Birth Control???

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Kasi
Kasi Member Posts: 216
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi guys! I just needed to vent for a minute. I know this sounds trivial in the face of everything else we have to go through but I was sad to have to give up my birth control pill (I'm ER/PR+). I was on Seasonale. 4 periods a year. I was great on it, no side effects. Grrrr. Now my husband and I have to figure out a new route. Condoms are fine short term but we're in a monogomous relationship and I don't see that as being a good long term solution. A non-hormonal IUD sounds less than thrilling. A vasectomy may be in DH's future. May I ask any of you who had to stop the pill what you did instead? I realize it's a personal question, just figuiring out what I need to do. Again, I know this is minor in the big scheme but it just feels like another thing to give up: my chest, my hair, my nails, and my most fave birth control.

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  • Claire_in_Seattle
    Claire_in_Seattle Member Posts: 4,570
    edited July 2011

    Hi Kasi..... Probably a question for your oncology nurse.  Glad you aren't giving up sex!!!  One of the things that really helped when the going got tough.

    I think they may give you Lupron shots to put you chemically into menopause, at least for a while.  Why the convo with the nurse.  You need to understand the roadmap, and its effect on fertility.  And then, do you want children once the ordeal is over.  Or even if safe to consider.

    You certainly don't want to get pregnant while on chemo, and they need to make sure that doesn't happen.  BTW - I was fine with an IUD back in the day. - Claire

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited July 2011

    I am struggling with the same thing.  I am 45 and ER/PR+ and was on birth control before.  Now we are using condoms.  From the chemo and tamoxifen now sex is painful and the condoms are certainly not helping my issues.  I am also thinking DH may need a vasectomy.  I can't deal with any more meds, procedures or crap....it's his turn.  With the condoms I simply can't even have sex...it is way too painful.  No one told me when I was diagnosed that I would no longer be able to have sex......I hate BC. 

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  • misszed
    misszed Member Posts: 90
    edited July 2011

    I got off the Nuvaring soon after l was diagnosed with BC, both my first and second opinion Oncologist strongly suggested NO hormonal birth control so l switched to the copper IUD before l had surgery. I start Tamoxifen next week so hope it does not interfere with my sex drive! Sigh!!

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited July 2011

    We use condoms but honestly I haven't had a period since December... Last chemotherapy was feb. I'm still hoping that chemotherapy didn't render me infertile. We were kinda done with having another kid but it sucks that the decision was or will be taken out of our hands.



    Maria, sex immediately after chemotherapy was painful to me too and it made mad and depressed but last week my natural lubrication came back! The first couple of times that hubby and i were intimate it did hurt a lot, but with each succeeding time it got much better.

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited July 2011

    Did your onc tell you that chemo can make you unable to have kids? Reason why I was asking because I had a friend who wAs matter-of-factly told by her onc at her SECOND chemo dose. She was so upset, she still wanted another kid and lost the opportunity to do the egg preservation thing.

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  • rn4babies
    rn4babies Member Posts: 409
    edited July 2011

    Wow! I didn't think about birth control! I'm 47 years old and still on birth control pills. I was just diagnosed on Monday so it's been a whirlwind week. My surgeon didn't tell me I shouldn't stop them. I have DCIS, Grade 3, ER+/PR+.  What do you think?

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  • Kasi
    Kasi Member Posts: 216
    edited July 2011

    Thanks for all your replies, ladies! I don't want to complain but it just SUCKS! When I was told that one of the lovely SEs of chemo & tamox was dryness, I was like "Um, I'm 31 not 61." Sigh. My husband and I had already been leaning toward not having kids, so we were suddenly thrown into making a fertility decision and freezing eggs. After talking about it, we declined. I just wanted to focus on getting better. Maybe that's selfish, but our minds were pretty much made up anyway. I guess this was just the final push we needed.

    @Claire - good to know, thank you! I was under the impression that we needed to take our own steps so I wouldn't get pregnant. They never mentioned that shot.

    @mdg Ugh, I'm so sorry. I don't start chemo for a few weeks and I will also be on Tamox. Thanks for responding, I'm glad to know someone else feels the same way. I hate BC, too.

    @misszed How is the copper IUD working for you? I've heard that some people don't like them.

    @Letlet Nothing like not being able to make the decision for yourself, huh? We were given the fertility preservation options soon after my diagnosis. That is terrible about your friend!! That should have been talked about well before.

    @rn4babies I had already read about no hormonal birth control when you're ER/PR+. When I asked my onc about it, she said "Well, we would all feel more comfortable if you stopped taking it." So I said, "So I have to stop?" She said "Yes." Makes sense, my tumor feeds off estrogen so I have to stop giving the tumors their fuel. I VERY RELUCTANTLY stopped the day before my surgery. Sad day. I loved that dang pill. But maybe it's different with DCIS? Maybe ask about it? I'm so sorry about your new diagnosis. It really is a whirlwind. The month of June for me is a complete blur.

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited July 2011

    rn4babies: do talk to your doc about the birth control. I was on estrogen replacement and they told me to get off it, and I suspect birth control is more or less the same thing. 

    They did tell me that it wasn't a huge rush, that I could gradually wean myself off. (I was on a patch and I cut off about 1 mm every two weeks -- there was no WAY I wanted to deal with sudden estrogen withdrawal.) So maybe they just didn't want to overload you with issues right now. 

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited July 2011

    Just an FYI - my onc nurses said to use condoms during chemo (even though my DH has had a vasectomy and I have had a TAH/BSO, so no fear of pregnancy) because the chemo drugs can transfer to your DH through the mucous membranes.  The nurse was pretty cute, said this out of earshot of my DH, and was probably emabrrassed because I am old enough to be her mom, but ended by saying to me "and that is all I am saying on this subject."

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  • Letlet
    Letlet Member Posts: 1,053
    edited July 2011

    I was also told to use condoms while on chemo not just to prevent pregnancy but to prevent possible infection/uti's i guess

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  • dragonfly1
    dragonfly1 Member Posts: 766
    edited July 2011

    I'm 42 and had debilitating periods which was part of the reason I was still taking the pill. At the time of diagnosis I was told to stop them immediately. I did stop them in December and had 2 more painful periods until chemo put an end to it. I just don't know if the periods will come back and what I'll do if so. I have a very weird metal allergy so an IUD would be out of the question even if it was non-hormonal. My Gyn is saying that an ablation might help if the periods come back while I'm on Tamoxifen-will wait and see. Hate the condoms and DH is willing to do a vasectomy when our lives finally settle down a little bit. Sex has been very painful since chemo due to extreme dryness-certainly hope it improves with time...

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  • YramAL
    YramAL Member Posts: 1,651
    edited July 2011

    I'm 51 and still very much pre-menopausal(lucky me). I was on BCP for many, many years, and had to stop due to my breast cancer. My husband is afraid of having a vasectomy(poor baby) and he has some erectile issues due to his diabetes, so condoms don't really work either. (I know, TMI, but you did ask.....) I have found a product called VCF-Vaginal Contraceptive Film-which works well for us. You have to insert it about 1/2 hour before intercourse, but neither one of you will be able to tell that it is there.

    Mary 

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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited July 2011

    dragonfly, aren't IUDs plastic? When I had mine it was practically in the Dark Ages, but I know it was plastic then.

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  • Kasi
    Kasi Member Posts: 216
    edited July 2011

    Thank you all for your responses. I believe that at some point I read somewhere else to wait about 72 hours after your infusion so as not to spread the drugs to your partner. 

    Thank you Mary for the tip on VCF - I am definitely going to look into that. It sounds like a good short term option until we can figure out the long term.

    So many things to think about! 

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  • DocBabs
    DocBabs Member Posts: 775
    edited July 2011

    IT may be old but what about a diaphragm? It's easy to insert prior to going to bed and if it;s not "used" just take it out in the AM. I much prefered that to a condom when my husband and I were praticing birth control. I think I'm one of the few women around that actually was happy when I went into menopause.....nothing to think about..just do it whenever!!

    Barbara

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  • Kasi
    Kasi Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2011

    I ordered the VCF. Hopefully that will go fairly well. I stopped my pill on 6/26/2011, had surgery on 6/27, got a tiny 2-day period on 6/30 and have had nothing since. SO ANNOYING. I loved knowing when it was coming. I had been on the Pill for almost 13 years.

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  • charlee114
    charlee114 Member Posts: 4
    edited August 2011

    I Kasi... I was diagnosed a year ago with StageIIIA Breast Cancer. I was ER+/PR- and at the time I had the Mirena IUD. My oncologist had already researched the mirena and since it was such a low dose of PR hormone it was still safe for me to keep it.  Also with that most doctors make it a requirement to have already have children.  I still have the mirena and it works and I have no periods..have had none since I've had it for the passed 4 years.  I hope the VCF works for you.  I just wanted to let you know how the Mirena has worked for me and the safety of it with breast cancer. However  I was PR- so maybe makes it safer for me than someone who is PR+.  Good luck with everything!!!!

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  • Kasi
    Kasi Member Posts: 216
    edited August 2011
    Thank you, Casey! I am both ER & PR positive so no more hormones for this girl. And still no period - but I guess I'm not complaining about that. Smile Have a great day!
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