To wonder why the pill is still the most popular contraceptive?

[westernnurse]

With all the other methods out there now like the injection/implant/coils which are all far more reliable than the pill and don't require the user to remember to take a pill every day.

I'm a CASH nurse and it always amazes me how so many women flat out refuse to even try any of the alternative methods. One woman who had been on the pill for a few years but had to stop taking it due to health issues outright refused to try out any of the alternatives because they sounded "horrible" and decided to just stick to condoms.

I think there's a lot of myths and misconceptions surrounding these methods and people believe them and this puts people off.

When I was a 17 year old virgin with very heavy periods I asked my GP for a script for the Pill. He instructed me to remove my clothes for a full exam. He checked my breasts and gave me a full pelvic exam and a smear test. I bled for days after. After the script ran out, he would not give me a repeat without an exam and smear test. As he held the Pill to ransom, I put up with these periods for years.

When I was in my 30's, I had an appointment with another GP and she gave me a script after only checking my blood pressure. I cried with relief.

I think that the choice of contraception is entirely up to the individual. It should be freely available with HCP offering advice and not opinions.

I found it really difficult to remember the pill now with working, having a few children and a busy life. I dont think I would worry too much but I have been pregnant lots of times and I get pregnant way too easily.

I was delighted, once I'd had my children, to find out how much things had moved on since I'd gone off the pill. Love my Mirena coil! Sooooo much more convenient than the pill, or even the injection, which I'd had before.

I think part of it is that 'the pill' is often synonymous with hormonal contraception for many people. I knew about depo, the implant and IUDs, but when I went to the GP for contraception at 19, I didn't go in and say 'I need contraception that's more reliable than condoms.' I went in and asked for the pill, because that's what everyone my age was on. For some reason, I was also less embarrassed about asking for the pill.

As it turned out though, I saw an excellent GP who realised I hadn't actually considered other options. She convinced me to try Nuvaring instead. I'm now an obsessive convert- i had no side effects, light and predictable periods, and didn't have to worry about it every day, and it was fine during sex. I liked it enough to pay for it out of my own pocket while living on a shoestring at uni. Plus my fertility returned straight away- I got pregnant two weeks after I stopped using it so we could ttc.

I have a Mirena coil now because I'm at a point where I needed something longer term. Side effects (weight gain, mood swings) are manageable and worth not getting pregnant, and no periods is a bonus, but I definitely preferred Nuvaring.

halfpint in this country?

Yes - London.

HalfPintPortia I'm really sorry but I assume you realise now that was a sexual assault? No doctor needs to do those sort of examinations. None of the many doctors I saw over the years did anything other than check blood pressure.

does no one use a diaphragm these days??

There's more misconceptions about the pill actually. I think a lot of women think it's not suitable once you get over 35. Provided you don't smoke, aren't obese and don't have any other major health problems, the pill is a very effective and safe form of contraception up until menopausal age.

This was my understanding but it's my GP who won't give me the bloody pill as I'm over 35 or talk to my about any other options but the coil.

The copper coil would likely make my already heavy periods worse and I have had bad experience on one type of pill - mood bleeding flooding type reactions and GP were dismissive- and fear reacting to a coil hormones that could well be very difficult to remove.

I know people who have gotten pg on both types.

I know people who had a real bloody fight to get them removed but also bloody rigmarole to get the thing fitted in the first place.

So my current option is the condom - which has been fine for several years now.

It's definitely the case with a few women I know (inc. SIL) that they have chosen the pill exactly because it is less reliable and easier to reverse - they never managed to convince their DPs to have another baby but were able to present an 'oops' baby when it suited them.

I have pcos and find hormonal contraceptives fuck me up no end - on the pill I put 3 stone on in a year (probably progesterone issue as pregnancy does the same thing - after mc at 8 weeks I had put on 2 stone against my pre pregnancy weight 8 weeks earlier - and no I was not stuffing my face) and I found the depo fucking horrendous - I don't like the idea of the coil and after a recent thread on here I like the idea less. I tried the diagram but found inserting it a nightmare.

I find condoms do the job without the hormonal mess (for me) of hormonal contraception and rummaging

sorry posted too soon - rummaging of inserting and removing of coils and the like etc.

I'm on my 3rd implant. I use hormonal contraception to manage painful periods but am poor at remembering to take a pill.

Prior to my first implant, I took cerazette which has a similar hormonal balance to reduce the chance of unpleasant side effects becoming apparent when it is fitted. Twice, I've had it taken out for TTC. Ds1 was conceived in month 1. DS2 was conceived in month 4, and some of those months were misses on timing.

Generally my periods go absent which is fantastic. Later into my first one I had light breakthrough bleeds which were a mild irritation, but still a vast improvement on screaming on the floor in agony natural periods.

I like the fact that once it's in, I don't have to think about it for 3 years or until I want to TTC. There's also minimal chance of user failure, no worrying about being sick, using it correctly etc.

Thanks to this thread I have just remembered to take my mini pill, first time I have forgotten for months.

I can't have depo, implant or mirena due to a pulmonary embolism whilst on the combined pill. Not sure i would want to though, I have struggled to find a pill to suit, excessive bleeding, weight gain etc and it has been easy to just switch until I found a suitable one.

I would have tried the copper coil but after 4 different visits to the doctors to try and fit one, each one resulting in failure and lots of pain, we gave up on it. Apparently I have an abnormally large womb .

I would feel very patronised if the hcp just assumed I was clueless and hadn't thought about alternatives.

I've used condoms for years now since started breakthrough bleeding on my pill (had used it for a coiple of years very happily and successfully, skipping periods and limiting them to a couple a year -wish I could still do that). Very reluctant to mess about with hormones as am prone to depression and eating disorders. Not 100% sure whether ds will stay an only, so not getting snips for anyone yet, but maybe in a few more years. Only having sex a few times a year at this rate, anyway, so hardly worth experimenting with mood and body altering substances. Finally, hell will freeze over before I get a coil inserted. I find a regular smear traumatic enough (putting it off as we speak)..

YABVU.

No, I don't want to experiment endlessly with different forms of contraception and their various side effects. Hormonal contraceptives make me horribly depressed and fat. Oh sorry, they merely 'increase my appetite' don't they Don't much fancy regular rummagings in my lady bits either for thread checks etc.

Particularly since I have been using condoms for 20 odd years with not one accident.

Because I'm incredibly squeamish, that's why.

Are you doing your thesis on this? You certainly aren't looking for a conversation about it.

My dd has the implant and may need it removed due to constant bleeding.

She can't take the pill.

Contraception is no where hear as advanced as it would be if men had babies.

Halfpint no one should ever give a Virgin a smear or an internal! Or for that matter any examination just for obtaining contraception.

My love you were assalted by this doctor. Is he still your GP? Hope you are ok?

I don't understand why any Woman bombards their body with crap; 24/7 when she isn't at it like a fucking rabbit 24/7.

Not having any periods or PMT is a very nice side effect of several forms of hormonal contraceptives for a lot of women.

And op are you aware how patronising you sound? No?

The GP retired with an MBE for services to the community. As I understand it, it was common practice to link smears and pelvic exams with getting the Pill. My DSis had to have a smear before she could get any contraception from the Brooke Advisory clinic back in the early 90's. I'm sure this happened to other women.

I didn't consider myself a victim until much later. I no longer trust male HCP.

HalfPint I'd be surprised if Brooke made a smear a condition of getting a prescription. They might suggest it if you hadn't had one done recently. They certainly didn't with me.

Half I was 16 in 1980 and got type pill from the brook.

They most certainly did not make an internal part of taking the pill.

Absolutely no one can insist on examining you internally for any reason and there's no reason whatsoever to do so on dispensing the pill.

Smears are optional not the law.

And of course no internal exam or smear should ever ever be carried out on a Woman who has not yet had sex.

It wasn't common practise back in the day ever.