Hi there, I am just curious what other over 35 women are using for birth control. My story: I am 37, and went on BC pill around 19y. I stayed on the pill until ttc at 30y, and was pregnant 3 months later. After nursing baby #1 I went back on the same pill until I turned 35. I was so paranoid to take them after the age of 35 for all the increased health risks I decided to stop taking them. (I am very weird about taking any medications!) So 4 months after stopping the pill I got pregnant. I unfortunatley lost the baby at 13 weeks, and had to have a d&c. I got pregnant again 5 months later, and had another baby :) While prego I decided to get a tubal, but to make a long story short I changed my mind. I do not want any more children, but it just seemed to final for me. (hubby flat out refuses a vasectomy, btw!)
So now I am trying to figure out what I should do for birth control. My ob told me to take the mini pill while nursing, but I had gestational diabetes, and read that pogesterone only pill can put GD women at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes, so that made me paranoid enough to not take them. I am so stressed about what to use! I was wondering what other over 35's do for birth control. Am I being to paranoid about the pill? My baby is now 11 months old and we use condoms as our bc option, but I'll be honest I dont like them, and my husband feels the same. Needless to say there's not much going on with my husband and I these days and I feel like it is starting to affect our relationship. Any advice would be great :)
I think IUD's are great. No worries, very affective,nothing to remember, no hormones to bother you...great!
Hi S.,
I am a 35 year old mother of a 2 year old son. Also, like you, I developed gestational diabetes while pregnant. My doctor and I talked a lot about birth control options and we decided it was best to get the IUD (the copper one without the hormones). I've had that in for 2 years now and don't have any problems.
Hope this helps,
G.
Hi S.,
I used the pill for about 10 years before I went off it to get pregnant. We had been married about 5 years at the time. I'm now 45 and while breast feeding my youngest was on the mini pill. I think I had more problems with the mini than the regular. Now that Jason has stopped bf, I'm on the regular pill again. Anyhow, my husband had talked with other guys about getting a vacsectomry and got both good and bad stories. He had gone to the health clinic downtown around 3 years ago (at that time I had medicaid, thus free) and had to sit through a presentation about the procedure even though he wanted to get it done. Then had to wait a month before making the appointment and then forgot! Short story: he had a vacsectomy last Thursday at the Planned Parenthood clinic which was performed by a doctor from Tampa who travels to various locations in Florida about every 8 weeks. He performs low-cost v's, has a website and he is terrific. My husband had a little pain for one day and since feels fine. It's going to free us both from the worry of me getting pregnant, as I have yet to go through menopause. Here is the link to the doc's website. It's a no-scapel procedure and he's done thousands. It only cost $390 if you don't have insurance (that's us) and most insurance covers the cost. Also can get assistance to pay through medicaid. http://www.vasweb.com/index.htm Good luck!
PS. Dr Stein, not one of his staff, called to check up on my husband!
I just turned 36. After my little girl was born I started using the Nuva Ring as birth control. I really like it because it isn't something that I have to remember everyday. You insert the "ring", kinda reminds me of those plastic bracelets I wore in junior high. Anyways you insert the ring and can leave it in for 3 or 4 weeks. You can do the traditional 3 weeks in and remove and have a period or you can leave in up to 4 weeks take out and insert another. And have a period whenever you want. I leave mine in for 4 weeks, take it out and have a period. I have tried just putting in another but my body won't let me go but about 5 weeks and then my period would be wanting to start. My Doctor says everyone is different. Some women can keep putting in new rings and have a period every few months. But I'm pleased with every 4 weeks. And when I do start, my period only lasts about 3 days. You can leave the ring in during sex unless it bothers you or your spouse. You can take it out for a 3 hour period with no worries. In the box it comes in it has little stickers to put on your calendar to remind you when you put a new one in and when to remove. I have absolutely no cramps!!!! and never have to use a tampon bigger than the regular size. I love it. Years ago when I tried the pill, I was very emotional and my breasts hurt so bad I couldn't stand it. Since using the ring, I have no side effects what so ever. Hope this helps. Definetely something worth looking into.
Have you ever considered an IUD? There is one that contains hormones and one without and it's not a permanent situation. Just have it removed whenever you want. Ask your doctor for more information.
I say hold out on the sex!!! He will eventually give in. If there are health issues involved with you and birth control, you went through 2 pregnancies & 2 births, I think he can step up and handle a 20 minute procedure. It's really no big deal, my hubby was freaked out and we went in for a consultation and it really is no big deal. If he gets in done on Friday he'll be back to work on Monday. If his 20 minute procedure saves you from health risks I say stick to your guns. Good Luck!!!
I'm not a fan of BCPs because of the hormones. It took me a long time to get my body back to normal when we were TTC my oldest son, that I swore I would never use another form of hormonal BC. Instead I had a copper IUD put in - very easy, and it can stay in up to 10 years. I cannot tell that anything is there.
I'm glad you wrote about this because i was asked on the table(while delivering my last daughter)while getting a c-section and i said no because it was so final and although i had thought about it some during the pegnancy, i honestly felt i was done after the second. Evidently i didn't think about it enough!! At this point i am 40, but do not want to go on birth control, and my husband doesn't like condoms, and i wish he would consider getting a vasectomy. It seems it is so easy for men to get. Besides he is 45, and knows he doesn't want more children either. I went through so much to have these two girls, and i feel it's his turn. I wouldn't get an IUD-that's just me. As for BCP's, I just feel all these chemicals we put in our bodies for the first half of our lives trying not to get pregnant-now it's more dangerous, so why do it. Let me know if you get any other answers because i'd like to change our life in the bedroom too. I'm so scared of getting pregnant that i'd rather not do it at all!
I am extremely sensitive to BCP and I breastfed my babies. So after birth the doctor didn't recommend the Mini Pill for me, and so I tried the copper IUD and absolutely LOVE it. I've had it for 2 years now without any complications at all. Sometimes I forget i'm on Birth control. The first weeks my husband felt the strings, nothing too bad, but I still went in and the doctor trimmed them. He doesn't feel anything after that. At first he would question I was on Birth Control...lol..
-N.
Well, I am only 32 and I still plan to have one more child, but I am also concerned about the risks of long term pill usage. Since my DD was about 9 months old and my cycles returned (we breastfeed) I have been using Fertility Awareness Method. I chart my cycles and we avoid during the fertile times or use condoms during that time. We have been using this successfully for 8 months now. You do need to study up and learn the rules, and then have the self control to follow them. A good start is the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility.
Another option that a friend who is a PA suggested to me is the IUD. Supposedly they are much safer than they used to be and don't have as many side effects.
