BC Options

[Galadriel]

Hey there,
Welp, I have been doing a ton of research on birth control options. I am currently on the pill, but have been looking at other options that would be more "permanent", and I have been specifically looking at IUDs.

The thing that gets me though, is that at least here in the US, they are designed for women who have already had children (their uterus is bigger to accomodate the IUD). This really kinda gets me, I mean ok so since I don't want kids, that cuts off that option?

I have read that over in the UK (and other Europe countries), there are different types of IUDs, and there is a sized one specifically for women who have not had children yet. Why on earth can't the US have that option as well? Gah sorry just a bit of a rant.

I mean the pill is fine, and we are lucky to have birth control like we do, I've just been looking at options.

I know there is the option of vasectomy, but well if we go that route it wouldn't be till awhile in the future anyways.

 

[pepperfish]

I know how you feel. I'm still way too young to even HOPE to find a doctor who would sterilize me. I was excited when I first read about IUDs, because they're effective for so long and yet doctors are much more willing to provide them for younger women as they are not permanent. But then I found the information that you mentioned - they're designed mainly for women who have already have children. There are some other risks involved that scared me a bit as well, ugh. However, I'm a member of a Childfree community on a different website that has a lot more members than the CF childfree forum has, and many of those women have IUDs. From what I've read there, you can still get an IUD even if you haven't had children.

I think I'm going to avoid the IUD though, and go right for permanent procedures. I refuse to get on the pill, and I definitely won't use condoms (lol!), so I will either get the Essure done or Ron will get a vasectomy before we get married. We'll most likely have to go the vasectomy route, because doctors seem to be more willing to sterilize men than they are women. *sigh*

 

[Galadriel]

Hey Pepperfish,
Yeah I've read about the risks of an IUD. Its good that you can still get one, tho Ive heard the risk of expulsion is greater for those who haven't yet had children.

I know what you mean about it being harder for the woman to get sterilized. That kind of irks me, as we would be the ones going through the pregnancy.

 

[fuzzymel]

I have read a lot into IUD because it seems the best option for me. My doctor did say its designed more for women who have had babies. It does have side effects. Cant remember them but then doesn't everything have side effects?

 

[invisiblebabe]

IUDs scare me, haha... even a pap smear is extremely painful for me, so I can't imagine letting them stick a wire device up there!

 

[Rebekka]

IUDs scare me, haha... even a pap smear is extremely painful for me, so I can't imagine letting them stick a wire device up there!

Same here, and the fact that you have to check that they're still there - I don't want to do that as it is painful (I'm very tight - I never even used tampons for that reason). Also, I've heard that sometimes - hope it's not too much information - the husband feels its string when you're intimate. That thought makes me uncomfortable.

And the copper IUD often makes your periods heavier; as I already have heavy periods, that's not so appealing to me. The mirena IUD (hormonal) makes your periods shorter, lighter or even disappear.

My mum LOVED the IUD, she had no side effects whatsoever - but she had given vaginal birth to two children when she got hers. They do have sizes; the doctor will first size you up (internally). They have different sizes and different shapes, because there are several forms of the uterus. It can be painful to insert I've heard - but I guess it's like a pap smear, it will only hurt for a short while.

My doctor advised me a copper IUD when we told him we were childfree. They can last for 10 years. I asked him if it was true that they were not fitted for nulliparae (women who haven't given birth) but he said they used to be, but now they are also prescribed to childless women. A (faithful) married woman is a good candidate because it is riskier for women who have multiple sexual partners - risk of disease I believe.

I haven't heard of an IUD being inserted in a virgin, I think that would be painful (but so is a pap smear - I didn't have my first pap until last year though, and I wasn't a virgin anymore then ).

Conclusion: I chose not to have an IUD, but it has certainly advantages over the pill (no hormones so less side effects, you can't forget it, and it lasts for a long period). Most other forms of birth control are hormonal (except the less reliable condoms/diaphragms, and NFP - those methods are for people who wouldn't mind ending up pregnant, IMO), I don't really like hormones. So that's an advantage that the IUD has.

Oh, another reason why I won't get an IUD is that they are not sure how it works. That freaks me out a bit. I mean, it works very well (it's very reliable), but how does it work?

 

[snoochface]

Obviously I'm not recommending this as a birth control option, but I just wanted to interject how happy I am with my hysterectomy. It was medically necessary, but man what a relief it is to not have a uterus anymore! That sounds funny to say but I'm not being facetious. No more cramps, no birth control worries of any kind, no hormones, and I sure don't miss that aisle in the drugstore.

Back to the topic on hand though, IUDs do scare me and always have. They seem the riskiest of birth control methods to me. If someone doesn't want the hormones of the pill or patch, I can see why they would go for an IUD, but I dunno... having something like that in me just really scares me. Maybe I'm just a wuss.

 

[Galadriel]

Yeah the only pap I've had (just a few months ago was my first thus far) was definately painful, and so if that was that painful I really don't think I could handle an IUD.

Also reading about the complications that could arrise if one did get pregnant with an IUD in, and ugh, much easier to just go off the pill if it happened then to try and have the IUD removed around the attached fetus.

If I were to go that route though I would definately need to think long and hard about it.

*sigh* I wish sometimes women had a switch that they could just turn fertility on or off, and not have to mess with birth control. I would rather have to mess with birth control though then end up having a ton of kids.

 

[fuzzymel]

*sigh* I wish sometimes women had a switch that they could just turn fertility on or off, and not have to mess with birth control.

Menopause?

 

[Meshavrischika]

I always thought they should make your bellybutton into a switch for that ) what else does it do but sit there)

Anywho...

I have an IUD (yes I've had kids but you can get them if you have not).

I love this compared to everything else I have tried. I am allergic to latex (that's not fun if you don't know ahead of time) and I turn into a raving lunatic on any kind of hormone regimin.

I have a copper IUD. The insertion was not so much painful (there is a pinch, but it was not bad) but for some reason I almost passed out - Dr. sait this was normal, gave me some juice. I was fine.

I just check it after my period (1 x a month). My DH didn't like the string short because it poked him, but with the new one I got after the baby, I asked them to leave it a little longer and it has not been a problem.

I had heavier periods initially, but after an adjustment of about 3-4 months they went back to normal.

I would not use anything else (until I get the old tubes tied - if I ever do).

Just thought I'd share my experience.

 

[Rebekka]

Thanks for sharing, ElsanRandiMom! I was wondering about the string - ummm... how does it feel? Does it feel weird, not just for you once a month but also for your husband? Did you have to get used to the idea of something strange inside your body?

 

[Meshavrischika]

Thanks for sharing, ElsanRandiMom! I was wondering about the string - ummm... how does it feel? Does it feel weird, not just for you once a month but also for your husband? Did you have to get used to the idea of something strange inside your body?

It softens as you have it in... It's somtimes hard for me to find it's so soft, so no, it's not a problem. Like I said, he didn't like the string short because it poked him, but long he has no comment/concern about it at all (believe me, he'd tell me)

It really didn't bother me, but then I've had two children and at least this strange thing does not move on it's own lol

 

[Rebekka]

It really didn't bother me, but then I've had two children and at least this strange thing does not move on it's own lol

LOL Yeah, mothers are tough! I'm a wuss!

 

[Meshavrischika]

LOL Yeah, mothers are tough! I'm a wuss!

Honestly you don't know it's there. If you feel it, there's a problem....

I have only had one problem with an IUD and have been using it for about 10 years total... The first one I got I started to expel after I had it for a year. They put a new one in and I have had no problems since. The only reason I knew it slipped was because I was checking it (no pain or anything).

 

[fuzzymel]

People always say you cannot feel tampons but I always can. Its so uncomfortable. Thats what worries me about IUD. I am worried I would feel it all the time.

 

[progressivegal]

I have an IUD. I'm 21, no kids, no problem. My Doc said I was an "ideal candidate". I think the "recomended for women who have had children:" thing is kind of outdated actually, especially concerning the Mirena IUD (what I have), it's obvious by the advertisements that this is being marketed to younger childfree women (compared to the Paragaurd ads which show an older women and a child).
It's worked well for me, no problems, no babies, lol. If the only thing holding you back is the fact that you haven't had kids, I urge you to still look into it, get a 2nd opinion. Good luck with whatever you choose

 

[Rebekka]

I have an IUD. I'm 21, no kids, no problem. My Doc said I was an "ideal candidate". I think the "recomended for women who have had children:" thing is kind of outdated actually, especially concerning the Mirena IUD (what I have), it's obvious by the advertisements that this is being marketed to younger childfree women (compared to the Paragaurd ads which show an older women and a child).
It's worked well for me, no problems, no babies, lol. If the only thing holding you back is the fact that you haven't had kids, I urge you to still look into it, get a 2nd opinion. Good luck with whatever you choose

Another happy user then! Thanks for your post progressivegal!

Can you tell us a bit about periods and the mirena? I've heard that they become lighter? Have you ever used other forms of hormonic birth control (especially the pill)? I would like to know if the differences are noticeable, I mean, both are hormonal, but mirena has less hormones because it is local.

fuzzymel - I've never successfully inserted a tampon - all times that I tried to use one, it hurt a lot, very uncomfortable (I haven't tried since I married, but even as a non-virgin I think I'm still very tight - I can't imagine a baby coming out of that tiny opening, that just sounds cruel to me, women abuse. )

Has anyone here had a tubal ligation?

 

[progressivegal]

Another happy user then! Thanks for your post progressivegal!

Can you tell us a bit about periods and the mirena? I've heard that they become lighter? Have you ever used other forms of hormonic birth control (especially the pill)? I would like to know if the differences are noticeable, I mean, both are hormonal, but mirena has less hormones because it is local.

gah! I feel so stupid for not responding to this until 3 months after you asked!!! My period has all but disapeared with mirena (it's been about a year) for the first few months it was very light and lasted 2 or 3 days. Soon I started getting it ever other or every 2 months and now I just have slight spotting for one day every month- 2 months. Not everyone's period goes away, but almost everyone will experience shorter lighter periods I think.
I've been on the pill, and that's really been the only time in my life that I've actually experienced really regular "normal" periods. When I'm not on anything I get my period ever 2-4 months for a couple of days.

 

[cherryblossom03]

People always say you cannot feel tampons but I always can. Its so uncomfortable. Thats what worries me about IUD. I am worried I would feel it all the time.

I'm the same way with tampons. That's part of the reason why I haven't really considered an IUD. I was on the pill for about 6 years when I decided to come off because of hormone issues. It messed my body up so bad, that even after 2 years of being off of it, my body still isn't back to normal. I use the sponge with a spermicide that works pretty well.

 

[Rebekka]

gah! I feel so stupid for not responding to this until 3 months after you asked!!! My period has all but disapeared with mirena (it's been about a year) for the first few months it was very light and lasted 2 or 3 days. Soon I started getting it ever other or every 2 months and now I just have slight spotting for one day every month- 2 months. Not everyone's period goes away, but almost everyone will experience shorter lighter periods I think.
I've been on the pill, and that's really been the only time in my life that I've actually experienced really regular "normal" periods. When I'm not on anything I get my period ever 2-4 months for a couple of days.

Thanks! (better late than never! )