Irregular Periods

[clandestiner.livejournal.com]

Hello everybody,

This is my first time posting on VP, and I've been following it actively for a couple months now. I love this community and appreciate it so much!

I've been having irregular periods since I started getting them around 13 (I'm 24 now), but I never really paid attention to them until recently, when I became sexually active back in January. I was prompted to post about them today because my period came this evening, catching me by surprise. My PMS symptoms are inconsistent as well--sometimes my breasts get sore, sometimes I get irritable, but not always.

Here are this past year's cycle durations:

Jul 12, 2011 26 day cycle
Jun 16, 2011 29 day cycle
May 18, 2011 30 day cycle
Apr 18, 2011 29 day cycle
Mar 20, 2011 25 day cycle
Feb 23, 2011 32 day cycle

Some other information about me: I don't remember the last time I've missed a period. I am physically active, running and lifting weights about an hour a day, 3-5 days out of the week. I am 5'3 and 110 pounds, and this weight has stayed consistent most of my post-adolescent life, although my doctor has remarked that I am underweight. I don't eat any meat save fish, which is also not often. I feel my diet is balanced, but it could be better. I'm not on any form of birth control.

Anyway, my question is if this could indicate hormonal issues, or if this irregularity is not really that irregular. I don't think I have PCOS, but I've never been tested.

(I recently engaged in some rough fingering action with a male friend of mine. I was spotting very, very lightly Friday and Saturday, and today, when I got my period, I had the brief notion that he knocked my period loose...)

Discomfort when using penetrative toys.

[mindydoesstuff.livejournal.com]

I've been having this issue for a couple years now. No matter how self-lubricated I am, or how much lube I use, I have discomfort during vaginal sex with toys. It feels like a not-quite burning sensation, kind of like when you get a brush burn but it happens slowly (Sorry, it's hard to describe in terms that don't make it sound more horrific than it actually is), or when you have really dry sex, which I guess is also what's happening, because I also stop self-lubricating when I feel the discomfort. My partner only used silicone dicks (from Babeland, so I don't think there's any hidden material that we weren't told about), and we switched from latex to nonlatex condoms to see if that made a difference, but it only helped a little. We're not on speaking terms anymore though, so I can't ask for a link or anything to the product page. I do not think this is a matter of size or tearing, as I've not had this problem with thicker penises. I had been tested for STIs a few times while having this problem, and came up negative.

Any thoughts?

Antibiotics and weird discharge

[helpme11111.livejournal.com]

 So I've been taking antibiotics (Azithromycin) for an ear infection, and of course I am anticipating the dreaded yeast infection.  However I'm trying to be optimistic and not think about it, with the hopes that maybe I'll stay clear of a YI this time--and i've also been taking one AVO yeast a day (which I have been for the past month or so).  I have no itching and the normal, whitish/clear-ish discharge that I get every month.  But I also have had a second kind of discharge for the past day (and continuing today) that's really strange: it's totally clear, colorless, odorless, and thin.  It feels almost like a gush of water.  It isn't enough that anyone will notice a wet spot on my pants, but my underwear is now fairly wet, the way it might get if I was sweating.

Is this some fore-runner of a YI, or am I just being blessed with excessive discharge for a few days?

Cost of pap/pelvic at PP with no sliding scale?

[firebomber.livejournal.com]

Hi all.

My last pap/pelvic was in 2007 so I decided to schedule an appointment for that, as well as to check out if I have some sort of infection (I'm thinking it might be BV).

The Planned Parenthood here is apparently no longer on a sliding scale because of the defunding, and they told me that the most it would cost would be $230 with all the tests and what-not.

I'm a virgin so I don't need STD screenings of any kind, so I was wondering if anyone could help me narrow down how much I might have to pay for a pap/pelvic and medication for BV, if I have it? I also plan on getting back on birth control but if I go back on what I used to be on, it's one of the cheap ones I can get at CVS.

I'm unemployed right now and not having any idea how much this is going to cost me is stressing me out.

I live in the DC metro area and the PP closest to where I live is in Silver Spring, Maryland, so if anyone from the area could recommend free clinics or whatever, that would also be great. I've not had very good luck with free mental health clinics so I'm wary of getting an appointment at a free clinic here without having any personal experiences to go off of.

Thanks!

poss. bladder kidney infection?

[tornattheelbo.livejournal.com]

So some events leading up to last Friday found me with a UTI. I couldn't make it to a doctor until Sunday, and my symptoms were fairly normal, I felt like i needed to pee constantly, and i had a dull ache in my pelvic region. When i went to the walk-in clinic the lineup was fairly long and so i ended up voiding while i was waiting, but almost forgot to get a sample, when i caught it it was right at the end of my pee, i had to force a bit into the cup and i could see at that point that it was in fact, bloody because my urine up until this point seemed clearish, though i did notice that when i wiped it'd be a bit orangey...

ANYWAY

The doctor prescribed me a 5 day course of macrobid and i'm on day 4, and my symptoms went through periods of feeling like they were clearing up, and then coming back...

I have been drinking copious amounts of water, and also Green and Licorice Root tea, maybe up to 2L ... I was wondering if this might be part of the reason why the medication isn't working? Am I diluting it too much?

Birth control options for FTM

[planetariium.livejournal.com]

 Hello VP!

I am a FTM trans person, but because of my current life situation I am unable to come out as trans (which means I am still presenting as female, and as such have not undergone Hormone Replacement Therapy or surgery). However, I have some serious problems with dysphoria, the worst of which is with my period. So I would like to start some kind of birth control, but I am extremely uncomfortable with putting any more estrogen into my body than is absolutely necessary at this point. So, essentially what I'm wondering is if there is a BC that would strictly limit the menstrual cycle while also using a relatively low dose of hormones? (Also, any sort of surgical method is unfortunately not an option). Or if anyone has had any experience, either personally or from an acquaintance, with this type of situation, any advice would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!