years). I chose it for the longevity and because it's nonhormonal. It was AWESOME. It was completely covered by my insurance and after the first six months of checking the strings occasionally, I didn't have to worry about birth control for the five years I had it.

The insertion did hurt, but only briefly and then I had period-like cramps for a few days. Well worth it for years without worry. ParaGard doesn't affect your periods, except your flow might be heavier in the first six months.

speakeasy14 · October 2014

So I'm on bc, so I don't have an opinion on anything else, but I wanted to comment so I could see what everyone else says.

I do have to say though, the bc I'm on works with my migraines. Instead of the last week being all sugar pills, it weens me off so only the last 4 pills are sugar pills. I've been researching other methods, but these pills help reduce my migraines so I'm always hesitant about switching.

labro · October 2014

I'm like @emmyg65 I got the ParaGard IUD back in February after dealing with ridiculous side effects from my oral BC. I love it!!!

I'll do what @phira did:

Pros: I don't need to remember to take a pill everyday. I don't have to worry about babies for up to 10 years, but if I'm ready to TTC at any point before then, I'll be able to have the IUD removed and immediately be back to normal fertility. My insurance paid for everything. Not even a copay.

Cons: Insertion hurt. But the pain was momentary. What sucked more were the contraction like feelings I had for hours afterwards. Luckily it got better once I was able to lay down and take a nap that afternoon, and I felt mostly normal by the next day. There are risks but I think they are minimal...especially if your gyno has a lot of regular experience with IUD insertions (something to ask about).

I've heard a lot of people say they had awful periods while on Paragard. For me, that hasn't been true at all. I was back to have normal periods within the first couple of months. My periods typically last 4 to 5 days, with day 2 and day 3 being heavy, and the other three days being light to regular. I don't have any cramping although I did notice some the first couple months. My gyno said that I was a good candidate for Paragard since I had super regular normal periods before I got on horomonal bc.

GoldenPenguin · October 2014

I've had the Mirena for just under three years, and it is the best decision I ever made for my reproductive health.

Pros:

- No pill every day. There's nothing to think, forget, or worry about.

- It does have hormones, but they are EXTREMELY low, and go directly into your uterus, as opposed to through your bloodstream, so they have much lower effects on you than the pill.

- I don't get a period. Every few months I'll get a little spotting, but it's hardly anything.

Cons:

- Insertion hurt. I went back to work after, and had cramping for the rest of the day and into the next, but it wasn't debilitating. I think this is different for everyone.

I think it's super smart to do your research. I think that there are definitely scary things that can occur with an IUD, but there are also scary things that can happen with any birth control - One of my sorority sisters got a blood clot from the pill & almost died. It's a matter of deciding which is the best choice for YOU.

Blue & White · October 2014

Depends what works for you

I recently went off the pill semi by accident and feel a million times better so we are relying on condoms at the moment. Most people wouldn't be comfortable with that approach but we do eventually want kids and are financially stable enough to have them so a pregnancy would not be the end of the world at all. So yep it's definitely whatever works for you.

I do think I would want something a bit more reliable than condoms if I were still in school

eilis1228 · October 2014

I had the same problem with taking my oral BC as well, and my doctor switched me to Nuvaring. I've been on it for about 8 years now, and I've never had any problems. I love that I don't have to take it every day, and I just set alerts on my Google calendar for when I have to take it out and have my period. If you're hesitant to do an IUD, I'd definitely recommend Nuvaring as an alternative. Or, like others have said, you could go off birth control entirely and just use condoms. Whatever works best for you

justbeingme93 · October 2014

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happy2016 · October 2014

justbeingme93 said:

@bethsmiles

Thank you for the feedback. We are absolutely using condoms. We do not plan on buying diapers anytime soon. haha.

Whatever decision I make will not be implemented until I go back to my hometown in late November, so I have some time to research and review. Yes, the ectopic pregnancy is something I noted in my research about the risks. I just want to pick a safe birth control method that isn't going to affect my future fertility.

Why not just stick with the condoms? If you don't like the different birth control options.... condoms are just as effective as them and no negative side effects.

helloliv · October 2014

I have been on pretty much every birth control under the sun since having a 100-day period when I was 13 (awesome). The only birth control I will say definitively DON'T get is Depo.

I've had the Mirena IUD coming up on two years. I love it.

Pros:

- Infrequent periods. I do get bleeding sometimes, but it is only heavy spotting for about 3-4 days. With those periods I do get cramping, but it is nothing like when I'm not on BC.

- Not having to remember a form of BC daily.

- The hormones in it go directly into your uterus instead of your bloodstream. For me this is extremely important because I have a hole in my heart and can't be on other forms of BC anymore because of increased stroke risk.

- Very easy to check that it's still "in there" (just feel for the tiny strings). For some reason that feels like a reassurance to me that I know it's in there.

Cons:

- Insertion hurt. It was a very quick pain but holy shit that hurt, and I'm good with pain.

- I had better acne control with BCP, but I don't have horrible acne anyway so it's not a huge factor for me.

justbeingme93 · October 2014

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phira · October 2014

I should add that I can't feel the strings for my Mirena.

TMI TMI TMI TMI LOL TMI:

Apparently, my vagina is a little strange because my doctor also can't manually check for strings. No one seems to be able to reach them. If I want to check for my strings, I have to go to the doctor, get in the stirrups, and get a speculum all up in there. So I don't bother trying.

END TMI LOL HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT

I don't like using condoms anymore. I used to use them even when I was on the pill because I didn't take my pill at the same time every night (I'd take it "before bed" with my other meds, and "before bed" was sometimes 11pm and sometimes 3am). And I liked that they were cheap and easy to use. Plus ... easy clean-up. But one of the reasons why I went with an IUD was that one night, right after my period had wrapped up, we were like ... "Okay, let's see what this is like," and tried sex without a condom and WOW okay not using those anymore haha nope.

lavenderfields13 · October 2014

phira said:

I should add that I can't feel the strings for my Mirena.

TMI TMI TMI TMI LOL TMI:

Apparently, my vagina is a little strange because my doctor also can't manually check for strings. No one seems to be able to reach them. If I want to check for my strings, I have to go to the doctor, get in the stirrups, and get a speculum all up in there. So I don't bother trying.

END TMI LOL HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT

I don't like using condoms anymore. I used to use them even when I was on the pill because I didn't take my pill at the same time every night (I'd take it "before bed" with my other meds, and "before bed" was sometimes 11pm and sometimes 3am). And I liked that they were cheap and easy to use. Plus ... easy clean-up. But one of the reasons why I went with an IUD was that one night, right after my period had wrapped up, we were like ... "Okay, let's see what this is like," and tried sex without a condom and WOW okay not using those anymore haha nope.

I have nothing relevant to add to this except I HATE condoms too. People think I'm weird because I hate them so much. FI and I haven't used them in years except for a couple of times when I was on an antibiotic. Once you're used to not using them, it just is NOT the same when you have to!

But anyways. I'm on the BCP so that doesn't help you out. I've been on the same one for 10 years and I usually remember to take it on time. I also love that I can skip my periods using the pills.

I'm way too much of a baby to get an IUD! Also, FI and I might want to have babies in the next couple of years so I plan on going off BCP and charting to see what my body is like not on BCP.

The IUD seems like a very popular option though!

phira · October 2014

@lavenderfields13 I mean, I'm still irritated when I hear about guys who ignore a partner's request to use a condom because they don't think it feels as good. But I do think that it feels better (for both parties!) without one. It's also a lot easier for me, because I have lots of ladybits problems, and the latex actually makes it more painful for me.

lavenderfields13 · October 2014

@phira I totally get what you mean there- that's NOT ok for a guy to do that. We just don't use them because I'm on the Pill and we've been in a monogamous relationship for over 7 years!

eilis1228 · October 2014

We hate condoms too. They don't feel as good, and they can ruin the mood too when you have to stop, dig one out, etc. However, since I've found myself on long-term antibiotics a lot this year, we've gotten used to them and don't mind them as much.

loves2shop4shoes · October 2014

I've been on various birth controls, including the pill, NuvaRing, Paragard, and Mirena.

I have really severe PCOS, so my issues are not typical.

With NuvaRing, I experienced weight gain, and awkward ring-toss-like sex.

With Paragard, the copper + the lack of hormones made my periods HEAVY and LONG. I hemorrhaged for 6 months straight on it.

With Mirena, it was easy! No periods, and the insertion didn't hurt as bad as Paragard. BUT, the IUD irritated my ovaries and caused cysts, and then it spontaneously expelled from my uterus after 2 years. And that HURT.

phira · October 2014

@loves2shop4shoes I need you to apologize to the freaked out undergrads next to me in Starbucks who were startled when I laughed out loud at "ring-toss-like sex."

lilacck28 · October 2014

I'm on the pill. I love it. My best friend got paragard about a month ago. The hormones in the pill really affected her, so she wanted something with none. She said the insertion her A LOT. But then... she kept bleeding. And the pain was still there. Turns out, it had lodged itself in her uterus. She got it removed a few days ago. That apparently hurt A TON too. Once she got an ultrasound to see if it had lodged itself the way her doctor suspected, she had to wait two weeks to get it taken out, even though she was often in quite a lot of pain. I don't know if that's because my friend has an awful doctor, or if that's the norm. So, if you do get an IUD, pay attention to your body and be ready to go back to the doctor as soon as something doesn't seem right. The potential side effects are written in there for a reason.

phira · October 2014

Yeah, @lilacck28 is definitely right that with the IUD, you have to pay close attention to your body. If you have bleeding or cramping that doesn't go away after the insertion, something's probably wrong. And if you think there's ANY chance you might have pregnancy symptoms, check that shit out immediately.

I really do have preg tests at home for that reason.

morphemes · October 2014

I usually just lurk, but I wanted to chip in to say I also have the Mirena IUD and it was the best reproductive health decision I ever made! I'm about to turn 26 and am in law school, so I decided to go for it while I'm still on my parent's (very good) health insurance. Everything was covered. I was on the pill for about 10 years and finally decided I'd had enough with taking it everyday. I've had the mirena for 6 months and highly recommend it.

Insertion for me wasn't bad. It felt like a pro-longed cramp and the feeling was gone by a couple hours later. You have to have it inserted on your period and mine stopped the next day and I haven't gotten it since! This differs for everyone, though.

Also I recommend a pregnancy test every 3-4 months just to be sure (it may also just make you feel a bit more secure/relieved especially in the beginning).

I never feel my strings and neither does my BF.

I highly, highly recommend it!

[Deleted User] · October 2014

I've been using Nuvaring for almost 6 years now and absolutely Love It! I'm like the previous poster who just sets an alarm on my google calendar to remind me to remove it and have my period. At my last gyno appt my doc asked me if I ever stack them (don't go a week without it) and skip a period. I admitted that I do, but mostly just when vacations are scheduled in such a way. She said that I can absolutely do that for up to 3 months, but probably shouldn't any longer than that. I found that I don't like doing it that way because when I finally do start bleeding, it's super crampy and intense. So, unless there's a really good reason, I just use them "as directed."

I was also told that as a woman who weighs more than 200 pounds, hormonal birth control might not work as well for me as for skinny chicks. But since we're in a position where getting pregnant might not be ideal but wouldn't financially strangle us, I'm willing to take that chance. And, like I said, 6 years and no issues.

Knottie87489498 · October 2014

I also hated the pill, stressful, made me gain 30 lbs. almost immediately. Switched back to just condoms. I had a roommate who got the implant, a few months later she had to get a huge tumor removed (at the implant site). Freaky stuff. Would not recommend.

missnicajenn · October 2014

Hello!!

Not much talk about the Nexplanon. I've had it since June and I absolutely love it. Personally, I lost weight on it and after the initial insertion in my upper left arm with the usual pain and bruising I forget its even there. I would talk to your doc or Planned Parenthood clinician for which would be best for you. Happy Baby Preventing Times!

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