new pill info....

Kimenem:

I know a lot of women take an herb called Vitex (also referred to as Chasteberry or chaste tree fruit) to help regulate their hormones and cycles after coming off the pill. I've been taking it daily since stopping the pill and my body has been doing nothing but good things (especially seeing as how it can sometimes take a while for your body to get back to its regular state). Vitex is also a great herb for a lot of other symptoms and conditions - it's even called "the women's herb."

Here's some info on it:
http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69176.cfm

This book is also very informative and details many studies that have been done:
http://www.amazon.com/Vitex-Womens-Herb-Christopher-Hobbs/dp/1570671575
 
Zora~ I used them for a while. I actually used fertility friend before they became a paying site. I have the book taking charge of your fertility and it was a great eye opener! I highly recommend it to anyone who is ttc or trying to avoid!

To the pp (sorry didn't get your name before hitting reply) FAM I would say is highly accurate. I don't have a percentage though. If you have regular cycles and you clue into what your body is doing each month you can avoid getting preg.

I never knew the cholesterol aspect of the pill. Interesting. Just another reason for me to not take it.
 
FAM = Fertility Awareness Method

I don't know a ton about it. But I know it involves tracking your cycles, ovulation, vaginal mucus, tempertaure, that kind of thing. Basically getting to really know your body so you can know when you are the most fertile. Often used by women who are trying to become pregnant. It's increasingly becoming more popular because it's just as effective at helping women avoid pregnancy.

As for getting the tubal, just make sure it's definitely what you want since they are not reversible anymore(for the most part as some do fail). Plus, most women are put onto a hormonal supplement of some sort after getting a tubal or hysterectomy.

As a side note, have you thought about having your significant other getting a vasectomy? It's less invasive and just as effective as the tubal.
 
I have been on "the pill" since I was 16-now I am 36. My cholesterol was extremely high-350 since I was 20. I was teaching aerobics 8-12 times a week and I was a size 4. I could not figure out why it was so high and neither could my dr. I stopped taking "the pill" last year and now my cholesterol is 180. Go figure.

Lisa
 
lwseymour: Here's some info about FAM:

http://www.ovusoft.com/ (This is also the site associated with the book Trish just mentioned)
http://www.fwhc.org/birth-control/fam.htm

The reason why some of the percentages for this method's efficacy vary is because it depends on the USER, not a specific medication or hormone. Therefore, once you become familiar with your cycle and how to read your fertility signs, it's a matter of how well you "follow the rules"! ;-)

Trish: I thought Fertility Friend was free? Yeah, that book is awesome! Actually, though, I haven't referred to it in quite a while because I've been learning so much on the site's message boards, such as learning about menstrual cups (sorry if TMI!), which I'm totally thrilled to be using now!
 
Lisa ...WOW. I thought there was something to this. I have thought about s/o getting a vasectomy. I just wish HE would think about it :)

I know I don't want kids so I'm not concerned in that way about a tubal. I had horrible periods before (as a teenager) and probably will again. Oh well....better than high cholesterol and all it's affects. What have experiences here been with tubals?
 
Hi everyone,

It's so interesting to hear, Lisa, that you have had the same problems with high cholesterol, especially since you are so active and fit!

For the past few years, I've really been wondering why/how in the world my cholesterol could be so high, and now I really think that I want to talk to my Dr. about other options besides the pill.

Like Kimenem, I've actually found that the pill helps with my horrible periods, too. Up until I started taking it, I always had horrible cramps and vomiting the first day of my period every single month. All throughout adolescence and college, I would end up coming home sick as soon as I started my period. The pill has been a lifesaver for me in that respect!

The idea of FAM sounds so interesting, and I'll definitely have to look into it. What about IUD's? Does anyone here use that method?

What an interesting discussion this has been!
Leanne
 
>Leanne - I saw someone posted a link. Was that it? I can't
>find the article now either.
>

Hi Kimenem,

Yes, that was the article you mentioned! Thanks for asking!

Leanne
 
Kimenem,

My husband had a vasectomy and it was very easy for him. It really was not that bad. We have no children and do not want to have children so that was the way to go for us. Good luck what ever you decide.

Lisa
 
>
>My husband had a vasectomy and it was very easy for him. It
>really was not that bad. We have no children and do not want
>to have children so that was the way to go for us. Good luck
>what ever you decide.
>
>Lisa
>

Hi Lisa,

I'm so glad you posted this! My husband and I have been talking about this for awhile since we're not planning on having kids either, but I was worried about any side effects for him. Were there any side effects? Was it really not that bad for your husband?

Thanks!
Leanne
 
Leanne,

It really was not that bad. They gave him valium 1 hour before to relax him. He was really really nervous about it. He said it was not bad at all. I took him home and he had to ice the area on and off all day but he laid in bed and watched TV all day and he did not even need the percocet they gave him. The next day he felt good he did have to ice the area a few times that day and he took ibuprofen. He had it done on a thurday and was back to work monday feeling great. You have to turn in 2 sperm samples over the next 8 weeks to make sure there are no sperm. There were no side effects for him. I hope that helps. It was an outpatient procedure and it took less then an hour.

Lisa
 
Hi Lisa,

Thank you so very much for giving me this detailed info! I think that we're going to definitely look into this since it sounds like a good solution! I really want to stop taking the pill since I'm worried about all these potential side effects, and I think that this would be the perfect solution for us.

Thank you again!!
Leanne
 
Another FAM-er here. I have been off the pill for almost 2 years, and using FAM to avoid pregnancy. It's easy and it WORKS! I highly recommend the book Taking Charge of your Fertility - it's a very good read (really interesting!). I feel so much better being off the pill - the hormones just did not agree with me at all (and I tried lots of different kinds, and was on it for 8 years). I will never go back on hormonal BC.
 
I did see something on the news this morning about the pill, but it didn't mention stroke/heart attack risks. It just said that women that take the pill have a 20 to 30 percent increase of getting cervical cancer. However, the risk of ovarian and breast cancer is reduced because of the use of the pill. I was happy to hear about that, but not about the heart attack/stroke risk you mention. Heart problems run prevalent in my family! I saw my doctor last June and he told me I can safely take the pill until I'm 50 (I'm about to turn 43 and have taken the pill since I was 20). When I see him next, I will definitely question him more!
 
I saw my doctor last June and he told me I can
>safely take the pill until I'm 50 (I'm about to turn 43 and
>have taken the pill since I was 20). When I see him next, I
>will definitely question him more!

A doctor I saw a few years ago told me the same thing -- that I could continue taking it for many years, until I reached menopause. At this point, though, I'm worried about my cholesterol numbers being so high, so I'm definitely looking into other options . . . .

Thanks, too, for those who recommended the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. I just bought it and hope to start reading it tomorrow!

Leanne
 
ETA: Just realized my gross typing error. I meant to say that "going off the pill does NOT always = getting pregnant" Sorry for the big oops! :eek:
 
I went off the pill earlier this year but had been on it for many years. The comments regarding the change in cholesterol were particularly interesting, because my doctor told me not to be surprised if my cholesterol levels went up after I stopped the pill. He said that one reason that people originally thought the HRT was good at preventing heart disease is that the therapy reduced cholesterol levels, apparently artificially since when the women stopped the therapy their levels went way up with no other meaningful change in their diet, exercise routine, etc.

I think there's a lot more research to be done before anything conclusive can be determined. I'm glad to say that my cholesterol levels did not change after 6 months off the pill (my total hovers around 200, but my HDL is over 100) I attribute that to a reasonably healthy diet and a strong commitment to fitness!!
 
>And I'll bet you any money the bulk of those women are
>smokers. Really. The info that comes with the pill and all
>prescribing doctors make it very clear that hormonal birth
>control and smoking are a recipe made in hell.
>

Besides, does the study look at the subjects' eating habits, lifestyle (stress, other prescription use, drug use, among other factors), family history, and/or exercise habits? These factors, I believe, are even more crucial to one's long-term health (or lack thereof). Studies are based on statistics, and in statistics you can sway to make the reader think what you want them to think.

I am certainly not trying to underestimate the risks of taking BC pills or your doctor's advice. Just don't worry too much and talk w/ your doctor about your concerns. There are risks associated with everything these days- from driving down the street to listening to your IPOD while mowing the grass. Take care:)
 
I know. Easy to get freaked out if you think about it much huh? I went off the pill in 05 because I learned about this sort of thing. I can't back it up with any medical foundation, but I can tell you I felt 100% better when I went off of it. I don't know why - could have just been the peace of mind, but I felt better, and I've never been back on it.

And I won't say I'd never consider a tubal, but I'm working on getting the DH to do this because it's 10X easier for them (at least physically) to get it done than for us. I mean, lets face it, they have to go into our guts to get the job done and its followed by about 2 weeks of recovery...the guys can get it done in a weekend and you're looking at about 3 DAYS of recovery.

Needless to say...we're still in the discussion stages...men don't handle pain as well as we do!!!

;)
 
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