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Don't want kids, don't want hormonal BS
Hey everyone,
I'm a first time poster, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating a post. I'm heading to the gyno tomorrow to chat about this, but wanted advice from ladies who might have more experience with similar issues.
I want off hormonal birth control due to a decreased libido. I've been using the nuva ring for the past 3 years and very happy with it's ease of use, but I feel that it's time to look into more permanent and non-hormonal approaches.
I have been married one month, I am 28, hubby is 26. We are both very happy with the decision to not have kids, but have left it a caveat that if we change our minds in 5 - 10 years, we are both open to adoption as an alternative.
Does anyone have experience with non-hormonal methods like the FemCap? I have a friend who has also never had a child who recently got a non-hormone IUD and had a very long painful experience adjusting, so I'm not sure I'd be too interested in that.
Anything you could recommend would be a help!
Thanks!
Re: Don't want kids, don't want hormonal BS
What about non hormonal barrier methods like the condom with a diaphragm or a diagphragm with spermicide?
There is also NFP --- lots of couples have used it for birth control, even women with irregular periods.
There is also the sponge -- I think you can get it via drugstore.com.
I've had the paragard ( non hormonal iud) for 3 1/2 yrs and aside from the heavy bleeding ( only 2 days out of 5) it's really not that bad.
I've never had kids ( we aren't ever) and insertion took about 5 min and albeit painful it wasn't unbearable.
Short of have your tubes tied or your dh getting a vasectomy ( mine tried but couldn't go through with it as he's to squimish) the paragard is the way to go. Easy and no maintenance for 10 yrs. The bleeding is a pain but other than that it's great.
Kristi and Kerry June 21,2008
After having been on some form of hormonal birth control for about 15 years, at 32 I was looking into non-hormonal methods as well. After a lot of research, I decided the very small amount of hormones present in the Mirena IUD was acceptable. It's localized right in the uterus, so it's not a lot at all. I was unwilling to accept heavier and crampier periods with a Paraguard, and with the Mirena, I ceased to have any periods after about 2 years.
At your age and stage in life, I think an IUD would be a great way to go. One thing that convinced me (and it took some convincing, since I am old enough to remember the Dalkon Shield horrors of the 70's) was my female doctor telling me that she had an IUD, as well as almost every other ob-gyn doctor of child-bearing age she knew. If it's good enough for a LOT of ob-gyns, it's good enough for me.
~ The Nestie formally known as MrsBrittany ~
I sure as heck wouldn't want to have to deal with barrier methods for the rest of my life.
I vote for Essure. I had the procedure with minimum discomfort about 3 years ago.
A vasectomy is the least invasive method...your husband's doctor can prescribe him something to relax him prior to the procedure if that would help him. It's outpatient and the recovery time is fairly minimal.
IUDs are another option. The Paragard is non-hormonal and lasts up to 10 years before it needs to be replaced. You may have irregular bleeding for up to a year after insertion.
Essure is another option, though not all OB/GYNs offer this as of yet. It is an outpatient procedure where the doctor inserts springs into your fallopian tubes that eventually scar over and make ovulation impossible. You usually have to have follow up imaging after about 12 weeks to assure complete occlusion. It's a permanent fix so no possibility of babies if you ever change your mind (as is the vasectomy).
Talk to you doctor about all your options, and good luck!
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I'm another vote for the hormonal IUD, Mirena. I just had it put in a few months ago, and my situation was very similar to yours as far as the reasoning behind the decision. The hormones from the pill were driving me crazy, and I really wanted something non-hormonal, like Paraguard - but my gyno talked me out of Paraguard and into Mirena instead. Mirena is progesterone-only, no estrogen, and the amount of progesterone is so small that it really can't cause any systemic side effects - there is only enough hormone to affect your uterus, by thinning the lining and such. There are people who claim hormonal side effects with Mirena, but it is super duper rare.
My understanding, also, is that the non-hormonal IUD is a much worse experience as far as adjusting to it. I've never had kids, and all I had was mild cramping with the Mirena for the first day that it was in and that was it - Paraguard can actually make cramps worse for as long as you have it. (I've never ever had menstrual cramps, so that one day was awful, but they haven't come back since, thank goodness.) Mirena also typically lightens your flow after the first few months and you may stop having periods altogether - Paraguard is pretty much guaranteed to make your periods significantly heavier.
The non-hormonal options seem to be permanent (like tubal ligation (like Essure)), or not as effective (like the rhythm method or the FemCap). (Btw, I just looked up the FemCap - only 92% effective? eek.) If you're looking for something long-term but not permanent, and that will give you your libido back and not have the other nasty hormonal side effects of the pill and such, I think an IUD is the way to go.