Contraception

Try the contraception finder tool from Brook maybe? https://www.brook.org.uk/topics/contraception/

I think in your case I'd come off the Pill for 6 months and use condoms before trying another Pill. You have my sympathies, I'm dreading having to think about contraception again after having this baby and H wants to get the snip(!!) which I think is just a bit too final!

We use condoms (see Disclaimer 1 below). I came off the pill, not because I didn't get on with it in terms of hormones/moods/odd periods/etc, but because I started to get some mild cervical bleeding after sex, which stopped as soon as I finished.

Disclaimer 1: I have never found that condoms killed the mood. This is mostly because when I know we're safe (I have very regular cycles with very clear physical signs of ovulation), we mess around A LOT before getting round to putting it on (see Disclaimer 2 below). So it's usually all part of the, um, desperation.

Disclaimer 2: We often don't bother with condoms these days. That's not because we're lax, rather that we're prepared to be a lot more messy about where stuff ends up. Sorry, TMI.

So, I guess we use a combo of condoms, withdrawal and rhythm.

My OH & I only use condoms, and (since we've been using them for so long) we've got used to it & it doesn't kill the mood at all

I was on the mini-pill (with the only side effect being total b*tchness!) for a number years, then in my last year at uni I started getting acute bouts of pancreatitis. Would be in agoony & throwing up even water for 24-48hrs, then unable to eat for at least another 24hrs. Eventually GPs worked out it coincided with my period, and advised me to stop the pill & go onto injections.
Worst mistake of my life ☹️. I started seeing OH a few months after going on to the injections, & for the first 18 months we were together he put up with me having a period for pretty much every other week. The final straw came when we were at a festival - I went for an afternoon nap in the tent, stood up afterwards and literally exploded all down my legs ? Vile.

After that we decided I should stay off chemical/hormonal contraception for as long as it took to get my periods to settle back down to normal again. That was about 4 and a half years ago now! I've been settled for a couple of years, but am so happy not to have mood swings/weight issues etc that I haven't gone back, and I don't think I ever will now! ?

Gah, I can't unknow that now, FTLOMB ?

Becklarr, I'd go with condoms until you've decided on what you'd like to use an alternative.

Thank you ladies.

I think that I will come off it until I decide what I want to do plus I haven't had a proper period for about 5/6 years so would be good to hopefully get back to a regular cycle!

?

Just wanted to say that Durex Elite are amazing, as far as condoms go.

Haha thanks MY...I'll bear than in mind ?

Becklarrr, I came off the pill last month. I've been on it for as long as I've been active and I'm a total cow. After lots of mood swings, I've finally decided to stop the pill and see if that makes a difference to how I am.

As far as condoms go, we haven't DTD in so long, we don't even need them haha.

I have bad skin and therefore I was put on the pill at the age of just 14. The acne cleared for about a year, but it's back now

Due to it being a 'high dosage' pill, I was switched onto around 6 different pills over the course of 3.5 years. I got fed up with that, and all of the pills had problems. Some made me moody, others made me bleed, some killed my sex drive (perfect contraception haha!)

I decided to get the implant. I had this for 9 months. It was the worst mistake of my life, I basically bled for 9 months, and then the nurse had a job of getting it out Injection is out of the question for me because it affects fertility for around a year once you stop using it. I've heard too many horror stories about the coil, too!!

We now use condoms and so far *fingers crossed* all has been fine. I'm a bit fed up of messing my body around now so just want it to be 'natural'. I do feel sometimes that condoms kill the mood, so I have told OH to 'be discrete' about putting it on (sorry for graphic info) and that helps a bit.

If I was you I'd come off the pill as it is good for your body to give it a break. I feel so much better for it already and it has only been a month since I stopped taking it.

Hope I've helped!

Which bit? Cervical mucus or spunky hair?

Why don't YOU put it on while he, um, manually keeps you going? Win win.

Spunky eye is a b@stard!

We tried that. Wasn't discrete enough.....?

Agreed. And laughing a lot! It's just sooooo sore. Not to mention crusty the next morning...

All of it! Not from a prudish perspective but it's one of those things my brain stores away and should we ever meet it'll be one of the first few things that runs through my mind Sherlock Holmes/Benedict Cumberbatch stylee.

There are too many amusing things to respond to so just one big HA.

As mentioned on the Good/Bad thread, I've forgotten to take my pill all week. This is not like me. H has been away so no worries on that front but I'm thinking I should maybe just come off it now in preparation for TTC later in the year.

I was thinking about it anyway but hadn't quite got the balls to do it.

I text H asking his opinion (I was at work) and he text back: 'Have you just asked me via text if we should conceive a baby?!'

'Nooo! I was asking if you think I should just stop taking it in preparation!' Ha.

Harvo, your husband rules ?

Ha. He's an arse.

Much amusement here - thanks for lightening my day!!!!

in answer to the question, I'd come off the pill for now, let your body settle down and then see how you feel about trying something else. Never really used condoms so help with that.

I came off the pill in September after being on it for 16 years without a break or change of brand. It seemed like a huge thing to do at the time but now that I've actually come off I've no idea why I took it for so long.

Hehe. I love how convo's go on OT!

I will say on one side of the story, a year ago I came off the pill after being on it since I was 17 (came off just after 22). Keeping in mind, from age 12-17 I had normal regular periods. A week or so later after I stopped, welcome greasy skin, bad spots both contributing to greasy hair within hours! This over months turns into going hairy and serious weight gain. I thought this was just me coming off the pill and getting hormones getting used to it all. My periods were few and far between, and 6 months later I finally hopped off to the docs, many many weeks and tests later, turns out I have PCOS. I tried not to go back on the pill, but pretty much exactly a year after I came off, I had to go back on to it. What I'm trying to say is, when you do come off, you probably will spend a while with your body getting used to being normal again - but if you're body starts acting really weird and they dont disappear, try not to put off seeing the docs. On another note, coming off the pill made me the most sex driven I've ever been. I've never been so desparate in my life - so yes we got through a lot of condoms ? Its sooo expensive!

For killing the mood, yes and no. I didnt notice myself, but OH was always worried/paranoid as basically the whole responsibility was on him for the first time in about 5yrs ? He happilly accepted me going back on the pill! I dont think I'll come off it now til we TTC.

Am I a rubbish modern woman? I not the faintest idea how to put a condom on? MrMini deals with that whilst I *ahem* manually keep myself going so as to avoid any sort of loss of pace as it were.

As for contraception, I am useless. I never take my pill. I always forget it. Rubbish.

I had the implant in till April last year, since then we used condoms twice I hated them!

So we use my sh it ovaries as contraception!

We're bad, we probably use withdrawal more than anything. We've only done it since we got married though and we have talked about 'accidents' I tried the pill when we first got together. Thought it was amazing to start off with then all of a sudden it was horrific, I was irritated, swollen etc I had it changed and the same thing happened. We switched to condoms which *really* irritate me. I don't mind them at all but my mums allergic to latex and I think I must be really sensitive to it. It's fine for sex but its the next day. I can barely walk it hurts so much. Antihistamines help but don't completely stop it. The thought of trying the implant makes me feel really ill for some reason.

I'm allergic to latex Tizzie (technically carbomix - its a chemical which makes rubber, so its in cleaning stuff, cement etc). You can get latex free ones. Not very exciting I will say - pretty much either bog standard or extra lubricated - which are rediculously lubricated ?. Asda works out cheapest I've found for them.

Really does sound like an allergy to me, I'm exactly like that with my skin as it usually takes about a day for me to get a rash.

We use condoms, it doesn't kill the mood. The pill makes me crazy and OH agreed that he'd rather I didn't take it. If you are looking for non hormonal longer term contraception then the copper coil has no hormones so that could be an option for you to think about.

@Tizzie, you can get latex free condom, if you think you are having a reaction to normal ones then maybe consider trying them to see if that solves the problem.

ETA: sorry crossposted xx

Our local Asda doesn't have the latex free ones but I got some when I was out and they weren't durex (can't remember which brand) and they still irritated me. The thought of using one makes me itch!!

If you know when you are ovulating and understand the points in your cycle when you are fertile during which you would use condoms etc. then it can work. It's obviously not 100% reliable but then short of not having sexual contact at all, what contraceptive is?

I'm not sure whether I'm glad I read this post or not. I need to make my mind up about contraception and was all set for the implant as I hate the pill, don't want anything that is going to stay in my system anyway, thought of the coil makes me shudder and I am allergic to latex. We'll probably go back to withdrawal/latex free condoms as we're hardly the most fertile couple in the world anyway.

its something we did a few times and then now were married it wouldn't be the end of the world if we did, it's just not something we're planning for a few years. If I really didn't want kids then I wouldn't ever do this.

also it's worked for us and I know a few couples who have relied too heavily on condoms and got pregnant.

I'm not saying withdrawal would work for everyone. If you were clueless about your cycle and didn't use any other form of contraception and still had sex during and in the run up to your fertile time then yes, I guess the chances of it failing are very high.

I wouldn't do it if a pregnancy would be a disaster for me but then I doubt that I'd rely solely on the pill etc in that situation either.

Yes, rhythm method relates to ovulation. You're only fertile for a few days so providing you have regular cycles and know what to look for (cervical mucous, cervical positioning etc.) it *could* be easy enough to work out when your fertile time is and therefore avoid unprotected sex during that time.

Well after TTC for over two years and now a 3 week old baby I can't actually remember what it's like! It's been years. But I know what you mean and unlike Footlong I'm not really a fan of jizzed up hair/boobies/wherever takes his fancy so IIRC it was a case of catch and leg it to the loo for my H ?

Maybe ruins the mood a little but no more so than when I was on the pill or with a condom. IMO anyway!

Flora - How do you use the rhythm method on the pill? The pill prevents ovulation and so you won't get any fertile signs, you'll be the same all month long.

Does falling pregnant ruin your sex life because you can't relax and enjoy it? If so I would suggest the implant and condoms would be rather fail safe (no forgetting to take your pill or throwing it up).