Need Advice About Hormones...

Just a suggestion, but what about your boyfriend having a vasectomy? It's a much easier procedure to recover from, with the same results for your relationship. He is the one with 5 children, right? My husband had a vasectomy, I'm guessing, about 17 years ago and has never regretted it. My father, who is 83, had one at least 40 years ago.

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If it were me and I know I was definately done having children and having met the deductible I would go ahead and have the tubal ligation done. I would inform your doctor if he or she wants to fight with you over the right to do this then let them know you will go to another doctor who will do this. At thirty five I wouldn't want to start over again. As far as hormones there are natural hormone alternatives you can get at a healthfood store as well as certain vitamins and they do just as well without the side affects of prescription hormone therapy. I have a chiropractor that I used to go to even told me about them and she's a nutritionalist as well. Good luck.

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Our bodies can do ok without the hormone therapy. It just depends on how your own body reacts and how well you can handle the changes. It may take some time for you to get back to normal. My doctor is pushy with the birthcontrol pills. After my second child I started taking them again and after a few months I quit. It had messed with my hormones, and my anxiety was bad. This year my dr tried getting me to go back on the pill after having a miscarriage to regulate me and get me back to normal. I refused this time and have no regrets. Its been almost five months and my body is still adjusting to getting back to normal. I am extra moody at times, and my cycles are still not quiet normal yet. but its worth it not having to take some drug thats not necessarily needed.
good luck

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K., Your doc could be right, but he is only guessing, the only way to find out is to not use the BC. I had my tubes tied after my 2nd son was born and for a while I was on the pill just to lighten my periods, then I started having problems with break through bleeding and now I'm not taking anything and so far so good. I think your body will adjust to the change. Go for it.

M

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Stay on a prescription for a condition you have never had, but might, because you took the med for a long time? The logic seems pretty shaky to me.
2 books I'd recommend:
Herbal Healing for Women, by Rosemary Gladstar, has lots of gentle, natural ways to treat all kinds of hormonal imbalances.
http://www.amazon.com/Herbal-Healing-Women-Rosemary-Glads...
What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Breast Cancer, Zava and Lee, lots of basic info about synthetic hormones, how they differ from natural hormones, etc. Relevant for every woman, regardless of whether you are at high risk of breast cancer. They also have books on menopause and premenopause, which might be even better for you, but I haven't read them yet.
http://www.amazon.com/What-Doctor-About-Breast-Cancer/dp/...

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I had my tubes tied after my second child and it took a long time before my periods came back and when they came back I had horrible cramps that I had not had before. Part of it might be I have fibroid (?) tumors and I think that was causing my pain so my dr. said the pill can help that. She just put me on a low dose estrogen bc pill and I have not had any problems since. It is good that you are looking into the side affects of a tubla ligation, I didn't and didn't realize some of the problems associated with them but I still think I made the right decision to have it done.

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I would agree with your Dr. to a point, I had to have a hysterectomy when I was 22, so I know all about regulating hormones for the last 12 years. There will be a huge shock to your body, BUT the thing is that our bodies will adjust, since it has been a long time it may take your body a while and maybe you might need to take some hormones to lessen the shock or alleviate symptoms that you might have.

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I had a tubal at the age of 29. I am now 32. I now have terrible periods and terrible cramping two weeks before my period. I will one day get my ovaries removed, but now is not a good time for me to be hospitalized. But I forsee it happening in the next three years.

I think not wanting anymore children is just fine! And if you don't need those ovaries, why not just have them removed? I wish I would have done that seeing as how when I had my tubes tied I was already opened up with a c-section after having my last child.

Plus not having your ovaries decreases your risk for one less cancer to worry about. Oh, and no more periods! I am so looking forward to the day I can get this done.

Good luck to you!

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I don't know about the hormones you have been on, but the tubal ligation can sometimes have those symptoms.

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I think your doctor is making a prediction based on lots of people's experiences when they quit taking hormonal birth control. I also don't know why your body would be able to "naturally" get over fifteen years of taking extra hormones. I think you might as well try whatever you like, but he is probably right.

I have been experiencing the results of getting off the pill after about 15 years for the last 2 years and I'm SO ready to get back on because it has been so difficult. My once perfectly clear skin breaks out constantly and in a terribly painful way. My periods have become so painful that sitting down brings tears and sometimes a wave of nausea, and they are very heavy. My moods swing to the beat of my cycle - I can look at the calendar and tell you which days I'll be crying and which days I'll be screaming. I've discussed all of these issues with my doctor and reproductive endocrinologist and the symptoms are all attributed to getting off birth control. Having said that, those symptoms are all reasons why I started taking bc in the first place, so maybe your experience would be different. Good luck!

My advice? If you don't want to leave any room for error, have your tubes tied. Even if you have to do some kind of pill to regulate your body, so be it. But the Pill isn't 100% effective.

My two cents!