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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask you what contraceptive you use?

135 replies

Skinit · 25/03/2011 09:49

I don't know what to use!

I'm 38 with two DC...I reacted very badly to the pill as a younger woman...tried many kinds over the years and found they made me feel sick...put on weight etc..and hven't used it for about 8 years. I can't ABIDE the thought of a coil or an implant and assume the injection would make me sick like the pill.

After DC2 who is now 3 I went right off sex and so contraception was barely an issue...but now I'm back to myself and don't know what's best.

At the moment we use condoms but neither of us likes them and we had two occasions lst month where we failed to use them.(stupid)

What can I DO? Dh mntioned himself getting the snip but for some reaon I don't like the idea! I don't think he's that keen either.

OP posts:
MegBusset · 25/03/2011 13:20

Copper coil here, it's great. No big deal getting it inserted, no worse than a smear and a hell of a lot easier than childbirth Grin

pink4ever · 25/03/2011 13:21

Withdrawal here tooBlush. Cant take the pill for medical reasons and cant have the coil fitted as my cervix is stitched shut(permanent). Supposed to use condoms(dont 99% of time-hence we had a 3rd dc!). Have been asking/nagging dh for past 2 years to have snip,since he is most adamant we cant have any more dcs but he wont discuss it seriouslyAngry.

lostlady · 25/03/2011 13:24

Waiting & hoping GP OKs paying for Essure a.s.a.p.Grin

redstripeyelephant · 25/03/2011 13:27

bobanna, just one check-up a month after having it inserted then that's it for 10 years! As DriverDan said, you just need to check you can still feel the threads every now and then.

I love the freedom of not even having to think about contraception. And I don't even get the side effect of heavy periods that some women get as I'm still BF Grin

Skifit · 25/03/2011 13:31

Marina coil here.

berlinnovels · 25/03/2011 13:37

Copper coil here too. Microgynon terrible for sex drive/water retention, condoms too much of a faff, exacerbated DP's erstwhile erectile dysfunction.

Had to be persistent though - 'coil clinic' at my GP flatly denied my cervix could accommodate it (I have never been pregnant so it's quite snug), family planning clinic fitted it, but it came out (this is apparently much more common if you've never been pregnant) but I have had this one for nearly a year. It's great, now though just have to check the threads one a month, no more hormonal nightmares or having to remember pills.

None of my friends have one though, seems quite unusual in my circle (perhaps because we are all pre-children and not used to people fiddling around in our wombs? Smile )

SueWhite · 25/03/2011 13:38

Copper coil, and I love it. Slightly uncomfortable getting it put in, but that's it for 5 years. My first period was heavier, but no difference after that. I never get it checked by the nurse because it's not necessary. If it falls out you will notice!

I will always have copper coils in the future.

upyourdiva · 25/03/2011 13:51

Stupidity Withdrawal here because I cannot decide on a method to go with.

Condoms - Nor DP or I have ever used and don't really fancy it.

Mycrogynon - Was on it about 3 months and went a bit off the rails with BAD mood swings and weight gain.

Depo injection- Had for a year but has since left me with a nice lot of allergy induced weepy eczema caused by an overload of hormones apprently... don't rememer seeing that in the fecking side effects! Angry

Had the implant after DS was born for 3 years - Seemed okay but put on weight and would'nt get it again purely because it was fecking painful getting it taken out as muscle had formed around it and they had to haul through that to remove

Coil- I have'nt had but would not get as my mum got pregnant with hers and it caused very heavy bleeding.

GnomeDePlume · 25/03/2011 14:01

After DC2 I decided I didnt want to go on the pill again so opted for the copper coil. 9 months later DC3 was born practically clutching the damn thing. I was sterilised during the ELCS.

CheekyLittleSox · 25/03/2011 14:03

i have just come off the injection and are using condoms mainly because i put on a lot of weight with the injection and i fell pregnant whilst on the pill.

So im having a year or 2 off injecting hormone into my body and using condoms.

Goodynuff · 25/03/2011 14:06

We went with the DH getting the snip. I react badly to pills, Depo made me put on 36 lbs!!!!!! My sister was born with a copper coil stuck to her shoulder, so I really don't trust them. Condoms get expensive, and I don't like the smell. We went through about 15 different options, but always came back to the snip being the best idea for us.

Molybdenum · 25/03/2011 16:03

Huge thumbs up for withdrawal here - we used it problem-free (and pregnancy scare-free) for five years. Then we decided we wanted a baby I conceived straight away, so obviously no fertility issues. My DH is perfectly happy with this method, although a friend's DP said he wasn't confident in his ability to 'stop' when they discussed it.

Ishtar2410 · 25/03/2011 16:14

Copper coil here. I'm on my third. Had the first one before I had children, so it was a bit 'challenging' to put in. Been happy with all of them, no problems at all. Have thought about the mirena coil as my periods have been getting heavier recently, but it looks like I can't have it due to family history of stroke and because I suffer migraine with aura.

Pocketsocks · 25/03/2011 16:16

Microgynon is a spawn of satan lol I'm yet to meet anyone who didn't find that that pill made them have a meltdown. I'm currently on the implant with Ovranette to control the break through bleeding. Needless to say I'm a grumpy cow right now but I wouldn't say it's that bad

marriednotdead · 25/03/2011 16:38

Microgynon used to be great for me, was on it for many years before I got sterilised.

Have had to go back to taking mini pill to stop ovulating (endometriosis) but the only one that does that is Cerazette which kills my libido.

Against my better judgement, I'm trying Depo Provera instead. Had my first jab yesterday.

All set, rolled up my sleeve. Nope, huuuge needle in my skinny arse. It still aches. How did I not know that was where they put it? It really hurt!

foreverondiet · 25/03/2011 16:54

I have a mirena. Works for me, have light periods, roughly every 6 weeks.

No side effects. Found combined pill gave me either headaches or made IBS unbearable.

But some people hate mirena. Have used diaphragm, but ruins spur of the moment thing...

libelulle · 25/03/2011 17:05

Oh god Microgynon made me go crazy. I'd burst into helpless tears for absolutely no sodding reason. GP said I must be depressed Hmm. Came off it and had no further meltdowns. Never again. Used brevinor instead which was really effective - killed my sex drive Angry. Now, 2 (planned) DCs later, I'm at a loss too - can't use coil as had an ectopic, condoms kill the spontaneity and cap not effective enough.

sayithowitis · 25/03/2011 17:17

Diaphragm here. for around thirty years. No accidents. all pregnancies very much planned. I have never found it a problem to 'be prepared', just used to pop it in before bed and make sure to add further doses of the cream if we had 'several' goes or waited until the morning before having sex.

Doesn't cause any hormone problems, doesn't affect 'sensitivity' either. I guess if you are not in a steady relationship, or are not monogamous, condoms make sense due
to the potential protection from STIs, but otherwise I think diaphragm is a very good alternative to the pill.

Oblomov · 25/03/2011 17:17

Sterilised. Really glad I had it done.

Hulababy · 25/03/2011 17:19

None.

I am 38y, been TTC for about 6.5y for #2. No luck and tbh not likely to happen now, and starting to feel a bit old for it all. However, don't bother with anything as unlikely to need it.

kat2504 · 25/03/2011 18:21

No contraception here. Doesn't seem to be working yet though!
I've tried Microgynon many years ago. It was 100% effective as a contraceptive as I totally went off sex.
I've used Cilest, and although I don't like the combined pill, it was better than others I've taken.
I've used the mini-pill Cerazette with very few problems after the first month or two but I was not keen on the unpredictable/absent/random periods.
I've tried a copper coil but I hated the strings and it dislodged itself anyway.
Also it hurt like hell having it inserted.
I'd feel weird going around with a patch on my bum.
Obviously I've used condoms but they are a real drag.

If I ever get pregnant and need contraception again, I think I would try a mixture of persona and condoms.

TitsalinaBumSquash · 25/03/2011 18:28

I have the Mirina. No periods, libido back to normal, no weight gain, no pmt, no cramps! All this for 5 years for just a few uncomfortable mintues on the doctors table. I cant have anything else without getting ill.

duchesse · 25/03/2011 18:28

Hulababy, this won't help you I know, but we mentally gave up at 40 (didn't bother with contraception, why would we? there was no bloody point) after ttc fruitlessly for 6 years and were pleasantly surprised a few months later to discover that DD3 was underway.

SummerRain · 25/03/2011 18:33

Condoms.

I get hormonal migraines so daren't go near the pill or Mirena and I have personal moral issues with the copper coil.

My friend had a terrible reaction to the depo and it's also hormonal so don't dare chance that either.

DP plans on getting the snip but he keeps getting cold feet hasn't got round to talking to the gp yet

MummyDoIt · 25/03/2011 18:37

Celibacy! It's 100% effective so far.

Should I ever need contraception again, I'd have another Mirena fitted. Had one before and it was fantastic. No side effects and no periods for five years. Marvellous.

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