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 :/