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 :/

Post-Implanon day 4

So, my body is taking the break up with Implanon kinda rough.

Within the first 24 hours, I became pretty nauseous, which impaired my ability to sleep, which caused me to miss class both from lack of sleep but also nausea. Now, the nausea is gone but I'm tired all the time. At first it wasn't so noticeable what with an upset stomach but now I'm really feeling it. I'm hoping that by Tuesday I will start feeling better has the hormones leave my body, I'm just thankful the weekend is coming up so I can recover a bit.

I've started the research process with Merina and of course, there are tons of terrible reviews but I have learned to just take those for what they are worth. I won't know until I try, so I'm just going to go with it.

That said, I am on the fence as to which IUD, Paraguard or Merina. Basically; hormones or no hormones? I want to wait and see if I can't lose weight in a more timely manner, then decide which one to get. My gyno really put the pressure on to get the IUD ASAP, especially if I want to stay period free, but I can handle a flipping period for the love of <insert less offensive term here>!! Right now, I'm leaning towards waiting it out. I'm not to thrilled with all the post Implanon side effects I'm having, so I want some space from hormones for awhile.