Advice for Birth Control
 

Hi ladies! Next year my partner and I are planning an extended trip from our home (Canada), through Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, etc., and we are trying to work out the small details.

I am currently taking birth control pills, and am wondering if any other ladies out there went travelling while on the pill. That sounds strange, but I was wondering how you dealt with carrying supply. 12 packs of pills doesn't take up a lot of room (enough, but not loads), but you can't store them at high heat temperatures. Someone suggested 'the patch' but that also needs to be changed weekly, and I am concerned it might melt off in the heat.

Think about a mirena coil. Also negates the need for a 'pill check' every six months.

I'd be wary of buying supplies in third world countries as some are counterfeit.

Hiya

My wife wrote the following a few years back if any help?

Girly Stuff
Being blunt about it, I have more personal medical concerns to think about than my male partner. There's not many, and they're not necessarily a big deal, but they need to be thought about.

First and foremost, there's the Pill - and if we're planning on being away for a couple of years, that's a lot of Pills! I did ask the GP, just in case, but he flat out refused to give me any more than 6 months worth of tablets, so that's that avenue closed.

Being sensible about it, the next best thing to rely on is implants. I've not had one before, but I'm assured its a simple matter of a local anaesthetic and a little widget shaped like half a matchstick is snuck under the skin on the inside of my bicep. This will carry on releasing all the hormones it needs to for up to three years, ensuring we don’t end up with a little Burkina or Cameroon (in the Posh and Becks 'Brooklyn' etc style).

By September, I'd had a chat with the doctors about an implant, and they put me on a Pill called Cerazette for a month - its the same hormone that’s in the implant, and is a much better way of finding out if you're ok with the drug before someone takes a scalpel to your flesh! Unfortunately, it made me really queasy most days and apparently a little bit grumpy, although I find that hard to believe! My skin also went bonkers, which was nice. I had a chat with the doctors just in case this was a settling--in thing my body had to do whilst it got used to a different drug, but apparently not - whatever you get with Cerazette, you'll get with the implant, and possibly even more so. So, its a great idea for some people, but not really an option for me.

On the upside though, my doctors have now agreed to give me a 12 month supply of my usual Pill, so that helps a lot.

And what about non-Pill related girly stuff? How many tampons should I really take with me?? There's not really much in the way of optional alternatives here, other than the charming (and apparently slightly nauseating, according to Jason) 'Mooncup'. Go and have a Google - if you haven’t seen one before, its basically a little rubber egg-cup thingy that goes the same place as a tampon, and when its full, you empty it and put it back!! I'm assured by lots of people on its website that its a marvellous creation and they wouldn't be without it, but frankly I'm not sure I'm convinced

No easy solution that one but it has been discussed before in this forum.

See last post of this thread (page 4): http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ellers-36533-4

Useful info.

Cheers,

Hi,

Interesding topic. Friends of my got new pills oin tansania or so after the 6 months supply from europa was finished. Somehow they did not work and they came home with a child. Other travelers (dont want to tell the names her) told me the best option would be sterilisation or spirale...

Have fun, Tobi
Riding the rough west coast through Africa part 3

Thanks for the advice, everyone! Guess I should try the Search function first... :oops2:

I wouldn't believe your doctor 100% when he says medicines are not authentic. At least in Mexico if you go to a large drug store they will be fine. If you are really concerned buy the medication you need in the Drug Store of a Wal Mart. You can get almost all medicines over the counter without a prescription except anti-biotics. I imagine but am not sure the situation is similar in other countries in Central and South America.

YEs I would agree.
My husband takes some medicine for high blood pressure (he has a kidney issue resulting in that!). We travelled for a year in South America and even in Bolivia, we managed to find what he needed, genuine stuff not crap. And much cheaper than in the UK! In Bolivia we were warned by a german doctor in Quito to be careful because most medication are counterfeit but even there, we got to a hospital and managed to buy good stuff.
Speaking panish helped and also going to pharmacies or hospitals. Be careful but you can buy what you need, Keep a box and usually in some countries even antibiotics could be bought if you have a box.
I tend to have regularly bacterial cystitis (which require antibiotics!) and got antibiotics over the counter in Brazil when I was desperate for some! Might not be "allowed" but people usually genuinely try to help you and can overlook the "rules"!

Cheers,

gynecologist tip
 

The best idea for overland travel is the Mirena IUD. Lasts 5 years. The Depot shot is a very poor choice. My two cents. Sara

It's funny that you should mention the IUD in combination with motorcycle travel since it's a running suspicion by my parents that a sunny afternoon ride on a bumpy road is precisely the reason why I am here. They almost named me Kawasaki in honor of how well that IUD worked. :rofl:

Glad it did now your here! Copper T not the same.....failure rate Mirena less than 1% . :clap:

Mirena is ideal. In USA they are rated for 7yrs. I've had it for 5 and since then I've bought tampons once. Most convenient. I'd advise getting it at least 6 months before so your body acclimates. I never did well with the pill, tons of weight gain. This is much better..set it & forget it;).

It's been formally studied; counterfeit rate of medicines around 40-60% in third world. More likely with expensive and essential ones. Unfortunately even buying from a reputable clinic or hospital is no guarantee, but is definitely better than a back street pharmacy.

You pays your money and you takes your choice. Them's the facts.

Evra

its a patch, you need 3 patches for 1 cycle, that makes 36 patches for a year, they stay well in a bag underneath your clother, I used them while travelling and I will quit them in a few months :)
Even if I was sick in India, I was still safe...
Im a little bit scared of taking an injection that contains enough hormones to not make you pregnant the next 5 years... :)
xxx

It might be worth mentioning that if you are taking a broad sepctrum antibiotic such as doxycycline (possibly mis-spelt) for malaria prophylaxis then it will interfere with the contraceptive pill.

Me and the other half have discussed going RTW together when I get back from my solo trip, I'll have to mention the 'love springs internal' option to her!