Friends

I'm sure I'm probably being paranoid... ( TMI )

I've been taking a monophasic pill for almost two months, never missed one or took it late.

I had spotting in the middle of the first pack and didn't think anything about it since I read it was common.

Now I've taken two weeks worth of my 2nd pack and I'm spotting again, kind of at around the same time.

I did have dull cramps for a few days and am now concerned that I'm spotting because this pill isn't working for me.

On Christmas I had planned to have condomless sex with my boyfriend for the first time and thought everything would be fine since I took the pill correctly. But now I'm concerned.

1)Does THIS spotting mean something more than my body still adjusting to it?
2) On BCP, do you get cramps randomly or over a week before your supposed withdrawal bleed?
3)Are there any other indicators that could tell me that the pill isn't working properly? I thought there were none :(

The National Union of Jewish LGBTQQI Students's 14th annual conference will take place January 15th to the 17th at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. As usual the conference will be held over a weekend, and co-hosted by a campus Hillel, the NUJLS leadership conference features workshops, services, community building, and social time. This year's keynotes are Rabbi Bradley Artsen, Dean of the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies and comedian Dana Goldberg!

We welcome students from all sorts of backgrounds (religious, not, newly out, not, liberal to conservative, and more). Workshops, speakers, and text studies address such topics as Judaism and homosexuality, activism, relationships, ethics, coming out, and politics. Last year more than one hundred students came from across the United States and Canada to participate, and we anticipate a similar turnout this year! Registration ($80) includes meals (all kosher), housing, and all conference events. Travel and registrations subsidies are available upon request (in the registration form). View past schedules and register at http://www.nujlsonline.org/conferenceinfo.html

Hope to see you there!

Thanks to VP, I went to see a nurse for a urine test this morning to see if I had a UTI. All my friends insisted that 'I'd know it' if I had one and I had virtually none of the symptoms - just a very slight discomfort upon peeing and later, pain in my back which I had convinced myself was in my head. Even the nurse said she doubted I had one based on my symptoms, but when she tested my urine, there were white blood cells so she gave me antibiotics. I was pretty shocked, as the symptoms were so mild, I probably wouldn't have even noticed normally. I'm worried about my kidneys now, I explained to her that they felt very uncomfortable and she said not to worry, just to take the antibiotics and go to the hospital if anything got worse. She pretty much said I'd know about it if I had a kidney infection, but then that's what everyone said about the UTI! I'm totally bummed out now. Can't believe I got this on top of my constant vagina problems, and at Christmas as well. I'm gonna have a hard time getting more antibiotics if I need them.

So, VP, I think I have had many a yeast infection and just not known it. Maybe a hundred. Maybe four.

I mean, sure, I've had a lot of cases of OMG ITCHY VAG in my time. I've also had a LOT of white, thick discharge. I mean, at least once every other month.

I've had about every symptom in the book, now that I know what it is. I've always just marked it up as life and moved on.

Is not treating a yeastie a really, really bad idea?

Last month when I was on the Pill I missed a lot of the pills (I know, I know, not a good thing) and it took a few days for my period to start after I took the last one (it usually starts right away) and that was 2 weeks ago. I still have my period! And I've been back on the Pill for 8 days (usually when I start back on it's gone within a few hours to a day). Is this abnormal? Should I contact my doctor?

I had a D&C back in October because of a Molar pregnancy. I have not had a period since. I had put that down to the fact that I had the depo shot about 2 1/2 weeks after the D&C.  I've started wondering if I'm right though. Is that what you would expect when you start taking depo (I've never used it before) or do you think that it's something I should get checked out?

My best friend told me a story today, and I have to wonder how other folks would react. What better place to ask than wonderful VP?

She went to a party on friday and spent all of saturday hungover and feeling "bleh." I think most folks have done that at least once in their life. She was still ucky this morning and her husband woke her up before he left for for work to try to have sex with her.(He has 15 min before walking out the door, it's 745am, and her day off.) He starts rubbing her back, she rolls over and says, "no way that's going to happen." He then says "give me a blow job then." to which she replied "are you on f'ing crack?" he got pissed off and left to go to work.

She's still really ticked off over the whole episode and I would be too. She says she felt like he was treating her as just a piece of meat, etc.

If you were in a similar situation, would you be really angry too? I think if my husband pulled that on me, I might have gone ahead and tried, and then when I ended up puking on him, that would have served him right. (sorry if that sounds too mean or not-safe-spaceish.)

just wondered, thanks all.

I'm planning to get a urine test tomorrow for a possible UTI and am wondering if alcohol would affect the results at all? I was planning to have a glass or two with friends later but I won't if it's going to cause problems.

Hi Friends and Colleagues,

I am writing to urge you to contact the White House and let President Obama know that you are opposed to BOTH the Senate and House versions of the currently propose health care reform.

Like most of you, I too have been filling out petitions, blogging and Twittering about these underhanded attempts in our Congress to violate women's fundamental Constitutional right to abortion. I understand it has become tiring and seems repetitive, but the fact of the matter is that no one in power seems to be listening to the big advocacy organizations like NARAL, Planned Parenthood or NOW, so I think it is time that folks as individuals make their voices heard. Please keep in mind that contacting our Senators did not stop the most recent anti-abortion amendment being pushed through without the approval of the majority of the Senate. In my mind, this means that it has gone beyond the point of people asking their elected officials to look out for their interests. If these officials were able to adequately represent us, we wouldn't have a small cabal of three or four persons (most of them white men, who will never become pregnant), flagrantly ignoring the procedures of the Senate, while being given the approval of The White House in the process.

So, pick up the phone, fax or email The White House TODAY!
They can be reached here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/

I suggest that folks also write letters to the editors of their newspapers, magazines and television stations and DEMAND that they interview local citizens about their opinions regarding this health care reform and the subversion of abortion rights, because I for one am sick and tired of only reading pieces with commentary by the advocacy groups when again, it seems as though those same groups are not being heard or are not engaging in an effective manner with our representatives. The whole thing stinks and feels very gamed to me. In my experience, the best way to effectively deal with these types of situations is to introduce a third party (namely individuals citizens), who can use the internet or other means so that their voices are actually seen and heard.

Here is a thorough explanation as to how the current Nelson amended Senate Bill will restrict women and trans folks' (FTMs and genderqueers) access to abortions and other reproductive health services:
http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/12/20/the-nelson-compromise

Here is a look into the pork barrel bribe that was offered to Senator Nelson and the State of Nebraska in exchange for his 60th vote, which came at the expense of reproductive freedom:
http://biggovernment.com/2009/12/19/sen-nelsons-bribe/

Here is a breakdown of why the health care reform overall is horrible for US people and our future health and financial well being:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/12/19/816961/-Why-This-Senate-Health-Bill-Should-Not-Pass

Yours in Feminist Solidarity!

Hey everybody, so after about 4-5 months (not sure which) of being on the pill (Microgestin Fe 1/20), I am starting to notice a pattern (thanks to Livejournal!). Basically, around the 15th-17th of the past few months, I've had a significant drop in mood. I become extremely irritable, depressed, and sometimes just totally apathetic/numb. I lash out on the people around me (especially my boyfriend). THEN! I stop taking my pills on the 22nd, and get my period the 23rd, and feel all better again.

So: could this be my pill, giving me such horrible PMS? Is it possible for my pill to do this? I was never like this before! and quite frankly, it is awful. Should I talk to my doctor about switching?

K I'm pretty terrified right now. So, I'm on BC but also on an antibiotic that lowers its effectiveness. Well, I didn't really think about this and had unprotected sex with my boyfriend four times in a very short period of time, during my most fertile time, according to my online predictor. Well, reading the antibiotic package, I flipped out and purchased Plan B, an took it within 24 hours of the first sexual act. Now, a week and two days later, I'm bleeding. It's bright red and stringy. It's not my period as it's relatively light... Well, I know spotting is pretty common while taking Plan B, but there is also a likelihood that this is implantation bleeding, as it is exactly one week before my period is suppose to begin... I read that implantation bleeding is normally darker, brownish or even black, and this is a pretty vibrant red, but I'm still terrified.... I have really light cramps as well, and my breasts are kind of sore... Is this implantation bleeding or the effects of the emergency contraception??

Due to the social networking wonder that is Facebook, a childhood friend of mine and I were discussing poo.

During the conversation, she seemed concerned when I told her I almost never pee and poop at once. (I do, but only in dire emergency, "I drank one more cup of coffee thinking I could make it to the next rest stop, but the next rest stop was closed, there's way too much nothing in the desert, and the cacti are pokey and will not shield my bum view from other drivers -- WTF is a Border Patrol checkpoint line doing here?!?!? Eleventypee!" situations.) Not that I don't do them in the same sitting, which I do, but that they don't come out simultaneously.

The concern was that, since I usually poop before I pee, I was then holding in my urine. And that, because I was holding in my urine too long, it might contribute to UTI problems in the present or in the future.

While I can understand the reasoning, I think, for me, it doesn't really pan out. First, I don't feel like I'm holding in urine, just that, when I go, I'm pooping first. Second, while I understand that it's not great to hold in urine too long, I think the extra 15-30 seconds it takes for me to have a bowel movement is not going to make or break my bladder. (Because, if my bladder does start to go, I'm totally blaming the coffee and the rest stops. And the cacti. Effing too-short cacti.)

However, the reason I am coming to you now, VP, is not worry but curiosity. I must know how many people pee and poop simultaneously and how many people do one before the other (and if so, which comes before and which comes after).

So please, tell me all about what goes on in your bathroom. :P

Will it adversely effect a PAP smear to have sex a few hours before appointment? Any insight would be appreciated.