Birth Control Frustration

As far as an IUD or Mirena, I wouldn't get my hopes up unless you have already had a child. I have not been able to find a doctor who would do that since I have not been pregnant unless there was some medical reason i could not use any other form of birth control.

Have you tried Planned Parenthood? From my understanding, they're usually quite good in the US for providing IUDs to nulliparous women. I have never been pregnant and no one so much as batted an eyelash when I requested my IUD (in fact, I knew more about the available types than my gyne did....which in retrospect is a little scary). Your best bet is to go in armed to the teeth with scientific research showing that IUDs are quite safe for nulliparous women. Many doctors are still gunshy after the Dalkon Shield debaucle of the 1970s and have not kept abreast of recent findings. Here's a few to start you off:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17531622 - all copper IUDs are suitable for nulliparous women


http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13814780409044540 - nulliparous women did not show more complications than parous women; both copper an hormonal IUDs can be inserted and monitored in nulliparous women by GPs

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20399942 - nulliparous women desiring effective contraception should be considered candidates for IUDs

IUDs fell out of favour in North America after the Dalkon Shield (a poorly designed IUD) cause a lot of health and fertility issues. IUDs have remained quite popular outside of North America but many doctors here still hold misconceptions about the IUD. Find a practitioner with lots of experience if you can (more experience tends to lead to a better insertion experience for you).

I have been on oral contraceptives off and on for almost 18 years. I didn't start gaining weight until I hit my 30s. I did try OTC and hated it, extremely emotional and ate everything that wasn't nailed down. I have been on Kariva (generic for Mircette) for probably the last 8 yrs or so. It is very low levels of hormones, so much that my periods are almost non-existent. As far as an IUD or Mirena, I wouldn't get my hopes up unless you have already had a child. I have not been able to find a doctor who would do that since I have not been pregnant unless there was some medical reason i could not use any other form of birth control. Best of luck and congrats on your upcoming wedding

My Dr was more than happy to insert a Mirena for me, and I have no children. Actually, she was really pretty excited that I was asking about it. The problem that I ran into was insurance billing - my first Dr refused to carry the actual device in office (but was stilling willing to insert it) because of reimbursement issues she'd had in the past, and she made me order the device separately to bring in with me at my appt. My insurance company then tried to bill me for "durable medical equipment," and it was going to cost about $600. By switching to a Dr that carried the device in office, it was a $20 copay. Big difference.

Women who haven't had children have a slightly higher risk of expelling the device, but that's the only difference between a woman with no children and a woman with a birth. For any woman, when they do the insertion they will first do a sounding to measure the depth of your uterus, and as long as it's big enough to hold the device there's no reason they can't put one in.

If you want an IUD, it's not always going to be super easy in US. Don't be afraid to get on the phone and compare Drs or ask your insurance company what the easiest and most cost-effective path for this would be. Also good news: As of January 1, 2013, US insurers will be forced to cover birth control with no copay as preventative care.

Not sure if it's been mentioned or not.. But there was actually a study done recently that showed that Birth Control doesn't actually make you gain weight - Placebo does.

If I remember correctly - The study had two groups of women, one taking birth control, one taking a placebo, and both gained weight. We've been lead the believe that BC actually makes you gain weight so that when you are on it you gain weight (whether it's by eating, lack of exercise, or it's psychosomatic).

:]

Also good news: As of January 1, 2013, US insurers will be forced to cover birth control with no copay as preventative care.

If you don't mind me asking, where did you hear this? I've been hearing opposite for months.

http://hamptonroads.com/2012/01/timeline-rollout-federal-health-care-law

http://www.twincities.com/ci_18594325

I've found it in several places.

I just got off of birth control in August and I have poly cystic ovarian syndrome so now that my hormones are not level again I gained weight.. so i guess its the opposite affect on me?

I'm not a doctor, but I do have close friends with PCOS, and I know that women with PCOS have a tendency to gain weight (esp around the middle) because you've got more androgens in your system.

I used to take the Depo shot and I would, no lie, gain about 5-10 pounds almost overnight.

But then I switched to Mirena after talking to my doctor about it. Mainly, because the mirena doesn't cause weight gain like the Depo because it is isolated down there and not flowing through my entire body.

But I would check with your doctor, as they might have another type of hormonal bc that you can be put on instead.

I am having the same frustration with my birth control. I'm taking lo loestrine, and I've decided to go the route of Paragard (Copper IUD w/ no hormones) later this month. I know that my periods will be longer and I'll have cramps again, but I am so tired of all the side effects of birth control pills. I don't care what people say, I think that the pill definitely has an impact on weight. I've been working out harder in the last few months than in a long time and eating healthier, yet the scale doesn't budge below 150. It's incredibly frustrating!

I hope you find something that works for you!

You also don't have much to lose... So it comes off pretty slow... and maybe 150 is where you are meant to be. Plus there could be water weight from muscles trying to repair themselves, etc.. so there are a lot of factors that play in.

I take Loesterin too and have had no issues what so ever.. So it really is a personal thing.

I had the same issue wit BC. I gained 30ish pounds the first time I was on it, then after i had my first child and had to go back on it, I gained another 15. Then after I had my 2nd child i luckily opted to have my tubes tied so I don't have to worry about BC.

Not sure if it's been mentioned or not.. But there was actually a study done recently that showed that Birth Control doesn't actually make you gain weight - Placebo does.

If I remember correctly - The study had two groups of women, one taking birth control, one taking a placebo, and both gained weight. We've been lead the believe that BC actually makes you gain weight so that when you are on it you gain weight (whether it's by eating, lack of exercise, or it's psychosomatic).

:]

That's weird. I ate healthier and exercised even more after my BC(because that's when I started playing rugby) But I ended up gaining weight

After having so many issues with Birth Control (not weight related though), I tried soo many to regulate my period and cramps because I, too, had really bad ones. Long story short, I went with the Mirena (low-hormone IUD) and haven`t looked back. It actually stops your period completely, and so I never have to worry about cramps and periods again, and it lasts 5 years so i saved a lot of money. It was a win win situation for me, but it was very painful to get inserted, actually the most painful thing Ive experienced, since I have not had children before. I didn`t take any pain killers though, but most people say its not too bad if you take something before and if you have had children. I would recommend talking to your doctor about it, it was the best decision I made.

i understand your pain. I got odd the OTC and now I have the Mirena IUD. The insertion does hurt a little but its so much better. Light periods / light cramps to spotting. No crazy hormones and I've started dropping this extra weight.

its water weight from your pill (that happend to me) cut back on sodium in fact dont add any to your food. try eating clean I am sure that will help. good luck

I took a low hormone birth control and that is exactly when I gained my weight. I gained nearly 30lbs and if I accidentally missed a day I would get my cycle and it would last forever! I saw my doctor about it and he put me on a regular hormone BC pill and I have never had that problem again.

I hope you talk to your doctor about that. it could be the dosage. I was also allergic to the low hormone one too so that also caused even more side effects. The one I'm on now doesn't affect me anymore and now I'm starting to lose the weight I gained.

This is me. After my youngest son was born (and I nursed) I got the Mirena inserted. I had it removed since it made me psyco and my acne was off the charts in full gear. Then my new doctor put me on Lo Seasonique and although it was much better, I HATE it. I never know when I'm going to have a period, I don't have them when I'm supposed to, and my cycle (although I don't bleed) can last up to 2 weeks where I have terrible bloating (ie weight gain) and other PMS symptoms. I'm about to go back to the doc to get the pill I used for years with no problems - Ortho tri Cyclin which is a regular pill where I have a period every month.

I still don't understand how some women can be so "green" and "organic" in everything but their own sexuality.

Adding hormones to your body via the pill will mess you up. Pills are toxic abortificiants, not contraceptives.

You still get pregnant on the pill, you body just flushes it out unless you have taken the pill to the point of where your uterine lining is so thick the fertilized egg can't attach, then it gets flushed out and you have even worse menstrual problems than a normal person.

Estrogen increases growth in the body. Growth of everything in the body.
It also messes up your metabolisim. The only fix is to do a leptin reset and to see about getting off the pill before it's too late to do so.

Um. No.

On every count, no.

The pill prevents ovulation, thereby preventing conception. If an egg squeaks by the hormone hypnosis the ovaries are under, it can be fertilized and will implant normally, that's how women get pregnant on the pill.

The pill thins the uterine lining, not thickens it. That's why many women report shorter, lighter periods when using hormonal birth control. How would a fertilized egg being flushed out cause menstrual problems? That makes no scientific sense.

Estrogen does not increase cellular division so I can't fathom how it would cause growth in every part of the body...

The pill does not affect metabolism. These are the same hormones naturally found in anyone with two X chromasomes.

I have no idea what a lepitin reset is but based on your completely false statements, I'm gonna go ahead and give that one a pass and recommend everyone else do the same.

Birth control is a personal decision. Pills work great for some and are horrible for others, don't blanket them with a bad name and false "science" just because you had a bad experience.