Contraceptions

[LadyinRed]

Hi ladies. I am going to see my gynae next week for a PAP smear and I thought I might ask him about contraceptions. I have a 2 year old boy so I am not looking to having another baby in the near future.

I'm just wondering if you have any experience with contraceptions and how well/ bad they work for you. Is there a reason you choose a particular type of contraception?

Is it true that if you are on the pill you can get some serious side effects like weight gain, mood swings, etc.? How fast does fertility return after you stop your contraception? What kind of questions should I ask the gynae?

I never used contraceptions (which explains my first baby, heh!) except for condoms and I would like to start looking at a long term one for myself.

Thanks in advance for any advice/ input!

(For the guys who are reading this, please don't tell me to swallow)

[sbk]

I've used the pill for years and never had any side effects whereas my sister can't take them at all. I would start with a low-dose pill first, see how you go with it. Weight gain for me was minimal and I found, with the low dose pill I had less PMS problems than with a higher dose. Fertility returns almost immediately after stopping it.

Other possibilities (which I wouldn't recommend) are the patch (doesn't stick in the humidity) the little things you get inserted under the skin (dont' like the idea of not being able to stop immediately if necessary) and injections (absolutely not--gave my sister horrible problems which she had to suffer with for over 2 months until it finally exited her system).

Other ideas that are fairly ok are the IUD (up to you), the sponge (I can't use spermicides so this one was out for me but if you are ok with them it is a good solution), and the cap (same thing--uses spermicides).

Of course, this is all assuming you are with a long-term monogamous partner!

I, personally, would start with the pill and try the others if you have problems with the pill. But make sure it is a low dose pill! The kind that vary the dose throughout the month are also a good bet. There is a forum on webmd just for womens health that you might want to check out too.

[LadyinRed]

Thank you for sharing SBK, I will have a read through at WebMD.

As for the pill, is there a particular brand you tend to use? How does brands vary? Dosage, suitability, etc.? It means you have to try as many brands until you are not suffering from the previous, unsuitable one?

[BambinA]

Contraceptions, Your choice, and reason(s)

no need

[LadyinRed]

Contraceptions, Your choice, and reason(s)

no need

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Lucky you Bambina!

[sbk]

Brands don't really matter, I go by dosage. I am using Meliane--a lower dosage pill but not the lowest--mine costs about 180 b/mo. The higher dosage pills are cheaper--some as little as 50b a month. I used those when I was younger but found my PMS symptoms worsening as I aged--poor hubby --he never complains abt the higher price of this pill .

I have been on the pill a very long time with the only side effect being the lessening of my periods--length and flow. I asked my ob/gyn back in the US if I should go off them --for a break and he said "Do you want to get pregnant?" I said no, and he said, "Then you don't need to go off them". However, some women, like my sister, have terrible side effects from them--you just have to give it a try and if you find your symptoms unbearable, try a lower dose and then if that still doesn't work look for alternatives.

[Nickerelastic]

In my early years I used the pill and suffered from most of the side effects

I tried the cap and spermicide..........that was way too clinical plus when I noticed the spermicide cream was removing my nail polish I was concerned about my insides.

After my youngest was born I opted for an IUD. I had no side effects whatsoever.

Bear in mind all methods mentioned above were used within a monogamous relationship.

[Boo]

I had the injections on & off for several years & stopped with the last injection in March 2003, I am stil infertile & have just had two operations to check if I have any long term damage, I have a very bad hormone inbalance (would explain some of my more agressive posts eh? ) from this time which is slowly getting back to normal & have sever PMS, heavy flows & general bloating, weight gain (which is slowly coming off) & mood swings.

If anyone is considering getting the injections, read above & please think again.

[sbk]

My sister had one injection and it made her hormonal and have her period for 3 months!

Also, years ago, before there were vets on the island the govt vets told the locals to go ahead and give their female dogs the same injection that women get (depo-provera) but in a smaller dose. yes, both of my dogs no longer went into heat, got pregnant or had puppies but they both contracted cancer (first dog breast cancer, 2nd dog a huge lump under her front leg) both died within a year of the first symptoms. The vet in Koh Samui said to me that ALL the dogs he had seen that had injections had developed cancer.

Boo, hope you get better.

[Boo]

my dog also had the injection & got cancer & Sr Ponsak (vet in samui, same one u use?) gave her chemo & she got better only to be killed when we moved her & my other dog to hubbys town, when the government decided to poison all the bins

[sbk]

Dr Somsak? By the Tesco Lotus? We got chemo for our 2nd dog (first dog went too quick), prolonged her life but she died in April, just before I went home. Still miss her

[Boo]

yes, sorry getitng confused witht he people doc in Nathon

[girlx]

i use low dose, monophasic birth control pills (brand name Nordette in Thailand). i actually take these continuously so that i never bleed- have been doing this for 4 years. i have regular checkups and have no problems whatsoever. the only side effect i have noticed is maybe lowered sex drive (which for me is a good thing since i am not with anyone now and don't really want my sex drive to make my relationship decisions for me). but also my skin has cleared up completely with these pills.

[LadyinRed]

Thank you ladies for sharing. Looks like the low dose pill is the way to go. I'll ask my doc about it.

Boo I hope you are feeling better. Those injections sound nasty!

[llewynx]

Speaking of pills - need to get more of the ones I use... They're called Cerazette (by Organon) in Europe, low dosage ones, same same here? Can I get them here in Thailand or am I gonna have to send for them somehow from Europe?

[bina]

IUD

for past ten years probably will have to do a D&C to get it out yuck yuck.... couldnt do the pill ever and am allergic to anti sperm things... fortunately i know exactly when i ovulate too....

[Nickerelastic]

IUD

for past ten years probably will have to do a D&C to get it out  yuck yuck....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep! It got "lost" had to go for a scan to locate it. D&C was a simple op' Doc told me in some cses the IUD falls out

[Ice Maiden]

The pill gives me too many side effects so I'm going to have the implant done.... When I pluck up the courage !

Shouldn't be THAT painful I guess...

[Nickerelastic]

Hi Icey

Did you read the whole thread?

[Ice Maiden]

Hi Icey

Did you read the whole thread?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Nicker

Yes I read most of it.

Did I make a mistake?

[Nickerelastic]

No, not at all. I'm just wary of long term hormone injections and implants.

[cdnvic]

yes, sorry getitng confused witht he people doc in Nathon

If you keep getting vets and MDs mixed up expect alot more side effects to meds.

cv

[Nickerelastic]

Please keep on topic

Contraception is a serious subject.

[ayakiawe]

I got it….So have sex “protected” and die soon of cancer from toxic chemical poisoning or just don’t have sex.

I want to help protect you….. but not from pregnancy here but from toxic chemicals that will create cancer in your body; no ands, ifs or buts!

I think there are many other ways to go about having a healthy sex life without poisoning your system with dangerous chemicals.

Most condoms are coated with them too! If I love someone I would not ask or wish them to take toxic chemicals. I think we could figure out a way to sex without them. After all this thing has been happening way before chemicals and cancer rates have skyrocketed. Don’t think you must put poisons in your body for a man to love you either!!!! Good God folks get a grip!

I hope that all woman and men for that matter would be able to figure out a way to have sex without exposing themselves to toxic chemicals!

Wake up folks before it’s too late!!!!

[sbk]

Speaking of pills - need to get more of the ones I use...  They're called Cerazette (by Organon) in Europe, low dosage ones, same same here? Can I get them here in Thailand or am I gonna have to send for them somehow from Europe?

Check the ingredients on the pill packets--make sure to go to a very large pharmacy as they will have more choice--Cerazette contains Desogestrel--it is a progestogen only pill--so, if you can't find that particular one you may try another progestogen only pill like

From Netdoctor uk:

here are several groups . So if one brand doesn't suit you (say, if it gives you bad spots on your face), you can easily switch to one from another group. At the time of writing (January 2005 ), there are seven brands available in Britain – and others in overseas countries. The British brands are:

      Group 1 (both identical)

      Micronor, Noriday.

      Group 2

      Femulen.

      Group 3 (both identical)

      Microval, Norgeston (both identical).

      Group 4 (the newest)

      Cerazette.

[llewynx]

Thanks sbk! I've checked Organons website and it looks like they have a branch in Thailand, so I guess I should be able to get the pills here as well...

[Patsycat]

I took the pill for years and years and i had no side effects apart from the fact that they made me sterile. I am now in my early forties and yearning to have a baby... So for all you youngsters out there think hard and fast before you put chemicals into your bodies - they may be safe but in the long run the screw your hormones up, but then again alot of research has gone into all this and perhaps the pills i took are not on the market anymore, i am not a doctor but i think taking the pill on and on and not having a regular monthly period is not good for your health... Come on, its only natural and only lasts a few days and also gets alot of c-rap out of your body...

[sbk]

Did you get it confirmed by your doctor that the pill made you sterile?

According to what I have read there is no scientific basis for that claim :

Factors that may play a role in the time it takes for fertility to return after discontinuing oral contraceptives are age and parity (number of previous births). In a 1986 study published in The British Journal of Family Planning, Vessey, Smith and Yeates measured the influence of age and parity on the time it takes for fertility to return after discontinuing oral contraceptives. They compared women aged 25-29 with women aged 30-35 and those who had previously given birth versus those who had never given birth.

Some of their relevant findings included the following:

    * For women who had already had children, impairment of fertility after discontinuing the pill was very slight and of very short duration for women in both age groups.

    * Women aged 25-29 who had never had children had some impairment of fertility after discontinuing oral contraceptives but the effect was relatively short-lived.

    * Women aged 30-35 who had never had children had the longest delay in conceiving after discontinuing oral contraceptives but there was no evidence that the pill caused permanent sterility.

Women over the age of 40 usually have difficulty conceiving regardless of whether or not they took the pill.

From the website ivillage:

Trying to Conceive after 40: What You Need to Know

by Peg Plumbo, CNM (see more from this expert)

Q

I am 41-years-old and have been trying to conceive. I take prenatal vitamins, eat well and exercise. Is there anything special that I should be aware of?

A

It sounds like you are doing everything right. Decline in fertility is your biggest enemy at this age.

Research published in the June 2002 jounal of Human Reproduction showed that a woman's fertility can begin to decline much earlier than most of us had believed -- as early as her late 20s.

Women in their 40s often need assistance from a reproductive specialist to become pregnant, either inducing ovulation or combining this with in-vitro fertilization. If you have not already done so, I would visit a physician specializing in infertility. Time is critical and each cycle that goes by is important.

Older men also contribute to the declining fertility rates. In the same study mentioned above, it was found that male fertility also begins to decline around the age of 35.

I don't mean to be the harbinger of bad news, but in response to your inquiry about other things to be aware of, older women have a higher risk of many of the complications of pregnancy, such as hypertensive disease, preterm labor, miscarriage and intrauterine fetal death.

Page Two: 8 books you'll want to read

There are many books written on this topic. Eight books that I highly recommend are:

"Creating a Life: Professional Women and the Quest for Children", by Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Talk Miramax Books, 2002

"Birth Over 35", by Sheila Kitzinger, Penguin Books: 1995

"Getting Pregnant When You Thought You Couldn't", by Helane S., Ph.D. Rosenberg, Yakov M., Ph.D. Epstein, Warner Books, 2001

"Getting Pregnant", by Melvin Frisch, Body Press: 1987

"The Infertility Book", by Carla Harkness, Volcano Press: 1987

"The Couple's Guide to Fertility", by Gary Berger, Main Street Books: 1995

"How to be a Successful Fertility Patient", by Peggy Robin, W. Morrow: 1993

"Last-Chance Children", by Monica Morris, NY: Columbia University Press: 1988

[Patsycat]

I am now over 40 - but when we were trying for a baby i was in my mid to late 20's having been on the pill since i was 18. Any way, i've got nephews and friends with little cuddly things with smiles and burps and i have got over the fact that it is not for me.... I am what they call an spinster with pussy cats..!!?

[skylar]

I used to use Diane 35 ED by Schering. I had a little weight gain, but my pain disappeared and my acne cleared up. It was the latter that prompted me to go on it.