posted
Diagnosed with chronic Lyme in 2012, married in 2013(!). My husband and I are taking seriously the danger of pregnancy (to baby and mother) of a Lymie, and we want to find a good birth control pill option.
I'm hesitant to take anything, really, for fear it'll react with or disrupt my treatment (Byron White Protocol).
So I wonder if any of you ladies have found a good birth control option that doesn't mess with your moods, wreck your treatment progress, etc.
-------------------- He has made everything beautiful in its time. Posts: 3 | From East Coast | Registered: Apr 2014
| IP: Logged |
GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Hey congrats on your marriage! And kudos to you and your hubby for thinking ahead and preventing pregnancy until you're well, or, by some miracle, a cure is found for lyme
Personally, with lyme, but not yet diagnosed I have tried every low dose hormone contraceptive pill, the ring, the patch, depo-provera, copper IUD, mirena IUD, diaphragm and condoms.
Any form of hormone contraceptive, (pill, depo, the ring, the patch) was a NIGHTMARE!
Finding out now that lyme and co increase blood fibrin explains why I had such a hard time with hormone contraception, which also increases the risk of blood clots.
I bled so much on all hormone contraception, that I was given straight progesterone to try and stop the bleeding. I'm talking 8 plus months of a non stop period.
The progesterone didn't stop the bleeding.
In my opinion, normal hormone birth control methods do not work for folks with lyme, because for most of us, our hormones are not "normal".
I am catholic, and found out that copper IUD is a sin, because it prevents a fertilized egg from implanting in a uterus.
Whereas other methods, the egg never gets fertilized, so it is not a mortal sin.
Something to consider about the copper IUD if you are anti-abortion.
My bf and I have been very careful and we rely on a diaphragm and a condom.
We also do not have sex while I am ovulating.
Also, something to keep in mind, the study released in January of this year found spirochetes in 100% of vaginal secretions tested in female lyme patients.
The other reason we use condoms is to prevent transmission (whether possible or not) to him.
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
| IP: Logged |
surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
My OBGYN told me (about 15 years ago) the the Paragaurd IUD (non hormonal) did NOT fertilize any eggs
and this Dr. was very religious. I believed him, and used that IUD 100% effectively for years, no issues, no problems.
Now have tubal ligation after last C-section. Also, after removal of said IUD, was able to get pregnant immediately.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
How about abstinence before your married and condoms thereafter. Seems compatible with every major religion in the world.
Posts: 366 | From Kalamazoo, Michigan | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
Who did the study you mentioned, GretaM? I'd like to read up on it.
I wish it were as simple as abstaining while I'm ovulating, but I'm not regular at all--it's way too sketchy to rely on the timing of it all. I even tried doing the Natural Family Planning thing. I'm all over the place
-------------------- He has made everything beautiful in its time. Posts: 3 | From East Coast | Registered: Apr 2014
| IP: Logged |
surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
Birth control is not fun, I agree, but kudos to you for taking this all seriously.
I personally am not for abortions, and used the copper IUD successfully and easily on and off for years. I do not for a hot second believe (nor did my Doctors) it fertilizes eggs, nor do I think it would be on the market if it did.
Good luck with your decision.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
| IP: Logged |
GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
I'm don't want this to be a debate. I just wanted to include the reason why I stopped an IUD. (Not because of lyme.) I discussed it with my obgyn as well before removing it (it was my third one), and she explained how a copper IUD works. You can wiki or google how it prevents pregnancy if you are considering it.
She recommended the Mirena, which prevents pregnancy a different way than the copper IUD works. I was having such bad periods at the time and was severely anemic. The hope was that it would make my periods easier. It didn't, so then she recommended the diaphragm.
If you have heavy periods an IUD, it can make them worse, just something to keep in mind.
Yes, MLG, good call on the sponge, it works good too when used in conjunction with condoms.
I think the sponge is easier to find in the states. In Canada it wasn't here for a while.
Posts: 4358 | From British Columbia, Canada | Registered: Jun 2013
| IP: Logged |
surprise
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 34987
posted
Sister Greta, no debate from me. We do the best we can.
Guess it's highly individual, we all respond differently. Some women I know love the Mirena IUD, stopped having monthly cycles with it.
I know if that happened to me while in my child bearing years, I would have been paranoid every month about being pregnant.
What works well for some may not for others.
-------------------- Lyme positive PCR blood, and positive Bartonella henselae Igenex, 2011. low positive Fry biofilm test, 2012. Update 7/16- After extensive treatments, doing okay! Posts: 2518 | From USA | Registered: Nov 2011
| IP: Logged |
GretaM
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 40917
posted
Haha! Yes you're right surprise! I'd be spending money on home preg tests every month if I didn't get my period. It'd be non-stop anxiety.
So I did some digging and since I had the IUD out (2007), more studies have been done, and it appears the copper poisons the sperm.
I stand corrected. I apologize! Here is a link I dug up from a catholic website with more studies on how IUD and plan B etc work.
Glad more research was done, more options for everyone.
gigimac
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33353
posted
Great question, Team Mcfadden. It is a hard decision.
I really don't want to take hormonal birth control not to mention abx make hormonal bc less effective and could cause pregnancey.
I would like to get the copper iud, but I don't have health insurance and can't afford.
I have a regular cycle and am wondering if I used the sponge on days that I am not ovulating and my husband and I abstained during ovulation, would this be effective?
I cannot get pregnant, struggling with myself and my son as is. I least my baby boy was born before I was ill, Thank God!
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic