Ask Me Help Desk - Birth control advice?

Hey you guys. For those of you who do not know who I am, I am of age to be asking these questions (20)

Anyway I am considering going on some sort of birth control (We use condoms) My question is how do I choose the right one? I don't want to get a shot. And if I try, I can remember the pill, but what kinds should I consider? I herd there were two "types". If someone could please explain these to me and give examples it would really help out. (side effects too if possible)

Birth Control Methods - Birth Control Options
Planned parenthood has a lot of info on all the details.

I've been on the pill for years now. Sometimes it is a challenge to remember to take it with such a crazy schedule. But that's the only downside I've had with it. I'm on my third brand right now. I don't remember what the first two were called, but right now I'm on ortho tri cyclen lo and very happy with it. The first one was great for a couple years, then all of a sudden I started getting super nauseous every time my period came so my doctor switched me to a low dose one with iron. That one was so low I had break through bleeding on and off for the three months I was on it. Then came ortho and I haven't had any problems. Finding the right pill for you can be frustrating, but once you do it can be very nice. I always know just about when my period will come, it's much lighter than before the pill, and I have little to no cramping or backaches usually. Before the pill my back and cramps were awful.
The types I've always used are the ones where there are three weeks of active pills and then one week of inactive. For the ortho tri cyclen lo the first week is low, the next week a little higher dosage, and the third week a little higher and then the inactive. Since I've only been on the pill I don't know as much about other types. But I did have a friend who swore by the ring. She almost convinced me to talk to my doctor about switching but in the end I decided that I liked the pill.

Also, if you're leaning towards the pill, your doctor will help you figure out which one is best for you to try.

Why don't you try "mirena" birth control. It's a little T shaped object that goes inside of you that releases the hormones to keep your body under the birth control state. I don't know all the details I just knew 2 girls who had it and loved it. It works for 5 years just like the shot but with this you can take it out anytime you want by visiting the doctor. There is no need to remember to take any pill either.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolAide187

Why don't you try "mirena" birth control. It's a little T shaped object that goes inside of you that releases the hormones to keep your body under the birth control state. I don't know all the details I just knew 2 girls who had it and loved it. It works for 5 years just like the shot but with this you can take it out anytime you want by visiting the doctor. There is no need to remember to take any pill either.

Mirena is typically only given AFTER you have a child as the cervix needs to have the "dimple" that appears only after pregnancy and delivery so that the mirena can be inserted with minimal insult to the cervix.

OhSo, you need to talk this over with your doctor. There are many many forms of birth control out there now. Your doctor will need to review your health history to make a proper determination.

Well the first girl who had it was my wife and she wasn't pregnant nor had she been pregnant. I don't doubt your idea with this but I know she had it before she got pregnant. We took it out before her 5 year mark and got pregnant about 6 months later.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolAide187

Well the first girl who had it was my wife and she wasn't pregnant nor had she been pregnant. I don't doubt your idea with this but I know she had it before she got pregnant. We took it out before her 5 year mark and got pregnant about 6 months later.

That's cool, but the OB/GYNs I work for will not do it before the birth of a baby due to the risk of damage to the cervix.

Just an FYI, this is on the mirena package enclosure

Quote:

Mirena is a sterile, levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system indicated
For:
• Intrauterine contraception for up to 5 years (1)
• Treatment of heavy menstrual bleeding for women who choose to use
Intrauterine contraception as their method of contraception. (1)
It is recommended for women who have had at least one child.

You can read that here... http://berlex.bayerhealthcare.com/ht.../Mirena_PI.pdf

Well the doctor and I talked about briefly but I wanted to get some more ideas on it before I went back. Just so I could be a little more educated and kind of know what she was talking about you know? She was very helpful when I went in but I was mainly there for a very overdue physical just to make sure everything was in good working condition. (especially my kidneys). But that came up when she gave me a pelvic exam and she wants me to consider it. :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by KoolAide187

Why don't you try "mirena" birth control. It's a little T shaped object that goes inside of you that releases the hormones to keep your body under the birth control state. I don't know all the details I just knew 2 girls who had it and loved it. It works for 5 years just like the shot but with this you can take it out anytime you want by visiting the doctor. There is no need to remember to take any pill either.

It sounds nice in theory, but considering J's argument I think it's better to wait on that one. I'm only 20. My doctor wouldn't even do a PAP on me because they changed the guidelines (about a year ago) and I'm under 21. She said Paps are invasive and can damage the cervix. Since I hope to have kids one day (obviously not too soon) I'd rather not risk damaging my cervix in order to avoid complications. But thank you for your suggestion. It's worth considering for the future. :)