I don't know what Implanon is.

My doc recommended an IUD.

The third option... the implant. Sorry, I forgot it probably isn't called that in other countries :P

Why don't you just not use anything. You can have your significant other use a condom. How about that! Or do the rhythm method. I had a gfriend once who was very good at knowing when she was fertile. It worked 1+ years she didn't get pregnant! Hope this is helpful!

The rhythm method is not a reliable form of birth control and it kills any spontanity in a relationship. There's an old joke about it: Do you know what they call people who use the rythym method? Parents.

I used condoms for about 6 months while I was figuring out what I wanted to do with my birth control options. I hated every moment of it.

Yea condoms are supposed to only be 80% effective and the rhythm method even lower than that. My doc reccomended progesterin only pills - it's with the estrogen that women can have issues with clotting. Sorry - late response I know. :P Good luck!

LMAO RMB!

I heard that joke when I was a teenager from a guy who was teaching Catholic confirmation classes for our church, believe it or not! Had our diocese known he was crackin' wise about the church's only allowed form of birth control to a bunch of hormone raging teens, it would have had a stroke! But it was very effective, as obviously, it stayed with me.

Anyway, we've come a long way, baby, unless you're a chick who dates David.

Sorry dude. Your enthusiasm is commendable but do you know any women who were born after 1950?

My doctor keeps trying to convince my hubby to "take care of it". Since he passes out when he thinks about needles, he is not enthusiastic about it. I can't use hormones due to debilitating migraines and surgery is not recommended for me. I'll have to tell him the condom failure rate. Maybe he'll decide an outpatient procedure is worth it. :-)

I had to weigh in on this one, because on the MCTD board we're having a long thread about hormones and birth control pills with immune disorders.

Having been in my early 20s in the bad old '70s and '80s, it seems incredible to me that anyone is still even considering using oral contraceptives. The Pill (which I know was a stronger formulation back then) was regarded as being extremely dangerous, and in my circle of friends, it was not used very often or for very long.

We used barrier methods (condoms, diaphrams) and we were all very, very sexually active and we were not monogamous, either.

We were extremely careful to use these methods properly-- women knew how to put on a condom, and men knew how to position a diaphram. We split the responsibility and split the cost, and we went to planned parenthood together.

Our rate of unintended pregnancy was zero, and no one caught any serious STDs. Not a scientific sample, but I know of a few couples from that time who are still together, still use barrier methods of birth control, are now monogamous, and have never had an unintended pregnancy.

We really got used to it, after a while, it was no big deal. Once-- just once-- one of my girlfriends was on oral contraceptives for a few months, and the mood swings, the craziness, it started destroying our relationship. The idea that she was going through that for me just made me feel horribly guilty.

I realize this is a very personal choice, not trying to preach here, just noting that the alternatives are not as odious as one might think...

--Cat

Way back when wife and I decided 2 was enough, the pill was just way bad, IUD worked for years but there were issues and failures. I did the right thing - snip snip.. :)

I just came off the pill too when they found the dvt, and I'm looking for an alternative form of BC. The vascular doctor I spoke to (very briefly) suggested progesterone pill (or mini pill), but told me she would discuss it further down the line. My own GP has her reservations about even using progesterone, she told me she has had cases of women who got blood clots from progesterone and she recommends not putting any hormones whatsoever into the body.
She suggested the Minerva coil, but then mentioned that most gynaecologists won't fit it for women who have not given birth (although they do in her practice). This kind of scared me, I don't really like the idea, and it also comes with complications.
Anyway, I was told not to worry about all that for the moment until I am off Warfarin (min 6 months), as a lot of these hormones or IUDs etc have the risk of bleeding when used first, too risky apparently!
I just noticed that you posted his a few months ago, have you resolved the matter?

I have a Mirena which is an IUD so the progesterone is only released in the uterus, not the blood stream so is less risky in terms of clotting. I don't know if it is used for women who have not yet had children but it would be worth finding out.

I should have added above that my DVT was mainly due to a sprained ankle rather than the hormonal treatment I was taking so I am not at any particular risk from hormal treatments