Some advice. . .
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Some advice. . .
| Wed, 05-05-2004 - 2:31pm |
I just stopped the pill after only a few months of use. . .I just didn't feel great on it and don't like the idea of being on hormones. My husband and I hate using condoms! Any other suggestions? I've considered the diaphragm. . .is the silicone diaphragm available at local pharmacies? (I know you need a doctor's prescription as well)Any other info would be greatly appreciated!

Hi tootsie,
Yes, you should be able to fill the script for a diaphragm at virtually any pharmacy.
“Is the silicone diaphragm available at local pharmacies?” The answer is that it will depend what arrangement exists where you are. The Milex silicone diaphragm isn’t as widely used as are latex brands so they may not be stocked by some pharmacies but the pharmacy should be able to order from the catalog and have it within a few days. Some Gyns who fit a lot of barriers have a small stock on hand (which is how I got mine) or can also order from the Milex catalog. The cervical cap can also be a very effective barrier. The caps available are the Prentif (made of latex) which is the most commonly fitted cap in the U.S. and Oves, FemCap and the Lea Barrier all of which are made of silicone. Prentif, Oves and FemCap must be fitted. The Lea Barrier is a one-size-fits-most device. The silicone caps can all be purchased over the Internet. Take a look at additional info. on diaphragms and caps at http://pages.ivillage.com/cl-judie_rae/id1.html If you have more questions please ask.
Good luck
Jill
I also disliked my low-estrogen pill that I used to be on it due to the side effects. It seems like my prayers were answered with Ortho Evra (the patch). I have been on it for a while and absolutely love it. I have no side effects and only have to remember to change it once a week. Plus, it decreases the severity of cramps and the amount of time that I am actually on my period. If you are interested, this might be something that you could talk to your doctor about and see if it is right for you.
There is a slightly elevated risk of blood clots with estrogen - though typically very low for non-smokers under 35.
There's a genetic variant called Factor-V Leiden (if I recall correctly) that predisposes people to clot formation.
If you're seriously concerned about your risks and you're a non-smoker without a family history of blood clot or stroke, you might want to have your doctor perform test for the above genetic abnormalities. Even if you don't want to be on BC, women who have one or more of these mutations are at very increased risk of abnormal clotting during pregnancy and labor. The sister of the friend who formed a clot (who's also heterozygous for all three) needed to be on injectible heparin for the duration of her pregnancy to keep from clotting.
So, our own hormones can be just as dangerous as the synthetic ones if we're already predisposed to those kinds of problems.