I'm a Teen! I have a Question!

[Zoe]

Hello ...v.(^_^)
So...I couldn't think of a question so I grabbed my copy of "Our Bodies, Ourselves" (I'm seventeen and I bought that book, am I weird?) and opened right up to the page to the Patch. I do in fact have questions on the patch.

I'm in drum corps so I am very physically active in the summer with lots of sweating and lots of showering with 50 other girls. My question is, how noticeable is the patch? Are the other girls going to see the patch and think 'ew she smokes/has wild crazy mad sex!'? Or even better, is the patch going to come off with all the running around and showering? (Or with the wild crazy mad sex?)

And then of course I've heard that the patch isn't even available anymore. Or that it doesn't work on some people. Or that people can't use it if they have a history of migraines.

*thus concludes the first teen with questions post*

[CollegeMonk]

If that is a concern then maybe you should consider other forms of birth control. Have you considered depo? You get a shot every three months, and that's about it. You just have to remember to make your appointments.

I hear the shot isn't too bad either.

[Icarus]

I'm not a fan of The Shot. Out of all the birthcontrol i hear the most negative things about it's the shot. Just because it messes with your biology so much that it really can have some adverse affects. Weight gain is one side affect that no one likes. And i've heard several cases where girls were getting pregnant on the shot. Sure it lasts for three months but.... i have a hard time recommending/telling people about it.

[Laura]

Personally, I don't trust the "window" method that much, at least not with just counting the days - after all, every person is different. But I know that there are sort of testing sticks (with which you can test your urine for hormones) so you can see from your urine whether you're fertile or not, so you can either use a condom or leave it be. At least these tests exist in Europe, I don't know whether they also exist in the US.
But as Nick has mentioned, you should only use that method if you're ablutely sure your partner won't be sleeping around and you've both been tested for STDs. After all, pregnancy isn't the only issue you want to avoid by using contraception - even though pregnancy is usually somewhat more permanent than most infections.

[Icarus]

If you're worried about people noticing the patch. There are several other types of birth control. Like for example The Ring. The Ring sits up inside the vagina and rests up against the cervix and can sit there for 3 weeks. So it lasts even longer then the patch. And the thing is Zoe that all types of birth control work differently for different people. One thing will work for one while it will have different affects on others. It's all about your specific biological make up. And also remember that a lot of girls take birth control to regulate their periods. So many of those girls running around in that steamy shower room most likely are on some kind of birth control too. :)

I'd recommend talking to a doctor to see what would best fit your lifestyle.

[amanda Jones]

i asked my dr about the patch because i was haveing trouble taking the pill. my dr said that it increses the chance of blood clots (not to scare you or anything). he recamended the nuva ring and i have not had trouble with it but i wasn't sexually active then (i was on brithcontrol to help my period) . but with the nuva ring iyou might feel uncombale with it during sex (talked to friends aout it) they say i pushes up and hurts so they take it out during sex. the best way to find out is ask your dr and then resech what your dr recomends the best site that i found works for me i webmd.com it;s a medical website that can help you look up medication and also to look up sytoms. it also gives u what others think about the medication.