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CeramicPig posted:So many women in this thread sing the praises of other forms of birth control that were all like car salesmen. For the uterus. What the heck... when has anyone ever done that? This thread is for discussion and of course everyone is going to talk about their individual experiences. Bina mentioned problems that are usually caused by specific hormones and people are suggesting other different hormones or different methods that are less hormonally based so we are discussing those options?
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Jun 14, 2014 04:24
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Sharks Below posted:What the heck... when has anyone ever done that? This thread is for discussion and of course everyone is going to talk about their individual experiences. Bina mentioned problems that are usually caused by specific hormones and people are suggesting other different hormones or different methods that are less hormonally based so we are discussing those options? Actually, that lightened my mood. I imagined actual business women coming out of office ceilings to sell me their products. Anyway, I am mostly terrified of the rumors of puncturing, and the rings falling out, etc. Basically the worst of the worst rumors. I've also heard horror stories of women bleeding for four to six months straight.
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Jun 14, 2014 06:42
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Bina posted:Actually, that lightened my mood. I imagined actual business women coming out of office ceilings to sell me Aw yay, that's 100% what I was going for!  Bina posted:Actually, that lightened my mood. I imagined actual business women coming out of office ceilings to sell me their products. As most women here will tell you a lot of the horror stories are rare and few and far between. If you find a gyne who's done a bunch of whatever you're looking for you have very minimal risks. If you want to stay on the pill there's bunches of women who can help you there too! I had a problem with the low sex drive except I didn't even really realize it. It was like the mind was willing but the body wasn't and the juices would not get or keep flowing. I switched to an IUD cause I was tired of the pill all around and had convinced myself that an IUD was more effective at stopping babies (I know it's not but the mind is a powerful thing) and magically that problem disappeared. I just noticed things being a lot wetter and easy going after I made the switch.
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Jun 14, 2014 06:52
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CeramicPig posted:Aw yay, that's 100% what I was going for! Yeah, people don't post on the internet about how everything is totally normal. You get horror stories and those same horror stories repeated like you were playing telephone. Actual studies on side effects go a long way to dispel those fears.
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Jun 14, 2014 18:08
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Bina posted:Actually, that lightened my mood. I imagined actual business women coming out of office ceilings to sell me their products. Perforation is a very rare thing and usually is associated with people who are inexperienced with inserting IUDs. It also really only happens during insertion, so it's not going to suddenly happen later on while you're going about your day or anything. NuvaRing can be left out for up to 3 hours (I think) without any problems, by which time I think you'd notice a ring in your panties/the toilet/whatever. And any hormonal method can cause irregular bleeding like that. I used to get it with the pill. I don't know if any of that makes you feel better, but there you go.  Like the other poster mentioned, you should generally take any stories you find with a grain of salt. It's all heavily skewed towards the negative because people generally feel the need to talk about bad side-effects. The majority of women who are using these methods without problems don't usually feel like posting online to say "Hey, I'm using X method and I feel just fine!" I know I could dig up just as many horror stories about the pill or condoms as any other method. Not to say you're wrong since you're entitled to your own BC choices, just that you have to be careful about what people tell you. Kimmalah fucked around with this message at 22:18 on Jun 14, 2014 |
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Jun 14, 2014 22:15
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Yeah and the bleeding for 4-6 months straight is more like spotting which is incredibly annoying no doubt but still, not really "bleeding". I was told I'd get that with Mirena and I guess we'll soon find out since I've just gone off the Yasmin and had the Mirena placement checked so now I'm Mirena only. Last night I had some bad cramping even though my period is over so I wonder if it was my uterus shrinking after my period and going "OH THATS RIGHT. A THING.". 
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Jun 15, 2014 00:38
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Bina posted:I'm a bit complacent with pills and condoms. I get worked up thinking about the dangers of the other kinds. With literally everything you do in life there will be dangers. The pill has as many dangers as an IUD or nexaplanon, just in different areas but in all truth, the risks for all options are extremely low. On being an IUD sales person - I'm just so incredibly happy about my paragard. On hormones I generally want to kill myself, even after dropping down to nuvaring, hormone wise. Yes, totally a sales person. It's loving amazeballs. A week of cramps after insertion is worth the 10+ years of protection and no hormonal issues. silicone thrills fucked around with this message at 04:34 on Jun 15, 2014 |
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Jun 15, 2014 04:32
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The only reason I don't want an IUD is because of possible perforation, and I might be wanting to have kids in the next 5 years, so I don't want to have that thing messed with in the time being. I really just want to stick with pills, I think some of the chemicals they use in the pill I take is messing with my sex drive. (Reclipsen)
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Jun 15, 2014 04:41
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I mentioned a couple weeks ago that I was having problems with heavy cramping from my paragard. I started taking vit E daily again (with aleve before/during menses), and I'm happy to say I barely felt any cramping this time! I was seriously considering having my paragard removed due to the pain it was causing me, but now I know to keep taking vit E I had even been taking aleve before for cramping, and I could still feel it, so I'm fairly certain it was the vit E. Also less bleeding! YESSSSSS. If you're having heavy cramping/heavy bleeding issues, seriously, try taking vit E.
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Jun 15, 2014 08:13
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One of my good friends with Paragard swears by the Vitamin E. It's awesome to see it work for another lady!
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Jun 15, 2014 15:13
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Bina posted:The only reason I don't want an IUD is because of possible perforation, and I might be wanting to have kids in the next 5 years, so I don't want to have that thing messed with in the time being. When I complained about libido problems on the pill, my doctor put me on a version of the same pill that had a higher dose of estrogen. It did improve things to a level I could deal with, although honestly my sex drive didn't come back completely until I quit the pill completely. Some doctors kind of brush it off, but it couldn't hurt to just talk to them and say "Look I'm having libido issues since I started this pill" and asking for suggestions or a different formulation. Edit: Oh and speaking of which, I actually did meet a Paragard sales lady (or representative from the manufacturer) who happened to be at Planned Parenthood during my 6 week follow-up appointment. Very nice and reassuring lady, since she had one too.
Kimmalah fucked around with this message at 18:01 on Jun 15, 2014 |
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Jun 15, 2014 17:51
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Bina posted:The only reason I don't want an IUD is because of possible perforation, and I might be wanting to have kids in the next 5 years, so I don't want to have that thing messed with in the time being. This thread can be a little...gung-HO about the IUD. I dunno, some people would rather not have something stuck up their cooch, and that is totally fine! Bina, have you considered the BC patch? It's probably the lowest maintenance hormonal contraceptive that doesn't involve a trip to the doctor. You just slap on a patch once a week and you're good to go! Also, *puts on saleswoman hat* I had 8 awesome years on and was super bummed when I had to switch to something else.
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Jun 15, 2014 18:02
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Bamabalacha posted:This thread can be a little...gung-HO about the IUD. I dunno, some people would rather not have something stuck up their cooch, and that is totally fine! I'm sensitive to most adhesive, and my skin gets super irritated. I regularly take long baths, and would also think the patch would eventually fall off. (I'm also allergic to acrylic, which is another reason why the IUD seems scary) I heard shots make you gain weight.
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Jun 15, 2014 18:30
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Bina posted:I'm sensitive to most adhesive, and my skin gets super irritated. I regularly take long baths, and would also think the patch would eventually fall off. (I'm also allergic to acrylic, which is another reason why the IUD seems scary) Every hormonal BC method has the "makes you gain weight" rumor attached to it. I don't think it's any more likely than any other to do so. Also both Mirena and Paragard use polyethylene plastic in their frames (and silicone for Mirena I think) which I'm fairly sure isn't the same thing as acrylic.
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Jun 15, 2014 20:36
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I took minipills for years (only stopping now because I have to have gut surgery soon) and really, really loved them. The combined pill destroyed my sex drive for sure and gave me a blood clot when I was only 16 (turns out I had a rare genetic mutation that gives me increased risk!), so I switched to POPs (Micronor in particular). They didn't mess up my sex drive at ALL and it has less "risk of gaining weight" (but like Kimmalah says, this is attributed to virtually every birth control. It is attributed to virtually every hormonal treatment of any kind; it's not really more or less likely between methods except supposedly POPs but even then people still report it). If you're unhappy with your pill (you are) but you're happy with pills (you are, just like I was) I think the obvious thing to talk to your OB about is trying out a new pill. Nobody can tell you how any new hormonal treatment is going to affect YOU, just your doctor, but they can talk to you about other options and changing dosages to see what happens. I would like to recommend minipills though if you're having a hard time with combined pills; the only downside is your window of error is much smaller. So if you miss a pill, you have to take it within a much smaller window than 24 hours (I've heard anywhere between 3 - 6, my pills say I need to be worried after 3 hours).
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Jun 15, 2014 21:09
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Kimmalah posted:Every hormonal BC method has the "makes you gain weight" rumor attached to it. I don't think it's any more likely than any other to do so.
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Jun 15, 2014 23:49
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Brazilian Werewolf posted:I would like to recommend minipills though if you're having a hard time with combined pills; the only downside is your window of error is much smaller. So if you miss a pill, you have to take it within a much smaller window than 24 hours (I've heard anywhere between 3 - 6, my pills say I need to be worried after 3 hours). FWIW, they do make minipills these days with margins of error comparable to combined pills. When I was taking Cerazette I was told I had a 24-hour window - but I still managed to miss a couple, so I decided Nexplanon was definitely the solution for me.
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Jun 16, 2014 11:50
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Sharks Below posted:Yep. I was on Depo for 10 years and didnt gain weight (well, I did, but that's because of my gross lifestyle) which is a higher/faster release dose of progesterone but when I tried the Implanon, which is a lower/slower dose, I STACKED on the keegs so fast and they disappeared when I had it taken out. THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE. So, ym truly mv. I should add that I didn't mean to imply that birth control never ever causes weight gain. Just that everyone reacts to different methods in their own way, so any one method isn't necessarily guaranteed to have a certain side-effect.
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Jun 16, 2014 18:27
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Kimmalah posted:I should add that I didn't mean to imply that birth control never ever causes weight gain. Just that everyone reacts to different methods in their own way, so any one method isn't necessarily guaranteed to have a certain side-effect. Totally. I was agreeing with you fwiw.
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Jun 17, 2014 01:02
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So I've been on Lessina/Sronyx/etc (Levonorgestrel and Ethonyl Estradiol .1 mg/.02 mg)for about 5+ years now. I love it, no weight gain, acne cleared, periods are incredibly regular, etc. Now my question is, my boyfriend doesn't like to use condoms. We've been together for about a year, I'm clean, he's clean, we've both been tested and are monogamous. I'm incredibly paranoid though, and would die if I ever got pregnant. I have an alarm to take the pill and make sure I take it very precisely. Should I still be worried? Should I use something else too, like a spermicide jelly? Or will religiously taking my pill be enough? I mean yes, the best solution is to also use condoms, but I wanted another opinion from you all and what you guys do. I thought about switching to the implant but I don't want to screw with my hormones, they are so perfectly happy right now.
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Jun 17, 2014 15:37
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MythObstacleIV posted:Or will religiously taking my pill be enough? Of course if you're constantly worrying about getting pregnant, you will probably find it harder to get turned on and sex won't be as fun for either of you, so if you really can't let go of the fear (which is understandable) your dude will probably just have to learn to put up with condoms. Edit: Whatever you do, don't use a spermicide jelly. They really don't do much without condoms and don't particularly help even with them, mostly they just irritate mucus membranes and make your vagina sad 
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Jun 17, 2014 15:47
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The pill is 99.9% effective with perfect use. You will be fine. I had 10 baby free years of sex on the pill.
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Jun 17, 2014 15:48
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vaguely posted:You will be absolutely fine. There is no need to use an extra contraceptive method while on hormonal BC unless you forget a pill. Geolicious posted:The pill is 99.9% effective with perfect use. You will be fine. I had 10 baby free years of sex on the pill. WHEW. Thank you, I figured if I just took it as I was supposed to I would be ok. He ships out two months on/off so I'm not worried about the whole getting turned on thing (hah). It's just been a fear in the back of my mind. I will definitely avoid the jelly. Thanks for the confirmation! Good to hear from experienced users.
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Jun 17, 2014 16:08
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MythObstacleIV posted:WHEW. Thank you, I figured if I just took it as I was supposed to I would be ok. He ships out two months on/off so I'm not worried about the whole getting turned on thing (hah). It's just been a fear in the back of my mind. I will definitely avoid the jelly. I felt the same way when we stopped using condoms (and later when he stopped pulling out as his form of "insurance"). I got super-paranoid about pregnancy for a while. I also had a little bit of this when I went off the pill after getting my IUD, but eventually in both cases it became normal and the anxiety faded. Just wait till you get to the age when everyone around you starts having kids! For reference, I was on the pill for about 4 years and now the Paragard IUD for over a year - so no condoms (or any other back-up method) for about 5 years, no pregnancies or pregnancy scares. You just have to stick to a schedule and be on top of things like drug interactions or vomiting that might make the pill less effective. Your doctors/pharmacists will usually be good about warning you. In short, you're fine without having to pile on back-up methods!
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Jun 17, 2014 17:09
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vaguely posted:Edit: Whatever you do, don't use a spermicide jelly. They really don't do much without condoms and don't particularly help even with them, mostly they just irritate mucus membranes and make your vagina sad I think you have that backwards. The amount of spermicide packaged in spermicidal condoms has a negligible effect. Spermicidal jellies, foams, films and suppositories are effective. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-info/birth-control/spermicide/ A lot of people, male and female, find them irritating though. Edit: Not the world's best method alone but, if you and your partner are not irritated by it, you can combine it and withdrawal and the pill. As mentioned above, you level of comfort is a big deal. Other advice mentioned in this thread that I don't remember seeing for awhile: get a bunch of cheap pregnancy test strips off Amazon. They don't prevent pregnancy but you'll be able to take a test whenever you feel nervous and that can go a long way for your peace of mind. GoodBee fucked around with this message at 18:33 on Jun 17, 2014 |
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Jun 17, 2014 18:23
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GoodBee posted:I think you have that backwards. The amount of spermicide packaged in spermicidal condoms has a negligible effect. Spermicidal jellies, foams, films and suppositories are effective. They're effective, but have a relatively high failure rate (18% for perfect use, 28% typical use) and are considered better for use with a barrier method.
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Jun 17, 2014 18:25
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Kimmalah posted:They're effective, but have a relatively high failure rate (18% for perfect use, 28% typical use) and are considered better for use with a barrier method. I couldn't remember numbers so I fetched a link. There used to be a really neat chart showing the effectiveness of a number of different combinations of birth control.
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Jun 17, 2014 18:40
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Has anyone here had the issue of going OFF hormonal BC (the pill) and gaining weight? I was on the pill for 5 years, and depo provera before that for 7, and stopped the pill last September. Everything was ok for a few months, then in February my face went crazy so I went to a dermatologist and got a prescription for minocycline, which seemed to do the trick. I have noticed since February my weight is steadily creeping up, despite not changing my diet and exercise at all (recently reducing my caloric intake to combat it). Mostly it seems to be in the form of surface fat. This is super frustrating, has anyone else gone through this?
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Jun 19, 2014 15:08
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compshateme85 posted:Has anyone here had the issue of going OFF hormonal BC (the pill) and gaining weight? I was on the pill for 5 years, and depo provera before that for 7, and stopped the pill last September. Everything was ok for a few months, then in February my face went crazy so I went to a dermatologist and got a prescription for minocycline, which seemed to do the trick. I have noticed since February my weight is steadily creeping up, despite not changing my diet and exercise at all (recently reducing my caloric intake to combat it). Mostly it seems to be in the form of surface fat. This is super frustrating, has anyone else gone through this? Not personally but it's possible one of the side effects of the pill, for you, was weight loss. Hormones are weird. And don't completely discount getting older as the primary cause. Some things are coincidental. If it bothers you, you could always go back to pill. I have read in this thread that restarting hormonal BC, even the exact same brand, can have completely different side effects. I don't know how common that is though.
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Jun 19, 2014 15:25
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compshateme85 posted:Has anyone here had the issue of going OFF hormonal BC (the pill) and gaining weight? I was on the pill for 5 years, and depo provera before that for 7, and stopped the pill last September. Everything was ok for a few months, then in February my face went crazy so I went to a dermatologist and got a prescription for minocycline, which seemed to do the trick. I have noticed since February my weight is steadily creeping up, despite not changing my diet and exercise at all (recently reducing my caloric intake to combat it). Mostly it seems to be in the form of surface fat. This is super frustrating, has anyone else gone through this? I've had this issue, where usually I would lose about 5 pounds or so when I started the pill and then gain it when I stopped. I don't really have much advice to offer, since it usually seemed to limit itself.
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Jun 19, 2014 18:32
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Thank you all for your replies. glad to know I might not be entirely crazy. I'm going to get my hormone levels and thyroid checked this week, if everything is normal then I guess I'll go back on hormonal BC, I'm tired of this extra 7lbs.
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Jun 21, 2014 17:04
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drat Mirena, I thought you'd settle my period pain. I've had no spotting but I've had perhaps a little lighter than normal periods at the regular time. This is my second one and jesus christ the pain is terrible! Good lord 
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Jun 30, 2014 11:48
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Sharks Below posted:drat Mirena, I thought you'd settle my period pain. I've had no spotting but I've had perhaps a little lighter than normal periods at the regular time. This is my second one and jesus christ the pain is terrible! Good lord I found I would have random but GOD AWFUL pain for about the first two months after? After that initial 2-3 months nothing - no pain, no periods. Hang in there, hopefully it gets better for you
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Jun 30, 2014 12:00
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Fingers crossed. Mirena, while stopping my periods, did not stop my cramping. My first 6-10 months with it came with HORRIBLE loving CRAMPING. But it settled down. I still get the occasional band round of cramping, but it's manageable.
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Jun 30, 2014 13:17
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Courts ruled for Hobby Lobby - closely held corporations cannot be required to provide contraception coverage. So uh, if that applies to you keep an eye on your employer and your insurance policy. Everything about this is depressing and infuriating - read more at SCOTUSblog: http://live.scotusblog.com/Event/Live_blog_of_opinions__June_30_2014
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Jun 30, 2014 15:40
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Only one solution. Incorporate your uteri, ladies.
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Jun 30, 2014 16:24
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Infuriated but not surprised. Between this and the abortion clinic buffer zone decision, this has been a very bad week for women thanks to the Supreme Court.
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Jul 1, 2014 00:13
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Geolicious posted:Fingers crossed. Mirena, while stopping my periods, did not stop my cramping. My first 6-10 months with it came with HORRIBLE loving CRAMPING. But it settled down. I still get the occasional band round of cramping, but it's manageable. I have had my Morena since October. The cramping at random times is really irritating, I hope it calms down some soon. I also still get a period, but lighter thank goodness. The thing is it ranges from starting 17-35 days past the last one. Anyone else had this happen and if so does it ever level out? Prior to the Morena I was 28 days like clockwork.
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Jul 1, 2014 02:19
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My other sister got a Nexplanon put in today! I've converted them both! 
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Jul 1, 2014 02:56
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Roxy Rouge posted:I have had my Morena since October. The cramping at random times is really irritating, I hope it calms down some soon. I also still get a period, but lighter thank goodness. The thing is it ranges from starting 17-35 days past the last one. Anyone else had this happen and if so does it ever level out? Prior to the Morena I was 28 days like clockwork. Not that I was super regular before I started the pill, but my cycle definitely is variable with the Mirena. I'd say anywhere from 3-5 weeks. I don't bleed, but I still get most of the other PMS symptoms like bloat and crying at everything ever and an insatiable need for all things salty and pickle flavored.
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Jul 1, 2014 02:59
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