Shaving!

[thenuddpants.livejournal.com]

This is sort of tangentially related to the soap+vulva question.

For those female-bodied people who *do* shave, what sort of product do you use to do so? Shaving cream, soap, etc? Do you usually use soap to clean your vulval area?

I'm curious if people who *don't* use soap to wash their vulvas use soap/something similar to shave with.

Personally, I shave the "undercarriage" sort of area, but I do *not* use soap there when I regularly wash, but do soap up when I shave (with no ill effects). I do always wonder if I am going to make anything flare up when the soap gets too close to my actual vagina, though (since I seem to have hair in some smaller vulvar creases/etc that are close to my vaginal opening). 

I always use soap on the groin/thigh meeting point, as well as my outer (i.e. not inner labia) vulva, and also shave along the bikini line.

Birth Control Questions?

[pettypandas.livejournal.com]

Hey everyone! I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster. I just have a few questions about birth control.

I suffer from terrible cramps and nausea on the first day of my period. During my last period, my cramps were so painful that I had to skip an exam! My OTC period medicine, Pamprin, has been failing me lately. I don't think it's worked for me in a while. I decided to go on birth control to attempt to get a handle on my period symptoms. The campus doctor started me on Loestrin 24 about 3 and a half weeks ago. So far, I'm loving it! I haven't really had any negative side effects. My breasts are a little bit tender, but they've also grown a little bit (which I've enjoyed!).A few days ago, though, I started spotting dark brown blood. I know that spotting is supposed to be normal when you start the pill, but is it okay if it's dark brown?
I am starting the inactive pills of this pack tomorrow. When should I expect my period to come? I'm pretty nervous about this upcoming period, since it will be my first period on the pill. Will only being on birth control for a month help with my cramps?

On another note, I haven't told my mom yet that I've started taking birth control. She comes from a very religious background where birth control is highly looked down upon and where premarital sex is seen as a sin. I'm not sure if she is aware that I'm sexually active, but I'm sure she'll automatically assume that I am when/if I tell her that I've started taking birth control. Does anyone have any advice on how I should go about telling my mom about the birth control? I'm almost tempted not to tell her, but I know that it will come out somehow.

Thanks in advance!

Premenstrual gas for 2 weeks!!

[22nessa.livejournal.com]

This is starting to drive me crazy. For the last 2-3 cycles i have had very bad gas for approximately 2 weeks prior to getting my period. It is not usually particularly foul smelling just a lot of movement in my belly. I found an older post mentioning prostaglandins. I thought maybe my hormones are shifting, im 38 have two kids. I have tried eliminating coffee, eating more as I tend to let myself get hungry, stop all vitamins, take probiotics or not...I just feel so gross and totally don"t feel like having any sexy time. Oh, this only happens after dinner in the evening. Any suggestions or similar experiences??

Sores...exploding?

[malrai.livejournal.com]

Hi, I need a bit of help.

( TL;DR and eww. )

Am I going to be okay? How should I treat this? Should I see a doctor?

I don't know what to tag this. I'm sorry.

Itchy/Swollen Vag...Pic Behind Cut

[fakeyfaker.livejournal.com]

So I have created this obviously fake account to get your opinion on something ( Read more... )

HBC- are they really 'that different', will switching actually relieve any issues?

[https://users.livejournal.com/nomad----/]

Helloo yall, I had an appointment today at Plannned Parenthood to switch my HBC pill from Loestrin FE (generic Junel FE) to something else because I feel like it is causing me a lot of troubles (hair loss, increased facial hair and acne, vivid dreams, mood problems, headaches, no period at all which makes me worried about pregnancy, etc) and I told the nurse practitioner my feelings on it and she was kind of just cold and not very compassionate to begin with but she basically told me, and made me feel like, that me blaming these symptoms on this HBC was either crazy (like these symptoms could be from something else, which they could be i suppose but she didnt seem to offer any other advice to me like checking my thyroid levels or anything) or that it is something I will experience on every HBC no matter the type (no matter if its a different pill, the patch, the ring, or whatever).... Is that true? I was on the patch for a year with no problems except the GD price >_< but then I switched to Loestrin since June and I have had terrible things happening that seem like there is no other reason...


If I am having these problems with the Loestrin FE is it really pointless to even switch pills? I am now prescribed Orthotricyclen, I don't start it til Friday though but I am just really confused, I thought the different pills varied. Anyhoot that nurse practitioner was a crappy one.

In honor of national AIDS awareness day....reliability of HIV test at 8 weeks

[collision.livejournal.com]

How reliable is an HIV test 8 weeks after exposure? I received a negative test at 8 weeks almost two months ago.I'll be going in tomorrow to get a test (at 15 weeks exposure) but was wondering how reliable the 8 week HIV tests are. The last test I had was a blood test at Planned Parenthood.


Thanks!