Starting HBC Mid Cycle

[authentic.livejournal.com]

I need advice on how to take my HBC the next few weeks as I'm a bit of a HBC noob when it comes to anything other than normal, perfect usage. I'm currently in a long distance relationship and will get to see my man again in three weeks, however I'm a little unsure if we'll be protected at that time due to the fact that I started my pill this month about a week and a half after my period ended rather than immediately. I've heard that when you start mid cycle you may have already ovulated, thus you are unprotected even after a week of perfect use. Is this true? If it is I was wondering if I should finish this week, have a withdrawal bleed, and start a new pack/cycle.. I'm not exactly sure if this would even work correctly as a "cycle reset" but that's where you can help me. :)
So what should I do? Continue my current pack and stack through my visit? Or finish this week, have a withdrawal bleed, and start a new one?
I'd prefer not to resort to condoms as we aren't fond of them, but if I'm unprotected then I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Thanks in advance!

If it helps I'm on Low-Ogestrel.

Spotting for a week striaght?

[sonarvampress.livejournal.com]

My period was a week late, and then I thought it finally started right after I took a pregnancy test (which was negative). Only it hadn't started, it's only been spotting since Sunday. All I've seen on the pads is a small streak of very dark blood. I'm wondering if I should consider this a period and not worry, or if I should retest in a few days. I did recently start working out so I think that's why it's weird, but I don't want to ignore it if it's something else.

Capsiacin for Vestubilitis

[juhunt.livejournal.com]

So, I've read a lot around the internet about using capsiacin cream to treat vestibulitis, and I'm wondering if any of you have tried using it and if it was successful for you.

If it was, how did you go about using it? How did you deal with the burning sensation it causes?

Thanks!

Painful Sex update #18

[elides.livejournal.com]

[Back story: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]

The steroid injections seemed to work for a couple weeks...then stopped and the pain is back. It doesn't seem to be AS bad as it was, so Dr E is doing another round. He says the fact that the pain stopped ("moved") is a good sign.
We did 3-6 injections per week for 3 weeks, then waited a month, that was the checkup today. He's doing another round, 4 times, then 3 weeks to check-up. He's also got her back on the Protopic this time, again twice a day.
She says the injections hurt pretty badly, but weren't unbearable... until today's. The 3rd shot on her left side, the "less bad" side, actually had her in tears from the pain - real shaking sobs. :( It was awful to watch, she pretty much ramped up from mild discomfort to sobbing and crying out in the space of three seconds, and this is a girl that NEVER cries from pain. She also bled a lot more, and left a large swipe of red on the exam table. So I bought her breakfast, what else can a guy do?
Next update ETA mid April... thanks as always for any support/virtual hugs/suggestions/anything... thanks just for reading.

Venusimo

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

I read this blog post yesterday and though it might be interesting to many of you.

The post is here. I'll explain it briefly for the linkphobic: it's a post written by a mom about female sexual power (an health, and confidence), and how men have a word for it (virility) but women do not. She discusses the power of women and their bodies in the context of pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding, as well as in the context of sex, orgasm, etc. Importantly, she writes about how female sexual power can be challenged for women - not because that

should

happen, but because many women feel their "venusimo" is reduced or called into question by perceived failures of womanhood. For example, having to have a C-section when the woman in question wanted to birth naturally, or having a miscarriage, etc. (You know the Tori Amos song, "Bliss", that she wrote soon after miscarrying? It includes the line "doubting if there's a woman in there somewhere" after referring to her loss. That crossed my mind while reading.)

We see this sort of thing come up a lot in this community in ways she doesn't address, too - people question themselves or feel "broken" because they cannot orgasm, have vaginal recurrent infections, experience pain during sex, and a host of other things.

So, let's talk about this post. Do you identify with it? Do you wish there was a "virility" equivalent for women (language-wise)? Do you like the word the author coined? Is there actually some better, actual word, you linguists out there? ;)

What about the idea of "venusimo"? When has yours been very strong, and what has helped to build it? If you want to talk about a time it was very weak and what tore it down, go for that, too. What about support for loss of this feeling/state of being, for men or for women? What about people who are not cisgendered?

Anyway. Have at it! I'll be discussing more, hopefully, in the comments.

Menstrual cramps + severe thigh/leg pain?

[disturbedme.livejournal.com]

Hey.

I'm just curious who here gets really severe thigh pain and/or all-over leg pain with their menstrual cramps? It seems to radiate down through the thighs.

I usually get some thigh pain, but today it was extremely severe. My menstrual cramps weren't bad compared to the thigh pain I was having. What the heck causes that? I had to lie in bed very still with a heating pad on my thigh.

And I took my Naproxen but that didn't take effect until almost 4 hours later!!! If it did even take effect at all or it was just the heat that helped the thigh pain... Geez. Not only that, but I was so in pain and uncomfortable, I felt like I was going to puke. :-(

UTI woes

[rachelashleigh.livejournal.com]

Alright, quick question for all of you. I can't get to a doctor/walk-in clinic until tomorrow, and I know I have a UTI. Had it once before, I have the tell-a-tale signs of frequent urgent feeling of 'gotta pee!' and I noticed my urine was pretty cloudy. I remember getting some anti-biotics and luckly cleared up pretty well. As you can imagine, I'm in agony. Anyone have any tips of what I can do in the meanwhile to try to ease the pains (if there is anything!).

And I take it that it would be best for me to hold off on PIV sex until I finish the anti-biotics and I feel better, yes? Oh, and I'm on HBC (Alesse), taking an anti-biotic and my HBC can compromise the effectiveness of my HBC, correct? I'm not planning (at least now I'm not) to have sex until it's all cleared up, I'm just curious.

Thanks! :)

yeast infection

[misssockpuppet.livejournal.com]

so, i took my one-dose diflucan on tuesday night at 8. i've felt relief from the itching, but my discharge has turned to a somewhat solid (not clumpy, just a thicker consistency) white-yellow color after using the diflucan. it doesnt smell, but i have noticed i now bleed when i wipe my inner labia, and i also have a small cut where the top outer labias meet, right after my mound, right at the crease. i'm assuming this is because of how dry i am or something that has to do with the yeast infection? well, i'm asking this because i have the opportunity to go to the dr tomorrow, but i dont know if i should wait. my doctor gave me the OK for sex and nothing HURTS, except sometimes when i wipe over (what must be) a cut in my inner labia. anyone have sympathy and advice? i'm not open to any home remedies. i also have three refills on my diflucan, should i try it again? (for those who dont know, i started a monistat-7 two weeks ago, and that didnt work, so diflucan it was.)

so, BV is kinda ruled out for me, because its a slight itch and very clearly a yeastie. even when i wipe the discharge kinda dries and rolls up (if that makes sense) so yeah, if it were you, would you wait a few more days for the diflucan? it's been 3 days tonight, and the package said 1-4 days for full relief. or should i go to the doctor?

Quick question

[okapifeathers.livejournal.com]

My first post here, I don't plan on sticking around for long. Honest truth was that I was a bit nervous if my friends spotted me joining this comm, but then decided that I didn't care because we're all pretty open anyway. xD

( Cut 4 LONGGG )

Sex without condoms

[xx-socold-xx.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone. I just have a quick question--

My boyfriend has expressed interest in having sex without a condom. I am on birth control (Yaz), so we would not be unprotected. We have used a condom + pill every single time we've had sex. However, I am pretty paranoid about pregnancy, so I'm a little scared to actually go through with it. I am not concerned with STDs or anything similar--we are both safe in that realm. Obviously if I'm not 100% comfortable with it, I won't, but I did tell him I would consider it.

98% of the time, I take my birth control at exactly 9 pm, but there are always days when I take it anywhere from 10 minutes to a few hours late. Last night, I didn't take it until 11 pm. So,  what is the time frame for *perfect* use and how long do I need to take my birth control at exactly the same time before having sex without a condom as extra protection?

Thank you!

STILL bleeding

[cestsibon.livejournal.com]

Hello labies.

I have had my period for three weeks now. The first two, I was on the active pills (Im on Linessa - have been for over a year), and the last week I was on my placebo week. For the first bit, it was mostly brown spotting - but in more amounts than normal. I assumed this to be due to the fact that I "skipped" too many periods in a row. Now I have learned my lesson - because I have had a regular period for almost 9 days now. I started my new pack of pills on Thursday and I am STILL bleeding. I would like for this to end - I need to have sex, I enjoy my frilly underwear more so than my designated period ones and I HATE spending money on all of these pads and tampons. Any suggestions? I checked out this website http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr12.htm but I do not feel comfortable switching brands of birth control (I had started out on Yasmin and bled every two weeks for 4 months - not cool!) I know I shouldnt skip so many periods... but in the mean time, this has GOT to end!!

Thank you!