BEST Female Birth Control? (ovary, dental, men, symptoms)

[subject2change]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Does anyone remember the sponge? If so, what was your opinion of it?

Best option ever, and I was on several different methods over the years. There was a problem at the plant, that supposedly didn't affect the safety of it, but they shut it down and somehow never reopened it. There were rumors off and on for years that it would come back on the market, but it never did. It would have been a very good choice for the OP.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by subject2change

Best option ever, and I was on several different methods over the years. There was a problem at the plant, that supposedly didn't affect the safety of it, but they shut it down and somehow never reopened it. There were rumors off and on for years that it would come back on the market, but it never did. It would have been a very good choice for the OP.

Thanks, I always wondered why it was taken off the market. I heard a rumor that it was considered unreliable, but I never knew anyone who had any trouble with it. If some investor would have the foresight to re-start production of it, I think he would make a good business at it.

[subject2change]

Well, what do you know? I'm past the age of needing birth control, or I'd probably have found this out somehow.
Oh, what the heck, this link isn't copy-and-pasting. Well, google Today Sponge. It is back on the market.
I should add, it is "only" about 90% effective, but if a barrier method is what is wanted, you can't do much better, and it's extremely easy to use.

[AnonChick]

It went off the market shortly after the big Toxic Shock Syndrome scare. Around the same time, sales of pantiliners, minipads, and extra-thin maxipads skyrocketed and tampon sales dropped. Pursettes tampons eventually died completely, and OB discontinued their "ultra" absorbant tampons as a direct result of the scare.

If used as directed, regular and even super-absorbant tampons, and the Today Sponge, are not likely to cause TSS at all.
But the scare really put the huge dent in the menstrual hygeine and market, and both the Today Sponge and the thing that was like a smaller version of a diaphram that you could leave in for 24 hours - I can't remember what it was called but I had one.

[subject2change]

Cervical cap? LOL, I had one of those too. I'd forgotten about it. It was pretty easy to use and less expensive than buying sponges. The one I had wore out, and I couldn't find another. I had a very hard time finding a doctor who had them when I got the first one. I have no clue why. It was easier than a diaphragm, and I think it was moree effetive than the sponge.

[AnonChick]

Originally Posted by subject2change

Cervical cap? LOL, I had one of those too. I'd forgotten about it. It was pretty easy to use and less expensive than buying sponges.

Yes, that's the one! And that's -exactly- why I got it. It was easy to put -in- but a real pain to remove. The suction was always pretty solid and I had to like..get all blechy and reach WAY up to dig behind it to release the danged thing from my cervix, otherwise it'd be like using suction to get a baby out of the womb. Ever see a newborn kid's head when they do that? It's all conical and freaky looking? Yeah, that's what my cervix looked like whenever I took out the cap.

After around a year of frustration I went back on the Pill, until I finally got my tubes tied when I turned 35.

[subject2change]

It was hard to get out. But I preferred it to something that was hard to get in, like a diaphragm that would slip out of your fingers and spring across the room! And it was hard to get out because it stayed in place really, really well.

[moonwatcher]

Mirena IUD... Getting my second next month. Love it! The only problem with it is it makes your period almost non existent at times and I wondered if I was pregnant. Nothing an ept can't answer.

[MsAnnThrope]

Mirena.
Mirena
Mirena

I love my mirena.......................!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ToucheGA]

Your best bet is to talk with your OBGYN, and try a few different options. Just because someone had a great experience with a particular option does not mean your body will react in the same way. Better yet, use multiple methods. BC medicine plus a condom is not 100% effective, but it's a lot closer to 100% than either method by itself.

Scores of sex education teaches have said that no form is BC is 100% (most of these individuals mentioned this stance in this thread.) I guess a hysterectomy would be the exception. If you are going to have sex, you need to think about what you will do if you get pregnant, since pregnancy is possible every single time you have intercourse.