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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 don't know if it's Mirena specific or goes for all IUDs, but I have the IUD that's famous for causing bad periods and it was godawful the first few months, then after a while it settled down. Now I don't get cramps or pain at all except for a few random ones around ovulation and a few before/during my period. I'm at about a year and half now and I honestly completely forget the thing is in there until someone like my doctor asks about it. So basically, if you can try to hang in there because they really take their time to settle!
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Jul 2, 2014 11:26
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The reason I haven't switched to a long-term option like an IUD is because my birth control pills keep my period light, regular, and comfortable. However, I got distracted with the first round of summer semester exams and missed some pills a couple of weeks ago, so I figured I'd just ride it out and start with a fresh pack after my next period. Big mistake, menses hit me like a ton of bricks and it's all I can do not to writhe on the floor of the campus library while I try to focus on studying for Test 2 in one of my classes in less than 2 hours. Why did I do this to myself?
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Jul 3, 2014 21:49
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PopRocks posted:The reason I haven't switched to a long-term option like an IUD is because my birth control pills keep my period light, regular, and comfortable. However, I got distracted with the first round of summer semester exams and missed some pills a couple of weeks ago, so I figured I'd just ride it out and start with a fresh pack after my next period. I realize you probably aren't looking to switch, but if you're avoiding long-term birth control to have light periods, then methods like Mirena/Skyla and Implanon might be worth considering. They will all (generally) lighten your period significantly or make it stop completely. Or you could just stack your pills and stop having periods if your body will cooperate.
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Jul 4, 2014 11:23
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Kimmalah posted:I realize you probably aren't looking to switch, but if you're avoiding long-term birth control to have light periods, then methods like Mirena/Skyla and Implanon might be worth considering. They will all (generally) lighten your period significantly or make it stop completely. fwiw, i hear so much about how mirena stops people's periods entirely, but it isn't a magical solution for everyone. I originally got on birth control (the pill, then nuva) years ago for super heavy periods and crippling cramps. the pill, nuva, and mirena have all made that more bearable. my period is lighter in terms of flow on mirena than on the others, but time spent bleeding is longer and my cycle is still pretty irregular 3 years in (it seemed to settle down to a 35-40 day cycle after about 2 years, but stress or something knocks it out of whack sometimes. I got my period a week or two after the previous one had ended recently). i also get relatively bad cramps sometimes (though not as bad as on no bc). there's something to be said for knowing exactly when to prepare for a period. i still love my mirena more than having to remember to fill a prescription and take/insert it, but there are cons to keep in mind too. if you're not unhappy on the pill, i'd stick to what works, but if remembering is a frequent hassle, then by all means consider an IUD or implant.
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Jul 4, 2014 21:30
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biggest platypus posted:fwiw, i hear so much about how mirena stops people's periods entirely, but it isn't a magical solution for everyone. I originally got on birth control (the pill, then nuva) years ago for super heavy periods and crippling cramps. the pill, nuva, and mirena have all made that more bearable. my period is lighter in terms of flow on mirena than on the others, but time spent bleeding is longer and my cycle is still pretty irregular 3 years in (it seemed to settle down to a 35-40 day cycle after about 2 years, but stress or something knocks it out of whack sometimes. I got my period a week or two after the previous one had ended recently). i also get relatively bad cramps sometimes (though not as bad as on no bc). there's something to be said for knowing exactly when to prepare for a period. Yeah I understand Mirena only completely stops periods in something like 20% of women. I mainly mentioned it because she specifically mentioned avoiding stuff like IUDs because of lighter periods on the pill, when in fact an IUD could also give them a lighter period.
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Jul 4, 2014 21:41
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It is my 6-monthaversary with my Paragard and we are going strong  Periods have returned to a pretty normal level of bleeding but my cycles are just much shorter now - 23 days. My skin also sucks. I'm not pregnant and my hair isn't falling out though!!!
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Jul 5, 2014 00:58
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Tshirt Ninja posted:It is my 6-monthaversary with my Paragard and we are going strong The skin thing is a pain, isn't it? I've managed to get into a routine that keeps my skin pretty clear, except for a few days leading up to my period when I feel like all the bad parts of being a teenager again.
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Jul 5, 2014 09:33
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Tshirt Ninja posted:It is my 6-monthaversary with my Paragard and we are going strong
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Jul 5, 2014 15:23
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Kimmalah posted:The skin thing is a pain, isn't it? I've managed to get into a routine that keeps my skin pretty clear, except for a few days leading up to my period when I feel like all the bad parts of being a teenager again. Mine has been exceptionally awful recently, too. I forgot how much it sucks. A few days away from my period, if my now-needed-again tracker is right, and my chin looks like a pizza.
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Jul 6, 2014 07:25
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ilysespieces posted:Mine has been exceptionally awful recently, too. I forgot how much it sucks. A few days away from my period, if my now-needed-again tracker is right, and my chin looks like a pizza. I've figured out the hard way that eating too much dairy seems to make my skin explode. Otherwise, salicyclic acid and benzoyl peroxide (either as a cream or body wash) has been helpful for me.
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Jul 6, 2014 09:13
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Any tips for dealing with hormone-induced moodiness other than trying to remember it's just the hormones? I'm having to take norethisterone for some bleeding issues and it's making me feel like poo poo - I'm so lethargic and depressed-feeling - but I can't really come off it for another couple of weeks.
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Jul 6, 2014 12:22
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Kimmalah posted:I've figured out the hard way that eating too much dairy seems to make my skin explode. Otherwise, salicyclic acid and benzoyl peroxide (either as a cream or body wash) has been helpful for me. Thanks, I'll try cream before cutting out dairy because I love cheese and would be so sad if that caused my acne so I'm going to pretend there are other ways to keep it under control.
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Jul 7, 2014 18:18
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ilysespieces posted:Thanks, I'll try cream before cutting out dairy because I love cheese and would be so sad if that caused my acne so I'm going to pretend there are other ways to keep it under control. Just be forewarned that the peroxide can be pretty harsh until your skin gets accustomed to it. I usually save it for when things get crazy right before my period. I also like to do a clay mask every now and then, but all that might be a little much if you tend towards dry or sensitive skin. I love Phisoderm body wash for this (and Panoxyl for desperate times), but the stuff has gotten really hard for me to find! I haven't had to cut out dairy completely. I just went through a phase where I was drinking a lot of milk for some reason and noticed that my skin was breaking out like crazy. So now I just keep it in moderation. I still have stuff like cheese and yogurt pretty much everyday.
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Jul 7, 2014 21:48
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So, I got my new Implanon at the end of May and haven't had a period since. I was starting to get a little paranoid, even though my chances of getting pregnant on this thing are vanishishingly small, so I got a pack of babby-detection sticks from the pharmacy. Results: NEGATIVE. So I guess I'm OK. Kinda weird not having my period for so long. Of course, I fully expect that now that I've mentioned it, I'll get it the next day! 
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Jul 15, 2014 21:50
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Has anyone here gotten the Skyla yet? I'm in the process of trying to get an IUD and was thinking of either Skyla or Mirena.
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Jul 17, 2014 04:25
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lambeth posted:Has anyone here gotten the Skyla yet? I'm in the process of trying to get an IUD and was thinking of either Skyla or Mirena. Yep! I've had mine ~4 months and it's pretty awesome! Anything specific you want to know?
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Jul 19, 2014 01:46
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Explosions! posted:Yep! I've had mine ~4 months and it's pretty awesome! Anything specific you want to know? I was mainly wondering how periods/spotting are with this and how the insertion process was. I'm a bit nervous about the insertion since I have a retroverted uterus, which may make it more difficult to do.
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Jul 19, 2014 12:26
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lambeth posted:I was mainly wondering how periods/spotting are with this and how the insertion process was. I'm a bit nervous about the insertion since I have a retroverted uterus, which may make it more difficult to do. I don't have the Skyla IUD (Paragard here) and it's basically the opposite issue, but I apparently have a really anteverted uterus and insertion wasn't a problem. The doctor was feeling around beforehand and was basically like "Oh it's really tilted in there" and then we got the show on the road. 
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Jul 20, 2014 00:49
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I think if my doc had realized I was retroverted BEFORE starting to poke around things would have gone smoother. I didn't think to mention it. But once she figured it out, everything went smoothly.
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Jul 20, 2014 01:32
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Beh, condom broke, didn't notice until it was too late, got Plan B within 30 minutes. Now freaking out about studies saying it does not work at all for women who have ovulated. Girlfriend says she thinks she hasn't, but still...quote:In the present study, the efficacy of LNG-EC was determined in 393 cycles by dating ovulation on the basis of reliable hormonal and ovarian parameters validated by a database constructed in a separate study. In addition, the efficacy was determined separately for cycles in which LNG-EC was given before or after ovulation. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010782409005411 It's 2am and I'm too tired to read the article, please tell me it's bunk.
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Jul 20, 2014 08:47
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IM_DA_DECIDER posted:Beh, condom broke, didn't notice until it was too late, got Plan B within 30 minutes. Now freaking out about studies saying it does not work at all for women who have ovulated. Girlfriend says she thinks she hasn't, but still... I can't really say if it's bunk or not honestly. But the people in this study were using things like blood tests and ultrasounds to pinpoint date of ovulation exactly. Some women know when it happens, but oftentimes they're just going by "well it's day 14 of my cycle" and that varies woman to woman, month to month. So she could have ovulated early or right now or won't until later etc. etc. But I think the more important thing to keep in mind is that while it's natural to be worried about this, scaring yourself with scientific articles isn't going to help or do you much good mentally right now. She's taken the Plan B as directed and very early after the unprotected sex (which is really good!) - you've kind of done all you can do at this point.
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Jul 20, 2014 14:08
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Trip report: I had my paragard inserted at six weeks post-partum, and my god it is nothing at all like when I had it inserted before I had a baby. No pain, I couldn't even tell when my doctor shoved it on in there. So, so much easier. I've spotted off and on since, but I have wacky post-baby hormones so I'm not sure if I can blame the IUD. Overall, a WAY better experience. I can understand why some doctors won't do them for nulliparous women now (not that I approve).
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Jul 20, 2014 18:58
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Hi everyone, I have a question about switching from Depo to a combined pill. I plan to ask my doctor about this as soon as I can too, but I thought that maybe someone here might have some previous experience with this. I did 2 Depo shots, and it was great. I had pretty much no side effects at all, and my period instantly stopped except for maybe a weeks work of random spotting midway through each of the 3 months. But all of a sudden last week, about one week before my next shot was due, I woke up in the middle of the night with what felt like awful morning sickness. I started spotting, had cramping in my lower abdomen, headache, painful boobs, fatigue, and killer heartburn. I was basically unable to eat for several days because I'd get waves of horrible nausea at night/morning and had trouble keeping anything down. I was terrified I was pregnant and took several home tests, and a blood test at the clinic, but they all came up negative of course. My first thought was that the Depo wearing off this time was causing hormone problems that were making me feel pregnant (a google search led to stories of other women having similar symptoms after stopping the shot) and my doctor did agree it was possible. So now I'm on heartburn meds that are finally letting me eat again, and slowly helping my nausea. I'd been wanting to switch from Depo to pills this time anyway, as my schedule has calmed down enough that I feel confident enough to take them on time, and I've been concerned about side effects with the shot. I got a prescription for Microgestin FE, but now I'm worried about starting them right away. Would they help possibly regulate the effects of Depo wearing off, or will they make my nausea explode again? The last day for my next shot is July 30th, and I'd really prefer continuous protection, but I have no clue if I should start taking these now, or wait until I settle down a little more. Any advice? Or anyone have some experience switching from shot to pill?
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Jul 20, 2014 21:51
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lambeth posted:I was mainly wondering how periods/spotting are with this and how the insertion process was. I'm a bit nervous about the insertion since I have a retroverted uterus, which may make it more difficult to do. I had one weird period right after insertion (about the right time for me normally) and then haven't had what I consider a real period since. Just some very light spotting for a few days about when my period should be. I mean light as in not even worth thinking about. It's been great. I do get more cramps than I used to but they're just one when I do something kinda strenuous during the spotting and then they're gone. On insertion I also had no problems. It definitely hurt, but it wasn't unbearable and it was totally worth it. It was kinda pinchy? Then done. I think that's most IUDs though.
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Jul 23, 2014 03:36
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About a month ago I started taking generic levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol for birth control. My gyno prescribed me a 3-month supply with only one placebo week at the very end, so I was under the assumption that I would only have one period during those three months. I began taking the pill on the first day of my period as directed, everything was grand, I have an alarm set on my phone so I don't forget and an app that tracks things. Wonderful. About two weeks ago, so right after I would have ovulated according to the app, I started having mild spotting. Spotting has progressed to just about a full-blown period, so now I've been bleeding in some capacity for about two weeks, and horrendously moody, nowhere near a placebo week. My period isn't "officially" due for another two days, although I recently switched apps so this might be a little off. Is this part of a normal adjustment period and am I still protected, or have I hosed up somewhere?
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Jul 26, 2014 15:23
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If you're on the pill and taking it as directed then you aren't having your "natural" menstrual cycle at all anymore so that app probably isn't going to be a lot of help. Basically your period is due whenever you have a placebo pill week now and you aren't ovulating at all. I'm not 100% clear on the timeline, but since you said it was prescribed a month ago have you already finished a pack and started another one? If you're skipping periods like that, it's not unusual to have some spotting. And I know in my case when I tried to do that, I ended up in a similar situation and bled for about 2 weeks until my next placebo week. If it's a triphasic pill (meaning there are different doses of hormones per week) it tends to be worse. Basically if you've been taking your pills on time everyday and there isn't anything that might affect them (drug interactions, vomiting up the pills, etc.) you're most likely OK and your body is just reacting badly. Moodiness and all that is definitely a part of the adjustment period for some people. If you're still concerned, just use back-up birth control and contact your doctor, see what they think.
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Jul 26, 2014 16:18
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Kimmalah posted:If you're on the pill and taking it as directed then you aren't having your "natural" menstrual cycle at all anymore so that app probably isn't going to be a lot of help. Basically your period is due whenever you have a placebo pill week now and you aren't ovulating at all. Yeah, I mostly use the app for the pill reminder and tracking exactly how many days I've been spotting or whatever so I don't forget. And yes, I've just started the second pack a few days ago. Not taking any other medication. If the bleeding doesn't stop soon I'll get in touch with my doc. Thanks!
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Jul 26, 2014 16:59
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Pianist On Strike posted:Yeah, I mostly use the app for the pill reminder and tracking exactly how many days I've been spotting or whatever so I don't forget. And yes, I've just started the second pack a few days ago. Not taking any other medication. If the bleeding doesn't stop soon I'll get in touch with my doc. Thanks! Just to be clear I'm not an expert or anything. It just sounds a lot like what happened when I tried to skip periods by starting a new pack right after the other. I think I spotted/bled for about 2 weeks at least because I guess my body didn't like that. But I didn't get pregnant or anything, it was just annoying and not very sexy.
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Jul 26, 2014 17:23
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Kimmalah posted:Just to be clear I'm not an expert or anything. It just sounds a lot like what happened when I tried to skip periods by starting a new pack right after the other. I think I spotted/bled for about 2 weeks at least because I guess my body didn't like that. But I didn't get pregnant or anything, it was just annoying and not very sexy. Luckily the guy I'm sleeping with now doesn't let a little thing like a bloody vagina stop him. The very first night we hooked up I perioded all over his sheets (this was before BC, and it was near the end of my period so I foolishly thought I was in the clear... wrong) and he was just like, ain't no thing girl. 
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Jul 26, 2014 17:34
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Pianist On Strike posted:Luckily the guy I'm sleeping with now doesn't let a little thing like a bloody vagina stop him. The very first night we hooked up I perioded all over his sheets (this was before BC, and it was near the end of my period so I foolishly thought I was in the clear... wrong) and he was just like, ain't no thing girl. No BC related, but I have a similar anecdote. My bf says he knew I was a keeper when I laughed at his "calamari = fried buttholes" joke on our first date. I knew he was a keeper when I got my period in the middle of the night after our first date. I totally slept without underwear on that night. Luckily I didn't make a real mess but I was so embarrassed and he couldn't give a poo poo.
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Jul 26, 2014 20:44
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I wanted to post my experience and see if anyone else has any insight- I was on depo for four years then switched to the pill (Loestrin) after my mom got diagnosed with osteopenia. After I broke up with my ex earlier this year I stopped taking the pill to give my body a break (not sure my reasoning behind this really except it seemed like a good idea at the time and I figured it would be no big deal) since I had no immediate plans to have sex anytime soon. Before I was on any birth control my period was nothing really, no major crippling cramps or anything just more of a mild irritation and pretty easy to handle. On birth control I either had no cycle on depo or on the pill I'd have a period every few months very light. Ever since I stopped taking my b/c pill I have had crippling cramps and huge mood changes that I didn't experience before. I know the body changes etc. over time but I was just curious if anyone had this experience after going off birth control and if it was temporary or long lasting.
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Jul 26, 2014 23:21
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I've never had that experience specifically connected with going on or off birth control, but that has been my experience just in the course of getting older. I used to never have cramps or PMS, but as time has gone on they've both ramped up considerably. Not that it couldn't be the birth control, just that maybe you've been on it so long that your "normal" has changed in the meantime.
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Jul 26, 2014 23:32
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Yeah, I'm thinking that may have to do with it. Thanks
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Jul 27, 2014 05:30
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Just wanted to come spread some more Mirena love... What didn't work: The Pill (many flavors): horrible periods, no sex drive The Ring: horrible periods, uncomfortable to insert and remove The Shot (depo): holy poo poo, dude. I gained thirty pounds, bled nearly every day and I got loving morning sickness for a week after every shot. Stayed on it for nine months because my doctor said the side effects almost always go away... The Implant (implanon): I bled almost every day for two and a half years. And it killed my sex drive. Then came the mirena. I was not hopeful. Installation was uncomfortable but not painful. Cramps were minimal and only lasted a day. Just a little bit of spotting. And since then everything has been great. Normal sex drive, no periods, very rare light spotting and no change in weight. It was a gamble or me, since I had such a bad track record with hormonal BC, but I'm glad I went for it instead of giving up and settling for something with nasty side effects.
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Jul 27, 2014 17:48
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legasaurusrex posted:Yeah, I'm thinking that may have to do with it. Thanks It could always be something weird with the birth control, I don't know. I just remember being like 15 years old and thinking "what are these cramps and mood swings everyone complains about, psh." Now 13 years later I know, boy do I know.
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Jul 27, 2014 18:53
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Kimmalah posted:It could always be something weird with the birth control, I don't know. I just remember being like 15 years old and thinking "what are these cramps and mood swings everyone complains about, psh." Now 13 years later I know, boy do I know. It was so easy back then! Some girls really would be super miserable and I just thought I was soooo tough. Now I'm reduced to the fetal position on the bed alternating between crying and raging! Gahhhh.
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Jul 27, 2014 19:04
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Thanks for the encouraging answers on IUDs, ladies. One more question: I scheduled my insertion and then later realized the insertion date was the day after my anniversary. Is it ok to have the sex the night before getting an IUD or is that a bad idea? We would be using protection, of course. I read on a few sites that some doctors say to abstain from having sex for two weeks before insertion, but my doctor didn't mention that.
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Jul 30, 2014 08:16
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lambeth posted:Thanks for the encouraging answers on IUDs, ladies. One more question: I scheduled my insertion and then later realized the insertion date was the day after my anniversary. Technically you can have unprotected sex up to 5 days before your insertion. The copper IUD can be used as an emergency contraceptive. I don't know if Mirena/Skyla are approved for that though. Edit: don't do that on purpose, in case the IUD doesn't fit or you change your mind or your appointment gets rescheduled or something. Your doctor will probably do a pregnancy pee test on your insertion visit.
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Jul 30, 2014 14:27
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I just rolled over my one year anniversary with my Nexplanon, and here's my State of the Uterus speech. So I had previously been on a generic version of Alesse for about seven years. My periods were like clockwork, every 28 days exactly, and would last 4 days with no cramping, mood swings, or other nastiness. I really didn't have any complaints about the pill except that I would get (non-aura) migraines consistently every week. Last summer I made an appointment to switch to Mirena, which, after many attempts between three different doctors at my gyno office, could not be inserted. It was incredibly painful and I left completely bummed and discouraged. My gyno recommended Nexplanon as an alternative so I took a month to research and mull it over. I made an appointment to have it inserted a few weeks later. Compared to my Mirena attempt, insertion was an absolute breeze. I was sore and bruised for a couple days and since then it's been like nothing is there. In that respect, I am very pleased. Totally worth not having to remember a pill everyday! For two months after insertion, I never had a period, to the point where I took a pregnancy test just to assure myself it was working. Then, out of nowhere, I randomly got my period. Ever since then, I had bled every two weeks, ranging from just some light spotting for a day or two to a week-long crampy murderpants period like I would get as a teenager. Even worse, since that initial period, I have gained a very stubborn ten pounds that refuses to go away, even though I had no change in my diet, exercise, or lifestyle in general. So that sucks. BUT! My migraines are basically gone. I still get tension headaches often, but I only get full-blown migraines maybe once every couple of months. So in general, even though the periods are annoying and the weight gain has been frustrating, my quality of life is better now with my Nexplanon. I won't pretend there isn't a trade off, but it was worth it to not have to worry about taking a pill and more importantly, not to have to suffer through migraines as a part of my everyday life.
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Jul 30, 2014 15:33
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GoodBee posted:Technically you can have unprotected sex up to 5 days before your insertion. The copper IUD can be used as an emergency contraceptive. I don't know if Mirena/Skyla are approved for that though. As far as I know, Mirena and Skyla are not used as emergency contraception. My guess is they might work for that just by virtue of being an IUD, but since they rely more on hormonal action it might be riskier. For the original question: my doctor originally said "no sex" then found out my insertion couldn't be scheduled until a month later so the they said protected sex was fine. The only reason they cared at all was because they didn't want me getting pregnant between the consultation appointment and insertion appointment basically. I'll be honest here and say that I actually had unprotected sex once or twice because I was still on the pill and going back to condoms was a problem, but the insertion went off without a hitch anyway. Not that I recommend going against doctor's orders, just that the world did not end for me. And yes most likely they will be doing a pregnancy test at the appointment, so make sure you have some pee (and take your ibuprofen!). Edit: And ladies if you want some terrifying birth control, try babysitting a newborn when you know nothing about them! Yikes. Kimmalah fucked around with this message at 18:54 on Jul 30, 2014 |
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Jul 30, 2014 18:01
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