germs, tss

[box10.livejournal.com]

background: i have ocd and wash my hands all the time and i freak out everytime i think i may have touched something icky.
problem: today my mom transfered used pads and pantyliners from a container in the bathroom into a plastic bag to bring them out to the garbage can. i thought i was going to faint and/or scream when she touched the doorknob with the very hand she had used to stuff everything inside the plastic bag.
from what i gathered, the bacteria that cause tss grow on/in used tampons, pads and the like.
should i stay calm in the knowledge that tss (for whatever reasons) is a pretty rare disease these days and that i can touch the doorknobs and water tap without significantly increasing the risk to fall ill (even though i'm currently on my period) or would it just for once be wiser to give in to my sick germ-obsessed brain and desinfect everything a thousand times and never again touch anything without rubber gloves?
no seriously, what do you think about the risk of getting tss and other infectious diseases due to my family's "unsanitary habits"?

ps: sorry for my english, it's not my mother tongue, but i'm really trying to improve :)

(no subject)

[somethinguseful.livejournal.com]

Okay.
I am going to get yelled at for letting this go on so long, but I don't know what I have.
I didn't have any discharge, just slightly...stiffer? labia minora and v. itchy labias. For about a week.
If anything, the discharge was yellowy? but there wasn't much, it just stained the pantiliner because that's what I usually wear because I tend to be really, really wet and it bothers me when I soak through my panties.
ANYWAY. All I have is itchy labias, but it's not all the time, just occasionally and when it is, it isn't bad. Just bad enough for me to get uncomfortable walking around or sitting and squirm a lot.
What's wrong with me? Am I dying?!
I can't get to my gyno because she's twopointfive hours away, I don't have a car, she's impossible to get an appt with, and also because I'd only be able to come up on a weekend, when they are closed. Also, I cannot go to a doctor here, I'm not covered here for the doctors on campus or around.

Upset Vagina

[aelphabawest.livejournal.com]

So, at the beginning of the school year I started to get really itchy around my "anterior commisure of labia majora" (above the clit and labia, before the hair starts). Because I itch, it gets red and irritated which makes it harder to tell exactly what is going on. (I'm trying not to itch!)

Most of the time, what predates the itchiness is an open line along the er - prepuce of the clitoris? In that general area. I'm sexually active with a female BUT I'm pretty sure that I've had that line (and the itchines) before I was sexually active. At the beginning of the year, when it was particularly bad, I went to the campus doctor who assumed it was herpes and did a test. The lab came back negative, and she just dismissed whatever the itchiness was being caused by. I went to my doctor back home and she tested me for everything - or at least every STD/STI under the sun and it all came back negative. (why do doctors assume that just because I'm in college its an STD/STI?)

$200 later I still have no clue what is wrong down there. It comes and goes, but right now it's back.

Further information: there's no particular smell when its itchy. There's no discharge. It just itches.

(no subject)

[punk-is-so-dead.livejournal.com]

Teen Pregnancy Rates in the US compared to other Western countries.

I thought this article was interesting for quite a few reasons - but I also posted it because at the bottom, it has links to abortion laws by state, adoption resources, age of sexual consent by state, rape info and other interesting information.

( The Article )

IUDs and the country that hates them.

[snowowl.livejournal.com]

Can I just say that it really pisses me off that Gynefix and other IUD devices of its kind are not available in the US?

It's not because it's dangerous.  It costs a heck of a lot of money and time to go through the beaurocracy that is the FDA.  The actual standards of the FDA are, in my opinion, not as in depth or dependable as one would expect (a third party, not the manufacturer, should do the studies).  What it's basically become is a business venture, a simple exchange of money and a waiting period, to get approved.

Unfourtunately, IUDs aren't popular in America because of Norplant and (to some degree) scares about them being abortifaciants.  It's the most popular form of contraception worldwide, and we're in the stone age -- we don't even use the newer, improved version of Paragard, for crying out loud.  Gynefix (a copper IUD that is made in two sizes, has a lower expulsion rate, and is the better choice for nulliparous women) will not approach the FDA because the cost and time of doing that, not to mention advertising here, would not be worth it when Americans just aren't turned onto the idea of IUDs.

End of rant.  You may now return to your regularly programmed schedule of viagra advertisements.

Stupid cat...

[pink-rose-elf.livejournal.com]

This isn't really about vaginas, or about anything in particular...Just a funny story. Feel free to delete it.

My boyfriend was giving me oral a couple of nights ago, and one of our kittens managed to sneak into our room and jump into bed without us noticing. She then proceeded to run curiously up to him while making little kitty noises that obviously meant "what are you eating down there? Can I have some?"

We kicked her out, but the mood was kind of spoiled because we just couldn't stop laughing.

Yasmin & depression

[eijentu.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone,

I've been doing some reading about this but haven't been able to find a conclusive answer - I'm hoping you guys can help me out a little. :)

My doctor prescribed me Yasmin about two weeks ago for my horrible periods (and possible polycystic ovaries). She mentioned that Yasmin is more likely than some pills to cause mood swings, so I thought "I'll just be careful to watch out for that and warn my partner".

Since I started taking it, I don't think more than one or two days have gone by where I haven't just sat and cried. Sometimes something inconsequential will start it off. Other times I just honestly don't know why I'm crying. My partner might ask how I am, I'll tell her "fine" and then just dissolve into tears. This is really out of character for me, I've got to say. I'm worrying about small things that wouldn't normally affect me and my sex drive is much lower than normal too. At the moment, I really feel like I've just lost control of my emotions and my body.

I did some reading this afternoon: some sources say that the pill in general can cause depression in some women, but I've used it in the past and felt fine. Other people have said that Yasmin in particular causes depression for them and some have said that after three months the depression (and any other side effects) go away. Low sex drive came up once or twice but again, I couldn't really make any decisions based on what I read.

If you use, or have used Yasmin, or have any suggestions, information, advice, I'd really appreciate it. I'm going to try and book an appointment with my doctor sometime soon, but I'd love to hear some experiences from other ladies on Yasmin. Please let me again stress the appreciation factor here. :)

Thanking you for your time. :)

Underwear vs. Commando

[devora.livejournal.com]

What's everyone's opinion on going without underwear? I sorta have a lingerie fetish, so I'm constantly buying different kinds of panties. I'm a sucker for lacey boy-shorts and thongs, but the other day I wore a skirt without underwear and it felt really good. I rarely ever wear panties to bed, I usually sleep naked, and I know that it's good to let yourself air out. I don't think I'd go commando while wearing pants, as I imagine that would be uncomfortable, but I might consider doing the no-underwear thing with long skirts. What do you think?

I wish I could burn my bras as well, but unfortunately due to my figure size, the support is a necessary one.

For those of you who might be in Illinois...

[yosephy.livejournal.com]

This was posted in a local community, but thought that maybe there are other women in the area might like the info too.

Not to mention it's just too damned cool.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emergency Contraception is for you when you want it.

The Great EC Giveaway

May 11 5:30-7:00 p.m.

At Planned Parenthood Of East Central Illinois
302 East Stoughton
Champaign, IL

No exam, no hassle, and NO MONEY!!

Fill out a short application and receive a box of Plan B - absolutely free!

Tell your friends, bring them with you, and come yourself.

EDIT: Oops, sorry about the drama....wasn't my intention...

dealing with depression, possibly BC-related?

[punchfight.livejournal.com]

Since this doesn't have to do with vaginas in particular, I'll put it ( behind a cut )

Bicycles.

[paperstar19.livejournal.com]

So I rode my bike for the first time in probably five years yesterday. It was a long ride, and felt great. Except for bicycle seat + bumpy road + long ride = OUCH! Seriously, my vulva and my ass are so sore. It hurts to walk and sit on hard chairs and like, wear jeans, which is kind of a problem for me. It felt really good to ride my bike again, and I'd like to use it as a mode of transportation in the future, but I can't if I'm going to get vulvar squashing like this all the time. Will it go away? Is there anyway I can avoid it?

Nabothian cysts

[paix.livejournal.com]

i read online that nabothian cysts are common in women who have had children before. they are small cysts on the cervix that may go away on their own, but sometimes don't. they aren't painful, but can be scary if you aren't used to finding them. i am 19, have only had sex once, have never had children, and i have one. i was wondering how common these are among women who have never had children before, and whether i should do something about it. thanks!

the bartholin's gland cyst that wont go away

[redgroovie.livejournal.com]

hi everyone,
i was hoping someone could give me some advice, heres my problem. I have had a bartholin's gland cyst two times before, and both times it went away either on its own or with medication. For the most part they were painless. The one I have now is painless and a bit bigger than a marble, but its been there for 4 months and hasn't gotten any smaller(tried antibiotics but they didnt work). My doc told me to take warm baths, but i couldnt take baths because i didnt have a tub. Now i have access to a tub, so hopefully that will so SOMETHING. So my question is, to anyone whos had a persistant bartholins gland cyst, what was effective in making it go away? And especially for people who had a re-occuring cyst, does getting it sugically drained help prevent it from coming back? Im just annoyed with the f-ing thing! any advice appreciated :)
oh, and my gyno said it wasnt really big enough to warrant surgery.. but im thinking i might want to ask again if the baths dont help

Any info appreciated.. :)

[slipvaynevictim.livejournal.com]

Hello all, I have a little question to ask. ^_^;;
While on the pill (Yasmin), if I have taken 2-3 pills late within 3 weeks does having non-barrier PIV sex highly increase my chances of becoming pregnant?

Thanks all.. :>

[Edit: By late, I mean that I missed my 11pm dosage, and took it after 11am the next day. Around 14-15 hours late.
Should I consider EC? We had no-condom sex today (5/2), and he came in me twice.]

(no subject)

[fooltothink.livejournal.com]

So I was cutting up a cantaloupe tonight. I cut it in half and it reminded me of the entrance to the vagina... all fleshy and stuff. Then it made me think that fruits are ovaries. Thats so rad. You can freak people out by telling them they are eating ovaries. Haha.

Ooh, I read an awesome book called "That Takes Ovaries!" Id highly recommend it.