Which birth control should I get?

Question

I recently started having sex so I need to go on birth control. I can’t swallow pills but bc is small but I still don’t know if I’ll be able to take it and I might always forget. But the IUD seems really scary to me and I’m scared it’s going to hurt a lot.

Answer

I’m a birth control know-it-all.
So I’ll take you through the pros and cons of each available method. You said in a comment you can’t get an implanon so I’ll leave that one out.
Pills! 
Everybody likes the pill for some reason. Well you can simply quit taking them if you want, if the side effects are too bad. That’s nice. Pills ease cramps and the combined pill can clear hormonal acne up a bit. The combined pill is 99.8 percent effective but only and I mean ONLY when taken at the exact same time each and every day. Even being off by an hour can allow your body to commence ovulation. 
The other pill is the mini pill, and it doesn’t have the good side effects of the combined pill because it doesn’t contain estrogen, it only contains progesterone, most commonly levonorgestrel. 
A side note on side effects, while the only type of estrogen in birth control is ethinyl estradiol, there are numerous types of progesterone. Meaning your body may have different side effects for each type. Levonorgestrel is the most common progesterone, and that is what is in the IUD, morning after pill, and certain birth control pills. 
Back to the mini pills, they aren’t as effective as the combined pill and they don’t have as many good side effects. Perfectly taken, they’re about 97 percent effective.
The depo provera shot!
It might be easier for you to keep up on but you’ll need to see a doctor and get a shot every 3 months. The depo shot is 99.9 percent effective when you have no gaps in time between your shot wearing off and getting a new one.
However, depo provera contains only progesterone and high amounts of it, since they only give you a shot once every three months. The side effects can be severe.
The patch! The xulane patch is similar to the combined pill. It has the same good side effects and is as effective but instead of popping a pill every day, you apply a little patch to your skin once a week and leave it there. On the same day every week, take the old one off and put a new one on a different part of your body. You can put it anywhere you’d like. It would be easier to remember than popping a pill every day.
The Nuva Ring.
The nuva ring is also like the pill and the patch but instead, you insert a rubbery clear ring into your vagina and leave it there for 3 weeks. You only have to worry about it once a month unless it falls out or bothers you during sex. 
The IUD
There are two kinds of IUDs. Hormonal and non hormonal. The non hormonal is 99.4% effective and is god for 10 years. It uses it placement in the uterus to deter sperm, and it contains copper coils on the stems to also ward away sperm and create a more toxic environment within the uterus. It can make your periods more painful and heavy, but there are no hormonal side effects. They can be painful to insert, but once they are in you don’t have to worry about it, and you’ll still get a normal period to keep your mind at ease. It’s called ParaGard.
The hormonal iuds include, at least where I live, Mirena, Kyleena, Skyla, and Liletta. They are all pretty similar, and they all do the same thing. Skyla, Kyleena and liletta all are approved for younger women and women without children. They work by multiple ways, and they are 99.8 percent effective as well. They work simply by existing in the uterus to confuse sperm, but they also contain levonorgestrel to thicken your cervical mucus (the sticky stuff that might show up in your underwear from time to time) and to thin out the walls of your uterus, which might lighten your period and ease cramps. The hormones are also very minimal because they don’t have to go through your bloodstream to work.
All in all I hope this helps! Ask me anything! And good luck on your birth control journey.

Answer

I’m on the pill and I would recommend it. The pills are really small and I don’t think you would have a problem swallowing them.

Answer

I Have an IUD and it’s wonderful. The doctor puts it in during an office visit. Not painful.... slight cramping for a few minutes and then BAM  you now have birth control for 10 years without having to think about it. How awesome is that?! You do not have to have children to get an IUD either.

Answer

The nuvring is great and you leave in 3 weeks and take it out for 1

Answer

I don’t use birth control, but I’d use an IUD if I did. They have lower doses of hormones, less side effects, super effective, and it’s extremely low maintenance. They make IUDs specifically for women who haven’t had children yet.

Answer

I have the little rod in my arm and I have zero problem with it. it didn't hurt when I got it and I have had it for a year and 4 months and it's good for 3 years

Answer

You could try the shot or the implant. A lot of times the iud is recommended for women who've already had kids

Answer

i love the patch!

Answer

I got the Depo shot for years I loved it

Answer

patch is good. Depo is horrible

Which birth control should I get?

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