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Birth Control Recommendations?

monkeyprincess

Ideal_Rock
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Nov 24, 2009
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Not that this is going to be a concern anytime soon (I have a two year old and 5 week old twins and have no idea when DH and I will ever be awake and alone at the same time again), but what form of birth control do you all recommend? I have my six week checkup this week after having the babies and will want to at least get something prescribed. I've been on the pill before, and I was using Yaz, but you always hear bad things about that one. Any good BC pill brands? What about IUD or other longer term things? I don't plan on having more children, so that's not an issue. Any advice appreciated, as I have very little time to research these days.
 

amc80

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monkeyprincess said:
Not that this is going to be a concern anytime soon (I have a two year old and 5 week old twins and have no idea when DH and I will ever be awake and alone at the same time again), but what form of birth control do you all recommend? I have my six week checkup this week after having the babies and will want to at least get something prescribed. I've been on the pill before, and I was using Yaz, but you always hear bad things about that one. Any good BC pill brands? What about IUD or other longer term things? I don't plan on having more children, so that's not an issue. Any advice appreciated, as I have very little time to research these days.

The only BC I didn't hate was Nuvaring. It seemed to have the least amount of side effects.
 

SMC

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I'm on the progestin-only mini pill. I was on regular birth control pills before so I'm used to taking pills everyday. I honestly haven't noticed any difference in how I feel on the mini-pill. I have to say that it's a little more annoying because you have to take the pill within the same 3 hour window every for it to be effective. My OB told me that I should switch back to my regular pills once I stop breast-feeding (DD is currently 6 mos old) as the mini-pill is not very effective within the combined birth control effects of bf'ing.

I've read that the mini-pill is more likely to cause weight gain than the regular BC pills, but I've been able to get back to my pre-preg weight (though it took me 6 mos).

A few of my friends who are done having kids have opted for IUDs. I'd probably opt for that once I'm done having kids too (DH doesn't want to get his tubes tied).
 

dk168

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dontaskme

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I love seasonique, periods have completely stopped and no weird side effects.
 

Asscherhalo_lover

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I used the Implanon and now called Nexplanon implant. Very happy with it and zero maintenance whatsoever. I also had no problems having it removed. It has a lower dose of hormones than the mini pill. As soon as this baby is born a new one is going in :)
 

evergreen

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I had a Mirena IUD for 6.5 years (it's approved for 5, but I was in a research study to see if it could be used for longer) and loved it - no periods for 6 years. :dance: It was uncomfortable having it put in, but nothing a bunch of ibuprofen and a beer (recommended explicitly by my gynecologist for uterine relaxation - they used to use alcohol to stop premature labor back before we found better medicines!) couldn't handle.

For the last several years I would have spotting for a couple days every, oh, 3 months or so, and I'd randomly notice cramps about once a month that responded to a single dose of ibuprofen. But it was brilliant never having periods. Not everyone is that lucky, but periods should be lighter and less painful with hormonal IUDs (Mirena) though they can get worse with physical-only IUDs (Paragard). Among my physician friends - and even MORE so among OB/Gyn physicians - Mirena is overwhelmingly the most common method of contraception. We're TTC right now but I will plan to go right back to it afterward!
 

HegemonyCricket

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I've had Mirena for a year and love it. No periods, no pills. Insertion isn't bad at all if you have it done shortly after giving birth.
 

TooPatient

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I have been on NuvaRing for about 12 years. Better than alternatives but I don't know that I like it.

I have nausea, sore breasts, and other issues every month. Dry so I can no longer use tampons.

Now I have been getting periods after time to reinsert. Doctor says to not reinsert and get in to see her if that happens. Of course then I am off schedule and not protected for a couple of weeks. I keep pregnancy tests around and just check myself as needed.

But it works, is convenient, and side effects manageable.
 

Puppmom

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MP, has your DH considered a vasectomy? I'm not sure if you're done having children but, when we were, we decided this was the best option for us. It's just so nice that we don't even have to think about it. DH was not reluctant at all which helped. I really think he liked the aspect of making the decision and moving on with life instead of having to revisit it periodically as we figured out what BC worked for me.
 

monkeyprincess

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Thanks for the advice. I ended up going with Yaz again after discussing it with my doctor and weighing pros and cons. I haven't filled it yet though, so I may look into other options when DH and I are, um, active. It all seems pointless anyway since we have not been able to conceive without intervention.

Pupp, good to hear from you. And funny you mention the vasectomy. I brought that up to DH just recently, and he was adamant we not do anything permanent. That shocked me as the way he talked until recently, I was positive there was no chance he'd want another baby. But now, he won't rule it out. I was sure we were done as well, but now I'm thinking fondly about another pregnancy and baby. I must be insane after all we've gone through recently. It's still very unlikely another baby is in the cards for us, unless we do another FET with our frozen embryos. And that's certainly not a guarantee either, but I might feel better giving the two remaining a shot at life.

I also know DH is terrified of surgery anywhere near his man parts, so even if we are done that's probably out if the question!
 

Puppmom

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Glad you found something that might work for you. DH insisted on the vasectomy because he was afraid I might change my mind and talk him into another. :naughty: I still feel good about though. Our 20 year old DD has a baby though so that's a really nice reminder that we do not want any more babies! It's kinda sweet that your DH doesn't want to commit to no more children just yet.
 

Niel

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I use a merana (spell check) and I like it. I never notice I use it and can go on with my life.

I got pregnant on the pill so I am very uncomfortable on it.
 

Circe

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A note about the IUD ... I know it works well for the majority of its users, but when it goes wrong, it can go REALLY wrong.

I tried it a few months after having my daughter, and a few days later, I had this dreadful back pain - figured I'd thrown my back out while opening a window, or something. And it just kept getting worse, and worse, and worse: I couldn't pick up my ~10 lb daughter without cringing. I went to a chiropractor, who told me I'd probably slipped a disc, and we were starting to discuss whether I'd need PT or surgery, when I basically started hemorrhaging (er, not to be TMI, but ... like three heavy-duty pads per hour). So I ran to my GYN, got it removed, and within an hour? The back pain started to fade. But it's been six months now, and I still get it occasionally.

I read up on it afterwards, and it actually seems like it's not THAT uncommon ... just that a lot of people just never make the connection because their body doesn't fully reject it the way mine did, or they take it as a matter of course and live with a lot of pain, assuming it's just part of being a woman. Like all BC, I think it's worth thinking over very, very seriously.
 
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