I’m back for a bit to update you on the recent information I’ve gathered regarding my lovely PCOS and my future birth control plans.
I have my six week checkup on Thursday (has everything healed? Are my goodies permanently deformed??), but before I go in I decided to gather some information from my RE. (I absolutely adore this doctor and wish I could pay him to be my doctor for everything). I asked his opinion on what I should do for future birth control, both for my PCOS and for the future (if we choose to do an FET). I want my body to be both healthy for now, and healthy for a possible second child. Since I am on the cusp of menopause (already peri-menopausal) I wanted to also verify that menopause would not deter a future FET. Turns out it won’t! It won’t even hurt the chances of success! Science is on the ball, guys.
So, the birth control options are an IUD, progestrin only pills (refered to as a “mini pill” by the RE), a combined pill with progesterone and estrogen (he is not 100% sure they will still do this for a breastfeeding mother, but they used to ten years ago when he did his residency), and good ol’ condoms.
Condoms are out. Those are so not fun to deal with.
The mini pill is most likely the way my OB/GYN will have me go. I already know a girl who was put on this from the same practice. She said they recommended this as the only option for a breastfeeding mother. I may not have an option.
The combined pill is what I want the most. I am worried about remembering to take a pill at the moment, since I am quite tired most days, but it is best for me because of the estrogen. The estrogen will help keep my not-so-fun PCOS symptoms under control. I’m just not sure they will let me take a pill containing estrogen while breastfeeding. We shall see!
IUD is an option, of course, but it worries me that I do not know one person who has successfully had an IUD placed and kept it longer than a couple months. Constant pain seems to be the biggest complaint, and who wants to live with that? Only upside? My RE believes that it will prevent any future periods. This is good for convenience sake, but I was quite worried about the risk factor for endometrial cancer. For those of you with PCOS, we have a very high risk of endometrial cancer due to our lining not shedding enough. The lining stays in and basically rots. Awesome. But rest assured, if you go with the IUD, the hormone that is released by the IUD keeps the endometrium from forming, which prevents the risk of the cancer. Hoorah!
So, these are my options. I will update and let you all know which I’m going with. IUD, combined pill, or mini pill??
Wifey, Mommy, and What Have You 
Be careful with the mini pill. A lot of PCOS friends have said it dried their milk up. I know a lot of women who have the IUD and love it. I am also peri menopausal and have found that the pill didn’t help me much in that area and actually caused cysts.
The pill has nothing to do with being peri-menopausal. Nothing is going to stop that. I just wanted to make sure an FET would be possible if I do go menopausal.
I will be sure to ask about the mini pills effects on women with PCOS. Birth control is the only thing that prevents/helps cysts for women with PCOS.
It wasn’t to stop it just to help with the hormone flux.
Ah, yea, it doesn’t help that at all.
I’ve heard that the IUDs are less likely to cause pain after you’ve had a child because your uterus will be big enough now. That said, I have seen two good friends (neither had been pregnant before) use IUDs with opposite results. One had a lot of cramping, light spotting, etc. and the other has had hers in without complaint for over two years so far (she has mirena). So maybe it depends on your body more than anything research can tell you. Good luck making your decision.
I have had mirena for a week now. no pain or anything. forget I even have it. the procedure was uncomfortable though.
I am considering doing the progesterone implant. The IUD information scared me. 😀 I’m going to do pills for a month or two until I make up my mind though.