Any suggestions for BC.

[naggie1972]

Any suggestions for an 18 year old for birth control. Her gyn said implanon but the ins doesn't pay for it and I am not to happy with the reviews. She states it is difficult to remember to take the pill every day and if that is the case we/she should look into something different.

Any ideas that would work for an 18 year old. Of course condoms but something that may take away the cramps and bleeding away.

[Artemis Windsong]

What is the cost of all the various options? If the b.c. pills reduce the cramps and bleeding, that's the way to go. BTDT

[Chocolate Lover]

I put a reminder in my cell phone calendar, it goes off every day and I still sometimes forget a pill. If she has a hard time with it, maybe something else is called for. What about the Depo shots?

[thyme4change]

If she thinks remembering to take a pill every day, she should try taking care of a baby.

Maybe she can glue the pack to her toothbrush - or doesn't she brush her teeth every day? Make-up? Shower? Put them on her pillow, or doesn't she sleep at home? Does she eat dinner? Keep them on her placemat at the table. How about drive, you can poke a hole in the case and attach it to her key ring. You can hang it out of her nose ring, or her belly button ring. You can tattoo the words "Don't get knocked up" on her wrist. Use the mechanism from a jack-in-the box and have them spruooong up every time she opens her underpant drawer. Hang them from a flip tag on her laptop, or set a reminder on her cell phone that has the remorse from one of the "Teen Moms" on MTv as the sound byte. Buy her a small purse, just big enough for pills and a $20 - surely she would see them. Hire someone to track her down every day and hand her a pill and a glass of water.

Or, you could try Depo.

[Jaguar]

Thyme

[galipemi]

Another option is Ortho Evra. It's a transdermal patch that applies in one ofa few spots (low abdomen, buttocks, upper back - if memory serves. The patch only needs to be changed once a wekk and once a month you don't wear it for one week and have your period. I've used it for the last couple of years since I can't remember what I had for lunch yesterday, never mind to take a pill every day. And Depo was out for me since I hate needles. (And you can't forget to take the patch off and replace it, by the end of one week the glue is starting to let go and the edges start to lift)

[chiver78]

I've heard some very negative things about the patch, in any flavor, or any of those quarterly pills.

I only know about one friend having done the Depo shots, and whether related or otherwise, she had a hard time conceiving when she was ready to do so. her only sis has 3 kids, and given that one's religious convictions, I doubt has ever used BC of any kind actually. I honestly couldn't say what the relationship was.

when I was on BC, I used the Trivora (generic, can't remember what the brand-name was) pill.

[thyme4change]

I heard the chances of suffering from depression is higher with depo then it is with the pill - so if your family has a pre-disposition, I would do some research on that. If no pre-disposition, just be aware and keep your eye on her when she starts. I've known two people that used depo - one loved, loved it - the other tried to commit suicide. Granted, that girl's life was horribly jacked up, so she may have tried to commit suicide anyway. But that was how I found out about the increased risk.

[JustLurkin]

Hi Naggie, perhaps she should look at it as 2 separate items. Take the birth control pills to help with her period, with the understanding if she doesn't she'll have to suffer for up to a week.

When I was 18 I used the sponge and liked that. She has to understand if she doesn't use it she'll be suffering way longer than a week.

[CD]

Both of my Daughters 24 and 22 use the Nuva Ring and like it. you might look into it as an alternative to the pill or patch.

[Deleted]

Nuva Ring, Patch, DepoVera shots. My DD uses patch but they are just recommending she switch since it is highest dosage level & that appears to be contributing to blood clot risk. They do not seem to recommend IUD for women that have not had children yet, but shoot, 5 years protection without having to think about it is pretty nice!

I am a very young grandma because someone in my family had difficulty remembering a daily pill. I would take that as a serious concern and look to all the other options. Maybe even patch for 2 years & then switch to pill if she is better about it at that point. I don't know how well insurance covers Nuva Ring, but will find out shortly :-)

[cael]

I have Mirena and I love it. I barely ever have a period, although i do cramp up sometimes. I have a friend who's used the ring for years and loves that too. Pills didn't do anything for me, they didn't regulate me or anything, but I had to take progestin-only pills (is that right?) because pills with even low doses of estrogen gave me migraines with vision issues

[wvugurl26]

I know friends who have said cell phone alarms. I'm usually pretty good about remembering to take the pill daily. I was also on daily allergy meds for years before that so I had experience remembering to take a daily med. For me making something part of a routine usually helps. I went on Singulair and they recommend taking that in the evening, I do it after I eat dinner.

I would look into the shots or something else for her. My brother was dating a girl who had an IUD and she'd never had kids. Some doctors will do them. From what I understand there is a higher risk of it coming out if you haven't had kids. Then I had a friend with one who had her two kids by csection. When the five years was up and she needed to get it changed they had to give her the abortion pill so it'd come out easier.

[naggie1972]

WOW, all great info. Sad to say this one has a mind of her own and works evenings and goes out afterwards. I am trying to think where I could put a reminder everyday but she is not always here. I believe she keeps a brush in her handbag maybe I could tape them on their. ;D

And the ladies in the family are prone to depression so have to keep that in mind.

She watches all that teen stuff, has a few friends with kids.

[bean29]

Well naggie, count me as someone who is forgetful. I never had an accidental pregnancy, but I tried and IUD. My periods were very heavy. I had it removed after about 1.5 years and started using Depo Provera.

My Doctor seems to have a lot of confidence in it. She says it is the lowest levels of estogen available in a pill - at least she did not seem to think I should be concerned about any breast cancer risk from it. I asked her about it 2 years in a row and she seems comfortable about me using it right up to menopause.

I started using Depo Shots b/c the younger girls I worked with used them and loved them. I think they are cheaper that monthly birth control averaged out over the year b/c you only go about every 3 months.

Depression runs in my family too - my Dad is Bi-Polar. When I had DD my Mom thought I had a particularly bad case of Post Partum Depression which is why although I am Married and could afford another child, I was not willing to risk another pregnancy. I have occasional mild depression, but I think it is normal due to what is going on in my life. I really would never connect it to Depo-Provera.

I can't immagine what stresses an unplanned pregnancy would place on someone who was unmarried an unprepared financially to face parenthood. I think your daughter should discuss her concerens about the various methods with her Dr.

I don't know what the Nuva Ring is. I like the Planned Parenthood Website for info about birthcontrol methods.

www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control-4211.htm

It looks like from this site, the depression risk is a minor one for Depo, but the Nuva Ring does look like a good option. I still don't completely understand it, but it looks like it might work well.

[aliciar6]

i'd still say the pill is the best way to go, i was on it at 17. i put it next to my toothbrush and took it every morning right after i brushed my teeth. some friends would keep them in their purse and took them at lunch.

also have to be mindful of if you get sick and are on antibiotics they can make the pills less effective resulting in pregnancy.

the motivation to NOT get pregnant made it hard to forget to take it, plus if you forget, they are instructions for what to do.

[aliciar6]

also FY, i had really bad cramps and ovarian cysts, the pill helps control those. and i take seasonale so i can skip periods because they are so painful

[Deleted]

I was on the pill back in my party girl stage. I left it in my nightstand and would take it before I went to bed. On my nights out I would take it before I left the house (just in case ).