to wonder if a high BMI will narrow down my contraception choices?

[lastnerve]

I have had really bad experience will Horm. contraception.
Got caught with DC1 on the pill, the implant was horrific constantly on a period made me anaemic,insane mood swings and made me generally very ill.

I am currently expecting, planned. I really need a good reliable contraceptive (not trying to be offensive to anyone having problems) but you only have to sneeze at me and I'm preg, first child on the pill and second conceived within less than a month. which comes with its own probs constant paranoia had more MA pills out of hysteria.
I'll get to the point I'm getting married after and I cannot afford to get pg. I want a really good non hormonal contra. will having a bigger BMI be a problem getting say ..the coil??

I don't want to just rely on condoms.

What is your bmi? Many of them have a cut off weight.
High bmi often means doctors won't want you to use the combined pill but you can use the mini pill, although over a certain weight you need to take 2 a day.
Your weight doesn't matter with the copper coil, is that what you were thinking of?

You could think about the Mirena (intrauterine system which has the benefits of a coil and localised hormones) or the copper coil definitely. That said, there is a higher chance of ectopic pregnancy with these methods.

You're probably best discussing this kind of thing with your GP nurse or family planning clinic who have your full medical history.

Are you planning more children after your marriage? If not then laparoscopic sterilisation is pretty effective (combined with your DH having a vasectomy if you're really worried).

A high BMI means the combined oral contraceptive pill has higher risks.

No I'm looking for non hormonal like the coil Ideally,

not the pill ever again lol, its well over 30 I'm not going into a specific no. just because some posters can be nasty.

I didn't know that about ectopic,:'( I would like more children in the future.

I have a high BMI and GP recommended a coil so it should be fine. Congratulations.

Thankyou,
That seems fine I asked a few months back and they do seem to push hormonal at you when I made it clear that I don't want that again.

Hi lastnerve if it helps, I've just had my coil fitted at the family planning clinic and they told me new evidence shows theirs actually no increased risk of ectopic with a coil, as previously thought.

I was like you, DD as a result of one missed pill, I am two stone overweight so was most likely sailing close to the wind with my hormone levels on the pill.

I hope you find the right method for you.

Oh thats a relief yeah Its a good long term contrac. but there is the wierd feeling about it being 'inside that area'

I told my dp and he was like they put it where.

do you need surgery to put it in?

No surgery. Visit to the family planning clinic. Bit uncomfortable - like a smear test with added rummaging. Best take some painkillers just before and not plan much for the rest of the day. You do have to check it regularly (feel for the threads) because although it is effective, nothing is 100% reliable. DD was concieved with a copper coil fitted (but it had slipped and was sitting sideways...) Statistically though, this is quite unlikely.

Why do people still rely on BMI?
BMI is a load of b**x. Even the inventor said it shouldn't be used to measure amount of fat. Rugby players, no fat all muscle, come out as morbidly obese.

Based on this, yes. YABU to think BMI will make any difference to contraception choices because BMI is crap.

Sandra - it will, because for hormonal contraception, it effectively it gets 'diluted' the bigger you get so it simply can cope with bigger people. Regardless of whether you are a female weight lifter who is heavy but with no body fat, or simply someone is overweight. Yes, there are times when BMI is a blunt instrument, but this isn't one of them at all. And most of the time, BMI does work as indicator of whether someone is broadly the right weight or not. The number of people who fall into the 'athlete with high BMI' category is v small - very few people exercise at the level to bring themselves into the category. Used in conjunction with things like waist size, it is useful.

Fair enough.

There is some inaccurate info given here about contraceptives.

With regards to the IUD or IUS (coil)

There is not, as stated by one poster, an increased risk of ectopic pregnancy with either coil, as the general risk of becoming pregnant is lower than with female sterilisation. In the extremely unlikely event of becoming pregnant, the risk of ectopic is higher.

The only thing to bear in mind with copper coil is a possible increase
in menstrual flow and pain.

With a high BMI, there are slightly more risks of pill related complications such as DVT etc.

I am not sure that it is possible for the pill to be "DILUTED" if you have a high BMI, sounds like psuedo science to me, stick to the facts!!!

"... weight is probably more relevant than BMI in determining variability in contraceptive efficacy. Higher weight correlates with an increased metabolic rate. In particular, the clearance of hepatically metabolized drugs, such as contraceptive steroids, increases with increasing body weight. Theoretically, the half life of these drugs might be shorter in obese women and serum levels might be insufficient to maintain a contraceptive effect. In addition, obese women have a larger circulating blood volume than normal weight women. This may cause significant dilution of the concentration of contraceptive steroids, thereby decreasing contraceptive efficacy. Furthermore, contraceptive steroids are absorbed by adipose tissue, so women with more adipose may have less steroid available to circulate."

The coil isn't put in through surgery. It is put in your womb through your vagina and when its in you can't feel it at all. It's long lasting and effective, very easy for nurses to put in. No worries.

Have a copper coil. No BMI limitation thee. You'll be fine.

Thankyou I was a bit terrified it would involve surgery how do they put it in then?

thanks , I am allergic to nickel would that be an issue.

I have a bmi of 33, the doctor wasn't keen to put me on the pill but it is the only thing that works for me.
The coil is very good, my mum has one and i was offered one ,but chose the pill as in would like another baby in the next few years