When you can't take hormones and don't want a copper coil

[newnameneeded29]

What do you go for?

Online? Don’t they need to be fitted so you get the right size?

Suffered till I had my last child then got sterilised. Mirena was no better than anything else.

OP, as another posted said, it's not all metal, it's very small and I didn't feel a thing to be honest with you. I had a bit of mild period type pain afterwards.

*Poster, not posted

You can still get diaphragms, though it was a bit of a faff. GP didn't fit them so had to go to the local sexual health clinic, first appointment was an evening one with a nurse who it turned out didn't fit diaphragms. So had to book a daytime appointment with a doctor for several weeks later and take time off work.

Was given a mini lecture about diaphragms not being as effective as other contraception, and that if I got pregnant at my age (early 40s) it may be higher risk. She did fit me and I went home with a diaphragm and spermicide (though was planning to use something more natural called contragel). Then later that day when practising inserting and removing I managed to bend the rim of the damn thing. Haven't been able to bend it back into shape, and can't face the hassle (and embarrassment) at the moment of going back to get a replacement.

You can get a caya diaphragm online but it is only suitable for around 80% of women - if you are are fitted for a 65 - 80 (I think) size normal diaphragm a caya would fit. If you want to go with the caya, I would get fitted for a normal one so you know a cays would fit, you would also be shown how to insert and remove and check that it is in place correctly and covering the cervix.

After the copper coil went spectacularly tits up on me resulting in surgery the consultant suggested Qlaira. I pointed out hormones were no good as even my own hated it, and she explained how triphasic pills work. Have you tried/had it suggested as an option?

I don’t get migraines or any issues with it, I was astounded to be honest. It doesn’t work for everyone and it wasn’t 100% until the third month when my period stopped altogether. Then it was brilliant.

Dragon oestrogen gives me migraines

Does the depo injection count as hormones?? Excuse my ignorance if it is, I couldn't take alot of hormonal contraception because of my epilepsy medication but for some reason the injection was ok . Though what woild i know I'm currently 8.5 months pregnant and feeling a bit like a beached whale sat in the bath typing this! Good luck OP

If it helps I have a copper coil. Took about ten mins to fit, most of that was questions/prep/undressing etc. It's my second one, and it's in for 5 years, I don't even remember I have it to the point I nearly forgot to mention it before an MRI. Best thing ever for me, I don't cope well with hormones

OP Oestrogen gives you migraines? Are you sure? If so then the progesterone only pill (minipill) will be ideal for you.

Yes but all hormones I don't cope with for various reasons

Tbh OP if you can't have any hormones and you don't like the idea of the copper coil then you're left with barrier, rhythm, abstinence or sterilisation.

Yes sadly it seems I'm stuck with fertility awareness and condoms.

There seriously needs to be some advances in contraceptions.

There certainly do. Many women are failed by lack of decent contraceptive options. There was some research recently into male contraceptives but it was stopped when men had side effects - the very same ones women have been tolerating for years of course, but we can’t possibly have men inconvenienced by responsibility for fertility can we?

Obviously it’s totaly your choice but don’t totally discount the copper coil. It’s what I’ll be going for after I’m done with kids - I personally couldn’t relax with condoms and tracking, it’s not quite solid enough for me. If youve given birth they are much easier to get installed and provide a long term, very reliable and safe method.
There’s also a sort of strong of bead thing they can hook into the endometrium that does the same thing, and essure, which is spirals of metal in the fallopian tunes (although I’m not so keen on that one tbh..)

Minniemousse you can get diaphragms on the NHS. The model is now called caya. It didn’t work for me as my cervix is really far back and it didn’t cover what it was supposed to but they definitely are available. Anatidae I bled continuously for five months on the copper coil and it was extremely painful the entire time. I was also treated three times for pelvic inflammatory disease as a result of this and my only option now is IVF which I cannot afford/ get the time off of work for. Having a coil fitted is a massive decision especially if you still want more children and it can cause serious pain even months or years after removal regardless of whether it is done properly or not. I do agree there are not enough options and it’s women who pay the price as doctors push us into things they know won’t work because there are simply no other options.

Thanks Honey, I might look into it.

I loved my diaphragm had one for years. The struggle is finding someone trained to fit them!

My experienced doctor couldn't insert mine. Just the measuring part was so painful I nearly fainted and she couldn't continue as my cervix went into spasm. Never felt pain like it including appendicitis and a caesarian. Has anyone had a fitting with a general anaesthetic? Desperately don't want to get pregnant again.

NFP here, We avoid pregnancy but it would be fine if it happened, we just want a bigger age gap ideally. Been going fine for 18 months so far.

Wouldn't do it if getting pregnant would be problem though.

Natural cycles here with condoms on "red days". Works well.

Wow, this is a bit depressing...there just don't seem to be any really good options out there.

Like lots of you, I can't have oestrogen due to migraines, and the mini-pill made me feel very irritable. I gave up after a couple of weeks. If I'd persevered, would they have settled? Should I try the mini-pill again?

And if I go for the mirena coil, will it have less of an effect on my moods? I've read that it's a smaller amount of progesterone.

We're using condoms right now but we had a pregnancy scare and now i'm terrified of getting pregnant again. I'm even considering sterilisation (DH can't have the snip...long story).

does anyone have experience of mini-pill and mirena?

Thanks

A few weeks isn’t very long for the mini pill angstybaby. They say to give any contraceptive at least 3 months to settle. There are also different types so I would try maybe a different one before something as drastic as the mirena. They say they effects of the mirena should be localised but by the amount of people who say it affects them in the same way as the mini pill I wouldn’t think it would make much difference

It's horrible like,I've tried depo jag,implanon,now on a combined pill,which has made me exhausted and constant nagging headache. I was on waiting list for essure,6 months later I got my hospital appointment,went in all excited,to be told its now been disallowed,taken off the market. I've only been on rigivedon for a week,will it eventually settle down,Or is it another case of feeling horrible,until I eventually have to try something else?

Are you sure you’ve been taken off the pill because it causes migraines or is it that you’ve been taken off the pill because you suffer from migraines?
I get migraines so was taken off the pill years ago because of the risk of stroke. I am allowed to have the mirena though. When you have the pill, the amount of hormone is massive because it needs to flood your body to get where it needs to be. The mirena coil is already where it’s meant to be so you only need a teeny tiny amount of hormone.

I can't have them due to history of aura migraines plus the fact that hormones cause severe chronic headaches.