Birth Control Options

Tresjoli2

I am 43 now, but just had my fsh tested, and I am still very much pre-menopausal. Even though I haven't had a period in three years (stopped during chemo and never returned), my OB/GYN says it is possible I could get pregnant, which is not good on tamoxifen.

I've been in a monogamous relationship for 20 years (married 15 of them), and we are not really interested in starting to use condoms. My GYN suggested a copper iud, but I'm terrified of having a device inside of me. I can't have hormonal birth control. I suggested to my GYN a tubal ligation, but he refuses to perform the procedure because it's far more invasive than the iud. What does everyone here who is premenopausal do? Help!

paisleypie

Hi! I feel this topic.

My ob/gyn suggested a relatively new procedure, something about taking the tubes out entirely instead of snipping or suturing them. That's what I plan to do after my chemo and radiation. I've been using the arm implant - it is hormonal, which I don't really like, but it's much more reassuring to me than an IUD (I once got pregnant with an IUD in place, very scary).

Anyway, bottom line - if my doctor wouldn't do a tubal ligation that I wanted, I'd get a new doctor. Keep going through doctors until you find one that understands you don't want an IUD.

Best,
paisley

Monirae

I'm 56 yrs old and was diagnosed in 2003, 2006, 2007 and 2011. I was on Tamoxifen for years, then switched to Letrozole 7 yrs ago. About the same time, I started monthly Lupron shots. After 2 yrs on Lupron, I stopped for a couple of months to have my hormone levels checked. My levels were rising so I was put back on Lupron. Last year we stopped the shots to re-check my hormone levels again, and once again, my hormone levels started to rise, indicating that I'm still not technically menopausal. I'm back to getting Lupron shots again. My question is, with the combination of pills and shots and my age, can I stop worrying about using birth control?