Copper Birth Control

Because of the ischemic colitis, I can no longer take birth control pills.

For years and years, I took the pill as a way to lessen painful cramps, control PMS, and keep bleeding to a minimum. There was no need for the real purpose for the pill because I was celibate for 16 (or was it 17?) years.

This was not necessarily by choice. I did not date during this time or, if I did, there was nothing beyond a kiss or two. I do remember my ex- from college contacting me in 1990 before I started graduate school--that was the last time I had sex until just recently.

There were probably several reasons why I never went hunting for a man and for sex. Work was one; I was store manager and very into that, very busy. School was another; I was working full-time and going to graduate school at Cleveland State at night to get a Masters of Arts in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Health was another; I worked and educated myself into being sick, too much teeth grinding which led to headaches which led to poor sleeping which led to aches and pains which led to fibromyalgia. (I'm sure it was not such a linear progression but the TMJ did lead to the final diagnosis of FMS.)

And, finally, it was drugs; I was on a variety of anti-depressants and anti-psychotics that made me not give two shits and a good goddamn about much of anything. I was unhappy about no relationships but only in a vague sort of way and hadn't any interest in changing the situation really. I lived with my parents and eked along at work (no longer as manager but in a lower position with less responsibility) with my MA waiting to be finished, nothing published and nothing written and nothing happening at all.

I did make a little effort toward some sort of dating. The Internet helped there. I met several guys and found one with whom I have developed a "friends with benefits" relationship with. This means that we see each other when we can (he's married) and we get to screw each other's brains out. We've known each other for nearly three years now. (This is not what I would prefer but that is a topic for another entry...)

So, since I'm not post menopausal yet, I've done the abortion thing once and don't ever want to go through that again, and can't see bearing a child at 47 and chronically ill, I need birth control.

The ob/gyn suggested an IUD. The IUD was banned for years because of the Dalkon Shield which caused lots of deaths and maimings and other awful things. The doc told me some rather gruesome things about septic abortions and fetuses with IUD's embedded in them. My friend Lillian received a large settlement in the class action suit against Dalkon because she had an ectopic pregnancy caused by the Shield and nearly died.

The some of new and improved IUD's come with copper on them. (The one he is suggesting for me isn't copper and is coated with progesterone.)

The thing is copper is a spermicide. Who would have guessed?

As I was leaving, the doctor tells me that in China, women use copper pennies inserted into their vaginas as birth control.

I retorted, "And they used to use coat hangers to do abortions."

No doubt they still do in China and elsewhere.

I never expected this to be a political commentary but in the end it is. Do you want to go back to coat hangers? Do you want to make health care so expensive that women are forced to use pennies as birth control?

What's wrong with the world that this is true? That this happens?

Pinky says... get out and vote!