contraception

[Dionne]

Curly - How have you been getting on with your 'natural birth control'? I've only just seen your message, sounds interesting. I've always felt horrible taking contraceptive pills! Would love to know how it's going.

I've been using the Depo Provera method for about the last 21/2 years. I have an injection at the top of my bottom every 12 weeks. At first I bled for 17 days continuously! But now have not bled at all for 2 years, saved a fortune on tampons! Have not had any side effects. I would definitely recommend it to everyone. Used to have the injection in my arm but it left it quite sore for 2-3 days afterwards so having it in my bottom is far more comfortable!

I'm now on my second Mirena IUD (had the first removed in order to have a baby) and I would recommend it to anyone. It has none of the more difficult side effects normally associated with IUDs (heavy periods, pain) - in fact,I only have very light bleeding, if any. I was also impressed by the fact that i returned to full fertility as soon as I had my previous Mirena removed.
I know there are a lot of stories about coils being embedded in babies etc etc but does anyone actually know anybody this has happened to?? I suspect it may be a bit of a myth!

An aide to the natural family planning method is the Persona from Boots. You dip a urine sample eight times a month and the monitor can tell you whwn you are ovulating, which days are "safe" and which aren't. I used it for two years before switching its function to aide rather than prevent conception and have returned to it after having our son.
I find it a little more reassuring than the natural way and it's nice not to be taking drugs or inserting foreign bodies. Used correctly the failure rate is the same as condoms, it's misuse that causes the problems, but it's really easy to use.
I did have a coil fitted once - it led to a lovely exchange between me and the doctors receptionist - "I need to see Dr X today - my coil has come out". "What do you mean out, how out is it?" "Its wrapped in a piece of tissue on the bathroom window ledge is that far out enough?"!

Midge you have obviously been very lucky Persona, I know of several Persona babies! I thought it would be ideal for me, but now am not so sure.

Rhiannon, I've never heard about that before! Are there normally side affects then? What about if you decide to try and get pregnant, does it take a while? meD

I went to my doctors a talk over using the injecting. The main reason I chose against it in the end is that it can take up to a year after finishing it to regain you fertility. Now I am no longer breast feeding my daughter I'm back on Cilest which suit me fine. As for persona 2/3 people that I know us it for contraception became pregnant.

I would certainly advise to only use a Persona if you are not going to be too upset at becoming pregnant (if you see what I mean). Perhaps we are just lucky but I have several friends who have used it successfully and none of them have had an unplanned pregnancy!
When I started using Persona we knew we wanted to start a family within a couple of years so if it failed and I became pregnant earlier then that would be no problem.
Unfortunately, short of becoming a nun Persona was my last option on the contraception front - the pill (several varieties) made me unwell, the coil came out, caps are a complete pain in the wotsits and I hate condoms.

i was on the injection pill but it put to much weight on me so im coming off of it,but my husband dont want a nother baby 4 another 6 years maybe and we got a daughter age 2

Re the Mini pill.

This type of pill works in two ways. Its main effect is to stop the implanting of the fertilised egg. In some women it also blocks the release of the egg as well (Rather like the combined pill does). As the mini pill is taken without a break, if there is no egg released, there is no bleed. In the combined pill the bleed isn't a 'true' period but a controlled break-through bleed.

So women who take the mini pill, and don't bleed are somewhat better covered than those who do.....that is, unless you are bleed free because you are pregnant

I am on the mini-pill, have been for 6 months. First three months were fine periods were very regular, now they are all over the place. I have a period for a week then a couple of weeks free and another period comes along. Also, they are very heavy (i have never had heavy periods). I am really unhappy with the mini pill so have to go back to my doctors to see what he can suggest (i am nearly 40).

I am 31 and not planning on having any more children (2 will do me!!!) but we felt that dh was a bit young for the permanent solution - he's the same age as me. So last week I had a mirena coil inserted and so far it seems to be great - we 'tried it out' yesterday to no ill effects. Maybe you could ask your doc about it, starmoon. It has a lower failure rate than the pill and mainly works by stopping you ovulating as it has a small dose of progesterone in it - but lower than the mini pill. It is also used to releive heavy periods. Might be the thing for you, and it lasts 5 yrs.

I think I have tried just about everything available as contraception. I found that when I was younger I could take the pill no problems, but after 10 years on it decided it would be a good ides to have a break, so used a diaphragm, and lo and behold was pregnant within a few months. Probably in hindsight i was slightly too young to have it and therefore a bit irresponsible with it's usage!. Anyway after having first child I tried the pill again, but it gave me big headaches, so that stopped and I tried the coil. That I have to say (not trying to worry anyone here) was realy horrible being put in, and i nearly fainted after getting home. That was removed after 6 weeks because I had a constant infection as a result of it. So back to another pill, still bad headaches. Number two child arrived (planned) after a bit of a struggle to conceive, so after her birth it was the mini pill, still gave me headaches though, so we tried the depo provera shot which was even worse, because I started getting terrific migraines, and obviously couldn't stop taking it, so had to wait for it to run it's course. Natural family planning resulted in numbers 3 and 4 arriving, so by this time I definitely don't want any more children. Dh is adamant he does not want a vasectomy so I got sterilised in december last year. I have to say it has transformed my life! I feel totally free of any worries of pregnancy, and any hassle of remembering to take the pill/add pessaries/keep condoms in stock. It was absolutely the right decision for me, because I feel all my angels have been sent to me now, so it is another option worth considering. I was in and out in a day and felt back to usual within about 36 hours, very little discomfort.

I noticed that somewhere on the thread there is a reccommendation for breastfeeding as contraception, but it is worth remembering that a lack of periods doesn't mean you are not ovulating, just as a period doesn't mean you have.

I have also used a wide variety of forms of contraception. I didn't like the coil, as it made my periods very heavy (but I had other problems that mde that worse). Can I put in a positive review of the cap?

We used it very sucessfully for 2 years with no unwanted pregnancies, and found it much less intrusive than the condom. You do have to be careful to use it correctly (like the condom), and it isn't as effective as the pill, but I found it easy to use.

All these problems are now behind me following the sterilization

Any man who would let you get cut open for major surgery to get sterilized rather than getting a vasectomy, which is safer, much quicker (outpatient! couple hours, snip-snip, no worries), cheaper, and even potentially reversible if need be (an all-around better solution) doesn't deserve to have sex.

And why are you all subjecting yourselves to IUDs and pills and shots when condoms are highly effective, readily available, relatively inexpensive, and have zero side-effects? Fair enough if you (the womenfolk) just don't like condoms and willingly subject yourselves to medication or invasive contraceptive devices, but any husband who refuses to strap on a condom deserves a swift kick in the crotch and a few decades of celibacy, or at least a forced stint working nights as a maternity nurse until he comes around.

Sheesh!

--JJ's husband

Very excellent JJ's husband!

here here JJ's husband!!!
wish there were more men around like you!!

I got my mirena coil partly because I hate the smell of condoms!!!!

Just want to add that the mini-pill was wonderful for me. I was on it for 10 years and didn't fall pregnant, so it works just fine if you take it properly. When I took the combined pill I had trouble with chloasma (sp?) so I changed over to the mini pill. I did get some breakthrough bleeding at first on the mini pill but it does usually takes a few months for your cycle to adjust. And I still got a period every month, so I found it really good in every respect.

Does anyone thinking of sterilisation know that it brings on the symptoms of menopause? R

I have currently got an IUD fitted (not Mirena, can't remember name) and I have had no problems with it whatsoever. I had my first one fitted after my second child was born as I was on the pill before that and it took me 9 months to fall pregnant with my second child. When he was born, I decided that I didn't want to go back on the pill so had an IUD fitted. I have to say, for me, it is the best form of contraceptive there is. When we decided to have a third baby, I had it removed (last January), fell pregnant at end of January and had baby in October last year.

Again, I wanted the coil fitted and they fitted it for me before I had even had a period, although I needed to have a pregnancy test first to make sure I wasn't pregnant as I had had unprotected sex.

Just have to reply to the comment about being sterilised. Where do I start? Firstly I didn't "let" my husband decide to have me cut open instead of a vasectomy, it was done after much discussion and of my own free will. My husband actually didn't want me to have it done, preferring to use condoms, but as I am the one who would get pg, suffer morning sickness, struggle to get back into shape after the birth, the ultimate decision was down to me.

Female sterilisation is hardly being "cut open". Mine was done through my belly button and I have only 2 small scars about 3/4 of an inch in size. It is not 100% reliable that is true, but nothing is, and is about as reliable as female contraception can be, as it has a 1 in 200 failure rate. Major surgery, yes, as far as you are under a general anaesthetic and being opersted on internally, but there are differing degrees of "major" surgery. I haven't experienced any menopausal symptoms, though can't say for sure this is not the case, but didn't find any research sustaining this viewpoint.

It's common sense to me that as women have to cope with the sheer effort that pregnancy involves that men are always assumed to have to be the ones to be sterilised. I would much rather take responsibility for my own fertility.

I truly feel free of any stress or worries about getting pregnant for the first time in my life. I feel liberated ,which has resulted in a rediscovered sex life for me and dh!

I was told that the failure rate for a female sterilization was 0.3%. I could be wrong, but I think that is more reliable than the coil.

I am unaware of any research that shows that sterilization speeds up the onset of the menopause. I would be intersted to look at it, Rhiannon. I do know that a hysterectomy that leaves the overies intact can cause premature ovarian failure. Where did the info come from?

My sterilization was carried out at the same time as my c section, so no problems at all!