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Birth control: implant?
Aoi Tsuki
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Got a pretty new infant, and much as I love her, I'm 99.98% sure I don't ever want another one (long story short, pregnancy and delivery were a solid block of Hell). Looking over non-permanent options better than what we were using before - condoms - because surgery seems too drastic and/or expensive before we're 100% sure about it; I suck at taking pills consistently, one of my friends had a bad experience with the patch, and Depo shots sound great except for the bone loss. 
It looks like my insurance would cover the implant--has anyone ever tried it? I plan to ask my doc about it at my followup visit next week, but the pros versus the cons look so awesome that I'm wondering what the catch is, besides the cost.
It looks like my insurance would cover the implant--has anyone ever tried it? I plan to ask my doc about it at my followup visit next week, but the pros versus the cons look so awesome that I'm wondering what the catch is, besides the cost. 0
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Well, you can read the wiki article as well as I can (I assume). You're totally right about the pros vs cons unless you end up being in that statistically insignificant group, and then some of those cons are pretty big. I don't know anyone personally who's had problems with this implant, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I used a hormonal method when I was younger that had a small risk of weight gain, and I really put on some pounds then. Also if you're breastfeeding don't forget to read the part about that, depending on how long ago your daughter was born.
Reading is indeed a good place to start. I just haven't talked to anyone who's actually used it, and it sounds so perfect that I'm wondering why no one uses it. Again, probably the cost.
I've got the implant right now (I started about 4 months ago) and I haven't had any serious issues. BUT I have had a lot of spotty bleeding in between periods which, lemme tell ya, is kind of annoying. Its pretty light though so its not the worst thing ever. Also it made my acne a lot worse, the implant only pumps out progesterone (not estrogen) which isn't great for bad skin.
The first 3 - 6 months is kind of the trial period, so I'm not really in the most stable phase. Its possible that those side effects will go away as my body gets totally used to it, or they might last during the entire usage which would be kind of a bummer. There's no real way to tell sadly. With the exception of the two cons I mentioned, I think the implant is pretty good! Its nice to not worry about taking something every day or month, and you pretty much never notice its there unless you make an active effort to touch it
I think the cost is the major drawback for most people. Which is too bad! Although again, if your insurance covers IUDs then they're also a great option. I've also had one of those but unfortunately I'm part of a very small minority who IUD doesn't work for. I've got a friend who has an IUD with pretty much zero complaints
The implant insertion was less painful, since the numbing shot did its job. During the healing process (which I'd say took a few days) there wasn't a lot of pain, but occasionally I would get the weirdest/most uncomfortable pinching sensation in my arm. Its hard to describe, but again, nothing ibuprofen can't fix. I still have a very small scar at the base of the insertion.
I'm sure your doctor can let you more about the specific pro and cons for you personally!
If it were me, I'd probably opt for the implant.
She's on the pill now, because we're at that 99.9% sure we aren't having another baby, but also don't want to have to wait 6 months to a year (for the Depo to get out of her system) if we change our mind, and she's very uncomfortable with the potential pain / complications of an IUD or implant.
If bone loss is the only reason you are worried about a Depo shot, you can talk to your doctor about getting a DEXA scan so you have a baseline for your risk of osteoporosis.
Huh. I wouldn't have thought of that. I have some family history of osteoporosis, so it'd be good to get an idea of that anyway.
The pill is a great solution if you can be perfect at it, but not so great if you can't, as you said.
The lowest complication, best solution I ended up on after all my research was being confident enough to take the plunge on a vasectomy. Surgical complications are minimal, and as long as you confirm that it took it's got a really, really low failure rate.
Ok no
This is a myth
The risk of perforation is something like 0.2% and the vast majority of those happen during insertion
Well, that's a pretty large risk compared to no perforation.
There's also some lawsuits going around for mirena (hormonal IUD) if I recall, so, best to avoid it in general unless you have a preference.
Edit: Keep in mind if you do happen to have shitty odds, and it does expulse, perforate, or migrate... that could mean expensive surgery.
Dude seriously
You are scare mongering and perpetuating misinformation about a very safe, very effective method of birth control
Quit it
I am advising that, unless one has a preference for IUD, it is probably silly to even contemplate it compared to the alternatives because of the higher risks they carry.
Sure the risk is low, 1 out of 500-1000 or so have complications, and sure, they often only happen during implantation, but the issues that do occur are costly and are not always easy peasy.
I'm glad you or your loved ones have had success, this is not the case for everyone. Weigh your options and make good choices, not because someone in a message board thinks they're safe because "well you could win the lotto too!"
The pill carries higher rates of cancer, mental illness and lowered sex drive.
You're scaremongering, because the IUD is not "silly to contemplate."
There are multiple types of pills and multiple types of IUDs. The hormonal IUDs carry the same risk as many of the BCP pills. There are some that are lower in risk (though mental illness is a new one to me, stroke though, for sure). But let me put it this way, BCP raises risk for some cancer but lowers it for others. Copper IUDs are different, of course.
Trying to paint all IUDs as equals or all BCPs as equals is considerably more likely to be scaremongering.
Doctors that don't know perforation are a bit weird off, though. They still happen, regardless of how rare it is.
Ultimately OP needs to decide what is best for them and not what we're all saying. But to paint this as scaremongering is a bit strange.
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Every birth control method has a chance, however small, of going horribly wrong. I'm sure even condoms have a way of going terribly awry somehow!
We all take those chances when we use birth control and your doctor will fill you in on all possible side effects and risks before performing anything. In fact, for both IUD and implants I had to sign a form stating that I understood the procedure and the risks involved.
Your doctor will know your personal medical history best, but in general both methods are safe. Again, every method has its own potential issues and you can decide for yourself what you think.
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I'm actually of both schools of thoughts on IUDs: they're unfairly maligned in the U.S. because of the Dalkon Shield, and I know intellectually that modern ones are really quite safe, effective, etc.--but I can't get over the thought of that tiny percentage that bad shit might happen, plus the thought of someone all up in there with the insertion so soon after having the baby makes me want to staple my legs shut. The bad shit that might happen with the implant seems much more manageable, and quick and easy to remove if I should ever change my mind.
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Its secretly really fun to touch the implant in your arm, or watch people freak out when they touch it for the first time =3
Cant do that with an IUD! lol
And for the record, now that I think about it, I may go look for a second doc opinion whatever my OB says, because I'm still pissed at her for not checking what size the kid was before I delivered her...8 pounds and 9 ounces.
Not that I know your birth circumstances but it sounds like you had a hard time and a doctor who didn't listen. If it is bothering you at all I would talk with your public health nurse about how you feel about your birth. I had some trauma after my son due to him being born at home by accident and my own brain issues. His birth was actually not the problem mostly my brain issues. Or even shoot me a pm I love to listen and chat.
As for birth control talk with your doctor and do what you feel comfortable with. For me I am probably going to have a tubal since I have a bad gene that doesn't play well with boy babies.
I have been on hormonal birth control for over 10 years at this point. At first it was the pill, and then the ring, which was WAY more convenient. I was actually encouraged by my doctor when I got the ring to just skip my period all together. I did several times (like if I was going on vacation and didn't want to have to deal with it). A couple of years ago I started thinking about getting an IUD and after talking to a lot of friends who had gotten them and talking to my doctor, I decided to go with Paraguard, which has no hormones at all and is designed to stay in for approx 10 years (versus 5 for Mirena).
I had it inserted back in July and, as a previous poster stated, the process is PAINFUL. I was in agony that night and for most of the next day, despite pumping myself full of ibuprofen. Fortunately, the pain subsided as the doctor said it would, and I've been doing well since then. I get slightly worse cramps than I did when I was using hormones, but nothing that I would call debilitating. My period schedule is a bit erratic, but I was told to expect that for the next several months.
Frankly, the best option in this situation is for her husband to get a vasectomy.
It's easy, cheap, quick, comes with only a few days of discomfort, doesn't affect sex drive, doesn't affect mood, doesn't change volume of ejaculate or its color, taste, or consistency, and doesn't require the woman screw about with pills, hormones, more serious surgery, or taking any risks whatsoever.
Also unprotected monogamous sex is incredible after a vasectomy takes away the fear of pregnancy.
I'd advise you not to make any permanent decisions until you're sure you aren't going to go through PPD. If you're breastfeeding exclusively you've got a couple months at minimum where you aren't going to have to worry about birth control anyway.
FWIW, that method didn't work for my sister-in-law who had 2 kids within 11 months of each other.
Exclusive is the operative term here. Only breastfeeding, no supplemental anything.
But yeah, nothing is foolproof.
If the uncertainty over having more children is in the "maybe in the next two or three years" zone then a vasectomy might be a bit too much. It's reversible but not easily and cheap. It's probably wiser to try the implant or UID for at least a few years and then reconsider the vasectomy.
But yes a vasectomy is basically the shiznit if you're certain about the never having children.
The insertion does hurt a lot. Take a couple days off for that, but after that you're fine. Some people experience light cramping until their next period, but after that nothing.
http://www.willowclinic.ca/?page_id=329
If you can get it your area, I highly recommend it.
I want them to hurry up and put Vasalgel on the market. Or at least start clinical trials and lemme in.
Was going to type out a big thing, but glad I scrolled down first and saw that you did decided to have it done.
I've had mine for about a month, month and a half, and I was just thinking last night how utterly pleased I am that I decided to get it. I've gone through the patch, ring, pill, diaphragm, and finally the implant. My arm felt like crap for about a week, but then at the end of the week cleared up really quickly all of a sudden and now I don't even think about it.
I also experienced some acne flair up and moodiness at the beginning, but that has now passed and I'm not 100% sure it was caused by the implant or not. YMMV.
Good luck and I hope it works out for you!