Condoms / HBC + Breast Growth

[bluesuitcase.livejournal.com]

Hi, guys -- I have two quick questions.

1. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO EXPERIENCED BREAST GROWTH AFTER BEGINNING HORMONAL BIRTH CONTROL
How long after beginning HBC did you first notice increased breast size? Which type of HBC were you on? How many sizes did you increase?

2. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT CONDOMS
Today, my high school health teacher advised against 'novelty commons' [those to which she specifically alluded were Santa Claus-printed (I didn't even know they existed), glow-in-the-dark, and flavored.] She said not to use these during PIV sex. Why is this? Are they less reliable than name-brand, solely-lubricated condoms?

Thanks!

[cross-posted a bit]

Comments

[six58.livejournal.com]

ive used flavored condoms before...no problems.

i could be wrong, but i think the whole "novelty condoms shouldnt be used" thing is just a myth. unless of course, they actually say "not for use...blah blah blah."

[loonylupinlover.livejournal.com]

1. On the NuvaRing my first 3 weeks or so were marked by feeling *really* big, for me at least; maybe almost a whole cup size. It was a really weird feeling because suddenly my breasts seemed 'in the way' and I couldn't stop staring down at them, haha. After the first month or so, they decreased in size a little bit to the point that they were maybe half a cup bigger than they were before, but not as big as they were during the initial adjustment. On the Patch, my boobs seemed to fluctuate and some days seemed bigger for no apparent reason.

2. It's not that they are less reliable, but that because of all their bells and whistles (dyes, sugary flavoring, etc.), they are more likely to cause irritation of the vagina and possibly upset its balance, making things like yeast infections more likely. They're still effective, but can be more irritating than regular condoms.

[spacedlord.livejournal.com]

seconded on both accounts.

[girlnameddoor.livejournal.com]

I was on microgestin, and in the first three months I grew a cup size. I also gained about 15 pounds, but this was my sophomore year of high school, so all sorts of things were going on there, including being depressed and comfort eating. I blame that for the weight gain, but not the breast growth. When my weight changes normally, my breasts are really slow to catch up. I've lost that weight and not the cup size. Which definitely makes me happy.

[whitelime.livejournal.com]

It's good to be wary of anything marked "novelty" on the packaging, because that basically means the seller is denying responsibility for anything bad that results from use of the product in a way that is not for novelty purposes (i.e., for amusement).

In terms of condoms, in 1994 the FDA sent a letter (http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/comp/052.pdf) to condom manufacturers, distributers, and producers stating that unless a condom is rendered physically unusable, it must comply with FDA requirements regardless of packaging. So in theory, any condom sold that is able to be put on a penis must meet their standards. Personally, though, I think marking a product as "novelty" is pretty shady, and just because it's illegal for companies to sell crappy condoms by calling them novelty items doesn't mean that they don't try to do so.

[h0rsegurrrl.livejournal.com]

It's fine to use flavored condoms for oral sex, but I wouldn't recommend them for PIV sex because of the sugary flavoring, which can irritate your vagina and isn't a great PIV lube anyway. As for the Santa-prints and glow-in-the-dark ones, I would imagine they're not as stringently tested for reliability as the plain ol' lubricated latex ones. Plus, whatever dyes or chemicals are put into them that make them glow in the dark probably aren't great for your vagina.

[greenigma21.livejournal.com]

see i feel like 'novelty' or flavored condoms is the same as having a regular condom with flavored lube. you use flavored lube down below, right? or at least it's used for that. so logically it should be fine. and whitelime is right; the main purpose for condoms is pregnancy protection. why would they sell condoms where that wasn't a priority? there's definately testing standards for whatever kind of condom you buy.

and my boobs grew about half a cup size on ortho tri cyclin lo. i can't exactly remember when i noticed this, so i think it was gradual. i just got on the ring after being off hbc for over a year, i'll let you know how that goes... :P

[whydoihavethis.livejournal.com]

1. I started on Desogen, and my boobs grew from a mid-size B to a large D. Of course, I started BC when I was 18, so I could have just hit a growth spurt at the same time. After the Desogen, I switched to Mircette, and then finally Nuvaring, and I'm still about the same size.

[spiffychicky.livejournal.com]

1. I was on a generic of Alesse a while ago and I went up about a cup, but I don't know the time frame. I just started Yasmin this month. They feel a bit heavier, but no real noticable growth yet