Ok here's my story. I went on Ortho Evra in 1998 6 months before I got married. I bled and bled, cramped, had headaches and did not tolerate it well at all, as well as gaining 15 pounds with no lifestyle changes.
The Dr. Switched me to Alysse about 8 months after I started Ortho Evra and all was well for 3 yrs. I was on antibiotics and got pregnant with my first daughter even while using condoms as backup.
After having my daughter I was breastfeeding and using condoms for BC (but I was not having periods due to nursing) and when I was done nursing my daughter I went on Yasmin.
When I decided to have my second child, I conceived easily, got preggo with twins and 6 weeks post partum did the Paraguard IUD. I used that for a year and had no periods (I was also nursing) for a year.
I gained 70 pounds with the twins and was doing well losing weight got down 35 pounds, and when I stopped nursing, I began to bleed and bled nonstop for 4 months. After several attempts at stopping the bleeding by antibiotics, and horemones, the Dr decided the IUD had to come out . I was deveastated, because I LOVED this birth control as all the horemonal types made me miserable with side effects.
He put me on Ortho Evra which makes me nauseated, cramp, and have debilitating migraines due to estrogen withdrawal when I remove the patch for the week off. I also gained 20 pounds back from the 35 I lost. When I asked him about changing BC and even possibly sterilizing me, he said that he wanted me to use the patch for 9 weeks and take a week off giving me 4 periods a year.
I have been doing it this way for 6 months and I am concerned about the horemones, the side effects are still there when I remove the patch but multiplied, and I can not lose weight despite diet and exercise.
I have had my thyroid tested and it tested normal so I am convinced the BC is why I can not lose weight. I also have constant abdominal pain and painful intercourse. I had cysts on my ovaries when they did the c section for my twins and I guess this could be causing the pain, but I need to find a better BC.
I am not 100 percent sure I do not want another child, but my husband says he doesn't want anymore. He has mentioned getting a vasectomy but keeps coming up with excuses not to, like we haven't met the deductible on the insurance yet, or he can't miss work.
My question is what is the best BC options? I prefer non hormonal, should I try the IUD again even though I had problems with it the first time, It's been almost 2 years since I had it removed. Is there anything else (besides condoms and the rhythm method) that are not hormonal? Should I try Nuva Ring or go back to a pill? Or just break down and decide no more kids and have my husband or myself sterilized ?
