I'm coming off the pill - am done with hormonal contraception - But I don't want a baby!

[Disenchanted3]

I've had it with the pill, I constantly feel tired on it, I have awful headaches if I miss one or start my break, it makes me so, so moody! and now the GP thinks its causing my cervix to grow extra cells which are leading to bleeding during sex.

Am thinking of using charting and condom, has anyone done this sucessfully?

I haven't charted, but I have not gone back to hormonal contraception post babies.It messed me up too much - depression and headaches on the pill, weight gain and moodiness on the Depo. I would not touch a coil.

We use condoms now, though I fucking hate them, they are a passion killer, not appealing, they taste like crap (well, not literally). Am considering sterilisation.

Pftt thats the thing isn't it, theres not really many opptions

I am already overweight and a moody cow, I'm on anxiety tablets now and I think the pill is just not helping me.

I can't even look at a picture of a coil. Sister has implant shes gained alot of weight and bleeds alot she wants it out.

Urgh.

I'm going to have to come off the pill and just be super carful I think.

Am considering one of those red light / green light monitor things.

I know how you feel, additional hormones don't agree with me at all!!! Never have.

We use funbags too. Yep, they are a passion killer and yep, they taste foul so the oral gets done before they go on!!

I don't trust the cap as that's how my mum go caught with me!

I have endometriosis so a hysterectomy (?sp) is most likely on the cards for me.

I hope you find something that suits you both.

If you're going to do charting then see if you can find a course to learn it properly - it's only effective if you relly feel confident with it.

How about a nuvaring? It's still hormonal but a much lower dose.

Maybe not charting, but a fertility moniter and condoms.

Disenchanted3 - an ovulation monitor. I tried that too but soon got fed up - I'm lazy - of weeing on a stick each morning!!

And, my plumbing is so eratic, I was ovulating 3 days after my period ended and then again a week before it started

If you're regular, it should be great for you? Boots sell them I think.

I moved to the coil when I had similar reactions to the pill. I've never looked back after 5 years!

I find the main thing with condoms is to not let his penis anywhere near your vagine without a condom. I find it so easy to get caught up in the moment and have a quick go before getting the condom on. DH seems to think that the risk is minimal however I am possibly the most fetile woman in England and do not want to be pregnant again.

The thought of a coil makes me shudder.

DH is currently considering a vasectomy. I think he is wavering because everything is currently fine. If I were to get pregnant he would think "shit - should have done it, no questions"

Hmm, pfft, well I'm not sure I'm really ready to call it a day completely.

I think I may like 1 more but in years to come not now!

So I can't go down any permenant routes.

DH agreed I should come off them, he did before (because of my mood swings) but now I've got the bleeding too then its just something we both feel I should do.

Going to have to be very, very carful though.

Its not like we are at it like rabbits all the time, we have 3 under 6 bu it only takes 1 time!

I charted, used condoms. I know my cycle inside out and back to front. Used condoms regardless. Had sex one on day 18 of a 27 day cycle (ovulated on day 13), used a condom, no apparent problems. 10 days later I had a positive pregnancy test. I was devastated.

I have a coil now AND use condoms. When I saw the GP after getting pg, he said he sees it weekly with condoms. Not teens, not incorrect usage, women who don't want any more babies being very careful and using a condom every time but getting pg. There's a thread on here atm about getting pregnant whilst using condoms with no known split/failure.

I'd be wary of just using one of those monitors without properly understanding the theory is what I meant, sorry. Although if you were using condoms all the time then it might be ok. But a bit pointless bothering with the monitor!

The thing with the monitors is they are geared up for TTC, so they tell you when you are most fertile, and not when you are "safe" - the inbetween days when you have less (but still some) chance of getting pregnant are not monitored.

Maybe worth having a read of "Taking Chrge of Your Fertility"?

The bleeding is an issue too far to deal with, I agree.

Don't you sometimes feel like wrt your periods, you have just had enough!?

SoH! Not the sort of thing I want (though I do need) to hear! Is the condom seen to be getting less effective? BPAS has it at 85% effective, which is A LOT less than I believed it to be!here

I had not heard of the vaginal ring before today, though that is hormonal as well

SOH!!!

Bloody hell.

Well that throws a spanner in the works.

I don't know, its all such a pain in the arse

Other thread

It's such a bloody pain isn't it? I didn't want a coil, I don't particularly like having one but I don't want another baby right now. Couldn't see another way.

I was just reading more about condoms - if you use them perfectly and consistently every time, they they can be 98% effective. If you use them typically, they are only 85% effective.

That to me, is not an acceptable rate and I am right fucked off that the only decent non-permanent contraception choices are hormonal.

What do you think you will do?

Copper coil isn't hormonal. That's why I picked it. Only non-permanent option with hormones after the condom failure.

I honestly don't know.

Will have to talk to DH, I think he is ready for the snip, but I'm not.

I don't want a child now.

But it could be years before I feel ready, and so thats years of trying not to get caught

I want to let my body be for a while, with no extra hormones pumped into it, but seems doing that runs the risk of having a baby pumped into it instead!

Going to have to have a talk with DH tongiht.

SoH has it affected your periods? I already have incredibly heavy and painful periods and wouldn't want that to be worse - but then I think about another baby.

How old is your youngest, Disenchanted?

I find that The Fear can ruin sex.

Shes 18 months now, (others are 4&5)

I have a copper coil too. Didn't look at it before it went in so just imagined i was having a smear! It's fab, i have problems with hormonal contraception so it was by far and away the best choice for me. I has a second one put in after i had my ds last year.

As for future DCs, i had mine taken out on 4th dec 08 and caught with ds on the 6th!

Happily use barrier methods - i mean happily used em as i read that thread about condom failure and showed dh and now we hardly dare share a bed. I think he is finally going to bite the bullett and go for the snip, if he doesnt get the referal or do anyhing about it in the next month then i am myself going to get sterilised as id efo dont want no more. There is a sex ban here and its no fun.

nappy - how does he feel about it? I have asked DH to think about it. He says he is considering it, but does not want me to mention it or talk about it at all while he is thinking Might just do it myself while I am waiting for him to stop procrastinating [hmm[

My periods are heavier, were MUCH heavier at first but it's better now. I think if they're already heavy it's not recommended. But then some women report no change with it.

If we were certain we wanted no more dh would have the snip without question but we'e not and this way I don't have to worry about condoms failing. It's there, it lasts 10 years, it's not hormonal and I probably won't get pg. I mean it's not a glowing endorsement but all things considered, it'll do.

Same as you - i am forbidden to mention it now while he is thinking it through - other night i mentioned it after he agreed to it so as a result he would not ring docs that night and is allededly ringing tonight. My dh is shitting bricks to put it bluntly - he is even scared to go to the dentist so the liklihood of it ever happening is slim to non. I wish there were other options but there isnt and we are 1000% we are done family wise. Its 1 in 250 failiure on female sterilisation and much higher success with male one. I am shitting bricks about gettign pg again so it only fair he should shit bricks for a change. Its a bit of a hot topic in our house at the moment . Hes not to chuffed about the sex ban either. I wouldnt mind if it was under a local for me to get done but i suspect its general here rather than local. Good luck.