Guess I'll start with my story. I've been on various types of bc since I was 15. A few years ago I switched to Nuvaring, and got TERRIBLE hives for over 6 months. For some reason, after going to 3 different conventional doctors, all of them thinking I was allergic to something else, and prescribing me MORE medications to COVER up the hives instead of finding the underlying problem, I went to a naturopath who told me to try switching to a different bc, so I switched back to the patch (that I was on before. No more hives!

Anyway, It got me thinking about all the other medications I was on and what kind of effect that were having on my health. I had been on antidepressants for almost 8 yrs - I was put on them after having depression for years that worsened severely after my father passed. But after 8 yrs, I thought, do I REALLY need to be taking these? My psychologist moved, and I saw another one that was so mean, I vowed never to see another one again. So I decided to go off the meds myself. I did a ton of research, learning that weaning slowly was the best bet. So I did it and it's been over a year and a half and I feel great!

So my one and only medication I am still taking, is the ortho-evra (birth control) patch. Which pumps something like 60% more estrogen in my system than I need. Reading into it, high doses of estrogen cause cancer. I WANT OFF OF IT! Does anyone out there use natural birth control methods that they are successful with?

Another issue is vaccinations. I didn't think I'd have to worry about them until I have kids and have to fight with the pro-vaccine people. But my lifelong dream of going on an African safari is coming true (in APRIL!!) so I'm required to get some shots. I know there is mercury and other disgusting stuff in the vaccines besides the actual disease-preventing stuff and I want it out of my system asap- should I do a detox? I got some chlorella tablets.. Will that work?

Sorry so long!! TIA!!! :)

Do a site search, I guess try 'birth control.' There are several threads, but there's a great one in which several women recommend the book Taking Control Of Your Fertility, and they have been using that method. I have the book, and have only read part of it, but seems a very reliable method because you use two to three signs of your own body's indicators of fertility. So I would find the thread, andtake a look at the book.

I don't think I have much advice to offer you.  I don't know much about vaccines and such.  Like you, I don't think I have to worry about it til I have kids.  And I'm not traveling right now, so there's no issue with me.  Doesn't it suck that people are *required* to get vaccines to travel to certain parts of the world?  There's not even a choice!  That's the problem I have with it.  As for the birth control, I just use condoms currently (well, my boyfriend does, technically).  I used to use orthotricyclene (years ago), but don't want to get on any hormones so I'm personally not on anything. 

It's not exactly "natural", but it's drug and hormone-free.  I have a copper IUD...it's a small "T"-shaped piece of copper that your doctor inserts in the uterus....it can stay in for ten years, and if you ever decide you don't want it, your doc can just take it out and since no hormones were being pumped into your body, there's no "weaning".  There is also a hormone-IUD called Mirena...don't get that one, because like all others, it is full of hormones.  Look into getting a copper IUD...it's so liberating!!  No patches, pills, rings, shots...NOTHING!!

Thanks Hazel- I am going to check out that book for sure!

Dani- I wish I would've done the IUD 10 yrs ago- I'm 30 now and MIGHT want a kid in the next couple years, but just not NOW. :)

Thanks!

You can still do the IUD!  Even if you only want it for a few months, a few years...you can have it removed whenever you want, that's what's so great about it! 

Hi Brooke,

I use CycleBeads. If you have a 26-32 day cycle, you can use them. They are a non-hormonal birth control method that's over 95% effective so that's pretty reassuring. CycleBeads basically track your fertility & let you know which days you can get pregnant & which days you can't. They are a string of colored-coded beads. There is a red "start" bead for the first day of your period, colored beads, and white beads. I movea rubber washer to a new bead every day. Depending on the bead's color, I know if today I am fertile or not. If I am fertile, I use a barrier method (usually VCF) & if I'm not fertile, I'm good to go! haha. Usually, I mark the 1st day of my period on the calendar. So if I ever forget if I moved the washer, I can double check.

They just came out with an iPhone app - iCycleBeads. If I had an iPhone, I'd get it because there is pretty much zero effort required! ha! Anyhow, if you're interested & have an iPhone or iPod Touch, which I belive it works on, you can check out your cycles with the app. I think it's a great idea just to get to know your body better, regardless of what kind of birth control you use.

It's been a good fit for me. It's been very empowering to learn about my body & work with it naturally to avoid makin babies. :)

I know the Mirena IUD is still a hormonal form of BC but because you are not orally ingesting pills, or absorbing hormones through a patch you do get less hormones to the rest of your body. I think its around 98% of the progesterone stays locally so you don't have as many side effects as with the pill. I think that out of the hormone based BC's it is definetly one of the better choices. (Although everyone is different and has to make the best choice for their own bodys ^_^  )

Like Dani - I have a copper IUD and its been great. I did have some increased cramping the first few months and my periods overall have been heavier, but otherwise, its really worry-free. And, as Dani said - while you can leave them in for 10 years, you don't have to. They can remove it anytime you feel that you're ready/wanting to get pregnant. I am not sure, but I don't think there's even any waiting time - you can begin trying to conceive as soon as they remove it.

As far as the vaccinations go, I don't really have much advice. You're pretty much stuck with getting them I think. One thought -  I take my dogs to a holistic/natural vet, and she gives them some type of homeopathic remedy when they get their rabies vaccines (since we can't get away from giving that one- required by law). The idea is that the homeopathic remedy will counteract as much as possible the negative impact of the vaccine on their bodies. Maybe you could research and see if there's something similar a human can take?

Oops - just realized its a little late on this thread now...  hope everything worked out :)

That is so cool, Sunny!  never heard of that!

My issue with the CycleBeads is that it is more like a calendar-based system, versus a symptom-based system like Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Even the same woman can have variations in her fertile days depending on things like stress or illness. CycleBeads are a "Standard Days" method - assuming that women who use it have cycles that are between 26 and 32 days long and therefore there are "standard days" on which they are likely fertile. It is also my understanding, though I may be wrong, that the CycleBeads say that menstrual days are infertile. Now, while I don't know what the instructions say, so maybe they cover this, some women can become pregnant if they have unprotected sex during their cycle because the following days are generally fertile and the sperm can survive long enough to fertilize an egg following the woman's cycle. Also, because it is based on standard days, using the wide variation of a 26-32 day cycle, it is likely to give you fewer 'safe' days than a symptom-based method.

While this system is considered more effective than the rhythm method, and may work very well for some women, I would still prefer a symptom-based system like Taking Charge of Your Fertility in which you measure your basal body temp, check your cervical fluid, and can also check the positioning of your cervix for added protection. That way it is based on each individual's body signals telling them when they are fertile. I just feel more comfortable with such a system that is based solely on my body's signals. However, each woman should use what works best for her, what works for her lifestyle, and what works for her health, though I personally do not agree with the use of hormonal birth control at all because of its effects on women's bodies and the effect on the environment.

BEWARE CYCLE BEADS!!!! I've heard of several women getting pregnant while using them, as every woman ovulates at a different point in her cycle. Taking Control of your Fertility is supposed to be an excellent book.

I got pregnant with an IUD, Mirena. Because I had it the fetus implanted in my fallopian tube. I had to have an abortion, which caused me lots of mental anguish. I loved it (the IUD) up until that point, but if I had to do it again, I wouldn't. Even the doctor that recommended the IUD to me decided not to recommend them anymore, because of what happened to me. I know that this is not the norm, but it can happen.

Currently we use condoms.