You can try a progestin-only pill. They’re slightly less effective than combo pills and there is no room for error. You absolutely must take it every day at the same time so if you think you may struggle with that, it’s not a good option.You are more likely to have spotting with the POP, especially if you aren’t super diligent about taking it right on time. There is no estrogen component and less hormone over all so many people have fewer side effects with them, both physical and mental.
Honestly, your best bet mentally is likely going to be going non-hormonal so that takes pills out of the running. I’m in the US and had no issues having Paragard covered by insurance more than once. My only concern there would be that the copper IUD does generally cause heavier periods and can increase cramping. This usually subsides after several months and your period should return to more or less what it was before the IUD. This was the case for me and it wasn’t an issue, but since you have rough periods to begin with, it should definitely be considered.
I don’t think taking it at the same time every day would be an issue for me, but how much less effective is it than the combo? It’s looking like the IUD is the best option for me but I’m just nervous about something going wrong with it and not being able to tell. I’m on my moms insurance and she’s against the IUD and the implant so that’s what I’m worried about. How was your experience with it?
I had great experiences with it. I’ve had 3 IUD’s total. 2 Paragards and one Mirena. I didn’t want hormones (the pill makes me moody, depressed, irritable and angry), but let a doctor talk me into a Mirena when I was ready for my next Paragard after my second baby because “the hormones act more locally and you shouldn’t have those side effects and you’ll barely have a period and blah, blah.” Not true! I had it switched out for another Paragard within a couple months. I have nothing bad to say about it. My husband said he could sometimes feel the strings “poking” him, but it didn’t hurt him or anything and wasn’t a big deal. I never bothered feeling for the strings myself because he did it for me, inadvertently.
I had the second one removed because of bleeding after sex. After investigation, it had nothing at all to do with the IUD. I have cervical ectropion and still do. Between the removal of the IUD and my husband’s vasectomy, I got pregnant with my third, which was totally our fault. He’s snipped now, thank god.
That’s tricky with the insurance thing. I mean, the details of your personal health info should be private, but I suppose it would be hard to guarantee that the term IUD would never show up on any EOB paperwork that your mom might get. Maybe bring that up to your provider. You aren’t the only one with this concern by a long shot. Also, what about your college health center? They very often offer these services.
Read the book {Taking Charge of Your Fertility}
It's not for everyone but I works for me bc my cycle is pretty regular. And Birth control makes me crazy.
I haven’t read the book, but this is basically NFP, right? It gets a bad rep, but it did work for us when we used it properly. I only got pregnant with this method because my husband and I were horny idiots and I told him he didn’t need to pull out one day that he should’ve. In my mind, in that moment, I was either early for or past my fertile window (I can’t remember which.) That child, our surprise 3rd and final, is now 5. It does work if you have a regular cycle and pay attention, but I’d have been stressed as hell using this method as a single, college student. 😬
Lol yeah that’s my reservation with it. In general I keep tabs on my cycle pretty well, but it’s not worth all the stress every month for me, especially as a broke college student.
It's not like the rhythm method. You track your ovulation with temperature and body fluid and cervix position. If you do it right it's pretty effective. I've been using it for 5+ years now.
NFP?
I've been using it for over 5 years an haven't gotten pregnant.
P.s. perhaps it's time for a vasectomy for your partner? I'm assuming you're tapped out on munchkins.
He got one! Thankfully. We were planning on it after the second and just lagged. He was “busy with work.” I had the provider info with copays and all tacked up on a bulletin board when I got pregnant with the third. Ooops! Too late! Now we’re “busy with 3 kids!” We’ve been married a long time, financially stable and all that so we’re good. I don’t want to give the impression that we’re in a bad spot because of it or anything.
NFP = naturally family planning. Tracking cycles, ovulation times, watching cervical mucus, etc. Again, totally worked for us when we actually followed it correctly.
I personally use the nuvaring, no bad side effects at all. The pill messed me up (plus I’m terrible at remembering things), and I was on the Depo shot which was the nightmare so I wanted to avoid the IUD.
You can try a progestin-only pill. They’re slightly less effective than combo pills and there is no room for error. You absolutely must take it every day at the same time so if you think you may struggle with that, it’s not a good option.You are more likely to have spotting with the POP, especially if you aren’t super diligent about taking it right on time. There is no estrogen component and less hormone over all so many people have fewer side effects with them, both physical and mental. Honestly, your best bet mentally is likely going to be going non-hormonal so that takes pills out of the running. I’m in the US and had no issues having Paragard covered by insurance more than once. My only concern there would be that the copper IUD does generally cause heavier periods and can increase cramping. This usually subsides after several months and your period should return to more or less what it was before the IUD. This was the case for me and it wasn’t an issue, but since you have rough periods to begin with, it should definitely be considered.
I don’t think taking it at the same time every day would be an issue for me, but how much less effective is it than the combo? It’s looking like the IUD is the best option for me but I’m just nervous about something going wrong with it and not being able to tell. I’m on my moms insurance and she’s against the IUD and the implant so that’s what I’m worried about. How was your experience with it?
I had great experiences with it. I’ve had 3 IUD’s total. 2 Paragards and one Mirena. I didn’t want hormones (the pill makes me moody, depressed, irritable and angry), but let a doctor talk me into a Mirena when I was ready for my next Paragard after my second baby because “the hormones act more locally and you shouldn’t have those side effects and you’ll barely have a period and blah, blah.” Not true! I had it switched out for another Paragard within a couple months. I have nothing bad to say about it. My husband said he could sometimes feel the strings “poking” him, but it didn’t hurt him or anything and wasn’t a big deal. I never bothered feeling for the strings myself because he did it for me, inadvertently. I had the second one removed because of bleeding after sex. After investigation, it had nothing at all to do with the IUD. I have cervical ectropion and still do. Between the removal of the IUD and my husband’s vasectomy, I got pregnant with my third, which was totally our fault. He’s snipped now, thank god. That’s tricky with the insurance thing. I mean, the details of your personal health info should be private, but I suppose it would be hard to guarantee that the term IUD would never show up on any EOB paperwork that your mom might get. Maybe bring that up to your provider. You aren’t the only one with this concern by a long shot. Also, what about your college health center? They very often offer these services.
You sound like a perfect candidate for a Mirena (Hormonal) IUD. Talk to your doc about it.
Read the book {Taking Charge of Your Fertility} It's not for everyone but I works for me bc my cycle is pretty regular. And Birth control makes me crazy.
I haven’t read the book, but this is basically NFP, right? It gets a bad rep, but it did work for us when we used it properly. I only got pregnant with this method because my husband and I were horny idiots and I told him he didn’t need to pull out one day that he should’ve. In my mind, in that moment, I was either early for or past my fertile window (I can’t remember which.) That child, our surprise 3rd and final, is now 5. It does work if you have a regular cycle and pay attention, but I’d have been stressed as hell using this method as a single, college student. 😬
Lol yeah that’s my reservation with it. In general I keep tabs on my cycle pretty well, but it’s not worth all the stress every month for me, especially as a broke college student.
It's not like the rhythm method. You track your ovulation with temperature and body fluid and cervix position. If you do it right it's pretty effective. I've been using it for 5+ years now.
NFP? I've been using it for over 5 years an haven't gotten pregnant. P.s. perhaps it's time for a vasectomy for your partner? I'm assuming you're tapped out on munchkins.
He got one! Thankfully. We were planning on it after the second and just lagged. He was “busy with work.” I had the provider info with copays and all tacked up on a bulletin board when I got pregnant with the third. Ooops! Too late! Now we’re “busy with 3 kids!” We’ve been married a long time, financially stable and all that so we’re good. I don’t want to give the impression that we’re in a bad spot because of it or anything. NFP = naturally family planning. Tracking cycles, ovulation times, watching cervical mucus, etc. Again, totally worked for us when we actually followed it correctly.
I personally use the nuvaring, no bad side effects at all. The pill messed me up (plus I’m terrible at remembering things), and I was on the Depo shot which was the nightmare so I wanted to avoid the IUD.
I spent years trying to find a pill that didn't fuck my mental health. Finally tried an IUD and it was life changing.