Contraception in your 40s

[GinghamWorld]

Interested to hear what everyone uses, post DC?

I've somehow managed on the pill my whole life but it feels old-fashioned now?All I hear about is coils and implants. Sounds so scary to me! I don't have many girlfriends in real life to discuss this with, so let me know!

I'm marvellously happy with my two DC and really need to get something sorted out so we don't rock the boat with a third!

Thank you!

Yes, I mean if your partner wanted more children in a new relationship.

@Berlinlover yeah our GP said if we thought there was even a small chance we might want another child in either this relationship or another then definitely not to get a vasectomy. She said its reversable in some cases depending on how well the vasectomy was done and how skilled both that surgeon was, and how skilled the one is trying to reverse it.

I had an implant after DC2. I love it. I'm period free. Will continue with it as long as I can.

Condoms here.

I've tried 4 different pills before I met DH and two coils after I had DC and none were any good, as in the pills made me sob and like ending things. And the mirena coils either made me bleed or hurt (and so we never had sex while the coils were in).

So far other than trying to conceive we've used condoms.

On the up side there is never any mess!

I'm 40 but just had a baby last year and got pregnant early with my others in my thirties. We have used condoms for over a decade and I only got pregnant when we tried to have a baby. I hate them too but it's that or another baby!

Easily not early

We are mid 30s and DH is getting the snip. We are both adamant we don't want any more children and it's the easiest solution. For 20 years I've experimented with different contraception and I'm done, thankfully DH is empathetic and knows the most sensible solution is for him to do this.

I had this on Mirena but without GA. 😳

Blame the previous GP who cut the strings short for my husband 🤬

For any of those whose partners had a vasectomy, did you discuss what would happen if you ever broke up and your partner started a new relationship?

Neither of us want any more children, with each other or anyone else. I'm not sure what a different partner has to do with that, children aren't medals to collect with different people!

The removal under GA happens if the strings get pulled up into your cervix. It’s rare but does happen.

I wasn't even given numbing cream to have my coil removed when the strings were pulled up and they struggled to locate.

My DH was there....which probably contributed to his decision to get the snip 😂

They tried to remove mine a few times at the Gp and then at the gynae department at the hospital. They then referred me for GA to get a hysteroscopy to remove it as none of them could get hold of the strings

I’m a GP and pregnant with our second, I used the implant pre-children as I was a bit squeamish about the discomfort of a coil bring put in. After this baby though I think I’ll go for a mirena. A very small proportion of women have complications getting it in or out, and again a small proportion have problematic bleeding with it, but I think on balance most women have it in and out ok and no / very light periods which sounds great.
It would certainly be my first choice if I were in my 40s with a view to HRT down the line, and management of peri-menopausal period issues.
If it doesn’t suit me I’ll have the implant again, no way I trust myself to take the pill regularly!

My DH had the snip too.
Our family is complete, I don't want to put my body through more pregnancies and he also has DC from a previous relationship so definitely no plans to have more in another relationship should we separate.
I had taken the pill for years and it messed me up a lot. The implant didn't agree with me at all. I couldn't get my head around the coil. I feel better off of artificial hormones and didn't want to be on them for the foreseeable future.

@GinghamWorld the coil insertion/removal does not require a general anaesthetic. I went to my local sexual health clinic for the Mirena the third time as they are so experienced at it that it was virtually painless (also got some local anaesthetic first). No periods, no side effects 👍

Childfree by choice, 52. Been on Cerazette mini pill for about 12 years now, planning to stay on it until 55. It's been brilliant. Was on combinmed pill before.

@Redhound I'm on it too and planning to do the same - have you found it helped with menopausal symptoms?

Am I the only one that has the Depo injection? I decided to have the implant a few years ago and was put on the mini pill for a few weeks until they could schedule the insertion. I bled continuously so the gp recommended trying the Depo for 6 months to see if the bleeding settled down. It did but by then I was used to having the injections so stuck with it. I was told at a recent appointment that it’s not recommended beyond 50 so have 1.5 years to decide on what next.

Depo made me bleed and put on weight
It can thin your bones so I don't think it's recommended to use it long term without checking bone density

ShatParp I havent had any menopausal symptoms touch wood so maybe it has helped!?