BC + Ovulation/discharge?

[c-hampagne.livejournal.com]

I've been on birth control for about 4 years now, and I use it to regulate my periods. My doc says I should let myself have a period once every three months or so, which I try to do but sometimes lose track. I'm religious about taking my pill around the same time every day (I give myself an hour of leeway, but very rarely stray from that). I'm on Apri, and have been since I started. I notice that the longer I go between periods, the more discharge I tend to have. Is there a way to distinguish if it's ovulation vs normal discharge? My partner and I use it as our only method of protection as we're in a committed relationship and STD free. I just started a new pack and plan on not skipping my next period.

Edit: I should also mention that I had some breakthrough bleeding a few months ago (before my last period) that I'm almost 100% positive was stress enduced, but might make a difference. I just am curious as to if I should consider backup protection until my next period.

stronger estrogen pill?

[seamonkey.livejournal.com]

I've been on the nuvaring since the 1st. My gyno put me on it because I was getting migraines and insomnia anywhere from 1-3 weeks before my period and he thought it was because of an estrogen drop. Nothing my psychiatrist gives me for sleep nor anything my neurologist was giving me for the migraines was helping around my period, so they said get thee to a gyno!

The nuvaring KIND of works. I'm still not sleeping well, but the migraines aren't so bad. I'm supposed to take it out on the 25th and get a period. I see him again in September and if when I take it out on the 25th and things are bad, we will reevaluate and he mentioned leaving it in all month and not getting a period.

The 25th-ish is normally when my period would start anyway and that is getting close and the headaches have started back. I'm not sure if this means I need a stronger estrogen pill or what or even what I should ask for when I see him. He put me on the nuvaring because I'm bipolar and he said I would have less side effects. The only thing I've noticed mood wise since starting it is that I have WAY less rage issues.

And also, I had to ask this since a lot of people ask about it here. I am 32 years old. I typically have to go on antibiotics several times a year due to sinus issues. It's been this way since like, middle school. I hate yogurt so I never eat it. I've gotten 1 UTI in my entire life from trying out a weird sex position, never had a yeast infection, never had BV, never had any type of weird discharge or itching and sometimes I was stuck in the same sweaty dance clothes all day. Did I just luck out? I should add, my psychiatrist wants to turn me into a science experiment next time people are in town doing tests on mentally interesting people due to my reaction to meds. I'm wondering if that's why antibiotics don't give me the dreaded yeast infection???

basal body temperature thermometer

[eatswithfork.livejournal.com]

I want to begin charting my BBT. I already own a thermometer - it reads a temperature in 10-15 seconds and measures to the tenth decimal place. My question is, do I really need to get a BBT thermometer or will that do? I'm using it to get better familiar with my cycle so I can begin TTC in a few months, not for birth control so an "oops" is not really a concern. Thanks!