ALLERGIC TO ALL FORMS OF CONTRACEPTION- WHAT NOW?

[Kaedsmum]

I've been described by my doctor as 'very unusual'. The pill and patch have always made me ill and depressed, but I tried to go back on the patch recently. It made my hair fall out, it made me ill, and it covered my body in blisters. I'm allergic to all hormonal forms of contraception due to the oestrogen and progestrogen, but I was wondering, is that why i had such a nasty pregnancy? i was exhausted and poorly a lot and went to pieces. I was also quite paranoid. Are these hormones increased during pregnancy?

Also, what's an alternative? I'm also allergic to latex.

has anyone ever come across this before?

can you use non latex condoms? and if you want sex with no condoms perhaps use the perona monitor to try and work out your least fertile times, and only use non latex condoms on your fertile days. but of course there is room for error here, so would only reccomend that if having another wouldnt be the worst in the world.

Could you use the coil? There's also the sponge, but I think that it's very hard to get hold of nowadays (and doesn't have as good a success rate as other methods, so only if a pregnancy would be OK).
Otherwise, I think non-latex condoms.

Non-latex condoms
Copper coil
Persona and fertility awareness methods

Or a combination of the above

What about a copper ot inert IUD - The Basic Coil

There are also hormone releasing ones referred to as IUS - Inter Uterine System

Can you get one of these monitors anywhere? Like boots and chemists etc? I think that's a good idea to only use none-latex condoms when i'm ovulating. Thanks!! We're trying for a baby next June, then I'll get the coil after that. I'm prone to infections (not STDs or anything) so GP advised not to have it incase I get a womb infection.

I got a persona machine of ebay for £6 - and it works fine!

Copper coil

However, it's only useful if you have a cycle within a 'normal' range as I'm occasionally over 36 days. Have you tried learning to chart your cycle as I have used this as a back up to persona. I'm not a fan of hormonal contraception as the pill used to make me pass out due to the excess hormones.

Have just looked and there are a few on ebay now - you can also get another brand of the machine but I can't remember what the other brand is!...

How do I chart my cycle? I know I have a period every 28-30 days, and with my DS I got pregnant on day 12 of my cycle.

Charting is great - although you need to get to know your own body. Basically you measure and observe different changes in your body every day. So usually you would take your temperature (before moving/getting up on a morning), observe and record your vaginal mucus/discharge, and feel the position of your cervix. I used an excellent online charting programme, but also paper based sheets. I'll just have a look for the links...

Ok - some links
Information fpa
www.fpa.org.uk/information/leaflets/documents_and_pdfs/detail.cfm?contentid=159

Free Charts
www.fertilityuk.org/

Online charting site - this is the one that I subscribed to - but I will point out there are others out there that do the same thing!
www.fertilityfriend.com/HelpCenter/FFBook/ff_intro.html

You can do this as well as using the persona machine (I did... ) BUT and here's the but.. this is NOT a method of contraception - it is about being more aware of your body and what is happening at different times of the month. You have to look at the changes that happen to your body and look at the charts. You then make decisions about abstinence or using other methods of contraception appropriately depending on the signs your body is giving.

You can use the charts then to effectively plan to avoid or to get pregnant.

I really enjoy charting as I find it really interesting and useful.

Thanks Gillian, that's really helpful. I'll have a go at it and see what happens.

also - apparently some women are a bit funny about feeling for their cervix or inspecting their vaginal mucus

lol I do it when I'm not charting!!

It was funniest when we were ttc - I'd say to dh 'Look! - fertile mucus! - quick - upstairs!'
but some people are funny about it - I always did oral temping though and now I have ds I can't believe that the books reckon hoo-har temping is safer when you have a child!...

I get depressed on hormonal contraceptive too, always used condoms, but difficult to go back to them after 3 years without (dd was a long time coming) I too had awful pg and wondered if the two were related. Anyway, highly recommed 'Taking charge of your fertility' Goes into lots of detail about fertile times and temping2````````````````````````````````````````````2

I was going to recommend taking charge of your fertility as i have a copy and it's excellent - especially as it explains so much and gives good clear examples.

Oh, I can't help but know what my cervical mucus is doing as it comes out in such large amounts when I ovulate (sorry - ). I get ovulation pains too (I can tell you that I conceived DD2 from my left ovary, for example ).

BTW, going back to the OP, I also found that I was very depressed and had no libido when I was on the pill and I have very difficult pregnancies. Even though I'm healthy, I feel absolutely awful and am basically good for nothing.

I am another one who gets very depressed on hormones. I love the diaphragm but am allergic to the only spermicide they sell in the UK, so order Gynol from American online chemists.

lol at fertile mucus.

Well there's a few of us who struggle on hormonal things then! And we had bad pegnancies! How strange. Bet they are linked.

MrsTittleMouse- I get the ovary pains when ovulating too. So does my sister.

I definately want to have a go at this charting thing so I will buy that book.

I usually use a diaphragm but have not since having ds (just on the condoms!) as the spermicide I was given is now disgusting - the gel was fine - mostly odorless and not too bad to use, but the new ortho cream - ick... I just cant do it - it's like pearlised hand cream and smells awful... can you order the gel stuff?

I can make no excuses for the site name. They deliver pretty quickly and it's not very expensive.

www.undercovercondoms.com/Condoms/Types/Contraceptives/68/contraceptives.html?k w=Gynol&gclid=CP%2DV7ozfgJUCFQ5NQwod%5F0hqrQ&utmsource=7&utmmedium=ppc&utmterm=Gynol&utmcampaign =7

The pearlised stuff is absolutely disgusting. It smells and it burns me because I'm so allergic. I think the US one is called cream, but it's the old colourless gel you used to be able to buy here 5 years ago. I'd love to know why they stopped it, but there seems to be some kind of conspiracy in family planning to phase out the diaphragm. I don't believe it's more unreliable than the condom, personally, and it is a lot more pleasant, and there are a lot of women who don't want hormones that aren't their own for 20 years.

Sorry, that's one ugly link! Try going to the first part before the slash, and searching for Gynol.

It's funny you should say that - I have a bit of an 'I am the only gay in the village' experience when I go for a fitting/supplies as the receptionists look at me in awe (might be shock - but I like to think it's awe...) as they you 'ah.. Mrs GLW - you're the diaphram user...' and on talking to the family planning nurse I'm the only person who goes to that clinic that uses one - AND they had to order it in especially for me! .

When I was at university I went to a clinic to get one fitted and the nurse asked if I would like to attend a family planning nurse training evening - as not many people of my young age use them and they were looking for someone to practice fitting them on!! Despite my feminist principles thinking that I should be doing this for the good of womankind I did politely refuse...