Lots of Period-Related Questions

[lepasse.livejournal.com]

 First of all, please forgive me if these are stupid questions.  I've had PCOS for all of my period-having years, so I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to how things are supposed to work.  

So, yeah, PCOS.  Highly irregular and infrequent periods.  I took Yasmin for many years to regulate.  In 2008, I got married and started TTC.  Eventually had to seek infertility treatment.  Finally conceived and gave birth last May.  I breastfed on demand and got my first period when my son was 11 months.  It was a weird period.  7 days of light flow, followed by 10 days of heavy flow, then a few more days of tapering off.  About a week after that period ended, I went to see my OBGYN about getting on birth control and spironolactone (for unwanted hair).  She told me to take a pregnancy test in a week, and then another a week from then.  If I wasn't pregnant and didn't get a period by then, I was to start Provera for 7 days to bring on a period, and then start the birth control when that period started.  I ended up having to go the Provera route, since a period never came naturally.  Took Provera May 27th - June 2nd.  Period started June 4th, and I started OrthoTriCyclen.  The period has been BRUTAL.  I've had lots of cramps, I feel very lethargic, and the bleeding is very heavy.  I can soak through a super tampon in about 2 hours.  When I use the bathroom, the entire contents of the toilet bowl is pink-red.  I've passed some clots, too, though nothing super big.

Anyway, here are my questions.

1.  Is it normal for your period to become heavier postpartum?  Both of these periods have been heavier than anything I had before.
2.  How much bleeding is too much?  In other words, do I need to call my doctor?
3.  How long does it take for BCP to be effective?  I'm in no mood for sex with all this bleeding, but I'd like to resume activities as soon as the bleeding ends.  
4.  How come I had to wait for a period to start BCP anyway?

weird breast thing

[cydniey.livejournal.com]

on the outside of my left breast it feels like i have an implant in, which i don't or ever have. should i get this checked out? i'm 42 so i don't know if it's just something that happens with age.

[Anonymous Post] Strange Symptoms: Pregnant, despite negative test?

[rockstarbob.livejournal.com]

Greetings, fellow Superstars! As you probably know, from time to time the VP Team makes posts on behalf of people who wish to remain anonymous or who do not have LJ accounts. This is one such post. Thanks in advance for your helpful comments. :)

P.S. For more info on anonymous posts, see this link.

rockstarbob
For the VP Team
contact_vp

---

I never thought I'd make a post like this, but I'm completely stumped, and my doctor isn't giving me much help.

My period is two weeks late (21 DPO, if that helps), and I have lately been experiencing symptoms that are nothing like my usual PMS symptoms. They include: Sore nipples, nausea with occasional regurgitation, heartburn, aversions to what are usually some of my favorite foods, cravings for foods that I usually hate, fatigue, acne on my face and body. I'm unusually bloated at the moment, as well. I've taken a few pregnancy tests, but they've all come back negative. I have also taken a blood test at my doctor's office. My doc didn't have any answers for me. My period is late, and she has no idea why. Great!

I have not been under any unusual amounts of stress, and this cycle was exactly like the cycle before it, until my period took a hike. I'm more confused than anything else. If I'm not pregnant, that's fine, but why am I having these strange symptoms I've never had before? Am I having the weirdest and longest PMS of my life? If I am pregnant, that's fine, but then why are my tests all coming back negative? Is it possible that I really am pregnant, but, for some reason, it can't be detected at this point? I just want to have an answer, or at least know that I'm not just some freak of nature. This must have happened to someone else out there!!

Thanks in advance. :)

Stroke-like symptoms?

[galaxy-soup.livejournal.com]

This is really only tangentially vagina related (and maybe not related at all) but I don't know where else to turn :(

I've been suffering from depression that seems to be related to hormones/my menstrual cycle for years. I started taking Triqular HBC a year ago, and that's helped relieve the symptoms, but sometimes I'll still have a bad bout of depression symptoms near the middle of my cycle. At really bad times, this makes my head hurt and my body feel strange. Until now I've just assumed this has to do with whatever hormones are triggering my depression and just wait it out for however many hours or days it lasts.

Today, though, something really strange happened. My head had been hurting/feeling weird since around 9 am. At around 7 I asked my friend to go for a walk, except it was hard to talk. She said while we walked about for about thirty minutes, my speech was slurred, and my right arm didn't seem to move at all, but I kept oddly rubbing my face with my left hand and clenching my fingers. I don't remember that or the walk we took at all :[ When the symptoms finally started to wear off, I was confused about how much time had passed and where we were.

The internet is telling me these symptoms are a possibly a mini-stroke. But it's strange because most of the depression that I'd been feeling for the past 24+ hours is gone, and my head still hurts a little, but mostly I just feel tired and worried. Has anyone else experienced this?

I want to go to the hospital, but unfortunately in Tokyo the only service available after 4 pm is like first aid :( I can't find any english speaking doctors at this hour and even though I like to think my Japanese is good, there's no way I could explain this clearly.

Flexible Sigmoidoscopy

[frolicnaked.livejournal.com]

As a follow up from this post I met with a new gastroenterologist who is much better about respecting me. Because of the specific nature of my (anal) bleeding, I'm scheduled for a flexible sigmoidoscopy in about 10 days.

The online info I'm finding suggests that the procedure is well tolerated and doesn't require the kind of anesthesia that a colonoscopy does. However, given that I have: a) already pretty regular pelvic and abdominal pain; b) a Thing about people putting anything up my butt, I'm wondering about pain management. Because one of the possibilities is Crohn's disease, my provider told me not to use NSAIDs for a week before the procedure.

Prior to the procedure, I can do Tylenol, Tylenol 3, Tylenol + Valium, or Tylenol + Xanax. I'm concerned that acetaminophen alone won't be enough. However, I'm also concerned that the other medications listed all affect my emotional perception and reaction time, which I'm not good with in a potentially triggering situation.

If you've had a sigmoidoscopy, what if any pain medication did you take beforehand? How did it work for you? Thanks!

periods and pregnancy

[katswansey.livejournal.com]

I feel so ridiculous asking this question. I over analyze everything and I just need some help putting my mind at ease. you all were very helpful last time, so hopefully you can help me this time to!

( period sex )