Leah's Shield VS a Diaphragm...experiences?
Dunno if I should post this here or in the health section????
So...I gotta start figuring out what i want to do for birth control. I wanna try the hormone birth control pill (HBC) WITH a barrier method...so I'm seeing my doctor tomorrow to discuss things but I'm wondering what my VW friends have to say about each...
I don't want to use condoms...nope...so I was thinking a either a diaphragm or a Leah's shield. I heard that if you get measured for a diaphragm when you are not sexually active that your sizing could change after you become sexually active...since I am not sexually active NOW (when I'm being sized) I worry that the sizing will be off after my wedding when i do become sexually active...it also says that it is not effective if you gain or lose 10 lbs...and if I end up going with a HBC and gaining and losing weight is an issues...well
Okay, so, then I learned about something called a Leah's shield..it works differently than a diaphragm in that it does not rest on the pelvis but suctions to the cervix and is "one size fits all" so it does not matter if I gain/lose weight and it does not have to be "sized" or "fit." But apperantly its less effective than a diaphragm? This might not matter if I am good about taking the HBC, though....
Okay, so anyone who has used these, can you tell me if they are comfortable, how they work out in practice, do you feel them, are they a pain to get in and out. I do use a diva cup for menstruation so I cant imagine its terribly different than those getting it in there, maybe I'm wrong though...
Anyone used both at different times so they can compare?
Thank you!!!!
what about an iud?
the IUD is not an option for me due to religious reasons... :-\ but it would be easy...I'm just not comfortable with it
Wait... I don't understand. Your religion says it is OK to have one form of BC, but not another?? BC is BC... regardless the type. I know of some religions that aren't even supposed to use the rhythm method. Can you explain? I'm really not trying to be an ass... just curious.
Yeah, I'm wondering why an IUD isn't ok but the pill is.
The pill is pretty darn effective, if you remember to take it every day. I'm not sure if a barrier method would really be necessary with the pill. Especially a form of diaphragm (Leah's shield or fitted), which aren't nearly as effective as the pill anyway.
oh, sure, I don't mind explaining, I just don't want to cause any offense- I'm not trying to judge what is right for others, just trying to figure out what is right for myself. I believe (and my church also teaches) that life starts the moment an egg is fertalized. So I may chose to prevent an egg from becoming fertalized but i would not want to prevent it from implanting once it has been. HBC is pretty effective at preventing ovulation, so there is no egg to fertilize. I want to use a barrier method in addition to HBC because there is a possibility that there can be break through ovulation but if the egg is fertalized the HBC can actually prevent it from being able to implant in the uterine wall. The IUD does not usually prevent ovulation, but does prevent implantation, so i would be uncomfortable with that option.
It seems the diaphragm and the Leah's shield have a failure rate of 8-15% (the eight is if you are using spermicide) So I think that is a high enough failure rate that i would not want it to be my sole means of birth control...I feel comfortable with combinging the both because the odds of break through ovulation AND the barrier failing at the same time to allow for fertilization seem pretty slim to me...
So, thats the reasoning behind it. Its not like "against my religion" as in someoen stops me at the door to see what kind of birth control I use or even really talk about it from the pulpit (I actually dont think i have ever heard them preach against it in my life...) But form my reading of literture I know why its discouraged, but of course my church would never rebuke someobody for the type of birth contorl she chose to use if the found out what her method was anyways... ;)b
actually, the hormonal IUD does prevent ovulation, it is only good for 5 years vs the 10-12 with the copper one.... but I appreciate the double duty it does.
humm, thankks hespi for that info...i didnt know that....illl add it to things to ask my gyn about today. ;)
Oh, I see.
Yeah, I remember looking up how the IUD works before I got one (~2y ago), and there were all sorts of ideas, but nothing actually definitive. I think the oldest idea was that it caused mild inflammation in the uterus, preventing implantation, but then that makes one wonder why NSAIDs like ibuprofen or something don't render it ineffective (I think there were other issues with this idea, like the fact that neutrophils are normally present in their highest numbers during implantation to begin with). Other ideas were that it interfered with sperm motility, ovulation (but not estrus or menstruation), etc etc...
I'm surprised that the shield/diaphragm have the same failure rates - you'd think there would be less ris of failure in something that's fitted. Maybe it's just more comfortable?
yeah, i've actually heard that the reason it's so effective is because it's a combination of a whole bunch of things it does.
My appt w my doc was kinda a waste today. You see...i actually went to my GP, who has a colleague who does GYN, and in the past every time I have gone into the docs she has heckled me about seeing this lady in GYN...and I have always refused to to...fear and the fact that i was not looking at being sexually active anytime soon didn't see the urgent need...
But I AM scared to death to see the GYN, so i made the appt with the regular doc cause I thought Id be able to talk with her about some of my questions and ask to meet the GYN at that time and set up an appt with her...Well, since I have been in the office things have changed and now the GYN is only there one day a week and it was def not today, so i could not meet her...and the nearest appt was for like May 17th or something equally obscenely in the future...PLUS my doc didn't know the answer to ANY of my questions so I didn't even get those answered...(OK, it was not a total waste because i got a referral to something totally unrelated to the issue at hand that I have been needing...haha)
Well, i actually want to start on the HBC NOW because I want to have time to switch brands/types if I find the one is absolutely not working for me AND doesn't it take one full cycle to be effective anyways? My wedding is June 27th.
UGGGGG, So now I think I have to go and find somebody else. But thats the one my regular doc is recomending and I'm nervous to just pick a name at random and call for an appointment.. And my insurance is the shittiest insurance in the world so i have to find one who is both covered by that AND extremely sensitive??? Sorry but I'm kinda freaking out now, i don't know what to do cause I don't want to wait till May to see this lady but when i say I'm scared of the GYN I mean like terrified and I'm not sure what I will do. (My terrifiedness comes from a number of causes that are legitimate reasons to be terrified, not just general shyness about the first "ladies exam"....like trauma related things that will require special sensitivity)
To those who have been to planned parenthood before...I have heard that you can get on HBC there without a pelvic exam...is that true? Maybe I should call? then i can start on that and just wait for the May 17th appt to get the Leas shield or the diaphragm? But then I don't know how long it takes from the time you get the perscription till
UGGGGG but i have a lot of other questions that I'm not really comfortable waiting on till a month before my wedding.
vhz, for PP, it depends on the state and their rules as to whether or not you can get it w/o an exam.
I know you can do it here in OR, online, and have it mailed to you/sent to the pharmacy of your choosing within 24hrs generally.
MOST Planned Parenthoods will have lots of info that it seems you are looking for; they provide all sorts of 'counseling' when it comes to sexual/reproductive/relationship health topics.
Have you talked to your pastor/minister? I know several churches have classes/counseling sessions they like newlyweds to take prior to getting married. Perhaps they may be able to help with some of it?
Have you talked to your pastor/minister? I know several churches have classes/counseling sessions they like newlyweds to take prior to getting married. Perhaps they may be able to help with some of it?
VHZ~
I definitely agree with Hanashi! It seems like you are big into your church. Ask for help/referrals/guidance!! :)
Have you talked to your pastor/minister? I know several churches have classes/counseling sessions they like newlyweds to take prior to getting married. Perhaps they may be able to help with some of it?
VHZ~
I definitely agree with Hanashi! It seems like you are big into your church. Ask for help/referrals/guidance!! :)
we are seeing our pastor (and his wife) for premarital counseling now...but we are supposed to avoid talking about sex till a few weeks before the wedding to "avoid lusting." BWAHAHAHJAHAHAHA. cus thats gonna help at this point...(ummm, we would probably be broken if we were totally not lusting at this point in the game...)
ETA: You guys did remind me of a Christian website i can ask at though...AND ill look into that ordering on line thing! Thank you!
ETA2: oh, actually I bet I could ask a few people from church/bible study for recomendations to docs and then I can just call them to see if the take my insurance and when they are booking out...No need to pretend I'm not thinking about the fact that we will be having sex in a few months... :P
hah, not talking about sex to soon before the wedding to avoid "lusting." if you don't talk about it you won't think about it! of course.
if you're going to go to PP, what about a pelvic exam there? I know you are anxious about the exam, but I've only had positive experiences with PP, more positive than any GP/etc. I think they generally have a lot of experience in that area (dealing with anxiety/trauma).
i think all GYNs are going to be pretty sensitive. I mean, I'm sure that is an assumption on my part, but I just go to the local EOC and they are pretty awesome. Maybe if you could have an initial non-exam meet up with the to-be GYN and get a feeling for them and see if you are comfortable with them?
Definitely ask your lady friends about what doctor they see. Don't just ask them who they see, but what characteristics they like about that doctor. It helps me to know what kind of person I'm going up against. Mostly in my life I've been going to whatever doctors my mother has gone to for normal stuff (eyes, GP, etc) and she likes them, but I HATE them. We don't have the same tastes in doctors.
I have used a diaphram, condoms, BC pills etc at some point. The pills are nice cuz you take it and you are done, as long as you remember to take them every day. I liked the diaphram between kids 2 and 3, worked well, but you need to be comfortable taking it in and out. My OB wouldn't let me leave with the prescrip till I could take it out and get it in correctly.
In all reality, If you want to use some type of BC you probably will need a pelvic exam. They really are not that bad, and are an important part of female health. A female GYN may make you more comfortable than a man, and I would tell her up front that you are nervous. You wouldn't be the first for her I am sure.
I would call back your GP or GYN, which ever you are most comfortable with and ask to speak to a nurse on their staff. Explain that you are 1) not currently on BC of any sort, never had a pelvic exam, and getting married in a few months and have many questions about birth control. They should be able to get you in pretty fast. Write down questions in advance, it is really easy to forget stuff in the office, and have her write down her suggestions to you as well.
I had many of the same challenges when I got married, my husb and I hadn't been sexually active with anyone before, so we needed a lot of help in that area. I actuallly didn't have insurance before we got married, and wanted to be on pills, so I called my old doc, explained that I would get a pap as soon as my husb insurance covered me, and she gave me a two month prescrip to get me covered for the honneymoon.
VHZ, I know you're nervous about the first time to the GYN, but I really must recommend a pelvic exam if you can stand it. I know it's uncomfortable, but it's really good to start getting exams and pap smears when we're young and continue that practice throughout our lives. The first time I was so nervous and I didn't want the exam and I avoided it as long as I could. And you know what? It wasn't terrible. It certainly wasn't FUN, and it's not something I want to repeat more than once a year, but it's good to have regular check-ups to make sure you're healthy. Good luck with your choices!
Thank you all for the advice...Ive been having a hard time getting to a computer. :( but Im still looking into this and your suggestions help. Thanks!!