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Can we talk birth control for a moment?
I know this should probably be in h & f but I feel so safe and at home here :-).
So we have had the discussion regarding the pill/going off it as well as charting/good old fashion condoms, and I have another question for discussion:
So I've been on the pill for what feels like forever. I recently had the LEEP procedure (removes cervical precancerous cells) and my obgyn said it's best to use condoms so DH and I don't ping pong it back and forth and I get reinfected again/have to have another LEEP down the road. So if she wants us to use them anyways, is it best to go off the pill completely? Since we are married I don't HAVE to use 2 types of BC and while we aren't TTC, it wouldn't be the end of the world. Thoughts? I know a few of you recently went off the pill and was wanting your input/seeing how your body reacted. TIA!
Re: Can we talk birth control for a moment?
I went off the pill almost a month ago (should be having my first non-pill period soon- kinda scared). So far I've been fine, and also have noticed that my sex drive has gone up a bit, which hubs of course loves.
I don't have a lot of time off the pill, but my experience *so far* has been great. I had one monster pimple, but I don't think that was necessarily related. I also feel less depressed, but I think the weather has a lot to do with that as well. I just didn't like how the pill made me feel, so I'm much happier off of it.
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Wow, I honestly would be super bummed if my ob/gyn recommended that DH and I always used condoms. I don't understand the reinfection thing. Reinfected with what? If you have HPV, you just have it and it never goes away, right? I didn't know that some type of infection can cause precancerous cervical cells. If it's an infection, why can't you get it cleared up in both of you so no condoms are needed? These may be super dumb questions, but I'm very curious.
If we absolutely had to use condoms, I would go off the pill. However, take my advice with a grain of salt, as I have fertility issues so we are terrible about birth control.
When I went off the pill (which I initially went on because of mild acne) my first period came at the normal time then it started getting wonky. The cycle would be anywhere from 28 days to 45 days, this lasted about 6 months. During this time periods were REALLY light (like lasted 2 days and really only needed a light panty liner. On month 7 the cycle was back to 30 days and the period was much more normal in terms length and how much I bled.
This didn't happen to everyone I know though, some of my friends went back to normal immediately and one girl I know took almost 2 years for her cycles to go back to normal.
If I was you, and you are thinking about TTC in the next couple years, I'd go off now, use condoms and monitor your cycles. You might as well get it out of your system early.
I also broke out a lot by like month 3, but using a face wash with salicylic acid cleared most of it up.
Yes, I have HPV and know it will forever stay in me (although it can physically show no signs for years or decades at a time). I've had it for a few years and it took until now for it to rear it's head as precancerous cells in my cervix. It was caught through a pap, then I had a colposcopy/biopsy which confirmed the presence of the cells, and then they were removed via LEEP procedure. My Dr. said since I gave it to DH, not using a condom would allow him to reinfect me with it if the virus is in one of those stages where it's expressing itself in him (although in men there are no physical symptoms (i don't have the warts kind..TMI, i know) that it could be passed on again to me and those cells could multiply again. While we could continue not using condoms, I don't want to risk the cells coming back -- at least not for another couple of Paps to assure I'm still free.
Thanks majick! Another question for you (and the others who have gone off the pill) -- were there any weight issues? I remember going on it being warned that it'd be easier to gain weight, etc., so did you notice a difference going off or in terms of the monthly bloat?
Interesting! I didn't know that about HPV. I'm glad the cells were caught early and definitely understand not wanting to risk it!
I'm not on the pill now, and one thing I do really miss is knowing exactly when I'll get my period. I have crazy and unpredictable cycles.
December 2010, I also had a bad pap. Didn't need the LEEP, just the biopsy. I asked my doctor about using condoms and she said there was no need. I have HPV, and it's safe to assume that my husband has HPV. There's no chance of re-infection since we both already have it. I have a feeling that you coulld probably ask 10 different doctors and get 10 different answers about this....
I went off BCP in November 2010. I had some breakthrough bleeding that week (lasted about 3 days), then regulated right after that. I didn't gain any weight after going off the pill (well, I did, but it had nothing to do with the pill and everything to do with having surgery/not being able to work out for a month), got my sex drive back, etc. I did have acne issues after going off the pill - though these were targeted just to when I was PMSing/getting my period. Since I've gone to the OCM, though, my skin is much better.
We were not TTC at the point I went off the pill (started a few months later), but used condoms for about 3 more months after I went off the pill. I hated them, as did DH, but we had agreed not to start TTC til 2011. After that, I used charting/OPKs to know when I was ovulating which helped us to (eventually - it took a little over a year) get pregnant.
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Yeah, it's an interesting virus and super common now a days. Unfortunately I was just a little too late for the Guardasil shot.
Yeah, I would miss that too because now I am able to predict down to the hour when it'll come on the 28th day!I am so much happier not on it. It made me gain so much weight, I even worked out double to prevent it. As soon as I went off it dropped, not even kidding. Best diet ever
I haven't been on it in 4 years.
I had no changes on vs. off the pill...acne, cramps...nothing. I was on the lowest dose of hormones, I don't even want to know what another dose was like.
I think you're right too.. it's wild that doctors aren't able to come to a common decision though isn't it?! I think we will use them until my next follow-up pap in a couple of months then maybe revisit the topic. I just hate the idea of having to use them with my husband when we are so used to not. Although -- I did have to take a natural family planning course to be married Catholic in my Diocese, so I have all the tools and knowledge to chart as well...
Did you find it easy to get into the habit of charting? I know it's very reliable if you do it correctly.
I didn't chart my temp (I wake up at 5am during the work week and was NOT doing that during the weekends, esp. since I can't fall back asleep after I wake up.) I just charted the OPKs. I had pretty normal 28-30 day cycles and got my OPKs between CDs10-14, so I knew which weeks I could get pregnant versus the ones I couldn't. Unfortunately, not everyone has textbook cycles like I do - you can only figure out your cycles after going off BCP and paying attention to your cycles.
I used FertilityFriend.com to keep track of the start of my period, my OPKs, etc. I found it pretty accurate for me (I did get my period on the days it told me I would, etc.)
GP buddy to blenderdance
I find it interesting that your doctor actually said that you gave it to your husband. HPV is pretty common and could lay dormant for years at a time - I wouldnt' think it would be easy to come up with a "who did it to who" conclusion. I have also had a LEEP and my doctor did not suggest that we use condoms either. If you would rather not, I would talk to the obgyn again or get a second opinion. good luck!
I've had the LEEP twice and agree with pp's about getting a second opinion. I was also told that it lies dormant and you can't really know where you contracted it from (unless you've only had one partner of course). My doctor never mentioned using condoms, and did tell me that there's no chance of "reinfection" since once you have it you always had it. When I had the second go round of the biopsy/LEEP I asked those specific questions since I'd been married throughout it. She specifically told me that sometimes it "flares back up" on it's own and the only thing you can do to try to keep it at bay is to be as healthy as possible to boost your overall immune system. FWIW my current doctor said the same thing when we discussed my past health when I moved here.
As for going off BCP - I liked it for awhile, but I did have some really crampy/moody periods about a year in. I did get pregnant right after going off BCP (ended up a miscarriage/D&C) and it took me forever to get my cycles back on track after that. I'm not sure if the crampy/funk was just my body trying to regulate or what because it definitely calmed back down.
Charting was hard for me at first because of the weekend thing. It did help me to figure out when my period would start though down to the exact day. I'd recommend using it with OPK's for at least 3-4 months before using it as a primary form of birth control. From my experience it's hard to get a good grasp of your cycles without a few months too compare to. (My cycles definitely weren't "regular", but I was able to find a pattern with the charting). The Taking Charge of Your Fertility book was amazing at explaining the charting process and I also used Fertility Friend to track.
Good luck to you on whatever you decide!
DS1 born June 2008 | m/c at 9w March 2011 | DS2 born April 2012
Thank you so much Kare! I really appreciate your response and it's actually comforting to know of someone else who has had it too. Thanks again for your input, it means a lot.
Yeah... she seems really adamant that we use them but it's like come on... it's my HUSBAND. I don't want to use condoms with my husband if we don't absolutely have to!