Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with contraceptives

What New York clinics offer Implanon?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Jun 2007 06:53:17 -0800

What New York City health clinics, or women's centers, or whatever -- ideally with a sliding scale -- offer Implanon (contraceptive arm implant)? I know I want Implanon, so this question is not "please try to talk me into other things that might work instead." I have weighed the costs and benefits (data, not anecdotes) of all my options, and for a bunch of reasons I don't want to go into, I think Implanon is the best for my situation. Of course I will discuss it with a doctor when I go in, but I definitely want the doctor to be able to consider Implanon as an option.

So I called Planned Parenthood, and they told me that none of their New York centers insert Implanon. I called the women's health center at my college, and again, the implant is just not something they do. So where can I go instead? I'm sure there are places and organizations I don't know about, so that's where you come in, I hope.

I'm not looking for a gynecologist (everything's always worked just fine, and I recently got a thorough checkup and a clean bill of health) and I especially can't have a doctor I need a referral to see. I just want to go somewhere, have a brief discussion about my medical history and why I want Implanon, then get it (a two-minute procedure) and walk out. Planned Parenthood is happy to do exactly this -- without even a physical exam -- if I want the pill or the ring or the patch or the shot, but I don't. I want the implant.

I am a typical college student, so cheap or a sliding scale would be perfect. Confidentiality is also really important. I'll go anywhere public transportation can take me in the New York metro area. Again, please stay focused on "Implanon is offered at such-and-such place" rather than "maybe such-and-such options would work for you instead."

Seasonale v. Ortho Tri-Cyclen

anjamu — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 00:07:45 -0800

Women of MeFi, your experiences with Seasonale? As part of a two-pronged attack on my migraine (part two being Zomig), my doctor suggested that I switch from Ortho Tri-Cyclen to Seasonale.

I've never taken anything but OTC, and I'm concerned about the switch. Breakthrough bleeding? Weight gain? (I had very little of the former, and none of the latter, on OTC.) Nausea? Cramps? Decreased libido?

I'm also somewhat concerned about the long-term effects of messing with my body chemistry this much.

Basically, I'm apprehensive about switching, and I'd like a little more information from women who actually have taken it (or their MeFi-inclined boyfriends/husbands/what-have-you).

Don't be shy because you're not a doctor; I have a perfectly good one of those, and pharmacist family members, and what I want is anecdotes and such.

Will Bactrim knock me up?

fuzzbean — Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:25:55 -0800

What is the real-world probability of my getting pregnant while taking antibiotics and oral contraceptives? I take Seasonale as my primary form of birth control, so I only have a period every three months. I was recently put on Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim) to treat an ear infection. My doctor warned me, when writing out the prescription, to use a backup barrier method of birth control "until my period would normally arrive" (ie, for another three weeks).

I've pubmedded this to death, and I can't find *any* studies indicating a link between antibiotics and a decrease in OC efficacy (with the exception of rifampin); I did find several finding no (statistical) drop in efficacy, and some attribute that decrease not to the antibiotics but to women forgetting to take the pill when they feel crappy.

I know, I know, the easy answer is, "Just use a condom for three weeks." But I really want to know! Is this a myth? If so, how did it get started--typical CYA? Does anyone have any experience with (not) getting pregnant while mixing BC and antibiotics?

Other possibly influential factors:

I'm slender (5'9", 130 lbs), so in general not worried about the dosage of contraceptives being too low for my body weight.
I just started a new pack of contraceptives the day before starting the antibiotics.
I am absolutely religious about taking the pill at the same time, *every* day.

So what are the odds?

Suggestions for side-effect-free contraceptives?

Anonymous — Fri, 26 Aug 2005 05:18:29 -0800

What are some suggestions for side-effect-free(r) contraceptives? I've heard hormonal birth control can be personality-altering and have bad effects down the road. I'd really like that not to happen. We/She'll consult with a doctor as well, so no "honey and crocodile dung" suggestions please! My girlfriend and I are in college, and we were high school sweethearts. We've been going out for 5 years, and we had vaginal sex for the first time last year. We used a condom. After a few times scattered over the next few months, I got freaked out about being a daddy, and we stopped having sex. We're still physically intimate, but we're thinking it might be time to go back to having sex.

At the risk of this being TMIfilter, my parents said to put her on the pill and shut up, and her parents are assuming she'll be a virgin til her wedding night.

I'd really like her to use a hormonal contraceptive, but I'd hate for the personality of the girl I love to be changed or for her to have health problems down the line just so we can have wild crazy teenager sex.