contraception is ridiculously stressful.
[and for everyone who wants to tell me to just 'get over it' and 'stop bitching' and 'complaining is stupid' and 'just accept the compromise already', please don't. i get it. it's just still frustrating]
so the combination pill is out:
- associated with cervical dysplasia, which is a condition of which I am trying to be rid
- personally associated with feeling crazy, a feeling i would like to avoid
the mini-pill (progesterone only) is out:
- associated with increased depression. this seems like something to avoid while i write my dissertation
- associated with increased frequency of developing ovarian cysts, a condition to which i am already prone
the iud seems unreasonable:
- mirena = progesterone. see mini-pill
- copper - heavier bleeding, heavier cramps
- both - possibility for puncturing my uterus. ouch.
the male condom:
- possible. not fun. i don't like how they feel
- increased yeast infections on my end (though this is workable)
the diaphragm:
- possible. need to be refit. mine may be too big. uncomfortable to keep in for 6 hours
- less effective than hormonal contraceptives
not under consideration:
- cervical cap, female condom, sponge. no.
so it seems that no matter what i do, i have to be ok with a higher failure rate, with making contraception part of 'sex', with accepting a certain level of stress every month hoping to get my lady time.
sigh
2 comments:
sorry, no, you must want lots of babies. at all times.
this situation totally sucks, by the way--I don't think there are any satisfactory forms of birth control. and by the way, that's good to know about the link between dysplasia and the pill--when I went in for my colposcopy, I asked whether I should keep taking my birth control or not and she said yes. awesome.
whenever I hear in the commercials for Mirena that "ovarian cysts may occur and typically disappear" I can't help but think that's pretty fucked up. maybe I'm just cynical but I don't see any product for men being as widely accepted if it required men to put something inside their bodies that may cause them to develop cysts in their reproductive organs that may or may not be permanent.
blah. if you come up with anything, let me know--I haven't been so good about the fertility awareness method, and given that my cycle is all wonky right now, it's not particularly reliable I guess.
You're right: there's no perfect birth control. But I recommend the (copper) IUD. It's effective, long lasting, and undemanding. I find the "heavier bleeding" tolerable, and perforation is very rare. The main disadvantage is the lack of protection from STDs, which may or may not matter depending on your circumstances. Good luck with your choice!
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