[Mes T]

So... I was on various pills at the end of high school and during college, and eventually realized that one of them (or perhaps the fact that I was switching so often) started making my hair fall out. It was a very horrible experience, at first not knowing what was causing the hair loss, then having doctors tell me there was nothing I could do... Well, a few months after going off the pill my hair started regrowing just fine.

So I was off the pill for 2 years, then met my current boyfriend and needed a method of birth control, fast. I opted for the IUD, and unfortunately it caused me a lot of pain and discomfort even months after insertion. I had it taken out.

Then I thought I'd risk going on Yaz, as it was low dose, and things seemed fine... But a few days ago I somehow got it into my head that I've started to lose hair again. I don't know if I'm being paranoid... but I've photographed my hair and will do the same thing one month from now and see if there are any differences.

If I AM losing my hair, then I really don't know what I'm supposed to do for birth control.

Pills, no. IUD, no. Condoms - dry me out like a sponge. Cervical cap maybe? I dunno if I could get used to all the ruined spontaneity that that would bring. What about... charting my cycles, figuring out days of ovulation as the only method?

God I don't even know. Why is this so friggin hard for me.

[Agony_Aunt]

Maybe try Implanon, the implant that goes in under the skin in your upper arm.
I had side affects from the pill which included depression.
My doctor then said that the implant might not cause as much or none of the symptoms as the pill did.
so at that point I was willing to try it, and I did.
2 years later now, I'm still using the implant which lasts for 3 years and i have had ZERO side affects whatsoever.
Maybe you should consider it!

[Mes T]

I've heard horror stories about the depo shot, and anyway isn't it exactly the same hormones? Except... if they don't work for you, you have to wait months for them to wear off instead of just deciding to discontinue the pill.
/?
What's the implanon like, I mean what kind of hormones does it have compared with the pill?

[Ashlee T.]

I'm not a fan of depo. Alot of people gain lots of weight on depo and totally stop having a period. My cousin was on it for 10 years, and has been off it now for almost 6 months and still no period (she's trying to have a baby now) and no ovulation. I just don't recommend hormonal BC of any kind.

Me personally, I'm going to check into the cervical cap. If you knew you were going to see your fella, put it in. It needs to be in several hours before sex anyway. So it doesn't necessarily have to ruin spontaneity. I'm a little nervous about putting it in, getting it out, etc. I'm not sure. But it's worth a try IMO as hormonal BC has just never been good to me. And yes, I lost lots of my hair while on BC too. I'm not a huge fan of the diaphragm because it sort of lays up against the bladder a bit and for people prone to infections it can cause an increase in them.

Do some research on the cervical cap. And let me know if you decide to try it before I get mine.

[Mes T]

Ugh I'm so glad someone else is in the same boat as me, I've just about HAD IT with hormonal ANYTHING. It's really a friggin shame it causes me to lose my hair.. ANY other side effect I could handle... spotting... whatever... but NOT this.

I've been reading up on the cervical cap and everything seems doable except the failure rate is quite high. I've been researching for a half hour on the internet and have seen failure rates range from 4 percent to 15, with "perfect use."

I'm gonna try to get an appointment with planned parenthood this coming Monday so will let you know.

I'm also going to be living with my boyfriend a week from now, so... I'm not looking forward to being like "hang on honey I gotta put this thing in first"... But... if it's either that or losing my FLIPPIN HAIR, then the choice is clear for me!

I'm really really frustrated though. Jeez.

[Agony_Aunt]

Implanon is an Etonogestel only hormone.
The effect Implanon has on your peroid, is for the first while of using it, it could be very irregular or it can stop completely.
Mine thankfully now has stopped.
If after insertion, at any time you are un-happy with it, it can be removed at any time.

[kristalyn_04]

NO to the Depo shot. It made me gain weight like crazy... I felt like a moose! It stopped my periods too, although I didn't mind that too much.

[Mes T]

Okay after researching more, I've decided that my last hope is pretty much the Femcap as well as charting my cycles (which are gonna take a while to normalize after I go off the pill just UGHH!!).

I also did research the implanon a bit and found that it's one of the leaders of birth control methods that cause hair loss, unfortunately. I would have thought that the lack of estrogen would have erradicated that problem but alas...

I suppose my journey with all-natural birth control methods is going to begin shortly. Guess will just finish off the current pack of BC so as to limit confusion to my body...

[ItsASecret]

I've been researching for a half hour on the internet and have seen failure rates range from 4 percent to 15, with "perfect use."

That is the scary part. 4-15% compared to a 1-0.00x% failure rate in regular birth control pill methods...that is a huge number when you do the math. Try some spermicide while you use the cap, that is my only guess as to how you can slightly improve your odds unless you are too sensitive to spermicide

[Mes T]

It seems like those odds that I posted are outdated. Since the cap is largely unheard of and rarely used it's tough to get any kind of statistic.

Seems like the most recent statistic is 4%. Good enough for me. That plus figuring out my fertile days... I should be fine.

Now I just need to get the dang thing, and some kind of natural spermicide.