Non-hormonal contraception

I'm trying to lose weight and have found that not being on the pill helped me lose a tonne after high school (as well as doing heaps of walking). I know exactly how big I was in high school now. I never knew then, but my formal dress fits me (except the last 2 inches of the zipper). I lost the weight when I went off the pill.

I recently had the implanon. I couldn't lose any baby weight. And I had awful depression. Its been removed and the depression went away, yet the underlying stress that caused it is still there. So I came to the conclusion that if I want to lose weight and not be depressed, I shouldn't use hormonal contraception. My doctor also recommended that I not use an IUD in case it makes my periods even heavier and more painful. Perhaps in time I might be ok for it.

So I'd like you to tell me about other forms that you know of of have tried and your experiences with it.

I had issues with the pill over the years - and I am just shocking at remembering to take it every day.

So over the years I have used a diaphram as it was non-hormonal. You have to be "comfortable" with yourself, as you would have to insert it inside you (it's a rubber disk - about half the size of a CD)... and you would then have to remove it after DTD. A little bit like inserting a tampon.

But there is no side effects at all. You can insert it just before DTD... and leave it in for something like 8 hours (not sure on that...). It can be used when you have your periods - so it collects the blood flow. And it is relatively high rate of contraception 90+%....

The only other non-hormonal one that I would know of is the condom....

There is the billings method - used properly it's quite reliable but it takes a few months before you understand your cycle and for those months they recomend abstinence so that you don't get your mucuses confused.

Here here on the Billings method!!!!

Love it! Finally I am in control of my fertility. I used a site on-line with a coach who held my hand until I got it! I will return to the same site to learn how Breastfeeding works with the Billings method.

I used Billings for several years with great success, then i fell PG accidentally. Beware infections (mine was sinus) which begin after the slippery mucus has started. It can delay ovulation without changing the mucus signs.

Bx

Billings doesn't sound too bad, but having to be abstinent for 2-3 months, just might drive me nuts. Not that I am abstinent, I just want the freedom. Perhaps I could try some of the other natural methods. I don't quite understand what they are.

The Billings book i used only asked for abstinence for one month and we cheated and used condoms. In the following months i watched my signs very carefully and the times we used condoms gradually lessened (like the first few months i used them from when AF stopped until when PMT started but by the time i fell PG i was only having 5-9 "no" sex (condoms sex for us) days a cycle because i was reading my signs so well).

I still have the chart for the month i fell PG. My cycles had been getting short then long and were becoming unreliable for the Persona monitor. I got wet mucus on CD8, EWCM on CD11 & 12, back to sticky CM on CD13. We DTD only twice that month on CD 17 and CD 18. I got a sinus infection on CD12 so i assume the infection delayed the actual ovulation or that i ovulated twice (i didn't know this but apparently you can ovulate a couple of times a couple of days apart sometimes).

I would recommend the Persona monitor Catherine. It is a little hand-held device. You buy urine test sticks every month - usually 8 but the first month you have to do 16 so it can read your whole cycle. You press the button on the first day of AF in the middle of what you want to be your 6-hour test window (i pressed mine at 9am so i could test between 6am and 12pm), then the machine tells you with a yellow light when it wants a sample (Day 7 or 8 and then 7 more days mid-cycle depending what your levels are like that day) - when you see the yellow light you pee on a test stick and plug it into the machine. It measures hormone levels in your pee and gives you a green (sex is safe) or red (sex may result in PG) light every day. The light is red or green everyday to tell you if it's safe. It also tells you with various little symbols the 2 days when you're ovulating (LH surge) and the day or 2 before that AF is coming. Very handy. My machine cost about ?60 ($140AUS) and the sticks are around ?10 ($23AUS) a month. It's 96% effective if you NEVER have sex on a red day, a little less if you use condoms on those days (because the condom failure rate comes into play). Google Persona for a full look.

bx

Thanks Bex, the money will be tight for that. Perhaps when I'm in a closed relationship I'll consider that. But I think that that will work for me. For now, perhaps since if I do dtd it will be erratic. Condoms for the meantime. Thanks for all your help.

Wow Bex...I've never heard of that before! hOw come it's not more widely used or talked about? It sounds like a very easy and chemical free way for contraception

Tara i only ever met one other person using it here in the UK but it's widely available in our major chemists. It's like the mooncupsd - they're out there on the market but most people just go looking for tampons so they don't see them. The Persona doesn't work for the 1st 3 months after birth or coming off hormonal contraception or while you're BFing so it's not great for me for the between-bubs period. I'm one of those women who got AF back at 6 weeks after birth despite BFing DD every 2-3 hours round the clock, so i got no break from my fertility. ATM i have the Mirena fitted which i find also helps reduce my broody feelings. (I sometimes hate the way people laugh and say "oh she's so broody". Before i had DD my desire for a baby was a constant painful demand which grew excrutiating around ovulation.) I'm keen to have another one now but it's not so bad. I can imagine it would be if i wasn't on these hormones.

THere was talk, a few years ago, of making the Persona avaiable on the NHS but the failure rate must be too high for them. They'll generally only put things through if they're 98% + effective in perfect conditions, and to use it "properly" you need to abstain when you're ovulating, which is almost bloody impossible! LOL.

Bx

We don't seem to be able to get menstrual cups in any chemists in Aus, but they can be bought online. I keep thinking about trying it, as I use washable pads (more comfy, no sticky side) and figure why not use a reusable "tampon" too.

But maybe later on down the track the Persona will be great.

Oh that sucks about the brooding, especially when you're single and have a child. Must be hard to sort urges from emotions. :hugs:

i am charting and using condoms/abstinence for now. no way an i putting any crap into my system anymore!
i was on depo for 9 months a few years ago - by then end i was an emotional mess, it really screwed me up and ever since i stopped taking it my periods have only been for 2 or 3 days- and they are so light that i dont even have to change my pad all day. i think it ruined my fertility, 2 miscarriages since stopping!

Yeah that's why I don't want hormones. It messed me up. Condoms will work for now I hope. Just have to be careful, and I'm charting the rhythm but haven't started the billing's charting. Is there a good website that can help me chart? Because I don't know what I'm looking for.

http://www.woomb.org/bom/index.html

The great thing about it is that if you want you can use it for TTC too. :)

i found one through the balckmores website, its what i am using for now

thanks for that link dachlosatr - further investigations when i get home !!

I've been using a diaphragm for the last 17 months. I found it quite hard to get in the right spot to begin with, but got it in the end. It probably wouldn't be suitable for you mummycate until you've nearly reached your goal weight though. I think they recommend getting refitted if you lose/gain 7kg.

I like the sound of Persona. I might just pick one up when I'm next in England (I'm from there, and am planning on taking our new bub over there.....when/if we have it :) ). If I get the hang of it I can get my mum to post the refills.