Using FAM as birth control

[thusbands]

I want to get away from hormones so I am thinking of using a combination of FAM and condoms. My only problem is that I have read that if you don't get the right amount of sleep or if you have an illness that can affect your temperature that you shouldn't use FAM. I have Sjogrens which causes me to have interrupted sleep and random fevers among

Comments

[smallmountain27]

I use FAM and condoms to avoid babies and it has worked out very well so far. The temperature thing is very sensitive. If I wake up and pee in the middle of the night my temp will be off, as well as sleeping with an electronic blanket in the winters even if it is on the lowest setting. I don't have any experience with Sjogrens so I cannot speak about using FAM in relation to that but I do know that my charts look all kinds of crazy if I so much as sleep with my window closed on a warm night. Good luck!

[helixaspersa]

I used FAM + condoms for contraception for many years (successfully). For me personally, I have quite a lot of leeway with how much sleep I get etc and still have a nice clear chart. Disturbed nights, hotter/colder than usual, a bit to drink etc, none of these muck up my charts for me, though obviously it takes quite a lot of practice and experience before you are confident of this, and it's best to be as strict as you can be to start with (as per the guides in TCOYF) and mark as 'uncertain' any temps where any other factors are at play. I think a key issue is the size of your temp shift - mine is pretty big, typically a degree to a degree and a half F between the top and bottom which helps as it means small differences don't obscure the shift. I would advise temping in F rather than C as it's a little more fine-grained. Do ask if you have any other questions, I did this for so long (and with very irregular cycles, so really relied on the observations) that I know all the rules inside out

[finding_helena]

I agree with all of this. Some people may find these things disrupt their temps, but some don't. I temped when I was getting up all the time with a 3 month old baby and didn't find lack of sleep disrupted my temperature pattern. So you (OP) could certainly give it a try and see what works for you.

[abinormal]

I've used it to avoid and conceive, and my temps are pretty forgiving too. I can have different bedtimes, wakings, etc and still pretty much maintain the same cycle. Give it a try, with condoms all the time for the first few cycles, and get a read on yourself.

[xallanthia]

I used FAM and non-intercourse (hubby hates condoms) for three years successfully - though it's been two years since I stopped and I'm still not pregnant, so put what you will on that. In any case, you won't know until you try... it might still work for you.

However, if you do find your temps to be unreliable, you may still be able to use FAM by tracking your cervical fluid. This can also be affected by lifestyle (taking decongestants will make it less runny; taking mucinex will make it more so), but isn't as disturbed by sleep problems. Even though it's been two years since I temped daily, I am still generally aware of the state of my fertility by casual CM observation.

[lauralareine]

I do know some people who only use the Billings method of birth control and don't check temperatures at all. I was a bit wary of this at first because my only experience of natural family planning has been FAM, but they seem very happy with their method and it has worked for them. Maybe you could check temperatures as a secondary measure but rely primarily on the Billings method? If you could take some courses of various methods of natural family planning you may be able to find a balance that works for you. In my city, at least, they're offered for free.

Good luck!