Monday, November 13, 2006

Time for some girly talk!



Men, if you're out there, you're officially excused.

Now that it's just us girls, let's talk. WARNING: Possible TMI ahead.

Here's my dilemma.

I've been on the pill nearly the entire time I've been married. I went off of it after the first year, and a year and a half later, I got pregant with Little AM. I was nursing her, so the dr. put me on Micronor (the mini-pill). And GAWD, did it make me crazy. It was really, really awful, but I didn't want to fall for that whole "you can't get pregant while breastfeeding" thing, 'cause it's like NOT TRUE, so I stayed on it.

Then, a couple of months before I moved out here, back when I still had insurance, I got back on Tri-Cyclen. Much, much better. Problem was, once I moved out here (and had no insurance) even though I had a prescription, no one would fill it for me because I didn't have a doctor here.

After about a year off of the pill, I got pregnant again. I had no insurance, and Jason wasn't working, so I got on Medicaid. However, I lost the baby almost immediately. But, because I was on Medicaid, the state paid for me to get back on the pill.

Problem here: I was significantly more overweight that I am now, and my blood pressure was up, so I had to be put back on the mini-pill. In fact, before my visit last year (when I'd lost a bit of weight) I had to go in every three months and get my BP checked before they'd give me another three packs of pills. However, this past time, it was normal, so they gave me the whole year. But they kept me on Micronor. So now I'm back to the four-day-period-every-two-and-a-half-weeks thing. AWFUL!

Now, here is the dilemma part. I've been getting my stuff from the Health Department. Hate it, but I still have no insurance. It's time for my visit again, but last month I was sent a paper saying I had to requalify. And then I promptly lost the paper. I don't know if I'd qualify again, because last time, Jason wasn't working and I was making about $1.50 less an hour than I am now. And now, I'm wondering if I should even go back on the pill, or find some other, over-the-counter way to keep from having another baby.

(It's not that I wouldn't like to have another one, I just think for a myriad of reasons it isn't the best thing for us right now. Like, the fact that my job has no paid maternity leave, and I can't be out of this office for six weeks anyway because there would be no one to do my job. And the whole child-care issue. And the whole "we live in a two-bedroom house" issue.)

I know this must sound INCREDIBLY selfish to people who want children and have been unable to have them. For that, ladies, I apologize. I do not mean this to sound that way.

Now, I need suggestions. Short of me (or, preferably, Jason) getting snipped, what other things have you used? I know this may seem like an odd question to ask the Internet, but I'm the only married woman of childbearing age at my job and my church, and most of my friends either aren't married or have finished having kids and took care of things permanently.

So, to sum up: Help!

5 comments:

Lissete said...

Simple. No hanky panky! LOL! I am not much help since I am fixed. (Is that spayed or neutered?) Anyhoo, the only things that I ever used was a diaphragm (Hated) & the sponge (OK) Neer took pills because of my chol./heart. I've heard that the patch thing works pretty well & the injection thing too, but that's not OTC. So, like I said, I am not much help :)

Valerie said...

first off, no offense taken! so relax, sweetie!

i always liked the sponge...worked well, easy to use, and um...not detectable, if you know what i mean!

Melissa said...

Actually, you've both been tons of help. That was just the kind of input I was needing. Thanks girls!

Jolene George said...

We've never had insurance and it's been a pain in the rear. Before I had my tubes tied after our 5th child, we used "foam". I liked it. It was inexpensive, and over the counter. We never got pregnant using it and I used it inbetween all of my babies. Plus you only need to use it when you...ummmm...hook up with your hubby. :o)

Anonymous said...

*lalalalalalalala - I can't hear you!*

This is a bit much for my virgin eyes! At least when it's about my sister and her husband!