I have a strange question.... I am on the bith control pill.
I am travelling to australia for 5 months. I think it will
be an inconveinence to try and rememmber to take it every
day, at about the same time, but I don't know if I am going
to meet someone.....! Should I stay on it, or forget about
it??? thanks!
[There are 22 posts - the latest was added on Mon 19 April, 14:10]
Use the form at the end of this page to add your own post.
Topics
| Thorn Tree
| Home
If you think you might be having "relations" with anyone,
you should probably weigh how much you don't want to get
pregnant with how inconvenient it is to take the BC pill.
Whether you stay on the pill or not, condoms offer more
protection from a variety of things.
I agree that either way (on pill or off) you should ALWAYS wear condoms with people you haven't known very long. Staying on the pill will give an added sense of security against pregnancy, and they are easily available in Australia by going to a doctor. Personally, I would not stay on the pill, because as you say it would be difficult to remember every day, but also because knowing I'm NOT on the pill would force me to wear a condom.
In the old days, having your body "take a break" from the
pill was considered the norm, but it's my understanding
that today a doctor would just recommend you stay on it. I
think it's not good to go off and on because you are
confusing your body. I don't agree with Amanda that being
off the pill forces you to use a condom - you never know
what you'll do in the heat of the moment.
I agree that you should stay on the Pill. It takes a while
for your body to adjust to going off, and you might not want
to go through that while you are travelling (mood swings,
skin can break out). That has been my experience.
There's always the shot Depo Provera. Then you dont have
to worry about taking the pill. I still think condoms
should be used also. You dont know what kind of STDs are
out there.
I am a family practioner. having read your query and the various answers here's my advice; you have a number of options; 1. Stay on the pill . 2.. Stop the pill and a. rely on either condoms alone or to increase the efficacy also use the contraceptive sponge or contraceptive gel, b. get a diaphragm(must be used with contraceptive gel also). 3. Your best bet might be to swith to the hormonal injection called Depo Provera, 150mg every 12 weeks given intranuscularly. This gives you 99.99%protection from pregnancy from day one, if you receive the first dose while you're on your period. Its convenient because you don't have to remember to take a pill every day. It may cause your periods to becaome irregular or even go away(many women like this side effect esp. while travelling) If this sounds like the thing for you go see your family doctorand discuss it with her to make sure you have no containdications. It is also available in Australia and N.Z. so you should have no trouble getting it if you require it during your travels.
In any case I STRONGLY advise you to use condoms if you do decide to have sex as you are at high risk for contracting any number of STD's if you don't. However you should realize that condoms are not 100% effective and your best weapon is common sense. Like Nancy Reagan used to say "Just say No!".
Clara, are you sure that Depo Provera is available in
Australia? I have never heard of any Australian woman
using this option and have never had it suggested to me as
an option by my dr or by any womens health centres/family
planning clinics here in Sydney despite the problems I have
had with taking the pill. Any other Australian women know
any different?
.
If I were you, Maureen, I would probably go for condoms.
There are many worse things than getting pregnant, eg, HIV,
herpes etc etc. COndoms are good for all these things and
they're not too bad once you get used to them. (Having
said that I am currently 7m pregnant but that was
intentional).
.
Catherine
I spent quite a few months in Sth America last year and i took Depo... it was the best thing, not because i was planning on getting intimate with anyone overseas but simply beacuse i couldnt be bothered dealing with periods in the heat and with the inadequate supplies of tampons that are avaliable there. So... maybe not a good enough idea for some to go on Depo but i have lived in Sth America before and i knew what i was dealing with... and it was great!, i would never go back to the pill again and when i am in my next long term relationship with someone i would definilty use Depo (as opposed to the pill) again.
Stay on it. It's so convenient if you have to travel
through rough patches in your journey to be able to control
your periods! Imagine being on a three day train
ride with the filthiest toilets you've ever seen, AND
having your period...
Personally I use the pill only for this reason, for sex
abroad you should always use a condom.
Leontien
AIDS is such a huge pandemic that we MUST protect ourselves and practice safe sex!! I hope I don't sound like your mother, but unprotected sex could be deadly!! 60% of the entire continent of Africa is infected, 40% of Asia, there are 10,000 new cases EACH DAY in New York city...Be safe fellow traveller!!
Okay, a weird title...here's the explanation: always use a
condom even having sex with someone when you are not in a
safe, monogamous relationship. In this day and age, I can't
believe anyone would think to do otherwise.
~
Regarding getting your period when travelling, I have been
using a menstrual cup, The Keeper, for a few months now and
it it quite convenient and will save hauling around tampons.
It takes a couple of months to get used to The Keeper, but
it is comfortable and reliable. Check it out: www.keeper.com
Hi, Catherine, Depo Provera is definitely available in
Australia. I think it's a great idea for some women, but
check it out with your doctor, as if your body doesn't like
this option, you are often stuck with the resultant effects
(spotting, headaches, etc) for the whole three months! Not
pleasant. However, if you are the sort of woman who
tolerates any pill, then sure, try it.
Bye
Thanks, Milly. Actually from what you have said it doesn't
sound like I could use this option as the reason that I
can't take the pill is that I get really nasty migraines as
a result. If headaches are a side effect of depo provera,
then it doesn't sound like it is the birth control for me.
Oh well!
NO MATTER WHAT PILL YOU EAT, ALWAYS USE A CONDOM.
HIV KILLS.
ARE YOU ALL CRAZY?!
AND NOT FOR NOTHING, THE PILL IS SO BAD FOR YOU.
To remember to take my pill,I always keep my pill case next
to my toothbrush. As soon as i wake up(or go to sleep), I
take the pill, because I also brush my teeth at this time. I
keep an extra pack strictly for "extra" pills to use in case
one drops down the sink or something.
If I were you I'd just stay on the pill. I would rather
have the hassle of remembering to take my pill everyday,
than, have to deal with irregular periods-even if you don't
have sex-which is unlikely-it's better to have both
safeguards (birth control & condoms- in case of breakage or
worse an STD or AIDS) Kristina
Heather, I know you mean well and I heartily agree with your
basic message (that AIDS and HIV are out there, and we all
MUST learn to convince our partners to use condoms and/or
dental dams to stay safe) BUT your facts are really too
exaggerated to ignore.
The HIV infection rate in Africa is generaly estimated to be
between 20 and 30 percent, depending on the nation and
population tested. A horrendously high number, (especially
considering the lack of access most persons living with HIV
on that continent have to the life exdending elixers
available in the North!) and two generations have
already been lost to this pandemic, but only half of your 60
percent.
In Asia, the percentage of infection rates is climbing most
highly among women (as it is in most places); again,
however, it's half the rate your claim AT MOST. This depends
on the country, on the population tested, and all sorts of
other factors, but ranges from below ten percent to the
mid-twenties at most.
As for New York, I do not know the numbers of new
HIV-survivors per day, but at 10,000 indivduals per day, the
city will be entirely HIV positive in under five years.
PLEASE CHECK SOURCES BEFORE SPREADING DISINFORMATION!
Education is the key to combatting the spread of HIV. We
can't let rumours and fear interrupt real progress that is
being made in checking the spread of HIV.
Y'all be careful out there. Wear condoms, use lubricant,
remember oral sex is safer in many ways than other sex...I
sound like yo' mama, I know, but don't bring back a memory
you'll never get rid of!!!
Have fun, play safe and I'd stay on the pill, just 'cause
going off it can create scheduling hassles with your period
in the three or four months it takes for your body to
readjust to your natural rhythms: NO FUN in that gross train
toilet!!
To Catherine, who can't take the Pill because of migraines...
A friend of mine had this same problem and she was told by her doctor to go off the Pill and to try the Depo injections instead.
She hasn't had any problems with the Depo, and says that it is _so_ much better than being on the Pill. Talk to you Doctor about it and see what they suggest.
You asked for advice, so here it is. I think you should keep taking the pill unless you want to come home pregnant. Also, ALWAYS use condoms!!. I don't think you want a sexually transmitted disease as a souvenir of your trip. Just take your pill before you go to sleep every evening or when you rise in the morning. Seems like no big problema to me.
I took the pill while travelling in Europe for three months.
It was fantastic - I never used it as a contraceptive
while in Europe but it has one very significant other use -
controlling when you have your period. With the pill you
know when you're period is going to be. If you're on a
pill which just has two pills (sugar pills and active pills)
then you can actually skip a period or two just by skipping
the sugar pills and going onto the next set of active pills.
This is perfectly safe. My doctor actually reccommended
that I do it for a while routinely anyway because I got
shocking outbreaks of pimples while on the sugars pills
(less periods meant less time with shocking pimples). If
you're not using it as a contraceptive then you don't have
to be so worried about if you forget to take a pill either
Not to sound like a broken record, but depo is AMAZING! I'm
a Canadian, been on it for 3 years, first in the United
States and then it became available in Canada. I've had no
periods for 2 years and WHAT A RELIEF! When travelling,
especially camping, it is all I could ask for. No mess, no
hassle, no worries. But yes, try it out first and see how
you react to it.
i can't believe i'm so ignorant but i've never heard of this
Depo stuff and i'm almost 40. You mean if you take this you
won't get your period at all? Is that healthy to not get
your period at all? i would love to never have my period!!
Anyway, no matter what you use you should always be using a
CONDOM!!!