[Goosey]

Ok,

So I don't know a huge amount about birth control, but I have a hard time with the daily pills. I am fine taking them everyday, but I do take them at random times (which I know you are supposed to take them about the same hour every day). Problem is I work shift work, so my nights and days get mixed up fairly often.

What options are out there for non-daily use birth control? And what works well?

[KMonte85]

Every woman's body is different, so we can't really tell you what will work well for you. Just plain old trial and error is the only way to find a hormonal BC your body tolerates well!

There are a lot of options out there that aren't the daily pill. For example (and this isn't the be all end all of the list!), there's the depo provera injection (one shot, every 3 months), there's the nuva ring and the patch, there's non-hormonal options too like condoms, spermacides, diaphrams, etc...

I was on the depo shot for nearly a decade and truly liked it - a LOT. But a lot of people have issues with the hormone and find they get intolerable side effects. For me, not having a period was awesome and I didn't have the mood swings or weight problems that some women get. I never had a pregnancy scare on the depo.

Do some research online (places like the mayo clinic website or planned parenthood website are good sources), then make an appointment with your doctor to get some advice from him or her about what might suite you and your lifestyle needs!

[leahbia_83008]

i have the paragard copper t iud and so far it's been the best choice for me. there's nothing to it. you get it inserted, check the strings once a month after your cycle to make sure it's still in place & that's it. no shots, no pills. you can be spontaneous and not have to worry about condoms or potentially getting pregnant. there's only a .6% chance of becoming pregnant while using it and it's good for up to ten years. the only side effects i've experienced is an increase in discharge and a heavier period, but i think the benefits outway the negatives in this case. hope this helps!

[Goosey]

Yeah, I've heard of other IUD's that have been great. I was just looking for options. I have a good 4 months to think about it, as that is how long it takes to get an appointment (just slowly seein what works for others and what's out there)

[KMonte85]

Oh yeah.. totally forgot about the IUDs too. There's also the implant - Implanon, I do believe it's called. Had a girlfriend who used Implanon for many years and loved it

Lots and lots of options out there for you, Goosey! Just make sure you listen to your body with whatever you choose. Sometimes women just don't react well to certain hormones and need to either change their BC, or try non-hormonal options.

[Ashlee T.]

And most importantly, find a doctor that you can truly talk to, that will take the time to listen to you, understand your lifestyle and your concerns so they can best advise you on what your most ideal options are. If you feel like your doctor isn't listening, or taking the time to understand you.....find a new one. It is SO important to have an AWESOME obgyn. Good luck on whatever you decide.

[DSemcho]

Depo can make you gain weight (I know someone who gained 30lbs in 2 months), the patch can give you a rash, and make you have horrible clots if your over 199lbs (happened to me). Right now I'm taking NuvaRing (which is a ring inserted into your vagina every 3 - 4 weeks) and I'm not having any problems. Tomorrow will be 1 weeks.

[rosekitten]

I hated Depo. I was one of the women who had serious weight gain, terrible mood swings, and constant bleeding. It doesn't happen to everyone, but the problem with Depo is that it can't be removed if there is a problem, since it's an injection. I've used the patch, but had problems with it coming off and then not sticking back on lol. I used the Nuva Ring, and loved it until my body rejected it. I, like you, had trouble taking the pill daily. I'm on Implanon, now, but I've only been on it for 2 months, so it's hard to say much about it. So far, though, I've not had one period, so, woot for me. My mood swings were bad the first month, but my Dr had me on the pill as well to help keep me from having the constant bleeding that is frequently associated with the implant the first couple months. Find a Dr you can talk to, and look at places like the FDA website to make your choice. Implanon stays in for up to 3 years (can be removed at any time), and I compared it with Mirena (IUD) via the FDA website to make my choice.