The most effective form of contraception?

Savvy_Sue

Once you're sure you don't want any more, if he won't get himself sorted then I'm very happy with having had my tubes tied! One night in hospital (and that was only because I was throwing up post anaesthetic, which apparently they're much better at avoiding now!) and problem solved!

And I can only have been 36 when I had this done as well!

pboae

Statistically the most effective contraception (other than male sterilisation) is the implant or Depo jab, both are slightly more effective than female sterilisation (although if Essure becomes widely available that may change).

The Implant they use now is called Implanon, it lasts 3 years and it is only 1 'stick'. I've had 2 of them, and will be having my 3rd in a month or so's time. I had the older style (Norplant, 6 sticks) before that. The Implanon is much better, a lot less mess putting them in and taking them out, and I had less side effects with it (though of course YMMV on that). Before the implants I had Depo, but I had a hell of time with it, but my sister swears by it. The added advantage to implants is that I don't have periods on them :-D but again, some women have really erratic periods on them, and I guess you won't know how it'll effect you until it's too late :-(

EDIT: to add... I should have said, the reason the implants and depo have less failures is because they remove a lot of the opportunities for human error, rather than because they are intrinsically more effective.

pboae

pbradley936 wrote:

At 36 you are too young to make a final decision about more kids – some women have not even started their families by that age.

I'd say having a child is even more 'final' than deciding not to. How is that someone can be too young to know they don't want more, but plenty old enough to know they do? Choosing to have a child is a much bigger and more life changing option than choosing not to. Surely the individual concerned is better placed to know whether they are old enough (and presumably mature enough) to make that choice?

bella4uk

I have just had the implant Implanon and my doctor raved about it, very little side effects unlike the depo.....and another plus side is that the minute it is taken out, fertility ressumes...so far so good, it has only been 2 weeks...downside is my arm is still a little sore and sensitive but a small price to pay.

freebie_junkie

pbradley936 wrote:

The only problem I have found about going to a family planning clinic or the GP is that they always want to give you the cheapest pill, the cheapest coil all very well if you are one of the 90% or so of people who they tell you never have bad side effects. Go on askapatient.com and look at Depo-provera even those who rated it highly put on 40lbs!

ive had absolutely no side effects since being on this and have actually dropped a stone without any effort, (didnt realise coz it was gradual but my pants started falling down!) its not as good as teh pill for my von willibrands but you only have to have it every 3 months and it isnt affected by any upset stomachs so good for someone with ibs.

freebie_junkie

...tho i find teh very best menthod to be other peoples skriking, whiney kids at work, puts me right off.

viktory

pboae wrote:

I had the older style (Norplant, 6 sticks) before that.

That's the implant I had, it worked fine for about a year then I started to suffer nasty side effects and eventually had them removed.

I didn't like that I could feel them under the skin in my arm either.

Oh the joys of being a woman, eh? :rolleyes:

Mrs_pbradley936

Eels100 wrote:

I hear that the Mirena coil is very good, particularly for those who've already had a child?

A lot of us are on another post all about that.

lynzpower

I think only you willl know BS whether you can take hormonal based contra.

I have had the depo ( which I liked but advised to come off it due to gynae reasons)
the pill which I took for about 3 days and it made me suicidal so I came off it
the mirena which was hideous, which Im sure you know about from before, sweats, menopausal symptoms, couldnt sleep, fainting everywhere

I have a copper one now, and its suiting me really well.

Ill never use hormonal contra again, it just doenst suit me at all.

lynzpower

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=213290

mirena users not-soanonymous