Thoughts on Birth Control

[InterfaceLeader]

Hey guys,

I am wondering what the general opinion is on types of Birth Control? I've been investigating, and there seems to be no options with no downsides.

I'm considering going on the pill, but I'm rather reluctant to fill my body with hormones, when we don't even really understand all the effects.

Condoms, on the other hand, are kind of crap, and really bad for the environment.

Of the others, the IUD looks the most promising, but it also seems to have an small proportion of people that become infertile?

Thoughts/expert opinion?

Experiences? Good and bad?

Celibacy is not an option :P

[Michelle]

I use the "Pearly" computer. It is 99.3% effective with no side effects other than not being able to have sex during ovulation and having to measure your temp upon waking. It is great! I would never ever ever go back to the pill.

Natural Methods :: Natural Birth Control, 99.3% Effective with Lady-Comp & Baby-Comp

[starkey]

One huge benefit to birth control is that you don't have to deal with your period. Another option is the depoprovera shot that you only have to take once every 3 months. Talk to your doctor about your options and possible effects. My experience with birth control is that it has been liberating. But only after I had figured out how to take it daily without ever forgetting.

[InterfaceLeader]

Has anybody used like, the IUD?

I can't use the Peraly computers, because my periods are completely whacked out - I regularly go three months without, and then have two in the same month :P I realise I should probably sort my body out, but nothing I have tried has worked.

I'm really uncomfortable just with taking hormones, let alone taking a hormone shot every three months. I think periods are important for keping vagina healthy/balanced (which I think is one of the reasons going on the pill increases incidents of Thrush) and for all kinds of reasons, and I seriously don't want them to stop.

I've looked into natural family planning type methods, and the trouble is, because my periods vary so much I don't think it's really viable. But on the other hand, having seen one friend go through hell thanks to hormonal birth control (repeated thrush, loss of libido, irrational mood swings) I'm quite against the idea.

[katherineholden]

Hi

It's been a while for me but I remember experiencing this same dilemma back in the 80's.

I tried the pill and couldn't deal with the side effects either. I also had a tendency to forget to take the pills. Anyway, I tried the IUD and it was fine. I used a copper-7 which had no hormones. What I liked about it was that I could just forget about it and not have to worry about taking pills or dealing with messy goos and junk. I used the IUD for several years and then when my husband and I decided to have kids it was easy enough to have it removed. We had two beautiful kids, by the way.

The side effects of the IUD were not bad for me. Slight cramping at the time of insertion (I recommend taking some tylenol 30 minutes before you get it inserted) I was told to expect heavier periods but that never happened. Maybe it does with some people.

You mentioned infertility as a possible side effect. I remember reading about some increased risk of possible infertility if the woman's partner had chlamydia or gonorrhea because the theory was, the bacterial baddies could use the string from the IUD as a way into the uterus. You might want to check with your doctor on this. My info is not current.

Good luck!

[sheffy4]

Hey interface,
I've been considering other options too. Currently I'm on the depo-shot, which I really like because I don't get periods hardly ever anymore, and I only have to get it every 3 months. However, there are concerns with taking it long term, and I've been taking it for about 3 or 4 years (I stopped for about a year, then restarted again). Apparently it can decrease bone density, and I want strong healthy bones when I am older! I also read that it can make your breasts smaller, probably due to hormones. But it's not right for everyone. I've known of girls who have taken it and basically had there period for 3 months straight until there body got used to the shot. I was one of the lucky ones who didn't get a period at all.
Plus, my boyfriend thinks the hormones may be partly the cause of some depression I've been experiencing. I'm not so sure I agree, but it might be true.
I'm thinking about checking out the diaphragm, but from what I've read online, it sounds like a pain in the ass. I'm still going to ask my doctor about it though. Also, isn't there a "sponge" out there? I'm not sure how this works, but I assume it might be similar to a diaphragm.
Also, have you asked your doctor why your periods are so irregular? This concerns me...

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by InterfaceLeader

I think periods are important for keping vagina healthy/balanced (which I think is one of the reasons going on the pill increases incidents of Thrush) and for all kinds of reasons, and I seriously don't want them to stop.

On the other side of this, wouldn't it be true that for most of human history shorter lifespans and constant pregnancy/breastfeeding would have actually meant women had fewer periods over the course of their lifetimes?

I definitely don't think this means artificial hormones are a positive thing necessarily.

I've heard good and bad about pretty much every type of birth control. But if you are going for a hormone free option and aren't concerned about STDs then I've heard the most positive stuff about hormone-free IUDs.

Good luck!

[Honeywith4bees]

I agree with your position on hormone free birth control. I think that if you can find a hormone free option, like an IUD, you should try it. Pills and shots are better than risky sex, but they do come with a price tag. What I have always heard is that the more you miss your period, the lower the bone density in your spine. I have also heard that the younger you enter menopause, the younger you tend to die. We have our periods for a reason and while they can be difficult to deal with, they are a natural (and necessary) part of our beautiful design.
If I hadn't decided to get a tubal ligation, I was all set to get an IUD. I have some friends with IUD's and have never heard them complain about them. (They can be EXPENSIVE though! My particular insurance wouldn't cover the cost.)

Good luck in your decision!

[oberlee]

I was on the pill for a while, and I didn't find it to be so bad. What IS bad is the first 1-3 months, when your hormones probably will go CRAZY. After that, they even out.

I was on birth control once for about 3 months and went right off, said I'd never do it again. But I did, and I requested the lowest hormone one possible, and got Low Overall, which is spelled badly, but that's what it sounded like. Anyway, I had some mood swings the first 2 months, and my breasts were more tender, etc., but that all went away after that--completely. I had trouble remembering to take it, but it wasn't that bad.

I want to try the ring, which I have many friends raving about. That's pretty low hormones, and you just put it in your vagina once a month, I believe.

[Nikaia]

I have the Mirena IUD currently. And I have to say, I adore it. It, I believe, does include a small hormone dose. However, it's miniscule, and released over five years while you have it in, so it's not going to wreak the same sort of havoc the Pill or the shot would. It hurt like ever-living hell to have put in, in all fairness I feel I should warn you. I took some insane amount of ibuprofen a half hour before at the suggestion of the doctor, and it still blazed with white-hot pain during the insertion. Afterward, it settled itself comfortably, and now it's fine. I've had it for over a year now, and I still don't have to do squat for birth control until 2011. I love that. I occasionally get cramping from it, usually when I have a full bladder because it puts pressure in the wrong direction or something, but it never lasts long. So - initial investment of massive agony, but five years of peace of mind. Yeah, I'd take that trade-off any day.

The infertility worry comes when you have sex with a partner who has an STI. The IUD increases your odds of an STI causing infertility, which is why they recommend it only for women in a monogamous relationship or who are very very careful about all partners getting tested regularly. So, if you're sure you and your partner(s) are all clean, infertility shouldn't be an issue.

[Doku]

Do the research before you get the shot. My wife got the shot back when we were dating... went from 155# to 215 in about two months... Yeah, 1# per day gained.

[InterfaceLeader]

Thanks for all the responses

I'm still going to ask my doctor about it though. Also, isn't there a "sponge" out there? I'm not sure how this works, but I assume it might be similar to a diaphragm.
Also, have you asked your doctor why your periods are so irregular? This concerns me...

I did look at the "today sponge" - basically, it's a thing you insert in your vagina that is a sponge filled with spermicide. You have to make sure you don't leave it in for too long, and it has to go in I think a few hours ahead of time. I think it would probably be a good option, thought it has a sliiiightly lower prevention rate than the Pill, if that was an issue.

My periods were irregular for a long time because I was quite underweight. They've evened out a bit lately, but I think it takes your system a while to adjust itself.

On the other side of this, wouldn't it be true that for most of human history shorter lifespans and constant pregnancy/breastfeeding would have actually meant women had fewer periods over the course of their lifetimes?

Yes - and I definitely don't have an issue with other women choosing to take the Pill, if they have painful/heavy periods, or if they choose that as their means of birth control (every woman's body is their own).

However, the period is one of the first signs of something wrong with the body... it's an amazing guide to your general health. It does flush out bacteria and restore the natural ph of your vagina, which can provide defence against thrush. It may not be 100% neccessary, but I do think it's more complex than many people think. I'm not a biologist or a health practioner, but I would definitely approach turning off any of my bodies 'natural functions' with trepidition.

As I say though, it's everyone's choice. I don't think there is a 100% perfect solution, at least at the moment.

I was all set to get an IUD. I have some friends with IUD's and have never heard them complain about them. (They can be EXPENSIVE though! My particular insurance wouldn't cover the cost.)

Yay for living in the UK :3

It is sad that having to take the price into consideration is a factor for some people though :/ I suppose it is a one-off payment though.

I was on the pill for a while, and I didn't find it to be so bad. What IS bad is the first 1-3 months, when your hormones probably will go CRAZY. After that, they even out.

Yeah, I think many women find it a positive experience. But having seen the potential effects first hand, I'm not very enthused. If it was a choice between the Pill or condoms (or the Pill and nothing) I think I would go for the Pill. I do think it's one of the best things that's ever happened for women - easy, convenient birth control allowed them to take control of their sexuality in a lot of ways.

But there are other choices as well

I have the Mirena IUD currently. And I have to say, I adore it. It, I believe, does include a small hormone dose. However, it's miniscule, and released over five years while you have it in, so it's not going to wreak the same sort of havoc the Pill or the shot would. It hurt like ever-living hell to have put in, in all fairness I feel I should warn you. I took some insane amount of ibuprofen a half hour before at the suggestion of the doctor, and it still blazed with white-hot pain during the insertion.

Yes, I think there's IUD's with hormone's and ones without... and I hear that they are more painful if you haven't had children (which I haven't). But as you say... a day of pain for five-ten years of worry-free sex is quite a good trade off :3

The infertility worry comes when you have sex with a partner who has an STI. The IUD increases your odds of an STI causing infertility, which is why they recommend it only for women in a monogamous relationship or who are very very careful about all partners getting tested regularly.

I am in a monogamous relationship (getting married in August, yay!) so that shouldn't be an issue.

Thanks for sharing your experience

Do the research before you get the shot. My wife got the shot back when we were dating... went from 155# to 215 in about two months... Yeah, 1# per day gained.

That is kind of shocking o.o

[veranadine]

Hi. My opinion would be that you need to get your period back into whack before jumping into any birth control.

Whacked out periods are our body's subtlest way of letting us know that there is an underlying health problem that we are missing, such as a chemical or emotional imbalance.

I had normal periods all of my life and then suddenly had one that lasted 3 years. Yep, you heard that right, THREE YEARS!

I went to specialist after specialist and even had some invasive surgeries. Nothing worked.

I went on the birth control pill, per the suggestion of my doctor, (even though I am a certified herbalist and knew that this was the wrong choice.) That fixed the problem, except that every time the "period" section of the pills came I had, again, profuse and uncontrollable bleeding.

Having been treated and mistreated by the medical establishment for years, I decided to go back to my herbal knowledge. I carried out extensive research on women's remedies, both ancient and modern.

I discovered that chaste tree berry has been used by women since ancient Sumeria to balance hormones and regulate bleeding before and after pregnancy.

It took some time to find an herbal company that produced Chaste Tree tincture (also known as Vitex) and after being on that tincture for only 48 hours, the bleeding stopped....after three years. I kept on it for six months, as every time I stopped it I would bleed again. Eventually it rebalanced whatever imbalance had initially caused the issue and I no longer take anything to regulate my periods.

Now I am back to the same normal cycle that I always had.

Tinctures take time to subtly readjust your chemical or hormonal imbalances and tighten the muscles that each herb works on.

I know that Vitex works and that it is good for both heavy periods as well as infrequent periods, as several of my fiends have used it after I suggested it.

Once you get yourself back into whack you can then choose from a variety of natural birth control solutions. I agree that Peraly is a very reliable method indeed.

Hope that this helps!

Blessings,

[InterfaceLeader]

Thanks for your input.

I have been looking for herbal / traditional ways to regulate my periods. I've very recently started taking Agnus Castus, which is made from the chaste tree berries. So that's rather co-incidental, that you would talk about it :3

I will give it a couple of months, and see if they become more regular. It's not an urgent decision, as it will be about three months before I am with my partner again, but I wanted to do my research now so I would have time to think about.

[sheffy4]

Veranadine...
Oh my gosh, I heart goes out to you.
How did you even survive? Did you get an iron deficiency or anything like that? I'm so glad you found that Chaste berry though. I'm happy it worked so well for you.

[Pegasus]

I've noticed that spermicide is harder to find at the store. I've heard it's more effective to add it to dry condoms than buying the pre-lubricated kind of condoms. A guy I know went to four different stores (two major pharmacy chains, a retail store, and a grocery store that usually carries KY gel), and none sold any spermicide. I thought he must not be looking very carefully. I went to three stores myself and couldn't find any. Lots and lots of pleasure-enhancing lubricants, but no spermicide?

..

[veranadine]

Thanks for your concern sheffy. I guess it was that the heaviness of the bleeding fluctuated, not always being very heavy but nevertheless present on a daily basis, and that I made sure to take lots of vitamins while trying to solve the mystery. In the end, nature provided the cure, as she always does.

Blessings,

[Amandaaa]

well... I've never taken birth control, so I don't have any personal experience to share with you. My doctor wanted to put me on a birth control a while back, but she also gave me a bottle of hormones to take first...and the whole idea just grossed me out. (I also have this paranoia about BC causing breast cancer, which is why I've never wanted to take it. )


I think another part of the problem is that I've never heard anything good about any brand of birth control. There's always some kind of side effect that you have to deal with. I've heard horrifying things about the shot... I've heard that Yaz depletes your sex drive... Loestrin 20 sucks... Allesse makes you ultra-hormonal... Microgynon30 causes depression... NuvaRing causes migraines and weight gain... ??

Also: I have 6 friends who recently got pregnant while they were on Ortho Tri Cyclen, Ortho Evra, Mirena IUD, Depo-Provera, (and something else that I can't remember). ...Seems like a waste of effort and money if it isn't even effective.


My sister is the only one I know who likes her birth control, and I can't remember what she's on. I'll have to ask her...

[Jennihul]

Michelle's suggestion of using the Pearly computer/ basal body temp method is the absolute best, most natural method and despite rumors, does not depend on a regular period. Your temperature, if done consistently and correctly, tells you when you can and can not have sex safely.

I used it to get pregnant four times and used it ever since to not get pregnant. Six years.

I have a small paper chart on my nightstand. My alarm goes off at six am and I pop the digital thermometer under my tongue. It beeps. I put it on the nightstand and go back to sleep. After I get up, I turn it on to see the reading and put a dot on the graph and get ready for my day. When the dot rises, you know not to have sex. After three or four graphs, you can start to see your cyclical patterns. My left ovary begins a cycle that is 21 days long and my right ovary is 25 days long.

Within nine days after the start of my period, I can have sex freely. Luckily my periods are three days long. After that with condoms until day 17 when I can have sex freely again. The female condoms are preferrable. Or just abstain. There are worse things.

If your periods are extremely irregular, you should see a doctor. You could have polycystic ovary disease, ovarian cancer, hormonal imbalances or pituitary or thyroid issues.

Jennifer

[gettingskinny]

Originally Posted by InterfaceLeader

Hey guys,

I am wondering what the general opinion is on types of Birth Control?
Thoughts/expert opinion?:P

Unless medically necessary, don't do it!

[InterfaceLeader]

Originally Posted by gettingskinny

Unless medically necessary, don't do it!

Lol, well, some kind of birth control is necessary if you plan on having sex / not having babies

Michelle's suggestion of using the Pearly computer/ basal body temp method is the absolute best, most natural method and despite rumors, does not depend on a regular period. Your temperature, if done consistently and correctly, tells you when you can and can not have sex safely.

My friend used this method. I would say it does seem to require a fairly regular schedule though? You need to wake-up at the same time each day etc. Have you had any experience with things like - crossing time-zones, jet-lag etc etc?

If your periods are extremely irregular, you should see a doctor. You could have polycystic ovary disease, ovarian cancer, hormonal imbalances or pituitary or thyroid issues.

My periods are irregular because I was underweight/using some pretty unhealthy substances. They are becoming more and more regular as I sort my life out - switching to a primarily vegetarian, wholly organic diet, quitting many harmful drugs, moving to a cleaner, more organized environment, doing regular exercise etc etc etc.... my main worry is that I'm not ready yet for something like the Peraly computer. I still regress sometimes, and I'm still a little underweight.

I have seen a doctor, just over a year ago, and they did a number of blood tests/thyroid examinations etc but didn't really come up with anything abnormal.

Getting sick tends to throw me out of whack, and I got sick twice last year. I'm fairly confident that by the end of this year, however, I will be within a healthy weight range, and far more regular.

Any further advice on how to accomplish this is always appreciated I started taking chaste berry, and I'll see how that goes.

I'm getting married in August, and I really need something safe/effective for Birth Control. People have given me lots of feedback, which I really appreciate

At the moment I think I've narrowed my options down to the non-hormonal IUD, which I would get done around the start of September, or the Peraly computer - but only if I keep a reasonable schedule between now and then.

The comp does seem like the most non-invasive, safe thin to do, and if it is effective I think it's worth it.

Is there anybody here who has had a NEGATIVE experience with the IUD or the peraly computer?

[gettingskinny]

Originally Posted by InterfaceLeader

Lol, well, some kind of birth control is necessary if you plan on having sex / not having babies

You can do NFL (natural family planning). I wouldn't do an IUD. You can get an ovulation computer/calculator.

[Illy]

Originally Posted by InterfaceLeader

The comp does seem like the most non-invasive, safe thin to do, and if it is effective I think it's worth it.

Is there anybody here who has had a NEGATIVE experience with the IUD or the peraly computer?

This has been a very informative thread for me too--I have decided to go off my low-dose hormone birth control pills (I have been on them without a break since I was 16) and see if my mood swings and depression improves. So that too leaves me with the ovulation computer, the only non-invasive method, which I did some research on. The fact that on infertile days I have no chance of getting pregnant is very consoling, but here is what worries me: on the abstract (Retrospective clinical trial of contraceptive effectiveness of the electronic fertility indicator Ladycomp / Babycomp.) it says "The mean length of the identified fertile period was 13.5 days (standard deviation, 0.87 days) with normal cycles of 26-30 days' duration." -- does that mean it is possible I'm one of those very fertile women who won't be able to have sex for almost half the month because I'm ovulating? That would really suck because that means I have to find alternative contraception for almost half the month, and not having sex is not really an option for my husband and I.

Here's another concern I have: maybe I'm not reading it right, or misunderstood, but the abstract reads: "Calculation of the cumulative pregnancy rates by life-table analysis indicated the probability of an unintended pregnancy was 5.3% after 12 months of use, 6.8% after 24 months, and 8.2% after 36 months."

Does that mean with each year of use the computer becomes less effective?

[Michelle]

Originally Posted by InterfaceLeader

My friend used this method. I would say it does seem to require a fairly regular schedule though? You need to wake-up at the same time each day etc. Have you had any experience with things like - crossing time-zones, jet-lag etc etc?

You don't have to wake up at the exact same time everyday. As long as you wake up within a few hours of the same time, no problem. Important is measuring the minute you wake up so that it can record your basal temp and that you measure everyday. If you skip days, you get more red lights (red light = no sex unless you want to get pregnant). If you are sick or exhausted, don't measure - this has only happened once to me in a year. I have not crossed major time zones with it, but they write about that in their manual along with how to handle it if you work different shifts (one daytime shift, then a nighttime, for example).

[ogrekilleat]

I've read that lemon juice creates an acidic enough environment that sperm can't survive. If I weren't celibate and I had a partner that didn't think it was crazy, I think I would try putting lemon juice on a sea sponge and use that.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by ogrekilleat

I've read that lemon juice creates an acidic enough environment that sperm can't survive. If I weren't celibate and I had a partner that didn't think it was crazy, I think I would try putting lemon juice on a sea sponge and use that.

!!!!!!! I would welcome you to do the lemon-soaked sea sponge.... over there, across the room from me! Yikes! There are some places citric acid simply does not belong.

[gettingskinny]

Originally Posted by ogrekilleat

I've read that lemon juice creates an acidic enough environment that sperm can't survive. If I weren't celibate and I had a partner that didn't think it was crazy, I think I would try putting lemon juice on a sea sponge and use that.

where did you hear that?

[ogrekilleat]

a friend of mine who's a chemist originally mentioned the idea to me, and then I did some research, and found that apparently it's been used and is apparently effective.

And I don't think it would hurt; after all it doesn't hurt the lips, which are also very sensitive. I think I'd rather try it than pump myself full of hormones/other chemicals. Of course if it did, then I would cry, which would be bad. ;p

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by gettingskinny

where did you hear that?

The rumor is that Cleopatra used a half a lemon as a diaphragm. No lemon juice up my twat.

Jennifer

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by Michelle

You don't have to wake up at the exact same time everyday. As long as you wake up within a few hours of the same time, no problem. Important is measuring the minute you wake up so that it can record your basal temp and that you measure everyday. If you skip days, you get more red lights (red light = no sex unless you want to get pregnant). If you are sick or exhausted, don't measure - this has only happened once to me in a year. I have not crossed major time zones with it, but they write about that in their manual along with how to handle it if you work different shifts (one daytime shift, then a nighttime, for example).

And you have to sleep a solid three hours before you can take your temp.

This is big girl birth control. Meaning it's not for everyone. But it is the safest and healthiest. If you can't control yourself, your partying, your life, intake, substances, etc....then it's not for you. I don't mean you, you. Just you in general, who may be reading this.


Jennifer