Going forward

Just got back from talking about my options at the GYNO and its slim pickins'.

In my last post, I said I wanted to try Nuva Ring, which turns out to not be an option because of the estrogen in it. The synthetic form of estrogen is super potent and its basically what conflicts with most seizure meds, specifically in my case Lamtical.

The GYNO had this handy chart, published by the CDC (click on the picture for the full article link)

What does all that mean? Here is a breakdown. Anything with a "3" is bad, and anything with a "1" is safe.
COC/P/R= Combined Oral Contraceptives/Patch/Ring (BAD!)
POP = Progestrin Only Pill (mini pill) (GOOD!)
DMPA = Depo (GOOD!)
Implants = Implanon/Nexaon (GOOD!)
LNG= Hormonal IUDs (GOOD!)
Cu IUD -Copper IUD (GOOD!)

It basically outlines the high risk BC options, which is any combined (progestrin and estrogen) contraceptive, even Nuva Ring and the Patch.

What I can take is still the same:

Depo:
           NOT HAPPENING

Implanon (Now Nexaplon)
           NOPE

Mini Pill: This is the option I chose for now.
           This one only has progestrin but it is taken orally. The CDC says it is safe to take wiith                        Lamictal but it may lower the effectiveness of my BC. So there is a risk of pregnancy, but they             really don't know how much it can lower the effectiveness. Which is why....

IUDs
           Even though I have expelled two IUDs, I can still get them if I want and almost every site I go to is recommending them for people in my situation. My GYNO said that one of her other patients keeps expelling them and then getting a new one. Longest she has had one is 3 years, the rest are 6 months to a year. The pain out weighs the alternative, my GYNO said.

In the last post, I talked about how I really don't want another IUD, but looking at my other options, its the most effective of them all. Yes, they are painful, yes I hate the hormones, yes I have had all the horrible side effects.... But I'm sitting here thinking like an optimist "Maybe next time will be different."

In all honesty, I will probably get another IUD, possibly the copper one. I'm just going to wait awhile so my body doesn't have to get anything invasive for now.

At this point, I feel defeated. Maybe I should just stick to condoms.... I'm not totally sure :/

Life without Mirena - Day 4

Well, I got my ultra sound results back and all is normal. I guess I just have powerful uterine muscles (doctor said that, not me!). There really is no explanation for why my body expelled it, I'm just the one in 100.

When I read more stuff about mirena on some blogs, some women said that you can expell it without even noticing/feeling it. I say that is a flat out LIE. YES YOU CAN FEEL IT! It's like intense cramps that don't go away for several minutes!

Okay, now that I have said that, on to the after effects...

I have been bleeding like crazy again, No where near what happened when I expelled Skyla, but enough that it is annoying. I keep having leaks even with super plus tampons in! The clots are manageable, but they are frequent and larger than normal. Again, not golfball size like before! I am purchasing a menstrual cup now that I don't have an IUD, hoping that it will help with the leaks and crappy tampons. Can't seem to find any that can do the job! As a temporary solution, I cut up an old towel to wear around the house with some over sized men's pajama pants. It sounds gross and unattracitve, but I seriously don't know what to do anymore. I'm also quite moody, but I am aware of it and let people know that it might slip out. Other than that, I actually feel FANSTATIC! 

Another thing that happened was that I had unprotected sex with my boyfriend on Wednesday night (and it was soooo worth it, despite the following information), and Mirena came out Thursday morning. According to other articles, pregnancy can happen the moment an IUD becomes dislodged, and who knows how long mine wasn't placed right before I birthed it out. I called my doctor and they said I should take Plan-B, just in case. Even though it was highly unlikely that I would get pregnant given I was on my period already. They actually prescribed me Ella, which is the NEW emergency contraceptive on the market that offers a wider window (5 days), less side effects, and its more effective. But, no pharmacy I could get to in time carried it yet, being so new and all. So, I also had to take Plan-B. Another cherry on top of my weird and complicated situation.

Now, on to my next array of BC options. I still don't want the Depo shot. I don't want the chemicals in my body for 3 months, and I don't want all the side effects since I seem to get all of them. My last options are:

 -The Patch
             Haven't heard good things about the patch and some people mention complications with Lamictal and the patch

-Nuva Ring
            Back when I got Implanon, I said I didn't want the ring because I lived at my Dad's house and didn't want to have a fresh vagina ring hangout in the fridge. Now that I live with another girl roommate, it isn't such a big deal. I also read some things about women having interactions with the ring and their seizure medications. But I've also read a lot of success stories too. My gyno(s) and pharmacists have told me there is no interaction because its the same hormones as Implanon and Mirena. The mixed info is confusing and scary, but until that male birth control is FINALLY released in the US, I need to make some decisions.

- Condoms
          Condoms are fine and all, and if it really is too risky to take any BC, I will resort to the good ole fashion condom route. I really want BC for its numerous other benefits like clear skin and regular periods. Granted, I do experience a lowered sex drive with BC and I just don't orgasm the same. I'm honestly torn on this but...

I am going to talk to my doctor about Nuva Ring as an option tomorrow. My friend who has a high sex drive said she liked the ring the best. It didn't lower her sex drive and never had any problems with it.

I will update accordingly. Isn't it interesting how this started out as an Implanon blog but now I've trying every unique birth control option?