Monday 20 July 2009

Look at the size of the needle on this thing!

Perhaps I shouldn't blog about something quite so personal (contraception), but what the heck!?

I had an earlier than normal postnatal check-up - 4 weeks rather than 6 weeks - as I wanted to be cleared to drive again. Everything is healing up nicely and I 'passed' all the exercises to prove I could drive safely. Yay! The doctor then decided to give me the 'contraception talk'. Only a doctor would be thinking contraception just a month after birth. The memory of the latter stages of pregnancy and having a baby are contraceptive enough, thanks very much. Mind you I do know someone who got pregnant 5 weeks after having a baby. 5 weeks!! If Mr Earplugs gets any ideas he'll be getting the stick treatment - I'll be beating him off with one. If there is an opportunity for sex then there's an opportunity for sleep and I know which one I'd rather have just now!

The easiest option would be for Mr Earplugs to have the snip, but since he's a lot younger than me he may well want to have more children should I fall under a bus! And really it's me who doesn't want any more children as at nearly 44 I think I'm lucky to have had Nipper and Tiddler. I did consider being sterilised during the c-section but it has a higher failure rate if done then and we really didn't want to be worrying about that. So, after much discussion, we decided that the hormonal implant would be the best option. It's a matchstick sized implant which is put in your upper arm and can stay in place for up to 3 years. Apparantly you need much less hormone than with the oral pill as it's being delivered straight into your blood stream, there are less problems with other drug interactions, and you don't have to worry about whether it's been absorbed if you are sick or have a tummy upset. Best of all you don't have to remember to take it.

I filled the prescription and was a bit confused when the pharmacist gave me a large bag - it's just a small implant, right? Well, the implant is small but I hadn't given much thought as to how it would be put in place. Just look at the applicator and check out that whopping needle (it's the whole section to the left of my thumb!)

The practice nurse was a real sweetie and gave me 3 shots of local anaesthetic in my upper arm, followed by a fourth for good measure. She was chatting to me about local schools (our LEA is one of the worst in the country) to keep my mind occupied but when she came at me with the needle my mind went blank and I must have been talking gibberish! I didn't look (would you have done??!) but I didn't feel a thing. She covered the area with steristrips and bandaged me up. Seems a bit extreme doesn't it?


Well, check out what it looked like when I took the bandage off the following morning:


So much for the bandage minimising any bruising. It's still rather sore now and I think it's going to be quite a few more days before the bruising fades. Thank goodness I only need to have this done once every three years.

I hate to think how they are going to get the implant out though - 'scalpel please nurse' I think!!

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12 comments:

  1. oh my gosh. looking at the needle, and your arm for that matter, made my heart jump into my throat. oh.

    my huband got the snip after our youngest was born, but he was certain he didnt want anymore children. the vasectomy can be reversed, but its costly and most insurance companies dont cover it. (at least here in the states.)

    and this here:: If there is an opportunity for sex then there's an opportunity for sleep and I know which one I'd rather have just now! Hilarious!

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  2. Oooh, I feel a touch queasy now! My husband had the snip after Anna was born four years ago,and it's been a real blessing for our sex life! No worries about slipping up - and brilliant for spontaneity. Too much info? Well, you started it!

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  3. Ouch! I was thinking of having that but I think I've changed my mind now!

    Mel xxx

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  4. omg your arm looks terrible!!!
    If we're sharing info.... I'm now on my 2nd implant & I never was as bad as that. I did leave the bandage on for a while though & it was very tight to stop that from happening. I didn't like the idea of having it taken out but it was ok. I do have a scar now on my arm but no one else notices it. You can move the implant around inside your arm, it looks like it's going to pop out... great party trick!!
    Best thing I've ever done, it's was a bit worrying when I had it done last year as he said this may be the last time 'cos of my age. He wanted me to be sure I didn't want children as the implants cost so much they don't like taking them out before the 3 years are up... I felt really old :(
    Very funny post :)

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  5. Ooh thats a big one!!! It looks nasty! In answer to the rose syrup question, I get it from the cash and carry, but I put in a search on the net and there were lots of suppliers such as this one verdecoffee.com. I use these syrups in coffee too. At the moment I have rose, vanilla and cinnamon but there are lots more flavours. X

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  6. Yikes! Why don't they have a contraceptive for the guys?

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  7. Hey thanks for visiting my blog.
    That implant does not look very fun.

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  8. Oh my - owwwchhh!! I would still keep that stick in handy.

    Nina x

    ps. Hello!

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  9. What the what?!
    Ouchy ouchy on your arm. I have to agree with Tammie in that M having the snip was the best thing for us.....in all ways too! Just one day of discomfort (no sympathy from me after three natural drug free births!) and a lifetime of stressfree, well, you know, rumpy pumpy.

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  10. Oh that looks sore, things we women have to do eh. Bet you're looking forward to the menopause, I can recommend it.

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  11. An interesting post Tilly. When I had my last baby 7 years ago, the same things were spoken about ie sterilised during the c-section and the implant. I didn't know about the failure rate so that is interesting.

    I changed my mind about the implant before it was due to be done.

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  12. Oh, good grief.

    You see, I'm not such a nice wife as you. I think more along the lines of: I've been through child birth twice. I'm quite happy for my husband to get the snip. I'd actually volunteer to do the cutting. If I get run over by a bus, I'm more worried about whether my kids will eat take-out for the rest of their childhood than whether my husband wants to knock-up some other lass!

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