Birth Control Question

If you don't usually have heavy bleeding or cramps, you can't get any benefit from birth control pills that is worth the risks. And the risks are significant. My advice is to get a copper IUD. It has no hormones at all, it's good for 10 years, and you can't feel it. It's truly "set and forget" birth control. I have one and I love it. With the Mirena IUD, you're still getting hormones, but the copper IUD is just as effective and with ZERO hormones.

Best of luck.

I really do not think there are any health benefits other then it can clear up acne if you are on a certain kind of pill but I have an IUD after having 3 girls. I like it and my husband is not bothered by it since he does not have to go under the knife (vasectomy) I had not had a cycle in a year but when I finally got it, it came with a vengence (week and a half) but other then that is great and can stay in for 5 years (Mirena).

Go for the IUD. I hear mirena is a good one. If you are having trouble remembering to take the pill any health benefits from the pill are negligible. I'd say go with your instincts you're right.

the best reason (other than preventing pregnancy of course) to use the pill is relief from period misery. since you don't have that, the best and safest method is physical barriers.
khairete
S.

In addition to decreasing menstrual cramps, PMS, acne and heavy menstrual bleeding, birth control pills have been shown to reduce your risk of uterine cancer and ovarian cancer if used for one year or longer. One type of birth contol pill called Yaz, is approved for treating premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is severe mood problems and physical symptoms prior to getting your period (more severe than PMS). So some pills do have a benefit. On the other hand, if you have any health problems/risk factors or are over 35 and smoke, pills may not be the way to go. IUDs (hormonal or not) are a very effective alternative though, and I've heard of a number of women who love them. Some can stop your periods all together though - which for me is a negative since I would prefer not to be always guessing if I'm pregnant or not if I skip a period. Long story short - discuss with your doctor, tell them your concerns, and they will be able to help you best with your decision. I did a search on WebMD and this link seemed to be really informative, and may help you out as well: http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/birth-control-choo...
Best of luck to you!

Hi P.,

As far as health benefits go, there are not really any for birth control. As far as the IUD, I had a really bad experience with it and will say that it is not for everyone. I had psychological effects bad enough that my personality changed. I am now on Depo-Prevera which is the shot and I love it. Like I said though, it is not for everyone. Talk to your doctor about your concerns and about the different birth controls to see which one is right for you and Don't let anyone talk you into anything you are not comfortable with. That's part of the reason I had so many issues with the IUD. Hope this helps. God Bless.

I don't know of any other benefits of taking birth control if you are not bothered by heavy cycles or cramps, but wanted to let you know that it is indeed possible to get pregnant on your own (when not trying) after IVF, so if you are not ready for the possibility of another baby, make sure you are using some form of birth control. I have a friend who got pregnant this way, and it took her 7 years and 3 IVFs to get pregant w/ her first child. I personally chose an IUD (the copper one w/out hormones) and have been pleased w/ it, but it does make my periods heavier.

Good Morning.
Birth Control is good for keeping your complextion clear and also helps keep cysts off your ovaries. I had the IUD and it actually caused acne and I mean bad acne. I have never had a bad complextion and it totally destroyed what confidence I use to have. I recently got back on birth control for that reason and my skin is starting to look better. I have also been on other meds for that reason but the birth control helps keep your hormones straight. If you do the IUD please read up on it first. It did not harm me in any other way. I had it for two years. I came off of it because I wanted to take care of my skin and have a nother baby. Which I did. I have just been struggling to get my skin back to normal. I am scarred pretty bad now because of it. Anyway, think about it before you come off the pill. You can get a pill box and put it some where to help you remember to take your bc and if you take any other meds you can just put them together and that should help you also.
Anyhoo. Good Luck and have a Merry Christmas

If you can't remember the pills, I would definately go with something else. I know many women that had IVF for their first child and then they didn't take birth control thinking they wouldn't get pregnant again and surprise, they got pregnant with the second. I had a copper IUD and hated it because of cramps and heavy bleeding. I now have the Mirena, which is too early to tell, but I hear good things about. There is also the shot, the patch and the ring, all having pros and cons depending on how you react to hormones. I would talk to your doc about each of them. good luck!

Depending on which pill you are on, yes there are other benefits. Regulating your cycle for one. You may have normal cycles now, but see how they are once you are off the pill. Some pills also help w/ acne. And also being on bcp's lower your risk for cancer: ovarian or uterine, endometrial and breast.
Advantages of combination pills:

reduces risk of ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer

prevents ectopic pregnancy (pregnancies that occur outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube)

decreases menstrual blood loss and pain and cramps

less severe premenstrual symptoms

more regular menstrual cycles

improves acne

prevents bone density loss in women who have attained their peak bone mass (generally women over 30)

less risk of ovarian cysts

improves excessive body hair, particularly on the face, a condition called hirsutism

improves endometriosis

improves symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis

beneficial effects on cholesterol (HDL and LDL)

decreases benign breast disease or breast cysts

reversible with quick return to fertility

treats the emotional and physical symptoms of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS. Only one combination OC has been shown to be clinically effective for this use. It contains the progestin drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, a form of estrogen.

Hope this helps.

I have had experience with both pills and 2 different IUD's, copper and Mirena. The pills were great only I too would forget to take them. Other than that I loved them. The copper IUD I had to get removed because it made my period so heavy that I became anemic, and I usually only have 1-2 days of heavy bleeding without it. The Mirena was ok and even made my period lighter, except for the fact that it also made it last twice as long, about 10-12 days every month. I couldn't handle that either so I had it removed as well. As far as one other reader mentioning that a vasectomy in reversible, that is definitely not true! My husband is a doctor and he has told me that it is actually very rarely reversible, so if you decide to take that route, be prepared for it to be 100% permanent. One other option that I didn't see mentioned is a female condom. It's a little strange at first, but my husband likes it much better than a male condom... not as tight i guess. Other than that withdrawl works great!
Make sure you talk with your doctor about all of the options and their benefits and side effects. They are difinitely your best resource as they deal with this every single day. Just don't let anyone pressure you into anything that you aren't sure about and make sure you trust your instincts, I wouldn't have had half of the problems I ran into if I had just gone with my gut feeling instead of being pressured into things.
Good luck!

Some help with acne or so the ads say. I would read the package insert on what you are taking. It will list the risks and then you can talk to your doctor about them along with the benefits and see if it is worth it to you to keep taking them. BC pills tend to function as an abortifacient by making the lining of the uterus difficult for any pregnancy to implant. They primarily function by stopping ovulating the other is a back up plan for just in case. If you switch to an IUD ask lots of questions many of those also release hormones.

P.,
whatever you decide to try carefully review the side effects. My sister was on the pill for years, went off to have children..first one was a miscarriage. She had a child, went back to the pill with miserable side effects, so she tried the ring....which has now given her a orange sized cyst( and yes, it is listed as a side effect, but 'rare', I think). She had the ring taken out, used a backup method(for just 1 mo.), but is now pregnant, 40, threatening to miscarry and has the cyst to complicate it. I attribute this to the ring, so be careful.
If you are done w/ having children(or when you are) I highly recommend sending your husband for a clip and snip. My husband honored my sacrifice(3 kids in 5 years) by being the man and stepping up for the surgery. It's been great for me not to have to worry about BC at all! No hormones needed! And...it is reversible if you change your mind. Just a thought.
Blessings,
L.

I gave up the pill for the same reason and got a Mirena (IUD) in August. I've had no complications.I would definitely recommend it.

I am 28 and a mother of 2. Every time I went on a birthcontrol "pill", I got pregnant. I was on the shot for over a year after my son and that worked great. After I had my daughter I went back to the shot and I couldn't loose the wieght. I switched to the mirena IUD and LALALALA. I love it. I don't feel it. I don't get periods, I rarley have cramps, and most of all, it has been 2 years and not pregnant. As for other health information, I am also a nurse. As jusual everyone is differant, especialy when it comes to hormones in birth control. Some say they loose wieght, some say they gain, some say it helps their skin complection. For me, as I changed so did the effects of the bitrh control. I like the IUD because the hormones are minimal, I don;t have to worry about changes due to inconsistancy, and it is good for 5 years. I think it is a choice between you and your doc. Just tell him what you what and your concerns about your lifestyle. I hope this helped.
T.

I wouldn't recommend an IUD. I've had 2 both of which were the paraguard copper t. The first had to be surgically removed when I wanted another baby. I was told that that was a very rare complication. After baby #2, I got another IUD. I had it for 14 months before we were suprised with baby #3. Again, that is not very common. Since my experience, I've found a lot of women who have gotten pregnant with an IUD. Good luck with your decision.

Hi P.!
I guess if you're forgetting to take the pills anyway, then you're not getting much benefit from them, so it probably won't hurt to let them go :) However, I just want to let you know sometimes the body does strange things- it took me 3 IVF cycles to get pregnant the first time, and I figured I didn't need birth control pills either- 17 months after my miracle twins were born I was pregnant with my youngest! I know at least 4 other people in my circle of friends who have experienced the same thing. So unless you have a diagnosis that clearly prevents you from becoming pregnant (which would make me question why you were on the pill to begin with) or don't mind the chance that you could get pregnant again, you might want to look for some method of BC that would suit you!

Go for the IUD. This way you have birth control with no hormones added to your body. Your cycles will be fewer and lighter but for the most part your body will be normal. If you are SURE that you want another child, definitly go without anything!Despite your need for invirto in the past, your body might surprise you.

Actually, birth control is more harmful than good for our bodies. When you consider the health risks, it's a wonder anyone uses it. I cannot even imagine going through what you and your husband must have had to go through with IVF. I can so understand the willingness to. It was almost 5 yrs to the day between our first 2 children. As for an IUD, couldn't that cause harm to your uterus? And with the difficulties you and your husband had, why take a chance?

Enjoy that baby girl! They sure do grow up fast!

Take Care,
N. :) SAHM homeschooling 3 boys 13, 8 & 2 yrs old and married to my Mr. Wonderful for 15 yrs. I love to help moms, who want to become SAHMs, reach that goal!

I definitely recommend Paraguard IUD as Birth Control. It does not release hormones of any kind, which is a bonus if you dont have any existing "issues" with your menstrual cycle. It lasts for 10 years, and can be taken out by your doctor at any time, if you choose to procreate again.

Best Wishes! My Boyfriend works for L3 as well! Great Company!

I agree with the poster who said "If you don't usually have heavy bleeding or cramps, you can't get any benefit from birth control pills that is worth the risks." Your age alone puts you at higher risk with any hormonal contraception. After 10 years on the pill, I got off for a year and had no trouble getting pregnant. To my surprise, after my first child, my cycle was very regular and I had no cramps, so I decided no more hormones. I use a combination of natural family planning methods - the rhythm method, calendar method, withdrawl, and then condoms on the risky days. After being off the pill, I realized how bloated it made me and how much weight I gained as a result. I was always thin but spent those 10 years with an extra 10-15 lbs that I lost when I got off. I also suffered from symptoms of clinical depression when I got off the pill and couldn't figure out why. After having kids and experiencing post-partum blues, I realized it was the sudden drop in estrogen.
There is enough polluting your body in our environment. Don't add synthetic hormones if you don't truly need them.

The only time I was on BC is when I suffered from Anarexia at the age 18 (to get my period back).I felt so bad while being on it that after my period came back I said no more. Since we got married we have been practicing rythm method and withdrawl and it works great. We had our first right away, then second 2 years later(like we wanted), while I have friends who got prg on BC when they did not plan.I say go natural:)