PMS, delayed period, pill+cancer?

[laifan.livejournal.com]

Hey people! I'm posting here for a change. So, I have quite a few questions. First of all some background: I'm 22 years old and still a virgin. I have no active sex life at all.

My family doctor perscribed me the pill (diane) when I was 14 because I had intense flow during my periods. I got off it only a few months ago and in those first months my periods were always regular, always appeared on the same day. However, this month it's been a couple of days since it should have appeared and nothing. Also, I'm starting to experience PMS each month, which didn't use to happen while I was on the pill. I'm currently taking Sertraline for depression - think this could be related? I've been taking that antidepressant for over a year now, due to a bad depression I had in 08. I usually use tampons and I was kinda worried for a while that I could have forgotten one in there but I disregarded that cuz I figure if I had, I'd be doubled over in pain by now (if leaving a bit of the plastic there is uncomfortable like hell, I wonder what a whole tampon feels like...)

Also, I read in the leaflet that comes with the pill that it's unadvisable for people with cancer historial in the family to take the pill. I took it for eight years and my mom died of cancer when I was a child - do you think it could have been bad for me? Not that I have noticed anything out of ordinary with my breasts or period besides what I told you. Also, could you point me out some vitamins that can help you with PMS during that week? It doesn't have to be something strong since I'm on Sertraline too. Just, somedays I feel like crawling up the walls or just drown myself. I hate this =_=

Thanks in advance for any help!

Comments

[kirstenlouise.livejournal.com]

From the American Cancer Society (http://www.cancer.org/docroot/cri/content/cri_2_4_2x_what_are_the_risk_factors_for_breast_cancer_5.asp): "Simply being a woman is the main risk factor for developing breast cancer. Although women have many more breast cells than men, the main reason they develop more breast cancer is because their breast cells are constantly exposed to the growth-promoting effects of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Men can develop breast cancer, but this disease is about 100 times more common among women than men." [emphasis mine]

Birth control pills contain estrogen and synthetic progesterone, boosting the levels already in your system and thus increasing your risk for breast cancer.

That doesn't necessarily mean you need to worry, though. I don't know what the rates are, admittedly, but even if taking the pill increased your chances by 100 fold, if they were only, say, 1/100,000 to begin with, that's only a 1/1000 chance. Needless to say, that's not very much, but it all depends on what you start with.

[laifan.livejournal.com]

Hm thanks for the info.