\*\Club Contraceptives/*/ Rants/Reviews/Etc. on safe-sex methods
Hiya, Vegwebbers!
With the helpful backing/suggesting from the Diva Club, I made this thread as a place where we can all discuss various modes of birth control and/or safe sex. Even as an animal-rights kinda place, I know lots of us are concerned about cruelty-free and/or natural lifestyles...So if you're not a fan of cow-exploiting, skin-scorching latex rubbers, or of the way hormonal b/c pills screw with your body and mind, HERE is where we can all help each other.
This can be a place for advice or general information on various methods/devices...like If you want to know what hormones in your pills are doing what, and how that will affect you, etc.; or if you want to know about materials used in different kinds of condoms (and which aren't vegan!); or just how effective such methods are statistically...HERE is where you can tell what you know, or find other reference sources. HERE we can help each other learn what works best for each of us in regards to our own needs/situation.
Sound fun? HELLS YES.
Condoms
Female Condoms
Dental Dams
Diaphragms
Spermicides
Pills
IUDs
Nuva Rings
Injections
Cycle-observation/timing
Herbal Solutions
...and other Good Resources for many/all of the above methods
*****
Feel free to suggest important links or resources,
and I'll add them to this post as a sort of reference library.
******
let's go!
I went with the copper one, just to let you know
The last time I got the copper T, I was told it was good for 12 years, fyi.
I was on it but not for long. I was having break-through bleeding I think. I ended up switching to Nuva ring which I'm pretty cool with. Everyone is different with birth control pills, you just have to find the one that works for you.
I just went on Nuvaring since my GYN wouldn't do the IUD thing because I've got some underlying issues. So far, I've noticed a little hormone variances with become enraged for no reason. I've started going for runs as soon as this happens and I find I'm OK afterwards.
But there is one thing I'm concerned about and I'm not sure if it is due to the Nuvaring, the D&C I had, or some other thing... Sex has become extremely painful!! I'm going in on Monday, but at 26 and healthy I shouldn't be having all these issues! :sniff:
I was on it but not for long. I was having break-through bleeding I think. I ended up switching to Nuva ring which I'm pretty cool with. Everyone is different with birth control pills, you just have to find the one that works for you.
I just went on Nuvaring since my GYN wouldn't do the IUD thing because I've got some underlying issues. So far, I've noticed a little hormone variances with become enraged for no reason. I've started going for runs as soon as this happens and I find I'm OK afterwards.
But there is one thing I'm concerned about and I'm not sure if it is due to the Nuvaring, the D&C I had, or some other thing... Sex has become extremely painful!! I'm going in on Monday, but at 26 and healthy I shouldn't be having all these issues! :sniff:
I think the same thing happened to me and I've been on Nuvaring for over a year...not sure if it's connected...
I was on it but not for long. I was having break-through bleeding I think. I ended up switching to Nuva ring which I'm pretty cool with. Everyone is different with birth control pills, you just have to find the one that works for you.
I just went on Nuvaring since my GYN wouldn't do the IUD thing because I've got some underlying issues. So far, I've noticed a little hormone variances with become enraged for no reason. I've started going for runs as soon as this happens and I find I'm OK afterwards.
But there is one thing I'm concerned about and I'm not sure if it is due to the Nuvaring, the D&C I had, or some other thing... Sex has become extremely painful!! I'm going in on Monday, but at 26 and healthy I shouldn't be having all these issues! :sniff:
I think the same thing happened to me and I've been on Nuvaring for over a year...not sure if it's connected...
Are you still having pain during intercourse? Or did it go away? If it did go away how long did it take? I was possibly thinking of maybe removing the ring for sex and then reinserting it since you're protected from pregnancy as long as the ring isn't out of your body more than 3 hours.
Thanks for answering my first post and thanks in advance if you can shed any additional light on my other questions. :bigsmile:
I was on it but not for long. I was having break-through bleeding I think. I ended up switching to Nuva ring which I'm pretty cool with. Everyone is different with birth control pills, you just have to find the one that works for you.
I just went on Nuvaring since my GYN wouldn't do the IUD thing because I've got some underlying issues. So far, I've noticed a little hormone variances with become enraged for no reason. I've started going for runs as soon as this happens and I find I'm OK afterwards.
But there is one thing I'm concerned about and I'm not sure if it is due to the Nuvaring, the D&C I had, or some other thing... Sex has become extremely painful!! I'm going in on Monday, but at 26 and healthy I shouldn't be having all these issues! :sniff:
I think the same thing happened to me and I've been on Nuvaring for over a year...not sure if it's connected...
Are you still having pain during intercourse? Or did it go away? If it did go away how long did it take? I was possibly thinking of maybe removing the ring for sex and then reinserting it since you're protected from pregnancy as long as the ring isn't out of your body more than 3 hours.
Thanks for answering my first post and thanks in advance if you can shed any additional light on my other questions. :bigsmile:
Well- I'm in a long-distance relationship, so I can't really answer that. Sorry! I got all checked out by the gyn- I was actually bleeding a lot from contact, both from sex and from the exam. She tested me for everything but said I was fine...so I have no idea. Haven't had sex since then.
should i be as frightened as i am of hormonal bc? for some reason, the idea of it scares me a little, probably because they say there are side effects like weight gain and acne, which i reeeally don't want. but at the same time, the pill seems like the easiest thing... blah.
actually, HBC tends to affect each individual woman in different ways....but some side-effects are common, like weight and skin condition changes, and changes in sex drive and mood.
When I went on it, I gained *maybe* 5 or 6 pounds, but it seemed to go right to my boobs! It also made my skin perfectly clear, which was awesome. Sex drive and mood changes, if any, would be hard to identify since I have so many complications with those things anyway....
Maybe it's right for You, and maybe it's worth talking to Your doc/gyno about it...and You'll never really know how it will affect You until You try; and often times, the first 2 or 3 cycles on HBC are full of strange adjustments/fluctuations/changes.....but of course, as this thread is meant to demonstrate, there are LOTS of other options worth looking into as well.
Feel free to ask any other questions You might have! We are here to help!
Two things--I took plan B once ($50 +, that wasn't fun). Then I read the label, and it has gelatin in it. I'm much more likely to be ok with 'consuming' a dairy product than a dead horse-hoof product, so since then I've been using a diaphragm + condom. The diaphragm is ok, actually, once you get used to getting it up there with the spermicide in it. I've heard a few times that it's possible for the other person to feel it, and also more lube is required.
I'm going to the gyno tomorrow and I'm trying to decide whether or not to go back on the pill. I went off in June b/c I lost my insurance. I like not taking the hormones, but I really liked the convenience.
HH, how did your visit go today?
I was on it but not for long. I was having break-through bleeding I think. I ended up switching to Nuva ring which I'm pretty cool with. Everyone is different with birth control pills, you just have to find the one that works for you.
I just went on Nuvaring since my GYN wouldn't do the IUD thing because I've got some underlying issues. So far, I've noticed a little hormone variances with become enraged for no reason. I've started going for runs as soon as this happens and I find I'm OK afterwards.
But there is one thing I'm concerned about and I'm not sure if it is due to the Nuvaring, the D&C I had, or some other thing... Sex has become extremely painful!! I'm going in on Monday, but at 26 and healthy I shouldn't be having all these issues! :sniff:
I think the same thing happened to me and I've been on Nuvaring for over a year...not sure if it's connected...
Are you still having pain during intercourse? Or did it go away? If it did go away how long did it take? I was possibly thinking of maybe removing the ring for sex and then reinserting it since you're protected from pregnancy as long as the ring isn't out of your body more than 3 hours.
Thanks for answering my first post and thanks in advance if you can shed any additional light on my other questions. :bigsmile:
Well- I'm in a long-distance relationship, so I can't really answer that. Sorry! I got all checked out by the gyn- I was actually bleeding a lot from contact, both from sex and from the exam. She tested me for everything but said I was fine...so I have no idea. Haven't had sex since then.
Yeah...I went back today. Removed the ring, being tested for everything, on antibiotics, and have an ultrasound appt for Monday. No idea what is going on up there. It's definitely an issue with my cervix though. At least that is where all the pain seems to be coming from. :-\ I hope you don't have any problems when your long distance man gets into town. ;)b
eek that sounds scary mdv!! good luck/hope it goes well! weelittlebuddy said hers didnt hurt too bad..
I got my IUD today!
I got it put in about an hour and a half ago. It didn't hurt too bad. Even the cramps while she was putting it in weren't bad at all. I'm on my period as well now, and the nurse practitioner said that that was a good thing because the cervics are slightly more open while you're menstruating. It took about 5 minutes for her to put it in....All in all, it was a good experience. Right now I'm not hurting much. It just feels like I have slight menstrual cramps.
;)b
in other news, stupid condom was stupid last weekend and so i had to go get plan b at the stupid store. laaaame. also expensive (though the boy was super nice and paid. aww). i was super scared that i would like DIE after i took it, but there were no side effects or anything.
sometime this week i hope to stop being a wimp and go to the clinic place to ask about getting on the pill. eek. make me do it.
eek that sounds scary mdv!! good luck/hope it goes well! weelittlebuddy said hers didnt hurt too bad..
I got my IUD today!
I got it put in about an hour and a half ago. It didn't hurt too bad. Even the cramps while she was putting it in weren't bad at all. I'm on my period as well now, and the nurse practitioner said that that was a good thing because the cervics are slightly more open while you're menstruating. It took about 5 minutes for her to put it in....All in all, it was a good experience. Right now I'm not hurting much. It just feels like I have slight menstrual cramps.
;)b
in other news, stupid condom was stupid last weekend and so i had to go get plan b at the stupid store. laaaame. also expensive (though the boy was super nice and paid. aww). i was super scared that i would like DIE after i took it, but there were no side effects or anything.
sometime this week i hope to stop being a wimp and go to the clinic place to ask about getting on the pill. eek. make me do it.
thats why i keep track of things! and we simply do not do it up to 8ish days before i ovulate and 3-5 after.... haha. thats a lot of time to try out other things. babies, abortions, pregnancy, child labor and pills are scary things to me.
MD, how was she numbed? Did the gyno use a topical or injected an anesthetic? Speaking from experience (on my 3rd IUD), if the doc doesn't wait long enough for the anesthetic to kick in, it can be painful. I've come to prefer an injection with a topical anesthetic to numb the area of injection. I haven't had any live births, been pregnant twice and neither reached the second trimester.
I definitely recommend taking the oxy before hand, and then follow up with some pain reliever 4 hours later. To prevent your muscles from cramping, take loads of calcium. Also recommend planning a weekend of comfort (ie movies and nummie comfort foods)/pampering.
MD, now that is just plain cruel!!! If they don't do anesthetic, GET ANOTHER GYNO STAT!!!! I'm serious.
MDV, my IUD was the most painful thing ever, but all I had was a topical anaesthetic gel applied. Now that I am more wise (::)) I realise that I should have had a better numbing agent.
Aside from the initial pain, it's great. I was always crap when I was on the pill (headaches, moody or just plain forgetting to take it and so having to take the morning after pill!). My periods haven't been much worse (if any from hat I can tell) since I've been on it either.
It is local anesthetic, like what you'd get at the dentist. Not that big of a deal for them to do, but just like drilling in your teeth, a big deal for you.
I just talked to the midwife and she thinks that the pain / complications from lidocaine are the equivalent of just 'getting it done'.
Uh huh... I'd consult another Ob-gyn office. Like, right away!!
As for my issues: Clean bill of health....nothing wrong. It was the nuvaring that caused all of the pain problems. Needless to say, I'm terrified to try anything else at the moment. :-\
I just talked to the midwife and she thinks that the pain / complications from lidocaine are the equivalent of just 'getting it done'.
Uh huh... I'd consult another Ob-gyn office. Like, right away!!
As for my issues: Clean bill of health....nothing wrong. It was the nuvaring that caused all of the pain problems. Needless to say, I'm terrified to try anything else at the moment. :-\
Don't be scared! I have now been on three different kinds of birth control, and none of them were too scary. I was on the patch, Ortho Evra, for a while. A year after I went off of it, it got recalled. Woops. Then I went on Nuva Ring, most people I know have had that sensitivity and pain, me included, but after the first two months of using it, it went away. Now I'm on the pill, Yaz, and its pretty awesome.
Lauren, I doubt you will have any problems if you go on another BC. Because the Nuva Ring is inserted vaginally and releases hormones directly into your blood stream, I think it makes the area so to say, more sensitive. I haven't had any problems with bleeding or sensitivity sense going on the pill.
I got my IUD!
It wasn't as bad as I was expecting AT ALL. I mean, it hurt and I wouldn't recommend it for a girls night out or anything, but no screaming, crying, or chest pounding occurred.
Oh good! I'm kind of jealous. ;)b
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