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Phisty posted:I'm up on the five year mark on my Mirena and need it replaced. The first time I had it in the pain was horrendous. Anyone have experiences getting an IUD replaced? Is it going to hurt just as bad? I'm kinda terrified  Shnooks posted:Anyone have experience with frequent yeast infections and BV from their IUD? While I'm sure this varies a lot between people, switching all products that go near my junk to unscented (including laundry detergent) got rid of YIs and general irritation in the area entirely for me. Weeeee.
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May 18, 2012 17:20
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I have a question about switching birth control - in my case from Kariva to Lutera (both combined pills). In a bout of stupidity I threw my old pack out early, so I have to switch mid-cycle (today is the end of week 2 and I'm a Sunday start). I've found some sites that say that switching from pill to pill mid-cycle is okay, but others say I should use backup protection for 7 days. I've already resigned myself to having a messed-up period following a 2-week+28 day cycle, but should I be using another form of contraception as well?
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May 18, 2012 18:46
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in_cahoots posted:I've already resigned myself to having a messed-up period following a 2-week+28 day cycle, but should I be using another form of contraception as well? I'm pretty sure you'll be okay. It makes sense to me that you would not need a backup. I was going to warn you about a messed up cycle, but you already know
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May 18, 2012 19:26
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My girlfriend can't post right now but is worried because she started 3 days before her brown pills. Does that mean anything? The brand is loestrin 24 fe.
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May 20, 2012 06:58
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Warchicken posted:My girlfriend can't post right now but is worried because she started 3 days before her brown pills. Does that mean anything? The brand is loestrin 24 fe. Started her period? Its fine. Did she just start taking it? Sometimes it just happens, its not indicative of anything major as far as I know. I used to have it happen and I was fine.
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May 20, 2012 11:42
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I have a question about how (for lack of a better term) weird health professionals get about administering long-term/permanent (IUD/vasectomy is what we're looking at) to couples with no children. Is it really that big of an issue? I could understand maybe talking to younger couples but we're both pushing 30 and we have absolutely no desire to have children and would rather adopt if we ever changed our mind in the first place. So, I'm really just wondering what I should be expecting were I to start fishing for consultations? I feel I'd be insulted if, at the age of 29, I was asked if I "really knew what I was getting into" regarding a vasectomy, and the same with my better half. We talk about it at least once a week and our biggest concern is having to try explaining adequately to some holier-than-thou type about how we feel it's OK not to want children or at the very least pregnancy. Ever. Any advice on this field? Any childless people in the thread who have made that decision willing to chime in on what the outlook is afterwards? e: She's also a little concerned about her pills since she took one late about a week ago and has had spotting of various hues all week - her period is usually not for another week, week and a half or so. Being the worrywart that I am I've been all but insisting she get checked out considering it isn't just the usual brown, but some red, some pink, etc. We're both of the mind it was probably the late pill but it's better safe than sorry considering we're both well insured. FAUXTON fucked around with this message at 09:39 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 09:35
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IUDs are much easier to get now. Unless you live in the deep south in a rural area, there's likely to be a doctor somewhere in your area who will happily give your wife an IUD. Plenty of women much younger than 30 in this thread have gotten IUDs, no kids, and they love them. As for the vasectomy, as far as I know they will give you the "are you sure" counseling, before going through with anything. But you're no where near as likely to be rejected as a woman seeking a similar procedure would, even surgery free alternatives like Essure. But since you're nearly 30 you probably won't see as much resistance as say, an 18 year guy old would. Also one late pill isn't a huge deal, as long as she followed whatever her pill packet instructions are for that situation she's probably fine. Some women's bodies react more to hormone fluctuations. Kerfuffle fucked around with this message at 10:53 on May 21, 2012 |
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May 21, 2012 10:51
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I'm 25 and got the "are you really REALLY sure????" during my IUD consult. I just told her that in the extremely unlikely chance I changed my mind, I'd rather adopt one of the many, many children in the foster system right now. That, for some reason, completely changed her attitude towards me and she signed off on it immediately because I had "obviously thought it through." 
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May 21, 2012 12:55
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I'm 26 and when I brought up the subject of an IUD my doctor practically pounced on the idea. I don't know why, but she seriously seemed kind of excited about it to the point where I felt kind of rushed into it and uncomfortable. Doubly weird since I live in a conservative little town in the bible belt.
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May 21, 2012 14:31
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Sort of update: I went to the gyno originally because I was starting a job and my husband and I would have enough money for the Mirena. I lost the job on Friday because the sort of work that they do was wreaking havoc on my detail-oriented and rule-following self :/ (they said they'd call back if an office position comes up though cause I'd be great at that! >.< ) So now we can't afford the ~$800 that it would cost after our insurance  We'll be seeing about finding a PP around here if my job search produces no results in the next month or so, I've heard you have to put your spouse's income on there for the sliding scale but with all the stuff he has to pay for (mortgage alone is half his paycheck, let alone two car payments now and my student loans)- we're actually going to be losing money til I get a job.TL;DR Gimme a job so I can be baby free forever, stupid 50% unemployment rate for people my age 
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May 21, 2012 14:55
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The nurse was around my age and when I was getting my IUD she was talking to me about how she was thinking of getting one herself. I think it's so weird people would second guess you with regards to having children. You can just have it taken out...BlueOccamy posted:Sort of update: I went to the gyno originally because I was starting a job and my husband and I would have enough money for the Mirena. I lost the job on Friday because the sort of work that they do was wreaking havoc on my detail-oriented and rule-following self :/ (they said they'd call back if an office position comes up though cause I'd be great at that! >.< ) Where are you located? If you look back, I couldn't afford the $800 up front either and my state doesn't do sliding scale (thanks, Romney!), so we took a trek to the closest Planned Parenthood that did it - out of state. It's worth it if you live in an area where you can do that.
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May 21, 2012 16:20
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Shnooks posted:The nurse was around my age and when I was getting my IUD she was talking to me about how she was thinking of getting one herself. I think it's so weird people would second guess you with regards to having children. You can just have it taken out... Smack dab in the middle of Ohio, actually, so there might be several around here. Not sure I'd want to drive 2+ hours to get out of state, though, cause I've been in cars with cramps and it hurts like a bitch if there's so much as a grain of sand on the road that bumps the car >.< It definitely depends on the people working at the clinic, yeah- like I said in my earlier post, the gyno didn't even try to talk to me about the other kinds of BC once I told her what I wanted and why (She's also Scottish, which is super awesome!)
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May 21, 2012 16:53
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BlueOccamy posted:Smack dab in the middle of Ohio, actually, so there might be several around here. Not sure I'd want to drive 2+ hours to get out of state, though, cause I've been in cars with cramps and it hurts like a bitch if there's so much as a grain of sand on the road that bumps the car >.< You could try seeing if your clinic could look into something like the Arch Foundation. You fill out some paperwork through the clinic and if you qualify they'll donate a Mirena for free.
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May 21, 2012 17:28
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NaturalLow posted:You could try seeing if your clinic could look into something like the Arch Foundation. You fill out some paperwork through the clinic and if you qualify they'll donate a Mirena for free. Definitely this. Also, if it's just the "lots of money all at once" thing that would be a problem, there are sometimes options available to make payments over time. When I got my second one it was purchased through some program CVS pharmacies run and I had several options about how quickly to pay for it. As for the potential to get lectured about whether you are sure you want it: When I was seeking my first IUD at 23 I did get a little of that from the student health center. The actual doctor who did the insertion wanted to be sure that I knew what I was getting into with the IUD but there wasn't any lecturing. And by the second one I got put in the student health center was all in favor of them and went out of their way to help me out. I think times are changing and it's much less likely your wife will run into issues getting an IUD put in than even 5 years ago. Vasectomy is a different story though. It's much more permanent and reversal is not always successful, so you are always going to get quizzed to some level about whether you are really sure, especially if you don't already have kids.
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May 21, 2012 18:11
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Hi everyone, I came here mostly for support: I recently came off Nuvaring, been on it for about 2 years. I stopped using it (did not talk to a doctor first) because my sex drive had evaporated and I was having a lot of pain during sex. I find that my sex drive has steadily returned, and I have no pain during sex, but my feelings towards my boyfriend of 2.5 years have changed... I never doubted the way I felt towards him before and wonder if coming off the bc is making this happen... for the record I've never been on or off birth control before and didn't know how it would affect me. I'm plagued by cyclical depressing thoughts that never seem to end (other times I'm in this crazy fog in my mind), have lost interest in a lot of things, and like I could explode crying at any moment. My heart has also been pounding, for weeks I think, but I don't know if that's only because of the anxiety these bad thoughts bring on. My side effects are for the vast part very much mental, but somewhat physical (no weight gain/loss, no hair falling out etc.) What hurts me most are my intense depressive thoughts and my feelings towards my boyfriend... has anyone else experienced or heard of this?? I'm going to make an appointment with a gyno pretty soon.. but I'm afraid to go on hormonal birth control again, I hate how this is all making me feel.
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May 22, 2012 01:30
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I'm not a doctor, but those sound like some pretty classic symptoms of depression, which could very well be a side-effect of going off the hormones (I know it was for me when I did it) or could be caused by other stuff going on in your life. Or both working together. Talking to your doctor is definitely a good step to take here. In addition to addressing your symptoms, you could also use that appointment as an opportunity to discuss birth control methods that might work better for you. Maybe something non-hormonal like Paragard/the copper IUD?
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May 22, 2012 01:50
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NaturalLow posted:I'm not a doctor, but those sound like some pretty classic symptoms of depression, which could very well be a side-effect of going off the hormones (I know it was for me when I did it) or could be caused by other stuff going on in your life. Or both working together. Yes, this. Is anything else going on in your life that is stressful? You sound depressed and anxious (the awareness of heart pounding thing is totally anxiety, yes). If you are in school, go see one of the university counselors. If you are not in school, hopefully you are insured and can get an appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist. The former is more drug-oriented so you may want to work with some kind of a therapist (psychologist, LICSW...) first to see what's going on. When did you go off the Nuvaring? How long has it been? If the depression/anxiety are coming from your hormonal changes, it hopefully will clear up within like 3 months, I should think.
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May 22, 2012 02:00
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NaturalLow posted:I'm not a doctor, but those sound like some pretty classic symptoms of depression, which could very well be a side-effect of going off the hormones (I know it was for me when I did it) or could be caused by other stuff going on in your life. Or both working together. Thanks for the reply, I do believe I have depression (have not been diagnosed officially but I have experienced these cycles of thought way more times than I care to remember), have for... honestly I don't know how many years, and have been seeing a therapist. Tomorrow I'll call my doctor, what I really regret is not having discussed this in depth before I came off the bc. I'd rather have a bunch of physical symptoms honestly.. I feel so strange as if I have no clue how I feel about anything that its driving me crazy, which is why I'm fretful of more hormones. I'll see what my doc says, although I'm scared of the IUD, the pain I may experience just seems so terrible, and my bf is already against it (for the same reason).
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May 22, 2012 02:01
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Okay, so if you do have depressive cycles, then I would think it's probably one of those rather than the birth control. Depression wreaks havoc on your libido too unfortunately. Talk to your therapist about how you are feeling. Tell her/him exactly what your thought patterns are, how your relationship has changed, what you feel like physically. It may be that it's time to consider medication. I was terrified of IUD's before too. The idea was just totally scary. I got the Mirena after reading this thread's predecessor for a couple of years and hearing people sing its praises. The insertion is painful for sure, and the cramps for the next day or so can be bad (they weren't for me). Once it all settles in, though, it's pretty sweet. I barely have periods anymore and I don't have to think about pills or get all  about pregnancy because there's no possibility for user error with an IUD.
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May 22, 2012 02:10
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My vagina needs to HTFU already  So I finished my Metrogel, did some hippie crap to get rid of my yeast infection, and so far things are good. Had sex two days in a row and now I'm spotting again like after I got my IUD inserted. I thought we were done with this! I seriously just stopped spotting after sex in the past...like...month and a half. Is this just the Metrogel and the infection making my cervix sensitive perhaps? I'm not having any pain, even during sex. My strings feel fine and I feel nothing hiding out. I'm not due for my period yet. Does anyone else with an IUD just...spontaneous start spotting after sex even months or years after insertion? This is a buzzkill.
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May 22, 2012 02:34
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Eggplant Wizard posted:Yes, this. Is anything else going on in your life that is stressful? You sound depressed and anxious (the awareness of heart pounding thing is totally anxiety, yes). If you are in school, go see one of the university counselors. If you are not in school, hopefully you are insured and can get an appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist. The former is more drug-oriented so you may want to work with some kind of a therapist (psychologist, LICSW...) first to see what's going on. Thankfully I am insured, I see a therapist whenever I need to. I've made an appointment with her this Wednesday, actually. I came off of the ring about 4 months ago. These feelings of mine have surfaced within the last month or so. I am prone to bad bouts of anxiety, but the episodes I have been feeling lately have been especially severe. For example, when I'd normally have an anxious episode my heart does pound alot but normally it subsides, but recently it pounds incessantly, for days, like I'm having a constant anxiety attack. My thought processes are also very crippling and I'm unable to focus much on anything. I could describe it as, a very different depression than I'm used to (I guess that's kind of hosed up). I just want to stop feeling this craziness like I can't trust my own feelings. EDIT: Eggplant Wizard posted:Okay, so if you do have depressive cycles, then I would think it's probably one of those rather than the birth control. Depression wreaks havoc on your libido too unfortunately. Talk to your therapist about how you are feeling. Tell her/him exactly what your thought patterns are, how your relationship has changed, what you feel like physically. It may be that it's time to consider medication. I will talk to my therapist about everything. And I did look at the Mirena... I only got turned off because it has hormones, but I'll bring it up during my next gyno appointment. Sorry that my posts have been kinda E/N, I'm just having a pretty hard time dealing with everything. I have also thought about anti-depressants, though that it another thing I'm very scared of (but I really do think its something I would benefit from). About the Mirena again, if I try anything again it may be that, I'm scared to death of pills and the copper IUD, but Mirena sounds the most convenient. I'll ask as many questions as I can think of. Lindy Hopscotch fucked around with this message at 03:27 on May 22, 2012 |
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May 22, 2012 03:13
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I would say that if these feelings are so recent compared to when you went off the ring, they are probably not related. It is important to keep on seeing someone regularly (once a week is good) when you have cyclical depression. Unfortunately depression is a nasty obnoxious disease and can change, so staying in touch with it is important. It sounds like you're especially dealing with anxiety even more than the depression, maybe. PM me if you want to talk about this stuff at all, or post in the depression thread in E/N. I have dealt with/am dealing with depression and anxiety a lot unfortunately. You're not alone eta: to your edit: You're okay. This is a thread with a lot of E/N in it, honestly. The Mirena has way way way less hormone than any other hormonal method, and it's applied directly to the Eggplant Wizard fucked around with this message at 03:32 on May 22, 2012 |
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May 22, 2012 03:25
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I think there used to be a way to search on the Implanon website for providers in your zip code trained to implant it... if there still is, I am having trouble finding it. Li'l help?
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May 22, 2012 07:47
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Thanks to everyone who addressed my post. We're still going to talk about it more, but it helps to know people went and got "fixed" and weren't severely given the guilt about it. We're not in the South, but in the next worst place, the Midwest. Albeit a major city in the upper plains, but the midwest nonetheless. I doubt we'll get as much guff as we were expecting though, thanks for the assurances.
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May 22, 2012 09:46
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Shnooks posted:
Got mine last September, I still spot sometimes after especially deep sex.
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May 22, 2012 09:54
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BlueOccamy posted:Smack dab in the middle of Ohio, actually, so there might be several around here. Not sure I'd want to drive 2+ hours to get out of state, though, cause I've been in cars with cramps and it hurts like a bitch if there's so much as a grain of sand on the road that bumps the car >.< If you're in the middle of Ohio, the Central Ohio Planned Parenthood clinics don't turn anyone away because of financial issues. Give them a call and see what they say. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/central-ohio/
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May 23, 2012 11:05
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Poo wrong thread
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May 23, 2012 13:01
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Last month, my girlfriend skipped a period by going from one pack of birth control pills to the next immediately. Now, she's a day late. Her period schedule is usually very uh on the dot, so the delay is freaking her out. Can anyone please confirm that mucking around with the pill calendar can have this kind of effect on the period?
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May 23, 2012 14:09
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Kikkoman posted:Can anyone please confirm that mucking around with the pill calendar can have this kind of effect on the period? Yeah. A day late feels late but it's not really that late. Late. Stress can also exacerbate lateness so the best thing she can do is calm down and let it come. If it's still not there in a week or two, take a test.
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May 23, 2012 14:32
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So my hubby said we can just barely afford it after all, and my period just started yesterday evening. Gonna get me some baby protection soon! I've never been happy about my period happening until yesterday, but happy happy happy BlueOccamy ^.^ On that note, though, have any of you heard of them wanting to insert them 14 days after the start of a cycle instead of right at the start? My gyno said that the other gyno at the clinic is the one who inserts them all and she does it around ovulation. Just curious cause I'd only ever heard of during-period ones. Also, and mostly unrelated- I've been watching NCIS and about half an hour after calling the gyno's office I got to an episode where an x-ray of a dead lady in Ducky's autopsy room showed an IUD in there... his young (male) helper was fascinated, wondering out loud how they got it in there. My hubby works from home on Wednesdays and we both busted out laughing 
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May 24, 2012 05:14
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BlueOccamy posted:So my hubby said we can just barely afford it after all, and my period just started yesterday evening. Gonna get me some baby protection soon! I've never been happy about my period happening until yesterday, but happy happy happy BlueOccamy ^.^ I have heard of insertion during ovulation before. It's preferable to do it anytime in your cycle when your cervix tends to be a bit more open and accessible (for lack of a better word) - which tends to be both around the time of your period and around ovulation. My (not so expert) guess is most doctors go with the period option because it's pretty obvious when you're menstruating, but it can be more difficult for a woman to tell exactly when she's ovulating if she hasn't been keeping very close track of her cycle. Especially since not all women ovulate exactly 14 days into their menstrual cycle.
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May 24, 2012 09:24
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I am incredibly stressed out with my period at the moment. Background: Was on the depo injection for 5ish years until last November, came off it and started using only condoms. About a month or so ago, I started my first period (I never had them on the injection) which lasted two and a half weeks. When that ended, I went to go on the injection again but because I'd only been using condoms, they said that they wanted me to go on the pill for three weeks and then have a pregnancy test first. They said that I would probably only have some spotting but I started another period (Only one week after the two and a half week one) and, guess what, almost two weeks later and I'm still bleeding. Is this normal? It's really stressing me, it has disrupted my sex life and I don't know when it's going to stop. It seemed to lull one day, I only had some spots, and then today it has started heavy again - I'm ready to smack my head into a wall.
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May 26, 2012 14:00
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Min_sora posted:Background: Was on the depo injection for 5ish years until last November, came off it and started using only condoms. First, a few questions. Why did you stop the shot if you were only going to go back on it again? Or did you decide to go on it again because your period was heavy? Because it can take a while for your body to adjust to its own natural levels of hormones, it is not usually a wise thing to start and stop birth control. It is far better to remain on it as long as you're going to, and swapping types back-to-back with your old method verses stopping it completely and starting it again. Which makes me confused why you're going back on it. Yes, what you are experiencing is perfectly normal for coming off birth control. Especially a method like the shot that stops (or can stop) your periods. You body is now freaking out that its source of hormones is suddenly gone, and it takes time for it to realize it has its own to work with. You will likely have irregular periods for a few months/cycles. Also, since you will be on the pill, you will also be adjusting to that type of pill for the three months, and then swapping to another type, so you'll have to adjust again. Another thing to keep in mind is that going back on a type you've been on before (like you and the shot) is that your side effects may not be the same as the first time you were on it. In other words, it is possible that you will have periods this time around. Or not. You won't know until you try it, and they're not guaranteed to be the same. Sorry this got kind of long, and I don't mean to freak you out. I'm just confused why you'd stop and start, and doctors never seem to tell people this stuff.
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May 26, 2012 19:44
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I'm 33, turning 34 next month and my husband and I are sure we don't want kids. He just deployed this last week so I have some time to mess around with my birth control options. I took my last bc pill last week and don't intend to start again because they give me terrible headaches. I don't really want to try another pill (I've had plenty in my time) because I really want a more permanent option. I've heard plenty about Mirena and I would consider that until hubby has a chance to have a vasectomy when he gets back, but I also am thinking about the Essure procedure or having my "tubes tied". One problem is that we are stationed in Germany and although my gyn said she would look into the german hospitals ability to do the Essure thing, she didn't seem too keen on it and hasn't gotten around to it yet. One question I have for you guys is what the tubal ligation might be like, if anyone has had one.
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May 26, 2012 23:07
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At least on the American Essure website, you can type in your area code and a list of doctors that do the procedure in your area will come up. Does Germany have anything similar? Tubal Ligation is rough, I don't think any regular posters in this thread have had it done. I'd personally hold out for Essure from the less invasive angle alone. I recall it's also more effective than tubal ligation is. VV Essure is actually super awesome and outpatient with no cutting of any sort. I'd go for it over my SO getting a vasectomy v  v VV
Kerfuffle fucked around with this message at 02:01 on May 27, 2012 |
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May 27, 2012 00:47
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Any sort of surgery to stop reproduction on the women's end is more invasive than it would be on the man's end. Why not plan on him getting a vasectomy and using condoms when you're together until that's done?
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May 27, 2012 01:48
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If you really want something long term for yourself, have you considered Paragard? It's like Mirena, but nonhormonal. It also lasts longer.
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May 27, 2012 04:42
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I don't know about that paragard, I'm allergic to something in metal - maybe nickel? I can't wear a watch or most jewelry because it gives me a rash:( I want that Essure thing! Stupid Germany.
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May 27, 2012 11:49
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Reformed Tomboy posted:First, a few questions. Why did you stop the shot if you were only going to go back on it again? Or did you decide to go on it again because your period was heavy? Sorry, I really should have put a bit more background to this. The reason I stopped the injection was because I moved to another country (for 7 months), and with the language barrier and the fact that no one I talked to even seemed to have heard of the injection, I never ended up being able to get it. I was waiting until I came back to England to have it again. I have been told in the past not to stop and start it, but I honestly had no idea how to get it in this country. But I know that I've messed it up for myself. I understand that my cycle would become irregular, but is it possible that it's just going to bleed non-stop with no breaks? Because that's what scares me the most. I'm 2 weeks into a period and I can't take much more, it's so painful and horrible.
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May 27, 2012 13:33
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Mean Bean posted:I don't know about that paragard, I'm allergic to something in metal - maybe nickel? I can't wear a watch or most jewelry because it gives me a rash:( I want that Essure thing! Stupid Germany. The Essure coils contain nickel titanium, so they may not be an option for you either if you have metal allergies. I looked into Essure before we ended up deciding on a vasectomy for my husband instead. It made more sense - he's a few years older than me and already has a child from a previous relationship, so the doctor was much more willing to go the permanent route than my doctor was for me. It's not all sparkles and sunshine, there are some very gruesome stories out there. Of course, my own mother had a really complicated and unpleasant tubal ligation, so overall Essure sounds like a better option for a lot of women. But it isn't a perfect procedure (little in medicine is, really).
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May 27, 2012 15:46
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