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Contraception woes
Opinion: The lack of info on the matter can be a bitter pill to swallow.
Like many young girls, when I first set out on my quest for information about contraception, my family doctor (without much consultation or questioning) prescribed me Microlite. It was just assumed that I’d want to go on the pill, and, as far as I was aware there were no other options to be discussed or considered.
A lot of breakthrough bleeding and unpredictable periods later, I found myself back in the surgery to part with another €50 and inform the doctor that Microlite wasn’t really working for me. He simply insisted that I should give it another few months to see 'if my body would adjust to it'.
Having already given Microlite six months of a chance I decided to change to a doctor who would prescribe me something else. Marviol became my pill of choice for two years afterwards.
I noticed after a time that I was becoming less reliable at taking my little white friend every day (not to mention the hassle if you lost one, missed one or forgot what day of the week it was). So, I searched the Internet to see about other options available to me. The implant (Implanon) seemed to be an attractive contender, and the information I gleamed from the web assured me that my local GP would happily perform the procedure and provide me with any further information I required.
So, off I hopped to the doctor’s surgery, where I explained that I wasn't doing so well with Mr. Pill at the moment, and required a form of contraception that was less reliant on...well, my reliability. So I asked about Implanon.
Not only was my local family doctor (who is one of two doctors operating in a village of 6,000 people, most of whom are young parents) not familiar with it (he asked me 'What’s that?'), he told me he didn't know anything about it, and wasn't trained to carry out the procedure I requested. He was also completely incapable of directing me to any other source of information, or able to let me know where I would be able to get the implant. Instead, he forcefully recommended the contraceptive injection, of which I knew nothing about. He didn't enlighten me, but still gleefully proceeded to inject into (as he made a point of noting) my left buttock.
So, I actually had to go home and research what it was I’d just had administered to me, and it turns out that it stops periods completely - fabulous! You don't have to worry or even think about getting another one for three months - fantastic! And it’s more effective than the pill or condoms, which sounds perfect, right?
Well, I wasn't warned in the surgery of any side effects, I wasn't told about its tendency to increase risk of osteoporosis later in life or how long it takes for your periods to return to normal after stopping (so far seven months and counting).
It just seems to me that in this day and age, local GP's should be able to offer a lot more information about the options available to women who want to take responsibility for birth control.
While I realise that various pills come with booklets packed full of information on almost every aspect of how to take and use them, it surprised me that no doctor ever went through with me exactly what they were prescribing, or why they chose to put me on one pill over the other. Every possible option should be on offer and at least discussed.
Particularly with young girls who often find it’s a relationship that will last longer than most of their sexual partners.
By: Rachel Lally
