What is your contraceptive method of choice (I have a ? in here too) [View All]

[Heddi]

Hi everyone!

I'm asking what y'all use as contraception (if you don't mind my asking) because:

1) I'm getting ready to get my RN license in July and am generally interested in these things

2) I've been on Depo-Provera for roughly 5 years and am looking for a change.

Here's my thing:

I started BC Pills when I was about 17 and took them roughly until I was about 23. Then I got on Depo, then back on the pill, then on Depo again and I'm still on Depo now.

I LOVE Depo. No periods, which is great because I've always had heavy periods and periods that don't always last the standard 3-5 days. You know, sometimes I'd have a period for 5 days, quit for 5, have another for 3, then not another til the next month, etc.

The women in my family have always had period issues, and my grandmother had an elective hysterectomy when she was about 37 because they were so painful and erratic. Last year, my mom had a medically-necessary hysterectomy and said it was the happiest day in her life because she didn't have to worry about periods.

These are the issues I have with depo:

--I don't necessarily gain more weight, but the weight I have gained is IMPOSSIBLE to take off
--(biggest issue) NO sex drive. None. Nada. Completely foreign concept to me, but wasn't an issue AT ALL when I was on the pill.

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I just got my depo shot for the next 3mos and don't have another due until April, at which point I'm going to sit down with the nice ladies at Planned Parenthood and talk about some options.

Here is what I want:

No daily pill -- I'm not good with them. Forget to take one, then forget that I forgot, wind up 3 days later realizing that I haven't taken my pill..

Nothing that will give me heavier flow

Nothing that will continue to leave my sex drive as nothing more than a distant memory.

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I've never had children, so I don't know if that's an issue.

I've thought about an IUD, specifically Mirena, which can be kept into place for up to 5 years and will decrease periods or even make them go away alltogether (not a bad thing in my book!)

I've thought about the cervical ring, but I don't know too much how that works...is it something you put in and keep in all the time, etc

I've thought about the BC Patch. I know that goes on once a week for 3 weeks then 1 week without a patch.
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Does anyone use any of the above methods? What are your feelings about them? Do you use a method that you're really comfortable with and would reccomend?

***NOTE TO MODERATORS: I am not seeking medical advice in this question. I'm interested in hearing antecdotal stories from other women using hormonal contraception. I fully plan on speaking with my health care provider about any and all forms of hormonal contraceptions and plan to base my decision SOLELY on the information I get from a licensed health care provider who is working at a licensed health care facility. I just want to get others opinions with regards to different methods of contraceptive devices, how they felt using them, their ease of use, any downsides and upsides each method may have FOR THAT PARTICULAR PERSON.

:)