To ask about experiences using a contraceptive cap?

[cleopatrathegreat]

I have started seeing a really nice guy after a few years of being single. We have DTD a few times now, using condoms, however these always seem to interfere with intimacy/the moment.

I have been thinking about going to the GP and asking about the contraceptive cap (it seems smaller than a diaphragm - although I have never used one of these either). I don't like the idea of anything hormonal - I've have lots of friends who have had really bad experiences with the pill, mini pill and mirena so don't want to risk it. I'm not too sure about a coil either as I hear you can get really heavy periods.

I was wondering if anyone has any experience of the contraceptive cap (like the Femcap) - is it difficult to insert, can you feel it inside you, can your partner feel it etc.

Thanks

Not the cap but I've had a diaphragm for nearly 20 years. Thiroughly recommend it n can't understand why more don't use them. I am the ONLY person at out gp's surgery to have one n gps always make a big fuss about having to order them specially! Easy to insert - can't feel it at all once in. Once went around for 48 hrs forgetting it was there. As for my partner ... Never mentioned or complained about feeling it. Give it a try

I have just bought a Leas Shield but am still waiting for the spermicidal gel to arrive as I had to order it over the net.

I used one ten years ago, used it absolutely to the letter... with spermicide.

I thought it was brilliant, couldn't feel it, dh couldn't feel it, etc etc....

And then I got pregnant with dd :)

Oops.

I was sensitive to the spermicide and got hideous UTIs and thrush repeatedly. If you are at all sensitive to condoms bear this in mind as it may be the spermicide and not the latex that is irritating you.

Also, because they are fitted so rarely they asked if some students could come and watch. As a scientist and understanding the need for education I said no bother. Having 13 people gazing up my fanjo was an interesting experience. I've never been so popular .

kitnkaboodle - waving at a fellow diaphragm wearer! Hello... we are a dying breed, and I also get the chemist huffing over special orders of my 1950s contraception.

But the pill makes me feel neutered, my sister used the jab and put on a stone (and became pregnant), my uterus slopes the wrong way and the coil wouldn't go in - so the diaphragm is ideal, really. Would imagine the cap's the same but just smaller. Go for it.

Out of interest, where do they get fitted? Can the GP do it or do you have to go somewhere "special". Also how do they fit you exactly. I guess they don't stick a ruler up there?

I've never used one. But my mum did, apparently. Forty years ago. Didn't work though...

I use the diaphragm too :) I really like it. I did find some spermicides irrated me a little

I have fallen pregnant more than once on the pill and really do not want to add more hormones to my body, I always felt overly emotional on the pill

I went to a clinic at my doctors surgery

Cleo - various GPs or the women's health nurse can fit them. There's one female GP at my surgery (who's about my advanced age!) can do so. It doesn't seem like rocket science. They try various sizes in there and feel to make sure that they are covering your cervix neatly and there aren't any gaps around the edge. They don't come tailor made. You need to get remeasured if you gain or lose significant amount of weight or if you have babies. So you need to have a low embarrassment threshold really, as it does involve a certain amount of furking around down there. And you have to not mind doing it yourself. I always lock myself in the bathroom and lie down on the floor to do it! But it only takes seconds once you're used to it

Its going to be down to personal preference...... I tried Diaphragm and really wanted it to work, becuase I hate hormonal contraceptives and the way they make me feel. All OK for a few months, and then one morning, I simply couldnt get it out. I tried, DH tried, ended up in A&E (I called them first to check to see if I needed to go but it was the weekend and had been in more than 24 hrs, so they said come in) where triage tried, various other drs tried to get it out..... ended up having to wait for on cal gynae to come and pull it out with tongs / forceps.....

Apparently it had caused a weird vacum and they were all struggling to break the vacum to get it out. This is pre children as well so I was horrified by the whole thing. Needless to say once it was out it never went back in again. I did go back to GUM clinic and they said this was very rare.

In the end I did Persona, and then had DC, I dont know anyone else this has happened to so like I said prob v unlikely to happen to you.

I used one for years, was a bit fiddly and messy but despite several incidences of it catapulting across the bathroom when putting the cream in it I managed it fine. I didn't like having to guess if sex was on the cards and pop it in in advance. equally the spontaneity is lost if you have to run off to the bathroom but it really was easy for me as I hated the pill. saying that I was delighted when DH got snipped.

I went to the GP today to discuss my diaphragm/cap options, thinking that I would get fitted etc. However my GP said that it was the first time anyone had ever asked her about either and admitted not really knowing anything about them. She told me perhaps I should go the pharmacy and find out if they stock them and just have a play around with it. I explained that from my online research you need to be fitted etc.

I explained to her that I don't want to use hormonal so she suggested the copper coil. On the face of it, I quite like the idea of having something non -hormonal "up there" which I don't need to think about for 10 years. I asked about side effects, she said there were none other than slightly heavier periods for the first few months. I've now done a bit of online research and have found out that they can cause heavy bleeding, severe cramping, and "copper toxicity". Does anyone have any experience of the copper coil? Does it hurt when the put it in/out?

I'm getting quite exasperated with the whole contraception issue. All the options just seem so shit.

Erm, sorry to be diving in with the bossy and possibly unwanted advice, but before ditching the condoms with a new partner, will you both be going for STI screenings?

Tmi alert: I didn't one time, because I foolishly trusted my first boyfriend, and found out months later that he hadn't thought it necessary to mention that as a teenager, he'd had bum sex with his best friend. Because it was just youthful experimentation. And they were both virgins. He said. Wanker.

(obviously I understand if he perhaps didn't want to tell the full story to a new girlfriend, but really, he couldn't have just said "yes, I have a past, I'll happily get checked out just in case"?).

I used a cap for several years, it does take some practice to get the hang of, but then you just put it in in minutes at bedtime, no probs.

But it does need to be fitted.

I had a copper coil-I bled continuously for months and became anaemic, have switched to mirena and gotten fat

Thanks for the thread-been thinking about sterilisation (even though I'm under 30) as I react so badly to all hormonal contraceptives and spermicide on condoms irritates me to the point that sex is impossible! I completely forgot about the cap-will be popping to my family planning clinic next week

There seems to be no simple answer to my contraceptive dillemma. There is not one form of contraceptive that does'nt seem invasive or have severe side effects. The problems I have with the cap/diaphragm is not feeling confident that I will be able to put it in correctly, that my partner will feel it (my friend was telling me that her ex's ex had used one and he could feel it when they had sex) and also that the spermicide you have to use it with can cause irritation. Also the story about of getting it stuck and ending up in A&E is enough to put one off...

I don't like the idea of using hormones - so many of friends have had a terrible time with various hormonal treatments that I have been totally put off by their horror stories. I suffer enough each month with the hormones I have naturally that I don't know if I could cope with worse mood swings etc.

Apparently the coil causes severe bleeding - I've just read on line about symptoms of copper toxicity and people with smelly fanjos.

I cannot find anywhere where I can go to talk to someone professional about a cap/diaphragm. My GP did'nt know anything about them - I knew more than she did, and have trawled the net for family planning clinics but cap fittings do not seem to be included in their list of services that they provide. I don't think I would feel comfortable just ordering one online in the post-pregnancy size and trying it out myself. I'll give them a ring and find out if they know anything about them.

I think if I can't find out about the cap then my only option will be to continue using condoms.

I used then cap successfully for 6 years between ds and dd.

It failed with dd. But that was because

1. I was pissed

1. Dh was pissed

1. I realised after that I hadn't put it in properly

1. Dh pointed out I had just had my period so didn't need to panic about map

1. Dh and I knew fuck all about biology

So when used by a non shit faced sensible adult who knows how ovulation works and will get the M&P after any mishap it is EXCELLENT.

at Honeydragon.

Here it talks about the cap and was written in Jan2013 so I would think if you found a more mature practice nurse they would know how to insert and check it.
www.nhs.uk/Conditions/contraception-guide/Pages/contraceptive-cap.aspx

Have you never tried any kindof hormonal contraception? For me, the pill worked brilliantly, no negative side effects at all and no more mood swings and period pains. If it doesn't work for you it is easy to stop taking it.

Nuvaring also worked well for me - it is hormonal but ultra low dose as it is located where it is needed. As you keep it in, it allows for spontaniety.