Anyone use a Fem Cap?

[kJad29]

Hi!

I posted the diaphragm question a couple of weeks ago. I spoke with my midwife and we were talking about the b/c methods out there. I told her I wanted something easy and natural to do with tracking cervical mucus and she suggested the Fem Cap. I went to the website and I'm totally sold on it, but want to know if any of you ladies use it as a main form of b/c. Just curious...

Thanks.

[pampered_mom]

: I haven't used it, but have been looking for a non-hormonal bc method. Looks like a decent option to me!

[RunnerDuck]

Requires you to use spermacide. Spermacide is extremely irritating to living tissue. Some people don't have problems, but I get nasty yeast infections if I use spermacidal condoms... and got a raging nasty STINKY case of BV while using a diaphram and spermacide.

I'm leary of the spermacide and they can't seem to find a way to close off the cervix without requiring spermacide as back up... so personally, I wouldn't use it.

[sbilady]

Originally Posted by RunnerDuck

Requires you to use spermacide. Spermacide is extremely irritating to living tissue. Some people don't have problems, but I get nasty yeast infections if I use spermacidal condoms... and got a raging nasty STINKY case of BV while using a diaphram and spermacide.

I'm leary of the spermacide and they can't seem to find a way to close off the cervix without requiring spermacide as back up... so personally, I wouldn't use it.

There are some natural spermicidal options available with lab results to prove results. Perhaps these won't irritate. I haven't personally tried it. Check out the Diaphragms and Caps yahoogroup for more info:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Diaphr...guid=117782269

ETA: If you do a google search or a search on MDC for 'cervical cap' you should find plenty of discussions for cervical cap user experiences.

[chaoticzenmom]

I have a femcap. I don't really like the handle on it, but it works well and fits nicely. It has such a nice fit on my cervix that I've never bothered with spermacide. It can be a little stiff and I imagine that it could rub wrong in some situations. So, you may love it, but your husband might not. My husband is fine with it, but he definitely feels it.

I haven't used a diaphram, but I like the femcap ok. There are other silicone cervical caps as well, but I can't think of what they're called.

[kJad29]

thanks ladies. I'll look into the natural spermicide and I think that I may end up liking it though I know that it won't be a couple of weeks before we try to DTD again. (I'm a little scared after having the baby) I've read up on it and it seems the best thing for me since I don't like the idea of sticking something in my uterus, I hate shots, and hormonal birth control makes me dry and uninterested in sex. So this is my best bet. Thanks again...

[EnviroBecca]

(I just saw this, a month later.)

I have a FemCap. Haven't used it in months. It was okay but nowhere near as good as the Prentif cervical cap (they stopped making them ) I used successfully for 10 years before deciding to have a baby. Both the handle of the FemCap and the edges of its flanges were sometimes uncomfortable to my partner. Leaving it in for more than the minimum time or using it again without several days to recover made me a little bit sore, I think from the flanges pushing outward. If I pooped with it in, sometimes it would turn inside out!

But the main reason we quit using it was that my cycle got so obvious after weaning that it's been easy to do NFP and just choose other activities during fertile times.

[Erin22]

I don't post much but when I saw this I had to respond. I personally do NOT recommend the FemCap and if you look at my signature you will see why. I used the largest size, which I assume you would too since you have a kid. It seemed like it fit really well and I used spermicide like I was supposed to. I even emailed the company before I got it because I was uncomfortable with the failure rates (for women who'd had children) of the old version and they told me that they fixed the problem with the new one. But sure enough, not 3 months after I started using it I found out about my little surprise due in July. If you are absolutely serious about not getting pregnant, I think you should use a different bc.

[Meggiem]

I am using a femcap with NFP and using homemade spermicide of aloe and lemon juice. I don't like the femcap and neither does my husband. He feels it rubbing on his penis, I do not feel it but find it annoying when you are in the mood to stop and put it in (keeping in mind you must wait 15 min according to the instructions). I have never used any other form of birth control except the nuva ring (he also felt that too) so I have nothing to compare it with. I love NFP and think it is deff the way to go, but can't say I would recommend the cap.

[3lilpunkins]

No experience with fem cap or spermicide but I did stumble upon this tidbit a few months ago....neem seed oil is a natural spermicide. the man can take pills of it orally as well as use as a lube. HTH

[MC-T]

How did you all get the Femcap? Did you have to get a Rx and then order it through the Femcap website?