Hi everyone

Sorry if its been done before but I thought I'd start a thread to see what birth control methods everyone has tried and what has worked for each individual.

Pill (microgynm) - went on the pill from age 16, no noticeable side effects but lost 1/2 a stone within 1 week when I came off it.
I was terrible at remembering to take it so had to think about something long-term

Depo - terrible side effects almost immediately- oily hair, acne, muscle pains, weight gain, irritable, and I was always teraful

Mirena - Had it fitted 9/11 this year. For a few days I had terrible cramps (worse then normal) that were making me go hot/cold/shivery. My skin,which is normally very clear, has broken out in spots (only on my face)
but apart from that none of the effects of the depo. Ive been bleeding non stop since I got it in but hopefully that should subside soon.

Any experiences with the arm implant? Or the patch?

Numerous pills over 20 years. Side effects ranged from spotting mid-cycle to spotting continuously, migraines, anxiety/mood issues, weight gain, decreased libido, as well as complete loss of libido.

Never got pregnant, tho, so I guess they "worked" from that standpoint :)

The only BC method that has truly worked for me from all standpoints -- including my personal health -- has been passing the BC "torch," so to speak, to DH. We used condoms until he had his vasectomy.

I was on the pill when i was 17 till i was 28 with no problems at all. My doctor switched me to Depo cause she thought it would be good to switch after being on the pill for soo long. WORSE MISTAKE EVER!! I had all sorts of problems while on Depo(heart problems, sick all the time, weight loss and hair loss) After a year of being on Depo i got the Paragaurd IUD and love it. I haven't had any problems with the IUD and plan to keep it for the full 10 years.

I took the pill non-stop for 6 years (resulted in a child) couldn't find one that worked for me. Used depo for 9 months and had break thru bleeding the whole time. I went on the patch for a year and ended up with a blood clot in my leg. I have been using nothing for the past 3 months - I have an appointment next week to try the diaphram.

You should look into a book called "Taking Charge of Your Fertility". It will help you use a method called FAM (Fertility Awareness Method), whereby you track your daily temps via a basal thermometer and chart your cervical position and mucus to pinpoint your ovulation - so you know when NOT to have sex.

Alternatively, there is a handy little device called a Ladycomp or its travel-sized version called the Pearly, which can do all of the temperature calculation for you and let you know when your most fertile days are, so you know when not to have sex. It's expensive but from what I've read online about it, it's totally worth it. I'm currently trying to save up enough money to buy my own. You should search for it on the Web and see what you can find. It's a great product and I'm hoping to get mine soon!

Buy the book anyway, because you'll learn a lot about your body that you probably didn't even know.