(no subject)

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

It will soon be time to visit my GP to get more birth control pills, I want to get off birth control pills and similar birth control methods for the sake of getting back my libido and because I don't particularly like the idea of putting things in my system that aren't naturally there. The thing is there aren't many other options, really my only other options are either a diaphragm or the method of tracking my fertility, perhaps also using herbal methods, these just don't suit me and are quite honestly too much effort, not to mention that I don't really trust them (or me).
Now that said I am sort of keen to try the Nuvaring, although different with everyone I get the impression that there could be a chance of getting back some of my libido with the ring - It is very de-sexing to have your sex drive missing. My major concern about the ring is that it is inserted into the vagina and I am not sure I like the idea of having too many extra things up there. I'm not 100% it is available in the UK.
Anyway, does anyone have any thoughts on birth control that might work better for me, something that can help me get my sex drive back?

Another question is regarding my ongoing troubles with vaginal infections, today I seem to have had particularly heavy discharge, this has resulted in a sore itching around my vagina and perineum area. My question is how wrong is it for me to be scratching it, sometimes you really can't help yourself, although obviously if my hands aren't clean there is a risk of further infection, can scratching with clean hands do any further damage?

Comments

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

Have you thought at all about an IUD? I have a Mirena IUD, and I love it (I'm not sure of it's availability in the UK, but if you're interested, I'm sure someone here would know or your doctor would tell you). The Mirena is good for 5 years, and only releases progestin in a teeny tiny amount, about the same as taking 1 or 2 minipills (progestin-only pills) a week (and it is delivered locally to your uterus, so the risk of side effects is very low).

There's also copper IUDs with no hormones that last for 10 years, their only major drawback being that they can make periods very heavy and painful (though that effect may only last the first few months) while the Mirena lightens periods, and sometimes stops them.

If you'd like to know anything else particular about IUDs, I would be happy to talk about it more. :)

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

I've heard about them before, but not 100% I'm sure what they are about, it's also another case of something being inside my vagina...however there would be less in my vagina with a IUD than with something like the Nuvaring.
I think it might be something else I bring up with my GP, the Mirena sounds ok, I wouldn't want one to last more than 5 years, although I'm only 20 I hope to have kids before 30.
Do you even have to think about the IUD being in there?
Thanks for the sugestion.

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

Nope, you just have to check the strings once in a while. The IUD is actually placed in your uterus, so after the initial soreness you don't feel it at all. IUDs prevent pregnancy by being in your uterus, basically, (doctors don't really have a better explanation) the Mirena has the added protection of the teeny amount of locally delivered hormones, which thicken the cervical mucus. They're tiny little t-shaped things, and that gets placed in your uterus with two little strings hanging down a bit, so you can check them to make sure it's still in place properly. (The strings tend to wrap around the cervix out of the way, or even if they hang down they soften over the first few weeks so that you don't feel them unless you're looking for them - and if they bug you, they can be trimmed. My husband feels them a little during sex, but not in an annoying or pokey way, and I don't feel them at all.)

The insertion is pretty painful for some people (it was for me), but it only takes a couple of minutes, and then you're good for 5 years (you can get it removed sooner if you want to).

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

They thicken the cervical mucus? What does that do?
Also, the strings wrap around the cervix, isn't that irritating?
How long does it take to get your fertility back after having them removed?

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

The progestin thickens the cervical mucus (this is one of the functions of the pill and all other hormonal methods, too). That's because if the mucus is thick, it makes pregnancy more difficult, since nothing can get through to implant.

The strings sometimes curl up so that they rest around your cervix (they're pretty short), but no, you can't even feel them. They're really soft and I've never felt them at all since the first week or so, except with my fingers when I was looking for them.

As with anything, it varies, but you have the potential to get pregnant as soon as you get it removed (it doesn't stop ovulation, usually, so it just depends on your body).

I hope you didn't ask this ages ago or anything...LJ hasn't been emailing comments like it's supposed to. But i hope you'll still see this. :)

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

Ah right, I hadn't thought that was a function of the pill, I thought BC just messed about with your eggs and so on - shows how much I know.

No don't worry it hasn't been that long since I commented, Lj is being generaly useless at the moment.

[fierceflawless.livejournal.com]

I went on nuvaring for EXACTLY the same reasons that you state here. I severely dislike the idea of hormonal birth control and messing with my natural cycle, but all the non hormonal methods were annoying, messy, and usually not super reliable.

I can't tell you too much about side effects, since this is my first month with the ring, but so far so good. no noticeable decrease in my sex drive (actually I think it's picked up a bit, but that could just be me). no real mood swings.

as far as it being in your vagina, I was skeptical too, but it just kind of rests up in there. I haven't had any problems with it 'slipping', and I was able to use sea sponges with it, since I started it on the first day of my period. my boyfriend says he can't feel it at all.

so far, it seems ideal. I'll let you know ;)

check out nuva_ring with any other questions you might have about it :)

[babybloodheart.livejournal.com]

As for the vagina thing, I think the main issue for me there is if I ever have to use the ring and my cup together - although people have told me they have never had to use the two together - I'm already a member of nuva_ring, thanks for sugesting it though :o)