Hi, I have two children, a boy and a girl. And We are not planning on having anymore. (at the moment, never say never).
I am taking the pill, mostly to manage my periods ass well as using condoms. I Want to use something that is going to be better suited than this method of contraception as is is going to be long term.
I would love any advice on different forms of contraception and how you have got on with them. I have not tried anything else to date, but as long as I can get an idea of how things work, then I can have an idea of what to do next.
The injection is great for some people, terrible for others - you won't know unless you try it. I took it for a year or so, and it was mostly great - no periods at all, no PMT, like a pill you only have to remember to take 4 times a year. The only problem I had was that it killed my libido, which kinda defeated the whole point! However, I think that's quite a rare side-effect, and (unless you hate needles), it's probably the best method for long term use.
the coil i had mine for 3 years i used to haveand really heavy periods i havent had 1 in 3 years and you dont have to worry about rembering to take anythink as it last 5 years
Thanks for that.... I didn't know your periods could stop. Thats a bonus. I had read that you can get spotting, but I thought that was in between periods.
If you want something long-term, you might want to consider either the implant or the Mirena IUS. Both tend to make periods shorter and lighter, and in many cases, stop completely. The coil lasts 5 years, and the implant 3, so both are fairly long-term. Also, both can be easily removed, so if you did decide you wanted another child in a couple of years, this wouldn't be a problem.
I've had my Mirena for 5 weeks now; if you want any advice about side effects/fitting, I'd be happy to help!
With the Mirena it's common to spot for 3-6 months after insertion. It's also common for periods to be longer, heavier and more painful for the first 3-6 months. This is because the Mirena thins out the lining of the womb. That said not all women will experience this. I bled for two days, and haven't had any bleeding or spotting, or a period, since (I have had stomach pain for the last week though which isn't so good!!)
So what is the Mirena IUS and is it commonly used? Tell me more, I know i should visit the family planning clinic, but I just havn't got time at the moment, so i'm researching all the options so I am clued up.
I'm not to bothered about a few side effects as anything has got to be better than my heavy and painful periods. I am constantly anemic and on iron tablets. Ans since my daughter was born I have terrible PMS. Or maybe it's just the hormones with to females in the house!! LOL
Try visiting www.fpa.org or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. Both have info on various different types of contraception, listing advantages, disadvantages, and risks.
The Mirena IUS is a small, plastic, T-shaped device which sits in the womb. It releases progesterone, but only a 7th of the amount that you find in the pill...
Hope that helps and again, any questions about the Mirena (for instance, how it's fitted) and I'll be happy to answer
You'll either have your legs in stirrups as for a smear, or just draw your knees up with your legs apart. The Mirena is a T-shaped device, but when they insert it the arms of the T are inside the main body, so it's basically just a small plastic tube. They will insert a speculum and do an internal to find the position of your cervix and uterus (they also take swabs for chlamydia because it's important that anything like this is treated if you have the Mirena). They will clamp the cervix open and insert the coil into the cervix in the tube form. They then pull the strings which opens it up into a T-shape inside you. These strings are then trimmed down (you must feel for them after each period as this is the most common time for the Mirena to come out of place).
The doctor I had used an anaesthetic gel to numb my cervix first. Not all doctors will do this, and they will mainly do it if you haven't had children, as the cervix in women who haven't is tighter, which obviously makes fitting more painful. I also took two ibuprofen first. It hurt quite intensely for about 2 seconds as they clamped my cervix open, and for another two seconds as they fitted the coil in place. So really it wasn't too bad to be honest. However, it is common to experience severe stomach cramps afterwards: within half an hour I was agony; I haven't been in labour but would compare this pain to labour rather than period pain because of it's severity (this was the comparison the doctor made when I asked how painful it might be..!) It's also common to feel faint afterwards. So if you do have it fitted, I'd suggest making sure you have at least the rest of the day to rest: make sure there's someone to look after your children etc just in case. As you've had children though you're less likely to find the whole thing painful. I'd also add that the pain is only temporary, it does pass.
After the fitting it's common to experience bleeding or spotting. This might last a couple of days (as it did with me, yay!) or it could last up to 6 months, so it's worth being prepared for this. I decided though that I could put up with spotting for 6 months if it meant that after that I wouldn't be having any periods, so again it's all personal choice.
Hiya, thank you for the info. I was wondering.... I am due for a smear test and thinking maybe they would do this at the same time? I suppose I could ring the surgery and speak to the nurse. It would definatly be better if I could do that.
So... these little strings, do they hang outside of the body?
It might be possible, although they generally prefer to fit a Mirena during your period (and obviously they won't do a smear at this time). I would also advise getting it done at a family planning clinic rather than by your GP. Family planning clinics fit them all the time, whereas GPs don't, so with a family planning clinic it tends to be quicker, more efficient and less uncomfortable (this I've gathered from speaking to other women who have had the Mirena before I had mine put it). So weigh it up carefully. It might be more convenient to have it done at the same time, but it might be less comfortable. With the Mirena they often tend to want to see women for a consultation first, to give them time to think about it before going ahead, as it's less straightforward than other methods and there can be more risks/side effects. Your best bet though is to speak to your doctor. You can also phone the Family Planning Association or NHS Direct for advice; I believe both are free of charge, and they're quite helpful.
As for the strings, they're quite long as it's inserted, then they're instantly trimmed down so they just sit on your cervix. They're quite thick at first and you or your partner may be able to feel them: if so go back and they'll shorten them (my partner and I haven't had this problem though)
The final thing I'd say is that I don't want to push you in the direction of the Mirena. So far for me it's been good on the whole, but obviously that isn't the case for everyone. My best advice would be to look at those websites I've given and narrow it down to say, two methods of contraception. Then write a list of the pros and cons for you: what side effects you could live with, what would benefit you most etc. That way then you should have made a firm, positive choice.
Thanks I have started looking an will go and make an appointment at the fanily planning clinic. I did some research last night and only 1 in 1000 women get pregnant with the Mirena compared to 20 in 1000 with the pill!!
Lol. The effectiveness is one of the reasons I chose it: I absolutely can't have children for at least 5-6 years, and it's the most effective method out there, plus it lasts quite a while
