Birth Control - Collierville,TN

I got an IUD that does not contain hormones... Can't recall the name of it, but it is the one that is NOT Mirena. It's copper...

I went with the copper IUD because I felt it was the safest and simplest for me. I love that does not have any medicine or hormones-I didn't feel like I needed to add anything else to my body.

J.,
I had great success with birth contol called Yaz. Yaz is what my doctor recommended when I had the same problem. It has an additional hormone plus 2 extra active pills and I have almost no period. The disadvantage is that it does not have a generic. I soon as I changed my eating habits, I lost 12lbs. in two months. Worth looking into.
Good luck,
P.

J.,
I just want to clarify on another post- the Mirena IUD does in fact have hormones. There is a small amount with the IUD which is supposed to be localized, but that is questionable. Someone posted on here just the other day that she has gained weight with the Mirena, and I have heard that from other users, also. I had the Mirena for 2 years- it didn't cause weight gain, but I had some issues with ovarian cysts and terrible acne while it was in place. Just do your research.
As for your questions- there aren't a lot of options out there as far as effective non-hormonal BC, other than a condom. I have known people to have success with a combination of things- such as rhythm method and spermicide. But that is up to your husband to comply. :) I would say try different BC pills until you find the right one that doesn't cause weight gain. Back when I was taking pills, I think the one that worked best for me was orthotricyclene (sp?). I have a friend that is using the Nuvaring and likes that a lot. Everyone is different tho. I would talk to your doc for the best recommendation.

I wanted to point out that not all birth control pills are the same - the estrogen is but there are many types of Progestin - and in varying amounts. Some pills are more likely to cause weight gain than others.

I had a problem with pills causing acne and I gained 10lbs (and at the time, my partner had a vasectomy so the only reason I was on the pill was to help balance my hormones and clear up acne). So I switched pills and the acne problem went away and I dropped weight (yay).

This site has a chart showing how much progestin and what kind are in each kind of pill then below that is a chart showing the problem (such as acne, weight gain, depression, etc) and the best pills for that problem. You might just need to change to a different kind of pill.

http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm

If you want to go completely non-hormonal, then you can get the Paragard IUD. Mirena has hormones, Paragard does not. You can also use the sponge, spermicides (there are films, creams, and solid inserts that melt inside available) and/or condoms, or the rhythem method (no sex during peak ovulation)

I don't know if anyone else has recommended this yet, but VCF (Vaginal Contraceptive Film) is great. I get it at Walmart on the same aisle where you can get condoms. I'm a very fertile person and have only gotten pregnant when I failed to use it at all. I've never used condoms in addition to the VCF. It should be used 15 mintues in advance and is good for up to 3 hours. I've not had any side effects in 3.5 years of use.

Boy, I could've written that request. You can imagine how ticked I was to discover that the extra 10-15 lbs I'd carried around since college wasn't me; it was the birth control pills! So I went on a quest to find bc that wasn't hormone based. Which led me to sterilization (no thanks), a copper IUD (which just can't be good for you), and spermicide (I like the film version). (There's diaphrams/cervical caps, too, but my GYN clearly hadn't fitted one in awhile, so I wouldn't have trusted it.) But spermicide by itself isn't terribly effective, at least, not as much as I'd like for peace of mind. So I investigated Fertility Awareness via "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". Now I'm completely satisfied using spermicide in Phase One, abstaining in Phase Two, and "going commando" in Phase Three. I feel confident and covered, contraception-wise. Here's a chart for decision-making http://www.fda.gov/Fdac/features/1997/conceptbl.html

HTH

I recommend Natural Family Planning, because it isn't invasive, it doesn't use hormones, and you don't have to take pills, etc. It really is quite empowering. You may want to get more information than what I can give, but basically you just keep track of your cycle and avoid sex (or use condoms or something) during your fertile time. It's not just the "calendar method" which failed a lot of times because women's cycles are not set in stone. I have a 29-day cycle, which means I usually ovulate on about day 15; if you have a 27-day cycle, you'll ovulate on day 13. Your body gives signs and signals for when you ovulate -- the primary one I watch is cervical mucus. When you're fertile, it starts to thin out and look like egg white, and you can stretch it between your fingers. Sperm can live in your body for 3-5 days (sometimes longer), and the egg only lives about 24 hours after it is released. So, basically, I start watching and being careful when I get to about day 10, and then avoid sex or use whatever until about day 16 -- but I use the cervical mucus as a clue, because it's possible for ovulation to be speeded up or slowed down from one month to the next (I've had 27-day cycles and 31-day cycles, even though I'm pretty regular).

I don't like hormonal birth control and IUDs for a lot of reasons, but the #1 reason is that it can cause a fertilized egg not to implant, which to me is killing a baby like abortion. Technically and officially, pregnancy doesn't begin until the baby implants in your womb, so some doctors don't consider such drugs and devices to be "abortifacient", but since life begins when the egg is fertilized, I disagree with their quibble about preventing a fertilized egg from implanting as not being abortion. (This change in definition happened in the 70s; previously, it was understood that pregnancy began at conception, or the fertilization of the egg. This is not to be confused with gestational age, in which the pregnancy is considered to begin on the first day of your last menstrual period. I hate how doctors make normal uncomplicated stuff so complicated!) :-)

I use a diaphragm. It may not be trendy, but it gets the job done. We have never gotten pregnant while using it. It was a better alternative for us than condoms. Talk to your doctor to get fitted. The last OB-GYN that I went to tried to sell me on every birth control method out there. He was totally shocked that I really wanted this "old-fashioned" method of birth control over all the modern day advances. Stick to your guns if this is what you decide. After all it is your body and just because they have a degree doesn't mean they know everything! :-)

Get the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler or go to her website TCOYF.com. It's a great book that explains alot about womens reproductive systems. It teaches a lot about Natural Family Planning but she also has a chapter on other methods of birth control. I've never used them myself but my Aunt had an IUD for years and it worked well for her.

You could try Nuvaring. This is a lot easier to use since there is no pill and nothing to remember everyday. I aactually lost weight on this and I never had acne on it either. It's kind of expensive if you don't have good insurance but it's worth it.

My daughter had the mirana thing done after she got pregnate on birth control. Its fairly new but shes had it for 2 years and no problems. Its a simple 15 min. Procedure and shes had no problems.

Hello J.,
I went thru 4 differnt kinds of Birth Control before I found what I use now! Hope this helps atleast or points u in the right way!Depo shot works well but u do gain weight I really liked the Ortho Evra Patch But my doctor advised against using it cause it causes blood clots . I am now using the Nuva ring and I don't have to worry about any baby's or all the other hassel's with a diaphram and stuff I would defently recommend this to a working mom ..good luck hope u find the right 1

Hi J.. Try Mirena. It's an IUD and isn't hormone based and does not cause weight gain. I got one 7 weeks after my daughter was born and its been great. You may or may not have a montly cycle but so far that's the only side effect I've experienced. Good luck!

Hey J.,

I agree with Natural Family Planning that Kathy talked about. I also do not use hormonal BC for the same reasons she mentioned. Knowing your own body's cycles can be empowering. My cycles are 27 days (or occasionally 28 days) so we know exactly when to use condoms and spermacide. My son will be 2 this month, and I have never had a "pregnancy scare".

I used the paragaurd IUD before my husband got a vasectomy and I loved it. Its completely nonhormonal I didnt even know it was there. Its good for 10 years and can be removed if/when you decide you want to have a baby any time. You cycle just like you normally would. My body was normal and natural. I suggested it to my SIL and she got it the next month.

Well if you are done having kids, I recommend the Essure. If you are not, go to condoms, IUD-both are non hormonal or low dose hormonal.

there is an iud that is non hormonal, i think its made of copper.medicaid covers it after a certain point after birth but without it costs 6-700 dollars. it sounds expensive but it also seems worth it if it lasts a decade. im having it put in some time in may and can write back to you on how the procedure went if you'd like.i had the same trouble with weight gain and pills or the shot, i also had high blood pressure too. not fun.