IUD or the sponge

W

Winter

Cathlete
Hi Everyone,
I am seriously considering going off the pill (lo-ovral-28) and trying an IUD or the sponge. I have tried to lose the weight I put on using Depo Provera for 4 years and just keep gaining. My body wants to be a 150 lbs no matter what. I am 5'2. I have tried WW and Atkins. Even when most people lose something in the induction phase of Atkins I did not. Believe me I did eat low fat with fruits and veggies and worked out at least 3 times a week and went no where with it. I would like to quit the pill to see if that is the reason why my body just won't let go of the weight. I hope to get pregnant in a little over a year.

Can anyone who is on the sponge or IUD give me the positive and the negative? With IUD - do you know it is there? Do you have break through bleeding and heavy periods? The sponge- Is it difficult to put in and take out. Can it get lodged somewhere where you can't get it out? Do you feel it?

What other non hormonal birth control do you use that you are happy with?

Thank you in advance for your replies. I appreciate it.
Winter
 
If you intend to try becoming pregnant in within a year, I would stay away from the IUD, although I know they are a lot safer, my understanding is that they are a more-long term solution. I found the spermicide in the sponge very irritating. What about condoms? I've always found condoms to be a girl's best friend. I had tubal ligation and still insist DH use condoms on occassion. :)
 
I was under the impression that the sponge is no longer made. I hope I'm wrong because I would love to go back to the sponge. I always liked it and thought it was easy and effective not to mention no hormones. I have been on the pill for 18 years and am quite sick and tired of it (except for a short time which I used the sponge and a short time to have a baby). I would love to go non-hormonal birth control too!

If anybody is still buying the sponge please let us know where to get it.

Lisa
 
You can get a progesterone-coated kind of IUD that does not cause cramps or heavy bleeding and lasts a couple of years. In fact it claims to _help_ the cramps and make you bleed less. The progesterone amount is so small it never enters your bloodstream, just affects the uterus locally. So, it's a great, safe, effective form of birth control. I had several of them. You can't tell they're there, although they hurt like hell going in and coming out. Nonetheless, if you plan to try to get pregnant, you would have to have it removed relatively soon. I don't know if this makes sense for you or not. You could get the one year-dose version, have it removed and then try to conceive.
The sponges are not very safe. They are messy to insert and remove. My main concern about them is that you might get pregnant, but that doesn't seem to be a big problem for you, since you plan to do it intentionally anyway. Many people have problems with the spermicide. I did not, but I thought they were annoying.
 
Hi Winter:

I echo others' comments that it might not be in your interests to go with the IUD until after childbirth, because it is regarded as a 2 or 5 year option.

I have never been able to take the pill, I just don't feel right on it ever. I have used the diaphragm since the birth of my first child nearly 10 years ago and i feel in no rush to swap it for any other method. It is immediately reversible, it has no side effects, it is way cheaper than the pill because health insurance helps pay for it and one diaphragm lasts several years in my experience, it is not messy, contrary to what people think, and takes less than a minute to insert. There is none of the loss of feeling to either partner that can accompany condoms, and they are not as fragile as condoms so the risk of breakage simply is not there. If it is correctly fitted to your body you will never feel it when it is in and it will not make you gain weight!! You control your fertility 100% of the time with this method. It is simple and that suits my style. No messin'. No messing around wih your body's chemicals or rhythms at all.

The only thing to be aware of is to hold it up to the light after each usage to make sure no light shines through, which would signal a split and a need for a replacement, and if you lose or gain a drastic amount of weight, you should have your physician check the diaphragm fitting because you may need a different size diaphragm. Also, after childbirth , you will need to be re-fitted. This is simple and takes hardly any time and is always handled with discretion and with regard to the woman's comfort in my experience.

I recommend it and my husband agrees. Good luck making your decision.

Clare
 
I've used both an IUD & the sponge. The IUD is for long-term birth control & caused both break through bleeding & cramps for me. I also had problems with yeast infections that my doctor told me were caused by the "foreign body" implanted in my uterus. I don't recommend it.

I'm not sure the sponge is still available--there was the whole Seinfeld episode where Elaine horded them when they were discontinued. I don't know if they were ever brought back on the market.

Anyway, the spermicide wasn't an issue for me. I liked them. The only thing I didn't like & I'm going to get VERY GRAPHIC so if you are skiddish about sex please read no further.....the spermicide tastes really, really bad, so if you are into oral sex after penetration, your DH will taste funny. Also, if your DH goes down on you after you insert the sponge, you will taste funny. This also is the case with a diaphram--which I can also recommend.

With the diaphram, if you insert it during TTOM it makes sex much cleaner--if you get my drift.

Ok, enough graphic sex talk. Good luck in whatever your decision.
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

The sponge did evaporate from the market not because it was proven unsafe but because the manufacturer couldn't afford to implement new regulations of some kind for its plants. However, I've read (can't cite the source) that another manufacturer, possibly in a western European country, has picked up the patent and is producing the sponge to reintroduce to the market. I've also read that there's a pretty significant waiting list for these little babies (pardon the pun).

I'd bet a Google search would get those interested in contraceptive sponges some good information.

A-jock
Legally Bald
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

Just wanted to add, that I live in Boston and I heard on the news a few months ago, that they are bringing back the sponge. Not sure if it is back out yet.

There is hope! :+
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

Hi, although hubby and me never used any birth control and only had one girl I can't offer any help on this.

I posted to ask who all recalls the episode of Friends where they were stocking up on THE SPONGE because it was being taken off the market. I love the part about deciding if a partner was "sponge worthy" or not LMAO.

Edith
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

>I posted to ask who all recalls the episode of Friends where
>they were stocking up on THE SPONGE because it was being taken
>off the market. I love the part about deciding if a partner
>was "sponge worthy" or not LMAO.
>
>Edith


Wasn't that Seinfeld?
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

Yep, it was Seinfeld. Just watched the rerun last week. I love it when Elaine interviews her boyfriend to see if he is indeed "spongeworthy," George comes to Elaine's apartment to try to get some sponges for Susan -- and Jerry's do-gooder girlfriend has cases and cases stockpiled in her closet! :7
 
RE: The Sponge Comeback

YES INDEED it was Seinfield, how could I get that one mixed up ? GADS

Love the show

Edith
 
I would not recommend an IUD at this time. I had a copper IUD put in after the birth of my 2nd child. It lasts for 10 years. I personally have had NO side effects at all. In the first month I had some slight cramping but since then(3 years) I have had none. Everyone is affected differently of course. After your done having your children, then I would highly recommend it!
Before we had children we just used condoms because I too had gained weight with the pill. Hubby was fine with it!
Take care-Susan
 
Though I no Longer need it, I was a big sponge fan in the 80's!
It just went on sale again--in Canada. You can order online that way. Should be able to get it in US in a year or so.
Manufactured in New Jersey.

there's an article about it at CNN.com
 
I used the Sponge between my last two kids and it worked very well. The nice thing about it was that it could be left in for(if I remember right) about 12 hours, so it allowed for more sponteniety(spelling?. It was easy to insert and remove too. Good luck with whatever you decide.
 
Okay don't laugh me off this thread......

I know it's tempting as I'm pregnant with number 6, but just had to add some thoughts. I'm still a firm believer that these hormones and foreign bodies are not good for our overall health. There is a fantastic book called "Taking charge of your fertility" that allows you to understand your cycle and ovulation patterns which can help you not get pregnant or get pregnant, whichever you are trying to achieve. There is an awesome feeling over understanding your system and how it all works and during your fertile times, you can use condoms or diaphragms. Charting your cycles can also prepare you for the time when you WANT to get pregnant. Obviously some might not want to get involved with this, but to those who like to understand what's going on with their body, it's a great method.

Briee
 
RE: Okay don't laugh me off this thread......

I totally agree with you Briee. I also read the book and found it very helpful. It was useful for us both ways...getting pregnant with number two (it happened the first month we tried after reading and using the books methods) and also for not getting pregnant. I learned so much from this book and highly recommend it as well!

By the way Briee congratulations on #6!! Wow that is so wonderful. What a fun and full house you must have! Take care of yourself.

Alison
 
Thanks Deborah for this info. I had no idea that the Today Sponge was still available. This is valuable information!!!
Lisa
 
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