I'm currently on the depo shot and am about to stop.  I don't want anything in my body that's unnatural but at the same time, don't know what to do about birth control.  What does everyone else use???  Any recommendations??  Thanks. :)

Hey Dani,

Did you know that all BCP contain lactose?  I didn't.  I went back on the pill and I was feeling bloated and awful.   So I'm currently off of it (literally a fre days) and planning on getting an IUD, but there are natural ways to plan/avoid pregnancy that a nurse or doctor could help you with.  I unfortunately get a period every second week and need to be put on something to regulate myself. 

Good luck.  This has been a battle for me as well.  I actually just blogged about the inclusion of lactose in all pills.  There is no medical reason for it to be there, but no wonder there is weight gain.

-Dre

I have a hormone-free copper IUD.  It's a simple procedure that your doctor does in the office, takes about 20 minutes.  It looks like a "T" made out of paper-clips, I swear! Anyway, the doctor uses tiny stitches and it get fitted inside you...it sounds really strange, but it's great!  It only hurts for a couple of days (feels like bad PMS cramps), and after that, you can do everything you always did before, without worrying about hormones or missing doses or anything like that!  You can keep it in for up to ten years, and if you want to take it out to try to get pregnant, it has no adverse effects on your body.  I highly recommend talking to your doctor about this option.

http://veganrockergirl.blogspot.com

Great thanks for the info ladies!! :)

I can't even read the other responses I'm so excited to hear ur news!!

EVERY woman I know has dropped the pill in the last few months...and I was surprised by every one of them.  It seems like we are all developing..almost a newfound sensitivity...or maybe we've just been cycled through all of the brands that the pharmaceuticals have tried to sell us and we finally see it's all a load of crap.  i'm not a doctor, so i'm not giving out any medical advice here, but the evidence is mounting against the pill from my perspective, and i think we are in the midst of a revolution that will go down in history. 

TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR FERTILITY is my absolute, #1 recommendation.  I can't say enough good things about it, but it should tell you something that I have been mailing them all over the country.  My friend has used it successfully for over 7 years, and I have been using it for 3 months now and have NEVER felt healthier or more in synch with my body.  I know the exact day that I ovulate, I know when it's coming, and I know when it's gone.  I understand all of the different textures and moods of my body, and I understand the language that it's speaking to me.  I've never had such a healthy relationship with my body, and The Kind Life and Taking Charge of Your Fertility are two of the major players in this Renaissance. 

Quick Summary: My alarm goes off, I hit snooze, grab my thermometer and stick it in my mouth til it beeps, then fall back asleep.  When I do rise and shine (thank you kind diet!), I take a trip to the ladies room, say good morning to my cervix and simultaneously check my fluid to see how baby-ready my body is feeling, and then I scribble a few notes on my chart and tackle the day with a clean and powerful system. It's all cyclical, so once you've been through one or two cycles, u can speak in slang with ur body cuz u know each other so well!  Defo recommend!

Dani - There's another recent thread about birth control in under Women's Health that you might want to read as well.

Danielle - so glad to hear that all's well with you and your IUD, but I know 3 different women who have become barren because of IUDs, so I feel compelled to share that info with you.  Again, I'm not a doctor, and I know that there are different types out there...Just feel protective ...!  :)

Oh! - last thing, i promise - FAM (the method outlined in Taking Charge of Your Fertility) is COMPLETELY DIFFERENT from the Rhythm Method.  Again, my friend used it for 7 years until just over 9 months ago when they made the decision to have a little girl.  :)  The Rhythm Method operates on the common misconception that all women follow a 28 day cycles, while most women vary within 10 or so days - significant when a woman starts taking drugs to fix an "infertility" problem when she really just has a different cycle length, or she is ritualistically taking her temperature to wait for the spike that tells her that she is "fertile" when, in reality, that spike indicates that her peak window for conception is closing, or when "late" labors are being induced using synthetic hormones and pharmaceuticals on both mother and infant.  I'm telling you - this book opened my eyes in so many ways and truly empowered me as a woman.  I definitely suggest it for any woman with a menstrual cycle or anyone who's just plain interested :)

I currently have an IUD and so far love it and have had no problems except the initital I'd say 3 days for me of a lot of pain! It was worse than I expected, but now everything's fine and it was worth it. I had been off the pill for  like 10 years because I just hate hormones. I don't think it's good or natural, and although an IUD is far from natural, the copper IUD prevents pregnancy as effectively as the pill without any hormones. The pill just didn't agree with me. Hormones make me a mess and it just is a sign for me that my body shouldn't have them in it! It's scarey to hear that someone knows 3 people who are barren because of an IUD. I know it's a risk, but I've been assured it is so minimal...the same as like having a stroke from taking the pill. My Dr. inserts more IUDs than any other form and has seen no problems or complications with years of experience. Also sees woman pregnant the next month after removal as well which was reassuring. I know some drs. don't like to give IUDs unless you already have a child though just in case. And unless you can get financial aide, they range around $600 out of pocket. Very worth it for me....so far....though. I love never worrying! I used to worry every month!

Congrats Stephanie - glad to hear your experience has been such a positive one.  Can I just peep in one tiny other thing about FAM and how awesome it is because, since you know exactly what is going on with your body, you don't have to worry on that either...

I know, I know - you probably want to put me in the corner to stop distracting the class, but I can't help myself...even if you didn't use the FAM method, I just want every woman in the world to know this information...

does that make me a zealot??  ;)

This may be a terrible, horrible thing for me to say, but I love my IUD, and if it makes me barren, then I'm not too concerned.  I was not adopted, but both of my parents were, and I feel very strongly about adoption.  The whole reason I have the IUD is because I do not want to give birth, ever.  So if it makes me barren, then that would actually be a plus to me!  Just like with animals, I think that there are way too many children in this world without homes, and when I'm ready, I want to open my heart to those children, and not increase the population even more.  I don't wish the same on anyone else with an IUD, but I know that for me, Juxta, that is most definitely not a concern of mine.  But I love the IUD.  I'm hormone-free, I can do everything I've always done, and all it took was about 3 days of cramping before I got back to normal.  But like I said, I really hope that it doesn't 'cause' women to become barren...I'd actually never heard that before.  But if that was something that happened to me, I would be okay with it.

http://veganrockergirl.blogspot.com

I want to jump in too to say I have the Paragard and love it! Best choice I have ever made!

As far as Barren, you speak 3 out of hundreds who have an IUD. Hell, if I become Barren  then someone has answered my wishes :)

 

I know of 5 people who have a paragard, have had it over a year, and have loved it ever since.

1 who has had bad spotting and cramps with it and is contemplating removal

and 3 who have married had it removed and had children.

 

It all depends on the type of person you are.

As for FAM - I'm not going through the headache of writing down and remembering... even if it's only for the first few months. I'm living life, not studying it. :)

I just want to point out that having an IUD does not put you at risk for infertility.  Return to fertility is extremely fast after having an IUD removed.  Certainly there are minor risks with getting an IUD placed, but the people that Juxta is probably referring to may have had a host of other reasons for their infertility.  IUDs are among the safest and most effective forms of birth control out there.   

With the FAM method, can is it ok to use withdraw, during your known fertile days, as your only method of protection?

I want to get off the pill by the end of the week.  How long did it take your guys cycles, to go back to normal?

Nina - NO, unless you want to increase your chances of pregnancy. Withdrawal is not a reliable method of protection at all. If you choose to use FAM, read the book Juxta suggested to really know your fertile days. Then, on your fertile days you would need to take any precautions you ordinarily would to prevent pregnancy - ie abstinence, condoms, diaphragm, whatever other method you might use. Using only withdrawal as your means of protection during known fertile days is very likely to lead to pregnancy sooner or later.