Help me choose contraception

[echidna]

I have had the Implanon before, and long storyt short, periods all over the place, too long and I had massive depression.

My DF doesn't really like to use condoms, preferring to pull-out. This scares me, as we've had a pregnancy scare before (ended up being a late period).

I have been on the pill before, but am scared about depression again. I can handle taking something every day, as I force myself to remember, "if you forget, you get pregnant". I am not ready for another baby yet, we're getting married and I want to wait 1-2 years to try.

I have a diaphragm, and that was ok, except DF can be a bit athletic and can dislodge it. I have recently been told after an ultrasound that I have a retroverted uterus.

Would an IUD work? What about Mirena? I have had heavy periods when I was a teenager, my mother had endo, so the doc put me on the pill in case I had endo too. It helped, but I still got really bad period pain, so I was put on the lowest dose available.

There are natural methods but I don't trust it, as I relied on that before and DD came along (I did mess up, but that's my point, it was my only method).

What does everyone think?

[PinkPalace]

i have been looking into this as well.
As far as i can see the mirena is hormonal also.
You will needto look at the copper IUD and you need a qual ob that can insert it (ie referral needed).
I did some reading up and i am nervous about having it up there.... so we are now discussing sterilisation ....

[echidna]

Sterilisation is a good option, but I really want to have one or two more children. More likely to just have one.

[westy]

Wow, sterilisation really ?

[echidna]

No its not what I am considering, far from it! PinkPalace is thinking of it.

What I meant, that to prevent pregnancy, sterilisation is a good option, but as I want to have more children, I am not considering it.

[westy]

Fair enough! Goodluck i hope you find something that suits your needs.

I guess it's all a matter of what you feel is best for you, i know i personally would never even consider sterilisation but thats just me!

[Visitor8]

I picked up my depo needle yesterday, now just off to the doc to get my jab. Have you thought about that? I don't know anything about the mirena sorry!

[echidna]

I'm less inclined to get the needle because I had a bad experience with implanon. The good thing was I could get it removed, but I can't make the hormones go away on depo. Plus I am concerned about whether it will affect my fertility later on.

Man, I seem to be knocking back everything. Argh, I should just make an appt with the doc to try a different pill. Thanks for all of your help.

[PinkPalace]

Echina
I was on microgynon for a few years with the same issue as you - implanon was nasty and had it out and i got terrible migraines from normal pills.

The microgynon is a very low dose pill - and it is a constant dose (ie doesnt mimic your cycle by increasing and decreasing the estrogen/progesterone levels.

But yo uhave to be very careful you dont miss it as it is low dose you need to be diligent so you are protected against pregnancy!!!

It was fine (dont think i can use it while BF) but the only thing i didnt like was the low libido due to the static hormones.

But i didnt get any migraines, acne, mood swings on it and my periods werent bad either

[ladybird]

Ask Dr is Diane might be suitable (Juliette is generic I think). I took this years ago and it was the most tolerable pill out of all of them. Good luck

[paradise lost]

I had a Mirena fitted in December 2006. I'm probably having it removed to TTC this summer, though we're not certain yet.

I had bleeding for about a week after it was fitted (had it fitted on day 6 of my cycle, but my period had stopped the day before), then intermittent spotting for almost a year. That was annoying, i'm not going to lie, but it WAS getting a tiny bit better every month (started off having spotting for 18-23 days when AF was due, it slowly got less and less with every month) and by December 2007 i was having 2 days of spotting when i ovulated and 7 days of spotting as AF. I am on my heaviest AF day today and i'm wearing a 3-thickness homemade cotton liner which is barely marked. We DTD last night with no mess.

I LOVE my Mirena, and i am so glad i got it. I don't know what i'll do after #2 because we think we want #3 quite quickly afterwards, but we shall see. I'll certainly be having Mirena fitted continuously rather than being sterilised once i'm finished having babies.

Feel free to ask questions.

Bx

[echidna]

I have been on Levlen ED and later Microgynon 20, and my doctor wants me to try the Mirena or try a different pill, one that is on PBS, as I was paying something like $35 for each prescription. I don't mind taking the pill. I went off it recently because I tried skipping a period as I was moving and I didn't want the moodiness or cramps, but I ended up getting AF anyway. I was afraid to rely on it in case I got pregnant. Perhaps I can give the Mirena a go. If its not working out, I can get it removed. What do you think?