mirena price

[cleo1946.livejournal.com]

My question is for all the girls that have the Mirena insert. I was just wondering how much you ladies paid?

I have good health insurance with Aetna and since I am looking to get a new gyno, I was going to find one based on asking them first and foremost if they'd be willing to do the insert on a 20 yr old.

I've heard that some won't unless a person is older with children and I really feel like that's unfair.

Anyway, is anyone with my similar situation willing to tell me what they paid out of pocket for the insert? I figure that it's got to be less than $10 a month for bc for the next five years, but how much less?

Thank you in advance.

"women's health week?"

[lisamaria.livejournal.com]

I don't know if this is a country-wide thing or what, but today when i went to go pick up my ring from planned parenthood, they told me that its women's health week and that they would give me one free month of my birth control. I'm near montclair NJ- but maybe, if you want a free ring/pill pack/whatever, give your PP a call and find out if they're doing similar?

worried about isotretinion

[beautymask.livejournal.com]

Hi! i'm a bit of a lurker but this has been on my mind the past week....

i'm 27, my husband is 31 and we had unprotected sex on mother's day to try to get pregnant (go figure!). the only problem is...i've been using isotretinion in the cream form for my acne up until May 9th (i use tazorac cream .05%). we literally decided that day that we were going to start trying and i was so excited that i didn't really think about this =( This is the heavy duty, mother of all creams since it is the cream form of accutane =T i'm NOT taking accutane pills just to be clear! only the tazorac cream but i only used it for spot treating my acne and not using a whole bunch.

if i DO become pregnant, what are the chances that the baby will have problems? if i get AF, how long should i wait for the tazorac to clear from my system? should i wait at all?

thanks =)

*edited to say May instead of April

International Travel and the NuvaRing

[hantastic.livejournal.com]

This coming Saturday I set off on a grand adventure (moving to South America for the summer to live with my boyfriend who's working down in Argentina!) and need to bring with me 2 NuvaRings to be used in coming cycles. That's all fine and dandy, but I need some brilliant minds to come together and help me think of ways to keep them cool for about 18 hours while I travel from point A to point B.

I've read the information on the wrapper and I know it says they can be stored at room temperature and only need to be refrigerated after being dispensed the the patient blah, blah, blah, but I always keep my in the fridge and they arrive in refrigerated packaging and I'd really love to keep them cool on my flights. Getting pregnant isn't on my radar screen for a few years, and it would be especially problematic if it happened while living in another country so I want to be super extra careful about things.

So far, here are my ideas:

-- Bring the rings in an insulated soft lunch bag along with an icepack, and hope that TSA lets me through security with it. I feel like this is iffy at best, as an icepack is simply solid form of all the OH NOES terrible things I can't carry on. I have packs that freeze solid from both liquids and gels, as well as a pack that stays a gel even when frozen. I've checked the TSA website and they claim that you can bring medical products that are outside their traditional carry on guidelines (things like breast milk, even lube bottles that are over three ounces!) but my worry is that explaining to a random security agent the importance of keeping my birth control cool won't fly.

-- A friend suggested I bring a little container and once inside the terminal, I ask a place to give me some ice to put in the thing and then pop that in the lunch bag as a make-shift cold pack. I think she's pretty brilliant for coming up with that, and as of right now it's the route I'm going to go (well, I'll bring an ice pack too and worse come to worse throw it away) but I wanted to know what you folks think and if you've had any past experience with things and want to share your advice.

Well, well, well, it seems as if my reading comprehension has dropped to nearly nil, as I just decided to check out the TSA site again, and look what I've found!

To ensure the health and welfare of certain air travelers, in the absence of suspicious activity or items, greater than 3 ounces of the following liquids, gels and aerosols are permitted through the security checkpoint in reasonable quantities for the duration of your itinerary (all exceptions must be presented to the security officer in front of the checkpoint):
--Gels or frozen liquids needed to cool disability or medically related items used by persons with disabilities or medical conditions.

I hadn't checked the site since the last time I flew (mid-March) and it was set up differently then, so it's very likely that I simply missed that important section! I'm leaving this post up for future reference in case anyone else is in my shoes :) Cheers!

anal irritation

[babyjune2244.livejournal.com]

I checked the memories but was looking for some advice about my particular situation. Sorry if this post is too redundant, you can delete it!

<lj-cut>

About two weeks ago I noticed the area around the outside of my anus being really irritated and just generally stinging, worse obviously after going to the bathroom and wiping, etc.  One night I even noticed a little brigh red blood on the TP.  I put some Neosporin generally in that area and that helped for a little while.  There was no discomfort for a couple days, and in the past couple days it's become irritated again, just noticed a little blood again on the TP, etc. same story.  The irritation is worse when I'm walking around, obviously.

I suppose the diagnosis would be anal fissure, but it could also be hemmoroids -  I've never had them so don't know.  I don't notice anything external that could be considered one, though.  I do sit for almost eight hours a day!  My BMs haven't been fantastic for the past two weeks either, in that it seems like when I go there is always a last bit that is left that won't move along, I can tell when I wipe.  

Since I'm not sure whether it is hemmoroids or not, is it ok to use stuff like Prep-H, or not?  Should I just treat it as an anal fissure and give it some more time to heal?  

Would taking a bath every night, drinking tons of water, putting neosporin on, etc all help?

Thank you in advance!

Heavy white discharge, frequent urination, abdominal pains, etc.

[trinity85.livejournal.com]

 So for the past couple months I have been experiencing all the above symptoms (sometimes with an itchyness).  I've looked up my symptoms online but the symptoms as a whole never really turned up a proper diagnosis. Like, I felt like I might have PID but I don't think that frequent urination was listed as a symptom. Then I looked up ovarian cysts and it said nothing about increased discharge so I dunno. I'm just confused. I might be able to get in to see a doctor tomorrow. My college graduation is this weekend and I'd rather not suffer for hours on end.

I'm back at home now but last Friday I told my campus health clinic that I was experiencing severe abdominal pains and they told me to go to the ER. wtf. I pretty much refuse to go to the ER unless I'm dying because my insurance doesn't like to cover ER visits. 

Sorry, that was a bit of a tangent, I guess I'm just asking you girls if any of you have experienced the same symptoms collectively? I thought I had a yeast infection with the increased disharge but I got some Monistat or whatever and that didn't seem to do the trick so I'm thinking it must be something else.

different strength pills

[anielleszine.livejournal.com]

ive been on a few different types of birth control pills over the past 3 years... loestrin 24fe seemed to work best but with microgestin (my gyno suggested in place of loestrin) i sometimes have a brown/red discharge before its time for my period. sometimes heavy, sometimes light and ive been getting cramps as well, which seemed to go away when i started my last type of pill. its almost like the pill isnt strong enough? i'm not really sure. i know its my own body but theres not much else to say. i was on... junelle or something? i cant remember. it was only one month while our insurance switched.. it was terrible. i was severely depressed and hormonal. so i want to switch pills but i'm scared to do so after that. your thoughts?

Freaking Out About Herpes

[tehfanglyfish.livejournal.com]

Ok, I am having a panic attack and it could be advertisings fault.  Here goes.  A couple of weeks ago I had some crazy vaginal dryness that lasted roughly a week.  I thought it might have had something to do with my birthcontrol pills because I also had a really bad acne breakout at the same time - my thoughts were that my hormones were off.  I had irritation/sort-of itching on my inner lips, which I thought was the result of the dryness (it was very, very dry - ugh!).  Anyway, I had sex with my husband without enough (any?) lubircation.  It hurt like a bitch and I thought I had torn my vagina (it sort of looked torn - like a paper cut).  Anways, here's the thing.  We went a week without sex to let the supposed tear heal, but it still hurt a little the other night.  Additionally, I have bumpy things right below the opening to my vagina.  They aren't necessarily blisters.  They're just little red bumps that are tender if you touch them too much.  Nothing down there necessarily looks like pictures of herpes I've seen online.  I have no discharge or any sick feelings.  Even though I'm on a new pack of pills, I'm still a bit dryer than normal (although not as dry as I was the other week.)

As far as my sexual history, I've been sexually active for 11 years.  I have only had intercourse with one person - my current partner.  Based on what he's told me, I'm his only partner ever.  Prior to him, I performed oral sex on one boyfriend and had another boyfriend who BRIEFLY (like 30 seconds or less) rubbed his bits against my bits.  Obviously for this kind of contact to go down I had to have touched the other people & was touched by them.  They didn't look as though they had any symptoms of herpes but I know it's not always visible.  (I don't know how many, if any, people these boyfriends had been with before me - we were 14-15ish & all pretty inexperienced.)  I have been for annual exams since this went down and they did blood tests, although I've been told that they don't check for herpes unless you specifically request it.  

Does anyone out  there think I might (or might not) have herpes?  I'm trying to get an appointment for an exam but can't get one until freaking June9!!!  This situation is not improved by the fact that everytime I turn on the TV or radio there's some ad for some herpes medicine that's telling me that everyone on earth has herpes.  I just wish I knew & I don't know what I'd tell my husband because he's paranoid & will most def think I've been sleeping w/ other people (the man used to get nervous when I got yeast infections/UTIs). 

[Anonymous Post] Urinary Incontinence?

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

Hi! As you probably know, from time to time the VP Team makes posts on behalf of people who wish to remain anonymous or who do not have LJ accounts. This is one such post. Thanks in advance for your helpful comments!

P.S. For more info on anonymous posts, see this link.

Tori
For the VP Team
contact_vp
________________________________________

I am a nineteen year old female-bodied person who has been having trouble
with urinary incontinence for at least six months. I recently [finally] went
to the doctor about it and got an MRI, blood tests, and urinary tests.
According to the pee test, I had an infection, got antibiotics for it, and
none of the symptoms went away. I will know the results of the MRI on
Friday. Basically, I am leaking urine without knowing about it and its
enough for me to have to wear a pad and change it several times a day. It
happens more when I'm active. My doctor said it probably wasn't because of a
UTI since it was ongoing. Also, I've been having some lower back pain. I was
wondering if anyone else had a similar problem and had it resolved? Mostly I
want to get rid of the incontinence so I can go about doing what I want to
do! Please let me know what you went through, what your diagnosis was, etc.
This isn't leaking a few drops, its a lot. Thanks!

Herpes

[individuality86.livejournal.com]

Since reading the last anonymous post about herpes, I've decided to share my story as well. I, too, have it...HSV-2, to be exact (if I can remember correctly...!). Ironically, I got it from the first guy I lost my virginity to, so you can imagine my devastation. He was 22 & I was 18. At first, we were using condoms, but then I got on birth control, and [being the naive teenager that I was at the time), I agreed to stop using them. At the time, I was SUPER in love with him...he made me all these promises that he was gonna marry me & what not. Not soon after we stopped using condoms, I descovered 3 ulcer-like sores down there. They hurt SOOOO bad & I could barely walk or use the bathroom for a week. I honestly didn't officially find out that it was herpes until I had finally kicked him to the curb. I later found out that he was a liar and a cheater. I felt so hurt...so alone. I felt like a dirty whore who could never be in a decent relationship ever again b/c of how ignorant I was. That happened when I was 19...I'm 22 now. My doctor put me on Acyclovir, and it works really well. I have outbreaks, like, maybe every few months or so. It took me a long time to actually realize that getting herpes wasn't all my fault. True...I should of known better than to stop using condoms, but he should of been a decent human being & gotten tested more often...and if he DID know that he had it, he should of been responsibleenough to tell me. I hated myself & wanted to die for such a long time, but I just knew that I couldn't let it stop me from living a normal life. I just wanna let all of you girls out there know that if by chance you DO get herpes, YOUR LIFE IS NOT OVER. You can still live a normal life & be happy. Sure, it'll take some time to start thinking that way, but you'll survive. Trust me. I finally told my best friend I had it not too long ago, and he commended me for having the courage to move on with my life after enduring such trauma. I am not ashamed of what has happened, and I know that what doesn't kill me only makes me stronger.