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Original poster

Contraception - any suggestions

35 replies

Tillysmummy · 18/02/2003 14:37

Hello ladies,

Im back from the wilderness. Have been feeling crap lately with this Pityriasis Rosea skin thing and also the flu last week. As a result of the PR I have been to see a homeopath, a reflexologist and finally a Chinese doctor as I am just literally covered in it on my face, neck, chest and back. The Chinese doctor's remedy finally seems to be doing the trick.

Back to the point, all of these have said that they don't think I should be on the pill as it's not natural etc, etc. I know this is because they are alternative therapists and don't believe in artificially altering the body. I also know that my GP doesn't agree with this. Anyway, I have been on the pill for nearly 15 years with a brief break when I was pregnant and feeding dd. Really feel like it's time for a change. I was looking into the alternatives and wondered what others thought. I can't see the Myra (spelling?) coil being any good because of the Progesterone, same with the mini pill. I guess this only leaves the cap, condoms (dh hates these and must admit Im not too keen), copper coils (my mum had one of these and is sure it gave her cervical problems) and the natural methods.
It all seems a bit daunting. We are thinking of trying for number 2 in September so I would like to get my natural cycle back into gear before then. Before I had dd I had polycystic ovaries and was told to go back on the pill when I had already decided to come off it to help this condition.

Hope this isn't too rambling. Just really wanted some advice on alternative contraception.

OP posts:
hmb · 18/02/2003 14:49

I found the cap excellent.....not natural but it is non-hormonal. And the success rate isn't that much lower than the condom, and we found it less difficult to use than a condom. If getting pg wouldn't be dreadful then the cap is a good method.

bundle · 18/02/2003 15:12

agree with hmb, tried the cap at college but never really got to grips with it (ho ho, as it pings across the room ) but I suspect it was my incompetence - and the design has probably improved a bit. plus let's face it, sex has a bit more of a sense of humour when you're older

hmb · 18/02/2003 15:24

The 'ping' happened to a friend of mine when she was having it fitted in the family planning clinic. It shot out, and across the room, about 4 yards! You do need to have a sense of humour to get to grips with it ( no pun intended), but it is much less intrusive than the condom, as if can be fitted before anything 'starts', and neither partner can feel that it is there. I used mine with great success. And it wouldn't have any effect on the poly cystic overies. You do have to wash it tho, which might put off the squeemish.

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 18/02/2003 15:29

oh all your stories are making me laugh ! I had thought the cap was the best option.

Sex is hardly very spontaneous now anyway so that won't be a problem. One question, it doesn't affect orgasm does it ? Now that would put me off!

OP posts:
WideWebWitch · 18/02/2003 15:35

Agree about the cap, I liked it too although it's really only any good if it's not a disaster if you get pregant. The only thing I found was that if you have quite a lot of sex you can end up having it in for ages as you have to leave it there for 8 (? can't remember) hours after sex. You can have sex again as long as you use a spermicidal pessary. No, not for the squeamish then! Also, lots of chemists don't stock the spermicide so you might have to get them to order it. I traipsed around loads once trying to get my prescription filled. It seems it's not a very popular contraceptive choice, the cap (think under 1% use it or something). Hope you feel better soon tillysmummy.

WideWebWitch · 18/02/2003 15:35

tillysmummy, no it does not affect orgasm!

Philippat · 18/02/2003 15:36

Never worked out if the cap and the diaphram were the same thing or not, but I was very happy with the diaphram until I discovered the latex was giving me thrush (they didn't have latex-free ones in those days but might now).

The annoying bit is that you sort of have to be prepared as it's more complicated and mood-shattering to put in than a condom is. You are supposed to use spermicidal gel with them which is only effective for a couple of hours so that limits your timescale (although if you were less bothered about the possibility of getting pregnant you could probably forget that bit).

Philippat · 18/02/2003 15:40

Oh god, yes, the pessary. ah, my students days coming back to me (had to laugh about your comment of having lots of sex as I remember that problem well... but can't see that being an issue these days for me anyway!)

hmb · 18/02/2003 15:41

I'm not sure if they do a latex free one.
a cap sits just on the neck of the cervix, and is like a little cup, but the diaphragm is bigger and has to be compressed by pushing the sides together before inserting it. It was bad of me not to use the right name. I used a diaphragm. You can fit it before hand, you could fit it every night and make it a routine...but that does feel a bit like taking your harp to the party and no-one asking you to play if your dp isn't in the mood

It didn't affect my orgasms, but a friend didn't like it as she lost sensation from her cervix. It didn't know if this was because she had a short vagina, of if we should all have been very envious of her

soyabean · 18/02/2003 15:46

Phillipat cap and diaphragm are the same thing! Tillysmummy I would echo what the others say about the diaphragm; its OK if spontaneity is not important..They sure do ping across the room, and most importantly you are not 100% protected, I did get pregnant using one... But if you're planning to get pregnant relatively soon that might not matter? Theres another thread about the Mirena coil, which I think is fantastic, but sounds like thats not for you right now.

aloha · 18/02/2003 15:58

Tillysmummy - a few words in support of the Pill. It is truly fantastic for ovarian problems. I had huge ovarian cysts and my consultant suggested I took the pill without a break and they never recurred. It is also very effective at preventing ovarian cancer. The Pill is also by far the most effective contraceptive around. However it doesn't prevent conception when you want to conceive, in fact, there is often a boost to fertility immediately after stopping. There's no medical advantage in coming off early, the natural cycle thing merely helps the dr date the pregnancy more easily, so it's for them really, not you. Yes, the Pill isn't natural, but neither is any form of contraception. What is natural for your body is to be either pre-pubertal, pregnant or breastfeeding and then dead! I can be argued that by mimicking pregnancy the Pill actually puts your body close to the state that nature intended. I have to admit I am sceptical about alternative therapists. When I had my ovarian cysts I went to an osteopath who told me the pain in my lower back was definitely to do with the alignment of my spine, I got another answer from a reflexologists - but just one visit to my gp and an ultrasound revealed the real reason my pain wouldn't go away despite forking out for all that twiddling was that I had two socking great cysts pressing on nerves in my back.

Sorry to hear about your skin condition though. It sounds horrible.

aloha · 18/02/2003 16:00

Also, taking the Pill will help prevent the polycystic ovaries returning, which could affect your fertility when trying for No2.

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 18/02/2003 16:00

does it take long to put it in (the cap that is !!) ? We normally plan our sex these days unfortunately anyway. Most nights we both start off with good intentions at the beginning of the evening but are too knackered by the time we get into bed ! It's normally weekends when dd is having her nap

OP posts:
titchy · 18/02/2003 16:13

Have you thought about Persona? Totally natural as based around your cycle, and altough isn't as fool-proof as the pill if you're planning on getting pregnant anyway might be a good choice.

WideWebWitch · 18/02/2003 16:16

Hmb, at your taking a harp to a party and not being asked to play comment! Think I'll call it my harp from now on! Tillysmummy, if you get practiced at it you can put it in in a jiffy. And you can put it in say an hour before and forget about it. I always thought a cap and diaphragm were the same thing too - aren't they?

Original poster
Tillysmummy · 18/02/2003 16:21

Titchy, what's Persona ?

WWW, thanks for that. I am sure I won't have the opportunity to get too practised at it
I nearly always have to pee just as sex is initiated anyway (must be the excitement) so I can kill two birds with one stone

OP posts:
Philippat · 18/02/2003 16:29

I'd reckon it takes slightly longer than a tampon to put in, with the same immediately uncomfortable resilt if you get the angle wrong .

Of course this is assuming you can find it which was always my trouble...

hmb · 18/02/2003 16:40

WWW, to be picky the cap (dutch cap) is a small cup shaped device that sits on the cervix by suction. The diaphragm sits 'across' the cervix and is held in by the pressure of the spring round the rim of the diaphragm. There is no spring in the rim of the cap. But essentially they are the same sort of thing, and work in the same way. There are also 3 types of diaphragm depending on the type of spring in the rim. Some are more floppy than others, and may suit different woment, for example if they have different orientations of the cervix/uterus. Or at least they used to, not sure if this is still the case, it has been almost 10 years since I was in the contraceptive 'bizz'. Glad you like the thought of the 'Harp', we used to call it the frisbie!

hmb · 18/02/2003 16:52

www, just found this

Diaphragms come in a variety of shapes and sizes, as you can see from Figure 9.3. ("Contraception: A User's Handbook Third Edition" by A Szarewski & J Guillebaud) Most common are the flat spring diaphragms, which are generally simple to fit and use. The coil spring variety is useful for women who find the pressure of the rim of the flat spring too great: this can result in discomfort or symptoms of cystitis. (However, if cystitis is still a problem, changing to a smaller size or using a cervical cap may be useful.)
Arcing spring diaphragms are often more difficult to insert, but they have a definite advantage. They are of most use to women who find it difficult to be sure that the cervix is covered, particularly women who tend, because of their particular anatomy, to slide their diaphragm in front of, rather than covering, the cervix. This may be especially helpful for women with a retroverted uterus. The womb can lean either forwards (anteverted) or backwards (retroverted): this is as trivial as being right- or left-handed. However, just as left-handed people often find their lives made a little more difficult by everything being geared to right-handers, so women with a retroverted uterus can find diaphragm fitting takes a little more care and effort. This is really because it is that much easier to slide the diaphragm in front of, rather than covering, the cervix.

There are three main types of cervical cap, the Prentif cavity-rim, the Vimule, and the Dumas. The main advantages of all these caps is that they are small, cannot be felt during sex, and can be left in place for more than 24 hours if desired. They are particularly suitable for women who have poor vaginal muscles and cannot keep a diaphragm in place, or who have had trouble with cystitis when using a diaphragm. Marie Stopes was a great advocate of cervical caps, which she felt were the least intrusive form of contraception. Indeed, she is said to have suggested that half a lemon squeezed and placed over the cervix was better than nothing in an emergency!

There is more info at www.margaretpyke.org on the different types of caps.....the thought of the lemon makes me wince....but then women in Ancient Egypt used crocodile dung pessaries!!

WideWebWitch · 18/02/2003 16:55

hmb, thanks! OK, in the light of that new information it appears that I used to have a flat spring diaphragm then! eewww at the lemon juice...

titchy · 18/02/2003 16:56

Persona is a kit you buy at the chemists - about 60 quid I think to start off. You pee on the sticks they provide which basically measure what stage you are in your cycle. You need to do this for a couple of months for it to get to know your cycle, then you just check the monitor to see whether it's a green (get the candles and sexy knickers out) day or a red (get the hoover and washing up gloves out) day. Refill pee sticks are about 10 quid, but you only need use them periodically (excuse the pun!) just to check your cycle is still roughly the same as before.

I've not used it personally but friends who have swear by it now.

It does have a higher failure rate but a lot of that is down to people not using it properly I suspect.

HTH

sb34 · 18/02/2003 17:37

Message withdrawn

laganlover · 18/02/2003 18:27

I used the Persona successfully for about a year to prevent pregnancy and then used it successfully for about a day to get pregnant i.e. going for it on the red day - very good for both outcomes

Batters · 18/02/2003 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Carla · 19/02/2003 11:27

My God - do they still make Persona? I followed the instructions to the letter, have a v. regular cycle and now two gorgeous girls ......

How about this method? One daughter who insists on sleeping in her room with her daddy in the bed, another daughter who insists on sleeping in her room with her mummy in the bed. Foolproof!