brown discoloration

[simplybasics.livejournal.com]

what does the slight brownish discoloration (not warts just spots) mean on the inside of the vaginal 'lips' ?

Metronidazole BV meds

[katarokkar.livejournal.com]

Really quick question:

Does metronidazole (14 day course to treat BV) make birth control pills less effective?

I can't find anything online that says one way or the other, but many things are telling me it is an antibiotic. 

(Okay, so there's another question) Also, is it advisable to have sex if I have BV?  The nurse practitioner I saw said it was okay, but has anyone experienced any complications?

Thanks!

nuvaring, antibiotics, and (preventing) yeast infections

[exhortation.livejournal.com]

I recently started on the NuvaRing, and have been reading several sites and LJ communities with various comments about it. I also currently have a UTI, and am going to the doctor tomorrow to get antibiotics to treat it. One comment I read said something to the effect of since starting Nuvaring, yeast infections have occurred with every course of antibiotics.

I've never had a yeast infection before, and I used to constantly be on antibiotics (approximately once a month for quite some time), so I don't think I'm particularly prone to them. However, I'd like to minimise my chances of having my first in the next couple of days, as not only do they seem ridiculously unpleasant, but I can't really afford to go to the doctor for the third time in a month. So, a few questions.

1. Do those of you on Nuvaring notice having yeast infections with antibiotics frequently?

2. I read the FAQ provided here, but I'm curious if any of the methods for prevention (such as boric acid) will negatively interact with Nuvaring?

3. If the answer to 1 is yes, and the answer to 2 is no, then would it be advisable for me to start some preventative measures (given also the fact that I don't seem to be prone to them)?

Whilst I'm posting about Nuvaring... the information mentions that it's safe to use with tampons (since the gyno mentioned that my period may not be over by the day it's time to insert a new one), but what about Instead? I'd think it be okay, but I know for example that silicone lube isn't okay with Nuvaring, so I'm not certain if the materials of the Instead cup are acceptable either.

Thanks in advance :) (And I realise that yeast infections are apparently a common topic, and I hope that this isn't considered too obvious/frequent/etc...)

The vaginal sega continues. BV again

[http://users.livejournal.com/__recidivist/]

Ugh. I woke up a few hours ago with the burning and smell of BV. I am really not in the mood to do this again.

Since it's five in the morning and the burning is killing me, is there anything you guys can suggest? I'd take a bath, but I'm living with my aunt right now and I'm not sure that her family would appreciate me cleaning the tub and then running a bath at this hour. I took some sleeping pills in hopes of just getting back to bed, but this is just incredibly fucking frustrating.

What are the odds that my doctor will perscribe something without seeing me? This woman's seen my vag three times in three months.

Pregnant on my period?

[dragonflyinlove.livejournal.com]

I started my period about four days ago I have heavy periods, two days ago my boyfriend and I had sex and the condom broke.

My period has lightened since then. It hasnt completely stopped but its a noticable change in the flow.

What are the chances that Im pregnant?

Can getting pregnant on your period cause any health problems? (for me or the baby)

I already planned to go to the doctor on friday before this happened and will ask the doctor then aswell.

Freckles?

[gosh-mel.livejournal.com]

I can never find what I'm looking for on the net. People talk about having freckles on your labia. I've had these brown spots on the skin of my labia minora all my life, so I'm sure they're harmless. They're not round, bumpy or irritating, just brown splotches. Was wondering if they are in fact freckles, and if so, how do they occur where the 'sun don't shine'? Could it also be birth marks of some kind? I never see photos of anyone else having this kind of thing and was wondering how normal (or unique) I am.

P.S. I've have regular check ups done and nobody ever brings it up, so I'm still sure it's harmless. I always forget to ask about it though!

Thanks!

immediate weight gain when preg?

[spkrwire.livejournal.com]

How soon did those of you who have been pregnant experience weight gain, and how much?

And how soon did you notice breast swelling? I'm talking a week

Could I have BV again???

[vagueexistence.livejournal.com]

This morning, I woke up to find that I had thick yellow discharge on my bed. It almost smells like how your urine smells when you are taking peridium for a UTI. I haven't been with anyone new since I tested negative for clamdiya/Gonorea. No fishy smell or anything except for 2 days ago when I had eaten fish two nights in a row. This is really weird. Last time I had BV, it was a brown discharge and I was extremely itchy and irritated. After a month of different antibiotics, the doctor finally found one for my UTI. This is just really random!

New and a question

[isarma.livejournal.com]

I remembered hearing this community mentioned before and thought you might be able to help. Monday morning, I woke up feeling a bit itchy, like the beginning of a yeast infection. (I did have a good amount of sex Sunday night and haven't been having much sex for the last couple of months, though I've had sex several other times before that over that last week.) I took a shower and watched it for a few hours, but it just got more itchy. Monday night, I used some astroglide warming lubricant (don't usually use it, but I was out of Eros and grabbed it without paying much attention) and it got *much* worse after that, which doesn't surprise me, given its astroglide. Anyway, last night, went and got a one dose treatment from a drugstore, generic brand, but I've used those the couple of times I've needed treatment and it was fine. I've never needed more than 1 dose before. I put it in just before bed and applied the remainder of the cream on my vulva. Wake up this morning and it feels...funny. A little irritated and slightly swollen. Has this ever happened to anyone? I went and washed it off and it got itchy, again, but I don't think it was YI itchy, so much as irritated itchy. I put basic vagisil on it and it feels better.

Please helps, ladies. My vagina seems very confused and I'd like to help, but damn. I'm trying to avoid going to a gyno, so I thought I'd ask here and see if its something dumb and obvious that I haven't experienced before.

breakthrough bleeding on regular (not new) perscription

[miss-chainsaw.livejournal.com]

alright ladies, i need some of your vag experience. i read the memories but couldn't find anything close enough.
ive been on alesse (its a low dose hormonal pill) for awhile now, over a year. i even switched to it from diane (another low dose) and had no problems.

but now, oddly enough, ive been having breakthrough bleeding. i have missed a day of taking my pill before and just kept on and remembered to take the next one at the right time the next day, and had no problems. i have never everrr had breaththrough bleeding before and i've been taking either of those low dose pills for almost 3 years now.
( whats the deal? )

help? it doesnt seem like hemorraging since its old, but i know constantly bleeding isnt good for me. i have about 5 days of pills left til i actually get my period again, so i figured that by the time i made a dr.'s appt it'd be past then anyway and since im not bleeding very much, it could wait.
plzzz help! thanks!

period sex and religion

[imnotyourstarx.livejournal.com]

how do your partners feel about period sex? how do YOU feel about it? if you do engage in period sex, do you avoid certain positions? do you do anything differently?


my story-
im totally ok with my period. (i feel empowered - i can make new life!) im the type of girl who will pull out a chunk from her instead cup and look at it really closely. i just think the whole period experience is amazing. (i guess it helps that i never have cramps or pms?)

ANYWAY!

my boy have been together for about a year and a half, sexually active for about a year. i suppose this is a good time to mention that we are both jewish. after we first started having sex, he asked me if i wanted to be a niddah*, that is, to abstain from sex during my period and for 7 days after that. besides "purity" reasons, its supposed to encourage a more spiritual bond between partners, as they have to find others ways besides touching to be close to each other. i guess on paper it sounds good, in a way. but i personally find it a silly and slightly demeaning practice. my sexuality knows no rules. it certainly doesnt follow laws concerning my period. and as for the "purity" thing, dont get me started. i told him this and he said, "yeah, ok, i was just wondering. i dont have any problem with blood." i was still really worried he had an issue with my period.

the first time we actually did have period sex i was afraid he would be grossed out. i was afraid he would have moral issues with it. we both agreed that he should wear a condom even though we both hate the silly things. but, obviously over the year our sex life has matured and evolved a lot. now he has no issue going to town without a condom on. when he pulls out and theres UTERUS CHUNKS ALL OVER HIS COCK i feel this stab of horror because im afraid he'll feel a stab of horror, but he just breaks out a baby wipe and laughs and my expression. things sure have changed, with him at least. the reason i still feel that little stab of horror is because of that conversation we had about niddah LAST YEAR. weve talked about it and he assures me period sex is totally hot - "more slippery!" - but in that moment when i see his bloody cock that conversation still comes back to me sometimes.

i guess you could say that hes more ok with period sex now than i am.

END STORY.

*religious text: And if a woman have an issue, and her issue in her flesh be blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days; and whosoever toucheth her shall be unclean until the even.

any other jewish girls here who practice these laws, even loosely?

Tampon opinion

[soveryemo.livejournal.com]

I use OB. I don't understand why women use tampons with applicators. They always confused the hell out of me. It's just easier, I would think, to use your finger. That's how I've done it even before I lost my virginity, and I was tight.

Could someone please explain the applicator love? (Is "applicator" even the right word?)

bacterial infections..

[delsus.livejournal.com]

Ok I wanted to ask for opinions because this really sucks.. I won't go into the whole thing because it would take way too long so I'll just say the basics for now.
anyway I had this bacterical infection last week (i think they called it bacterial vaginosis or something .. I have a horrible memory) and I took medication but the problem hasn't seemed to go away. And last night I had the awful burning again down below and it was bothering me so much I couldn't stand it, so I thought if I shaved or something that it might help. So I got frustrated and I shaved just like the lower part to see if it would stop the burning. Nope, that didn't work. And I remember I tried shaving several years ago and it sucked because it always itches and stuff when its growing back in, and now I regret it :/ Anyway I scheduled another appointment with the women's health center to go back for tomorrow but I was wondering if it matters that I had shaved down below..? And I'm just so nervous cause she will obviously be looking and if it looks nasty I will just feel 10 times worse. should I just wait a week and go or what? o_O should i tell the doctor why i did it? sorry if this is a weird question.. but I get so nervous on the doctor's table and I'm sure most of you girls don't like to do these exams either, and I think I'm made it worse for myself. :( thank you for any help..

Painful intercourse

[senseofpoise.livejournal.com]

Just recently, sex has become almost impossible.

For background info:
I've been on the pill for a year
I last saw my gynecologist 3 weeks ago and she said everything was normal.
My period just ended yesterday.

Basically, he can't penetrate me. I feel great resistance. We've tried lube, different positions, etc. We managed to have sex 2 days ago and it was fine once he got inside. I just feel a lot drier now, which is weird since I have never had a problem getting lubricated on my own before.

Everything had been normal.

What is going on? This is getting frustrating!

patterns

[helikedmyshoes.livejournal.com]

I've searched the memories but couldn't find anything.

I shave, and I always leave a little and turn it into a design to keep things interesting. I've done a landing strip, a downward arrow (you know, just in case he ever got lost hehe) and a heart. And now I need something new, because the heart got kind of old. I've thought about a lightning bolt but I'm just not feeling it. Anyone have any suggestions?

Pain while entering and during sex-- not YI?

[lilmeggieholla.livejournal.com]

For a while now I've been having pain while my SO enters me and while it's in there it burns pretty bad. I'm wondering if maybe I'm not 'built' right. I had a YI that wouldn't go away (because of my BC) but the longer this goes on, after YI treatment, I'm wondering what it could be. My doc's appt isn't until Aug 24th so I need a little direction... especially if someone has the same problem.

period during birth control active pills?

[gloworm6.livejournal.com]

I'm a 23 year old woman who recently started taking desogen for birth control. I just finished my third pack. During the first month, I had spotting almost every single day. The last two months have been better, although I have had one odd problem.

It seems that even though I am taking the desogen regularly (on time, every day) I am getting my period during the last week of the active pills. This month, I started bleeding when I had 5 active pills left, and bled all 5 days, slightly lighter than my normal period, but in the end, just as much blood (my regular period is usually over in 3 days but is heavier). I began my inactive pills as normal, but am not bleeding any more heavily than the last few days on the active pills - just light spotting that is typical of the end of my period. Basically, it seems like I had a normal period (although a little more drawn out) while on the active pills, and now, it's over. Huh? This is the second month that this has occured.

Any ideas? It doesnt make any sense to me that this would happen. I know spotting can be normal, but the amount of blood combined with the fact that I am not having a period now that I'm taking the inactive pills really makes me question what is going on here. Thanks everyone.

Sex Drive Topic

[meltorany.livejournal.com]

I just recently wrote an entry about how i'm 19 and i have a shitty sex drive and how sometimes sex is painful.... HOWEVER i feel like i didn't put enough information about my sexual health in order for people to give me advice.... so here is the 411 about me and my sex life:

-I KNOW I don't have any infections EXCEPT I have HPV.... but i really don't know if HPV really effects my sex drive or not.

-I have the Paraguard IUD meaning there are no hormones so i know my birth control isn't effecting my sex drive.

-I've been with my bf for about a year now and i had a great sex drive in the beginning but now, i really don't anymore.

-Sex hurts for me usually and we DON'T use condoms since I have the IUD. Even when i am turned on, sex still hurts and it feels like i am not lubicated enough or something. My bf always tells me, it feels like hes having sex with a virgin everytime we have sex cuz i'm always REALLY tight to begin with..... so yeah i donno why.

NOW that I put out all this info about my sexual health, i was wondering if anyone had some advice for me.

Thanks a lot for baring with me.

Pap Tests.

[brionyy.livejournal.com]

About a little over a month ago I had strep throat and went in to the new family doctor. She immediately diagnosed me and prescribed me medication and scheduled a follow-up appointment. Before the follow-up I had lost my virginity, and when I met with the doctor again she checked out my throat and then asked me if I have had a pap smear yet. I'm 16 and haven't so I told her so, and she gave me a kind of stern look, then proceeded to ask me if I was sexually active. I honestly replied and she kind of "tsk tsk tsk"ed me and said I needed to have my pap done within the next two or three months along with my physical. I'm a little hesitent about the whole thing and it seems awkward but of course if it's necessary I'll do it to maintain my health and safety and etc. I came here to find more information about it and on one of the sites it said that you should get them done if you are over 21 or under 21 and have been sexually active for three years. Neither of these is the case so I was just wondering if this is completely necessary for me yet.

And also, what exactly is proper ettiquette for this whole thing, anyway? Shaved, trimmed, unshaved? And I'm guessing this will also be a good time to bring up the fact that my period is nowhere near regular, correct?



edit: wow thanks for fast responses from everyone. and about my period, i usually only get it when i'm in off-season because i'm usually an extremely sports active person and I'm thin which I think prolonged it but recently I haven't been running and I've gained weight which probably accounts for having them more than once or twice a year, but hormonal things are a bad idea because my mom has breast cancer and so she's told me to pronlong birth control or any other hormonal things so as to help prevent me getting it, too.

Oddly aware of my new Diva Cup

[babity.livejournal.com]

Well, I noticed people in here suggesting that one try inserting thier diva cup off thier period, just to get the hang of it.  Now, I THINK I did it right, but it seems like my diva cup is a little too big for me, and I am aware of it, really aware.  It doesn't hurt, and it is as far in as the manual says (not as far as a tampon, just a half an inch past my opening).  Is it normal for it to seem too large at first, and to notice it at first?  How long until I get used to it?

Also, whenever I do get my period back, will keggels while wearing it cause it too leak or spill?

evening primrose oil dosage

[krylon-blue83.livejournal.com]

I just bought some Evening Primrose Oil to help with cramps and mood swings, and I was wondering how much I should take. The label says "2 capsules 2 to 4 times daily". They're 500 mg capsules, so how many should I take for it to have an effect?

Cramping and Masturbation

[uglybracelets.livejournal.com]

Weird.  So I masturbate, enough.... So I was on the couch just a few minutes ago, doing my business, because I was sitting naked in my living room.  And once I was done I had the WORST cramp ive had in a very very long time.  It was weird, it was so painful. 

Can anyone explain why this might happen?  And I wasnt doing any sort of penetration, it was all clitoral stimulation, and I was in a "reclined" position, not fully laying down.  I havent had sex in like... a week, and even when I did there wasn't any pain with it.

This is completely out of the blue, and it sort of goes away when I walk around, or stand up, but as soon as I sit down again, it is back.

EDIT  The pain is getting slightly worse, and a little more sharp.  I dont understand this.  I have been having light cramping pain on and off since my Doctor visit on monday, but this is the worst it has gotten.

Also, someone said to me it might be an ovarian cyst that I irritated.  And I am going through tests to possibly be diagnosed with PCOS.  But should I call a doctor if this gets worse or doesnt go away?

DivaCup Insertion?

[evilinchw0rm.livejournal.com]

I'm going to cry. My DivaCup refuses to cooperate with my vagina and it's pretty much my last hope over pads.

Someone-- help? Tips for insertion?

ANYONE. SOS.

Butt floss (:

[ran-w-scissors.livejournal.com]

Okay, this is a serious question so no flaming, please. I've always wondered, isn't it kind of weird to wear thongs and g-strings? I don't mean because they're slutty or anything, but doesn't your vaginal discharge just get all over the pants you wear? I'm not judging, I just never knew the answer to this because I've never worn a thong. How do you deal with that?


Edited to address a comment: Do those of you who wear thongs sleep with them on? I'm wondering if that factor can greatly contribute to YI/UTI or just a coincidence for one commenter.


Thanks for all the replies!