mini pill question

[llama4u448.livejournal.com]

when you're on the mini pill is it meant to be used with or without condoms? Right now me and my bf use it without but practice the pull out method  and use condoms if I ever take it more than 20 minutes late. I had to be switched to it due to the fact that my blood pressure went up on regular pills. Also, have any of you been on regular pills with high blood pressure? I've managed to lower mine to the point where its either normal or whats considered prehypertension which is a whole lot better than 160/110 which is what it was when it was taken off. I've done this  without meds and I don't want to go on meds due to side effects. I've thought about trying a low estrogen pill like alesse for a month to see how I react to it. My bf is an EMT so monitoring it everyday wont be an issue.

Pain during sex :(

[acornflakegirl.livejournal.com]

I looked through the tags on this subject, as well as the tags about yeast infections, but I couldn't find anything that specifically resembled my problem, so I decided to make a post.

I have had an issue with painful sex for a while now. My boyfriend is my first and only sexual partner, and we have been having sex for about two years. Our relationship has gone through a lot of ups and downs during the past year or so, and 6 months ago noticed a marked decline in my sex drive. However, sex did not start to be painful until about May of 2008. It started off as a light sort of stretching pain, which I ignored for the most part because we had sex so infrequently...I thought it just must have been a result of not being "stretched out" so to speak. However, the pain has continued to worsen since then, despite the fact that our sex life has been becoming more regular and I have been horny more often. We go to different colleges so we don't get to see each other often (once every 1-2 weeks), but we've been sexing it up every time we've seen each other since school started. However, the pain has been so bad that vaginal penetration has been almost impossible. We attempted sex this morning, and he only got halfway inside me before the pain felt stabbing and unbearable. We have tried lube and foreplay is always very extended...sometimes we try having sex after I've already had an orgasm, but it makes no difference.

This is so weird to me. For the first year and a half of our relationship, we had a great sex life, even if we were having relationship issues. I had almost no pain or discomfort when I lost my virginity, and I never experienced painful sex until now. I have never been sexually abused, nor has my boyfriend pressured me or hurt me sexually. In fact, that is probably the area of our relationship about which he is the most sensitive and gentle. I have always been very open about sex and sexuality, and our sex life was very experimental and fun before this started happening.

I have heard yeast infections can cause pain during sex, but can yeast infections last for 3-4 months? I have noticed some intermittent vaginal/vulval itching or slight burning, but it's usually around the time of my period and is not persistent. I don't have any other symptoms like odor. I'm on hormonal birth control and have been for 2 years; my boyfriend and I are monogamous and don't use condoms. I have no other related medical conditions. Also, i think it is worth mentioning that my boyfriend (or myself) can insert one finger into my vagina without any pain. Two fingers causes a stretching sensation that is slightly irritating but otherwise bearable. I plan on seeing my gynecologist (who checked me out in April 2008 and found no anomalies) but in the meantime, does anyone have ANY idea what could be going on with me and anything I can do to alleviate the problem? We can't live on oral sex alone!!

swelling above butt?

[fleurdiabolique.livejournal.com]

This isn't quite vagina-related but it's body-related and I don't have anywhere else I really would feel comfortable posting it. I hope it's okay.

I have this triangular area just above my butt crack that is, I don't know... puffy? Swollenish? It's like a little bump just above my butt. It's not red or painful, and it's been around for probably at least a few months if not over a year, but I took a quick look at the Everyday Bodies project and didn't see anything that looks like it, so I'm wondering if it's normal.


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discharge, not YI

[autumneffie82.livejournal.com]

So I am new to this community and I need help!!!... it could get lengthy so the rest is behind cut



( HELP?!.... )

Type your cut contents here.

Bleeding after sex

[katastrophe1187.livejournal.com]

This is the first time this has ever happened to me. Last night my boyfriend and I had sex. It has been about two weeks because we have been so caught up with school starting and work that we havent had a chance. We got fed up with it and last night got busy. Upon penitration there was a streching feeling which I have felt before but once we were done and I was cleaning myself up, I noticed that what I thought was my own juices, was blood. Not period blood per se, not that thick and dark, but about a table spoon and a half of light red blood. Once I was finished with that initial whip down, there was no more blood.

Now I dont know what this could be. My period isnt until next friday, but I was about 19hrs late on my bc a day ago.
Could it be a sign of something serious? Or just from sex in general?

EDIT=There is still a little bleeding this morning. When I got out of the shower I wiped and there was a light streak. I used a tampon and there was an itty bitty amount. I used another and it came back clean.

Vagina pain

[avantgardening.livejournal.com]

For the past few days, I'm having what originally felt like mid-cycle discomfort (which for me, typically lasts a day, if that) to something that I'm not sure of. I'm still feeling that internal cramping/pain, but also my vulvar region seems to be more swollen and when I sit down, I get a shooting pain from my groin up my abdomen. When I'm sitting still, it kind of feels like the pain radiates outward.

I don't have any pain urinating and I'm not bleeding. I am experiencing more clear discharge than usual.

Is it possible I'm just having a more painful ovulation? My period was late last cycle, but normal otherwise. My friend said I should just take some ibuprofen and wait it out before calling a doctor. Anyone experience anything like this?

Yeast Infections: "Catching" the Discharge?

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

So, my antibiotics have been doing a more or less adequate job of treating my sinus infection (slowly) but a super stellar job of giving me a yeast infection.

The acidophilus I'm inserting is keeping the itching, burning, and irritation in check, but the amounts of discharge -- at least some yeasty, perhaps some from the probiotic capsules -- is uncomfortable in itself. (Given that I'm still on antibiotics, I'd rather not treat with something stronger just yet. Gentian violet is kind of messy, and boric acid is a bit irritating for me. I'd prefer not to have to repeat that kind of treatment, so I'd like to wait until I've finished the antibiotics to bring out the big guns.) I've been awake for about 3 hours this morning, and I've already soaked through 2 pairs of underwear plus 2 pairs of shorts. The wet feeling is icky for me; plus, I'm thinking that it's not the healthiest or the most aesthetically pleasing option out there. Wet spots on my pants are not a fashion statement I need to make.

So I'm wondering about the relative wisdom of using disposable pantyliners to absorb some of the discharge. Oddly enough, in all the yeast infections I've had before, this isn't a problem I've come across; I tend to get lots of redness, swelling, and irritation but less... flowy discharge, if you will. On one hand, it seems like it would be good for my infection to keep that area as dry as possible. On the other, my underwear and pants/shorts are made of breathable material, whereas a pantyliner with a plastic bottom is... not so much. Cloth pads or liners would be ideal, but they're not an option for me at the moment.

Thoughts?

Nuva: trouble with the 4 in 1 out option

[saltlesstears.livejournal.com]

I have been using the Nuva Ring for about 6 months at this point. I have been on many HBC in the past and never really had any luck with the stacking thing. I always spotted until I eventually gave up and let myself have a withdrawal bleed, and then I'd restart. Once i literally spotted for 20+ days before I gave up! Thank god for my Diva Cup during that experience!
I decided this month that I would try keeping my Ring in for 4 weeks before removing it. It would be nice to pay for less of them, and be able to look at my schedule and decide is week 4 or week or week 5 would be better to bleed during.

So... the problem: I left the ring in for an extra week, and began spotting on exactly the same day that I would have been expecting my period if I had removed the ring. I know everybodys body is different, and we all react to hormones differently, but I was wondering if anyone may have insight, or similar experiences, into if I am just not cut out for waiting more then 3 weeks to bleed, or if this is something that will take 'practice' to do, and I should just keep trying for a few months until my body gets used to waiting 4 weeks to bleed. Also, as mentioned before one of the perks of the 3 in 1 out and 4 in 1 out option is being able to choose when it is more convenient to have a period. Would reverting back to a 3:1 for a month here and there revert my body into to desire to bleed week 4 even with the presence of hormones.

Any advice would be wonderful, and thanks all you vagina loving rockstars! Have a great weekend!
-K

Cup use with the Nuva Ring

[saltlesstears.livejournal.com]

I know there have been some topics if and how to use a menstrual cup with the Nuva Ring and if it was possible. I have been using the two together and thought I'd share how i do it without worrying about if the ring is *in* the cup, and thus not fully in contact with my vagina walls and if that was compromising my protection.
I use the 7 fold and insert my cup first. Before I turn to get suction I inset my ring ensuring that is in full contact with my walls. I have had no problems with leaks this way. It times I do feel rather *full though* and that can cause some discomfort, esp. if I have to have a BM. I'm wondering if one of the softer cups would solve that problem. Does anyone have any experiences with that?
Have a great weekend!
-K

Pain during masturbation

[unmellow-yellow.livejournal.com]

Hey folks!

Yesterday when I masturbated, I noticed that it hurt a lot when I inserted my fingers. My vaginal canal felt like it was burning or irritated. I don't really masturbate much, but each time I insert fingers, it burns (even without lube).

I used lube (glycerin-free astroglide) and my hymen is broken, so I'm not sure what it could be. I also recently tested negative for a UTI. Do you guys have any ideas?

Thank you!

Lump around anus

[smallwonders8.livejournal.com]

I've had an extra lump of skin around my anus for as long as I can remember (probably only a few years-- as I probably wouldn't have noticed it before). It's pretty much just extra skin around the anus, on the side closest to the vagina. I've never had sex, so it probably isn't a result of anal or an STD. It causes me no pain so I've never been too concerned...but recently began to panic that it could be something serious.

Does anyone have anything similar? Any idea what it could be?

Thanks!

Vulva Hygiene w/o soap?

[sleepingdragon7.livejournal.com]

Hello all!

I have problems with vulva dryness and itchiness (but as far as I know, no previous yeast infections), so I recently followed the advice of the Vulvopedia and started using warm water without soap to keep myself clean.

Unfortunately I'm more than a little neurotic and I never *feel* clean.  I don't have any unusual odor or anything out of the ordinary - it's just in my head.  Are there any products (I have extraordinarily sensitive skin) that are gentle enough to use down there?

Thanks in advance!

Period Question D:

[darknessfollows.livejournal.com]

I searched the archive and BC info to try to answer this and didn't find anything. I'm sorry if I overlooked something!

I'm on Ortho-Tricyclin and I decided to skip my period to try to get back on track with taking the pills starting on Sunday. I know that bleeding is normal when you try to do this but here's the issue.

I've been bleeding for about a full week now, maybe a little longer. Usually when I take the pills as intended, my period only lasts about 4 days, so it being over 7 is kinda weird and worrisome to me. The period's a little different, in the sense that it's more normal now. I'm not really experiencing clots this time around like i usually do. And if I do, they're smaller than a dime when usually they're larger than a quarter.

But really, bleeding for over a week? That's totally not like me D:

Any ideas, or furthermore, is it normal to have elongated periods when you skip? I've skipped periods before (once or twice in the years I've been taking it) and usually when I start back on the hormone pills the period ends within a day.

Size of uterus changing?

[stacycat69.livejournal.com]

Due to other birth control issues, the IUD is the only option available to me beside barrier methods (Paraguard, the only non hormonal one available in the US). however, when I went to get the IUD, my uterus only sounded to 5cm. It has to be at least 6cm to get the IUD , and average size in women who have not had a child is 7cm.

I read somewhere (I think) that hormonal birth control can thicken the lining of the uterus, could this cause a smaller sounding? If so, would going off that hormonal birth control change the size and/or sounding of the uterus?

IUDs and abnormal paps

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

Hi Everyone,

I'm thinking of switching out my paragard for a mirena in the near future, hopefully to get rid of some of the cramping/spotting problems I've had. But, I've also currently got some LSIL cells. Can I get a new IUD before my paps are clear? If not, can I get my IUD removed even with an abnormal pap? I guess I'm a bit concerned about shoving the abnormal cells up into my cervix - my IUD strings are currently hiding up inside my cervix, so removal will not be straightforward (and I'm sort of terrified about it!)

Condom paranoia?

[sutaseiu.livejournal.com]

I'm mostly just curious; I was wondering if anyone else is terrified that the condom will break/slip while having sex and go unnoticed.

I never used to be afraid of this, but I do not want to be pregnant right now, and the morning after pill makes me more sick each time I take it, so I want to avoid it at all costs. I used to be ok with relying on just condoms, with EC as a backup, but that's kinda gone now.

Bleeding during intercourse

[sexytapdancer16.livejournal.com]

I have been having sex with my current boyfriend for almost a month now. We don't use condoms, because I am on the pill. Today, when we had sex, I noticed there was blood, and a fairly good amount of it. It looked like I had started my period, but i'm not supposed to start for another 2 weeks. We stopped the sex when we noticed the blood, and it stopped when we stopped. It wasn't rough sex or anything either, and i wasn't dry. Does anyone know what this could be? and should i be concerned?

I had a UTI over a week ago that was healed by last weekend after my 5 days of Antibiotics. I'm guessing that may have something to do with it. We did have rather rough sex last night, but it didn't bleed then, or this morning when we did. Only this afternoon.

I just had a pap done about 3 weeks ago and nothing came back abnormal, but that was when we just started having sex.


Any input is welcome, thanks!

UTI question

[missalixxx.livejournal.com]

I went to the doctor on Friday for a UTI. They gave me sulfamethoxazole and fluconazole. I have to take the sulfamethoxazole twice a day for a week, and I take the fluconazole once when I started developing signs of a yeast infection from antibiotics. Yesterday I took the fluconazole.

My question is, when will it be safe to have sex again?

I read that you shouldn't have sex with a UTI because it pushes bacteria into the kidneys. I'm on antibiotics now so will it be ok?

This might seem silly, but I'm just paranoid. I've been having recurrent yeast infections and this is my second bladder infection in four months, so I'm trying to be safe.

attitudes

[wheeling0424.livejournal.com]

this is a deceptively simple question, but...how did you become sex-positive?

to simplify an incredibly complex situation, i'm...not. at all. and i don't have the slightest clue how i could feasibly become so, so i'm curious to see if anyone can explain what factors motivated that change.

( the tl;dr version - not required reading, i suppose, but probably will help you understand why the question begs asking. )

ETA: i'm certainly not shutting the door on anyone else who wants to add their two cents, but i just want to thank everyone who's commented on this thread for their input. your support is much appreciated.

Experience with the new DivaCup return policy?

[hortonhearsawho.livejournal.com]

Here's the deal: About two weeks ago I finished my period, was doing my usual clean-up routine and I spotted a small tear along the rim on the inside of the cup, right above the little "1". I had a crisis, not only because this was my second cup since I lost the first one. I was not in the mood to buy another, and I'm totally dependent on it at this point. I had another mini crisis when I saw that the return/exchange policy for any reason in the first year of ownership was no more. Eventually I figured out that they will exchange the cup if they deem it to be manufacturer defect, which is really the only reason I could figure for the tear in my cup where it was. It is never stressed in the direction that would cause a tear there, obviously, it it wasn't harmless, either. If it got much bigger it would have made it impossible to get a seal. So, I sent it in with the email correspondence as I was told and now I'm just sort of... in wait. Because by the time I lost my first cup but was perfectly successful with it for months before the tragedy, I paid no attention to keeping any packaging or receipt for this one. I wasn't ever planning on returning it, let alone letting anyone wrench it from my grip for any reason. They said this wasn't a problem.

So, it has been about a week and a half since I mailed it, from Ohio to Ontario, and I have not heard anything from them nor seen head nor tail of my new cup. I know shipping can take a long time, but I'm just wondering if anyone has any experience with exchanging with the company and if they could tell me what to expect. In a few more weeks from now will a new cup just show up in my mailbox if they deem it manufacturer defect and my old one if not? Will I get some sort of email once it has been received there and they've decided what to do with it?

Thanks!

menstrual cup question

[bodhi-citta.livejournal.com]

hey .. so i realize that menstrual cup questions have been done to death, but i have one more!!! i really like THE IDEA of a menstrual cup but i have a feeling that in practice it may not work for me. I"m mostly basing this on the fact that i've had NO success with applicator-free tampons. I tried, i wanted it to work, but i have short stubby fingers and could not get the tampon up high enough for it to be even remotely comfortable. I'm wondering if anyone has had similar experiences with this and has had any success with the menstrual cups?

Period Inducing

[mich-ish.livejournal.com]

I looked through the FAQs and memories but didn't find exactly what I was looking for. So...

I'm on Linessa, on Sunday starts, and today is my first day of sugar pills. I usually start my period on Wednesday or Tuesday and they last until about Friday. I'm seeing someone this Friday and it would be really nice if I weren't on my period that day.

I've heard that parsley tea does wonders, but I don't have any on hand right now and my mom would be kind of suspicious if I just went and bought a bunch of parsley to make a drink with. I remember when I was with my ex-boyfriend, we had sex on the Sunday morning of my sugar pills and I started bleeding right away. Now, the current lover and I don't have the time to be inducing my period right away for a fun Friday, but I was wondering if satisfying myself would speed up the process and make my period start a day or two earlier. I'm starting to feel the slight cramps in my back and I'm reeeally hoping it means blood.

Has anyone has success inducing a period this way? Is there anything else I can try besides buying funny herbs and making tea?

TIA!

Possible sexual abuse?

[mud-faerie.livejournal.com]

Something happened to me the other day, and I'm still really just...confused by it. Well not by the event, but by my reaction (or rather lack of...) to it. I feel like I need to talk about it with someone but my closest friends and family live 200 miles away, I wouldn't want to worry/horrify them when I still can't get my own feelngs on this. I need to get this out, and I need to hear what someone else thinks. I'll cut it incase anyone will find it upsetting.
I'm sorry if this kind of post isn't allowed here, so mods feel free to delete. ( Read more... )