Birth Control - Brimfield,MA

I get a depo provera shot every 3 months and love it! No pills to remember (or forget!) and best of all, no periods! I haven't had any complications with it. I do take a calcium supplement to prevent bone loss, but that's it.

M.,
Everyone seems to respond to birth control differently, so I don't know if this will help. I have only ever used Loestrin 24 and I have had no problems with it (no mood swings, no weight gain, etc.). It could just be me, but I am happy with it.
Good luck,
C.

Hi M.
Have you looked into NFP? The classes do have a religious component to it, but you don't have to be religious. Its simple, cheep, and entirely earth friendly. My husband and I have used this method for over 12 years and we have only 1 child - a 10 year old daughter. (though we'd love another one it hasn't been in God's plan for us). No need for snipping or getting tied or anything which can have negative side affects later in life.
The main thing about NFP is that you take your daily temp and cross-check with your mucous observations. The more you and your husband are in tune with your own specific fertility cycles the better you can use that information to either work towards, or delay conception.

You also noted that you had been trying for another baby -- this information gathered can help you understand when you are most likely to ovulate and therefore most likely get pregnant -- it just takes a little commitment to understand your body.

J.

Well there probably aren't any new non-hormonal ones out there. Using Natural Family Planning does not have to result in motherhood at all. There are a lot of fertility signs you can track to know when you should avoid sex. The problem with it though is that the time of the month when you likely to be more into sex (around ovulation), is when you should be avoiding it.

I'm sure this isn't a new one to you. :) Condoms work really well. And if DH doesn't want to have a vasectomy, then his argument that he doesn't like them (I'm sure they all say this) really wouldn't hold much weight with me. Taking hormonal birth control is much more of an inconvenience for you (if you have side effects) every single day of the month than using a condom for a little while when you are together.

I'm a fan of the book, "Taking Charge of you Fertility" as well. It explains in detail about your body and your cycle. If you have a fairly regular cycle and you have a pretty regular schedule in your life then I highly recommend this method. I started using it after being on the pill for 10 years. I didn't want to take hormones anymore.
It has worked perfectly for me. We just use condoms when I know I may be fertile. 2 years ago my husband asked me if there was a chance I was fertile and I told him "Yes." He decided to roll the dice and sure enough I was fertile! I don't know why he was so shocked when I told him the happy news ;)

I use the site fertilityfriend.com to chart my cycles. It's free.

I also agree about asking your husband to get snipped again. So simple and safe and no work!

Everyone will have a slightly different reaction to medications because of our own body chemistry. The FDA approved a generic version of YAZ earlier this week, but it may be months before it's available.

Having worked in the pharmaceutical industry for a long time, I'd recommend the extra $25/month - well worth the cost vs. accidentally having another child when it's not desired.

My husband would LOVE to make the appointment with the Urologist to get snipped, but I still want more and we haven't reached a decision. I always find it interesting when men want sex, but don't want kids or corrective action to prevent conception. Not judging him, just an observation.

Ask your OB or pharmacist for other possible alternatives. There are literally dozens of birth control pills on the market. Also call your insurance to see how they cover different birth controls (DepoPrevera vs. Birth Control Pills, etc). The reason YAZ is $35 is that it's a non-preferred 3rd tier product. That means, they're not willing to pay for as much as a generic, but there may be a "preferred" tier 2 brand instead. Your insurance company should be able to give you an idea of what they have on their formulary.

If not, check out this site. Enter your insurance plan, and and it should tell you how things are covered. Just be aware that insurance formularies (drug lists) are constantly changing, so it may be out of date.
http://www.fingertipformulary.com/

I have been using the generic brand of Seasonal. 1 period every 3 months. so far it has been ok. It is a hormone birth control.

Sorry to hear the difficulties you've had. :(
I have been on Trivora, it's a low dose hormone pill that has worked excellent for me. I've been on and off of it since I was 19 and never have I had the bad mood swings, well according to me anyway :), nor have I had any other issues w/ the pill. I didn't want to gain a bunch of water weight so I asked for a low dose and I'm very happy w/ it. :) It regulates my periods, gives me less cramps, and I don't have a complaint about it.

Have you thought about a Nuva ring? It is hormonal but a _very_ low dose. It worked for me without side effects. Of course, everyone is different...

Look into the Essure procedure. It is permanent but I know of several women who have had it done and they have no complaints.

This probably isn't very helpful because it really doesn't answer your question, but have you thought about putting your foot down (so to speak) about your husband getting a vasectomy? The risks of birth control get so much higher the older we get, and the risks to him are so much lower to have it taken care of permanently . . . I don't know your relationship, so I don't know how much you can "push" this issue . . .

Out of all the bc I have used over the years, I did like the depo shot the best :)

Good luck!