BC options?

[librarygirl]

Hi everyone,

Just trying to explore my options and thought I'd see if anyone here had some feedback.

I'm 31, my partner is 36. No kids. We aren't married yet and he's not currently working so we really don't want to start a family. We're both okay if it does happen but really do want to prevent right now.

I've always had a mild latex allergy but we've been using latex condoms since last fall and it's been okay until my allergy manifested itself in a horrible UTI this weekend (hate antibiotics but in so much pain that I'll take them right now). So we realize we need another form of BC.

So, I'm allergic to latex and spermacide and turn into a raging bitch when I'm on the pill. Neither of us like the idea of an IUD and he doesn't trust FAM (at all, even though I chart and have very clear signs of ovulation and a regular schedule).

Are we missing a potential method? We can try non-latex condoms. Anyone use these and can tell me good things about them? I tried the Trojan ones several years ago and thought they were awful. I threw out the suggestion of abstinence and he chuckled and said he'd last longer on that than I would. :)

Thanks!

[*MamaJen*]

I can't do hormonal methods either. I tried just about everything out there and finally got a copper (non-hormonal) IUD. I know you said you weren't into the idea, but it might be something to explore. It's incredibly effective, it's economically a good deal if you're going to have it for a while, it's really nice not having to think about birth control at all, and for many women, there are very few side effects. I know some women have killer cramps on it, but my cramps actually went away. My periods got a bit heavier for a few months but pretty much evened out. It's hands down the best birth control I've ever had, and I've tried a lot of them. 

Your other non-hormonal methods are basically FAM, a diaphragm, or withdrawal. Diaphragms without spermicide are pretty close to useless. You could consider a combination of FAM and withdrawal. You could use withdrawal in any period that could remotely be fertile, and non-latex condoms as backup during fertile periods. Withdrawal on its own is a lot better than nothing at all, but I wouldn't rely on it solely (ask me why...). If you do rely on withdrawal, it's really important that you can only use it once in any given time span. If you're DTD twice back to back, there's a good chance you'll wind up pregnant.

Alternately, you could also try out some of the other hormonal methods, like Nuvaring. Some women that can't tolerate the pill can do the patch or ring. Just stay away from Depo Provera. It's seriously the devil.

Abstinence never did work for me either. :)

[treegardner]

I can't do hormonal BC either, so now we use a combination of condoms and FAM.

 

[Rainy229]

I have a life-threatening allergy to latex, and develop a lovely case of hives when exposed to certain chemicals - such as spermicide (to be more specific oct-oxyl-9 and non-oxyl-9 - a mild lice treatment and spermicide, respectively).  I started using FAM before we were married (TMI perhaps, but um, I'm really surprised that we are the only couple we know of IRL who had sex for the first time (as in first time ever) after marriage ... :::blush:::), but had typical PCOS charts (don't know what one looks like - jump on a horse and try to draw a straight line while the horse is galloping - that'll look like my old charts!), so we didn't want to risk it with just FAM, so anytime I had any sort of potentially fertile CM, we used a non-latex condom without spermicide.  I can honestly say I don't have any idea what brand that was - we tried a couple, and frankly, none of them were very comfy for me - or him... and there were a few times we didn't have our little friends with us... so we just did other things.... :/

I wish there was a magic button that would fix all our concerns!!!  I'd even take a switch, a lock and key, ... ... ...  :-P

--Rainy

[Jayray]

We like the lamb skin condoms much better than latex.  They are really expensive, though.  Probably not more expensive than the pill or something similar.

[librarygirl]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Boyfriend was going to get some non-latex condoms today even though I told him with this UTI, he's not getting any for awhile! ;)

I brought up FAM again last night and mentioned that he just didn't seem like he liked that idea at all. He said it just didn't seem like it could be effective to not use "anything". I told him it was a little more complicated than that, but he's still skeptical. Any resources I can suggest for him to read that might explain it easily? He's a reader but I just can't see him diving into TCOYF. :)