I’ve been thinking about it lately, though. I think my low libido might be related, but I absolutely positively do not want my periods back. God, what mess and pain in the ass! I tried a different pill, but no effect - on the other hand, my copay ended up cheaper, so win in the end. I just don’t know. I’ve kind of been considering the IUD, because it’d be a more cost effective solution (no problem with taking the pills) but then I might get the periods back plus any libido issues would continue.
sighs The morning was so good - I didn’t think I’d have to change my pad at lunch even! And then I blew my nose. And the dam broke - most horrible feeling ever. So I made my way to the bathroom to change the pad. So far so good.
Then I got up. There was blood everywhere. I think I spent 10 minutes cleaning it up.
It wasn’t the hassle of taking a pill every day. I just didn’t want to keep taking hormone-based bc. If the 24-36 hour flood was longer or if I couldn’t find a pain-management regimen that worked, I’d reconsider.
Unlike a lot of women, I don’t really mind my period coming every month. It’s every 5 weeks almost always (I’ve been charting for about 7 years now), and it starts with about 24 hours of spotting before the flood arrives, so I don’t have surprises, and I never go anywhere without one tampon, one pad, and a supply of advil.
My management regimen for the “bad” part is down to a science - I can even go hiking/camping during those days without a huge hassle.
I never minded mine, either–when I was on hormonal BC. I’d have been happy to stick with regular oral contraceptives if it weren’t for the risk that I’d throw another clot. Mine isn’t even as bad as some of the ones reported here when I’m off it, and I *still *never want to be off it again.
I voted for the second option, althought it really should be maybe once every other. I’ve gotten into a pattern where the first day is fairly light–if I forget to look at my calendar, I can usually catch things in time. Day 2 is when all hell breaks loose, beginning in the morning. I usually have to make sure no one else is occupying the bathroom before sneaking in, and even then, that initial getting up movement feels like the floodgates are opening. That also seems to be the day where my digestive system decides it wants to go on strike with my uterus as well.
I’ve become a huge fan of the compact tampons that fit into smaller pockets on dress pants–they’re a lot less clumsy than regular sized that above posters have mentioned stuffing into waistbands or up sleeves.
Mine’s fairly heavy but only for the first day or so like with Kolga. Plus I know you guys seem to think it’s stupid but I would be afraid of being pregnant and not knowing it. It would just feel weird not to have any period at all. I don’t want to screw around with my body chemistry that much. Plus, the last time I was on birth control pills, I got yeast infections almost non stop.
BTDT, made me completely insane. A few months ago they tried BC pills and I think people would have mistaken me for bipolar. I’m now on progesterone and it’s lightened up somewhat. Part of my problem was that I had an overload of estrogen.
It only took doctors 15 or so years to figure it out. :rolleyes: But I still have 2 days of super heavy flow…instead of 6. I used to not be able to leave the house at all without wearing night-time pads plus tampons just to be able to go to work or run errands.
Plus, I’m too old to be on the pill safely, and my migraines put me at a higher risk for strokes. But the fact that it makes me nuts ought to be reason enough. My husband said he was afraid to mention it and was kind of glad I figured it out on my own.
My *preference *would be for the built-in cue of bleeding a bit once a month, sure. But now that this is my only option, if I stop menstruating, I’ll just grab a cheap-o pregnancy test once every couple of months or something. It’s not like being pregnant is some giant mystery we can’t figure out until the baby pops out.
I’m 25 and I had heavy, difficult (exhaustion/nausea), painful periods from 16-24. I’ve never been on hormonal BC or seriously considered it:
I’m not a fan of medications in general, much less something that would totally eliminate a natural function of my body. I like to know the ins and outs of my cycle and be sure that I am reproductively functional (this is a concern as I’ve always been really underweight and more recently I get a lot of exercise). I track my ovulation using FAM.
I’m at a higher risk for stroke and brain anerysms due to my migraines and family history. The Pill would up my risks by quite a bit.
And while my periods sucked, it was nothing I didn’t find manageable. Not half as bad as a migraine.
Diet changes have eliminated my period pain, but it’s still heavy. However my improved nutrition means losing all that blood doesn’t drain me like it used to. I feel pretty much normal during my period now, it’s excellent, and my Divacup is less mess and bother than tampons.
Leaving aside the other perfectly valid concerns about things like clotting… You do realize that it’s possible to be on hormonal birth control *and *still menstruate, right? In fact, that’s how most women do it. You just usually have shorter, lighter periods, with less cramping.
Side note: Migraines are also a “natural function” of your body, but you don’t seem to have any problem eliminating them.
Oh my Lord, the crap we females have to go through! I’ve often said I wished I was born a man just so I didn’t have to go through this misery every month! Look at all the sneaking around we have to do, keeping an extra pair of undies in our purse, tampons, pads, wet wipes… What sort of problems do men have? NONE! It’s not fair, now is it???
Everyone with a period needs to buy a spray bottle of Oxy-Clean laundry stain remover. If you have a leak, this stuff will remove it like it never happened. It works on anything, even if you’ve washed and dried a piece of clothing. It’s removed stains that I thought were set in.
I absolutely cannot wear pads! Thank God for the tampon. At 14, when I first started my period, I had cramps so severe I would have to go to the ER for a pain shot to knock me out. Pure agony! Finally at 16, the gyno put me on birth control pills and I threw my guts up the first 7 days of the month but no more cramps and lighter periods. I couldn’t decide which was worse… pure agony and anemia or barfing … ??? Cramps were so bad my doctor prescribed codeine. This was before the miracle of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Finally they came out with the mini pill and they weren’t quite as strong. Saved my life in more ways than one. No more bleeding to death every month, no more trips to the ER and no more accidents at school.
I’m now what they call perimenopausal. Stopped taking the pill last September when I missed my first period ever in 34 years. Decided to try to let nature take it’s course. So far so good. I thought I was done in May but in June and July my monthly visitor made an appearance, darn it. Hopefully it will all be over soon.
Well, I guess you’re right… I definitely wouldn’t want that package hanging between my legs. No thanks! Especially since it seems to have a brain of it’s own, exerting control like a puppet master. HeeHee!!
Not to say I’m not appreciative of said package on certain occasions…
Well, yeah, but that’s okay. That’s like renting a pickup truck when you need to move something big. I wouldn’t want to have a pickup for my only vehicle, because that would be annoying. Just get one when I need it, is all.
HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAhahahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahahaha. Hahahahaha. Hahahaha. Hahaha. Haha. Ha. Ha. Wheeeeeeeeeeewwwww. :wipes tears from eyes:
Oh wait… you were serious?!
Once, maybe twice. I’m another fan of the mooncup/Diva Cup. Pads are still handy for when you think you might spill over before to have a chance to empty it.
I did when I was 16 and it changed my life. I will forever curse the doctor who refused to give it to me till I was 16, dooming me to four years of hell (not just because of the heaviness, though that was bad enough in itself).
It doesn’t work for everyone - even those who aren’t automatically contraindicated - but the pill is well worth recommending to people like you’re doing, because, if it doesn’t work out, then you can stop taking it quickly enough without side-effects from withdrawal.
I have any “oopsie” maybe once or twice a year, and usually it’s just a few spots. Nothing that causes a panic, is visible to the public, or that even causes me to pre-soak and anti-stain the panties. Fact is, my “period panties” have a few stains. No big deal. It’s not like I’m going to show them to anyone, right?
Anyhow, I didn’t vote because “never” isn’t honest, but the next most frequent alternative is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more frequent than what I experience.
HeeHee!!