contraception and menstruation

[falasportugues]

These days we have a choice of contraception, some of which can stop us menstruating, and some of which don't. I have preferred in the past to continue having periods, because I think it is important to be aware of my hormonal cycle. Do any ladies here have any other arguments for and against menstruating? It's renewal time, and I'd like some different perspectives to help me decide. I realise I could have put this on the family planning topic, but I would appreciate a feminist views on this issue. Thank you.

[LilBB]

After this baby I really want to be sterilised. I dont know if they will let me due to my age. No matter what happens I am having no more children!!

Anyhow I was on the pill for about 5 years before TTC. I tried quite a few and each had their drawbacks. I've contemplated the implant/injection but put of by the possible side effects lasting a long time if you decide it's not for you. If I ever tried to delay my period by taking two packs of pills back to back then after a few days of the second pack I would get really painful stomach cramps. Almost felt as though my body was going 'I've had enough, let me menstruate'. As j have light periods with only mild discomfort that last about 3 days it doesnt bother me having them.

I must say that the attitude of 'go on the pill' to fix menstrual problems really annoys me. My SIL ends up in bed for days with period pain. That to me is not right, surely a doctor should investigate it. If you were bedridden for days at a time with back ache you would want it sorting. I still think there is a rather old fashioned attitude of 'women's problems' that still exists.

[snowmama]

I think there is definatley a 'hormones fixes all' mentality, with no real investigation of causes.

[TotalChaos]

FeministLurker- agree with your points. Have done a little research and there doesn't seem to be an association between Cerazette and Osteoporisis (yet....), am aware of the risks. But in the past have had pushy FPC nurses strongly recommend Depo . When I expressed concern about the hormones being in my body for several months, a nurse said - but if you got PG you'ld have something in your body for several months . I told her v strongly that I was not a fool, and was well aware of how to comply with daily pill instructions.

In terms of investigation of heavy periods - IME of friends/relatives gynae referral other than for ablation/hysterectomy hasn't really helped much other than to rule out sinister causes. So rather than wait possibly a year plus for referrals, scans which may result in little more than a tranexamic prescription, I prefer the sticking plaster solution of hormones.

[TrilllianAstra]

I am on the depo provera injection. It it great. I don't have periods and don't have mood swings.

I never felt this earth-mother need to be in touch with my periods. They were just inconvenient and uncomfortable things that helpfully happened at about the same time as mood swings, so I was uncomfortable and grumpy and having to deal with unwanted excretions at the same time.

[littlesez]

Are there any options for men yet?just wondering ? we use condoms because im not going through any more hormonal shit

[TrilllianAstra]

(sorry, clearly I am one of the lucky people who reacts exactly as expected to hormonal contraceptives, I realise it's not the case for everyone)

[buzzsore]

Post 2nd child, I started suffering incredible depressive mood swings which coincided with my cycle. Frightened the shit out of me when I ended up gibbering in a corner seriously considering self-harm. Had the Mirena - sorted.

Beforehand we'd considered the snip for dh.

I always resented taking the Pill.

I prefer sex without condoms with dh, plus am one of the women who does orgasm during PIV, so giving it up would be a bit of a bummer for me.

[mrsravelstein]

this is interesting because i was just thinking recently that despite the fact that i've got 3 dc and dh has had a vasectomy, i have still got another 10-15 years or so of periods still to go which seems a bit pointless.

but having been fat and unhappy on the pill in my teens and 20s, there's no way i'd want to mess with my hormones artificially... so i guess i'm stuck with it...

[MooncupGoddess]

What annoys me about hormonal contraception is that female libido is linked to the monthly cycle and peaks at ovulation for obvious reasons. So, if you suppress ovulation, you will suppress libido (to some extent, obviously it depends on the woman). Which rather goes against the point of using contraception in the first place.

Last year, for this reason, I ventured to the family planning centre to try out the diaphragm. However, it was enormous, like inserting a UFO up myself, so I have to confess I wimped out.

[vezzie]

Dittany - I'm interested in your take on IUD. I hadn't thought of it that way. I have always thought that the way hormonal contraception is so heavily pushed was a problem and have never ever wanted it for myself; like HerBex I was wondering recently why no one talks about diaphragms any more. I mentioned the iud to DP and he was appalled; on some gut level he saw it as a really extreme thing, he was very surprised I was even thinking about it. I thought of it as a simple localised physical solution that doesn't bludgeon your whole metabolism with hormones. Now I think that (unusually for me - usually my gut leads me firmly and instantly towards the me-first, don't mess with my body for your purposes, feminist take on things, whether I follow it in real life and deal with the consequences or not) I am maybe missing something. Maybe I don't know enough about it.

[snowmama]

Rather than rejecting PIV, I would promote barrier methods. Sex for me (completely anecdotal no scientific basis) does provide benefits including, energy, reduces severity and recurrence of my migraines, back ache and general pain...I include PIV and non-PIV in this...and would prefer not to add to my ever growing 'life admin list of things to do' - 'must not do PIV'.

I am a big fan of male and female condoms. Used well they are very safe particularly in conjunction with spermicides. Have never had an accident with them.

[wrongdecade]

I had the implant but had issues was literally on a 'P' all the time with like a week break if If was lucky, being anaemic bleeding for like 2 onths at a time made me very ill.

got put on The pill to stop me bleeding whilst its good all the hormones have caused my chest to just grow and grow i've gone up 4 cups in the last year .
sorry fir the life story seems as one problem is erased on crops up.

[Cattleprod]

I've only ever used condoms. I'm not prepared to pump myself full of hormones and get fat and have to wipe slime from my fanjo or lay in a wet, sticky bed all night just so DP gets marginally more sensation.

Would happily do without periods though - would make swimming trip/holiday/underwear planning much easier, and solve the psychological issues I now have with bleeding 'down there' following a mc.

[wrongdecade]

wipe slime from my fanjo

what?

[Cattleprod]

After sex, wrongdecade!

[wrongdecade]

Ooh

I've never done that

[littlesez]

snowmama me too i think condoms are the way to go can't you tell my mum is a sex ed teacher ?

princehumperdink got a few more children planned yet

It just seems there are a million ways for women to interfere with their bodies but none for men

I am NEVER going back to any kind of contraception ever except condoms i have long and boring stories as to why

[dizzy77]

I'm with cattleprod, snowmama & littlesez - condoms for practical and control reasons. LOL cattleprod, agree there is a major advantage in someone else having to get out of bed to have a post coital sort out. Touch wood, I've always been relatively lucky with my periods, haven't found them a major inconvenience, and have enjoyed the connection with what's going on in my body.

This is very present for me: DS is 4 weeks old and all the HCPs have started pushing hormonal methods. They don't seem to trust DH and I to use condoms, although we did successfully for 12 years before TTC (well, not not trying for the first year ). Whilst he says having got used to it for 2 years he'd prefer not to use them, we've discussed all the other methods that involve messing with my body and lots of uncertainty about the affect on my periods, moods etc and I think we'll see how we get on. We do plan to have more children, so whilst I'd prefer to wait till DS has a bit more independence, it wouldn't be a disaster if I fell pg again.

[AnaisB]

I'm BFing at the moment and miss my cycles (or more accurately I miss my libido). Definitely wouldn't want to use contraception that affected my libido.

Pre-pregnancy I used an IUD. I had no problems letting someone put a bit of metal/plastic in my body if it meant I could carry on having sex without condoms. Plus, after removal you are immediately fertile - not always the case with hormonal contraception.

The risk of ectopic pregnancies with a non-progesterone IUD is half that than with no form of birth control, but if you do get pregnant with an IUD there is a higher risk it will be ectopic as the chance of intrauterine pregnancies is so much lower.