HBC and Spermicide?

[iamsuperjew.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know of someplace I can find information on effectiveness for combined methods of birth control?
Specifically HBC (OTC-Lo) and spermicide? Do any of you have any opinions on either of those, combined or otherwise? Thank you!

(Also, for the record, I always take my pill at the exact same time every day, +/- maybe 2 minutes?)

Questions about POPs

[theladykatarina.livejournal.com]

Hi all!

I have been so lucky to get great advice a couple of times now, I'd like to ask some questions about the wacky cycles I've been having the last few months.

It all started three months ago when I interrupted my normal course of OTC after about five years because a new doctor I saw made the connection that migraines with aura and combined pills shouldn't be, well, combined.  So, I stopped the pill, waited for my period, and did a Day 1 start with Errin (generic for micronor, I believe).  Since then, it's been MISERY.

I have had six periods since then, with lengthy spotting in between each.  They come randomly (no set cycle length), and I have had worse cramps and bloating than I ever had on OTC (though still light years better than no HBC at all -- that's why I went on a pill in the first place).  The periods themselves and the bloating/cramps last much longer and show up more frequently than ever before, and I'm starting to think I'm getting anemic since I feel exhausted all the time.

I diligently waited the three months before calling the doctor I saw in Feb, but I could only get in touch with the doctor covering for her (I guess she's not in that frequently at my student health services) and he really had no idea what to say.  He had to look up the pill and didn't know anything about alternatives besides Depo, and pretty much laughed when I said I was worried about anemia.

Anyhow, is this something I should continue to suffer through? I use HBC as my only birth control, and I'm paranoid now that it's not really working.  I take it at the exact same time every day, except for once when I missed it by 15 minutes and another when I was one hour late.  As far as I can tell, neither event was specifically correlated with a new period.

So, what are my alternatives? Has anyone had their cycle settle after, say, six months instead of just three? Should I worry about protection? I'm in a LDR and will finally be seeing my boy in two weeks -- should I use condoms? When will this madness end?! I'm especially frustrated right now because I'm cramping again, which signals a new period, even though I just finished a period on Friday.  That's a twelve day cycle followed by a six day cycle.  AAAAARGH!

Thanks so much!

help.. Triquilar or Yasmin as EBC?

[monstermeow.livejournal.com]

Hi,
I started taking Yasmin on the 4th of this month. I had unprotected sex yesterday and today (so I had only taken 6 pills before I had sex yesterday), which were days 17 and 18 of my cycle. At first I was ok with it for some reason (honestly didn't think it through properly to be honest... it was stupid) but now I am kind of wigging out. I know that I'm not in the most fertile period, but I'm not exactly safe either, right? (I remembered my mother telling me that when she was trying to conceive me, she found out that her cycle is slightly off from average... so now I'm worried that there's a chance that I could be at my peak fertility right now.)

There's only one gyno in my area that I'd be able to go tomorrow, and I recently had a bad experience there about my birth control pills so I would really, really like to avoid having to go there for EBC.

I saw on this website:
http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/dose.html
that certain brands of HBC can be used for emergency. On me, I have one pack of Yasmin and one pack of Triquilar. Neither of those brands is on the list of brands that are considered ok to use as EBC..... but does anyone know if I could make it work? I know that both of the brands I have are low-dose, which I'm guessing is why they're not recommended... but what if I increase the dosage? Is there any way?

Please help! I am so regretting my stupidity right now and would really, really just like to know if I could prevent pregnancy at all with what I have... thank you

ETA: I live in Japan and Plan B isn't available without a script.

Couple Questions.

[melodic-lyrics.livejournal.com]

1. Does anyone know if Planned Parenthood would take back any unused (and unopened) birthcontrol pill packs? My boyfriend is on deployment until October, and I've become pretty apathetic about them, so I've been terrible about taking them. I got them for free, because at the time I was unemployed, but I don't want them to go to waste.

2. Anyone have any suggestions about how to fulfill the need for physical affection while my boyfriend is away? I don't have very many friends out here, as the only people I really know are the girls I work with, and they're all generally 6 to 7 years younger than me, and I'm their manager which can complicate friendships. Or do you have any suggestions to help eliminate the want for physical affection? I can fulfill my own sexual needs with toys or whatnot, but I've yet to figure out how to eliminate the feeling of wanting to be held, or have a hug or whatever. It's a strange question, I know, but I've got 5 more months to get through, and sometimes the feeling of wanting someone to be close to is overwhelming and somewhat depressing.

Sorry if this is long-winded.

Thank you!

risks when just starting Yasmin...

[monstermeow.livejournal.com]

Hi again,
I realise now that the pills I have on me don't have enough hormone in them to be used as plan B.

So now I am just wondering... I understand that when you don't do the "period start" on Yasmin, you are supposed to wait at least seven days before you rely on unprotected sex, preferably longer...

does anybody have an idea if this is just to be on the super safe side? I'd taken six pills before I had sex... do you think it's pushing it to assume I am covered? If I was due to ovulate on the sixth or seventh day after I started (I'm guessing that's when I was due), and I never had unprotected sex before until the sixth day, how far in the danger zone am I?

Thank you so much to anyone with advice..

men declining sex

[lovethatlovage.livejournal.com]

i never fail to feel hurt when my BF declines sex. it's super silly because when i'm not in the mood he is completely accepting. BUT, if i initiate and he turns me down it becomes a huge issue for me. as in, we need to have a 2 hour long conversation for me to feel okay about it.

anyone else this way? it makes me feel bad because he's a person not a sex machine and he is TOTALLY entitled to his own personal sex drive, it just ends up making me feel vulnerable and stupid when i want sex and he doesn't.

also, we have great sex all the time and it is the most healthy and fufilling sexual relationship i've ever had.

Herbs to enhance libido

[missaudreyhorne.livejournal.com]

So, generally speaking I have a pretty healthy sex drive. But for some reason lately it has been sporadic at best. For example, all last week I had no desire to have sex with my boyfriend (whom I live with) and last night I was all over it and we had sex three times. We used to have sex a lot more, and I know he still wants to but is very nice about it and doesn't bug me too much. I miss feeling in the mood all the time, and I think mostly it has to do with a general depression I've been feeling. I'm going to the doctor for that, which also worries me because I have heard that antidepressants screw with your libido as well. So I am wondering if any of you have ever had any success with supplements that enhance your sex drive?

EDIT: I think really, I'm just going to talk to my Dr. about these things because I'm starting to realize that the main problem is my general state of mind and health lately. Thanks for the comments!

(no subject)

[evillittletwit.livejournal.com]

Hi there, my fellow vaginapagina-ers!

I'm graduating high school in about three weeks. For my final theater project, I have been asked to perform a piece, and I have chosen to do a piece from the Vagina Monologues, have gotten it approved, and am very excited.

My project must be site specific, as the projects are being filmed--in other words, as my teacher wrote: A site-specific performance is one that is INFORMED by the site at which it is performed. For example, a piece on the 1968 Democratic Convention would be interesting if it were filmed in Grant Park. A piece about student relationships might work well in hallways—or the link, if it were to be filmed live. Make a choice that enhances your topic.

My question is: for those familiar with the play, what would be a good site to film at for such a controversial topic? I haven't chosen what piece to do from the play, but I was leaning heavily toward "My Angry Vagina". If I were to do that one, would a women's clinic be a good idea? How about any of the other monologues, or any further sites I could attempt to film at?

Thank you so much, VPers!

Random bleeding

[deadlyrhythm.livejournal.com]

I flipped through the tags and found this VP post but it doesn't quite answer my question so I was hoping you guys could help with my specific situation.

After I had sex with my boyfriend last night, we noticed some blood on his sheets. I assumed it was spotting and we quickly forgot about it. This morning, I went to pee and there was blood in my underwear, lots of blood in the toilet after I urinated, and blood on the tissue I used to wipe. My last period was from April 24-29 so I know it's not my cycle starting. That cycle was a weird one. It was 5 days late and was abnormally light. The blood I'm seeing now is a dark red/brownish color and thin in consistency.

I'm not on any birth control and never have been. Is there reason for me to be concerned about this random bleeding?

new HBC user

[jasoncrisp.livejournal.com]

hey everyone! i'm 19 and was just perscribed HBC today and my doctor told me to take it the sunday after i start my period.

my bf and i were using condoms but one broke (he didn't ejaculate) but i was still freaking out over the pre-stuff so i took the plan B pill on friday.  i am supposed to start my period any day now and i am wonering  if taking my HBC will make it start sooner? if i begin taking the pills, when will i start my period?

basically i really want to start because hes freaking out but i think the plan B may have just messed with my cycle...can't the HBC regulate it and help me to start again? sorry i'm pretty clueless...thanks for your help! =)

waxing tips/advice?

[moonlight-in-vt.livejournal.com]

OK, so back around valentine's day, I decided to try waxing down there for my first time. I went to the store... the only thing I could really fine was this "Surgi" brand brazilian waxing kit, which is strip free, and it's a hard wax (which might be why I found it excessively painful...). I had done self waxing before but on my legs. This was my first time waxing down there... I didn't do a full brazilian-- I just wanted to get the front part mostly. I managed to get a lot of it one night, but it became too painful to continue. Then I got some more the next night, again until it got too painful.

I was just thinking of this 'cause I'm cleaning out my dorm now, and I found the jar with some wax left and just threw the thing out... too traumatic to try that stuff again!

But I really want to find out if there's a better way to wax down there... I hate shaving b/c the sharpness irritates my skin there a lot, so I usually just leave my pubic hair alone; but I want to wax it if there's a way for it to not feel like absolute hell. I know that waxing is painful no matter what, but is there any more gentle brand/type/method that you ladies recommend? Or should I maybe get a professional to do it?

gyno rant

[to-wong-foo.livejournal.com]

If this isn't kosher, let me know.  I just really want to rant about this :/

( rantrantrant )

continuing Yasmin after the morning after pill?

[monstermeow.livejournal.com]

Hello again,
I took the second dose of emergency birth control two hours ago. I know that soon, I will start feeling really, really sick (I felt extremely nauseated after taking the first dose, and vomited.. the nausea only just subsided).

I'm just wondering if it's absolutely necessary that I take my Yasmin pill today, since I'm taking the EC anyway...? If it doesn't make me any sicker, or if taking it would add effectiveness to the EBC, I would gladly take it. But if it's just going to make me sicker without any merits, I'd rather not.

(I know taking anti-nausea medicine would help, but I got sick before the shops opened and have been lying in bed feeling too ill to go out so it's not really an option)

Thank you so much to anyone with advice! xxxxx

extra skin?

[mmargot.livejournal.com]

Since I was way young, I've had this extra, almost an extra flap, of skin on the lower portion of my vaginal opening. I can even grab it with my finger tips and squish it. I was just wondering if anyone else had anything like this. My gynecologist has never said anything about it, but it is slightly annoying during sex. Sometimes it gets caught. Do any of you know what it is? If it even has a name, that is. Does it bother you, too?

Thanks!

Thanks, VagPag!

[farasha.livejournal.com]

I introduced my roommate to VagPag today - she had to sign up for an LJ to get it, but I figured it was a good cause, since apparently her Health teachers were totally incompetent. It's totally assuaged some fears that she had, and set her mind at ease, so I'd just like to extend a thanks to the whole community for being here for us girls.

Because, in the words of my roomie, "Vaginas are complicated! Not like the NYC subway map. I can get that. Vaginas... not so much."

Itchyness/redness

[shapeshifter12.livejournal.com]

Hey guys. For the last 2 or 3 days I have had an incredibly itchy vulva, all around the entrance to the vagina but especially near the perineum. Also in that same area there has been about 8 or 10 slightly raised red bumps, with redness. There is no unpleasant smell or unusual discharge. I've been putting on vagisil and it's helped, but of course it wears off. It's driving me nuts though. My mom suggested that the new face wash I've been using in the shower (Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub) might have caused irritation. I've never had symptoms like this last so long; I've had itchiness before but the cream has relieved it. Any ideas what it could be? You think I should eat some yogurt to help balance things out? Ideas/Suggestions?

Ovarian Cysts

[night--flower.livejournal.com]

I wish I had time right now to explain it all ): , but I'm starting to think I may an ovarian cyst/s and I was wondering if any of you have had them and if you could describe in detail what your symptoms were.

thanks.