The best contraceptive for you?

havana

I've used the Nuvaring for years now and think it's great. It has less hormones than the pill as far as i know. No side effects for me anyway!!

More info on www.Nuvaring.com

iguana

I used to use a diaphragm and I think it's fantastic. I really, really don't understand why it's not more popular. The main problem I found with it was getting a doctor who would work out the fit for me.

Bally8

I've had the merina IUD for 3 years now. I think its brilliant. No big deal getting it in. I dont know why others had a problem, maybe its because I already have a child. It took a few months to settle down but now only I have very light spotting for 1 day once a month. Apart from that I wouldnt even notice it. I feel very confident that I wont get pregnant. I cant recommend it enough.

emer_b

I was on the pill for about 8 years and thought it would be a good idea to let my body get back to normal as I'd like to get pregnant in the next few years, and just not comfortable with artificial hormones anymore.
I've been using Persona for the last 18 months or so and finding it great. However, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I got pregnant so its probably a better solution for someone who's in that frame of mind. Don't know if I would trust it if pregnancy was a definite no no!

Ickle Magoo

Bally8 wrote: »

I've had the merina IUD for 3 years now. I think its brilliant. No big deal getting it in. I dont know why others had a problem, maybe its because I already have a child...

By others, do you mean me?

I've had two kids...but I also have an inverted uterus, hence the precautions by getting it done in hospital, the pain and the reticence to go that route again. Other than the odd painful twinge, loved it while it was in...

Actually, when the Marina's time is up I'm going to ask about getting my tubes tied...

Kimia

Lots of potentials here ladies, thank you for sharing. I'm very interested in these injections you speak of, no periods do you say? Hmmm.. very interested.

Again though, I do want to give my body a break from all the chemicals I've been pumping into it, so maybe not the best option.

I've never used a diaphragm but I don't know if I'd be that into it - I'm not familiar with it but having to get up in the middle and into the bathroom to put it in sounds like a bit of a passion killer.

Lia_lia

I've been on the pill for years now. I go off it every now and then (usually because I can't afford to go to the doctors to get another prescription ). But even if I don't need it for contraceptive reasons I like knowing when I'm getting my period.

I pretty much always use condoms also.

XxMCRxBabyxX

bluewolf wrote: »

I'm happy enough with the pill plus condoms. I'm on and off the pill over the years and never had any side effects from it, so it's fine with me.
I'm a bit useless with actually remembering the correct times but I think the one I use isn't quite so to-the-minute as some of the others. I think the injections might be a better plan

bluewolf wrote: »

Yes, it is certainly not 100%, which is why I get very annoyed that anyone on the pill becoming pregnant is assumed to be lying or something.
It's also why I prefer to double up, although I am wondering if I am the only one :pac:



Oh that's fair enough, I was just curious !

You're defo not the only one! I'm the same! Both my OH and I are way too paranoid to not use one or the other! 1% is too much risk for me!

Lucyfur

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

By others, do you mean me?

I've had two kids...but I also have an inverted uterus, hence the precautions by getting it done in hospital, the pain and the reticence to go that route again. Other than the odd painful twinge, loved it while it was in...

Actually, when the Marina's time is up I'm going to ask about getting my tubes tied...

I had had a child when I got the Merina in and it was AGONY. Granted, the pain was gone after a day but still, very sore at the time.


I was told, and I don't know if I fully believe it as the person who told me has a habit of talking out of her @rse, that they are very reluctant to tie tubes nowadays.

Cocolola

I was put on Dianette when I was 17 as it had the added bonus of being good for acne-prone skin. I came off it though after about 4 years though as it was causing some problems down below and I was reading bad things about it on the internet. Stayed off the hormonal birth control for a year or two and then decided to try the pill again, this time Yasminelle I think. Well I came off that after a week. I was a hormonal wreck and I went into depression, at one stage I was telling my boyfriend how I wish I could just go to sleep forever and never have to live through another day :eek: So ya, hormonal BC doesn't work for me! Barrier method it is then!

As an aside, I must admit I don't know exactly how the Depo Provera works, but IMO anything that stops your periods completely can't be good for you. I kind of feel the same way about any hormonal birth control. I think it messes too much with your body. But that's just me, I know everyone is different.

Bally8

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

By others, do you mean me?

Oh no I didnt mean you specifically, it's just every time there is a thread like this there are lots of people saying how sore it was getting the merina in and I just thank my lucky stars it wasn't that bad at all for me:)


A very positive thing to come out of getting the merina in was the fact that I had to have an STI test and a smear first before they would do it. I hadnt had a smear in 8 years and dont know if I would have bothered going for one if I wasnt required to do it. I found out I had abnormal cells and went through 2 years of treatment before I was 'normal' again. If I hadnt got the merina in I would have being going around oblivious. Sorry Im going way off topic:)

montane

Abstinence is my favourite contraception.

coffee_cake

montane wrote: »

Abstinence is my favourite contraception.

99.9% effective :pac:

ElleEm

Have been on the pill for ther last eleven years or so, and never had any problems (or babies!!).
I am semi- conscious of the hormone thing, but it's working for me so I'll stay on it til we decide to make a baby.

common sense brigade

Tell him to get off the Bus before the last stop:)

ElleEm

common sense brigade wrote: »

Tell him to get off the Bus before the last stop:)

I know too many stories of people getting pregnant using this method- DON'T DO IT!

Kooli

I was on the pill for years, tried the depo injection (was floored by a black cloud of depression for the three months), then back on the pill and now I'm on the Nuvaring, which is great, but I still want to get off hormones. I just hate not knowing if my moods, sex drive etc. are being affected by hormones or if they're the 'real' me!

So I've been reading up on the Fertility Awareness Method, and am considering trying that with condoms. But like others have said, I won't try it until we're at a stage when a pregnancy wouldn't be the worst thing in the world!

coffee_cake

ElleEm wrote: »

I know too many stories of people getting pregnant using this method- DON'T DO IT!

Yeah don't

I went off to wiki to back it up and got a bit of a surprise on reading:

Studies have demonstrated the presence of HIV in most pre-ejaculate samples from infected men.[1][9][10] Infection with HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Popular belief states that pre-ejaculate may contain sperm that can cause pregnancy, which is a common basis of argument against the use of coitus interruptus (withdrawal) as a contraceptive method. However, some studies have found that withdrawal could be almost as effective as condoms in preventing pregnancy.[11] There have been several studies that conclude no sperm is present, and thus, pre-ejaculate is ineffectual at causing pregnancy.[1][2][3][4] However, recently published studies show the presence of high sperm concentration in a pre-ejaculate fluid of a small group of men.[5] It is likely, however, that pre-ejaculate that follows a recent ejaculation will contain sperm,[12] though urinating will flush the urethra of remaining spermatozoa.

That's more ambiguous than I was expecting

Ms. Captain M

I'm on my second Mirena and I love it.

The first time getting it in was so painful (and I've had a baby) and I was really dreading getting it changed, but there was no problems at all getting the second one in, not quite pain free but nothing compared to the first one.

Malari

common sense brigade wrote: »

Tell him to get off the Bus before the last stop:)

ElleEm wrote: »

I know too many stories of people getting pregnant using this method- DON'T DO IT!

bluewolf wrote: »

Yeah don't

I went off to wiki to back it up and got a bit of a surprise on reading:

That's more ambiguous than I was expecting

So with another method it's gotta help! I would use it (I'm also on the pill) unless we are also using condoms. Interesting Wiki, Bluewolf - I was reluctant to google "ejaculate" in work :eek:

LisaLowlife

Ickle Magoo wrote: »

I currently have the Mirena - but I had to have it inserted in the hospital and it was bloody painful - so not going to do that again. Prior to kids I had the Depo-provera injections and loved it - no periods and actually lost weight, so I'm going to go back on that in a couple of months...I hated the pill, could never remember to take it, worrying when I was ill, just found it too much hassle and given I was in a long-term relationship, the injection was so much handier.

I was looking this up online, seems like theres an awful lot of warnings about it. I have been using condoms for the last 5 years and haven't gotten pregnant yet, however, I would feel better knowing that I have a back up as well. The pill def wouldn't suit as I would forget to take it

Wasn't there loads of women who had the disk in their arm and it wasn't put in properly and they got pregnant? Scary stuff :eek:

coffee_cake

Malari wrote: »

So with another method it's gotta help! I would use it (I'm also on the pill) unless we are also using condoms. Interesting Wiki, Bluewolf - I was reluctant to google "ejaculate" in work :eek:

Yeah, they have a big nsfw picture in the link itself, so don't look for it if you are in work
I suppose in combination with something else it might help.

iguana

Kimia wrote: »

I've never used a diaphragm but I don't know if I'd be that into it - I'm not familiar with it but having to get up in the middle and into the bathroom to put it in sounds like a bit of a passion killer.

You don't need to put the diaphragm in "in the middle" of anything. You can put it in several hours in advance.

iguana

bluewolf wrote: »

That's more ambiguous than I was expecting

Yup, there is almost never any sperm in pre-cum. It's only ever been found to be present if the guy hasn't urinated since his last ejaculation. However sometimes men do ejaculate faster than intended, as the orgasm can take them by surprise on occasion. If that happens and you were relying on the withdrawal method then, at best, you are going to be filling your body up with artificial hormones the next day.

Salty

Stheno wrote: »

See I'd be your opposite there, as a young teen (14/15) I used faint during periods and was put on the pill for that. Even on the pill periods knocked me sideways, so depo suits me down to the ground, no periods, no agonising pains for two weeks out of four, nothing.

This injection sounds very interesting indeed...I have been having trouble with my periods for the last 2 years, in that they have become excruciatingly painful. I've never been on any kind of contraception, but I'm going to get sorted after my exams. Also (don't laugh!:P) myself and my boyf have been together for about 4 and a half years, but have never had full intercourse. A combination of being ridiculously young when we got together, and never having access to any kind of reliable contraception. I guess it just suited us to wait it out to be safe!:P
How is the depo cost-wise? And where exactly do they inject you with it?

I'd also been considering getting the the bar thing(what's it called again??) in my arm, but I'm not sure if that would help with the periods.

I want to avoid the pill. I know I would forget it all the time!:rolleyes:

cdaly_

_meehan_ wrote: »

I've never been on any kind of contraception, but I'm going to get sorted after my exams. Also (don't laugh!:P) myself and my boyf have been together for about 4 and a half years, but have never had full intercourse. A combination of being ridiculously young when we got together, and never having access to any kind of reliable contraception. I guess it just suited us to wait it out to be safe!:P

Nothing very unusual about that. Plenty of other ways to have fun...

careymary

I use Implanon and am so happy with it, I have never had a problem with it, it regulates my periods and makes them so much lighter which is brilliant for me, I used to have quite a difficult time.
In fact this is my second Implanon and the only reason I would stop using it is if I was planning to get pregnant, cant recommend it enough!

Morag

I my IUS. On the 2nd one, will be getting a 3rd, no periods, no hassles, perfect.
I've also heard of someone who's body under went menopause while she had her last one in, so she never suffered 'the change' and all the side effects, so fingers crossed.

krudler

montane wrote: »

Abstinence is my favourite contraception.

I dunno I knew a couple, lets call them...Joseph and Mary to hide their identities, and they never had sex, but one day...

XxMCRxBabyxX

krudler wrote: »

I dunno I knew a couple, lets call them...Joseph and Mary to hide their identities, and they never had sex, but one day...

Dammit you beat me to it! :P
You know them too?! Small world :P

Also: does anyone think it would be a really bad idea for me to skip my break week on the pill for the second month in a row? Skipped it last month because of exams and am starting a new job next week and would rather not have to deal with my period as well! I'm on ovranette if that makes a difference!