Would you rely on condoms for a year?

[Disenchanted3]

I've just come off the pill as it is causing me to bleed after sex. I don't do well on hormonal contraception and it also makes me very stressed/angry/ unpredicatable.

Since coming off it I have been alot better, but have been taking anti-Ds too.

We do want another child so we can't do anything permenant and because I'm feeling 'normal' for the first time in years I don't want to start anything new (depo made my sister and mum REALLY ill and implant made my sister bleed for 4 months!- i get very ill when I bleed)

So its come down to condoms.

To be honest we aren't at it like rabbits, but I just feel nervous after a few threads on here.

Its really not the right time for another, but we can't get the snip.

I suppose the best thing to do would be avoid mid cycle and always use condoms.

have alternated condoms and the pill throughout my life, no unplanned pregnancies and fell pregnant with DS immediately upon using no contraception so in my experience they're safe

touch wood - we use condoms, and have no unplanned pregancies! Same of my best friend.

Yes, have in the past. No problem. You've got to use them properly. Right size and make for your bloke, extra lube to stop chance of splitting, no oil based lube/massage oils/creams pre sex. Take it off carefully post sex etc. etc.

As for constant mouth ulcers - I would recommend a good vitamin b complex supplement that has a safe but high dose of b6 in it.

I've used the diaphragm for nearly 30 years without any problems at all. Both DCs were planned, as were the several pregnancies I MCd. I don't find it any less 'spontaneous' than condoms. used condoms a few times but neither me nor DH liked them so always went back to diaphragm.

We used condoms for the first years of our relationship. Then we decided to have children and I conceived on the first time we made love without a condom.

If chemical contraception is not for you (and one year is too short a time for a Mirena coil, anyway) then condoms are a very good alternative.

Used condoms for 12 years. 2 splits and I took morning after pill. Stopped using them and was pregnant 1 month later.

The only problem I had was soreness... I'd known for years that I had a suspect latex allergy but it wasn't until I was pregnant and possibly needing a caesarean that they confirmed it.
Then the penny dropped and I realised why I was always so sore after sex.
I'd use them again, but get the latex free ones

I too abandoned hormonal contraception after the implant induced psychosis! Depo was also a disaster and the diaphragm damaged my cervix! Since then we have been using condoms with no problems.

Seven years on condoms, no accidents (but then dh doesn't see much action, poor love ).

After having the dcs I just couldn't face going onto hormones again tbh.....

Been with dh for 17 years.
Always used condoms.
Never had an accident.

I've used condoms for the best part of 20 years. Occasional incidents of them splitting/coming off were followed up by MAP.

Yes I do have a son, and no the PG wasn't planned but the condom-related failure on that occasion was, er, not using one. (For the first time EVER that I had actual penetrative sex without contraception...)

See, I've used them before (but along with other contraception) but had them split or come off waaaay too many times to ever rely on them alone.

Never had one come off (obviously dh has well-designed willy).

This is all anecdotal evidence, very nice and everything but not terribly useful for making real decisions.

Condoms are recorded as 98% effective if used properly. (acc to the NHS). So if you are fine with a 1 in 50 chance of a baby, condoms are great. It sounds like another baby wouldn't be the end of the world for you.

Not sure if the 2% of failures include things like condom actually breaking - if something goes wrong and you can tell it has, iyswim, then you can make decision either to take morning after pill or see what happens.
Even if condom fails, it has to do so at a time when you would be able to conceive anyway.
Was a belt 'n' braces person myself, pill and condoms for years.

Yes, what do they mean by failure rate? Is that the failure rate for when, as far as you know, it has been used properly; or would that include splits/coming off?

another yes for condoms - never had any problems and i fell pregnant within a month of deciding to `try but not try' IFSWIM

nhs here says 2% failure rate is for perfect use

Another vote for condoms. Current pregnancy and DS were both due to, er, not using one in the heat of the moment. Otherwise no problems at all.

We used them for about three years before TTC DS1, and then inbetween DS1 and DTs, and then for another two years after DTs were born. No problems at all.

Have just gone back on pill about 6 months ago which is fine for me but understand why you don't want to. Am wanting to get sterilised as never ever ever want any more though!

Have used condoms fro 15 years.. don't fancy messing about with my hormones.
No accidents.. you don't need to be a rocket scientist.

And it's never any harm to be aware of the days you have to be extra specially careful..

The 98% is comparable to most other forms of contraception, the failure rate for female sterilization is 99% iirc. Short of not having sex, no single method is 100% effective. Diaphragm has a high failure rate compared to most alternatives.

As an aside, can you still get female condoms? Has anyone tried them? Remember being shown them in sex ed at school and they looked pretty hideous

I'm really sceptical about that failure rate - surely that is only based on anecdotal evidence? Unless the NHS have cameras in the bedroom they have no way of knowing whether people are infact using them correctly.

Ali - it's been said (by doctors) that the failure rate is down to people not using contraception as they're supposed to and then lying about it. E.g., "we did use condoms, except that night 2 weeks ago" and "oh but I was on the pill, but forgot to take it for 3 days".

I'm with Anyfucker. I am on the combined pill but if I occasionally forget we use condoms. Means I don't need to get up afterwards

I've used condoms for 15 years and never had one split or come off.

I'm not going to get fat and hormonal and have to lie in the wet patch just so DP gets a bit more 'sensation'.

Tyler80 you're talking about femidoms - like a rubbery bag with a ring at the top. We had a demonstration at school of how to put them in, with a model vagina made from a kitchen bin, pink satin and some sheepskin!!