xtcian

Daily: Zestoretic 10/12.5 for high blood pressure and Junel to keep from being batshit crazy in the event of having more children (I LOVE my kids, but don't want any more).
Couple of time a week when I can't sleep (1/3 to 1/2 pill of generic Ambien - Zolpidem tartrate 10 mg, I think).

20 mg of Lexapro daily. Multivitamin daily.

May I add to your code word question? What kind of birth control method are you all using????

I take the same oral contraceptive that I have been taking every day since I was 20 (except during my pregnancy). I am now 41 and my husband is 42. We are the anti-Duggars. We always knew we wanted to be parents, we have a wonderful daughter whom we love dearly, and our family of three works for us.

Daughter will be 11 years old this year, and it is time to close shop. We both agree that our baby-making days are over. Husband has agreed to a vasectomy, but while he takes baby steps towards being comfortable with the idea of someone operating on his man parts, I continue to pump hormones into my body. My mother has breast cancer, and I am wary of the hormone issue. I want to stop taking the pill, but I DO NOT WANT TO GET PREGNANT. What to do?

As always, thanks for sharing!

Nothing. No prescriptions at all - unless you count my glasses. Typically don't take any pills, vitamins or other medicines during a normal week.

not a thing.

Nothin'

I count my blessings when I type this - a daily vitamin and the pill.

LFMD, I wonder the same thing. Although I have no history of cancer in my family, it concerns me that I have been popping this pill on and off since college. What exactly are the long-term effects going to be on my body? I actually contemplated the new version of the IUD, but backed off for no specific reason other than the procedure would take me out of work for a day. At almost 39, I think I still have a few years left (my mother believes she was pregnant for a few weeks at 42), and man, I don't want that scare. We are complete at 2 kids.

I take a lot of meds. Oy. Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Concerta, occasionally Xanax, Synthroid, Zyrtec daily, baby aspirin, Centrum Silver multivitamin, Aleve, and Rhinocort Aqua nasal spray. My CVS charges are bad enough WITH Blue Cross; hate to think what they'd be like without insurance. Speaking of which, when the heck does Lexapro go off-patent???

LFMD: Tell your husband to get that vasectomy right NOW. It is a teensy nothing of a surgery and he will be in and out before he knows it. It's really the least invasive and safest form of contraception for a monogamous heterosexual couple. No excuses; DO EEET NOW! ;-)

Julie and LFMD, I recommend the Mirena IUD, I had one for four years and it works great. It shouldn't take you out of work for a day, the actual procedure takes 5-10 minutes and there is no anesthesia so no recovery time -- you can be in and out of the office in under an hour.

The insertion is uncomfortable but once it's done you can forget about birth control (and most women don't get periods either) for the next five years. Then you can convince your spouses it's their turn for a minor procedure. That hasn't been a popular idea around here either.

Caitlin

Oh, Anne, if only it were that simple. I have been pushing the vasectomy for YEARS.

In the beginning the conversations would degenerate into me screeching "Why won't you do this? Afraid it will ruin your chances for kids with your second wife?!"

Then, I would remind him on a regular basis about what my body went through during the pregnancy and delivery, episiotomy and all, and told him it was his turn to sacrifice.

Then I threatened NO VASECTOMY = NO SEX.

Lately, I have been scattering vasectomy info randomly around the house for him to find.

Just recently, he surprised me with his announcement that he is ready. It is all about baby steps, I suppose. Men and their precious man parts.

Caitlin - the IUD sounds interesting, but I think I am weary from bearing the brunt of all this contraception. In my house, it will probably be a face off by the end of the year between the old SNIP SNIP and abstinence.

I use Restasis drops in my eyes for dry eye problems, but that's my only prescription. My years of needing Celexa for being "batshit crazy" seem to be over. Thanks for putting up with me through that. Seriously. This blog family was therapeutic.

Laurie just tell him VASECTOMY = BLOWJOBS
Surely Tim will be excited about that.

I just want to give another shout-out on behalf of the unfairly maligned IUD. I have the Paragard, which is made of copper wire and is one of the safest and most effective methods of b.c. out there (as far as pregnancy goes). Rates of pregnancy compare to the pill and correctly-used condoms (i.e. 99% effective in preventing unwanted preg). I could never ever ever take the pill again and never would. No more hormones, please, thank you.

The IUD is uncomfortable for about 3 days (the first day being the most uncomfortable) and strange-feeling for the first few weeks, but then your body adjusts and you don't have to do ANYTHING--ANYTHING--about b.c. for 5-10 YEARS. That's not bad for $200.

And I don't take any prescription meds! Just fish oil and glucosamine.

Lexapro.
I find the Newsweek cover hard to believe. They say that recent studies say that people felt better for a placebo as often as they felt better from anti-depressants.
I just don't buy it. I feel better when I take my Lexapro and it's not 'cause I THINK it works! It just does.

LFMD, my husband drove himself home from his vasectomy and played soccer within weeks. It was really nothing. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the Mirena IUD would not eliminate your concern about hormones. Good luck!

Rebecca: let's not go that far. That's just crazy talk.

Joanna: your husband is a rock star.

My 40th birthday present(in 4 years) will be James' getting snipped. He has no problem with it and for that I am thankful. I have been on different forms of the pill since I was 19 and would love to go off of it. I tried, but got a horrible cyst(sorry boys) and my fabulous doctor at the time(Neva) and I decided I should just stay on the pill so I don't get more cysts. I was going to do an IUD.
LFMD and Rebecca, you both made me laugh out loud.

That's what I'm known for, LFMD!!!

LFMD - let me sing you the praises of the Mirena IUD! As effective as a tubal and NO PERIODS.
Hurts slightly when you put it in and but then you are fine. Love it. Recommend it to everyone.

The hormones in Mirena are very minimal (just progesterone and mostly a localized effect). I totally respect the idea of "no hormones" but for most women between 40-50 periods are a nightmare and progesterone wanes making them feel yucky. The Mirena takes care of both the irregulary heavy bleeding of perimenopause and, I believe, is much less risky than estrogen, plus think of how much you save by skipping the feminine hygeine aisle.
Believe me, if you are used to birth controls pills you will not enjoy those regular periods again once you stop that pill. It's like being a teenager again.

I love the way comments on Ian's post about meds have become a birth control conversation among women. ;-)

While I was thrilled to "magically" get pregnant at age 40 (after infertility issues and then adopting kids), now that I'm in my late 50s and still dealing with teenagers and their academic travails and college apps and dermatologist visits and curfews blah blah, and feeling as if my husband and I will NEVER stop working because we'll be paying off tuition loans forever.... I applaud people who know when to stop adding to their families.

I love our youngest with my heart and soul, but I also have gray hairs, sleepless nights, and discouraging retirement prospects. :-)

Yes, Anne, I think with talk of "snipping" and unruly perimenopausal periods, we've driven away the male readership.

A multivitamin and Vit D when I remember to take 'em. I am doing a round of abx this week and hope that cures what ails me.

A hepatic adenoma (a benign liver tumor) that ruptured and nearly killed me coming home from watching the Heels play the Hawaii tourney in '99 put me off the pill forever. Of course, infertility solved the subsequent dilemma.

Then for a period of about five years, I would have answered your question with the following: lupron, bravelle, gonal f, progesterone in oil, lo-dose hcg, ganirelix, hcg, medrol, and a couple other drugs whose names escape me at the moment. So thankful I have my boys and I'm done with that stuff, though I did come away with the nifty skill of being able to quickly draw meds and shoot up like a proper junkie.

And excuse the hijack, but I'd love to know what kind of school you're looking at for Lucy, if you don't mind sharing. I just went through the agonizing process for Connor - there are so many options here in Charlotte (public, private, religious, charter, magnet, neighborhood school, language school, traditional school, Montessori, etc) - and I also made the comment that I didn't put this much thought into choosing Carolina. We ultimately went with the small Catholic school in our neighborhood, but there were a couple of great options that made the decision a difficult one. My friend are all struggling and most of them are praying they have luck with the lottery system our county uses.

We don't have an interview, but we do have get Connor tested - some kindergarten readiness assesment - as part of his Catholic school application.

Neva, I wanted an IUD after my 3rd was born. I was not ready for a permanent solution yet, and I thought that was my best option. However, my OB/GYN refused to do it because they are a "Pro-Life" office. She claimed that it was like having an abortion every month because the egg would be fertilized, but not able to implant. Isn't that insane? I haven't been back to see her, and my husband had the big V soon afterwards, but I thought it was outrageous. I live in Southern California - not some bible belt region!

Wow, Rebecca. That's pretty extreme, and pretty wrong. I've heard that story before about IUDs but there is just as much backing for other ways that it works.
I hope she is willing to refer to others who do put in IUDs otherwise she shouldn't be practicing.

Wow, guys really are scared off by vasectomies, huh. I can't say it's an inspirational topic.

I wonder what the ratio is of men vs. women on antidepressants. It's got to be a lot more women, I'd think...

Ian, I agree about the male/female antidepressant ratio for several reasons (based on my experience and those of many friends) 1. Women's hormonal cycles, and then the rollercoaster of perimenopause, make us vulnerable to mood swings and depression. 2. Women are more likely to admit to their feelings and seek help from doctors or therapists.

The 2nd item may be shifting more toward the middle, but there are still a lot of macho attitudes about "shrinks" etc. that prevent men with mood disorders from getting help via therapy and/or meds.

I don't get the vasectomy/snipping phobia or why it's an "eek" topic for men. I'd think y'all would be happy not to have to worry about birth control and especially (if you're monogamous) not to have to use a condom. It's just two teeny tubes (think vermicelli) in your balls, guys, not your precious penis being cut off! You're numb during the procedure, and the soreness is temporary and can be managed with ice packs and some OTC painkillers. My guy actually watched the surgeon do his vasectomy and said it was fascinating.

Afterward you will still get erections and ejaculate just the same as before. You'll be a real man! Yes, women can have their fallopian tubes tied, but it's more invasive (even when done laparoscopically these days) than a vasectomy.

Honestly, men! I had major (medically indicated) plastic surgery done --a 5-hour procedure with a month of recovery at home -- five years ago, and THAT was scary and horrific to look at afterward until everything healed. Don't go all wussy on me about a couple of little holes. :-)

Maybe I just don't know enough about this, but why don't you gals get your tubes tied instead of pushing the vasectomy? Is it really an issue of worrying your hubby will then have kids with someone else, or what? I mean, it's only fair that men do the honors after all the pills you've taken, but if you are that concerned I'm just curious why you wouldn't tie the tubes.

JJE- My son is at PDS where I also went to school. We love it there and it's a great fit for him. However, the enrollment process almost gave me a nervous breakdown.

Nasonex. Singulair. And if I have anything worthwhile to eat or drink, Pepcid AC.

CM - here is your answer..
Tubal ligation is a more major surgery than vasectomy, and carries greater risks. Postoperative complications are more likely than with vasectomy, and more costly. For instance, in industrialized nations, mortality is 4 per 100,000 tubal ligations, versus 0.1 per 100,000 vasectomies

I have personally seen an otherwise healthy young woman die after a tubal. Personally, as long as an IUD is available and I am a candidate (and it is equally effective - which it is!) I see no reason to sign up for a surgical procedure that might kill me.

Ambien.

I take ambien practically every night because I can't fucking sleep. In the past month, I went one night without it. I get 30 pills a month, 10mg and I do my very best to break them in half each night and only take 5mg.

I keep telling myself that it's a psychological addiction. That I can stop. Part of it is that I keep the worst hours in the world. I become alive and creative around 10pm and feel that way until 3am. Oftentimes, I take the ambien to try to sleep earlier, like at midnight.

I am trying so hard to squeeze myself into the normal cycles of the world. Blessedly, I have a job where I don't have to go in until 11 or noon most days and I don't keep regular hours. But I have another job on Fridays that requires a ten hour day and I get royally screwed each Friday as the 7am alarm goes off.

I live in fear of trips. I remember once upon a time when I slept just fine. I think it was 2001 when I started sleeping like crap.

Some days, I feel just fine about the fact that I take a pill every night to sleep. But now and then, it makes me feel self-conscious or I wonder what a potential partner might think or I wonder if I'm just not trying hard enough to get off of it.

The going rate for a vasectomy in Fairbanks went from $850 to $3300 in the last two years, following a hospital-clinic merger. So, I'm checking youtube for DIY videos; maybe call that vet that treats sled dogs in the villages. What does the procedure cost where you live?

Neva - thanks. I just had no idear.

anneonimus, have you been under stress? If so, I have some ideas . . .

Hmmm, my comment from yesterday never posted. I'm guessing that one of my meds is blocked by your filter... Or maybe it's a liberal conspiracy to keep me silent - IT WILL NOT WORK!

Joanna, that's the thing. I'm not really stressed at all. I have times of stress, but this seems to be a stand alone thing.

Hmmm, anneonimus, then I may not be of any help. I know cortisol levels, which impact circadian rhythms, can get out of whack with stress. I'm not sure if that's the case without stress. It may be worth exploring because nutritional and lifestyle changes can normalize cortisol patterns and levels.

Coming in late here, but...

I've had unexplained hives for 3 months now.
I take 6 (yes, six) Zyrtec, 2 Zantac (also has antihistamine in it though most take it for heartburn), and 1 Singulair...daily. And, that doesn't eliminate the hives, only tempers them somewhat. Sucks.