Has anyone else given up with hormonal contraceptives

[Caribou1]

I was using the Depo Provera injection for around a year but it's not advised long term, and since around the age of 19 I've been on various contraceptive pills, so 11 years now.
I just want to stop hormonal contraceptives, I don't know if it's doing me any good and I think with the pill I don't know if the side effects are affecting me, or if that's just me if that makes sense.
I don't like the thought of the implant or coil at all.
I've looked into non hormonal contraceptives such as the diaphragm, I'm aware it makes things less spontaneous but just want to stop using hormones. Has anybody else used any non hormonal contraceptives?

I stopped after having my DC. I was advised to go onto progesterone only (Depo injection, implant, mini pill etc) after having kids which really did not agree with me. I was fine on the combined pill BTW. But I was advised the risk of blood clots was higher etc with my age, weight and blood pressure after having DC.

Physically in myself I feel better off progesterone only than I ever did on it. Even with the heavy periods and PMT.

I do miss how it feels without condoms TBH. But I definitely don't want anymore kids and nor does DH. So we've adapted.

Yup! I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant with a baby conceived while having the implant! Can't say it's convinced me of their effectiveness!

I was off hormonal contraceptives after having DC and honestly I was awful. So beholden to my hormones. Back on it now and feel like a different person.
Without it I had two days a month of crippling ovulation pain and heavy, painful periods lasting anything up to 10 days!

Stopped them years ago. He's had the snip. So freeing.

Stopped them at 24, they made me feel like shit. Used the diaphragm for a while, then condoms. Preferred condoms long term, tbh.

Hate hormonal contraception. I'm 41 now and from the age of 18 I've probably used hormonal contraception for 2 years max. Took the pill for adult acne and had the mirena for 6 months for heavy periods but couldn't tolerate it.

DH and I would have used condoms for birth control until he got a vasectomy 10 years ago after the birth of our youngest child.

I stopped in my early 20s.
Best decision ever!
I wouldn't go back on hormonal contraception if I was paid to take it. Wreaked havoc with my body and mind. Ironically I was put on it in mid teens to control mood swings.

I had a copper coil for a decade. It did cause heavier, longer and more painful periods but to me this was a least-worst option compared to using hormonal contraceptives. I would recommend / use again.

I tried for a few years while single. Heavy painful periods that never settled, PMT every month, bloating and even occasional flooding. I'm now on the minipill and couldn't tell you when my last period was. Bliss!

Yep, after having DS I didn’t want to further screw up my body with artificial hormones. I stopped taking the pill and we now just rely on condoms.

DH will have a vasectomy when we’ve completed our family.

Stopped using hormonal/invasive contraceptives and started using Natural Cycles (period tracking using basal body temperature) and condoms. Zero side effects, zero artificial hormones or messing around with your biology.

I moved away at least 5 years ago after an implant got lost and it required x2 160 mile round trips to get it fished out.

I've since tracked my cycle and avoided dtd over fertile period. However, am aware of risks to this approach.

I'm there now, I have had the implant for just over a year and its been hell!
I feel miserable, my periods are every other week with horrible peroid pain, my breasts kill.
I've put on weight and have no sex drive.
So I'm phoning to have the thing out.

I went on the pill at 16 because of irregular and excruciatingly painful periods. I came off it at 29 (9 years ago) when we decided to TTC, and will never go back to any form of hormonal contraception now. My periods can be very painful once again but are regular, however, once off the pill I realised how much it affected my mood and sex drive (neither in a good way!). After an elective CS and a category 1 emergency CS following a rupture, I have no desire to interfere with that part of my body any more so that rules out the hormone-free coil. We have used condoms in the last 9 yrs whenever not TTC/pregnant, with mixed results as we have found them to split at crucial moments on a number of occasions. DH has recently had a vasectomy, so hopefully in a few months we will no longer need to give it any thought. I am very pleased he has decided it's his 'turn' to manage it!

I have been on hormone contraception since 16 (bar 3 pregnancies) I have had enough. I have a marina coil now, nearly 5 years in now. I have horrible cysts on my ovaries, low mood, weight gain etc. But I do not want another baby. My dh is on the waiting list for the snip and then once all clear I will come off all contraception

I came off to ttc about a year ago. Am now 12 weeks pregnant but I'm never going on it again. Most of my friends use natural cycles or just fertility awareness and in 10 years only one has had one slip up. I think I will use condoms after I have this baby until my cycle regulates and then use the maybe baby microscope to do fertility awareness rather than natural cycles temping which won't work with my sleep schedule. The window of being able to fall pregnant is so tiny (and even then so unlikely) that I can't see needing contraception again

I took various BC pills in my teens and early twenties. One gave me very violent mood swings- laughing one minute and then suicidal and crying the next. Another stopped my period completely and at first I loved it and then was wait a second, is there something wrong. Went through tests and the consultant told me I was infertile and would never have children. So I stopped taking them altogether. And got pregnant eight weeks later. I was over the moon as had really been grieving being infertile…then angry at the doctors for being such quacks. Also decided no more normal contraception! Anyway, ŵe had all our DC then starting with our best surprise ever baby using breastfeeding to space them and then DH had the snip.

My eldest DD also doesn’t like hormonal contraception and has a copper coil.
My youngest DD is “of age” but lesbian so isn’t on any contraception. If she’s ever attacked there is the morning after pill or termination.

It seems that the vast majority of women on here are against the pill and that tells me all I need to know and confirms my suspicions

I moved off hormonal a few years ago due to side effects and every one I tried made my depression worse. Now on the copper coil and I absolutely love it. Has made my first day on slightly heavier but I was pretty light before anyway. 10 year one, no fuss, no side effects, perfect for me.

Used a diaphragm for decades very happily. You get used to the minuscule amount of preplanning involved very quickly.

Not really. No method suits everyone. You can't use mn as a statistical sample

I was fine on the pill and am considering going back on it. I was also ok with the implant, but wanted to see if sex drive was higher with no hormonal contraceptive. It isn't so think I'll either start again. However, used condoms for past three years and it's fine.

I hated bring on the pill, really messed with my cycles (typically bled 3 weeks out of every 4) for around 7 months, bled continuously for about 9 months on the depo injection. Looked into the coil but cancelled my appointment to have it fitted after a conversation with the clinic. They just aren’t for me. Was recently in a long term relationship with a guy, also in his forties who had 5 kids from a previous relationship and he wouldn’t even entertain the idea of having the snip.
We moved to condoms (that he said he didn’t like) but I was pissed off really with the gender inequality in contraception and how all the hormonal methods were for women.

Copper coil here. Had 3 over the last 12 years. It hurts when it goes in the first time for 24 hours then I was fine. My periods aren't particularly heavy either. If you need a contraceptive I'd really recommend it.

I have considered the copper coil but I'm afraid of the pain I suppose, could you liken the pain to anything?