Contraceptive Choices

I've had Mirena for nearly 5 years. I have to have it remove this summer, and I plan to get another immediately. I love it.

I can't take the pill, because of liver issues, so I was so happy to find Mirena. My ins paid for it (minus the copay). This time around, I will probably have to pay for it, but it is still worth it.

The best part. i only have 4-5 very light period per year. Whoopee!

Read the book taking charge of your fertility. I did and it works!! No pills or anything you just follow the book. I would reccomend it to any one. Other than the side affects of the pill there is also the risk of break through fertilization in which case the baby can be aborted b/c of the hormone that causes the uterus to be a hostile envoronment for a fertiziled egg. I have tons more info if you're interrested. Not sure where you stand as far as that goes, but for this reason we never used the pill.

I have the Mirena IUD. I love it! Also, my insurance paid for it with my copay. When I had it done, there was a lot of cramping for 2 days. After that, no problems. I have had mine for 2 years now and the best part is that I don't have to worry about it for a few more years! How great is that?! I would definitely recommend it!

I have Mirena and I think it's the best birth control ever! If you insurance covers it I would highly recommend it (and even if it doesn't, it still might be worth it!) You get it put in, and then you don't have to think about birth control again until you get it taken out (which could be years if you want it to be!) It also makes periods lighter, and (for me) cramps nearly nonexistent! And since there's just a teeeensy bit of hormones in it, it doesn't really affect you in other ways like the pill (which affected me a lot).
Hope this helps.
L.

Hi J.,
I'm a mother of one to a beautiful 16 month old little boy. and I decided to get the Mirena, and I LOVE it. I recommend it to ANY mother. before I got pregnant with my son I was not on any birth control and I had never been on any type of birth control. Now having the Mirena because it's SO low hormone, I feel like I'm not on birth control. I feel "normal". I've had it for a year and a couple of months now and I just love it. It's worth it! if you have any questions about it you can just ask me!

J.,
I understand what you are going through. I had some major mood issues while on the pill and last year I decided to go off of it. I found something that I really like and seems to be pretty effective for us. It is called VCF (Vaginal Contriceptive Film). It is similar to one of the foams but you put it in 15 min. prior to when you are thinking of being intamate and have 3 hours before it wares off. It is the only one I have found with that long of a time on it. I have been using it for awhile now. Oh yeah it is over the counter at Wal-mart, CVS, and Walgreens. Those are the only places I have been able to find it at.
I recentley was told I have PCOS so it may haved worked for me or my condition could be the cause of me not getting pregnant. I figured if you were looking for option I would let you know and you can decide from there.
Good luck on you decission,
E.

My friend's little boy just turned one. She was using the Nuvaring...so BEWARE ~ LOL. Are you done having kids? If so, I would suggest your husband having the vastecomy. If you plan on having more kids...I guess I don't know what "risks" you are speaking of with the pill. There are several "low dose" ones out there that you can discuss with your Doctor. Just one word of warning...stay away from Depovera (sp?). Anything that causes you to NOT have your period months at a time is not healthy for your body. It caused my sister to lose her hair. It was awful. Good luck & Take Care.

Hey J., I just want you to know that this is only my opinion soooooooooooooooooooo..... Will your insurance pay for the birth control orthro-evra patch? It's good I like it I've been using it since my third son stop breastfeeding and he is 5yrs old now. The only down fall I believe is that you can't take it while breastfeeding and I think that the only thing you can take is a pill that is in the mild version while breastfeeding. The patch is 3wks with 1wk w/o and you know when your period is coming the week w/o. And all the risk that they tell you happen or can happen if you really want to look at it, you run all those risk while pregnant, you can ask the doctor well, hell thats what mine told me anyway, but you have to go with what you like. Best of luck to you on your choice!!!!!

I have the Mirena IUD. I absolutely love it. I have had it since I was breastfeeding my son who is now 27 months. I have not had a period since having it inserted. (This is fairly common.) It's also great that neither my husband or I have to worry about birth control when we actually find time together. Definitely chsck it out and see if it is the right choice for you! I love mine!!!!

Hi J.,

Personally, I only have one kidney and I'm not allowed to be on the pill. My doctor has suggested Mirena because there's really no meds in it. I have a good friend who is actually a nurse and she's been on it for a year. She said you are able to feel it the first month and after that you can't feel it at all. So after I have this baby, and if my husband decides against a vasectomy...I'm getting it.

I have had issues with the pill as well. I personally didn't like the Nuvaring, but it is priced roughly the same as the pill . The patch (I forget the exact name) made me itchy and left marks, but I have had friends that preferred that. Those two are the least expensive I have found. I currently have the Mirena IUC and have no complaints. I paid for the insertion and the company charged my credit card $40 monthly until it was paid off. I recommend it to anyone that does not plan on having another child in the near future (I need to finish school). If you will want to have another child before the five years is up, then I feel like you might be wasting your money. Good luck to you. Birth control is a tricky thing to decide.

Hi J., I have had the Mirena IUD since Jan of 07 and I love it! I havent had a period since March of 07. I had a little spotting the first couple of months then my periods ceased completely. It is so wonderful. I am 48yrs old and have a 4yr old. I love the fact that I dont have to do anything for birthcontrol. It is supposed to last for 5yrs. I have read that some ladies have had reactions to the IUD... but I have not had any problems at all.

My sister (30) and I (36) both have the IUC. I have had it for 4 year and have had zero problems with it. The best thing about it is maintanance free and that my periods are much lighter and only last about 5 days.

No pills, not monthly shots, not patches....nothing. A little disconfort putting in it (a bit more than a cramp). It's great! I love it!!

Hi J. ~ I've had the Mirena IUC since Feb., and so far, so good. My insurance paid for it minus the office visit copay. It was a little uncomfortable when the doc put it in, but not much different than a regular pelvic exam. My periods after the birth of my son became longer and heavier, but with the Mirena there is almost no period - yeah! I did have to go back for the doc to "trim" it because my husband could feel it during sex...very common.

I currently have a non-hormonal IUD and Implanon. The IUD lasts for 10 years, where the Mirena only lasts for 5. The implant, is the same thing that Noraplant was except it is good for 3 yrs and is only one tube. I have no issues with the IUD. The implant, major side effect is spotting. I have it for a different medical reason than BC. But I would have tried it anyway. Here is the website if you are intrested: www.IMPLANON-USA.com
Have you called the health dept or planned parenthood to see if the costs can be reduce that way?
Best of luck!

Hello J.,

I have never done well on any pill so I have tried almost everything that is not pill related. My last birth control that I used was the Mirena IUD- the one that is 5 years they have another one that is 10.

The first year I got it I had problems with massive stomach cramps and back pain when I would start to cycle. After the first year it was fine and I forgot that I had it in most of the time.

The best part about the IUD is there is really nothing to remember about it, the only up keep you have to do is to check to see if it the strings are still in place, and that is only once a month.

My best friend had this and she never had problems with it- I think my problem was the hormones.

Also the best part when me and my husband decided to try for another baby it only took us 2.5 months to get pregnant.

I hope this helps!
Kristina

I've never tried the Nuvaring but I do have the Mirena IUC and have for about 10 month and love it. It did not mess with my milk production at all. I breastfed my son, who is a little over 10 months old now, just fine until I was ready to stop (he got teeth and started biting). It did hurt to get put in, but that lasts for about a day then I haven't felt anything with it since then. Have you looked to see if the Mirena is covered on your insurance? It was covered on Medicaid so I would assume insurance would pay for it, but then again you never know. I hope this helped, good luck.

I got the Mirena a year ago and love it. I had really bad cramps and periods and now I hardly have any. I do still have a little moodiness but it's not nearly as bad.

I love my IUC, I have had the mirena for almost a yr. My best friend and sister also have it. I do not even have my periods anymore, which was scary at first because I was thinking I was pregnant. But I have not gained any weight. The day I got it inserted I had to take tylenol/motrin, but that was it. Its no maintenence, no remembering to do anything with it. High recommened it

hello,i just want to start by saying,please be carfull if you do get the mirena iuc.after having two boy 22 months apart i wanted to wait a little longer before the next one.so i got the 5 year plan.i got the iuc.1 week after my second sons birthday i got preo.i now have a 5 year old son.a 3 year old son and a 22 month old little girl.i have also had 4 girl friends that have got prego.within a year of having the iuc put in.im not tring to tell you not to get it,but if you do please be carfull.thank you,and good luck.

hey there! I have a 5 month old son and had the Mirena placed about a month ago. My midwife told me it was a great option especially since I was breastfeeding. The actual insertion was painfree and not uncomfortable at all. Actually, my pap smear was more uncomfortable. So far, the only complaint I have is that I am still spotting. Some days, it's heavy, some days it's nothing, and some days, it's just clotty. When I talked to the nurse, she said it could be like this for up to 6 months because the Mirena is shedding the lining of my uterus.
Prior to getting pregnant, I was a die hard Nuva Ring fan. It left me with little to no period and was easy to maintain for my forgetful mind. When I went for my postpartum check up, my midwife said it wasn't an option because I was breastfeeding and it would dry me up and she suggested the mirena.
I also do not have contraception coverage through my insurance so for the Nuva Ring, I was paying about $45 a month (although I've heard Planned Parenthood charges a little less). For the Mirena, I had to pay an insertion fee at the doctor's office and about $800 to Mirena but they have a couple of different payment methods including a monthly payment plan.
I like the idea that I don't have to worry about the birth control for up to five years and that if we decide to have another child before then, it won't take much to have it taken out. I am also really looking forward to the time when my period is little to none!

Good luck!

I just had a baby a year and a half ago and decided not to go with the pill and choose Mirena. I love it. It is so worry free. And once you have it in you get a really light period (if that) and for a short amount of time too. It lasts 5 years and if you decide to have a baby before then you can remove it. It is something that can be done in your doctors office. I recommend it to everyone. My best friend and neighbor got it after I did.

I love the Paragard Copper IUD (http://www.paragard.com/). It is hormone free and 99% effective. It lasts for up to 10 years, which is great if you want long-term BC. I used it after my first son was born for almost 3.5 years, and I had one put in again after my daughter was born (she is almost 5 months, and I'm still breastfeeding). I'm in my late 20s and don't plan on having any other children, so I feel this is a great long-term plan for me. But even if I did want to wait only 2-3 years before conceiving again, I would still feel it was a good solution.

It is pricey up front like the Mirena, but it lasts longer and has no hormones at all. Plus, when I had the most recent one inserted, CHP covered most of it (not sure about other insurance plans). If you know how long you will need it and break the cost down by month (even without insurance), it can be comparable or cheaper than BC pills. Good luck!

I plan to get the Mirena soon too. I have several friends who have gotten it and are very happy with it.

I would call around to get the best price though. Before I got insurance I called around and the prices ranged from $500-$1,200. Definitely call around.

Good Luck!

Also there is this program that if you fall within the income requirements they will give you a free Mirena! It's called the Arch Foundation. http://www.archfoundation.com/

J.,
I read a book called the cooperatove method of birth control. It's like $8.00. It teaches you how to chart your basal temperature (which you take each morning), keep track of your texture of your fluids. I love this method. I am very much in touch with my body now. It's also very interesting to understand one's own cycle and to observe fluctucations in modds, friskiness, etc and see the correlation with the part of your cycle you are in. This method is easy. If I'm fertile, either hubby and I abstain or we get creative and don't do penetration... If you are still breast feeding and don't have your period back yet, it's a little more tricky to keep track of, but you can still watch out for the slippery kind of fluid that fortells ovulation. check the book out... It's very empowering.

I have had the Mirena now for two years I really like the effectiveness of it. My periods are almost non exsistant I still get cramps but not nearly as bad as before. I think it has also helped with the pms mood swings. I am not going to lie it hurts going in and you will have some cramping that day. Try taking a motrin 800 before you go to have it put in. Make sure you have someone to drive you home just because of the cramping. I did bleed off and on for the first couple of months wich was anoying but now I guess it paid off. I hope this helps. God luck.
S. 30 yrs old

I don't know what health insurance you have but I am allowed the Nuva Ring and it's so much better than the pill.

I'm 33 first time mother of a 2.5 year old.