Gettin' Down in Chi-Town
Under Control Dear Lucy, You mentioned earlier that you are/were not on birth control. Are there specific reasons why not? Any recommendations on brands? Thanks! Yeah, there are several reasons why I’m not on birth control. Birth control frustrates the hell out of me. I don’t think any of the methods currently available for women are 100% awesome, and I think it’s really unfair that there no birth control methods available (or even developed) for use by men. Except condoms, I guess. I’m not knocking condoms: condoms are great! I have several rants about them (see the archive), and I always say the same thing: use ‘em. They’re the only contraceptive that also protects against STIs! They’re handy and often free. But they’re only up to 85% effective against pregnancy. And they don’t feel as good as going bareback, of course. If you’re having regular sex with a regular partner, I recommend looking into some more effective forms of birth control.There are several methods of hormonal birth control: the pill, ring, patch, shot and implant. (Check out this kick ass site that compares them! http://www.arhp.org/hormonalcontraception/ )All of these methods (taken or administered to women in different ways) contain the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone. To make a long story short, the hormones suppress ovulation, or change your cervical mucus or uterine lining. Without all of these aspects of your reproductive system working in tandem, a fertilized egg (when your lover’s sperm meets your egg) can’t develop in your womb. So you don’t get preggers. Many many many girls and women use hormonal birth control. It is easy to obtain, and easy to use. It regulates your period, and some women even use it to stop their period from happening at all during parts of the year. It is over 99% effective, and that is a pretty fantastic statistic. I have been on and off hormonal birth control (the pill and the ring) since I was 17, as have most of my friends. Hormones found in birth control have yet-to-be-determined long term effects on young women’s bodies. The known side effects are often significant and frustrating; no girl I know wants to deal with weight gain, mood swings, depression, breakthrough bleeding, nausea, or other possible B.S. Some women even experience a decreased libido, and if you don’t want to have sex cause you’re on birth control, that kinda defeats the whole fucking purpose!Life has enough ups and downs as it is, and I (and all women) experience hormonal changes every month as part of our menstrual cycle. I just don’t feel comfortable adding more hormones to my body, and never knowing if my emotions are real or manufactured. I used to get super depressed about silly trivialities, and I cried at the drop of a hat. Those things don’t happen to me anymore, for which I am unendingly grateful. And now, I can’t help but wonder if the synthetic hormones surging through me for so many years are to blame.So, dear readers, that is why I am not on birth control. Or should I say WAS not on birth control. Because now I’m with Lance and only Lance, and we’re ready to go beyond condoms. So I’m thinking about the IUD.Here’s the deal, from what I’ve learned so far. IUD stands for intrauterine device. It is a little T-shaped plastic thing wrapped in copper wire, and it goes inside your uterus. A doctor has to insert it and remove it. But, once it’s in there, you can leave an IUD inside you for up to 5 years! No changing it, no pills, no hormones, nothing more to buy. The device disrupts attaching of the egg to your uterine lining, and is 99.4% effective.There’s actually 2 types of IUDs, one of which, Mirena, has a low dose of hormones in it. I’m not interested in Mirena, for obvious reasons (see above), so I’m looking into Paragard. This brand has been around for a long time, and I’ve heard a few bad stories of women in my mom’s generation who didn’t have good experiences with the IUD. So that makes me nervous. But apparently there’s been a resurgence of IUD usage among younger women, and the birth control method has improved.Doctors say that IUDs work better if you’ve already had one child. The side effects (the main ones are heavy bleeding during your period and major cramps) are less, and it’s easier to insert cause your cervix is more open. But, I have 4 girlfriends with IUDs all up in their wombs as we speak, and they all seem pretty stoked about it. Yes, they confirm that the cramps and bleeding can be worse than usual. But they all also confirm that it’s worth it to not have to worry about birth control, and to not have to go through the weird hormonal side effects from the pill or Nuvaring. So, yeah, I’m nervous about the procedure to get the IUD inserted. But Lance assures me he’ll pick me up and buy me dinner, so that’ll help. And I’m nervous that the zombie apocalypse might come, and then how am I going to get the IUD out if I have to repopulate the world and all the doctors are dead!? But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. And I’ll definitely get back atcha about how the IUD is working for me and my man. Be safe, Xoxo, Lucy

Under Control

Dear Lucy,

You mentioned earlier that you are/were not on birth control. Are there specific reasons why not? Any recommendations on brands? Thanks!

Yeah, there are several reasons why I’m not on birth control. Birth control frustrates the hell out of me. I don’t think any of the methods currently available for women are 100% awesome, and I think it’s really unfair that there no birth control methods available (or even developed) for use by men.

Except condoms, I guess. I’m not knocking condoms: condoms are great! I have several rants about them (see the archive), and I always say the same thing: use ‘em. They’re the only contraceptive that also protects against STIs! They’re handy and often free. But they’re only up to 85% effective against pregnancy. And they don’t feel as good as going bareback, of course. If you’re having regular sex with a regular partner, I recommend looking into some more effective forms of birth control.

There are several methods of hormonal birth control: the pill, ring, patch, shot and implant. (Check out this kick ass site that compares them! http://www.arhp.org/hormonalcontraception/ )All of these methods (taken or administered to women in different ways) contain the hormones estrogen and/or progesterone. To make a long story short, the hormones suppress ovulation, or change your cervical mucus or uterine lining. Without all of these aspects of your reproductive system working in tandem, a fertilized egg (when your lover’s sperm meets your egg) can’t develop in your womb. So you don’t get preggers.

Many many many girls and women use hormonal birth control. It is easy to obtain, and easy to use. It regulates your period, and some women even use it to stop their period from happening at all during parts of the year. It is over 99% effective, and that is a pretty fantastic statistic.

I have been on and off hormonal birth control (the pill and the ring) since I was 17, as have most of my friends. Hormones found in birth control have yet-to-be-determined long term effects on young women’s bodies. The known side effects are often significant and frustrating; no girl I know wants to deal with weight gain, mood swings, depression, breakthrough bleeding, nausea, or other possible B.S. Some women even experience a decreased libido, and if you don’t want to have sex cause you’re on birth control, that kinda defeats the whole fucking purpose!

Life has enough ups and downs as it is, and I (and all women) experience hormonal changes every month as part of our menstrual cycle. I just don’t feel comfortable adding more hormones to my body, and never knowing if my emotions are real or manufactured. I used to get super depressed about silly trivialities, and I cried at the drop of a hat. Those things don’t happen to me anymore, for which I am unendingly grateful. And now, I can’t help but wonder if the synthetic hormones surging through me for so many years are to blame.

So, dear readers, that is why I am not on birth control.

Or should I say WAS not on birth control. Because now I’m with Lance and only Lance, and we’re ready to go beyond condoms. So I’m thinking about the IUD.

Here’s the deal, from what I’ve learned so far. IUD stands for intrauterine device. It is a little T-shaped plastic thing wrapped in copper wire, and it goes inside your uterus. A doctor has to insert it and remove it. But, once it’s in there, you can leave an IUD inside you for up to 5 years! No changing it, no pills, no hormones, nothing more to buy. The device disrupts attaching of the egg to your uterine lining, and is 99.4% effective.

There’s actually 2 types of IUDs, one of which, Mirena, has a low dose of hormones in it. I’m not interested in Mirena, for obvious reasons (see above), so I’m looking into Paragard. This brand has been around for a long time, and I’ve heard a few bad stories of women in my mom’s generation who didn’t have good experiences with the IUD. So that makes me nervous. But apparently there’s been a resurgence of IUD usage among younger women, and the birth control method has improved.

Doctors say that IUDs work better if you’ve already had one child. The side effects (the main ones are heavy bleeding during your period and major cramps) are less, and it’s easier to insert cause your cervix is more open. But, I have 4 girlfriends with IUDs all up in their wombs as we speak, and they all seem pretty stoked about it. Yes, they confirm that the cramps and bleeding can be worse than usual. But they all also confirm that it’s worth it to not have to worry about birth control, and to not have to go through the weird hormonal side effects from the pill or Nuvaring.

So, yeah, I’m nervous about the procedure to get the IUD inserted. But Lance assures me he’ll pick me up and buy me dinner, so that’ll help. And I’m nervous that the zombie apocalypse might come, and then how am I going to get the IUD out if I have to repopulate the world and all the doctors are dead!? But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. And I’ll definitely get back atcha about how the IUD is working for me and my man.

Be safe,

Xoxo, Lucy

12 October 30
sexsex advicebirth controlIUDcondoms
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Notes

  1. donjuanmatus reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown and added:
    gettingdowninchitown
  2. squirtin-for-certain reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown and added:
    some wonderful advice...follow her. That
  3. sexgenderbody reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown
  4. theshygirl reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown
  5. ianramsrud reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown and added:
    best overview blog...ever read on BC.
  6. tempestpaige reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown
  7. adproximumconvivium reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown and added:
    severe side effects...IUDs. She was depressed,...her ass,...
  8. lifeoutsidethecastle reblogged this from gettingdowninchitown and added:
    mother somewhow put Gettingdowninchitown...this. Like she knew
  9. gettingdowninchitown posted this

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I'm Lucy. I live in Chicago and I like to talk about sex. Give me a topic: I'm happy to answer any questions about love, sex, and relationships. Email me at LucyRockwell@gmail.com


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