(no subject)

[delicatetruth.livejournal.com]

I have a question regarding condoms and well I guess condom sensitivity or what causes a negative reaction.

I suppose I lucked out in whatever brand my boyfriend was buying I enjoyed, which I discovered the first time he ran out and bought a different brand which startyed to hurt by the end of us using it and made it almost impossible for him to finish.

We've had no problems until this week. I wanted to buy some to have on me in case he ever forgets which coincidently happened twice this week. Well I know I bought the same brand as him (Durex) but I didnt know the kind and felt clueless at the store and just bought the variety pack.

However we realized tonight that whenever we have to use a different condom he usually has a hard time finishing and it becomes uncomfortable for me. The last time I noticed it towards the end and today about halfway through it was just...uncomfortable. Not painful or anything but the pelasure started to wear off.

So two questions...does anyone have any experience with that? any ideas as to what causes the negative reaction or how to avoid it? I don't think its the latex, but I'm wondering if it could be the scent perhaps because without meaning to I realized the ones I got were like tropical which I didnt care for but I think it might have irritated me a little (no rash or anything but there is very very slight discomfort now).

And also, this may sound silly but does anyone know anything about Durex brand condoms. My boyfriend says the wrapper was purple but thats all he remembers and I wanted to look them up/buy more to have on me.

thank you!

Bra sizing

[tsepnraiynag.livejournal.com]

So, bras are measured by inches around the ribcage and inches around the boobs, or whatever, there are 100 ways to measure, but anyways, none seem to address the size of the straps.  All of my straps seem to get too worn out too quickly, and pretty soon the bra is too lose on the tightest setting and I'm safety pinning the straps into place at the tightest setting because they don't stay there all day.  It gets pretty uncomfortable.  So, any advice?  Am I wearing the wrong size?  It seems to be right in all other ways.  I can't afford to replace my bras this often!  Help!  Thanks! 

(no subject)

[sound0fdrums.livejournal.com]

Hello!

A quick question for all the brilliant people here.

My daughter is 12 and has had her period for four months now. Each time has been heavy and she goes through a large number of overnight-slash extra heavy flow pads in the course of a day. Everyone's told her that early periods always start light and don't 'settle' for the first year, but I started out the same way she has (heavy bleeding and a pretty regular schedule). She asked me last night if she could try tampons since she's tired of feeling like she's wearing a diaper.

Advice, please?

Bra Fit with Wide Breasts

[airenwoodmoon.livejournal.com]

Hi!

So I've come across a curious question that I don't know if there's a good answer to.

I apparently have wide breasts. I kinda knew this- they're always spaced so far apart that cleavage is all but impossible- but I'm starting to think that they are wide themselves. As in more flesh from side to side than from the chest out.

This leads to interesting bra fittings. Fitted the normal way (around the breasts and then either around the chest just underneath the breasts or above them) I get a range from 34A-36B. But then I found this book that had a new type of sizing where you took your band size just under your breasts, then you measure each breast individually from your side to your sternum. Then there's a little chart that goes with it to tell you what your size is. With that method it says I'm a 36C. (It's this book. I snagged it from the library.)

I love the range I get. :)

So I decided to try on a C. I've never had something fit more comfortably on the sides; the underwire isn't digging into my breasts and it actually fits. From side to side. I've got this gap I can stick my fingers in between the bra and my flesh. So I try on a B in the same style/brand as the other one. My breasts now fit in the front but the wire is digging into the sides again.

I'll admit I know next to nothing about bras- so I don't really know what to do next. And unfortunately I need molded/padded bras because I have these huge, puffy nipples/areoli that will poke out of even the thickest fabric.

Am I doomed to have either a gap, or being stuck in the sides by the wire? I know the "perfect bra" doesn't exist but I can get close, right?

Monistat capsules

[drunkontea.livejournal.com]

Hi, I went through every yeast-infection entry through the memories, but couldn't find an answer.

I started the Monistat 3-day after getting a culture taken and confirmed that I had YI at the doctor's. I inserted the first capsule last night, but only slept for about 4.5 hours before I had to get up for the day. When I used the bathroom this morning I found that I had discharged some of the capsule and there was a very small amount of blood (only enough to spot-stain the toilet paper I used).

Are Monsistat capsules supposed to complete dissolve, and should I be worried about that small amount of blood?

The official website is terrible and only gives answers that came with the instructions anyway, which is that some women experience discharge during/after treatment. I have no idea if "discharge" includes discharge of undissolved pieces of the capsule.

(no subject)

[kiimp.livejournal.com]

Hi vaginapagina!

I got the Nuvaring last week, and so far I love it, especially since I was on the pill before and would seriously forget it every other day.

I'm in the Netherlands though, and an American friend gave me a heads up via LJ that there have been PSA's in the US about health concerns / risks associated with the Nuvaring? I've been googling but I can't find anything, is there anyone here who has also seen these PSA's and can explain to me what the deal is? I know no hormonal birth control is *good* for you but I was wondering if there really is an increased risk with the Nuvaring.

Anyone?

irregular periods--possibly fibroids?

[iturnintomyself.livejournal.com]

(disclaimer: I tried to search for heavy period/fibroids in the tags but couldn't find any.)

Hello, everyone. I am actually asking for a friend who has been having nonstop periods "forever" now. Coincidentally, she has a family history ovarian cancer and heavy menstrual periods, which I suspect made her think that having a heavy period all the time wasn't a big deal. The time she hasn't had one was when she was pregnant, but otherwise she's had them since she was 10 or so.

 When she is not on her period, she is experiencing sympathy cramps for our office mates or going through PMS and gearing up for another period. I feel like it has gotten worse lately. She is resorting to buying her menstrual supplies in bulk and gets up every hour to go change. I really don't think this is a good sign. I know that if I was going through Costco boxes of tampons every few weeks, I would be alarmed. I have been nagging her to go to the doctor, and I tried to find explanations online for her condition.

I came across an entry on fibroids on WebMd. Maybe I'm jumping to conclusions, but I suspect she might have them. When I read the symptoms out loud to her, she said "yes" to every single one. Given her family history, I think that if it's not fibroids, it's something just as urgent in terms of medical attention.

Does anyone here have an idea as to what it might be, or how close my diagnosis is? Also, how much bleeding is considered "normal"? I just think it sounds like way too much bleeding for everything to be okay.

If anyone has an ideas/information, I'd really appreciate it. I'd like to send her a link to this entry once I have responses and make her go see a doctor ASAP.

Hymen tearing and pain during intercourse?

[slightly-frayed.livejournal.com]

Hellohello, lovely Superstars.

I recently started dating and having sex with a lovely boy. Everything is fantastic except that I've recently started experiencing a great deal of pain during penetration. I wouldn't be worrying about it except that I've been having sex for a few years now and have never experienced something like this before. My current partner is uncircumcised and incredibly well-endowed (he's incredibly thick) and I'm wondering if it has something to do with this.

The first few times we had sex, everything was fully functional and I experienced no pain. Then randomly out of the blue, I had some bleeding after sex. I got a YI later that week and attributed the blood to it, but now I'm wondering if I perhaps tore something or even dismantled the remnants of my hymen.

The pain is centred around the entrance to my vag, which makes me think that it is in fact my hymen. I can feel (and see) some tissue around my entrance that reminds me (and this is weird, forgive me) of the back spikes on a stegosaurus. It's bumpy and feels firmer to the touch than the rest of my vulva.

Is this just scar tissue caused by a tear to my hymen? Will it soften over time? Should I be abstaining from sex completely until it's 100% comfortable or am I safe to lube up really well and push through the pain slowly? I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon for something completely unrelated and I would bring this up except that my doctor has a strict 'one issue per appointment' rule. I would hate to bring it up if it's something that will just take care of itself over time.

Help? Similar experiences? Anything? Thank you!

Aldara and dealing with low-risk hpv.

[soscurred.livejournal.com]

I posted a couple of days ago about some suspicious bumps down under. It is indeed low-risk hpv with genital warts.  I was devastated.  I'm getting better, I read the "smiling with hpv" post.  That made me smile a bit. I talked to my boyfriend and he says he still loves me and wouldn't dream of leaving me.  Sorry if this isn't allowed but if you guys could offer advice or you general knowledge of the matter, I'd really appreciate it.
I have a prescription for aldara, my doctor told me to take it three times a week, before bed, and wash off in the morning but the prescription says daily, three times. So which is it?

Burning during period. YI?

[tashieee.livejournal.com]

I'm sure a lot of these types of questions get asked. :(
But I couldn't find anything specific about my situation. So I hope it's okay I ask!

I started my period today, and it burns a little down there when it bleeds - kinda like I'm bleeding out mild acid, hah! I don't wear tampons, if that matters/helps. But yeah... it's not unbearable but it is a little uncomfortable... and I've had this before when I've gotten my period. Not everytime though. And the burning seems to only be during the first 1-2 days, when my period is the heaviest I guess. It also feels better when I pee and then wipe. So I don't know! Help?

I'm going to my doctor on Wednesday for something else anyway, so if it doesn't get better [though it usually does] I'll ask him then. :)

Re: neverending period thanks to HBC pill

[kephiso.livejournal.com]

Hi again. HBC n00b is back. Here's my last post. For those who don't want to read what I wrote yesterday or the day before or whatever it was, let me sum it up: Started Yasmin on first day of period, am about halfway through the pack and am still experiencing the brownish blood-clotty discharge I usually get on the last day. No signs of stopping. This is my first time on HBC.

Today I got jiggy with a vibrator and after orgasm a whole bunch of bright red blood sprung forth from the womb region. Like my period was starting all over again. And then it was followed by more, really heavy, brown clots. And now it's pretty much back to the steady stream of brown goo. Yuck yuck yuck.

What I failed to say in my first post was that my doctor gave me three months worth of Yasmin. There is no way in hell I am going to put up with a three-month period that especially enjoys rearing its ugly head in sexual situations. No sirree.

What would you folks do in my position? Is it cool if I book another appointment with my doctor and demand something new? Am I supposed to finish this pack first? Am I being a pussy (pun only slightly intended)? Both ladies who replied to my other post had horror stories about multi-month periods which leads me to believe that there's some unspoken rule about toughing it out when your cooch won't stop bleeding. I have no idea what I'm supposed to doooo. :(

Thanks. Again.

Low-risk HPV/internal warts

[becomingunstuck.livejournal.com]

A friend of mine confided in me today that she has been diagnosed with low-risk HPV with internal warts.  She had questions for me because I was diagnosed with high-risk HPV just over a year ago and she knows how thoroughly I like to research everything.  The problem is, most of my knowledge is about high-risk HPV and not low risk and it's so hard to find good information about it online so I thought I'd turn it over to you to help me out.
She's having surgery tomorrow to get the warts burned off (laser) and then she'll be going to see the doctor 3 times over the next 6 months.  How will internal warts affect her boyfriend?  Her doctor already told her he needs to see a urologist so is there a chance that he has warts inside his urethra? 
I know that high-risk HPV can go dormant but can low-risk go dormant as well or will she definitely be testing positive for it for the rest of her life?
What about the chance of it affecting her throat?
Is there anything else that she should know?  I think she's just really scared and confused because she had the Gardasil shot before she became sexually active and now she's obviously been diagnosed with a strain that it doesn't cover (which I've already explained).

I've already told her to talk to her doctor but I'd like to relieve her fears in the meantime (and I had conflicting information from my doctor when I was diagnosed).

Thank you!

lubricated condoms causing YI?

[leftover-pizza.livejournal.com]

Hello! =D

I'm on Humira, an immuno-suppressant drug. This basically means I can get infections easily and my body can't fight them off quickly. I hadn't felt the effects of this until January, when I had sex with my boyfriend. I hadn't seen him for three months, and we used a different condom than our regular, some thin Trojan with "Ultrasmooth Lubricant".

Unfortunately, I got a yeast infection. I took some monistat 3-day, waited a week+, and we had sex again. Oh, hello yeast infection! Back so soon? =/ (I understand the man can get the YI and give it back to the girl, but as we didn't have sex while I was still infected I don't think thats it?)

I want to know, was this caused by the type of condom we used? He's probably getting leave again for april, and I would love if I didn't get another YI because it really puts a damper on the whole having sex thing.

HPV

[autumn-cc.livejournal.com]

Hello.

I recently got a pap smear and I tested positive for HPV. Next week I have to go back for a colposcopy. What is a colposcopy exactly? What will happen? Is it painful?

I've gotten a couple of pap smears before and they've all been negative. Does this mean the HPV has been dormant? I went out with my first boyfriend 2 years ago and I've been with my current boyfriend now for about a year. Is there any way to tell who I got it from?

Should I be start wearing condoms with my boyfriend? Is there any way to tell if he has it?

Since I have tested positive for HPV, will I get genital warts? (If so, will they be reocurring my whole life?)

I have so many questions. I've done research online but I still feel as though I'm lost.

If anyone else has HPV and would like to share their stories that would be really great. 

Thank you all so much. This community is amazing.

(no subject)

[mjisinbflo.livejournal.com]

Do ribbed condoms actually work?
What condoms do you use? Do any actually feel good pleasure wise?

FYI - Username Change

[jocelina.livejournal.com]

Hello, VPers!

Just wanted to let you all know that I've changed my LJ username from "psycheknot" to jocelina. (Hence my icon and username not quite matching at the moment. ;) )

My VP email and VP.com profile will be updated soon but for now you can get in touch with me using my current VP.com email (psycheknot@vaginapagina.com) or via PM, and of course you can always reach me and the rest of the VP Team via email or over in contact_vp.

Take care,
Jocey

Top 5 VP Entries for LJ's Anniversary

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

Hi, all. First off, thanks for digging up some of your favorite VP entries and posting them here, so we know what folks would like to submit to LJ's upcoming 10th anniversary anthology.

The poll below contains a list of all eligible (according to the stipulations LiveJournal gave us) nominated entries. Please help us select our "Top 5" by voting for up to 5 of the selections below. Yeah, you're kind of on the honor system to limit it to 5 choices. But it's not the end of the world if you live in the same "counting is hard, yo" world that I do. ;)

And just as a bit of clarification, since we (like many of you) love the Everyday Bodies Project: We've decided to take those entries out of the running because we're concerned that sharing them outside of VP would violate the privacy agreement we have with the people whose photos are displayed there.

Thanks for your input in helping spread the vulva love far and wide!

[Poll #1364680]

EDIT: Here's the correct link to The skinny on the word skinny. Looks like I was not so careful in my copying and pasting last night. :P

If you need to alter some of your answers because of this, you cal click on the poll and then click "Fill Out Poll," and it should let you retake the poll. Sorry for any inconvenience!

EDIT 2: The poll is now closed. These are the results we'll be using to send our submissions to LJ. :)

First PAP update

[catiekat.livejournal.com]

Couldn't get thru it :(
We even tried a pediatric speculum. My doc used her finger to see if anything was obstructing the speculum because it was causing me so much pain, and yup! I have some little loop of flesh that the speculum gets stuck on! So I'm gonna talk with a gyno and see what can be done. I'm still pretty sure part of my problem is my nervousness and tension, so more valium might do the trick, but physical therapy is also a good approach. At least I can't blame all of it on my wussiness.

Thank you ladies for all your support and helpful ideas. I tried them, but all I could concentrate on was the pain. Poo poo.

Shorter and Slightly Lighter Period.

[oogoodlookin.livejournal.com]

My period has always been pretty regular.  T
The day prior to my period starting, me and my boyfriend had "sex" without a condom. But we were interrupted and he was only in for about 5 minutes, a little pre-come at the most.
The next day, my period came on but I've noticed that it's not lasting as long as it usually does and isn't quite as heavy.
Also, I'm not on any birth control or any other medications or anything like that.
Any ideas?
Thanks!