Do you use birth control? What type?

Contributor: Fanny Fanny
I've been having some discussions with friends about birth control. I've been on the pill for a long time now, but a lot of people believe that it's really bad for you. What do you use? What are your thoughts?
Answers (private voting - your screen name will NOT appear in the results):
I use a condom EVERYTIME!
45  (15%)
I use birth control pills.
105  (36%)
I use product like the Nuva Ring or the patch
20  (7%)
I use an IUD
31  (11%)
I know my body well enough to have unprotected sex without risk. (While in a committed relationship)
26  (9%)
I use another method. (Please explain!)
67  (23%)
Total votes: 294
Poll is closed
08/24/2010
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Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
I use birth control pills but only because it keeps me regulated and keeps my skin from breaking out. My boyfriend had a vasectomy several years ago so unplanned pregnancy isn't a concern for us.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
I used the pill until I had hormonal issues, then went to condoms and now have an IUD. No problems as yet but still to early for my first period with the IUD.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Eeyor89 Eeyor89
I am on the depo shot. I get it once every 3 months and I don't have to worry about a period. I got it mainly bc my cycle was super painful I couldn't do anything for like the first 2 days. I like the shot... so far no issues with it.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Hannah Savage Hannah Savage
I've been on the pill since I was 13 years old due to killer menstrual cycles that would keep me out of school. I have liked almost all of the different brands I have taken, but the one I am currently taking is Microgestin Fe and I really love it. I have experienced no weight gain--in fact it seems that my weight has been more consistent than at any other time in my life--and very few optical migraines (an issue with some other types of birth control). Oh, and I take the Microgestin like you would Seasonique--3 packs at a time, then have a period, for 4 'menstrual cycles' a year--only because my periods can still make me really ill at times.
08/24/2010
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
My husband had a vasectomy after our last child.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Tori Rebel Tori Rebel
Quote:
Originally posted by removedacnt
My husband had a vasectomy after our last child.
Isn't it great? It's the easiest birth control I've ever used
08/24/2010
Contributor: removedacnt removedacnt
Quote:
Originally posted by Tori Rebel
Isn't it great? It's the easiest birth control I've ever used
I know. Right? After all I went through with having kids and problems with the birth controls that I tried, it was finally his turn.
08/24/2010
Contributor: aleong aleong
I'm currently on Loestrin 24 Fe, and before that, I was on Ortho-Tricyclen Lo. OTC-Lo, didn't work well for me, and I had all these bad feelings. I do want to stop using birth control pills, but condoms are just so unpleasant for me.
08/24/2010
Contributor: DeliciousSurprise DeliciousSurprise
I picked "other" because my girlfriend has a really low sperm count
08/24/2010
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
We use withdrawal (hey Planned Parenthood actually considers it a good method for people in a monogamous, committed relationship.)

I am allergic to so many things (latex etc) and the Pill makes me sick and I have had too many female Plumbing problems to use the IUD. Spermicides burn like hell (I'm probably allergic to those, too.)

I really would like My Man to get a vasectomy. He said, "If we ever have an other pregnancy scare, I'll do it." We had one about 3 months ago (I skipped a period, but wasn't pregnant, but the suspense was awful) but he hasn't done it yet. Several of his buddies have had them, and they just rave about how great it is, and how it didn't hurt etc. He's never had any surgery, and rarely goes to a doctor. I really think this would be best, but I can't make him.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Envy Envy
I was on the pill, but it messed me up horribly. Will be using condoms from now on, no exceptions. Until hun gets snipped that is.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Fanny Fanny
Quote:
Originally posted by Eeyor89
I am on the depo shot. I get it once every 3 months and I don't have to worry about a period. I got it mainly bc my cycle was super painful I couldn't do anything for like the first 2 days. I like the shot... so far no issues with it.
My best friend was on this.
Apparently one of the side effects is loss of bone density.
This past summer she broke her femur! Which is supposed to be the hardest bone in your body to break.
She thinks its because of having been on the shot, so she's off of it.
Sometimes its easy to ignore side effects that don't seem imminently dangerous. That's why I started this thread.
08/24/2010
Contributor: MEL MEL
The pills and patches have bad side effects for me, and my BF is allergic to latex (and they don't make magnum lamb skins lol) but luckily for us we have been together for over 11 years and with only each other so we are clean and pretty comfortable with anything that may happen as far as pregnancy,plus we have been told by doctors that me getting pregnant would be quite difficult.
so i just quit worrying about the pill and patch for me they cause too much trouble to be worth it.
08/24/2010
Contributor: VampKitty VampKitty
I use Nuva Ring. It's the best product for me. I have a sensitive stomach and the pills just make me ill for hours after taking it!
08/24/2010
Contributor: Not here Not here
I'm on the pill.. a generic version of Ortho-Cyclen called Sprintec-28. When I first started taking the pill about 5.5 years ago, I was on Orth-Tricyclen which worked out well for a few months, until I started having 2-week periods out of nowhere. I asked my gyno what was up and she said that some women's bodies aren't compatible with tri-phasal birth control pills, which have 3 different levels of hormones for the 3 weeks you take the active pills. Apparently I'm one of those people. I haven't had any problems since I switched to mono-phasal pills.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Jul!a Jul!a
I use condoms for birth control and mess control and the pill for birth control and period control. I'm on the generic version of Seasonique, and I was on Yaz and Depo before that. Depo screwed me up, after a few years on Yaz I would get so nauseous the Thursday before my period that I couldn't do anything but lay in bed and feel sick, even tho I knew I wouldn't throw up. So far so good with my Seasonique tho.
08/24/2010
Contributor: ToyTimeTim ToyTimeTim
We use Options Conceptrol or Ensure half the time, the other half we use condoms.
08/24/2010
Contributor: Fanny Fanny
Quote:
Originally posted by VampKitty
I use Nuva Ring. It's the best product for me. I have a sensitive stomach and the pills just make me ill for hours after taking it!
How do you like nuva ring? I'm really curious about it. Does it really stay in for 3 weeks? how do you get it out? does it bother you during sex? sorry if these questions are invasive! feel free to ignore them if they are!
08/25/2010
Contributor: Hot'n'Bothered Hot'n'Bothered
Quote:
Originally posted by Fanny
I've been having some discussions with friends about birth control. I've been on the pill for a long time now, but a lot of people believe that it's really bad for you. What do you use? What are your thoughts?
The mini pill. I can't handle combo pills.

I debated on the Implanon after the birth of my last child. But decided to stick with pills until we're done having kids.
08/25/2010
Contributor: joja joja
All condoms all the time. I can't stand hormonal birth control.
08/25/2010
Contributor: gone77 gone77
I chose the last option because I'm not on any birth control due to not having any sex. However, my choice will be sterilization because I don't want to risk pregnancy. At all.
08/25/2010
Contributor: Sera Sera
Quote:
Originally posted by Fanny
I've been having some discussions with friends about birth control. I've been on the pill for a long time now, but a lot of people believe that it's really bad for you. What do you use? What are your thoughts?
Sometimes we just do it, (I'm married) and we know when to pull out and what not. Usually we use VCF's, though.
08/25/2010
Contributor: Persephone's Addiction Persephone's Addiction
I was on birth control from the time I was 15 until I was 25. Then I was pregnant. Really hard to get pregnant when you're already pregnant.
My boyfriend had a vasectomy so I'm not using anything now. It's kinda nice.
Because of the pregnancy and the breastfeeding, there was an extra two years where my monthly hormone fluctuations were on hiatus - I hadn't experienced my own natural hormone levels in 12 years! So, I'm au natural now.
08/26/2010
Contributor: Illusional Illusional
Quote:
Originally posted by Eeyor89
I am on the depo shot. I get it once every 3 months and I don't have to worry about a period. I got it mainly bc my cycle was super painful I couldn't do anything for like the first 2 days. I like the shot... so far no issues with it.
I've been on the depo shot for two years.
08/29/2010
Contributor: Kayla Kayla
I just started on the IUD.
08/29/2010
Contributor: trios trios
Am scheduled for a vasectomy later this year.

Will cost around 60 bucks or so after insurance.

It will be the best 60 bucks I ever spent!
08/29/2010
Contributor: Trashley Trashley
Quote:
Originally posted by Liz2
I used the pill until I had hormonal issues, then went to condoms and now have an IUD. No problems as yet but still to early for my first period with the IUD.
Same here. Then the shot, worse issues, then the IUD.. which was good.. until my hormones went haywire again. My body's just super sensitive so now I'm nothing.. I considered the copper IUD, but my periods are already heavy enough and get me super anemic so mehhh
09/16/2010
Contributor: softkkisses softkkisses
My husband had a vasectomy, and I had a hysterectomy.
09/17/2010
Contributor: Liz2 Liz2
Quote:
Originally posted by Trashley
Same here. Then the shot, worse issues, then the IUD.. which was good.. until my hormones went haywire again. My body's just super sensitive so now I'm nothing.. I considered the copper IUD, but my periods are already heavy enough and get me ... more
I recently had my first period with my IUD. No issues... I did get used to condoms but my b/f really doesn't like them and I usually put a condom on him.
I enjoy the sense of freedom at present, hope it lasts.
09/17/2010