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BC, Gyno... all that really fun stuff
Hi All : ) I have a question and I am hoping for a little feedback.
I am getting married next year, October 2012. I am a virgin and will remain so until then. Before then, I know I want to start some sort of BC. I know that I need to start it early, just to get through all of the first bumps/taking it/making sure it doesn't make me sick, and what not. So I was thinking by at least next February or so...
Turns out I have a yearly checkup in Oct of this year, and I was told by some friends that since I have never been on BC and never had sex, i can just ask my doctor for it and she will prescribe it. BUT, I also would really like to not go the route of oral BC and would love to get an IUD. We are not going to have kids for quite some time and I am super forgetful, that is the last thing I want to worry about. And for that I would obviously have to go to a Gyno, which I have never done. And I am 20, so I think that it would be a good thing to do anyway. Altho my regular doctor always said it didn't matter because I hadn't had sex yet and I would have to go so I could get a pap smear later...
So, the question... Do I keep my appt with my regular doctor and do the oral BC to see how it works, and then go to the Gyno to do everything and talk about switching. Or do I cancel the regular appt and just do the gyno next year?
I also need to look into what my insurance covers, which I am assuming is not a lot because it is terrible, but that is a whole separate topic.
Sorry that was so long, TIA!!
Re: BC, Gyno... all that really fun stuff
I really don't know if getting an IUD would be a good idea, esp if you are a virgin. I can't even tell you how much discomfort I had when I lost my v-card, and that was after surgery because my hymen wouldn't break.
JW, why do you not want hormonal BC? Do you not trust yourself to take it daily? Maybe look into NuvaRing?
Ugh, must you scare me anymore than I already am... lol
Yea, I was definitely thinking the same thing, about being a virgin and getting an IUD. I know that they don't usually like to give them to women who haven't had babies, but it is done all the time anyway, but I do realize my situation would be a little different.
I am afraid of forgetting or messing it up I guess, I also don't want to have to deal with it for 5 years. I am young, we are still in school, I want to work before we even start to think about kids - so they are a long ways out. It would be cheaper and less of a hassle I believe to just get the IUD and be done with it. On the same note tho, what do I honestly know about anything anyway? lol.
Lots of complications can arise from use of an IUD, so it may not be so simple after all.
If you are that concerned about BC Pills, consult your doctor. Lots of options are out there that don't require you to remember a pill daily:
Implanon, IUD, patch, nuvaring, diaphragm, or CONDOMS.
If you are super paranoid, then double up. Use your primary (BCP or whatever) AND condoms. That way if you fail with one method, there's a backup. It's certainly not very sexy, but if sex is gonna happen and yall are THAT paranoid about having a birth control failure resulting in a pregnancy, then it's worth doubling up methods. I say that as someone that has doubled up on methods for several years.
EDIT: obviously you wouldn't use implanon, IUD, patch, etc. all at once. Holy hormones!!
Haha, of course not, talk about adverse reactions.
I will probably double up, my mom has teased me that we're not going to be able to do anything because I'll make him put seven condoms on or something. Haha, very funny : P I am not super super paranoid, but hey, if I can help it...
Soooo, I need to do some talking, and a little more research. But what do you think, doc or gyno? Does it matter?
I say to go to the gyno. They will have ALL of the options for you and be able to tell you what your insurance will cover. I have been through many birth control methods (and doubled up), and the best way is just to talk about it.
I have heard really good things about the nuvaring and the patch from other people, if you're looking to not forget pills. Or, if you decide on pills, you can set an alarm to take it at the same time every day - this is what I did so I wouldn't forget. Of course, I also doubled up with condoms for a VERY long time (about 5 years).
Good luck!
I was a virgin when I got married too and was a little worried about having a honeymoon baby, but it's only an 8% chance if you are on the pill. When I first went on the pill I was worried about forgetting to take it and then having to take it at the same time everyday. Plus you have to find the right time of the day. It's a bit of a hassle, but you get into a habit and it just becomes a part of your regular schedule. I set an alarm on my phone and every morning it goes off and I just take it and move on with my day.
I have been looking at other options for bc. My sister had a nuvaring and she really liked it because it was so low maintenance. It's really about finding what works for you. Honestly I would be hesitate to go with an IUD. But you have over a year before you would actually need the bc to do its job, so now's a good time to talk to a doctor about even just the pill and getting yourself in the habit so that later it just comes naturally.
No method of birth control is failsafe.
There's nothing wrong with a condom and a diaphragm, either.
I have been on the pill (a generic of Seasonale) for almost 6 years now. It's not hard to establish the habit of taking it at the same time and as PP said, typical use (which includes sometimes forgetting or being a bit off on the exact time) has only an 8% risk of pregnancy and perfect use is more like .02%.
That said, here's a website with good info about all possible methods: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/sexuality/birth_control_bingo
Yea, I realize no method is failsafe... and I have thought about the condom/diaphragm route, but it sort of just seems like a pain to me for that to have to be something to think about when things happen... and maybe I am just highly inexperienced and overthinking it, lol.
I am not totally opposed to the pill, I was just sort of thinking that IUD would be the least hassle-free (as long as insertion and my body's reaction to in aren't bad). And I definitely realize that there are possible reasons as to why this would not be an option, but that is what the professionals are for, lol.
But like I said, I know pretty much next to nothing at this point! Thanks for the website allie, I will definitely check it out.
I think that I will not talk to my regular doctor about it and try to get into a gyno early next year so I can discuss ALL the options with her and see where it goes from there.
Thank you for all your thoughts ladies, it is much appreciated!!
: )
Yup, if you google and talk to enough people you'll hear horror stories about complications and adverse reactions to IUDs; but let's be real, you'll find horror stories about Tylenol and tampons if you look for them.
I would schedule an appointment with a gyno to discuss your options. Getting an IUD as a childless woman will hurt more, since your cervix hasn't been stretched (for that matter, mine hasn't either since I had a c-section). As a virgin, insertion may be a bit more painful because your vagina hasn't been stretched out either. But neither of those things would make it impossible to have one put in. And the new generation of IUDs are extremely safe (the infertility bit was true for past generations of IUDs).
Definitely talk to a gyno about what will work best for you.
I've been on oral contraceptives for five years, and honestly, it's not a pain at all for me. It's become so routine for me that I do it without realizing. Sometimes 11AM will roll around and I'll have one of those, "Oh crap!" moments, then realize I already took it.
I tried NuvaRing and it just wasn't for me. It was uncomfortable, and I just didn't feel confident in it. I've been on Seasonique for the past 3.5 years. I love it. I only have my period every 3 months - it's GREAT!
I would advise going ahead and getting on BC pill now, so you can have a good routine in place by the time you get married. I think it would be pretty silly to wait until you get married to get a form of BC, because on top of the stress of the marriage, you'll be adding the hormonal adjustments into the mix. Definitely not a great idea!
Maybe try BCP or the ring for a few months and wait until after you've had sex to get an IUD? I just think that it might be really painful and annoying (if possible) to put in an IUD if your hymen is still intact.
NuvaRing might be a good idea to get you used to "being" in that area, plus you only have to remember it once every 3 weeks instead of every day. Of course, my insurance barely covered it, which is why I'm still on the pill...
I'd definitely go to the gyno because she/he will be able to give you all the different options and pros/cons based on your specific situation.
While I'm sure you want to just go into the doctor's office, ask for some BC, and be done with it, you may have to have an exam anyway. You (and I, both. I'm 22) are at the age now where you should be getting screenings yearly (You know - pap smears, etc).
I, myself, just yesterday went down to the health department for birth control and they had to do a cervical exam first. I chose to go with the pill versus another method because it's my first time using any BC. In several months, I'll go back and if I like it, I'll stick with it. If not, I'll find something else to try. I just don't think I'm ready to try using an IUD or having the shot yet.
Alternately, my friend is among the small percentage of women who have adverse reactions to birth control and can't find one that agrees with her body. You really will just have to experiment and find out what works for you. Good for you that you're planning on starting it early to see how it agrees with you.