well...seeing as the nuva ring came out while i was having sex once and the pill killed my sex drive i'll have to go with a good old condom.

NuvaRing! I love it - not going to use anything else, it really works well for me with few side effects, no weight gain either. Though I think there is libido loss and slight mood change with every form of BC. And now my boobs have gotten even bigger since I've been back on it... sorry for TMI, but I have to buy Ds now!

Condoms for me.

I don't trust anything else.

I'm not sexually active with men, but I couldn't function during my period without birth control. I have those horrifically painful, vomiting, fever type periods. I would have to pump my body full of pain killers, and still would be nauseous, without bc. So I worship at the alter of my Mirena IUC .

That interesting lauraxtc, most precautionary/paranoid women I know use both. Condoms and hormonal bc, so that they have back up, even in a monogamous long term relationship. And from what I know from friends condoms break more often then properly taken bc fails.

The pill was good to me, although they just gave me a new one (supposenly its the same as lo-ovral just a different brand) and I SWEAR its making me crazy! or maybe im just looking for a good excuse as to why im crazy

I preferred the "remember to pull out" method,

Jessie,

Luckily I have never had problems with condoms.
I am just scared of having side effects to any of the other methods.
Like my sister took the shot and gained so much weight.
My other friend was taking the pill and had a stroke.
My friend was on the patch and she was terribly ill until she got off it.

I just don't want to have any weird side effects.

Condoms are good with me.

I agree with CaterpillarGirl.

condoms and the pill....

The Pill. BF is too big for even the biggest condoms we found, pulling out is too dangerous, and as for IUD's and stuff, the side effects that could potentially happen scare me, so I stick with tried and true.

I'm allergic to latex, and while I can get non latex condoms, they suck and break easier. So, I just use the pill.

The pullout method! I'm assuming you guys are married!!

Depo shot!

Definitely NOT the pill...I've been on Yasmin (3rd kind I've tried) since last October and it's made me CRAZY! I'm a depressed, emotional mess and I've gotten to the point where sex isn't even enjoyable. It feels like putting in a tampon, and to top it off I usually have a crying FIT immediately after. I'm sure that's great for my poor husband's self esteem. I'm hoping to get an IUD later this month. I'm a little scared, but I can't take the hormones anymore!!!

Everything has made me crazy except for the Nuvaring! Originally, I wanted an IUD, but my doc didn't suggest it as it could complicate having a baby later. There's a bit of an..ahem..learning curve with the ring, but I'm such a fan!

jacrabbit have you considered Yaz? It has less hormones than Yasmin and after a month of getting used to it- I have adjusted and like it ten times more than Orthotricyclen Lo (that had me going nuts).

Natural Family Planning, it's kinda similar to the rhythm method in that you abstain when you're fertile, but with far more science behind it. So, I guess I don't get to vote on this one.

Really? I thought they were essentially the same thing. I have an appointment with my gynocologist later this month, so I'll be sure to ask her about it! (Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Ortho-Lo were the two others I tried). Thanks Geebers!

I do like the idea of not having to remember to take a pill at the same time every day, though. If I don't set an alarm on my phone, I'll forget!

Lauraxtc, everyone is affected differently. Depo has a lot of calcium deficiency side effects. I took it but eventually I started to spot to often and unpredictably. When I switched to my Mirena IUC (not the copper one) my period pretty much disappeared and I haven't gained any weight to speak or had nay other side effects. It was also free for me at PP.

Hormonal IUC's I think have less side effect because they deliver hormones closer to the source, instead of spreading them around your blood stream.

All hormonal both control has the risk of heart attack, stroke, etc. so you want as little in your system as possible.

Jacrabbit, Yasmin made me a total psychopath! I've been prescribed Yaz to alleviate the mood swings/psycho bitch-ness, but am going through the process of getting it pre-authorized right now, because my insurance doesn't cover 'family planning services'. Gotta love living in the conservative South!

What's the rhythm method?

Thanks, Angela - I feel a little better knowing I'm not the only psychopath!

I've been on birth control since 13 and I've hated everything I have been on. The pill makes me sick to my stomach to where I can't even hold it or any food down. The shot hurts my arms the whole day and I can't even work when i get it. The nuva ring was the worst. It made me totally dry in my nether regions and my husband got a really bad rash from it. Vaginal Contraceptive Film isn't too reliable. I have been trying to get the IUC but all the doctors say because I don't have kids they don't want to give it to me. I need something long term.

Yaz!

LOL, the Remember to pull out method. That's definitely mine too I'm not condoning it for your average person, it's totally situational. Any type of hormonal bc screws me up completely, in fact it took me 2 years to recover from my last attempt. Plus I get vaginal infections from condoms (although if I was not monogamous I would TOTALLY use them). And if something went wrong and a baby occurred it definitely would not be the end of the world

I've always used the pill. it's simple and keeps everyone's hands clean.

I had a friend who went on the patch for a while and it turned her into super b*tch! So, I don't recommend that at all.

Condom all the way. The pill killed my sex drive, made me moody, and numbed my sensitivity down there during sex. Super thin condoms are a dream compared to the lack of sensitivity I had with the pill!!

I'm on Yaz... I love it. I can tolerate it much better than Yasmin. I prefer the pill and condom for birth control though.

The ring was the best for about 3 and a half years however I was starting to get yeasty down there. It wasn't quite a yeast infection but it was still bothersome. I switched to Loestrin in September and during the first month, I did get breakthrough bleeding. It was all good in October, then in November, I didn't get my period at all! That happened to me in college when I first started taking the pill, then I freaked out and switched to the ring. I thought I'd give the pill another whirl. It's not so bad except for the fact that I still haven't gotten my period, which is supposed to be a side effect but I don't like it. I like knowing when to expect my period. I prefer not to be surprised, I have enough stains to deal with!

Thinking switching back to the ring and um, how come my boobs haven't gotten bigger from birth control? not fair!

haha, mine either tatsauce. All I got was crazy (and not pregnant; I guess that's a good thing too!).

Yes I am married.

Glad you guys are sharing all of this info! I think the Patch (the only BC I've tried besides condoms) has lowered my sex drive - glad to hear that I'm not the only one who has been affected by this. The only thing I don't like about the Patch is that it dries my skin and even leaves that area of my skin discolored (which apparently is more common in darker-skinned women). Oh, and the adhesive picks up fuzz too, just like a band aid. Otherwise, it's convenient and stays on well (unless you want to wear a thong bikini, then you'll have a hard time hiding it anywhere on your body). I haven't tried the Pill because taking medicine regularly is something I'm really bad at. Not quite ready for babies just yet!

I wonder if the pill lowers sex drive? I genuinely think I am fine- but then I wonder if I would be more into it without them... I definitely sometimes prefer sleep over sex and before the pill I was always ready for it. Interesting...I will experiment more after we are married and use the family planning method.

I love my Yaz even though I am terrible about taking it on time and its only been like 5 years years since I started the pill. Jeez, you would think I would be used to it by now, but no, I have to set the alarm on my phone. Never had any problems with loss of libido on Yaz, my boobs did get bigger, and it keeps me sane.

Psychobabble: You and me both.

NFP for the win.

I just went off of Yaz, it made me throw up like no other after taking it for 9 months. I threw up forever.

I'm surprised there are no votes for the diaphragm yet. Before I went on the pill I used one along with condoms. You can put it in before sex and it worked well.

My doctor told me I needed to be off the pill for 3 months before trying to conceive so I might pull out the diaphragm again, to use along with NFP ...

Geebers - yes, it does lower it. I notice the difference within 24 hours after removing the ring for my ring-free week! I normally have a pretty rabid libido, so I suppose I could stand to have it lowered for 3 weeks out of the month. It is sort of weird, though. However, the benefits far outweigh the costs. When we get married I plan to faithfully follow NFP - I have the book on it and everything. But I can't chance it right now since we are in a long distance relationship.

I went on the shot because my sister is on and it and loves it, she gained weight with it though. I love not having periods and it is good for three months, also in the first month I had an 8 day period and some spotting since then but just drops. I have not gained any weight and my sex drive is higher!!!

It definitely has for me, geebers. It's gotten increasingly low, and now I don't even want sex anymore. My brain does, but my body just doesn't respond. It's really frustrating.

I swear by the Pill. Ive been taking Yasmin for years now and there have been no side effects (other then the very first month I started taking it). All that implanted or insterted stuff kind of scares me.

pull out method is what causes un-planned pregnacies.

I love the IUC. I forget it's there and it lasts for five years! Oh, and not having periods is nice too.

I never had any bad side effects from pills. Since I got out of a serious relationship, I've been using condoms. Even with my last serious relationship, it took me 2 years to actually get on the pills. I can't dedicate myself that much when I'm not sure when the relationship would end. So, condoms for me, anytime. I have a stash of morning after pills somewhere just in case condoms break.

NuvaRing!! Best invention ever!

Condoms

I've been on the shot since I was 18 so I'm used to it and I always make sure my guy use a condom on top of that but I'm not really sexually active anyways since my guy lives on the other side of the world and we only get to see each other a 4 or 5 times a year.

i am going to the doctor tomorrow and i was going to ask about bc. i haven't never taken the pill before but after reading these posts im really scared! does anyone have any advice on the "right bc?" does every feel sick during the first month they take the pill?

whoops i means i have never*

whoops i meant i have never*

Condoms. I was on Depo for about five or six years and loved it, but my doctor said it can cause osteoporosis and made me get X-rayed. The X rays confirmed that my bone density mass was too low for my age, so I stopped using it after that. I'm too forgetful to take the pill.

Does anyone else think it sucks that the guys don't have to go through all of this?? I have been on the pill for 3yrs (same boyfriend) and I still get mad that I have to take the pill so I don't get pregnant...after all who's the one that can get me pregnant??
Ok, see this is my side affect from the pill! LoL! Total b*tchyness!
I also (my boyfriend too) noticed a decrease in my sex drive when I first started taking the pill. Now I just have a decrease when he makes me mad! LoL!