Thread: Switching from Depo to ____? Need advice

Hmmm. Well, everyone has their own experiences with depo, but due to my cousin (who was on it for 10 years and never had not even one negative side effect from it) who has been off of it for almost a year now and still no aunt flow, I definitely agree going off of it is best, sooner rather than later.

You already know I'm anti-pill (or at least I assume you probably know ) but I am aware that in some situations it's the best (or at least the perceived best) method. But here are my thoughts (for what they're worth) : You have not ovulated for 8 years. For 8 years your body has not produced fertile cervical fluid that would help sperm travel and join with an egg. At this point you don't know how long it's going to take for your body to recover from that. And at this point, you don't even really know how "regular" you truly are. If you immediately start on the pill, then you're replacing one with the other, and yes, you may have a "pill period" but you will not be ovulating, and you will not be producing fertile cervical fluid. In addition to that, you take a chance on being one of the many (like me) who had bad side effects from the pill but stuck with it because you're always told to "give it time to adjust" etc. And then 3 months later, more symptoms, change pills, start all over. Also consider the common symptom of loss of libido...which doesn't sound at all desirable for a new engagement and marriage.

So what do I think you should do? I think you should sit down and think realistically about how often you and your fella have intercourse. If you're the spontaneous high sex drive types who make wild passionate whoopie all through the house, that's one thing. But if you're a couple with a more moderate drive and have sex a couple times a week, pretty routinely at the same time (for example: at night when you go to bed), then I would not consider switching from one hormonal bc to another, as they all are unnatural. I would get fitted for a diaphragm (or suffer through for a while and use condoms) and in the meantime start charting my cycle once I was off the depo and began having a period. After 6 mths of charting you'll have a pretty accurate assessment of your cycle, when you're in pre-ovulation and post ovulation stages, therefore, when you are fertile and when you are not. Then you can continue use of your diaphragm and either abstain or use extra spermicide during your fertile days. And I will once again HIGHLY recommend "Taking Charge of Your Fertility - 10th Anniversary Edition" by Toni Weschler.

Then when you get ready to get pregnant, your body will be ready and won't have to rid itself of toxins and artificial hormones before conceiving. Does it take a little more work? Yeah...sure...doesn't anything that's healthy and good for you? But not only will you learn an incredible amt about your body, your body will be healthier and will do what it's supposed to do, and it will be much easier to plan a pregnancy as you'll know when your most fertile times are.

There's my .50!!