What are fat women supposed to use as contraception?

[toofatforthis]

Feeling very frustrated.

I'm apparently too overweight for Microgynon.

I tried Cezerette, and it made me depressed. I tried Norgeston, and it made me bleed non-stop, to the point where I ended up anaemic.

I'd ask for sterilisation, but I doubt I'd get one on the NHS due to not having had children.

I've heard horror stories on MN about getting the coil removed, and it's put me off completely. Plus, if I react badly to the coil or the implant, it means I won't be able to immediately stop the cause of the symptoms.

I could get Microgynon by lying about my weight, but I'm not sure lying is the correct solution.

So... what do other women do?

My friend was 20 stone when deemed “too fat to get pregnant”. He started university last autumn.

The best option is to lose weight. In the meantime, I'd try the coil or get your man to use condoms.

It's not that she's too fat to get pregnant. It's that her weight is too high for combined hormonal contraception to be safe. There are loads of other methods.

They’re really not asking you to stay celibate for a year 🙄

I appreciate you’ve had a condom fail in the past, but any contraceptive can fail. I used condoms as my sole form of contraceptive for nearly 7 years, then we stopped using them to TTC and I fell pregnant right away- so they were obviously working.

If you’re that concerned then could you try tracking ovulation and avoiding sex on your very fertile days as well as using condoms?

The implant itself isn’t visible at all, I can feel it under the skin but isn’t painful or uncomfortable. There are 2 tiny scars a few mm long where it’s been removed but they’re on the inside of your arm so it’s really not noticeable.

They’ve never been difficult to remove, as a Pp said sometimes they can be but you should be regularly checking the site of the implant to feel for it and if you notice its migrating you should speak to a HCP but it’s very very rare this happens .

Sounds like you are just finding excuses. Most women do not use hormonal contraception.

Hi OP, I’m a sexual health/contraception nurse and unfortunately if your BMI is >35 we wouldn’t be able to give you a combined method (pill/patch/ring) as your risk of stroke would be dramatically increased. You also can’t really ‘lie’ about your weight as if I suspected your BMI might be higher than 35 just by looking at you I’d ask to weigh you myself. If you refused, I’d use my professional judgement to deny you a combined method as your health and my registration are too important to take that risk.

Mirena coil is fab (I have one and I’m also ‘too fat’ for the combined pill), copper coil has no hormones at all, mini pill is great but you need to persevere with it as can take 3 months to settle, same with the implant.

I wouldn’t recommend depo as it’s the only method proven through research to be linked weight gain (other methods have anecdotal evidence for weight gain at best.)

We don’t refuse people contraception to be awkward, we really just don’t want you to have a totally preventable stroke.

I got a coil for the first time recently. I was a bit nervous after hearing some of the horror stories but honestly it was fine. No worse than a smear test.

I had terrible experiences with oral contraceptives, but the Mirena coil has been life changing. Wish I'd braved it sooner

I had a copper coil for over 10 years. It was the best contraceptive I ever had. Yes, there are horror stories, but there are also horror stories about BCP- people getting life threatening blood clots, there are horror stories about tampons- people getting toxic shock syndrome and almost dying, there are horror stories about pregnancy- people dying in childbirth, there are horror stories about ectopic pregnancies- people almost dying. You will find horror stories about anything because people dont tend to post about mundane things that work well and having nothing of note to say. My mum who had horrific periods put off having a hysterectomy for years due to hearing horror stories and eventually had it done and said she wished she had it done years ago due to the relief. If you listened to horror stories, you'd literally never do anything in life.

The copper coil was amazing for me- no side effects, no worrying about hormones, insertion and removal was just fine. You need to stop listening to horror stories and try something, thats the only way you'll know if it works for you.

Mirena. It’s a god send. Releases small amount locally at the spot so not like the mini-pull at all. There will be substantial bleeding for first several weeks and then ….. heaven.

I have had 2 Mirena Coils and haven't had a period for 20 years, bliss!

Have an eroded cervix and was so anxious that I had the first put in under General Anaesthetic. However, the second one was done with nothing at all, and was similar to a smear test.

Same issue btw, too fat for same pill. Coil's been brilliant! Wish I'd known about it in my 20s.

Depending on your bmi they wouldn’t sterilise you either, I can’t remember what mine was but she said I had to lose weight before they would consider it. I’ve been on depo for years now and fine but didn’t gain weight on it thankfully. Suits me, can do it myself and I don’t have to remember to take anything.

Have you had microgynon before? It made me depressed and hysterical! In your position I’d try the implant or injection.

I use the copper no hormone coil. Works for me.

The reason you've heard bad things about coil removal is because the thousands and thousands of women who get it removed with no issue whatsoever don't think "That was a breeze, I'll go on MumsNet to tell everyone about how it much of a non-event it was".

I've had a copper coil and for coming up for 9 years now. Best thing ever. Bled quite a bit when it was inserted as I'd had a previous procedure which made it difficult, but that was ONE DAYS HASSLE NINE YEARS AGO. I've hardly thought about it since!

Im 49 overweight and i buy my mini pill from Boots. Hana

@toofatforthis I'm also fat and on my 4th implant . Very little side effects , which settle quickly in a few weeks (they tend to be either right after a new one or before needing a new one). Barely any periods, which is actually a bonus.

Since you asked about visibility and scarring here is my arm. You need to know they're there to look for them really.

Another vote for copper coil. I had mine fitted when I had my smear test. No side effects, I've actually dropped a dress size and have realised how miserable hormonal contraception made me.

Omg that sounds horrible. So copper coils can also affect weight and mood??! Despite being non hormonal?

@peasandquiets I think it's really individual
I've had no issues or I wouldn't have gone back and had two more fitted!
Hormonal causes more mood swings for me
Yes I hate having it fitted but I tell myself it's 5 minutes for 10 years

Your title is completely misleading. Like you, for various reasons I can’t or don’t want to use most forms of contraception, so we use condoms and it’s fine.

Thanks @Rebellious23 - this was the first time I'd ever heard about a non hormonal method also potentially causing these issues so was very surprised!

Implant all the way