Swingers' preferred birth control method?

[AngelandTiger 364]

I'm curious as to what methods are most common in the Lifestyle. I had a vasectomy quite some time ago, and that's our method. The friends we play with have as well. My wife can't do hormonal contraceptives because of a medical condition.

 

Any other couples here in which the man is infertile but the woman isn't? How do you handle that? Obviously, we prefer vasectomy, but just as obvious is our condoms ALWAYS rule. Unfortunately, she's allergic to spermicides, so barrier methods are out. We may look into IUD's, but are mainly curious what others with similar circumstances do?

[funcoupledayton 2,708]

My husband has a vasectomy, which he got long before we considered swinging, now I have my tubes tied.

 

For a couple years before I got my tubes tied we mostly played with people where the husband had a vasectomy. I use condoms with everyone except my husband. After I determined I wanted to continue swinging I got my tubes tied. Condoms, when used properly are good birth control, but I was still nervous. I felt better about not relying on condoms for birth control and taking responsibility for myself. We continue to use condoms now to reduce the risk of STD's.

 

IUD's are a great option. You still need to use condoms because STD's and IUD's together can lead to serious infections.

 

There is a new method of sterilization for women called Essure, it can be done in the office. They insert small coils in the fallopian tubes that cause scarring.

[SW_PA_Couple 4,023]

I had a vasectomy many years ago but I don't bother telling this to any prospective playmate. Any woman in the lifestyle should be suspicious of any man's claim of being V-safe. Condoms should be used in any case for prevention of STD. Condoms in combination with birth control pill or patch or IUD seem to be what the gals who have not yet reached menopause use, in my circle of acquaintances.

[Fours Company 169]

Vasectomy with the wife going through premature menopause about a year later. Yeah, I know, what a waste that was ! This was all years before entering the LS and since depending on the situation, we usually use protection and seek women her age, concerns of pregnancy are not even on our radar.

[junkyard38 21]

I have had the vasectomy done after our forth child was born. After it was performed, every two years thereafter, I went in to make sure the vas tube did not reconnect. Now that becomes moot, for the majority of my playmates have or are going thru menopause.

[carebear 90]

Check into the Essure. I was thinking about it, then I found several websites where women were reporting horrible side effects including allergic reactions to the nickel in the device. I changed my mind lol. There's another device that does the same thing, but it's not metal. Still read about horrible side effects.

 

Talking to the doctor tomorrow about my options, but I'm leaning toward getting my tubes tied. Getting my hormone levels checked too. Should be a fun visit.

 

On that note, I was reading accounts of women having side effects from tubal ligation as well, but I think most of them had it done during a c-section. If you've had it done, what was your experience?

[angelkin 1,326]

I had a tubal a long time before I started swinging. My first husband had a vasectomy, but when we divorced, I didn't want more children and after a few years on the depo shot, I got those suckers tied off, LOL. It was a fairly easy surgery, I went home same day and was back to normal in a week or so. That was 15 years ago, so I can imagine that medicine has come a long way since then.

[funcoupledayton 2,708]

I had mine done the same time as an endometrial ablation. I read that some women have chronic pelvic pain after having their tubes tied with c-sections or ablations. My Dr. does them with ablations all the time so I felt comfortable. She did a hysteroscopy d&c before the ablation. I had no problems and am very happy. Any surgery can have negative effects. I knew I did not want to be awake and didn't want to do the follow up test required for the essure sterilization so tubal ligation was a good choice for me.

[carebear 90]

Ok, I'm thinking a tubal and follow up hormone therapy, cuz I think my hormones are out of whack. Had a blood test today to check for sure. My nurse practitioner gave me sample Nova Ring but since then I've read some of the issues (ring toss, anyone?) and decided that's probably not going to work. Too fussy lol! My mind tends to wander enough during sexy fun time without worrying about the darn thing.

[sunbuckus 3,567]

Check into the Essure. I was thinking about it, then I found several websites where women were reporting horrible side effects including allergic reactions to the nickel in the device. I changed my mind lol. There's another device that does the same thing, but it's not metal. Still read about horrible side effects.

 

Talking to the doctor tomorrow about my options, but I'm leaning toward getting my tubes tied. Getting my hormone levels checked too. Should be a fun visit.

 

On that note, I was reading accounts of women having side effects from tubal ligation as well, but I think most of them had it done during a c section. If you've had it done, what was your experience?

 

I checked out the alternative options to tubal ligation but it seemed that having something permanently inserted into the body might be a worse idea than someone going in and severing the tubes. I had my tubal ligation done last December (I made a promise to myself to have some kind of permanent birth control after I turned 30) and there was some pretty yucky shoulder pain (because they put air into you to move body parts around to see what they're doing). And I was dizzy for several hours afterward the procedure but it wore off. As long as you can "shoulder" the pain (haha!) then I'd go with the tubal. I wish I could have gotten the ablation at the same time but my doctor wanted to check for any fibroids beforehand and did that during the tubal. I haven't returned yet to get the ablation because even though I'd love to bleed a lot less (or not at all!) I'm still unsure about it because of all the horror stories that women have afterwards.

 

Mr. Sun had his vasectomy about 4 months before I had my procedure. However, we still use condoms whenever we swing with others.

[AR1547 131]

You'd be amazed at the number of swingers who throw caution to the wind and don't use condoms, I was. We don't even look for that, but we keep finding it.

[Playful1 434]

I'm on the pill.

 

Many many condoms come without spermicide now. Try them. In particular, the non latex ones are great.

 

Most of the women I know use condoms regardless of their tubes or pills or whatever. You might not get pregnant, but, you can still get STI's with your tubes tied or a vasectomy.

 

I am latex allergic and allergic to spermicide. I use the plain lubed non-latex condoms and they work great.

[sparkstar 128]

I was on the pill, then had the arm implant which was perfect. We don't use condoms with trusted friends or people who have a recent certificate to show they are clean.

 

I had my arm implant taken out when we decided to start trying for a baby six months ago, since then my male partners have to use condoms for vaginal sex.

[Chicup 41]

I'm still firing live ammo, but even after a v you should use those condoms. Now that I've found the proper fitting condom I really don't mind using them at all.

[M1F2KTJ 473]

My current wife is "fixed" so there is no need to worry about getting pregnant which makes "bareback" sex awesome. My first wife that I've had the majority of my experiences with used birth control, the pill, which made bareback sex even more exciting for those of you familiar about the 99% effective claim. We required condoms from total strangers that we invited to play while on vacation or met by chance at a bar. All others were someone we had gotten to know, usually over years.

[JustAskJulie 2,595]

My hubby had a vasc a couple of years ago, when I was no longer able to take bc pills due to health issues. We both still use condoms while swinging.

[AngelandTiger 364]

We always use condoms, and will continue no matter what.

[howie1222 33]

As a gynecologist I tell my patients that there is only one guaranteed method of birth control: total abstinence! Even tubals and vasectomies sometime fail. I have delivered babies for women whose tubals failed or whose husbands' vasectomies failed. (There were lots of accusations of her having an affair until he got a sperm count done.) Probably the safest and surest method is to use a condom along with a tubal or vasectomy.

[jonburt 22]

We use condoms, combined with the pill.

[intuition897 2,179]

I had a tubal ligation a couple of years after our second was born. It's worked GREAT! I was on Depo Provera, which worked, and as an added bonus prevented having any periods, but every 3 months I went in for my shot and I'd gained 5 lbs. Over a year, it adds up. So...got my wings clipped.

 

Having a permanent solution to birth control is not for everyone, but we've got two kids and I knew I sure didn't want to start over again with the diapers and snotty noses. My kids are probably going to need therapy as it is; no need to subject any more to my parenting. So I went for it. Just before they wheeled me in to knock me out, they asked one final time, was I sure I wanted this? I started crying. They started to panic, so I had to assure them that no, I was fine, I was just recognizing how final it is, and that this was me saying goodbye to a stage in my life. My childbearing years are finished.

 

Once it was done, it was game on! No looking back, and no regrets!

[Branched1 21]

I see a lot of posts related to wearing a condom during vaginal sex but at clubs me and the spouse see a lot folks not wearing condom while performing oral. Are there no concerns about STI/STD's when performing oral?

[Baconheads 426]

I have a vasectomy and my GF does the pill. As we are soft, we don't feel the dire need to use rubbers doing oral, as it is a lower risk activity, by the books. (We both have healthy gums!) There is no perfect protection against STD's other than abstinence. We bring rubbers to play even though we are softies, you never know when you're going to meet that perfect couple...

[GoldCoCouple 4,064]

I think that most swingers are much more aware and careful of STD's than the 'average' person so using condoms are more of a rule than the 'average' encounter. Most times when we are playing it is usually soft (hate saying 'play' and 'soft' in the same sentence ). Ms. Gold has 'the pill' but when the situation arises, condoms are a requirement.

[Fi86 78]

I've used the pill, implant, and pull out method at various different times.