2008-09-22

Nuva Ring and Pregnancy?

Hello I have a question concerning my nuva ring cycle. I started Nuva Ring the sunday after my period, Aug. 10th. Kept it in for 3 weeks, but took it out the SATURDAY August 30th. My period came in time, okay no problems. Put it in the following Sunday September 7th. The first month my boyfriend never came inside me because it was the first month. However this month of course, he has. A friend informed me that I should have taken it out the Sunday August 31st instead of Saturday. I'm a little scared that I have messed up the days and/or have the possibility of being pregnant. I know there's no certainty here, but could someone explain to me the chances of this happening? Thank you.

Sharp pain before my period.

Ok, this has been going on for many years, I have a feeling I know what it is but I want to know what everyone thinks. Since the age of 20, I get these sharp pains that radiate up my back, it always starts about a week before my period. It is actually another sign, I have that tells me, "aunt flo" is near. Sometimes, the pain is severe and sometimes it really isn't bad, if anyone has any idea, please write back, I would GREATLY appreciate it.

STI testing

My partner and I are planning on trying for our second child in the upcoming months. I recently cheated on him with another man, unbeknownst to him. I'll spare you the details, but it was a rash, horrible decision that I've come to regret.

In any case, upon going to my OB, I would like to ask for a full STI panel. However, this is the woman who is going to be seeing my husband and I quite often during the pregnancy. I would like to develop a somewhat warm, friendly relationship with her since she will be birthing my child. I don't know how I can look her in the face and ask her to an STI panel while she knows I'm married and will be seeing my husband often.

Is there any way around this?

New, cheap HPV test could prevent cervical cancer in areas where pap testing is not feasible.

A new rapid test for the human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer, has proven to be 90 percent accurate in a trial involving women in rural villages in eastern China[...]. [It] was designed to detect 14 high-risk types of HPV in about 2.5 hours. It can be operated by staff with minimal training and without any running water[...]The trial involved 2,388 women [...]who were given instruments and instructions to collect specimens themselves.

Currently, acetic acid visualization is sometimes used for cervical cancer screening in areas where pap testing is not available. (Warning: clinical pictures of cervixes.) According to the Washington Post, this new test may be better than the "screen and treat" approach used with acetic acid visualization.

lots of sex and yeast infections

Can having a lot of sex cause a yeast infection?

I am in a long distance relationship and I went to visit my boyfriend last week, and after more than 7 months with no sex, we had sex 5 or 6 times a day for a week. The last day I felt a little itchy moist (when not aroused), I figured it was just chafing and now that I'm back home I'm pretty sure its a yeast infection and used one of those one-day treatment things. I am always wet when we have sex, but 5 or 6 times a day is a lot and sometimes I felt a bit sore, but not itchy until the last day. It hasn't been that long so I don't know if the YI treatment worked, but I was just wondering if this is normal (for lots of sex to cause a yeast infection)? In case it makes any difference I go off the pill when I am not with him, so I had just started it up again the month before I went (I read that it can sometimes weird out your hormones and encourage yeasties), we are not sleeping with other people and do not use condoms (so latex/etc. allergies are not an issue). I've gotten UTI's from sex before, but never yeast. Should I tell him to take something in case I passed it to him? I'm not going to be seeing him for another 5 months at least, so that should be long enough for my vagina to get back to normal.

Thanks.

Current Mood: frustrated

BCP - insurance & switching

so i went to my pharmacy yesterday to pick up my BCP and was told my insurance no longer covers it. um, WHAT?

i started blue cross 2 months ago when i started my new job and have bought my BCP twice and it's been fine. the pharmacist said they should have notified me with this change. but they didn't. she said sometimes insurance companies update the formulations of their coverage and just wipe out certain drugs.

the pharmacist said i have 3 options:
have my doc call and tell the insurance company her patient is on this med and that's that
have my doc call in another prescription
or, be screwed because the insurance company will not budge on the coverage of my BCP

so backstory - i've been on some form of ovcon for 7 years. ovcon 35 for 3 years and ovcon 50 for the last 4. i'm nervous about switching pills but maybe it's a good time? even with coverage, my pill is $50 a month. WAY too much for my budget right now. i'm just scared that switching pills now would mess me up because i've been on the same pill for 7 years.

opinions? thoughts?

i'm trying to figure out what to do first - make an appointment with my doc to discuss a new pill or just call her and tell her to call the insurance company or call the insurance company. halp!

Current Mood: refreshed
Current Music: Backstreet Boys, ha ha

Nor Q D BC Question

Happy Monday Everyone!!!

::waits for the resounding grumbles to die down::

I have a BC question for you guys. I'm not on BC so I am really useless when it comes to these questions, especially this one since I have never even heard of it before.

My friend is taking Nor Q D birth control. She was having sex with her fiance the other night and when he pulled out, the condom fell off inside of her. Then, the next day, she got home late and was 6 hours late on her dose. I told her that I didn't think one missed dose would but her at any risk of pregnancy (I could very well be wrong here) but she told me that it's a 24 hour pill. It takes 24 hours to get into her system and only stays for 24 hours.

Lets see...stats. She is 21 years old, 225 lbs, severely diabetic...not sure what other factors would affect the BC's effectiveness. If she is 225 lbs...how effective is it normally anyway? (I heard somewhere that women over 180 lbs are far less protected than those under 180.)

Any advice? I tried to look all of this up online but my work has all of the sites google/yahoo brought up because of the drug content. :: sigh ::

Thanks so much in advance!

Post-sex bleeding

I just had sex with my boyfriend for the first time on friday (it's now monday) and I've been bleeding ever since. I'm not talking about spotting either... and I just finished my period two weeks ago. I know this can happen to people who have just lost their virginity, but I lost mine three years ago and now I'm really starting to freak out. I haven't had sex in 7 months. Does anybody know what could possibly be going on?

Could I be pregnant?

I know there are ladies that ask this all the time, so bear with me...

My periods/cycles are strange, and I had two last month (I usually only have one), and I can't remember when the last one started so I have no idea when I may have been ovulating, or when I should expect my period, or when to know if and when I am late.

I have been having strange symptoms lately that I don't usually have, for example: frequent headaches, bloating all of the time, increased hunger and/or loss of appetite, and fatigue constantly, no matter how much sleep I get.

I'm not on HBC. We use condoms sometimes, most of the time we use withdrawal, which we've used for a long, long time.

To add to my paranoia, my grandma told me on Saturday that she thinks I am going to be pregnant before my aunt gives birth (I think my aunt is like, 4 or 5 months along), and that she is "never wrong." The thing is, she's really not... she's "predicted" more than a few of my aunt's and uncle's recent pregnancies/children. I haven't been able to stop thinking about that since Saturday.

I had been feeling all of these symptoms before she told me that, so I know it's not all in my head. Can anyone give me some insight? I usually start my period around the 7th of the month, but like I said I had two last month so I don't know what's going on with my cycle, or if it will come as usual on the 7th. Should I wait until then to take a test? Should I test before then?

Thanks in advance...

boyfriend with mental health issues

If this is inappropriate feel free to delete, but if it is inappropriate can you point me in a better direction?
( really long, but i really need some insight. )

sex hurting?

I know that sex is supposed to hurt for the first time, I lost my virginity about a month and a half ago, and my boyfriend and I have done it around 7 times.
Everytime we do it, it hurts a lot, sometimes more than others. The time before last, it only hurt a tiny bit and I was able to enjoy it more, but last time we did it it hurt so bad I had to stop.
Isn't it supposed to hurt less and less everytime?
Of course it doesn't hurt as bad as the very first time, but should it still hurt?
When did it stop hurting for you?

Current Mood: tired

Thyroid?

Hey everyone, I hope this question is allowed, I ask because I know there are some really knowledgeable people here regarding this topic.

Thyroid problems have affected pretty much every adult in my family. My mom started out hyperthyroid and became hypothyroid after I was born, and has been ever since. Last semester, I was experiencing severe levels of fatigue. I would sleep normally, with a regular schedule, but I would be totally unable to stay awake during the day, even after getting 8 hours of sleep. I also gained 10 pounds in about two months. I was tested for mononucleosis because my brother had tested positive for it a few months prior. That test came back negative. The doctor then ordered a thyroid test, but when they came back low but not extremely (I was never told the exact values nor which levels were actually tested), the doctor just blew off the results, saying "They're not low enough to be causing you this much fatigue, etc." Over the summer, it seemed to get better, but I never really seemed to get over the tiredness all the time. Now, just in the last two weeks, I have been the most fatigued I've ever been in my life. I just can't stay awake no matter how long I sleep or if I take naps. I would love to get a second opinion on the thyroid issue, however I don't have a primary care doctor right now and if I go back to Campus Health I think they will just tell me to deal with it, I'm a normal college student. But I can't just deal with it, being a college student is actually the reason I want to get this fixed, I can't do anything like this.

I am also currently being counseled on my anxiety disorder, we're hoping to make some progress without medication, I don't know if that would be relevant.

I've also had severe migraines since puberty, and while they are mostly under control, I do still get them from time to time.

So basically, my question is, should I push this thyroid issue? My mom seems to think I should but finding a primary care doctor is going to be a bit difficult for a bit. I would really appreciate any advice/support you wonderful people can give me! Thanks in advance!

nuva ring & antibiotics

all of you wonderful ladies here are always my go-to people for advice! I have a question about nuva ring and antibiotics. I know you should use condoms with the pill and antibiotics, but I know that with the nuvaring your body takes the hormones in differently. Should I still use a back up method if I am taking antibiotics while on the ring? if so, for how long? I am so confused at this and the last thing I want is to get pregnant. thanks for all your help!

Is it possible for your vagina to shrink?

I'm probably going to sound so very newb when I say this, but it's bothering me a lot, so I'll ask it anyway.

Is it possible for your vagina to shrink a lot?

I am 24 and relatively gynaecologically healthy, apart from mild endometriosis. I have M.E, but I don't think that makes a difference AFAIK.

I have a small Mooncup, a large Lunette and a small Divacup, and for my last 3 cycles, none of them have been feeling right. I'm a cup devotee and have been for well over 2 years now. So I looked through a lot of posts here and on

menstrual_cups and tried all sorts of methods of folding, positioning and angling. I don't get any leaks except on my heavy days which I call my 'red river days', and I'm not reasonably expecting to not leak during those days.

The problem is that now, no matter what I do, my cup always hurts. It doesn't just feel uncomfortable, it really hurts. It presses and makes me want to pee all the time, and makes my menstrual cramps much much worse. Yesterday was awful, I was restless from the pain, so eventually took it out and had to wear two pads to cope with my flow - I used to wear my cup and a liner on the heavy days in case of leaks.

I really prefer internal methods because my menstruation is really heavy, especially for the first 2 days, and I feel like I'm constantly wetting myself if I wear cloth pads and am physically active. I always wear cloth pads at home, but when out and about prefer something internal.

I used to have a tiny amount of pressure on the super sensitive first day of my period, but now it's all the time.

So yes, it literally feels like my vagina has shrunk.

I've lost a fair bit of weight recently, I'm down to 182lbs from 231lbs, I was wondering if it's something to do with that.

I'd really love recommendations for a small cup. What's the teeny tiniest one available? I'd really rather not give up on cups altogether and go back to tampons. I find tampons very drying and not particularly conducive to a healthy vaginal environment. The only tampons I can find which all are cotton and organic (without the nastiest chemicals and crap) are in a shop 5 miles from where I live, and it's difficult for me to get there very often.

If all else fails, I'd like recommendations for sites online that sell cotton organic tampons, which will ship to the U.K.

lubrication during sex

Hey all,

I just wanted to ask you guys a question and compare it with my own experiences. I've been with my boyfriend for about five months and we have FANTASTIC sex. Although, whenever I get really turned on and we start going at it, my wetness turns from clear and really watery so really thick and really white, almost like a cream and he says that it oozes out of me. It always appears at the base of his shaft. Does anyone else get lubrication like this?

Thanks!

Wacky Periods

So my periods have been way off for the last six months or so. I only know of the last six months (thanks to mymonthlycycles.com) and they are very irregular. My period is usually totally gone after six days. I just got my period the day before yesterday. Before I got it, I had really weird discharge. It was really brown and thick. To the point where I was wearing a panty liner. So now, my period seems just about gone. All day today... nothing. I don't really know what is going on. Any ideas? Could it be something else?

Current Mood: frustrated

Wrist/hand fatigue?

I have problems with my motor coordination (due to some rather complex learning/neurological disabilities), especially my fine motor coordination. Most of my problems have been with writing - my writing is very messy, and my hands tire easily. Same with activities like chopping vegetables - it takes me longer than most and it's tiring. Well, as I learned recently, writing and cooking aren't the only things affected by this.

I was giving my partner a handjob, and actually had to stop because my hands were getting very tired. Does anyone know of a good way to make this activity more comfortable and stop myself from fatiguing so quickly? (It's a bit of a bummer, currently, because I had to stop before I could get him off.)

By the way, my boyfriend is FTM, in case that gives you a better understanding of his anatomy - as in, what I'd actually be doing.

ortho tri-cyclen & a sad, sad sex drive?

So, i've been taking birth control since before I was sexually active, because of bad cramps and heavy periods. I was put on ortho tri-cyclen lo and have been taking it for about 5 years now. I wanted to ask if anyone has any experience with this brand or knows a little about it. My sex drive is very low for my age, and because I started taking them before I was sexually active, I can't tell if its just me, the birth control, or some other external force. i'm hoping it's the bc, but let me know if you have any insight. its just so frustrating.

thanksss.

what is going on?

Ok so I just stuck my finger in my vagina (after taking out my nuva ring) to feel around because I haven't done so in a while and I noticed that something (possibly my uterus/cervix?) is sitting lower down than it used to. Like I can't even put my whole finger in there anymore without hitting it.
I've been experiencing some painful sex for a couple months (although I haven't had sex in a month because I have a long distance relationship) and I have an ongoing case of BV (which the doctors have concluded is not curable) so I've been desperately trying to treat it with Boric Acid (I did 1tbsp to 1c water twice a day with no luck and this past week I've been putting the straight powder up there once a day with a YI cream applicator which seems to be helping when I use it but the BV comes back when I stop).
Did the Boric Acid cause this? Is it PID or something? How do I make it go away? I'm freaking out here.