Switching birth control

[dearestevermore.livejournal.com]

Hi everyone, kind of a confusing set of questions here...

I switched from my OCP that I was on for about three years (just a generic for aleese) to the NuvaRing in January. Long story short, the NuvaRing is causing some really serious migraine issues + some other not fun stuff (absurd PMS, really bad cramps, vaginal dryness, etc). I've decided I've given it long enough to work itself out with my body and I'm going to switch back to my old birth control. I called my doctor today to set up the switch but he is out of the office until Thursday morning so he'll have to get back to me. I'm trying to decide what my options are until then.

I just put in a new ring this morning (after a full seven day break), and my withdrawal bleed also started this morning. I could just...take it out? The problem with that is that then I would not have pregnancy protection again until the 24th, assuming I am able to pick up my old pills on Friday. I am Super Pregnancy Paranoid and I'm not sure how I feel about this. I think realistically we'd only be having sex maybe once or twice in that time frame and there are always condoms but I don't know. I guess it's decently likely that my body could decide to kick out an egg in that time frame right?

Orrr.. I could leave it in. I'm really freaking done with this thing and doing that kind of makes me want to throw a super immature temper tantrum. My concern is just that I don't want to keep this combination of hormones in my body any longer than I absolutely have to. How long will it take before my body adapts to my happy old hormones and gets rid of all gunk? These migraines are getting absolutely debilitating and I'm trying to wrap up a pretty chaotic quarter with college. Will leaving it in an extra three days really make that much of a difference?

Halp =(

Thank you <3

HBC woes + frustration

[maknaeroli.livejournal.com]

Hi VP!

I've been on HBC for about 4 years or so, since I was diagnosed with PCOS. The first pill I took resulted in a 60 day heavy period (I'd spend days out of school it'd be so bad. Yuck!) After some extra pill taking (I took progesterone to make it stop...they were circular and pink, that's all I remember!)

So I got on a really good HBC and it worked for about 3 years, and then I started breakthrough bleeding for more than a month, though I was taking it at the same time every day - sometimes two, and it wouldn't work. After frustrating weeks with the doctor, I got under an OBGYN, and she put me on another pill.

This pill worked well for several weeks, but then the same thing happened. I took two, nothing changed. I called her again and I was put on another pill.

Again, this pill worked fine for a while, but now I'm breakthrough bleeding - only now it's more like a period flow. I'm getting really frustrated with this; does anyone know of a really good HBC that might help me?

Thanks :)

Hemorrhoids? How awkward...

[banyangirl1832.livejournal.com]

Mods, I know this isn't specifically vulva-related, so if you don't approve of this topic, feel free to move it or tell me to delete it. But it's not like we have an equivalent community on LJ for butt health as far as I know, heh.

So for the past couple of days, I've had intermittent soreness in my back-there region. There's no reason for this; I'm not constipated and I'm having regular bowel movements (well, regular for me). Today I was walking to work, and it was fairly warm, so I was sweating, and I started to get really sore and uncomfortable back there, almost like when I'm experiencing irritation on my vulva from using pads for too long. Like a chafed sort of feeling. I came home from work and immediately showered, and I've been sitting quietly letting the area "air out" since then. The area is still pretty tender, though. Does this sound like hemorrhoids? I have a package of Tucks in my bathroom, and I'll break those out if it doesn't improve, but I'm curious to get opinions from others. Thanks in advance!

MMMMonday! Breastfeeding edition.

[mangofandango.livejournal.com]

Because Sunday was Mother's Day in the U.S., and because this has been ripe for discussion all over the internet this week, let's talk about...the Time Magazine cover controversy.

If you have not seen it, this is the cover image, which I will put behind a cut:

( image of young mother breastfeeding 3 year old son; he is standing on a chair and both are looking at the camera, headline reads Are You Mom Enough? )

A link, should it be useful: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601120521,00.html

What do you think about that image and the headline? Do you think it does positive or negative things for mothers who breastfeed past infancy, or for parents in general? Were you breastfed, or have you breastfed a child (past infancy or not)? Would you?

Here's a miniature links round-up relating to this discussion, should further perspectives interest you!

Breastfeeding Medicine on the medical/science-based part of the discussion

Motherhood is not a competition, where are the fathers in this discussion, and 'yes, you probably are'

Arwyn @ Raising My Boychick, in conversation with others, on "contrived debates, strawmoms, and kyriarchy's binds"

If you've been reading any related posts that you'd like to share, feel free to do so in the comments!

burning sensation

[ohnoesitsraye.livejournal.com]

For the past month, I've been getting this slight burning sensation that would linger around my urethra after I pee and it eventually goes away on its own. It does not burn while I pee, just afterwards. I went into a walk-in clinic today and they ruled out an UTI since there was no elevated white blood cell counts, they said they would do more tests (didn't specify what tests) before they give me meds but this sensation is starting to get uncomfortable and the doc didn't give me anything for the burning. Any idea what this could be?