birth control

DreamfulSpirit · #1 02-01-2009, 08:31 PM

Yeah, I have my alarm set on my phone for when I take my pill, and it has really helped me keep on track!

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #2 02-01-2009, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamfulSpirit

Yeah, I have my alarm set on my phone for when I take my pill, and it has really helped me keep on track!

That reminded me. Another trick is to keep your pills in your purse. That way if you ever forget, the pills are right there with you. Otherwise if you take it in the morning and you forgot and went to work, being 20 minutes late turns into 8 hours late because you have to wait until you're done working to go home and take the damn thing. IF you remember by then!

My college roommate insisted on taking her pill in the morning. She told me because if she took it at night, and she forgot to take a pill, 8 hours of sleeping would go by before she could take the pill. Whereas if she took it during the morning, she had all day to realize she forgot her pill, and since she was awake she could take it.

PhoenixAzul · #3 02-02-2009, 10:19 AM

I gave up on the pill because I was just so sick of taking it every day...so I switched to a non-hormonal IUD (similar to the Paraguard). It's pretty much AWESOME. No hormones, no remembering, and best of all, NO BABIES! I didn't even pay for it, thank you NHS. I will say that while the insertion was REALLY uncomfortable, the night after was the worst because I didn't time out my pain pills properly.

For those of you in the USA it can be hard to find a OB/GYN who will do an IUD insertion on a girl who hasn't had kids (in Britain you just have to assure them you're in a long term relationship). Apparently, there is a slightly elevated chance of rejection for those who haven't had a kid, and insertion can be more difficult. Word around the water cooler is that Planned Parenthood will do insertions on women w/o children. As for the possibility of infertility...I'm ok with that because I'm not a kids person...at all....ever. I find it kinda strange though that drs hesitate to do tubal ligation/essure on younger women. Apparently we're old enough to decide we want children, but not old enough to decide we DONT want children?

But I look at it like this....my former pills were costing $10/month, every month. So, 120 a year, give or take. My IUD is good for 10 years. That's 1,200 I've saved, and I don't have to freak about taking it.

aephi alum · #4 02-02-2009, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

I find it kinda strange though that drs hesitate to do tubal ligation/essure on younger women. Apparently we're old enough to decide we want children, but not old enough to decide we DONT want children?

I know. There seems to be an assumption that all women want children. "Sure you don't want children now, but what about in three or four years? Maybe you'll change your mind! Just stay on the pill for now."

Why did you have to assure your doctor that you're in a long-term relationship? It shouldn't be any of their business.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #5 02-02-2009, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

I gave up on the pill because I was just so sick of taking it every day...so I switched to a non-hormonal IUD (similar to the Paraguard). It's pretty much AWESOME. No hormones, no remembering, and best of all, NO BABIES! I didn't even pay for it, thank you NHS....

But I look at it like this....my former pills were costing $10/month, every month. So, 120 a year, give or take. My IUD is good for 10 years. That's 1,200 I've saved, and I don't have to freak about taking it.

You're a good saleswoman.

You made ME want to get an IUD!

As an aside - I'm always surprised by women who say they're irritated or frustrated or tired of taking the pill every day. I've been taking it so long it's just sort of a part of my day... just like brushing my teeth. I can't imagine someone talking about how frustrated they are that they have to brush their teeth every day, you know?

Of course, I have the added benefit that I put my pills on autopilot - every morning, the alarm goes off and I take the pill. I don't have to think about it when I'm out at night or wonder during the day if I took it. Which is nice. Not for everybody, but works for me.

PhoenixAzul · #6 02-02-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu

You're a good saleswoman.

You made ME want to get an IUD!

As an aside - I'm always surprised by women who say they're irritated or frustrated or tired of taking the pill every day. I've been taking it so long it's just sort of a part of my day... just like brushing my teeth. I can't imagine someone talking about how frustrated they are that they have to brush their teeth every day, you know?

Of course, I have the added benefit that I put my pills on autopilot - every morning, the alarm goes off and I take the pill. I don't have to think about it when I'm out at night or wonder during the day if I took it. Which is nice. Not for everybody, but works for me.

Haha, the IUD evangelism!

. Well, I know the IUD isn't the solution for everyone, but it was a pretty perfect solution for me and my husband. I wanted to get off the hormones, but I didn't want to do FAM or charting, and I didn't want to keep using condoms, because we're married for pete's sake! We wanted a long term, low cost, no hormone treatment, and it worked out. It is one of those options that's been kinda overlooked because the "old" IUDs weren't as good as the new ones (both hormonal (Mirena) and non-hormonal (Paraguard)) and people still have these IUD horror stories.

As for why I had to assure them I was in a long term relationship, it wasn't anything more than, "what is your partnership situation like at the moment?" and I told them that I was engaged, etc etc. And they said, "Ok, if you decide to open up your relationship to outside partners, please remember to use a condom b/c this doesn't cover STDs." It was more of a "hey, this will work great in this situation, BUT if the situation changes...." counseling type of thing.

RE: the pill frustration. I think it comes down to the consequences and the stress tied to them. If you screw up one day and the stars are aligned in the right way, BAM, pregnant. If you forget to brush your teeth...ehh no biggie, you just have stinky breath for the day. As a diabetic, I know how much it sucks to be tied down to medicine, even something you take routinely day in day out. It just feels like a burden sometimes, even if it is simple to take. Just depends on perspective.

I think the number of bc options out there is awesome. I just wish that there was more education on the more obscure ends of the spectrum. A lot of women are shocked to find out that there are options outside of the pill, FAM, and condoms.

ASTalumna06 · #7 02-02-2009, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

I find it kinda strange though that drs hesitate to do tubal ligation/essure on younger women. Apparently we're old enough to decide we want children, but not old enough to decide we DONT want children?

When will they actually do them?

One of my friends is dead-set on having this procedure done. She's 25 years old and is absolutely convinced she never wants children. She has been to 4 different doctors, and none of them will do the procedure for her.

Is there a set age at which they will generally give the ok?

KSUViolet06 · #8 02-02-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

Is there a set age at which they will generally give the ok?

I have never known a Dr. to approve a tubal ligation on a woman who has never had kids.

I think it's a tad ridiculous, but their rationale is that you may change your mind. But aren't those procedures reversible?

ASTalumna06 · #9 02-02-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I have never known a Dr. to approve a tubal ligation on a woman who has never had kids.

I think it's a tad ridiculous, but their rationale is that you may change your mind. But aren't those procedures reversible?

From what I understand, tubal ligations can be reversible, but the success rate for such procedures might be between 30 and 60% (don’t quote me on that, though). I also understand that there are a number of women who will wish to have the tubal ligation reversed within a few years after having it done (about 5%). I understand the logic behind waiting a little while, but is there ever a point when a doctor will just do the procedure? I think it’s ridiculous to refuse to do this for every woman who has never had children. Not everyone is made to procreate!

aephi alum · #10 02-02-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I have never known a Dr. to approve a tubal ligation on a woman who has never had kids.

I think it's a tad ridiculous, but their rationale is that you may change your mind. But aren't those procedures reversible?

There are doctors out there who will perform a TL / Essure on a nulliparous woman. It might take some perseverance to find one, especially if you're young, but they do exist.

Tubals are reversible, but it's invasive surgery (then again, so is the tubal), and the success rate isn't very high. Essure is not reversible.

AGDee · #11 02-02-2009, 07:10 PM

My doctor refused to refer for a tubal ligation when I was 37, and divorced with two kids. She said "Do you know how many women I've had as patients who met a new man, got married, and decided they really wanted a child with the new man?" Well, I know ME. There is no way in hell I'd get married again and there's REALLY now way in Hell I'd have more babies. She started giving me the Depo shot at that time. The new primary care doesn't want me on Depo since I'm over 40 now. Luckily I'm not dating and I can just abstain now because my cycle has become extremely unpredictable and my daughter is a result of condoms and foam together. I'm clearly pretty fertile.

aephi alum · #12 02-02-2009, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhoenixAzul

As for why I had to assure them I was in a long term relationship, it wasn't anything more than, "what is your partnership situation like at the moment?" and I told them that I was engaged, etc etc. And they said, "Ok, if you decide to open up your relationship to outside partners, please remember to use a condom b/c this doesn't cover STDs." It was more of a "hey, this will work great in this situation, BUT if the situation changes...." counseling type of thing.

Ok, that makes sense. I was wondering if they would have turned you down for an IUD if you weren't in a long term relationship. Condoms and abstinence are the only methods that protect against STDs - and a reminder of that fact never hurts.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ASTalumna06

When will they actually do them?

One of my friends is dead-set on having this procedure done. She's 25 years old and is absolutely convinced she never wants children. She has been to 4 different doctors, and none of them will do the procedure for her.

Is there a set age at which they will generally give the ok?

I've seen a study (give me a minute and I'll try to dig it up) where regret rates for permanent sterilization were shown to drop off after age 30. Childfree women over 30 have the lowest regret rates. So it's a lot easier to get a TL/Essure once you're 30.

Edit: Drat, can't find the study.

KSUViolet06 · #13 02-02-2009, 04:30 PM

This thread reminds me of something:

My mom worked at a hospital once, and there was a girl who was in the hospital delivering her THIRD baby at age 21. My mom came in to do her vitals and she was FIGHTING mad because she wanted her tubes tied after the birth, but the Dr. INSISTED that she was too young.

I'm sorry, but I think that's ridiculous. I wonder if the Dr. was willing to adopt any subsequent babies she had after that since he didn't think tube-tying was a good idea.

agzg · #14 02-02-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

This thread reminds me of something:

My mom worked at a hospital once, and there was a girl who was in the hospital delivering her THIRD baby at age 21. My mom came in to do her vitals and she was FIGHTING mad because she wanted her tubes tied after the birth, but the Dr. INSISTED that she was too young.

I'm sorry, but I think that's ridiculous. I wonder if the Dr. was willing to adopt any subsequent babies she had after that since he didn't think tube-tying was a good idea.

My cousin is 22 and she's had two children already. She has a genetic disorder that causes miscarriages (however she's not miscarried yet so how true is that?) and had a cyst on one of her ovaries. After her first child, she had the ovary with the cyst removed. She's contemplating having the second removed, because not only does she have an infant and a toddler, but she has a pre-teen/early teenaged stepson. Personally, I think it would be hard to take care of any one of those, let alone all three at once.

Her doctors don't want to do it, either, but the fact that she's had two kids when she wasn't supposed to be able to have any may help her get her point across. Plus, not having the other removed may cause problems for her in the future as far as general health.

I don't know the technical terms of any of this, just the layman's terms they used to explain it to me. I do know that my grandmother miscarried six times between my dad and my aunt, which was why my cousins got checked out in the first place.

HotDamnImAPhiMu · #15 02-02-2009, 04:31 PM

It kind of seems like we can't be trusted to make good decisions on our own.

The doctor knows better. Knows we'll change our minds within a year or two, because EVERY woman wants children, right?

Although to be fair, I've heard the surgery is pretty serious stuff. It's not just like a guy getting a vasectomy. So maybe it's more about the fact that it's invasive elective surgery than the doctor making a value judgement.