Need some contraceptive advice

[wendysue]

Can anyone recommend a form of birth control other than the Pill? After two live births and 3 consec. miscarriages I've decided that my body has had enough, but I have reservations about birth control pills. I've never used anything in the past, so this is new to me.
Thanks!

[Starr]

Hmm, besides the pill I can only think of a couple. I'm not clear on the name but one is like a ponytail holder rubber device that you insert and I think you change it every 4 weeks, someone else might know the name. A diaphragm (do people still use these) I think they are still around. Umm not the best person to ask since I am on the pill. The nice thing about the pill I take is that I only menstrate 4 times a year now, DH is so happy. But I also am on this particular brand for fertility issues as well. Good luck in finding what works best for you.

[Starr]

Almost forgot they came out with a patch now too, might want to check that out.

[justmandy]

There's alot out there. That ponytail thing is called the nuvaring...I used it for a month but I am very sencitive to hormonal contraceptives so it didn't work for me. There's the depo shot, it's a shot that you have to have every 3 or 4 months (I can't remember). IUD's are suposed to be very safe and effective...there's one with and one without hormones. It is a small T shaped device inserted into your uterus and can stay there for up to 10 years. Diaphrams and cervical caps aren't that effective even when used perfectly and I hear it's hard to do that. Here's a site that lays it all out for you. http://www.4woman.gov/faq/birthcont.htm My SIL uses the rythm method (timing your ovulation and avoiding fertilization during those days) that's what I'm looking into. Good luck!

[marilynmama]

I LOVE the NuvaRing. I had side effects from the pill but the NuvaRing has less than half the amounts of hormones that the pill does so it has been a *great* option for me.

You insert it (the placement doesn't matter at all) and leave it in your vagina for 3 weeks, take it out, have your period and then put in another one for 3 weeks. You can also do what I do and leave it in for 4 weeks and not have your period at all

Here is a link to it and you can also compare it to other methods of birth control, it also shows the hormone dosage so you can see how much less it is than the pill:
http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/index.asp
Here is the link to compare it to other forms of birth control :
http://www.nuvaring.com/Consumer/isN...hods/index.asp

Besides the NuvaRing that I have had experience with a have a few friends who love their Mirena IUD's. It is also very very low hormones, no estrogen. The Patch is a good choice as well.

Good luck. I just hope you find something that works well for your body and lifestyle.

[rebeccalizzie]

I had a rough time with all hormonal contraceptives. I used Nuvaring and *loved* it for a long time, but finally I started to have problems so I went off of it.

LOL, yes, there are still people who use diaphragms--I really like mine. They are pretty effective, no weird hormones, and no loss of sensation (DH and I *hated* condoms!!!) The only annoying thing is that we have to stop while I go insert it, but anymore I usually know when it's likely that we will GIO, so I put it in before I come to bed. It stays in overnight, and I just remove it in the morning.

[Kleine Hexe]

Don't forget cervical caps too. They can stay in longer. In the US they're approved for 48 hours and 72 in Europe. Since I normally have sex on weekends only (too tired during the week) I'll insert my FemCap on Friday eveing and take it out Sunday night. If used with spermicide (I use natural stuff) the effective rate is in the 90's.

[wumanh]

How about fertility awareness? Back it up with condoms or diaphram. I have real concerns about hormonal birth control for one's long term health although I totally understand the convenience aspect.

[merrick]

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[Boobs]

I love having an IUD. I won't have to have it replaced for 10 years and it is hormone free. There is a new IUD with hormones, but I got the one without.

[LoveChild421]

I will never use hormonal contraceptives (pill, patch, ring) again after doing some research on how they cause B vitamin absorbtion problems and weaken the immune system. Plus I just feel off and disconnected from my own body rhythms when I took them.

Now we use FAM (I highly recommend the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility") and lambskin condoms when I am fertile. It worked perfectly for 2 years and we conceived ds the first month we stopped using condoms (also if your partner doesn't like condoms the lambskin ones are MUCH better!)

[Want2MakeAChange]

Where do you get lambskin condoms? Are they avail. everywhere?

[mzfern]

Originally Posted by LoveChild421

I highly recommend the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility"

Second that recommendation! If nothing else, it's fascinating learning about your body's cycles.

[Dmitrizmom]

Just a heads up that Ortho Evra - the patch is currently being investigated with respect to causing blood clots in users... I believe that the current evidence is that it is 3x more likely to cause clots than BCPs; that the data was reworked to remove that from the risk list before it was licensed. Still a small risk, but there.

[DecemberSun]

Originally Posted by Kleine Hexe

I'll insert my FemCap on Friday eveing and take it out Sunday night. If used with spermicide (I use natural stuff) the effective rate is in the 90's.

Is the FemCap available over the counter? And what is this natural spermicide I've never heard of???

[mblendley]

just taking notes
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[celrae]

IUD's are suposed to be very safe and effective...there's one with and one without hormones.

I love my IUD and would and think it's better than a hormonal birth control. 10 years was the selling factor to me. We were sure that we didn't want more kids but, din't want to regret anything if we changed our minds.

[Starflower]

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[winter_dawn]

Also, the IUD, both with and without hormones, is the most effective form of bc there is--next to sterilzation. Paragard (no hormones-see http://www.paragard.com/new_installs/paragard/) can be left in for 10 years and is 99.99999% effective. Good enough odds for me!

[ja mama]

But I thought the biggest drawback of an IUD without hormones was that there was more cramping and a higher blood flow every month. As someone who already has intense cramps, that seemed a pretty significant drawback. Is that really the case or have IUD's advanced in the past decade since I really looked at them?