Lump on breast and other new symptoms

[kissxbangxbangx.livejournal.com]

Hi VP.

A few months ago I found a strange lump on my left boob. It was reddish, raised, about the size of the bottom of a pencil, maybe and there was a red line going from it to my nipple. Eventually the line disappeared and I think that could've just been from my bra digging in (although it's never happened before!). The area directly around it was red and it looked like there were broken blood vessels around it. Pus sometimes came from it (yellowish, if I'm remembering correctly) and the centre of it turned a greyish purple colour. I was stupid and picked at it and when it scabbed, the centre of the scab was purplish too. It went away, but there's still a bit of a scar there.

Lately, I've been feeling strange. Constantly exhausted, even when I've had plenty of sleep, lots of headaches, and weird things I've never had before - a rash keeps popping up on my face and I've had a lot of really awful nightmares which doesn't usually happen to me. I noticed the nightmares started a few nights before my last period, and I was also very stressed then, so I put it down to stress, but they haven't gone away!

Tonight, I got in the shower, and found another raised, red lump on my left breast, just below the aerola. My boob is tender and when I touch that lump, there's a strange kind of discomfort, as well as almost-painful tenderness. If I get hold of it with my fingers, it's round inside, like there's a pea in there. Again, the area around it looks all broken blood vessely.

I was wondering if it's possible that the lump and my recent strangeness are connected in some way, perhaps something hormonal is causing them? I'm not on any birth control, haven't been sexually active in a while and I'm definitely not pregnant!

Thanks in advance, everyone!

Diva Cup woes.

[what-a-charmer.livejournal.com]

I started my period today (early, and thankfully I had my cup on hand!), but I've been having some issues. Also, I'm so freaking new to it that I know I'm messing up somewhere. =P

Leakage!

I've been using the punch-down fold, and having no problem with insertion, twirling, etc. The main problem seems to be, the cup likes to ride very high. Is that most likely because I'm inserting it too far? And that would cause leakage, right? Is this something that just gets better with practice, or should I try another cup?

What has been your biggest issues with cups, and how did you remedy them?

I love not having that gross squishy feeling, but I also don't like wearing a pad as backup; it makes me feel like I'm wasting my time.

unintentilonally skipping a month of pills?

[junesonglove.livejournal.com]

hey guys. just a quick question. i've been on bc for around a year now. i was supposed to start a new packet last saturday but i didn't have enough money to get the prescription. so i've missed a few days of pill taking.

so my question is, do i just wait til my next period and start a new packet then? i've heard that if you go off bc then your period sometilmes doesn't return for a few months. if that's the case, what do i do? if it makes a difference i'm on logynon ed. thanks in advance!

Swim suits

[thevelvetsun.livejournal.com]

I'm on the lookout for a new swim suit. My last one was from Victoria's Secret and I really liked it. The top had an underwire, which I specifically looked for, because I'm a 34DD and need a lot of support and I felt like underwires would give me the best support. However, I haven't tried a non-underwire to be sure. Have any of you large-breasted women ever tried something like this? Did you feel like it supported you well? Thanks!

Cramps with the NuvaRing?

[wiccapriestess9.livejournal.com]

Hey all, just a quick question about cramps and nuvaring?


I got my nuvaring on the seventh of march, and put it in. i think its wonderful, other than the fact that i will be hit with these intense cramps..

they feel like period cramps, but no blood ever comes.. i'm producing more.....stuff.... than i normally do, but i figure that might be because my body isn't used to having something inside it all the time like it does now..

I'm not sure what to do, should i call my Doctor, i'vebeen having these since about the fifth day of having it in.. could it just be because my body is readjusting to having hormones?The Cramps aren't constant, they come and go.. Just curious..

Random period question

[littlp.livejournal.com]

When you are on your period, do you have to poop more? I've always had cramps with my periods and I have this theory that because of the cramps, the poo moves more, causing me to have to poop more. Or maybe its my body just purging itself. Either annoying having to go 5 times a day...and its not what I would consider a full crap either...

Ohno :(

[lovebrooket.livejournal.com]

Hiii I'm new here. 

So last Thursday I was treated for Chlamydia with Zithromax and all of my symptoms have cleared up since then.. no discharge no burning or anything.  My boyfriend fingered me last night since we cant have sex or anything, (yes we were safe and he washed his hands before touching anything else)  and I started spotting afterwards. 

Is this normal?  Should I go back to the clinic?

A couple of questions.

[diekatze1.livejournal.com]

Hey VPers! I've looked through the memories or whatnot and I haven't found exactly what I need/want information about. So here goes!
( Cut for possible tmi and length. )

Suddenly, my periods have gone wacky.

[glitterberrys.livejournal.com]

For many years, my period was so regular it amazed people - every 28 days on the dot. A few years ago it started coming every 24-26 days. Annoying that I could no longer be certain of when it would arrive, but hey, all things considered, not that big a deal. But for the past few months, I've noticed a new change, and this one is weirding me out.

I'll get my period, bleed heavily for a few days, then my period will just vanish for a day or two. Maybe a tiny amount of blood, but not enough to be visible on the pad or anything. Then it comes back and finishes out the cycle normally. They still last 7-8 days, but instead of the moderate to heavy bleeding on day 3 or 4, there's...nothing.

I've been Googling out of curiosity, but the only things I'm finding are from people who've been on Depo or other birth control, then stopped. I've never used birth control, am not sexually active, and my last GYN exam (sometime last fall) was perfectly normal (though to be fair I'm kind of wondering about this guy's competence, given that he's missed a UTI and at least one ovarian cyst). So what gives?! I'm not complaining, really, but I am a little concerned. Anyone have any idea what's up with this?

laparoscopy

[cailin-t.livejournal.com]

It has been strongly suggested to me that I submit for a laparoscopy to discern what my chronic pelvic/ovarian pain actually is. I'm rather terrified of this procedure, but more terrified of the potential untreated issues I may have, so I am considering go through with it.

I'm curious at to anyone's experience with laparoscopy - the process, the recovery, what they discovered (if anything, ie. if it was worth it for you), etc. Thank you.

Loestrin 21

[pushpoplove.livejournal.com]

I received a couple samples of Loestrin 21 to try out from my gyno. I've only been taking it since Saturday. I've recently started getting headaches at the same time everyday. Is it possible the BCP is causing the headaches even though I haven't been taking it all that long? Is this something I can phone into my gyno about and they'll just call in a script for something else to my pharmacy?

Sorry for the silly Q's. Thanks!

pubic hair

[elle-eye-zeee.livejournal.com]

Hey I was looking into pubic hair removal creams...thoughts? opinions?

I normally shave, but I have trouble getting a close shave, and when I do, I end up with some ingrown hairs.  I've tried multiple shaving techniques, but I can't quite get the results I want.  I'm not really into the whole waxing thing either, it's a little pricey around me and painful!  I was wondering if hair removal creams such as the two below were any good...
http://www.sallybeauty.com/gigi-bikini-legs/SBS-448445,default,pd.html?cgid=Skin05-01
http://www.sallybeauty.com/Bikini-and-Leg-Depilatory/SBS-455010,default,pd.html?cgid=Skin05-01

are creams like these prone to ingrown hairs/ do they work well?? Thanks in advance!

diabetes & birth control?

[skeeba.livejournal.com]

I went to planned parenthood a couple of weeks ago to hopefully be put on birth control, and they said it was a no go until I got permission from my primary care doctor saying it's okay for me to be put on birth control since I'm diabetic.

I have an appointment in two weeks with my primary care doctor, and I am just wondering if any of you have any information on birth control for people who are diabetic (type 1), if there is anything I should know going into my appointment, or any other recommendations?

Thanks so much!

Positions that are good for bad hips?

[darkserena.livejournal.com]

To start, while visiting a friend's house for Spring Break I discovered the joy that is the shower massager. I just wish I could have one at home or at my dorm! I would shower like twice a day. :P

Random: So the other day I noticed that after orgasming, my hearing is sometimes...dimmer. Like the feeling you get when driving up a mountain or something like that. Only it doesn't seem to go away from trying to pop my ears - it just fades away and in a minute or so I hear fine again. Why is this? I'm pretty sure I don't hold my breath, which is the only reason I could think of.

The big question:
My boyfriend and I have been doing a little experimentation with positions - he's my first and we've only been having sex for about a month, so I'm inexperienced and while he's more experienced he's dreadfully uninventive in bed! We tried spooning (at my insistence - he seemed to think it was only for anal), but couldn't make it work. I REALLY want to try having sex this way, but we just can't seem to line up right. Is there a certain way for us to lay or something?

I have bad hips (was born with my hips kinda funny so they bother me a lot, even though I'm only 22), so sometimes I feel like our position-options are very limited. So I'd really like to get spooning down at least once, to give it a try! Or maybe there are other positions that won't put stress on my hips? Even missionary hurts after a while, having my legs up like that for too long. And anything doggy-related seems to be out of the question.

Menstrual Euphemisms: What Do You Call It?

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

That time when your Mooncup or other blood-catching apparatus runneth over.

I was calling today to arrange my IUD insertion. Since, at the consultation, I'd been told to call back when I was "on [my] menses," I repeated that phrase back to them -- and it felt really weird coming out of my mouth.

Certainly not that there's anything wrong with one particular phrasing or another, but I grew up with "on my period" as sort of the standard menstrual fare. I've alluded to "that time of the month" when I've been in polite company in need of a subtler euphemism, and I know I'm among friends when I can tell them I'm "on the rag." Though "my uterus is in revolt" is also a favorite catch-all that does not require the detail-stickler in me to differentiate among breakthrough bleeding, HBC-withdrawal bleeding, and true menstrual bleeding.

Where I live now, "on your menses" seems to be a pretty standard phrase used in more formal contexts with "on your days" being more common among my adolescent students. (Though some of them like "on the rag," too.)

I'm also familiar with people referring to "Aunt Flo" or their "moon time[s]," though I don't tend to hear them much in life outside the Internet.

But I am now curious: what phrases do you commonly use to refer to that time when blood comes out of your vagina?

alternative spermicides

[pvalov-rings.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone,
I'm sure I've seen posts on this before... Does anyone have any links to a) spermicide recipes and b) studies on their effectiveness? I've heard that a grapefruit juice/honey mixture could be used, but besides the danger of yeast infections, I'm hesitant to try it just because I don't know really how effective it might be. Any personal experience? Or ideas for other alternative contraceptive methods?

Vaginismus

[catiekat.livejournal.com]

I'm looking for a little support I guess. I'm pretty sure I have vaginismus, and I was wondering if anyone in this community has been successfully treated for this condition.

I just feel so abnormal; I want sex to feel good. I've only had actual sex like twice in my life, so maybe I'm just being silly, but I've tried on numerous occassions. It's rarely with the same guy, so maybe that is my problem.

Vaginal irritation?

[und3rmythumb.livejournal.com]

I'm in a gym class in school, and for the past two weeks we have been in the pool Monday - Friday for 40 minutes a day. Sunday night as I was going to bed I noticed that the skin around my labia majora, towards the bottom part, almost to my butt, hurt/itched a little. I looked at it and it was red. Yesterday I woke up and it was still painful/itchy and still just as red. I went through the day slightly uncomfortable but otherwise fine. Later last night, after urinating, I wiped myself and it stung a bit when I touched the irritated area. Today, I looked in the mirror and now the inside of my labia minora, leading almost into my vagina, is bright red and appears to be a bit swollen. Is it possible that the chlorine from the pool could have caused this? I haven't had unprotected sex with anyone, I haven't had oral sex performed on me in nearly three years, I haven't switched soap or tampon brands. The only difference in my routine is the swimming, and unfortuntely, I don't get much of a chance to thoroughly wash myself because we only have 15 minutes to shower (no stalls) and change clothes, so it's just a quick rinse off. Does anyone have any idea what could be going on? I do have rather sensitive skin, but this has never happened in any other pool.

Edit: Thanks so much, everyone. :) I went and bought some Summer's Eve soap and some alcohol/fragrance free lotion, and I'm going to talk to my gym teacher about getting the chance to take a real shower. I'm going to wait a few days and see if that helps. If not, off to the doctor for me!

Yogurt

[indigodye.livejournal.com]

I have had a bit of a yeast infection, so yesterday I took a Diflucan and started doing a vinegar rinse on the outer bits. It stopped the itching but it seems to try out the skin, so I bought some plain organic yogurt tonight. If you have treated a YI with yogurt before, how did you do it? I figure applying it on the outer bits will soothe and help counteract the yeasty bits, but I am not sure if I should try to douche with it.