birth control (boyfriend, long-term, women, single)

[alohaha]

just to get a feel of it..do you take birth control pills or use condom or both or others??

I am afraid of the side effects of using pills. my boyfriend wants me to use pills, though he said it is up to me and he is fine with my choice. but i know he is just passively accepting.

what do you do about birth control? and what should i do

[TabulaRasa]

I used birth control pills for most of my twenties, in addition to condoms. I didn't like the side effects from the hormones and went off them during a lengthy single/celibate stretch. When I got into a long-term relationship, we just started using condoms alone, and I have never gone back to pills. I'm not keen on the idea of putting the extra hormones in my body at all. My boyfriend would prefer that I go on the pill, but he does understand why I don't.

[Dbl-r]

Go without, always swallow n nothing else or dress lil Johnie up..



You have plenty of options be informed and make the choice thats right for you

[Tia 914]

Originally Posted by alohaha

just to get a feel of it..do you take birth control pills or use condom or both or others??

I am afraid of the side effects of using pills. my boyfriend wants me to use pills, though he said it is up to me and he is fine with my choice. but i know he is just passively accepting.

what do you do about birth control? and what should i do

if you're healthy (without specific preexisting medical conditions- your doctor will tell you what's relevant), under age 35, and a non-smoker, b.c. pills are probably your best option...
in addition to being safe for most women, and very effective, they also provide a considerable degree of protection from a couple of potentially-deadly reproductive cancers...
only your doctor will know if it's the best option for YOU...

however, the modern pill option which reduces the number of periods or eliminates them altogether is NOT healthy

[Ivorytickler]

Originally Posted by Tia 914

if you're healthy (without specific preexisting medical conditions- your doctor will tell you what's relevant), under age 35, and a non-smoker, b.c. pills are probably your best option...
in addition to being safe for most women, and very effective, they also provide a considerable degree of protection from a couple of potentially-deadly reproductive cancers...
only your doctor will know if it's the best option for YOU...

however, the modern pill option which reduces the number of periods or eliminates them altogether is NOT healthy

Why do you say it's not healthy? Having periods every month, year after year is actually something, relatively, new. Between pregnancies and nursing, women used to go years without periods with no ill effect. Why would using BC to skip them be unhealthy? Everything I've read indicates that it's believed there is no issue with using BC to skip periods.

Do you have some data to share that might enlighten the rest of us?

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by Tia 914

however, the modern pill option which reduces the number of periods or eliminates them altogether is NOT healthy

Why do you think this? All studies and clinical trials say the exact opposite so I'm also interested in where you got this info from.

Oh, and for the OP, I use the BC Pill exclusively. Only use condoms if I miss any pills which is rare. Side effects can occur but remember that there are many brands out there with different types of hormones and different dosages - if you experience side effects on one pill, you might be perfectly fine on another type. For some people, it can just be a bit of trial and error in finding the right pill for you, as an individual.

[alohaha]

is there a type of birth control pill for men?

[Tia 914]

the 2 factors involved: suppressing ovulation itself on a continuous basis; and the higher amount of hormones in the body.

[PA2UK]

I remember reading about a male birth control pill on the horizon but I don't think it's been released yet.

[PA2UK]

Originally Posted by Tia 914

the 2 factors involved: suppressing ovulation itself on a continuous basis; and the higher amount of hormones in the body.

1. Ovulation does not occur while you're taking the birth control pill, even if you have a monthly "period". That is how the BC Pill works in the first place - no ovulation = no baby. If suppression of ovulation is a concern to you, you should not use a birth control pill AT ALL. In terms of ovulation, there is absolutely NO difference between a pill that allows for a monthly bleed versus one that reduces the amount of periods or eliminates them altogether.

2. There is no evidence that 12 extra weeks of the same dosage of hormones (the dosage is not higher, you're just taking it "longer") has any negative effect on the body. Show me a medical study that says it does.