Charting/Temping for birth control?

Oh, forgot to add about the coil...

the reason they have you come in right at the end of your period is that that is when you're less likely to be pregnant for sure...and they don't want to insert it if you are.

Have you tried a well-women's clinic, Anne?  They might be able to fit you in better than the GP.  Depo is a hormonal-based contraceptive, so if you have problems w/BCPs talk it over w/a nurse practitioner at a well-women's clinic.  Tubal ligation is also provided on the NHS, although the wait list for vasectomy is shorter. 

The place I've been waiting to get into is a family planning clinic - my GP doesn't do coils or Depo.... I've only had one issue with BCPs (vaginal dryness that was bad enough to make sex miserable) and only had it over here (in the US I was on low-estrogen pills and they were totally fine but they don't seem to have those over here....) I'd be willing to try Depo once to find out if it had the same effect, I think....

I don't want to tie my tubes 'cause as much as we don't want kids, I don't think either of us is willing to say absolutely never. I doubt we'll change our mind, but we've also both agreed that "we're going to try to avoid it, but if it happened, it wouldn't be the end of the world." I know that sounds sort of lame, but... well, we are sort of lame. Heehee.

Oh, and geally, at the risk of TMI, the clinic says the period thing with the coil is because I haven't had kids so I'm not very, er, stretched out and when your period is about to end, it's a bit slippery which makes things easier....  She said otherwise it would be hard to get in and quite painful....

Oh, and geally, at the risk of TMI, the clinic says the period thing with the coil is because I haven't had kids so I'm not very, er, stretched out and when your period is about to end, it's a bit slippery which makes things easier....  She said otherwise it would be hard to get in and quite painful....

Hehehe...gyno topics are so ''delicate'' don't you think!
 
but yea, I had mine inserted by my midwife when we were visiting over Christmas and was waiting for my monthly to come and go so that I could have her do it before coming back here as I was really comfortable with her (had never been to a dr. here before then)...so it is kind of inconvenient.

With the Depo I bled on and off non-stop for three months...hated it.

I'm one of those women who love the Depo shot - but I never had any problems with BCP - except remembering to take them...  The great thing about Depo is that it's effective immediately.  

Granted, it's not for everyone.  But I haven't had any real problems with it - none that were worse than an unplanned baby at this point in my life, at least!  Mind you, I also had the Norplant for the full 5 years and I must be the only person in the world who that went well for.  

I find there's a LOT of pressure here to use the coil, particularly if you've had kids.  I don't want it b/c I have a problem - my conscience has a problem - with how it works.  The hormonal one is also progesterone-based.  Progesterone can mimick testosterone in the female body, leading to nasty side effects like cystic acne - which is why I had to be on an anti-androgen BCP, Dianette.  Plus, after working in a women's clinic, I saw one too many cases of a migrated coil for my liking.  

So I'm not sure which option I'll chose after having this one, although DH is leaning towards the snip, he's under 30 and they don't like to do it on men that young.  

Depo is NOT an option for me - I haven't known anyone who used it who didn't gain weight.  I've had too many surgeries on my knees to carry extra weight around w/o pain.  

so guys, is the only non hormonal stuff:
diaphrams
sponge/spermicide foam/ spermicide film
condoms
and NFM?
?

ma

so guys, is the only non hormonal stuff:
diaphrams
sponge/spermicide foam/ spermicide film
condoms
and NFM?
?

ma

there is a non-hormonal coil available, so i've heard.

think i might have to go the diaphram route b/c i plan on breast-feeding and therefore can't take any other BCP but a progestin-based one - which i've tried three times before and had nothing but breakthrough bleeding.

Wow!  I am so surprised, and impressed, to see so many women using NFP on here!!  That's fantastic!  Simon and I will use NFP when we get married - well, actually, we will use nothing as we plan to try to get pregnant as soon as possible, but should we need to time pregnancies it will be NFP for us.

I've used it in the past to try to GET pregnant (didn't work - not that NFP didn't work, I didn't work).  It really does take a huge ammount of commitment from BOTH husband and wife or it will just be a constant struggle during those fertile times.  If he agrees to it and you do it together it's wonderful.  My best friend uses NFP and they have no problems with it as far as I know.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0926412132/qid=1122990927/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_sbs_1/102-4669994-9658504?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

This is the NFP bible - it will tell you everything you need to know and the rest you can get from counselors.  You can find them on the Internet and often communicate via email.

Good luck!!!! 

~Liza

I'll have to see how soon I can get fitted for a diaphram post-partum.

With temping, you need to have been sleeping for a set number of hours at once, something that's not going to work w/a breast-feeding infant and potty-training toddler. 

DH is going to speak to another GP about getting the snip, b/c he's quite keen not to have anymore than 2.  I couldn't agree more.

.  Plus, after working in a women's clinic, I saw one too many cases of a migrated coil for my liking.  

.  

Was this with any coil or with the Mirena in particular? I am so scared of that...I've had two months of bleeding 3 weeks and then 2 1/2 weeks with ''flooding'' and many clots (sorry if tmi) and worrying because at this point I should be starting to bleed less not more! (wouldn't be scared if I was atleast bleeding normally)

I hate the thought of using synthetic hormones, but after getting pregnant with the twins while on bcp (I think it was because I continued taking them in the morning...even when I was six hours ahead on a trip to Germany? Can' think of why else because I never missed any pills) I am so worried about another pregnancy (I am 40...with five children whom I love dearly, but am ready for ''my'' time) and was told the Mirena is the most full-proof...even more so than female sterilization.

Vicki

After the Dalcon Shield fiasco - nothing will make me even consider a coil or other IUD. 

After the Dalcon Shield fiasco - nothing will make me even consider a coil or other IUD. 

The Mirena is nothing like that (so I have been told over and over) but since I grew up during the traditional IUD fiasco it is ALWAYS been in the back of my mind!

The coils that migrated were all sorts, Mirenas and not.  We had three ladies fall pregnant on coils.  In one, they couldn't find the coil.  Not even in the afterbirth.  So had to take her into operating theatre post-partum to locate it.

No, thanks. 

Didn't know there was anything more effective than sterilisation, though.  Vasectomy is more effective than tubal ligation, but not sure of the exact statistic. 

The literature I've recieved shows Mirena as effective as vasectomy

less than 1 women in 100 becoming pregnant

The literature I've recieved shows Mirena as effective as vasectomy

less than 1 women in 100 becoming pregnant

I'll take vasectomy any day over coil  !  No chance of 'migrating vasectomy' or heavy periods with vasectomy.     Good to know it works for some.  Just can't do progesterone-based hormonal methods anymore.