Hey all. :)

I'm not used to posting in Life Issues, so this is kinda weird for me. And you'll probably get wayyy too much TMI reading through this, so WARNING!

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So I've been on BC pills for 8 years now. I started with Estrostep FE, which was great. I didn't have any problems with it. I moved from home after college, and after two years, I moved back to KC and started my new job. Estrostep was on the third-tier drug list, and that meant it'd be $60 month, which was more than I was willing to spend on a pill.

So I switched to generic Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Tri-Sprintec, for $9/month. I was on it about 2.5 years when I started getting yeast infections fairly often. :yes: That was rather unpleasant, and I tried Diflucan and all the over-the-counter stuff, but nothing seemed to prevent it from coming back the next month.

Again, I switched pills and got on Loestrin 24. That was great and all, except I was getting two-week periods, with a lot of spotting, but not a lot of heavy bleeding. I took it for five months before I switched back to Tri-Sprintec, because I couldn't deal with two-week-plus periods every month. Other than that problem though, I didn't have the yeast, so I thought it was probably the pill that was causing it.

As soon as I started Tri-Sprintec again, the yeast returned, making me a rather unhappy camper.

For further information (yeast-related):

• I also took four or five rounds of antibiotics when I first came back to Kansas, thanks to raging tonsillitis, which I now believe was caused by allergies that flared up when I returned (allergies are awful here). The yeast wasn't a problem then actually, which was strange considering all the antibiotics.
• Two years ago I took a couple of different antibiotics for UTI-like symptoms. Turns out, it wasn't really a UTI. I've now been diagnosed with interstitial cystits (which I think was caused by the yeast in the first place).
• Last year I got a real UTI (always pee after sex ladies!), was given antibiotics, and the yeast flared up again.

I believe all these rounds of antibiotics were what was causing my yeast infections initially, and by taking regular BC pills, I was just exacerbating the problem.

Since then, I've been on the candida diet (I'm in the sixth month now), and have taken candida-killing supplements, and I feel remarkably better!

But now I'm off of the BC pill altogether, and I'm looking for non-hormonal choices for BC, besides condoms, since my bf and I are just not big fans of them, but we don't want babies yet.

I'm seriously considering the copper IUD, but I've heard both good and bad things about them. I've heard that copper IUDs can cause yeast infections as a copper imbalance in the body makes you more prone to them, but I'm hoping through my use of lots of probiotics and the candida diet, I can keep the yeasties away for good.

Today I'm going to buy a bit of copper pipe to test and see if I have a copper allergy, just in case. I have an appointment with my gyno on Friday to discuss my options, but I'm curious if you ladies have ever had an IUD, and what your experiences have been. :yes:

Thanks for your advice and help with this. :D I'm just so wary of trying yet another new BC method that may cause yeast infections. I'm not ready to get them every month again!

I've never had an IUD, but I've been off birth control of all kinds for several years (barring a horrible experiment with Yasmin earlier this year, which made me feel moody and squishy and not at all myself), and have been fine using condoms with my husband.

Just saying you might not have to go the BC route, if you want to avoid any nasty side effects.

Well, as I mentioned, both bf and I are anti-condom, so I'm looking for another method...

I've only taken birth control pills, seeing as I'm 18 years old and I've had no problems with the pill I've been on since I was 14. :c
It's ovcon 35, if you're curious. But it's basically magical pill for me. No side effects at all, at least none that I've noticed.

I do get very very very minor yeast infections after my period, but only for like a day or so then they clear completely up. The only time I've ever had a really bad one was after taking antibiotics and for the year or so after taking such a high dose of antibiotics I got them every month. They've finally actually come to an almost complete stop and I haven't had one in a few months.

Ummm, as for other methods, my ex boyfriend and I used a spermicidal gel thing. I don't know how well it worked on its own, because I was also on the pill, but, it's another method, right? :lol:

:sweat:

Originally Posted by Sizzla

Well, as I mentioned, both bf and I are anti-condom, so I'm looking for another method...

Sorry, I didn't notice the anti-condom line. :) My bad.

Why are you anti-condom, if I may ask?

Originally Posted by anime_scholar

Sorry, I didn't notice the anti-condom line. :) My bad.

Why are you anti-condom, if I may ask?

I don't like condoms because they make sex less enjoyable. :lol:

but that's just me. xD

Wow, I never had problems like that using Loestrin o3o

I don't know anything about the copper IUD, but I've heard good things about NuvaRing.

If you don't mind surgery every (3 or 4?) months, I've heard that the under-arm implants are basically the next best effective thing.

Originally Posted by Keyori

Wow, I never had problems like that using Loestrin o3o

I don't know anything about the copper IUD, but I've heard good things about NuvaRing.

If you don't mind surgery every (3 or 4?) months, I've heard that the under-arm implants are basically the next best effective thing.

Oh, and then there are these shots too.
but most women I know who have used the shots end up bleeding for 6 months straight and then have a semi-normal period.

But the 6 months bit is just insane.

Originally Posted by anime_scholar

Sorry, I didn't notice the anti-condom line. :) My bad.

Why are you anti-condom, if I may ask?

They are uncomfortable for both me and my boyfriend, even with lube. Too much friction, and he loses a bunch of sensation, which leads to an unfulfilling time for him... And we both end up frustrated in the end.

We've been having condomless sex for eight years now, so going back to condoms is just hellish IMO. No fun. :(

Originally Posted by Keyori

Wow, I never had problems like that using Loestrin o3o

I don't know anything about the copper IUD, but I've heard good things about NuvaRing.

If you don't mind surgery every (3 or 4?) months, I've heard that the under-arm implants are basically the next best effective thing.

Yeah, I liked Loestrin, with the exception of all the freakin' bleeding! I was just happy not to be yeasty... But I couldn't put up with it anymore.

NuvaRing also has hormones, which I'm not interested in. :yes:

Originally Posted by monstahh`

Oh, and then there are these shots too.
but most women I know who have used the shots end up bleeding for 6 months straight and then have a semi-normal period.

But the 6 months bit is just insane.

Implants and the shot are both hormonal birth control. Do not want. XP

I'm not sure about the spermicidal gel... It doesn't seem effective enough to rely on.

I debated trying the natural conception methods -- calculating my cycles and mucus and whatnot, but my period has yet to return, and I've been off the pill for a month and a half. :sweat: I'm afraid of the long-term effects of hormonal birth control, as it seems my body has stopped producing my own hormones.

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I do know that the Mirena IUD has hormones, but supposedly it's a very small amount, and should only affect the uterus. But I'm just afraid of any hormones, so as not to bring back the yeast, which is really what I want to avoid.

I've also heard horror stories about women with copper allergies who get the copper IUD and then have horrible side effects from it. *is currently wearing a copper ring to test for an allergy ahead of my doctor's appointment*

I personally have only used pills but I have a close friend who has used the NuvaRing and now is using Mirena. She was fine on her NuvaRing for about two years and then suddenly started bleeding like crazy. Then she switched over to Mirena and was having terrible pain and cramping in her uterus. I haven't seen her since classes ended in the beginning of May so I don't know if they've cleared up but I would be cautious.

For a while I was actively researching IUDs. The idea of 99.9% efficiency was really appealing. But I personally have a bunch of reasons for not pursuing this birth control further: There are just so many things that could go wrong with an IUD, especially if the woman hasn't had any children yet.

- Chances are that you'll have continuous spotting for up to a year after the IUD is placed, then it is possible for your period to disappear altogether.
- The process of inserting it gives bacteria a chance to invade your uterus, so you might experience more problems right after it's placed in.
- For women who haven't given birth, there's a moderate chance that it'll fall out at least once.
- The chance is slim, but it's possible for rough movement to cause the device to tear your uterus. :(
- Chances for ectopic pregnancy are just a little bit higher than they would be if you were on the Pill.

Sorry if it sounds like I'm trying to talk you out of it, but I find IUDs a bit intimidating and scary. :no:

Nah, I'm not afraid. XD

I've heard about all the risks, regardless of if you've been pregnant or not. I'm pretty good about doing my research in general. And while at first I was really skeptical, the more I've read, the more I feel like it's relatively safe. Of course, there are side effects with just about anything, so it's always necessary to weigh the pros and cons.

I figure, if I try it out and it doesn't work, it can always be removed...

The Mirena IUD is the one that will cause you to stop having periods. The copper IUD is different however, in that it seems to induce heavier, more crampy periods. While I've always had a heavy, crampy period, I've been totally spoiled by being on the pill. It caused me to have less painful, lighter periods.

So really, I LOVE the pill, but the hormones just don't do it for me, considering the yeast problem. :sweat:

I don't know what's worse: Constant yeast infections or a slim chance of expulsion, a tear and/or general pain and suffering...

*is annoying and doesn't read previous responses*
I considered an IUD after the twins were born, but the GYN I was seeing wanted me to pay for it up front and have the insurance re-imburse me and I didn't have the $1500 they wanted so I decided against it and just dealt with condoms until moving here and getting on NuvaRing (have you looked into the nuvaring? I love it srsly.)

It wasn't the copper one I was looking into though...and for the life of me I can't remember what it was. It was probably a hormonal one. But the copper had me wary since my GYN couldn't tell me how it worked, besides that they guessed the copper irritated the lining and changed the PH balance in the uterus to make it un-inhabitable for the fetus. Which made me really iffy. I'm all for not having babies until you're ready, but I wasn't ready for something they weren't sure of the workings of going into my body. That and I have a fear of it attaching to the lining of the uterus/puncturing it which while rare were side effects that sent off alarms.
The lack of hormones did make me go "hmmmm" though since the extra hormones from hormonal birth control ups my already upped chances of breast cancer. (So I decided to do away with it all together and get the husband snipped >.>)

I dunno, you can tell by reading this that I'm still on the fence about it. I'd look into cheaper non-pill forms first, since it could have just been the hormone levels in those pills that were increasing your chances of yeast infections.

Well, here's the deal with the cost issue...

I've already paid my insurance deductible for the year, so I can basically go to the doctor all I want at this point and not have to pay for anything. :yes: So that's why I wanted to go in and discuss this, as it would be the perfect time to put in an IUD. My insurance year rolls over in September, which is when I'd start having to pay the deductible costs again, so I wanted to get it all sorted before that point.

The more I think about it, the more on the fence I am. But it's going to be SO affordable, and I no longer will have to worry about pregnancy or condoms.

I'm still going to have a serious talk with the gyno tomorrow and see if he recommends it. I'm also going to ask him about the failure rates he has, as well as any women who've come in with side effects, and what they are. I want to know what percentage of -his- patients have had issues, because I hear that if you have an experienced doctor, the insertion shouldn't be too bad, and I shouldn't get an infection. :yes:

Yeah, I'll still have to worry about expulsion, but the other risks are just too rare for me to worry about. I could have a blood clot on the pill and have a stroke! I could also get a perforated uterus from an IUD. I think the risks are probably about the same when it comes down to it -- they're just different risks. :yes:

I know that about half of the women in China have IUDs, so it can't be -that- bad for you...

I thought a lot of the women in china were getting their tubes tied after baby #1?

Anyway, Talking to your GYN is the best course of action. If the cost isn't a problem (which is totally awesome!) Then a nice 5 year long birth control method that you can have removed if/when you decide to have children would be a good option. :3 I've heard a lot of it has to do with the doctor and how experienced they are with IUD's as well.

I'll find the source I found about IUD usage rates across the world.

Until then, here's a source comparing US to European IUD usage rates, and it explains why IUD use in the U.S. is fairly low:
Popularity Disparity: Attitudes About the IUD in Europe and the United States

But yeah, I'll talk to the doc tomorrow and see what he says. I'll fill you guys in after that and see if I can make a decision. XP

I take the high road. No sex at all. xD <3

I'm rather scared to use pills or anything placed inside me with a chance of impending pain on the way.
Besides, I know I'll be that o.o1% that still gets Pregers. Thats just my luck. > p<

:lol: What what fun is that!?

Nah, I hear ya. That is the only way to guarantee not getting pregnant. :yes:

My friend gets shots done every month in place of the pill. Never had any scares, so it must work.
I only see my boyfriend a half dozen times a year, so there's no point in me getting on something that will only be used for short amounts of time.

UPDATE!

So I went to the doctor today, and before I spoke to him, the nurse automatically handed me the paperwork for a Mirena, which is the hormonal version of the IUD. I told her that I wasn't really interested in the hormonal version, because of all of my yeast issues. She said she wouldn't do the copper one personally -- it'd be the Mirena or nothing.

When I spoke to the doctor, he said he'd do a copper one if that was what I really wanted, but he's had to remove every copper IUD he's placed. That seems like a telling statistic to me. I guess they cause a lot of pain and more bleeding during your period, and this is not cool for most women. Before I went on the pill, I had long, heavy and painful periods already. I had cramps so bad once I thought my appendix had burst or something! So I can't imagine having a LONGER and MORE PAINFUL period. That's what I liked so much about the pill -- my cramps were totally manageable. I could even go most of my rag without taking any painkillers, which never would have happened pre-pill.

The Mirena has levonorgestrel (a male hormone) in it. It compares to other pills with the same hormone, but contains 1/7th the amount of hormone as pills. So this is a relatively small amount, and I started rethinking my options at this point. The Mirena also provides the hormones only to the uterus, and is not systemic (supposedly).

But I got home to do more research and found wayyyyyyyyy more horror stories about the Mirena than the copper IUD. Sooo many crazy side effects. I realize that it's likely that the people who are happy with their Mirena's don't post about what they love about it. People come to the internet to complain! :lol: So yeah, it's a toss up.

UGH. DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!! I'll be consulting with the bf when I see him next weekend. The gyn told me to be safe and not get pregnant... :rofl: I also had to take a pregnancy test while I was there, since I haven't had my period since going off the pill in early May. Luckily, I am not pregnant. :D

I do have a bit more time to consider it, but the current timeline is:
• They turn in the paperwork to the insurance company, who has to approve it (7-10 days).
• Once it's approved, I start taking these pills (Provera) that will bring back my period (because it hasn't yet returned from being on the pill). Within 7-10 days, I should have my period.
• Then I call the doctor's office, tell them I'm on the rag and need to come in that week.
• Then I go get fitted.

It's a process.

I wish there were some other non-hormonal method of reliable birth control, besides condoms (mostly reliable) and the copper IUD. Bleh. So few options.

I really did love the pill. Until I started taking a bunch of antibiotics. :/ It was so great for me in so many ways, and I'm sad that I have to stop taking it.

The only other thing I could think of is using a cervical cap or diaphragm in combination with spermicide. Definitely more comfortable than a female condom, but I'm not familiar with the prevention rates.

I'm sorry you can't be on the pill anymore. Maybe something extremely low-dose is just something you'll have to tough out?

Ugh, if I were in your situation I'd do the pill anyway. Not worth the pain of not being on the pill...

Though, any time I'm on freaking amoxil, I get a yeast infection now. So I always have anti-fungals on standby, just in case I get strep or something dumb and get put on amoxil for any amount of time.

Yeah, that sounds like a telling statistic to me too. Heavier and more painful periods would not be cool. It sounds like you had periods like one of my friends in high school her periods would sometimes keep her home from school because of the pains. I don't envy her if/when she gets pregnant. I can't imagine the contractions! They'd probably knock her out. >.>

Did you talk about other types of birth control or just the IUD's? You may want to get back on the pill or another form of BC until you're with a doctor that has a better rate of success with the copper? What all did he have to say about the Mirena? The nurse seemed cool with the idea so maybe it won't be too bad? It's still a nice 5 year birth control yeah? And if it turns out to be not for you, you can get it removed and get back on the pill? Since both your doctor and nurses seem to recommend i'd at least take it into consideration.

Originally Posted by monstahh`

Oh, and then there are these shots too.
but most women I know who have used the shots end up bleeding for 6 months straight and then have a semi-normal period.

But the 6 months bit is just insane.

I would just like to clarify that this is not true. I am on the depo shot and (as my doctors assured is normal) I ended up having only some small spotting occasionally, and after only a few weeks stopped having periods almost all together. On the shot you rarely have your period and when you do, it's pretty normal. I just wanted to say this because I think the shot is great and would definitely suggest it to anyone who was looking for a form of birth control that has relatively few side-effects and you only have to remember to get it every 3 months. : )

On topic though: I don't really know a lot about IUDs, but I wish you luck in this Keyori. I understand that finding the right form of birth control can be difficult and frustrating. No matter what you choose though, it's better to have it than to not. Good luck and take care.

Huh? No, I'm not looking for new birth control. My health problems dictate that I have to be on hormonal treatment. I don't think my yeast infections are associated with my taking the pill, I think they're associated with my taking antibiotics. And that's not very frequent.

Originally Posted by Keyori

Huh? No, I'm not looking for new birth control. My health problems dictate that I have to be on hormonal treatment. I don't think my yeast infections are associated with my taking the pill, I think they're associated with my taking antibiotics. And that's not very frequent.

Sorry! I meant to say Sizzla in my previous post. Sorry for the confusion. However, with your issue, I completely understand. I recently had to be on antibiotics for something too and then got a really bad yeast infection. Yeast are normally not able to grow at high numbers because the rapidly growing bacteria in the environment eat up all of the nutrients. Therefore, when you take an antibiotic to wipe out all of the bacteria in the environment, the yeast then thrive. : /

I think the best you can do is what you are doing, have things on hand for when it occurs.