Does anyone still use a diaphragm?

[macneil]

It's the only contraception that works for me. I don't like johnnies, I got very fat and very depressed taking the pill and don't want to put any more hormones into my body, it's always reacted badly to them. I'm scared of the coil, and want to get pregnant again within a year anyway. I LOVE the diaphragm. I remember when I got it, the nurse tried to put me off, saying I hadn't tried ALL pills, and I said 'I don't want to try another pill' and she got really angry.

Anyway, I had a baby 7 months ago and in that time they discontinued Gynol II, the spermicide I used and loved. The only spermicide I can find now is this gooky white-pearly ointment, which smells like germalene and stings the eff out of me, so I just don't think I can keep using it. Is there really not another one? Is it because I'm the only woman under menopause age who's ever used a diaphragm now? What gives? Surely there are other women like me who just don't get on well with the pill, or are the scary nurses putting them all off it? Or are they just doing fine withe the gooky spermicide?

Thanks for any comments.

[cece]

I don't know about spermicide, but I went to see GP and practice nurse and they both tried to put me off a diapragm, so still don't have one.

[Cappuccino]

expat has talked about this before

if she doesn't turn up it might be worth giving her a cat

[Blandmum]

They are not fine without a spemicide.

I'd be amazed that there isn't another one available. I'll google for you....

[macneil]

Thanks. I've been round loads of chemists, and there seems to be nothing. But most chemists never stocked Gynol when I was using it, it was like it was a controlled substance, or only available to nutcases because obviously everyone sane was taking the pill.

[Blandmum]

damn, they have discontinued Gynol 11, which is the one I was going to sugest.

Can you have a word with your local family planning clinic? They tend to be better advised about diaphragm issues than most GPs

[Blandmum]

I used the diaphragm for a while and thought it was great . I used c film as a spemicide, but that has long been discontinued

[macneil]

Anyway, I've ordered some Gynol from America, from a scary shop called Secret Condoms, but I seem to remember the formula was different there, and am also scared it's past its sell by date. Still, better than the sting-y stuff.

[macneil]

I don't like the way family planning clinics try to press the pill on everyone. It really isn't the best thing for everyone, and has been linked with permanent reduced sex drive, although obviously it has some health advantages (for reasons I've been recently dicking on about on breastfeeding threads). It's still not best for everyone, and surely I'm not alone in not liking johnnies. My dad's a GP and I've talked to him about the pill mob of FP nurses, and he said they had to do that because they feared litigation if people got pregnant with the diaphragm from improper use, and I got a bit shouty at him and told him that GPs were really getting annoying with this fear of litigation bollocks when NO ONE has sued their GP for anything of the sort, EVER.

[popmum]

i have one, love it! Use the pearly stuff which is fine for me so no other suggestions sorry!

[flightattendant]

You don't need the spermicide, check out the yahoo group, sorry can't do links, they are hardcore technical and know all the latest research plus do a great make your own recipe.

Seriously...

[flightattendant]

Sorry ds is feeding so one handed...

I had same problem when was using it last year, it was a while since I first had one cos of ds1, and ????? aargh.

I tried pearly gunk and got very itchy, went on yahoo diaphragms and caps group, they said stuff it it can damage - yes DAMAGE the lining of the vagina over time!!!

these gals know their stuff. and research says you don't need it apparently, tho never suggest that to a hp over here! as they will think you are mad

I used mine successfully without it. But then decided to have another baby - point being I wouldn't have minded if it hadn't worked iyswim!!

[expatinscotland]

I love my diaphragm! Got fitted for one at the FPC, who first majorly tried to push the Mirena coil on me. I had to go three times before they agreed to fit me for a diaphragm. Progesten-based contraception is a nightmare in me - non stop bleeding, no sex drive, depression WAY worse and huge, painful cystic acne which scarred.

I get spermacide from the US, but I'm an American expat so I have it sent to my sister and brought across when she visits.

I can't use the combined pill because I am 36 and have hypertension.

And I don't like how the copper coil works.

[expatinscotland]

I also use it w/o spermacide and use withdrawal.

BUT, I am definitely not the super-fertile type.

[macneil]

Hm. I just daren't. I got pregnant the second month of trying, so it may have been a freak occurrence or I may still be a bit very fertile, it's impossible to say, isn't it. I laugh off suggestions that diaphragm + spermicide isn't effective, though, because I used it for 2 years without getting pregnant and then got pregnant very quickly. Let's hope the American Gynol does the job - am now VERY FREAKED OUT at the idea that I am stripping layers off my vagina because of my allergy to the pearly one. Because obviously if it stings, I'm just allergic, it's not anything wrong with the make-up of it.

[WideWebWitch]

I used to have one until about five years ago, even then it was nigh on impossible to get spermicide. And now I'm too scared since it's not reliable enough and I REALLY don't want another baybee. Sorry, that's no good to you at all is it?

[Blandmum]

I wouldn't worry too much about layers of the vagina being lost , though, since the surface of the vagina is designed to do just that. The surface of the skin the the vagina is made up lof lots and lots of layers of cells, that are replaced when they are lost.

The penis will rub away mant layers, and they are replaced from deeper into the tissue. wonderful bit of design!

[flightattendant]

Sorry macneil, did not mean to freak you out at all. it explains all in the group if you can be faffed to join etc. you have to 'apply' to be a member!

I doubt it's seriously much to worry about though. but so many people are allergic to the goddam stuff, maketh you wonder dosn't it?

[flightattendant]

MB, it was more like the vg. stops replacing its lining iyswim, after being stripped so much...no, hang on what was it? 'Alters the chemical balance permanently' or something...? sorry cannae remember. have to look it up.

[Blandmum]

interesting.

I used to work for the company that made these spermicides, years ago.

Do they reference any studies?

[flightattendant]

Blimey just googled 'vagina lining spermicide' and got a load of shocking stuff about it increasing risk of hiv etc.

[Blandmum]

Now that is odd, since at one time there was some reasonable evidence that using highish levels of nonoxinol 9 actually prevented HIV

[flightattendant]

Sorry MB cross posts. I can't do links but if you google those words there are a few studies. btw I suspected it was a bit of an extreme myth by the group as they are a bit radical, but seems it's not unheard of

[flightattendant]

worrying huh

[flightattendant]

www.aegis.com/news/NEWSDAY/2000/ND000713.html

[Blandmum]

From what I can see the problem only seems to occur if the woman is using spermicides at a high frequency level

'Rationale: The active ingredients of most spermicide products are surfactants that disrupt cell membranes of spermatozoa, pathogens, and genital epithelium. In one study of frequent N-9 insertion, erythema and microscopic epithelial lesions were equally frequent among women inserting N-9 every other day as among placebo users. The rate of irritation was twice as high among women inserting N-9 once or twice daily, and 5 times higher among women inserting four N-9 suppositories daily than among placebo users. Similar findings have been reported in a WHO-sponsored study of the spermicide menfegol (100, 227).

Experts fear that the epithelial lesions of spermicide-associated irritation may increase the risk of contracting HIV infection if exposure to HIV occurs. This has not been demonstrated in a human study, but it is plausible, and local irritation should be avoided.'

So if you use it every other day, your risks are the same as a woman using placebo. Risks double if you use one or two a day.

The risk of additional chance of getting HIV is theoretical only.