Lybrel-Birth-Control.com - What kind of birth control methods do you prefer?

What kind of birth control methods do you prefer?

Why? Pros/Cons? Tell me your personal experiences.

Public Comments

pill. it's the most effective and it's nice to have lighter periods!
I liked the pill after I got used to it, but it took a couple of months for the hormones to level out--I was a basketcase for those first months. But you can't take the pill if you are breastfeeding, so I'm not on it anymore. So far I have also liked Mirena. It was a quick in-office procedure to put in, and there was a little spotting, but not too bad. It can last for up to 5 years without having to think about it, but can be removed before that if you want a baby sooner. It is only recommended for people who have already had at least one baby, and not for people who have had PID or ectopic pregnancies, so not for everyone. But I really like the convenience.
i have the mirena...i just had it put in a couple months ago..so..i really can't tell you how i like or dislike it yet.... so far so good tho...except i'm getting a lot of headaches... not sure if it has to do with mirena or lack os sleep because of new baby. :) oh, and i'm breastfeeding too...so if u are, its safe.
Nuvaring, but you can't use it if you['re breastfeeding. It's just a little ring you slide in your vagina, leave for three weeks, remove for one, and start over. You nor your partner feel it during sex - it's fantastic.
pills
I use the pill and love it. I went from having a 7 day heavy period to having a 2-3 day very light period. You know when you will get your period so its not a guess every month (for me my period would come a week late every month, so I did not have a regular cycle that I could count on.) The only thing I did not like was it took about a month for my body to get used to it.
i wanted the shot but when i talked to my doctor about it he said that almost all women gain weight. i didnt want pills becasue i thought i would always forget (which i do!) i didnt want the implant either becasue it is for 3 years and i wasnt 100% on how long i wanted to wait til i had another baby... oh yeah the other thing that sucks about the shot is that after yo stop getting it, it takes like 9 - 10 months before you can get pregnant atleast!
I prefer the mini pill, since I am breastfeeding and I just find condoms to be a hassle.
I was on the pill when I got pregnant. I now have the mirena, and I love it. No way to mess it up, no way to forget it, it just stays in there. My partner can't feel it, I have very little to no periods at all. Very quick and simply procedure to get it inserted.
The pill.Put it by toothbrush so I dont forget to take it.
Most people prefer the pill. It's pretty effective when used correctly, unfortunately my doc recommends switching from oral contraceptives, so I am headed over to the Mirena bandwagon. I have used pills, the patch, and Depo. I loved Depo for the no period thing but it did make me gain a little weight over the years. There are different side effects of almost every type for different women.
the pill is great, try it!
I have never had to use birth control. I did have to use it once for a hormone replacement therapy. I used YAZ. I loved it. I am looking at your answers. I just had a baby after trying for 4 yrs. I'm not looking to do that again any time soon! lol We are using condoms right now. I hate it! We have never had to do that before is our whole 6 yrs together. We just used the pull out method and thought we were good at it for the first few yrs! Man to be young again. lol Good luck
I have had Mirena (IUD) for 8 going on 9 months now. I love it! Nothing to remember like the patch and pills...nothing to interfere with love making like condoms or diaphrams....lasts up to five years or less (if you choose to take it out).....I've talked with at least 15 females who have an IUD and all have said great things :) No complaints!! It takes a whole 2 minutes to insert. The best part thought is no periods!! I've had two days of 'spotting' since having mine and each spotting session only lasted a few minutes...it's great.....I don't have to take pills with me so I can be sure to take them at the same time daily.....I don't have to mess with patches.....I carry a tampon (just in case) in the diaper bag and I'm off nothing else to mess with. I haven't found any cons yet. and...you can use it while breastfeeding!!
The shot. It's as effective as the pill, only you don't have to remember anything, there aren't day on/day off days, it has continuous coverage with no breaks. There's nothing for parents, roommates, or co-workers to discover, nothing ot remember to take every day, and you don't have annoying "i missed a day what do I do" problems. It barely hurts and is cheap.
Never got used to the Pill. So for the past 9 years we have been using the rhythm method. It has worked 100% for me, and when we began trying to conceive, it worked the second month. Prior to having our daughter I had a perfect 28 day cycle. Since her birth my cycle varies from 24 - 30 days, so it has been a little trickier. Now that I have a baby, the thought of another one is exciting so if I miscalculate due to my wacky schedule, hubby and I would be fine with another baby. If you are predictable, learn more about it and give it a shot. It is nice b/c I don't need to take hormones and mess with my body, and we can be spontaneous (not so much since baby arrived lol). Best wishes
I have taken several different kinds of pills, had the depo shot, tried to have a Mirena IUD placed (it popped right back out in the doctors office), have used condoms and now I have my tubes tied. For me, any hormone has really messed up my body horribly, making me have mood swings or horrendous migraines that never went away. The depo shot made me gain 60 pounds in a 2 month period, and another 40 over the 4 months after that even after I stopped taking it. It also made me stop having a period (or ovulating) for 3 years, and caused me to have a lot of cysts on my ovaries for 8 years after I stopped taking it (I only got 3 shots - not even a whole years worth). The IUD like I said popped out in the doctors office. Not to mention I know a few people who have gotten pregnant on the Mirena IUD - it's supposed to be 99.9% effective, but that's only with "perfect use" and unfortunately they can't really tell you from day to day whether the stupid thing is still in the right place, or whether it perforated your uterus, if it's going to puncture some other internal organ, etc. A lot depends on the skill of the person inserting it. I am allergic to latex, so condoms for us meant non-latex ones that feel like you're using a shopping bag. Very uncomfortable. Since my husband and I knew we didn't want any more kids, and I was having a c-section anyway, I went ahead and got my tubes tied. It hasn't been long enough to say how great it is, but I suspect we will be quite happy with it since it doesn't require doing anything, taking anything that might mess me up, wearing anything or thinking about anything really. I am pretty excited about it. I know many people say they regret having it done, but so far I have been really glad. This baby was a surprise and my hubby and I feel like we're too old for any more =P
my favorite is the Depo-Provera shot. You get it once every 3 months as a shot in your lower hip. It's easy and you never have to worry about taking a pill each day. You don't have to worry about having a period either, because most women don't have a period at all! I had severe cramps and bleeding problems a couple years ago, and the pills never helped me, so my doctor switched me to the pill. I love it and I wouldn't want to use any other method. the 15 lbs I've gained in the past 3 years is worth it - I'd rather gain some weight than to have severe cramps and heavy bleeding for 10 days per month. a lot of people say bad things about the shot, but every woman is different. one thing I have noticed about the shot is a lower sex drive, but other than that, I have had a good experience with it. good luck! http://www.depoprovera.com/vc-prospect-user.asp
I like the pill but I cannot remember to take them so my second choice is the depo shot and its great because its only every three months the only con that I see about it is that you can gain weight but I never did
ABSTINENCE. Control yerselves.
the pill because you have lighter periods, cramps are also less severe, and you can stop taking it when you please.
hate the pill: too many side effects. although there was one pill -- i forgot the brand name, but it was a mini pill, and that one was awesome. the mirena was okay: my husband said he could feel it, and i felt it pinching sometimes. neither of us minded that too much. there was also some spotting -- not a big deal. but the hormones caused the dark spots on my face that pregnancy caused to remain, and THAT drove me crazy. so i had it removed. but i think it is an excellent option for most. i feel like being married makes it hard to deal with the hassle of condoms, diaphragms, etc. since we are adopting our next kid(s), i am getting my tubes tied. since that is not an option for many, mirena gets my vote. edit: lo-estrin was the name of the pill i liked.
did the patch - hated it ! it left me hormonal and crazy and broke my skin out really bad did the pills- hated them for the inconvience of taking it every single day, but they did make my periods light-- hormones raged!! tried the depot shot- gained like 15 lbs in 2 months- that sucked ! and now i've had the mirena implant and LOVE it.. You don't have to worry about taking something everyday..It inserted in the office and feels like 3 big menstrual cramps and your done.. a little spotting for like a week and then your periods get lighter and shorter until after a year then you don't have a period at all!! And its a low dose of hormone that goes directly into your uterus so you don't have hormones flowing all through your body making you crazy! But the best thing is unlike the pill it is effective immediatly and if or when you want to concieve when you get it removed your fertility comes back within the month!! I will never use another method of birth control again.. Its awesome!
IUD Paraguard. Pro -- I like it because you don't have to remember to take a pill, it lasts for 10 years, you can have it removed at any time, you don't feel a thing, and there are no hormones in it. Con -- #1 It's uncomfortable when it's inserted, but it's not a big deal if you take ibuprofen and make sure your doctor numbs your cervix. #2 My insurance doesn't cover contraceptives (horrible!) so it cost $500 to get it inserted and another $500 for the Paraguard itself.
I used the pill for a while, i hated it, i was always worried about forgetting. Now i have my tubes tied and it couldnt be better, of course it is permanent (for all intents and purposes anyhow) but im finished having kids any way. the only con to it is its permanent(not really a con if youre sure youre done) , it has all kinds of pro's though, you can be spontaneous, no worries of condoms, or remembering pills, or having to have something inserted or implanted, no side effects, no shots......
I took the pill for years. I hated the weight gain. Then I ended up with blood clots. They never determined what caused them, but at that time anything but a barrier method became off limits to me. Since I had my son, my dr suggested mirena. It is safe for those who have had clots because the hormone doesn't go throughout your system. I love the convenience of it. I NEVER have to think about it. I get some irregular bleeding, mostly very light bleeding that lasts longer than my period used to. But it is possible to stop getting your period altogether. That would be nice!
I just got Implanon about a month ago. It is a little plastic piece that goes in your arm right under the skin. It is great so far. I have had very little bleeding. About a two day light period. The incision has been healing nicely. It stung a little when they put the numbing shot, but not too bad. Nothing compared to child birth. It stays in your arm for 3 years. So far I do get frequent headaches. I am not sure if that is the cause or my lack of sleep. It is a very quick procedure. There are horror stories with it, as well as other birth control methods. I used the pill at first, but I couldn't remember to take it. This is so easy. I can feel it right under my skin. I like it. I love it, actually. It is fairly new though. If ou have more questions about it, you can always IM me, tory43215678. GL.
I am 100% against the depo birth control shot. I got the shot 4 weeks before i went on an antibiotic and then found out that i was 8 weeks pregnant. Then after i started telling people i was pregnant i heard of 4 other stories like mine. Be careful of it
Total hysterecomy works for me! LOL. All three of my girls were concived while I was on the pill.
I am 29 and have used IUD i have two kids now. One great thing about it you do not have to do anything with it once it's in, just ask your doc to cut it as short as possible so it does not bother your partner. I used the hormone one and made me unstable (emotionally) now I have cupre one that i had for 3 times already.It works great for me and with prescription plan it cost me $20 + Dr appointment. It is 99.9% eaffective and may increase blood flow during your periods.
Mirena. Pros: -No pills -No forgetting to take pills -Fewer, Lighter periods -Never having to refill prescriptions for pills Cons: -About 1 1/2 months of really bad cramps, heavy bleeding, when first inserted. -Occasionally spotting in between periods.