How many of you in long term relationships use condoms as your only form of contraception?

[flameprincess]

Just that really, I want to know if anyone does just use condoms alone and does it affect your sex life much?

I've tried most forms of birth control, the combined pill gives me awful headaches when I am on my 7 days break, like an almighty dip in hormones - so I'm on a break from it at the moment and I'm quite enjoying it. My skin is better for one! I have tried progesterone only methods such as mini pill and the injection and both just left me with irregular bleeding (which obviously is a GREAT form of contraception). Am using condoms now whilst on a break from the pill and am thinking of suggesting to DP we use them alone. Thoughts?

[GetOrfGetStuffed]

Haha dimitri it's your bloody fault!

[MrsJohnDeere]

Yes, have done for the past year.

It's the only form of contraception we can use right now (not allowed anything hormonal for complicated oost cancer/chemo reasons)

I hate them and would certainly have sex more often if we didnt use them, but needs must. Dh reluctant to have the snip.

[MrsDmitriTippensKrushnic]

I feel like I should be defending myself from Getorf's pig sex claims

*no animals have been harmed in the making of this thread.

[Lizzylou]

Sorry but at PIG sex.

[MistAllChuckingFrighty]

PIG SEX !!

< points and laughs >

[fuzzpig]

Ahahahaha getorf :o

[fuzzpig]

Yes we just use condoms, have been together 11 years. No accidental pregnancies, touch wood (ahem), 2 planned babies

I resent using them really as it's nicer without but I am really uncomfortable with any hormonal contraception/coils etc but also not ready for DH to have the snip (I'm 26) so we just put up with it or stick to foreplay

[Twoandtwohalves]

We did for over 10 years until we started ttc. I actually quite miss the "ceremony" (struggled for the word and this still isn't the right one) of reaching for it and putting it on as part of foreplay. That and that DH was the one who had to go to the bathroom after . That genie is out of the bottle now though, I had a copper coil a few months ago after DS2.

I'd like to think I'd go back too but like the idea of DC3 too much to trust myself with it in current circumstances.

[GetOrfGetStuffed]

PIV sex. PIV. PIV

We don't have sex with pigs I promise you.

FFS

[GetOrfGetStuffed]

We do. I haven't been on the pill for years, never found one which worked, and although mirena was fine I became pregnant on it so that put me off coils.

We went through a sex drought anyway for a while, but since things have gone back to normal condoms have been fine, but also am like dimitri in that we don't always have pig sex and so half the time we don't need to worry about contraception.

But condoms are great. I am not pissing about fiddling with hormones any more.

[shockers]

We do at 'unsafe' times of the month. We've been together for 16 years, married 15... no problems whatsoever.

[ouryve]

We did, right from the start, until DH had the snip.

Agree about the lack of wet patch :o

[Bragadocia]

Never used anything but condoms with DH, for almost a decade. Bit of rhythm too, but only because my cycles are very regular and it wouldn't be a disaster to become pregnant again.

[5madthings]

Yep, fifteen years, five children, planned 2-3yr age gaps, got preg first month of trying each time so very fertile.

I am debating a copper coil but condoms are fine.

[MickleMe]

We use condoms and I also have an app on my iphone to track my cycle. This means that we can give the condoms when i'm not fertile. This seems to be working for us. I had my last baby 4 years ago and we're not planning anymore but it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did get pregnant...but i'd rather not

[Thants]

We have only ever used condoms. It's absolutely fine. I would recommend them. I have never had one fail but if they do at least you can tell straight away! I hate hormones and condoms are perfect.

[Lizzylou]

We do. Have done for years. No hassle at all.

[Mouldypineapple]

We used just condoms for years with no problems. Stopped when ttc only. Sex is better without but wasn't a big hassle to use them when we needed to.

[TCOB]

Condoms here. Makes me laugh sometimes to be using this method with husband whom I adore and with whom there is absolute fidelity... BUT my constant reminder of my last pill adventure is my darling 10 yr old DS :-) it just doesn't suit some people. Doesn't bother is in the slightest any more; in fact I would be so anxious without condoms that sex would be fraught!

[BabCNesbitt]

We do. I don't like the idea of pissing artificial hormones into the water supply, and the one time I tried the coil, I had horrendous bleeding and bacterial vaginosis. Condoms haven't failed us yet. And the lack of a wet patch is a major plus! (Mind you, our sex life is pretty much non-existent at the moment, which also works as an effective method of birth control ).

[cupoftchai]

Combo of condoms and rhythm method until I (intentionally!) got preg. First month of trying so clearly method was working. Now just condoms as periods only just returned so don't feel we've enough data on cycle yet to use rhythm confidently.

[Bubbles1066]

We do. Have been on Microgynon (bad) and Mercilon (much better) but had to come off the combined pill due to migraines. I was going to get a Mirena coil but whilst waiting we used condoms and we were both surprised by how good they were! They don't get in the way at all I find and the lack of mess is great. OH was thinking of the snip but is worried about pain so we both agreed to stick with condoms rather than me risk side effects with Mirena.
The best part is that I am getting to know my natural cycle again. I can have a good guess as to when I ovulate based on temperature and discharge and to be extra sure we avoid PIV for those days. We don't do full on NFP though and always use condoms but it's an extra safety thing. I never realised how flat I felt on the pill. Not ill, just the same. Going back to being the natural me is fab!

[scaevola]

We used a mixture of NFP and condoms successfully for many years.

When my cycle became really weird (perimenopause), I didn't feel sufficiently secure with the NFP, and DH had a vasectomy. But he is still not clear 11 months on, so condoms are still on the shopping list.

[ithaka]

We have used condoms for years and years with no accidents. Every time we haven't used a condom, I have fallen pregnant, so we are obviously super fertile as a couple but we have never had any accidents using condoms.

They don't affect our sex life, I don't think, we still have a good and active sex life after 20 years of marriage.

DH would hate me to use hormonal contraception - he wouldn't countenance the most minor risk to my health when a risk free alternative is easily available. He loves me.

I would quite like DH to get the snip, but he is squeamish and would rather use condoms, so fair enough. I love him.

[TheFuzz]

Beawheesht

Please be aware there is a 10% risk of long term pain in vasectomy. The GP won't tell you or your partner this. 10% is high, when they say it's 1 in 1000. It's not till you speak to a Urology surgeon, and the staff performing 'repair' operations that they tell you it's common and they see many men from GP practice.

My procedure has ruined our sex life and I've just had major surgery on one of my testicles and whilst it's fixed some damage that the GP did, I still wake in terrible pain every morning in both.

Never again. Lucky if we have sex once in a month or two. Absolute disaster.