Another OTC Question...

[credula823.livejournal.com]

( Does OTC affect your sex drive? )

I have a question...

[dear-lavinia.livejournal.com]

HI. I am on ortho-tricyclin and I am in the middle of a pack. Yesterday I started to get a tiny bit of menstruation-like discharge, and I've gotten more today. It's very light, but I've never had anything like this before. I've been on this for nearly 2 years and the only person I have sex with is my husband, so it's not like I've picked up any diseases by mistake. So I'm just wondering if anyone has any ideas what could be causing this and if I should be concerned. I have a yeast infection right now, but I've had those before and I kind of doubt that it's related....

UGH

[squirt82599.livejournal.com]

Okay - as I mentioned in my last post, about the bump that was like a huge pimple or boil or SOMETHING...Yeah, anyway - - its been there for like a week, getting bigger and bigger, and I finally made an appt for 1:30 this afternoon - - and the flippin thing just popped itself. I could feel it when I was walking (that's how big the sucker got) and it was on the inner part of the labia - - anyway- how can they culture something that POPPED??? *grumbles*

I sat down and my pants pulled a lil tighter in that area because I sat down funny and it freaking broke open.

(no subject)

[inkster.livejournal.com]

I was talking with a co-worker the other day and promised I would pose these questions to find out the answer.

She and her boyfriend have some edible massage oil that they use. She said that she's a bit paranoid about accidentally getting it on his penis and then having intercourse and getting a yeast infection. But to run off to the bathroom to wipe off sort of kills the mood.

The questions are:

1) Would getting some of this massage oil into your vagina cause a yeast infection? I'm guessing yes because of the probable sugar content.

2) Would giving oral and then having intercourse be good enough to clean things up so that the risk of getting a yeast infection would be reduced or eliminated?

I suggested that they could bring a wet washcloth with them, but she said that often using the oil is a spur of the moment decision. Plus, the cloth would get cold sitting there waiting for them to use it.

Thanks for any input!

Complaint and question...

[mommys-alright.livejournal.com]

Why oh why does the lady at my local Planned Parenthood INSIST on lecturing me every time I go there about different things that she's obviously misinformed about? The first time I had to see this particular woman was for a pregnancy test since I had recently started Micronor (on the FIRST DAY of my period) and hadn't gotten a period for 2 months (a common side-effect of this particular pill, but I was still being cautious in going to get the test). It came up negative, but she asked me if I had been using condoms for a month after starting my pill, and when I said no (because I didn't NEED to (monogamous etc.) because I was protected IMMEDIATELY), she freaked out and lectured me about how irresponsible I was and that I needed to come again in 2 weeks to do another pregnancy test. After letting her rant, I calmly explained to her that I had started on the day of my period and, for the second time, explained to her that I was on a POP, and she goes, "Oh, you're on a POP, THAT'S why you're not getting your period." Uh yeah thanks for listening to me and making such wonderful use of the sheet that I filled out stating which pill I was on.

The next time I visited her was about a month later to get a refill of my BCP. After talking with her about the patterns of my cycle (2 months without a period since starting the pill, and then got a period the day before I had this appointment with her), she began to, once again, lecture me about how I should "let myself have a period," by taking my PLACEBOS, instead of taking the pills straight through. Again I explained that I'm on Micronor, a monophasic POP that has no placebo week. She said that I was wrong, and told me to get up and proceeded to point to my birth control pack on a wall chart, explaining that the inner 7 pills are placebos. "Then why are they all the same exact color green?" "I don't know." "Then why does my pamphlet explicitly state, 'Each lime green tablet contains 0.35 mg norethindrone?'" Her response, no joke: "Let me take your blood pressure again." It looks like every time I go there, I am going to have to re-explain to her that each of the 28 Micronor tablets contain 0.35 mgs of norethindrone, no more, no less. And there are NO placebos. I'm really, really beginning to get tired of these "doctors" who don't know what they're talking about. It makes me wonder how many other people they give out false information to. What if I was a different person who wasn't as well informed (thanks to you guys)? Ugh.

Anyway, here's a real question that was brought up in my human sex class last night that nobody knew the answer to:

When women continue to get their period even though they are pregnant, do they just not ovulate? Thanks!

Much <3 for this place

The Keeper Review + Rant

[kerplunkymonkey.livejournal.com]

I typed this up for my personal journal. I originally intended it to be a short review of the Keeper, but it turned into a longer review of periods and society in general. I thought I would share it with all of you ladies.

( Personal Review of the Keeper - Day Two )

x-posted to kerplunkymonkey

(no subject)

[mollyknight.livejournal.com]

i'm so proud of myself! tehe.

went for my first ever gyno exam at the health center here at my school.
i was SO NERVOUS. i knew what to expect and everything but i was still really freaked out. i went in and ended up having a grad student do the exam. at first i was kind of upset that i wasn't getting the "real doctor" but by the end i was relieved to have had her. she was obviously young but really sweet and made me feel very at ease. she had to take my blood pressure three times haha. so yeah i was very nervous. she just did the regular check up/pap smear (didn't hurt but that is one of the strangest feelings ever.) the "regular doctor" came in to check on a few things. turns out i have not quite a yeast infection but kind of. my skin is just really dry/rashy. so i have to go get some monistat cream. i have to go for a glucose test because off blood sugar levels might be the culprit. and, lucky me, there is a ridge in my pelvic bone that makes intercourse painful. woohoo. she said it shouldn't be so bad if i just use a lot of lube. but i'm glad they told me that, cuz it has been rather uncomfortable.

also, they gave me a prescription for Allesse. any comments about this medication?

*pats self on the back*

(no subject)

[lil-ashy.livejournal.com]

Over the past year I have been getting very painful cramps all month round. Period or no period. They resemble period cramps and generally are most intense about three fingers in from my pelvic bone along my panty line.

Often the pain will spread and run down.

I have informed my doctor and have had an ultrasound, but that has just came back fine.

If it isn't ovarian cysts or endometriosis what other things could it be?
Any ideas?

I've not made another doctors appointment, but the next time I go in to see her for presription refills I plan on bringing the matter up.

It might be worth knowing I also have systemic lupus.

(no subject)

[steelmagnolia97.livejournal.com]

I posted this as a comment to someone else's entry, but then I figured it'd be worth posting so more people can see it and hopefully answer it.

The website for my Diva cup says under FAQs that it doesn't break the hymen. But what I'm curious about is...if that doesn't do it, what does?? I know that it's not really "broken", it's more of skin that is stretched so it's not in the way anymore. But if putting things like that in there don't stretch it, wtf does?? lol I'm quite curious. And if a tampon doesn't do it (which the FAQ says they usually don't) then why would a penis? They both go up the same place.

From Alesse to the Patch: Questions about Sex Drive

[darkprism.livejournal.com]

Hello ladies,

I've been on Alesse (the generic, actually) for about 4 years. I've had no weight gain issues, no skin problems, no nausea, or basically any other bad side effect from using this pill save one:

There is no more sex drive.

Common complaint, I know. I've been worried about trying to change pills because this one does seem to work really well for my body chemistry, but I"m about to get married in June, and darn it- I want to WANT sex!

I've done some research and read that sometimes gynos switch people to the patch if they've lost their sex drive because it isn't metabolized through the liver like BCPs are. The docs think that the reason loss of sex drive occurs is because taking birth control pills produces a protein that binds with sex hormones like testosterone and estrogen. By binding, it can cause side effects such as lower sex drive. If you don't metabolize the pill, then the proteins, in theory, won't be produced, you see where I'm going with this. (I get this off discussion boards at WebMD, if anyone else is interested)

So: my questions are:

1. Has anyone had an experience where they went from some form of birth control that was working pretty well save sex drive to the patch, and what was the result?

2. Would you recommend changing to the patch from Alesse, those of you out there that might have tried both?

3. Would you recommend the patch at all? I've read on this community that some of the more irritating side effects are the stickiness that comes from wearing something on your skin for weeks, and some mild skin irritation. Any other bad side effects that you ladies have experienced?

Just looking for some good old fashioned advice. Thanks ladies!!!

missed pill, period is a goin'

[lunaadmirer.livejournal.com]

hello everyone. i am SO good about taking my birth control pills. i even have an alarm on my wrist watch for it **i can be forgetful and it's better to be safe than sorry**
well, on tuesday, i apparently forgot to take my pill. i don't exactly remember my alarm going off or anything that day!!!! i took a pill on wednesday as usual, but i didn't realize that i was taking tueday's pill. well, later in the day, i noticed some spotting and i thought that it was a bit weird and blamed it on something that had happened the night before...*ahem ahem* But as the day progressed it became heavier and heavier. I thought to myself, "I couldn't have skipped a pill, could I have?" And at first, I wouldn't allow myself to even think that, because I never forget. But I went ahead and looked at the pills and there is was....the Wednesday pill....hours after I thought I had taken it....it was then and there that I realized that I had taken Tuesday's pill a day late. so now it's friday, and my spotting became a light period...and it hasn't stopped. Will it stop? I'd think it would...I'm taking the real birth control pills at the moment...not the placebo ones. I'm a little concerned.

Thanks in advance!
~Lorena

P.S. Don't know if you caught my earlier post (Wed. I believe), but I think that missing the pill on Tuesday must have made me very hormonal...which explains those few crummy days.

Cause of Pelvic Pain?

[lookintomyeyes.livejournal.com]

For the last week or so, Ive had a large dull ache just above my pelvic bone. It *may* be going away from time to time (like when I'm having fun with myboyfriend), but for the most part it seems to be constant. It's much like the pain I usually get along with my period, but I don't have my period. In fact, its 40+ days late. :( I should also mention I've been sick with a bad cold for 3 weeks, and been super-stressed about school and things.
I'm not having sex, so what could be causing the pain?

Thanks, if it doesn't go away soon I guess I'll have to make an appointment at the walk-in.... :(

Pelvis Fractures

[ireneadler.livejournal.com]

Hello, all. *waves* New member here.

I fractured my pelvis in a car accident last February. (I definitely fractured the sacral and the illiac; the doctors orignally told me both acetabular as well, but later said only ligament damage in my hips. I suspect they were fractured, though.) Despite physical therapy and enrolling in a beginning ballet course, I still have mild to strong pain most of the time. Even sitting cross-legged is fairly uncomfortable. I'm 22 and still a virgin, and although I don't foresee it being an issue in the near future, I'm worried that I won't be able to have sex, children, etc. Has anyone fractured their pelvis, or known someone in that situation? What was your experience? I've googled this, but only found medical stuff. (Rather disturbing, actually--30% mortality rate for such injuries.)


Here's something I found very amusing. (Actually, there were a few things. My friends and I had about six weeks of dirty laundry in the truck, and it went everywhere when the other car hit us--in the trees, snowbanks, etc. One EMT commented that he had never seen so much underwear in his life.) According to the hospital release form, I could not carry a backpack. I could not lift anything heavier than a gallon of milk. However, I was cleared to resume sexual activity. With multiple fractures of the pelvic ring. ???

Thank you for any and all feedback. New convert, but already loving this community. <333

Abstinence-only experiences?

[pink-rose-elf.livejournal.com]

I'm doing a research paper on abstinence-only sex education and I wondered if you guys could help me. I'd really appreciate it.

**If any of you have taken an abstinence-only class, what were your experiences? What kinds of stuff did they talk about? Did you notice any glaringly incorrect information? etc. etc.**

Thanks!