Contraception

[Tweety]

Ok i might have to come off the combined pill, can't go on the mini pill as it never worked before.
What i want to know is who has experience of any other form of contracetion without the injection ect. Maybe the coil, cap ect. I'm after first hand experience & what it was like.
Ta

And i don't mean condoms.

[Kermit]

People seem to swear by the Mirena coil, and although it hurts like hell (apparently) to get in, once it's there it's brilliant.

And it should hurt you less as you've had a kid.

[Sa-ra-ra-ra]

Originally posted by Kermit
People seem to swear by the Mirena coil, and although it hurts like hell (apparently) to get in, once it's there it's brilliant.

And it should hurt you less as you've had a kid.

Yes. It does hurt like hell, though apparently much less if you've had children. And i love it, it's 99.8% effective, once it's in, it'll last for 5 years and i haven't had a period since last december which is when i had it inserted.

Big thumbs up for the Mirena :D :thumb:

[rachie004]

Originally posted by Sa-ra-ra-ra
and i haven't had a period since last december which is when i had it inserted.

Big thumbs up for the Mirena :D :thumb:

oooo :chin: *ponders*

[Tweety]

Originally posted by Kermit
People seem to swear by the Mirena coil, and although it hurts like hell (apparently) to get in, once it's there it's brilliant.

And it should hurt you less as you've had a kid.

Without wanting to sound all in detail, i never had James the natural way so i am not erm stretched:o so i am guessing it will hurt me as much?! Ah i dunno.

So how does it work?

[Tweety]

Originally posted by Groovaybaby
Did they not induce contractions or anything? (if not your lucky:p)

Yeah i meant he never actually came out that way so the way in is not stretched lol.

[Joolyknockers]

Originally posted by Tweety
Without wanting to sound all in detail, i never had James the natural way so i am not erm stretched:o

I had a c-section too, one of the midwives said "the baby came out the sun-roof" :p

[Tweety]

Originally posted by Joolyknockers
I had a c-section too, one of the midwives said "the baby came out the sun-roof" :p

hehe yeah. Well at least if James asks if he came out of mummys tumy when hes older i can say yes.

[rachie004]

So this coil.. does it have to be inserted by a doctor or can a nurse do it?

[Kentish]

Some nurse specialists would fit coils - gynae nurses and family planning nurses most likely. I'm not sure your average practice nurse would though. And not all GPs do either.

Originally posted by Tweety
Yeah i meant he never actually came out that way so the way in is not stretched lol.
FYI, 2 caesareans = 1 vaginal birth in terms of stretching (and damaging) the birth canal, apparently.

And I'd have thought that it would be the stretching of the uterus whilst pregnant that would be more important than stretching of the vagina. Although I guess the cervix is a grey area. Dunno.

[Kermit]

If your cervix stretched it should hurt less.

How much it stretched will depend how much less it hurts, but anything is alright :yes:

[Tweety]

Ok anyone else used anything else?

[Kath2003]

I've just had the implant put in about 3 days ago. As far as insertion goes, it's pretty painless. The injection of local anaesthetic hurt more, didn't even feel her do it and it took about 2 minutes. Has been slightly sore to touch, more bruised than anything else, small cut the size of the inside of a biro, with visible bruising around that (about the size of a 1 pence piece). Dunno about the effects of it as yet, but s'all good thus far.

Oh and it's progesterone only and lasts for 3 years. It goes in the underside of your left arm - I can feel it if I press quite hard but it doesn't show or anything.

[SuzyCreamcheese]

Ive had the coil twice once pre-child and then I had another one put in in july. Ive had the mirena, and now ive got the copper coil. I can safely say that it does hurt getting it put in, even after having a vaginal birth. I cant say which hurt more, but its bearable and over quickly. Its also totally worth it.
The benefits of mirena are that it has a small amount of progestogen in it, which is the same hormone as the mini pill, but its more effective than when taken orally, because its in exactly the right place. This means that you have the contraceptive equivalent of having a normal coil, and the mini pill at the same time, so very very effective. Second only to sterilisation. Other benefits are that it tends to stop periods, which can be very liberating, and it can be left in place for up to 5 years. So, for a bit of pain during insertion, you dont even have to think about contraception for 5 years, although no protection from STDs.

I Have the copper coil, which has the benefits of being a long term contraceptive, but its non hormonal. I chose it because I didnt like the pill, as it tends to make me put on weight (as did the mirena a bit) I also felt like it flattened my moods. With the coil, im my natural self. It doesnt stop periods though, if anything Ive noticed them lasting about a day longer than they used to, but thats the only side effect ive noticed. Im now a 5 day girl instead of a 4 day! no biggie.

[Kentish]

Originally posted by rainbow brite
put on weight (as did the mirena a bit)
Weight gain isn't a recognised side effect of Mirena because the hormone only acts locally within the uterus. :)

You may have to blame something else. ;)

[SuzyCreamcheese]

Originally posted by Kentish
Weight gain isn't a recognised side effect of Mirena because the hormone only acts locally within the uterus. :)

You may have to blame something else. ;)
I know its not, but there are a lot of things that are real side effects of medication, yet it isnt listed. I know that I actually put on quite a bit of weight with it, as i have done with ANY artificial hormones in various hormonal contraceptives, and also real hormones in pregnancy. I know that when I came off the hormones each time, the weight fell off me, and without them, im quite a skinny minny.
It may not be the same for everybody, and of course what im saying is purely anecdotal, but it was true for me :)