View Full Version : Birth control
miss_tea_nus
07-23-2009, 06:05 AM
I searched the site and really haven't been able to find much information so wanted to see what kind of experiences everyone has had... I want to get on birth control but just have a couple of concerns; one was about blood clots and if there really is much more of a chance of getting them while on bc because of sci. Another was that I heard that there is a possibility of it not being effective or as effective when taking certain medications or antibiotics and wanted to clear it up or get it confirmed... I wouldn't want to be counting on it and find out later it doesn't work!
One more thing... anyone fond of any certain pill, or any other type of bc?
Thanks :)
lynnifer
07-23-2009, 06:40 AM
Birth control does not work on antibiotics. Confirmed.
Yasmine has diuretic properties which I liked, but also had too much progesterone causing some skin disruptions (eczema like) for me.
Good luck in your search!
I used depo-provera and hated it. Now after my second kid I got an IUD....I love it but wish I'd tried the Mirena IUD because it can stop your periods!
I believe there is a much higher risk of blood clots for people with sci who use birth control pills. I know my gf uses a Morena, and it seems to do the trick without risk of blood clots. Good luck.I searched the site and really haven't been able to find much information so wanted to see what kind of experiences everyone has had... I want to get on birth control but just have a couple of concerns; one was about blood clots and if there really is much more of a chance of getting them while on bc because of sci. Another was that I heard that there is a possibility of it not being effective or as effective when taking certain medications or antibiotics and wanted to clear it up or get it confirmed... I wouldn't want to be counting on it and find out later it doesn't work!
One more thing... anyone fond of any certain pill, or any other type of bc?
Thanks :)
bekaanardi
07-23-2009, 01:51 PM
My doctor told me that there is a much higher risk for blood clots. There is one pill you can take, but it's not as effective as the other bc pills out there. The other options were the depo shot (where they expect 10lbs weight gain/year) or the IUD. I'm using the Mirena IUD and I have no complaints.
jessie.gray
07-23-2009, 06:46 PM
I've been on Depo Provera and absolutely hated it! Even though it stoped my periods and stuff, I got hot flashes, migrane headaches, weight gain, severe acne, and started producing breastmilk even though I had never been pregnant (the doc told me that in some women, it can increase a certain hormone that causes milk production too much and that's what causes it). I stayed on it for 2 years and stoped getting the shots.
I have heard that the NuvaRing is better than the pills in terms of blood clots and stuff like that. Currently, I am on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, but its to stop a prolonged mentrual period caused by ovarian cysts, not for birth control.
Jessie
medic1
07-23-2009, 07:25 PM
hey jessie, I just found out I have an Ovarian Cyst. Was looking for some information on what to expect? symptoms? problems? treatments? would appreciate any information.
anban
07-23-2009, 07:43 PM
I love my IUD (I have the Mirena), but I think you need to have had a child before one can be inserted, because the cervix has to have been stretched...?
miss_tea_nus
07-23-2009, 10:26 PM
Birth control does not work on antibiotics. Confirmed.
Thanks lynnifer... right now I am on long-term antibiotics which I hope to get off of soon, but until then we are definitely sticking with condoms.
And thanks everyone else for sharing your experiences, gives me something more to work with :o
Ashley
07-24-2009, 12:40 AM
i definitely recommend the Mirena IUD. I haven't had kids and it worked fine being put in. I was told they say women with kids because if your cervix/uterus is too small from never having kids the iud could be too big to fit in. I still get periods unfortunately but they are much lighter and my spasms aren't as bad during my period as before. You dont have the blood clot risk and it's the most effective birth control besides abstinence (something like 99.8% effective) no messing with pills or shots. It lasts 5 years too!
Liz321
07-24-2009, 01:18 PM
Birth control pills caused my blood clot.
gurly2356
07-24-2009, 02:48 PM
In regards to birth control not working when on antibiotics...how long after finishing the antibiotic can you expect the pill to start working again?
kel13
07-24-2009, 09:01 PM
After I got SCI my monthly visitor left for 2 years which to me was great. Then it came back worse than ever and I promptly got on the depo shot in '06. I'm on long-term antibiotics for utis n stuff but never get my period and have no plans of having kids. I had a blood clot while in rehab in '04 but nothing since then. I'm a c7-t1 super incomplete.
jessie.gray
07-26-2009, 02:05 AM
I love my IUD (I have the Mirena), but I think you need to have had a child before one can be inserted, because the cervix has to have been stretched...?
I had a Mirena IUD in 2 years ago, but it fell out after 2 weeks, so I never got another one put back in. I have never had a baby, but my gyno told me that she's put them in several developmentally disabled women who have never had children, and has not had any problems. It did hurt badly to get one put in me, but the pain lasts for only a couple minutes as the device is being put in your uterus.
Jessie
jessie.gray
07-26-2009, 02:14 AM
hey jessie, I just found out I have an Ovarian Cyst. Was looking for some information on what to expect? symptoms? problems? treatments? would appreciate any information.
Look on WebMd on ovarian cysts, and you'll get a lot of information on the different types of them. Most of them don't cause any problems and eventually go away on their own. There are a couple, like mine, who decide to stick around and gradually get larger. My doctor thinks I might have an endometrial ovarian cyst, because of how heavy my periods have been ever since the cyst started to grow larger. My caregivers compare my flow to to someone who'd just had a baby.
As far as other symptoms, I get a bit of cramping twinge-like pain 2 weeks before my period in the area where the cyst is, but that doesn't bug me one bit. If the cyst were to twist or rupture, I've read that it hurts badly, but I haven't had this happen to me so far.
My doctor put me on the Pill to see if it would slow my periods down and shrink the cyst, but she said that if it didn't do anything, she'd remove the cyst laprascopically.
You might want to also read the book "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdon" by. Christiane Northrup. This book also has information on ovarian cysts and some natural ways to reduce or eliminate them among other good advice.
Jessie
medic1
07-26-2009, 12:00 PM
Thanks so much for the information J.G. It is very much appreciated.
alissa
07-26-2009, 09:03 PM
I had a Mirena IUD in 2 years ago, but it fell out after 2 weeks, so I never got another one put back in. I have never had a baby, but my gyno told me that she's put them in several developmentally disabled women who have never had children, and has not had any problems. It did hurt badly to get one put in me, but the pain lasts for only a couple minutes as the device is being put in your uterus.
Jessie
why does this not surprise me?
xJdinox
07-27-2009, 03:32 AM
People with SCI should not use estrogen birth control because it causes bloodclots. However, a np from planned parenthood told me that women with scis can use progesterone only pills that they take even when they are menstruating. it's not like estrogen bc where you stop the pill when you get your period. The np also said that women can use the depo provera shot, condoms and an iud that does not contain hormones such as pro guard. Also, many ob/gyns do not know this so please please do your research because blood clots can cause strokes or even kill you.
Ashley
07-27-2009, 06:15 PM
i would give a word of caution for using depo-provera shots. I've heard they deplete calcium from your bones and since we are sci and probably already losing calcium, i'd ask your doc if this side effect should be concerning.
jessie.gray
07-27-2009, 08:09 PM
i would give a word of caution for using depo-provera shots. I've heard they deplete calcium from your bones and since we are sci and probably already losing calcium, i'd ask your doc if this side effect should be concerning.
I've heard that too, that most of the people who have been on Depo-Provera have osteoperosis later in life, and the risk goes up the longer you are on that shot.
Jessie
lynnifer
07-28-2009, 07:36 AM
In regards to birth control not working when on antibiotics...how long after finishing the antibiotic can you expect the pill to start working again?
Excellent question. It's been so long since I've had to use birth control that I can't actually remember ... but I believe it's an entire cycle ...
Someone else might know better?