This is more drastic in nature, but I've also heard of a copper implant that they can put into your uterus. Since it is non-hormonal it has pretty much no side effects, but something about the copper kills off the sperm. This is considered a long term method and you can keep it in there for years. Anyone know someone who used that method?
That is a copper iud.(intrauterine device) What they do is irritate the lining of the uterus making implantation impossible. They are typically used in females who have already had children but I know a girl who has one and she's had no kids. I believe some of them can last up to 5 years and they are supposed to be as effective as oral contraceptives. However I have heard of some people getting pregnant with them in. Just have to make sure it gets deployed correctly.
I was just wondering about it in general. My uses are more short term so that wouldn't be something for me. Generally the stuff you see online has how a certain med/BC/device works, and then possible side effects. It doesn't really tell you how often those side effects happen or give you a good picture of what women experience when they start using one of these things.
I had the Mirena IUD (non-copper IUD) for 5 years. Sex drive = killed. Absolutely fucking wrecked. Sure, I didn't get a period, but I didn't give a shit because all I wanted to do was eat Rocky Road ice cream and sit in my pajamas. Nuva-Ring is better. Even though my shitty pharmacist tried to tell me that they should be inserted while cold.
Very good info! Definitely don't want my sexy times drive depressed. I'm pretty happy with where it is right now. I would also like to avoid weight gain if possible. The nuva ring sounds like something to ask about when I finally get an appointment.
There are also low-dose birth control pills that help to regulate and reduce menstrual symptoms to make really terrible periods more manageable.
I think Pinkcup considered an IUD at one point. I've been on Depo for about 5 years now. There have been concerns about decreased bone density, but my scan from earlier this year came back just fine. Otherwise, it's been awesome. I haven't had a period since I was a teenager. I just have to get a shot every thirteen weeks and voila, no babies. However, if you're avoiding hormones, the copper IUD should be fine for prevention (failure rate is 6 per thousand) and it can be used for a decade. Just watch it for the first couple months, because that's when "slippage" is most likely to occur. Also, you may be looking forward to ridiculous periods and spotting, among other nasty side effects. Oh, and just wanted to point out that, as Angel said, Mirena is a hormonal IUD. Copper IUDs, like Paragard, have no hormones and thus shouldn't kill your sex drive.
I don't take hormonal birth control either, but I'm looking into Paraguard (the non-hormonal, 5 year insert). I would have that thing installed in my uterus in the next 15 minutes if it wasn't so damned expensive. I don't want weight gain, I don't want mood swings, and I don't want to freak out if I forget to shove a jelly ring up my twat. But $700 is not an amount I'm readily willing to drop just so The Dude can blow his load inside me...I really, really wish the things were cheaper. ---------- Back to the Differin gel, though. I tried some. It did get rid of my acne, but HOLY FUCK the burning and peeling are not worth it. I think my skin is too sensitive or something. Also, they aren't fucking around when they advise minimal sun exposure. I took a 30 minute walk with sunglasses on in medium sunlight and my whole face was cracked, peeling, and stinging...except for where my sunglasses were, of course. I will continue using Differin for my bacne, though. My skin is tougher back there or something--no pain, no peeling. Any anti-acne recommendations for sensitive skin? The only thing that has ever worked regularly for me is a suntan, but I don't want to have to ruin my skin to get rid of any acne.
My doc told me that Differin is a "before bed" type medication. He said to never ever use it during the day because I am guaranteed ruby red sunburn. Just an fyi for you...have you used it before bed?
The depo shot was HORRIBLE for me, it killed my sex drive, I gained about twenty pounds (side effect), I turned into a MEGA bitch, and I swear my bones ached like I'd been hit by a truck. It turns out that it has a very negative impact on women's bones. I tried a few daily pills, side effects were not worth it to me. I am currently off of birth control, it all seems to make me gain weight like crazy. So basically, I'll be getting my tubes tied when I am certain no more crotch droppings are desired.
Can we talk about birth control, you say? Yes we can, because I do it all day, every day! Bewildered - there seems to have been a consensus already, but I wanted to chime in and agree that the Nuvaring does seem like the best option for any short-term needs. For longer term, I really love the depo shot. Not having a period is the best, although I'm thinking of looking into doing the Nuvaring so you won't get your period either, but I don't trust myself to not mess up the insertion. Also, it's a common misconception that birth control leads to weight gain. The only method that could lead to that is actually the shot, but that has more to do with the likelihood of changing your appetite so you're always hungry.
I had really bad acne from 15 to 17 and have used differin, done a course of acutane, among many others. At 26 now I use products from <a class="postlink" href="http://www.acne.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.acne.org</a>. Its a 3 step; cleanser, benzoyl peroxide gel, and moisturizer. Works incredibly well for my sensitive skin (I pretty much always have a beard going because if I shave too often I break out badly). Check it out, I don't follow the entire regimen as it is outlined on the site. I use less benzoyl peroxide and only use the products once a day in the morning. Just remember that the benzoyl peroxide will stain your sheets/pillow case/towels you use on your face if they are not white. I have even stained some dress shirt collars because I didn't let it dry or I was wearing a tie and it was a really hot day. Based on experience it is stronger in clearing up your acne than proactive, but you can still keep your skin from the cracking/peeling with the moisturizer.
I used proactive for many years. It kept my acne at bay but never resolved it completely, and it also made my face super dry and irritated. A previous doctor gave me a gel with benzoyl peroxide, the same active ingredient as proactive, just much stronger, and yes, it'll stain your towels if you don't rinse your hands well after application. Again...kept my acne at bay, and helped clear up the ones that popped up fairly quickly, but I was still having ugly breakouts and discolored skin from old pimples. I really think it has to do with what your skin chemistry. I bought into the over saturation of proactive commercials, so for years, I only used that, because it was the "best." Not so. I've been trying different things out over the past 9 months or so to get something that absolutely works for me. The Clearasil 2% salicylic products have improved things drastically, and I have hope that the Differin will just about clear it up. Unfortunately, I'm fighting against genetics. My dad and his sisters had fairly severe acne in their teens/early 20s, so I'm going to have to figure out how to satisfactorily deal with this until my body decides to stop destroying itself.
I have suffered from acne for years. Most products were so drying and made me look burnt. I've been experimenting with my diet lately, and I seem to break out when I indulge in pasta or bread. Could be coincidence, I should keep a log.
I had horrible acne when I was young - I thankfully outgrew it mostly. My breakouts these days are mostly during my period. As an esthetician, I have access to all the fancy products and treatments out there and my go-to acne solution is probably in your kitchen cabinet... baking soda. A couple times a week after I've cleansed my face, (Origins Checks & Balances) I dip a couple wet fingers into baking soda and scrub. You can also make a paste with water and use it like a mask. Whatever you do, always remember to moisturize. My steal of the week: Frye penny loafers for $51. I got incredibly lucky that they happened to be my size and they only had one pair so I got them 65% off. It didn't hurt that the sales guy got a little distracted by the panties I purchased at the same time.
I had full on pizza-face in high school, and my blemishes have completely disappeared in the past year or so since I've eliminated everything but meat and veggies from my diet. It could also be the fact that I'm turning 27 soon, and my metabolism is finally starting to behave itself. YMMV
Regarding birth control, do you guys get implanonin the states? It's a little rod implanted under the skin in your upper arm. It's a hormonal thing and lasts up to 5 years. For me, it was shithouse (1 week of period every 2 weeks...no thanks!) but a lot of my friends who had it in had no probs - either no periods or light sporadic periods and really effective. I don't want to hear the mirena kills your sex drive. I'm 38 weeks pregnant and it was the plan to get it in after the baby gets here. I fell pregnant 6 weeks after our wedding and didn't get any hot newly-wed sex!
I was on Guardicil for a couple of months. I literally had spotting for the entire first month, then it just stopped one day, and I only got my period when I took the placebo. (I think this is the norm with the pill.) I got on it because I had really cystic acne, and it helped for the most part. It was a bit of a waste of time for me, though. Because I didn't have sex for the entire year and a half that I was on it. But the minute I went off the pill (I couldn't afford it anyone, so I went off it) I started getting hit on all the time. Apparently, when you're on birth control you don't produce pheromones, so you seem less attractive to the opposite sex. But you give them off like crazy when you're off of the pill. I have a couple of friends who use NeuvoRing, and it works well for them.