Talk to me about BC...

[Megan Turnidge]

Alright, I mentioned this in the healthcare thread, but it got me wondering if I could get some feedback from you ladies!

Now that I'm no longer nursing, I wanted to get back on the BC pill. I guess since my insurance is funded by a Catholic organization, they cover VERY FEW BC methods and pills ARE NOT one of them! Kinda' wishin' I knew that when I picked the insurance provider last year. Anyways, I guess they cover the patch. Are there drawbacks to the patch over pills? I worry they won't stay on or won't release the hormones (lol... not sure I can trust it). Are they just as safe? Just as effective? Any feedback?

Thanks!

[breakingbrie]

*ahem* I got twins out of them *ahem*

I'm on the pill now.

[SamaraGugler]

No advice but this reminds me of when DH and I were first married. Our insurance covered Viagra but not birth control pills.

[breakingbrie]

LOL, ok, just thought I'd clarify that - the patch didn't cause me to have twins, just didn't keep me from getting pregnant!

[Megan Turnidge]

Originally Posted by SamaraGugler

No advice but this reminds me of when DH and I were first married. Our insurance covered Viagra but not birth control pills.

ROFL!! That is ridiculous!

[heatherdumas]

What about depo provera, shot every 13 weeks. worked great for me many moons ago. They said a drawback was that if you wanted to get pregnant you had to be off it 18 months before. That was not the case for me. I came off and was pregnant in 6 months.

[Jennifer]

Any chance any of the IUDs are covered? Mirena worked great for me!

[scrapmonkey]

Will they cover them if they are not for birth control purposes? I originally went on birth control pills because of period regulation and minimizing cramps - I was 18 and I wasn't "active" until I was 25. Insurance covered it then with a doctor's note. Also, some pills aren't terribly expensive - $20-25 per month/pack tops - depending on which one you are given.

[Kat Stokes]

I was on depo for 8 years. I gained 40 pounds and it mentally screwed me up. I would never do it again knowing what I know now. It also took almost a year and a half to get preggo after I stopped taking it.

I now have a Mirena IUD and wouldn't trade it for anything! Love not having to worry about taking a pill everyday (hence the reason I have my little Rhett - LOL!).

[DawnMarch]

I'm thinking about the Mirena. I'm hoping it'll be less expensive than dishing out the $20 copay for pills.

[BrattyMeg]

I tried the patch but was allergic to the adhesive..my sister has used it for a few years, got off to ttc, had a baby and is back on it already

I'm still nursing, so I'm taking the minipill but I plan on going back to LoEstrin or something with low estrogen

[mcardall]

my sister-in-law used the patches. she loved them. each package comes with 4 active patches in case one comes off. so, she essentially got a free month worth of patches every four months. or if she needed to skip a period she could. i don't remember WHY she needed to do that one time, but she did under the advice of her ob/gyn.

i had another friend who did the depo shots and it really screwed her up! it took her about a year after coming off the shots to normalize. she couldn't work. she couldn't take care of her kid. nothing. it was AWFUL!

i build scar tissue and am prone to allergic reactions so I can't use the iud.

there are a lot of pills that are cheap, cheaper than my co-pay was for my insurance. just find a pill you like, though, if you go that route. they are my only option as I am also latex sensitive. the pill i have been on for the last three months caused me to gain 30 lbs in 3 months and made me MOODY and made my periods horrific! the doctor insisted that my body would get used to it. after three months, i am off it and detoxing right now and will go back on another pill in a month or two.

[BrattyMeg]

Originally Posted by mcardall

made me MOODY and made my periods horrific! the doctor insisted that my body would get used to it. after three months, i am off it and detoxing right now and will go back on another pill in a month or two.

I was the SAME way with Ortho-Tri-Cyclen..and it caused my bp to go up too!

[Megan Turnidge]

I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for a while and had no problems with it... so I was glad when the doc prescribed that for me again... and then got a call that my insurance wouldn't cover even the generic version. I might just go to campus health here at the university since I can get the BC w/o insurance for super cheap anyways... I just like free better.

[SamaraGugler]

I used to go to the University med center and my pills were like $7 for a 6 mo. supply. I'd totally try that route!

[brooke22]

Originally Posted by Kat Stokes

I was on depo for 8 years. I gained 40 pounds and it mentally screwed me up. I would never do it again knowing what I know now. It also took almost a year and a half to get preggo after I stopped taking it.

DITTO!!
I was only on it for a year and gained 25 kilo's!!
Ive been off it for 7 years, still dont haave a regular period and developed Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome because of it. So even though Im desperate to have another baby im pretty much infertile.

So even though there are people who dont have problems on Depo, I wouldnt want to risk it if I were you.

[mommy2aria06]

I have really sensitive skin so it gave me a rash and to be honest it gets quite gross after wearing it so long lol! That stinks that you can't get the pills- have you checked to see if there are any pharmacies that offer low cost pills to people whose insurance doesn't cover them or don't have insurance?

[AllieP]

I love love love my Mirena IUD. I use it now and I've used it 2 times before (between my kids) and never had any problems. If your insurance covers it, it might only be an office co-pay because it's a medical device. That was the case with us, so you can't beat a $25 copay for up to 5 years of protection! Good luck!

[Sarah8914]

Wow! So many side effects to all these things! blah!

I am so anti-pill because... while it didn't mess up my weight or moods, it did mess up my body and took us 8 months to get preggo (after being off it for 2 months before that!). But, since you used it before and had no problems (I assume) that's probably not an issue.

I hope you figure it out!

[iJenny]

Really REALLY research Depo before you try it. Its got a terrible record and is actually in the process of being re-evaluated by the FDA.

If your ins/doctor covers the Mirena IUD/IUC, then its worth a shot. I've had mine for over two years now and am absolutely in LOVE wih it. And the best part is (besides not having a period YAY!) is that, as soon as its removed, I'll start ovulating the very next month so I'll be able to TTC.

My sis was on the patch for a while and liked it better than the pill. But they both cause weight gain, etc. I know someone who is on the NuvaRing and really likes it too. Again, its the same side effects as the Pill and Patch.

[Stacey42]

Pills make me sick to my stomach. I've been using Nuvaring for about a year now & I really like it. My insurance doesn't cover birth control but I have endo and the Nuvaring treats it so the insurance agreed to pay up.

The downside is it's 3rd tier with my insurance, so it costs $50. It's $56 without it.

[kscwgirl]

I tried the patch, and liked it. Jeff is fixed, but I'm considering an IUD just to make the horrible periods I have go away.

Hope you get something worked out Megan!!!

[ColleenSwerb]

I'm so tempted to try the IUD. No periods make me want to do a happy dance, lol.

I'm on Yasmin and have been since I started the pill. I started it for period issues, not for sexual activity. I've been on it for.....7 years I think. Love it.

But my sister started it and had issues with it. Then went to the patch and it gave her heart trouble. Now she's on Nuvaring and loves it.

[Amber1279]

I can't have any hormonal BC ... and the thought of the IUD scares me a little.