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That_Spoony_Bard posted:Hi there, long time viewer, first time caller etc etc. I've wondered this myself for the pill. I don't trust it anymore. But it seems like the information is mixed. DRPSolved! posted about it further back, though. Protip: Your girlfriend is a woman, not a "female". That's her biological classification, but she doesn't want to be referred to like a specimen.
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Mar 16, 2012 23:39
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lemonsaresour posted:I'm excited to get started and see if this will help me. Geolicious posted:Protip: Your girlfriend is a woman, not a "female". That's her biological classification, but she doesn't want to be referred to like a specimen.
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Mar 17, 2012 00:01
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I've been on the patch twice in my life, I went on it when I was 19 had a gap with no birth control for three years and then when back on it. So far it's been about a year, and I haven't experienced any side effects. Aside from lost libido. I was off it for two weeks while my healthcare got sorted out and that was when I realized that I enjoyed it waaaaaay more when my boyfriend touched me during that period. Even just something as simple as a kiss. I don't know why it took me so long to figure out that something had changed, but I don't like it. I want my horny back. The thing is, I'm scared to try another birth control when the patch has always worked so well for me. Suck it up and try something new? Also, my friend was on mirena and it gave her horrible headaches, acne, and was all around not fun so she got it taken out. This is my nightmare scenario.
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Mar 17, 2012 00:22
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Tasty_Crayon posted:The thing is, I'm scared to try another birth control when the patch has always worked so well for me. Suck it up and try something new? If you've lost your sex drive, it hasn't worked as well as you're letting yourself believe. Yes, absolutely suck it up and something else. You will not magically find the perfect birth control for you on your first try. It took me over nine to get it right. But don't let that scare you; if a type doesn't work, switching off is really easy, and the side effects go away. It's all temporary. Talk to your doctor and tell them what you've been experiencing, and let them help you choose a new pill/method.
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Mar 17, 2012 01:22
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Geolicious posted:I've wondered this myself for the pill. I don't trust it anymore. But it seems like the information is mixed. DRPSolved! posted about it further back, though. Hah, I didn't even noticed. I was reading a journal article that used the term female(s) instead of woman. I'm not that insensitive of a bastard. I called my Dr's office to chat with them briefly about it. After consulting with a Dr., the nurse said that they don't have any concerns about that. If the woman morbidly obese, there would be a concern. Regardless, since there is still something nagging me in the back of my mind, I'll probably stick with condoms.
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Mar 17, 2012 05:40
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Hey, I have Implanon and I'm pretty sure I was obese when I got my first one (I was losing weight at the time and I don't remember the exact timing). As I understood the explanation, the hormone would leach faster -- so it wouldn't make it less effective at first, it might just need to be replaced sooner (in the third year). You would know this if, for example, your periods went away on Implanon (common) and later started to come back. Before having unprotected sex, I did some googling, and I couldn't actually find any examples of women who'd been on Implanon and gotten pregnant. There were some women who thought they were on Implanon, but the implant hadn't actually been inserted, but that was it at the time. That was years ago, so statistically some pregnancies are likely to have occurred, but not a lot -- Implanon is the most effective hormonal contraceptive, more effective than having your tubes tied. That may change depending on size, but it's hard to predict how much. Using condoms or another barrier method can't hurt, but I personally wouldn't be too worried. Remember all kinds of hormonal birth control are being prescribed to all kinds of women -- from 5'0" and 100 lbs to 6'3" and 200 lbs. Even if those are both average BMI, that's still a major variance in size/dosage. e: btw, if she really is 230-260, she is morbidly obese if she's around 5'3"-5'7". Don't assume she doesn't fit into that category just because she's not gross and doesn't need a scooter. Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 06:08 on Mar 17, 2012 |
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Mar 17, 2012 06:04
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i like nice words
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Does anyone know what "starting method" is better in terms of side effects? I was thinking about doing day-1 method so that I wouldn't have to use a separate birthcontrol method for a week, but only if it doesn't increase the starting side effects. My other option is Sunday start.
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Mar 20, 2012 15:06
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lemonsaresour posted:Does anyone know what "starting method" is better in terms of side effects? I was thinking about doing day-1 method so that I wouldn't have to use a separate birthcontrol method for a week, but only if it doesn't increase the starting side effects. My other option is Sunday start. I think you would likely be less prone to spotting with first day start (just from a logical standpoint, haven't seen any research on it). Doubt it would affect most other side effects. My personal bias against Sunday start is that if you've forgotten to refill your prescription, Sunday is the worst day to try to do it. IMO it's better to start on any weekday, so that the pharmacy is open for the maximum possible time if you've forgotten to get your refill.
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Mar 20, 2012 16:37
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Is this normal? I've never gotten pregnant, but I thought you weren't supposed to go through normal PMS stuff before your placebo pills/week off. However, I can always tell when my period is clearly going to be next week because of my agitation and depression. I've been on Junel 21 (generic for Loestrin 21) for three months straight, as directed by my doctor to skip my periods for three months at a time. I started noticing acne that I'd never have at that time of the month a few weeks ago and now my cervical mucus is like, ultra stretchy/sticky as if I were ovulating. But I've always experienced things like this, even on monophasic pills such as this. Am I like, infertile and/or resistant to the power of birth control? (NuvaRing, Ortho Evra, Ortho Cyclen & Ortho Lo.) I'm not going to quit unless this happens again after my period (coming soon to my bagina), because I know the first 3 months are often wonky. I've just never had any thing really happen like that during the first three months.  I'm interested in temporary hormonal methods of birth control such as this and not Implanon or an IUD because I see myself having children within the next few years and don't feel like I'd be making a smart investment. Also, acne. I'm scared of acne. It feels vain and childish to admit but I don't like looking like a pimply teenager when I'm almost 25. 
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Mar 20, 2012 18:18
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samizdat posted:Is this normal? I've never gotten pregnant, but I thought you weren't supposed to go through normal PMS stuff before your placebo pills/week off. However, I can always tell when my period is clearly going to be next week because of my agitation and depression. You will get more side effects when you skip periods. It can actually take about a year for them to work themselves out when you go to an extended schedule like you are on right now. I don't think it's anything abnormal. Basically your body will still try to have a period for a little while until it adjusts to the new schedule. It's the biggest reason for women to go off pills like Seasonale. For what it's worth, I never got pregnant on a single type of pill I took (and my family is ridiculously fertile), but also never had the pill reduce my period bleeding or cramps. And I would still get ovulation type mucus sometimes even in the middle of having my Mirena IUD, when I wasn't getting periods for years. Unless the acne is really bad, I'd try giving it some more time. Just because you've got some acne from it now does not mean it will stick around long term. Also, try some basic acne washes or creams. They can still work even if the acne is partially rooted in hormonal issues.
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Mar 20, 2012 18:49
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Hey everyone, I'm a guy who is worried about his girlfriend. She has been taking Tri-Cyclen and I think it's not doing her good. She often feels nauseous, faint and dizzy, sometimes vomits and is complaining of weight gain. Now, the issues could also have something to do with the other medication she takes for her chronic pain (it probably does). But if she is taking Tri-Cyclen simply to avoid pregnancy and regulate her period, and not for any other benefits, then I want to talk to her about either switching the type of pill she takes or going off completely. It's not like we're having sex often as of late (also part of the problem), and I am absolutely not adverse to using a condom. But it's not only about that, so please don't get me wrong. So my question is this: how do I approach her about it. I don't want it to sound like I'm hard up for sex and I want her to change it for her sake. I really worry about her well-being and she's often very cranky and irritable (again, her pain is to blame as well). It's a strain on our relationship as well, so there is a bit of She was recently with her doctor who changed her pain medication, but she's been on Tri-Cyclen for a while. Advice on how to talk to her about it would be great. Even advice on not talking to her about it would be fine.
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Mar 20, 2012 21:35
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If the side effects are a recent thing, they are more likely to be due to the new medicine. How long has she been on tri-cyclen? Also, she should definitely talk to her doctor about these effects (vomiting is kinda serious business IMO) and see if there's another pain medication option. Talking to her about it: "Honey, I hate to see you suffering like this. Maybe we could talk to your doctor about these side effects and see if it might help for you to try a different pain med or maybe even a different BC pill in case that's the issue." eta: also also if she's vomiting you guys need to be careful about the timing of her pill-taking in relation to her vomiting. If it's within like 4 hours of taking her pill it is often treated as missing a pill. If it's happening regularly I'd suggest using a backup method.
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Mar 21, 2012 03:15
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samizdat posted:Is this normal? I've never gotten pregnant, but I thought you weren't supposed to go through normal PMS stuff before your placebo pills/week off. However, I can always tell when my period is clearly going to be next week because of my agitation and depression. Something to keep in mind is that birth control is meant to control/regulate your hormone levels and prevent ovulation. It was not designed to change your PMS.* Often, women experience a lessening of these symptoms, or experience a change in their normal discharge (but not always). What it most often forgotten is that these are positive side effects. Meaning they are still side effects; we just tend to want them, rather than avoid them. "Side effects" when used in discussion is usually referring to those negative ones we want to avoid. But there are many positive ones that are taken for granted sometimes. *I guess one of the exceptions to this would be Yaz, which was specifically created to control PMDD, a different, but also menstrual-cycle-related disorder. What this means is that if PMS is something you want to reduce or eliminate, you need to swap pills. But these things you are experiencing are completely normal, yes.
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Mar 21, 2012 04:29
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I'm curious about how others got on with changing from a combined pill to a mini-pill. I've been on Ovranette (Microgynon in the US) for the last 3 months, but when I went to get my repeat prescription my blood pressure had pretty much just crossed the line where my doc would not prescribe any combined pill. I ended up leaving with a prescription for Cerazette, which I'm starting to take this evening. Wondering what sort of side-effects I should expect? I'm 27, 5'6", 145lbs, very active and otherwise in good health, but under a *lot* of stress in work at the moment.
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Mar 21, 2012 20:46
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With regard to my IUD issues about two weeks ago - everything's fine now. In fact everything got sorted on the same day. What happened was that I yanked on my strings when I was removing my cup. So, one strong cramp, but no subsequent pain. It was basically completely out. Although I couldn't feel the horizontal bar, the doctor looked at me and was like... 'yup it's out all right' and just pulled the strings. It didn't hurt because the difficult part I had done by myself  It just felt funny like a little plastic T is bound to feel funny when moving through one's bits.Because (1) the doctor was nice; (2) I was going to be out of the country for over a month the next day; (3) I was insistent; (4) the clinic wasn't at all busy just then; (5) I hadn't had sex since my period started which is actually unusual because I tend to insist even though my partner is iffy about period sex - I managed to get another fitted right away. This was a slightly different model with longer arms but a bendier junction. So, SECOND TRIP REPORT  The insertion hurt only when the doctor was actually being active, so when she was measuring my cervix, dilating it, and actual insertion. I hadn't taken any painkillers. Amazingly, no subsequent cramping in the following week; I was on my period but that ended cleanly about two days later. No spotting either in the following two weeks unlike the first insertion. Also interesting to note the differences between doctors at the same clinic: my first doctor basically flooded me with numbing agent unlike the second, and I don't remember her telling me about the injection that my second doctor made sure I knew about. They also had different models of IUDs that they preferred to use. So yeah I guess I just have to be careful and take my time when dealing with my cup. I'm not giving that up - have been using it for over half a year, maybe even a year? and I WON'T go back to pads. I told the doctor about it and she thought it would be absolutely fine.
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Mar 21, 2012 22:55
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Not pregnant! If I was, conception would have happened over a month ago, so I'm in the clear if it's coming out negative, yeah?
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Mar 23, 2012 13:36
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We meet again, BC megathread. I posted back around September (I think?) that my birth control (Aviane) was giving me terrible acne. The consensus was that acne can take 9 months to settle down/clear up, but here we are in March (about 9 months after starting my pill), and I can't stand looking in the mirror anymore. I have never had acne this bad in my entire life. Every week I break out on my cheeks and around my chin. Would switching pills potentially help clear up this acne? I sort of need to take it because I have a prolactinoma, so my hormones don't regulate themselves properly without it. However, it's getting to the point where I have no self confidence and I'm really just considering stopping taking BC altogether to see if it goes away. I didn't have perfect skin before, but nothing like this. Sorry for the long ramble about my skin but I've been super depressed about it lately. I know that probably pales in comparison to most people's BC problems!
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Mar 24, 2012 01:14
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No, it probably won't help much to switch pills, unfortunately. It's the estrogen that causes the acne. You could go on a progesterone-only pill, but that presents a whole other set of potential side effects. If it were me, I'd visit a dermatologist. There's a whole host of products they can prescribe topically that can work alongside birth control so that you don't have to switch pills a bunch of times and wait even longer to try to clear up your acne. Things that may work: Ziana gel- prescription only, no generic, so if you don't have insurance, you may as well forget about this option. The other downside is that is smells like McDonald's french fries for some strange reason, but it does work well and doesn't dry out the skin too much. Spirinolactone- prescription only, generic available. It is a diuretic, and will work wonders to clear your skin, but some people are hesitant to prescribe it, and it does have some side effects. I'd do research before going this route, but it does work well. Murad's acne line- available online, Sephora, etc. It's pricy but it does work. Stick with it and be patient and you'll probably see results. I've found that the little starter kit - the 3-step box- is enough. Bare Minerals make-up works really well. Especially the matte foundation and the primer for oily skin. Again, a little pricy, but worth it. Whatever route you are taking with skin care, don't overdo it. My skin has cleared up considerably in the last couple of years by going basic. I cleared it up with the things above and then maintained by just washing it with a very basic cleanser and leaving it at that. It'll get better. Try to be patient. =)
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Mar 24, 2012 01:50
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Actually, if anything, it's typically the progestin - and not the estrogen - that worsens acne. There's also no reason to see a dermatologist first about acne; a family doctor should be able to take care of that adequately.
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Mar 24, 2012 06:25
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Any ladies with Mirena ever get PMS symptoms but no period? I got my Mirena earlier this year and spotted for almost 2 months, but that finally stopped and I'm getting a lot of PMS type symptoms. No spotting or anything yet though. When taking other birth control my periods typically got super light or almost non-existent but I never really got a lot of PMS symptoms that way.
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Mar 24, 2012 17:43
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DRP Solved! posted:Actually, if anything, it's typically the progestin - and not the estrogen - that worsens acne. I apologize about the first part. I don't know why I got the two confused in my head. As to the second part, as a patient, I would go 50/50 on it. I've gone to a family doctor a few different times for skin stuff, and every one of them has prescribed the same three things, none of which seem to have helped: Panoxyl, which dries out adult skin and bleaches out all of your pillowcases, tee shirts, and towels. Tetracycline, which tends to clear up the skin, but then you're taking antibiotics for a million years. Retin-a, which does nothing. I mean, I get that those three things are first-line-of-defense type-things, but it seems like after a GP prescribes those three things and they don't work too well, he/she refers you to a dermatologist anyway, which is why I suggested that she start there. I'm obviously not a doctor, though, just a person who has been frustrated with skin stuff since I was little. I've tried everything, and finally at about age 30 my skin started to calm down.
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Mar 24, 2012 19:02
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If your acne's not controlled with the use of first-line therapies then sure, it may be worth seeing a dermatologist. However, starting out with a dermatologist won't change much since they're probably going to start with the same treatments in a step-wise fashion. Those drugs are first-line for a reason; they're the best studied and the most effective overall.
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Mar 24, 2012 19:16
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Wow, thanks for the slew of advice! I think I'll stop by the health clinic at my school and see if it's worth getting something heavy duty to take care of it. Right now I use face washes with either benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, nothing more than that though. As for Bare Minerals makeup, I wish I could use it, but I already have flaky dry skin, so powders are a no-go for me. I use Makeup Forever which I don't think causes any problems, as I've been using it for 2 years every day, before I had any acne problems. This may be a good sign that when I do stop taking pills eventually, my skin should go back to normal. I'm a little afraid of antibiotics since the last time I took them, I got a yeast infection, so I might be prone to those again.
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Mar 24, 2012 20:05
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Candycanes posted:I'm curious about how others got on with changing from a combined pill to a mini-pill. I've been on Ovranette (Microgynon in the US) for the last 3 months, but when I went to get my repeat prescription my blood pressure had pretty much just crossed the line where my doc would not prescribe any combined pill. I ended up leaving with a prescription for Cerazette, which I'm starting to take this evening. Wondering what sort of side-effects I should expect? I'm 27, 5'6", 145lbs, very active and otherwise in good health, but under a *lot* of stress in work at the moment. I got changed from Microgynon to Cerazette a year ago when I had a migraine where I lost my vision and had paralysis down one side of my body, doctor freaked out and banned from oestrogen. The most difficult thing for me to adjust to was not knowing when I was going to have a period after being on Micrgynon for years and being able to predict it to the day. I had a light period/ heavy spotting for about 3 weeks when I first went onto it, then I would have 2 weeks spotting, 2 weeks clear. Now, a year on, I’m going about 5 weeks clear, then a period for about 2 weeks, but it took about 9 months to sort that. The positives are that my periods are never heavy now and the acne that I did have has pretty much all cleared up. Unfortunately it has done nothing for cramps. I hope this helps, it wasn’t a disastrous change for me, though it felt like it to start with, hopefully you’ll get on well too.
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Mar 24, 2012 23:05
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eggrolled posted:Any ladies with Mirena ever get PMS symptoms but no period? I kind of am. No second period yet (should have started like a week ago), but I was feeling crampy and bloated for a few days, and now I've been getting the kinds of moods and emotions that usually come with PMS for me. I'd assume with Mirena we're still getting cycles and everything, there's just no blood involved now. But I dunno. I've only had it for a few months. v  v
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Mar 24, 2012 23:08
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Sexual Panda posted:This may be a good sign that when I do stop taking pills eventually, my skin should go back to normal. I'm a little afraid of antibiotics since the last time I took them, I got a yeast infection, so I might be prone to those again.
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Mar 24, 2012 23:18
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Anne Whateley posted:Take probiotics at the same time! Look for pills with live cultures. Sounds like questionable woo-woo, but my doctor recommended it to me (when I was also on long-term antibiotics for my skin) and it works like a charm. Yep, or else eat yogurt if you can stand it (I personally cannot). My doctor told me to eat a yogurt every day when I was getting yeast infections left and right and I couldn't make myself do it, I hate it. Tastes like rotten milk to me. So, I asked her about the pills and she said it was fine. Azo makes them, they work great. Sexual Panda,I had the same problem a few months ago. Benzoyl peroxide is the best over-the-counter acne medicine but you don't want extra strength as that can irritate your skin and make the acne worse. Get something that is 5% BP. Most kinds of BP you find will be 10% which is too harsh for adult skin. The only one I know of is made by Neutrogena, called "On-the-Spot" or something like that and it is 5%. Don't use a cleanser with more than 5% BP either. Also, don't use one BP product and one with salicylic acid together, as it is too irritating to the skin and again, can make you break out more. http://www.acne.org/ is a great site. "The regimen" might be good for you although I don't personally slather on the BP like he recommends. Give it a good read through, I think it would help you.
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Mar 25, 2012 02:29
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eggrolled posted:Any ladies with Mirena ever get PMS symptoms but no period? uberwekkness posted:I kind of am. No second period yet (should have started like a week ago), but I was feeling crampy and bloated for a few days, and now I've been getting the kinds of moods and emotions that usually come with PMS for me. I'd assume with Mirena we're still getting cycles and everything, there's just no blood involved now. But I dunno. I've only had it for a few months. v
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Mar 25, 2012 03:34
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Glad to hear that it seems to be par for the course at least, thanks!
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Mar 25, 2012 09:05
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eggrolled posted:Any ladies with Mirena ever get PMS symptoms but no period? Adding my own experience: yes, luckily mine are just 'eat cheese all the time' and sore boobs, so it's not that bad.
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Mar 25, 2012 18:37
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Ceridwen posted:You will get more side effects when you skip periods. It can actually take about a year for them to work themselves out when you go to an extended schedule like you are on right now. I don't think it's anything abnormal. Basically your body will still try to have a period for a little while until it adjusts to the new schedule. It's the biggest reason for women to go off pills like Seasonale. I think I've reached my limit in what I can take, I have more pimples than I ever had before on my face despite my (previously effective) face washing and acne cream use. I've decided not to refill my prescription right now and see what happens with my acne. My period hasn't occurred yet but I took my last active pill last Tuesday, although today I had some crampy feelings but no blood. There's 3 months of uterine tissue that should just love to come out, I could never last longer than 3 months without my period having to happen while skipping them with other pills and the NuvaRing. I took Macrobid for a UTI last month, and didn't use any backup protection during that week because I was under the impression that it wasn't one of the antibiotics that affected birth control ("enzyme inducers"). Maybe I was wrong?
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Mar 27, 2012 11:27
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I'm having issues. I've been on the generic version of Micronor (Nora BE) for over 3 years and just recently I've been having really irregular periods. Three months ago my period skipped entirely, two months ago I had a somewhat regular period, last month I had a really light period that then later exploded on my boyfriend when it should have been well over, and this month my period is very, very late (and I am fully expecting it to skip again). When I consulted my physician's office, they said this is normal for Nora BE users. I've never experienced this on this pill before and frankly it is just putting more stress in my life at this point as I am worrying if I am pregnant or not when it's just my body or something acting strangely. At this point, I have taken a pregnancy test which came up undoubtedly negative, and my boyfriend and I always double up (he wears condoms, I take BC) so there is slim to no chance of pregnancy (although I know nothing is perfect). My question is, should I keep taking this pill, or should I stop taking it and take a break from it for a while and let my body get back to its own natural thing? The pill has been beneficial in neutralizing migraine headaches and really heavy cramps for me, but if it means getting back a regular cycle I won't mind a couple of migraines for right now.
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Mar 29, 2012 21:16
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Azrael Engel posted:I'm having issues. I've been on the generic version of Micronor (Nora BE) for over 3 years and just recently I've been having really irregular periods. Three months ago my period skipped entirely, two months ago I had a somewhat regular period, last month I had a really light period that then later exploded on my boyfriend when it should have been well over, and this month my period is very, very late (and I am fully expecting it to skip again). Unfortunately this is pretty much an expected side effect of the mini-pill. Is there a reason you aren't on a combined hormonal pill? If you need to stay progestin only, have you considered getting a Mirena? It's still progestin only but would likely just eliminate your periods, rather than making them irregular. At worst you'd have irregular spotting, but it's very light and not much of an inconvenience. It's also more reliable than your current pill, with no risk of missing a pill.
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Mar 29, 2012 22:58
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She mentioned migraines - a lot of doctors are uncomfortable prescribing combined pills to migraine sufferers because of the potential for increased risk of stroke.
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Mar 29, 2012 23:01
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RazorBunny posted:She mentioned migraines - a lot of doctors are uncomfortable prescribing combined pills to migraine sufferers because of the potential for increased risk of stroke. Yes but the majority of migraine sufferers are not at increased risk (only 15% of migraine sufferers have aura, and those without aura are not at increased risk).
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Mar 29, 2012 23:50
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You know, I didn't think about that. I have migraine with aura, as well as hemiplegic migraines, so I'm like crazy at risk, and it didn't occur to me that not all migraine sufferers are.
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Mar 30, 2012 02:53
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RazorBunny posted:You know, I didn't think about that. I have migraine with aura, as well as hemiplegic migraines, so I'm like crazy at risk, and it didn't occur to me that not all migraine sufferers are. I'm pretty certain even some doctors don't think about it. I've known some women who were told they had to stop the pill because of migraines even though they don't get auras. I may be off about the proportion of migraine sufferers with aura. I know I read the 15% number somewhere, but wiki is telling me 20-30% get aura. Still, the majority don't, and the increased risk with estrogen containing contraceptives only applies to those with aura. Pretty interesting actually, since it suggests a deeper difference between the two types.
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Mar 30, 2012 06:10
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I do suffer migraines with auras so that is why I can't go hormonal. This is a normal thing, though, which is good to hear, but I don't want all my periods to be irregular so I'm just trying to figure out the best course of action to get it back to regularity. As for mirena, I'd have to find out how much my insurance would cover. I will speak with Planned Parenthood next time I go to fill my prescription (soon) about it. Right now I am paying $12/mo for the mini pill which works out to $144 a year. If the cost is equal to or less than that with my insurance, I'll see if I can switch. Evaluation Unit fucked around with this message at 13:33 on Mar 30, 2012 |
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Mar 30, 2012 13:30
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I know that the whole IUD thing tends to be a case by case basis in terms of pain and after effects, but thanks to needing to have the loving thing inserted while I'm actively on my period, the only time I can have it done a few hours before a class I am presenting in and cannot miss. How terrible is this going to be? The doctor I had the counselling session said that it'll just feel like really strong cramps, but my really strong cramps make me cry and lie very still in a dark room. Can I over the counter medicate it? I was told to take ibuprofen a few hours before and also to eat something. I was also given some sort of drug to ram in there 12 hours before my IUD to soften the cervix, has anyone else experienced that? She also said that I am welcome to keep using my cup, but she'd had two women have their IUDs yanked out by it in the last month. I'm feeling very on-edge about the whole thing.
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Mar 30, 2012 15:49
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| # ? May 31, 2024 12:56 |
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Christabel posted:I know that the whole IUD thing tends to be a case by case basis in terms of pain and after effects, but thanks to needing to have the loving thing inserted while I'm actively on my period, the only time I can have it done a few hours before a class I am presenting in and cannot miss. Buy a heat pack (the thermacare ones they sell for mentstrual cramps work great, but anything slim enough to slip inside your panties will be fine). That made the single biggest difference for me. The ibuprofen won't make the actual insertion any easier but might reduce how badly you cramp afterwards. For most women, the strong cramps are restricted to the actual insertion itself, with much milder cramping going on in the hours/days after the insertion. The big cramps I got when the doc sounded my uterus and when he placed the IUD are the type that would normally have been curled up in a ball, the ones that occurred once the insertion were over weren't even as bad as the ones that normally come on the first couple days of my period (I had my first Mirena inserted on day 3 or 4 of my period). With that said, some women have a much worse time of it and there is certainly a risk that it will hurt badly enough that you will either be unable to present or will do a bad job because you are cramping. Have you spoken with your professor about what would happen if you needed to miss? Speaking as a TA, I would always prefer that a student talk to me in advance of something like this than get a lower grade because they were sick or in pain, or miss something important because of something they could have told me about in advance (which often results in a much more difficult situation for scheduling the make up work). You don't need tell them what the specific procedure is, just that you have a medical situation that cannot be scheduled for another time and may interfere with your ability to come to class that day. Although I've met a few profs/TAs who were assholes about such things the vast majority feel the same way I do. Unless you are 100% certain you are dealing with the rear end in a top hat type, or it's already too late and you are getting the IUD today, I strongly encourage you to talk to them. As for the stuff you are supposed to insert before the insertion, it's called cytotec, and there isn't really any good evidence for using it for IUD insertion. While it softens the cervix, studies don't show any benefit to it's use for inserting IUDs, only an increased risk of cramping and other side effects. I used it before the removal of my first Mirena/insertion of my second one, but that was because the strings of my IUD were missing and we knew removal was likely to be complicated and involve more dilation of my cervix than a typical removal or insertion. I did cramp some from it, and have subsequently had the second Mirena (also with missing strings) removed without it. The second removal was much less painful, despite the IUD being just as difficult to find. Although the cytotec likely had a small role in that, I honestly think the second doc just had a gentler touch. I doubt it will make a huge difference either way for you, but there also isn't a good reason to subject yourself to side effects without any real expectation of a benefit. I'd try to talk it over with your doc and see how important she feels like the cytotec is. Personally, I would hold off on using the cup with the IUD until you are comfortable with where the IUD strings are. There have been a couple of stories here recently (in this thread and the cup thread) of ladies yanking their IUDs out on accident when removing their cups. I suspect once you get a feel for where the IUD strings hang out for you you can manage both, but I wouldn't jump to it right away.
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Mar 30, 2012 16:32
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