I recently lost my virginity and I have some questions about birth control

[https://users.livejournal.com/collyflower-/]

Hey ladies...this is my first post here. It's a long story and some questions about birth control...any help or advice would be appreciated thanks :)

( My Problem )

Possible pregnancy?!

[https://users.livejournal.com/-beautyispain-/]

I have a really, really weird question. I went to the beach, and right when I got back I got my period. Lasted for the usual week, then it stopped and soon after (a couple days) I went over to spend the night at my boyfriends house and we had sex. We used protection, but I'm not on the pill. The night after I had a heavy night of drinking, then the next day, I had my period again. But it started out as the real (sorry this is gross :/) rusty color your blood turns when your period is coming to an end, and got heavy like a usual period (still rusty), then ended with normal blood red colored, light spotting. Now, 2 weeks later, I'm having minimal spotting again with the rusty color. What the HECK is going on?! Should I be worried, like as in pregnancy? I can't think it to be possible especially after the drinking and 'period' but it wasn't normal colored so I don't know what to think.

My period enjoys long vacations...

[brina-is-sassy.livejournal.com]

I've been a member of this community for quite some time but never posted about this particular thing because I don't see it as a problem. However, curiousity has gotten to me.

I'm 22 years old. I started my period at 13. From the beginning it was never very regular. I'd get it every 3-5 months or so. It started to get a bit more regular a few years ago but that would only last a few months and then it would return to it's "normal" pattern of being "abnormal". I'm not sexually active and never have been. I've never been on birth control of any kind. I don't work out. I don't have an eating disorder...I can't think of the other things I was going to say but you get the point.

All that being said, I haven't had my period since July 16, 2005. I only know the date because I was getting the 6th Harry Potter book that day. In April/May of this year I had something on the toilet paper a couple times and thought it may be starting but never did.

I don't want a lecture on how I should go to a doctor or anything. I know you aren't doctors and I know you can't tell me whats "wrong". I don't want my period to come back, I just want to know what things can cause periods to stop because like I said I'm curious.

Short period and random mid-cycle cramping

[lonely-highway.livejournal.com]

Two weeks ago I had my period. It was weird in that it only last three days (usually lasts seven) and the first day was really heavy and really bright red (I filled my Diva Cup to the 0.5 ounce marker, which never happens). The past week I've been having weird cramping in my lower stomach/uterine area. I naturally became paranoid and thought it might be another ovarian cyst rupturing, but nothing seeming to be that. It happened sporadically, and is happening right now. When I was just in the bathroom I saw brownish tissue, like at the end of my period. I'm not due to get my period for two more weeks and this cramping has been painful and weird. What could this possibly be? I'm on OTC-Lo, if that helps.

Postnatal painful sex and bleeding

[vinik.livejournal.com]

Hi! I've already looked through the FAQ, recent posts, and Googled to see if this was asked already (and let me know if I missed something please), but I haven't found anything specific for this issue yet.

( Cut for length and some graphic details )

cleaning out the holes in menstrual cups

[mercury5-girl.livejournal.com]

Most of us are familiar with the pore-squeezing method, where you squeeze each hole individually right after washing the cup. What works really well for me is firmly pressing a paper towel into each hole as you squeeze. It's easy, no pins to deal with, and it gets the holes super-clean! Hope this helps :)

x-posted to menstrual_cups

Pelvic pain

[alonewestand.livejournal.com]

For pretty much as long as I can remember, I've experienced pelvic pain. The problem is that it is very sporadic. It's not like it happens every month or every three months, sometimes I can go six months without any pelvic pains. When the pain does come, it is unbearable. It feels like sharp, knife pains. I can't sit up when it happens, I have to lay down. I start sweating, and have to have an AC or fan on top of me. It it gets really bad, my vision gets blurry, and my hearing is muffled. I usually have to lie down for about a half hour, and then it passes.

When I was a teenager, I went for an ultrasound because the doctor thought I had cysts, but it came back normal. A year ago, I went to the gyno, she sent me for an ultrasound, and it came back normal. This year I went to a different gyno, and she sent me for an ultrasound again. It's been about 2 weeks since I've heard anything, but I'm guessing it also came back normal.

The doctor mentioned it could either be endometriosis or muscle spasms during ovulation. She said most likely it's the latter. She said it doesn't sound like endometriosis because it's not happening all the time, it's very sporadic. I was thinking about this.. and I'm wondering - how can it be muscle pains during ovulation? Aren't I not ovulating since I'm on the pill? Now I am confused. She said that my body probably has muscle spasms when my body releases the egg.

Anyone experience anything like this? I'm going to call my doctor again on Monday (I called 3 times in the last week, and no one has gotten back to me) to see about the ultrasound. The doctor also mentioned she wants me to go to a gastrointestinal doctor. What would that doctor do?

First Time Trying Instead Cups

[josiethefiend.livejournal.com]

Thought I'd share, for anyone else considering giving them a try.

I have been a devoted tampon user since my second period. I'm now twenty-two. That's an awful lot of leaks, undeawear pulling on strings, shifting in chairs when one slips two low for comfort, and time spent fishing for m.i.a. strings.

Today I finally plunked down $6 for a box of Insteads. Once I got it out of the package it was way bigger than I thought it would be, and I just about chickened out. But it was surprisingly easy to get in, and was instantly comfortable. I can't tell it's there.

So far, no leaks, no slipping, nothing. It's been about five hours now of moderate activity.

This was really positive for me. I wanted to finally give them a try, since after my LEEP proceedure, anything bumping into my cervix is just not comfy, especially hard pointy wads of cotton.

Overall, a smashing success. If you are thinking of giving them a shot, I highly recomend it. I don't think I'll ever buy tampons again, and once this box is empy I'll probobly buy a reusable cup.

Yay!

Chronic UTI help in Canada?

[eatmorepi.livejournal.com]

Hi all,

I'm having a problem with recurrent UTIs. I had a wicked one at the end of last year and just recently treated another one. Now it seems I am having symptoms again. I'm really pissed off and unhappy about this.

Since the one I had last year I've been trying to pee obsessively after sex and drink a lot of water/cranberry juice. I haven't been taking cranberry pills on a regular basis but now I am certainly going to start doing so. I'm also going to start being obsessively clean...like washing my hands every time I touch myself/before sex, making my partner do the same, changing underwear every 5 seconds..you get the idea.

Anyways, I've just discovered AZO www.azoproducts.com and I really want to get my hands on some, especially the test strips. Has anyone seen this stuff in Canada...Toronto specifically? I'm willing to travel pretty far to get some. On their website they make no mention of their products being available in Canada.

Also, if anyone who's experience recurrent UTIs has any recommendations on what to do about it, I'd appreciate that. Thanks :)

For some reason I have the urge to share this

[aprilstarchild.livejournal.com]

I got an IUD!!

The state I live in (Oregon) pays for services through Planned Parenthood under a certain income level. I have insurance, and PP will bill them as well, but anything left after that was free, which is very nice.

My boyfriend and I decided to get tested for all the usual STI/STDs. His have already come back negative, my tests are on the 10th. After they come back, we can chuck our condoms (or, more likely, give them to someone else).

It hurt like hell to get in, I won't lie to you there. And the cramps the next day...holy shit, that sucked too. But it's worth it to know I don't have to worry about birth control until 2018!! Hell, I'll probably decide to have kids before then, because I'll be 38 then. But knowing that I get to decide exactly when to start trying to have kids, and that I don't hardly have to think about it until then, that's fantastic.

Yaaay!

Oh man. I can't talk up the advantages of the IUD enough. :^)

stink pussy is back

[mousey777.livejournal.com]

The last few day my pussy has become very pungent to say the least. I know it isn't an infection of any kind and I don't have a yeast infection. What is it that I can do to change that. I tried buttermilk and pineapple juice to change the "scent". I also have been douching 2 time a day. Nothing seems to be changing it back to normal. Any suggestions?