Need Advice: RE - No relationship, no birth control.

[1xmom]

I am not in a relationship and next week I go to my ob/gyn for my yearly. However, after some medical problems, I can no longer take the pill, now I don't know what to do. I am almost 40, have 1 child and have no desire to have anymore children. I am bouncing back and forth between IUD and getting fixed, but can't make up my mind. Any advice?

[nolonger]

If you're not in a relationship, then you would need to use condoms to protect yourself from STDs anyway. I strongly advise against "getting fixed" because circumstances can change and although reversals are possible, they are expensive and you rarely get your full fertility back again.

I felt very old and worn out at forty, but that turned out to be just depression and an extremely poor diet because I was trying to keep my dd in college. She came home, we accepted our limitations, and when my health returned, I decided that I very much wanted one more child before it was too late.

Things aren't perfect by any means, but I am so glad that my fertility was intact and I am now looking forward to being a single mom by choice.

[wytchywoman]

What about a diaphragm? I know that this is not the BC method of choice for a lot of women but I have used them in the past and found that it wasn't to bad. Plus it can double as a menstrual cup for when you have your period which is a whole lot better for you than tampons anyways.
Your OB/GYN may advise against an IUD because you are not in a stable momgamous relationship and if you catch an STD while you have an IUD in place it can cause a lot of damage because it acts as a sort of wick and carries the infection straight up into the uterus and fallopian tubes very quickly. I always recommend condoms anyways, irregardless of what BC method you use, but if you have an IUD you need to be extremely vigilant about using them.
FWIW, after I had my second BC pill baby I decided I was absolutely done so I had my tubes tied. The procedure was extremely easy, done as an outpatient procedure and I was home and feeling relatively normal within a few hours. I was flly recuperated after 2-3 days so although you would think it be harsh it really isn't. Like PP said though, you have to be totally 100% sure you are done because reversals are very invasive and often don't work.

[1xmom]

It goes w/o saying that condoms are a must. I really have no desire to have anymore kids at all. I am at the point in my career where by the time my one and only graduates from high school I can retire and do something else. But we shall see. I never thought about a diaphragm - that could be another option I'll be checking into.