I've been taking Estelle HBC (I'm in Australia) for about 2 years now, mainly to help clear up my skin and make my periods a bit lighter. But one thing that I'm finding extremely frustrating is how long it takes for my period to come. I take my last pill on a Friday around 6pm; it's now Wednesday morning and STILL no period. How come? is this normal? I usually will either get it sometime today or even tomorrow. My period normally lasts maybe 3 days. It's just strange because I have to start my next pack on Saturday night - is that OK to do when I'm in the middle of my period?

I was calling my best guy friend on new years eve at 5 in the morning, and one of the first things I heard was his flatmate in the background:

"V.'s awesome and we love her, tell her that!"

awww :)

Hi, I have somewhat of a question to ask all of you! It's kind of hard to phrase so I will just go right in, hopefully you all can follow along.
So as background info to my question, it should be worth noting that I am 18 and have been in a monogamous relationship with my boyfriend of 2 and a half years and we intend on staying together/getting married if our situations work out to our advantage. I've been on and off birth control since I was 16. I first went on depo for 9 months, then went off for about 9 months, then went on Lutera, which I've been on since June of 2009. We always practice 'safe' sex (That is, consistent use of birth control + withdrawal).
Now, my mother found my birth control pills approximately 3 weeks ago. She wasn't surprised but at the same time didn't know I was having sex. She acted supportive and told me to just practice safe sex and she would be happy. After that, she told my Dad. He proceeded to treat me like a child and then tried to have the 'sex talk' with my boyfriend and me. Also, it's worth noting that every time I told him I was going to my boyfriends house, he asked if his parents were there, which is extremely out of character.
During the 'sex talk' he had with my boyfriend and me, he treated the idea of sex with this...almost fearful sort of attitude. He kept saying that I was gonna have a baby and that I wouldn't be able to do anything and that it would all be terrible.
What I don't quite understand is why 'older' people don't trust birth control? I'm on birth control and use the withdrawal method, so I don't have any fear of pregnancy. At all.
I heard him talking with my 20 year old brother about sex this morning, and he said the same thing. It's like he doesn't understand the concept of birth control.
It's almost humorous that my dad would have the sex talk with me after I had already been having sex for two years.

So now that I've rambled on about my back story, here's my question. Why is is that some people don't trust birth control? And why is it that parents have such a fearful view of sex? I think it's beautiful and it's something I have educated myself on without either of my parents help. Why must it be something looked down upon?
I don't know if I will get any of these questions answered but it certainly helped getting all of this out. Thanks :)

Hey all. I'm currently on Ortho tri cyclen Lo and have been on it for about a year. It's January now and I live in the northeast, it's cold and depressing and gray all the time (i don't do well with winter, i get seasonal depression) So instead of letting it just pass, i've decided to take vitamin D to replace what i cannot get from the sun as often anymore. I've heard that this can help enhance your mood...(i don't think i can take st. john's wort while on the pill, i've heard this diminishes its effect.) But does anyone here know that for a fact? Or should I just take vitamin D while on the pill?

So... I think I have a reoccuring YI. At least, I think thats what it is. I got tested for STIs a while back and came up positive for chlamydia (sp?) but everything else came back fine, so I don't know if it's possible it's another type of bacteria-related issue? I'm going to get this checked out. I was on antibiotics for YEARS for my acne and I'm wondering if this messed up my ph levels? My real question is, realistically... I might not be able to get an appointment for a few weeks. Would it be okay if I treated this YI (or at least, thats what I think it is), for now, and still go in? Or would that defeat the whole purpose? Even if it it clears up, could they still tell if there was an issue with yeast? Is there anything I can do to keep my PH levels in check? Maybe I should do some home remedies? I've always used the creams but I think I've built up a tolerance to them, tbh. I use them and it seems to come back a month or two months later. I just dont think I can go a few weeks with this mess. Grrr.

Another question... (I'm not sure if this is an appropriate question, but I think it is). I came out of an emotionally abusive and destructive relationship a little over eight months ago and I'm having trouble regaining my sense of self. Could any of you recommend any good empowering literature, particularly directed towards females? (I'm in therapy and am exploring medication right now)

Thank you.

I was on Yaz for 4.5 years, and stopped taking the pill in September. I had clear skin until October, and have been breaking out like crazy ever since. I had clear skin before the pill and while I was on the pill. I was going through a lot of stress in November, and thought maybe my skin was acting up, but now I'm feeling a lot and better and my skin is atrocious. I had a normal period for the month of September, October, and December. I think I skipped November's period due to stress.

Has the bad skin happened to anyone coming off the pill? How long should I give my skin to go back to normal? will it ever go back to normal or should I get back on the pill?

Hi VPers! I've googled this but just wanted to make sure.
I watched a massage video where the guy used grapeseed oil and he said it was safe for the vagina/vulva. Just wondering if this is true?

Also, what kinds of body oils or liquids do you use for body rubs and safe for the vulva?

Ty!

Have you ever been to Planned Parenthood for a consultation and birth control? Do you remember how much it costs? I'm a student with no job, and the insurance my parents have isn't covered by PP, so essentially I have absolutely no money, and I was wondering what I need to say to them in order to convey the fact that I need to get out of there with as small a fee as I can get away with.

ETA: Is calling ahead tomorrow going to do any good, or do I just need to turn up as a walk-in?  I don't need an exam - I'm not having sex.

do you guys think it's possible to catch an STD from toilet water?

i know this sounds ridic, but hear me out. take HSV, for example. i know you can get oral HSV from sharing a glass with someone. so wouldn't it then follow that you could get genital HSV if toilet water splashed on you?

i ask this because our toilets at work have kind of a mind of their own, and today one went crazy when i flushed and splashed dirty water all over my ass. i know. gross. and it's not like i could shower at work; i had to wait until i got home. so i'm just wondering if you guys have heard of people getting diseases this way - i know it's probably unlikely, but i wasn't sure if it was possible, and i tend to be a bit of a hypochondriac, so i need you guys to be my sanity check.

I've been on Nuva Ring for almost a year and have loved it and have learned to trust it. With my partner I rely on the nuva alone and we dont use condoms.I leave it in all the time during sex and have adapted really well to it. I've always thought to be at the point in my life that if a baby came along ... it would be manageable, but not ideal as of right now.
Well I could say those WERE my thoughts. The other day my friend had a baby and I was with her through the labor, delivery and now staying to help her care for the infant. Needless to say I have become extremely gun shy about having children of my own now and know that right now is NOT the right time for a baby.

Has anybody else had similar experiences to make them suddenly lose trust in their birth control? I really want to add condoms to the routine but dont know how to go about it. I am in a longterm relationship with my boyfriend who is amazing. We have talked about our plan of action in case we get pregnant and are pretty open about talking and stuff.  I have been his only partner and we've never used condoms before. He is my second parner and I have used condoms before him.  I'm afraid that my fear of getting pregant is going to negativly impact our relationship. Any advice on how to go about the condom conversation with him? I'm afraid that it will be a huge adjustment for him... any advice about how to smoothly transition from condomless sex to sex with a condom?
Thanks so much.

[Back story: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]

The Protopic seems to have gotten rid of the redness and most of the visible inflammation, but she still hurts about as much as before. She saw Dr Eschenbach today and he's kind of mystified, which isn't really good... My GF was frustrated of course and asked how he's sure he's not just treating a symptom. Dr E went into some detail about how yeast could still be the cause. They check her for yeast at every appointment, as I guess it's pretty common to have VV issues from yeast infections. She hasn't had an infection in 5 years or so, but maybe he said her body is reacting to a lower level of yeast than the average body, and prehaps a lower level than even the tests would spot.
So to test that theory, this week she's on Fluconazole 200mg (3 doses- 1 dose taken every 3rd day), stopped the Protopic for now and is supposed to use Lamisil or Lotrimin topically 2x/day. She also had an injection today which I mentioned as a possibility in the last post (update 16). She reports it hurt a decent amount to insert the needle but then the steroid stuff going in didn't really feel worse than the regular burning she's gotten used to feeling there. Poor baby...
What else... I didn't update you guys about the last appointment, it was all of 2 minutes long and was just a checkup to see if the Protopic was working yet.
Also someone mentioned in the last post that a labral hip tear can be related... funny enough, my GF's hip started acting up in the past couple months. It was getting better on its own, but she still went and had an xray just to make sure it's unrelated... Not a labral tear, which apparently wouldn't heal on its own anyway, just a stretch of some ligament, the Iliofemoral I think. Funny timing though.
Next appointment is in 10 days to get another steroid shot and find out about the yeast treatments. Thanks again in advance for all of your support and love.

So I just discovered this article, and wanted to know what you guys thought about it. For those who don't wanna click the link, it's an article by the Daily Mail (A UK-based site) that says after years of research, it has been found that the G-spot doesn't exist and is a myth.

Article

I, for one, am not believing this at all. I know that I have many different kinds of orgasms, and if that isn't a G-spot causing the particular kind I'm thinking of, I'd like to know what is there! It's certainly not my clit! Plus, I squirt, and there's only one way to make that happen, and it's from what I always presumed to be a G-spot orgasm.

The research itself seems pretty bogus, but I'm interested in hearing everyone's thoughts on this. Do you think it's a myth? Is the G-spot an imaginary marketing tool to make women and man feel inadequate? My personal, mostly uneducated opinion is that some women have more of one than others, some like it when it's touched, others don't. ('Cause, you know, everyone's different.)

I just wanted to give a shout out to all the wonderfully sensitive OBGYN medical professionals out there who helped me through my abortion professionally and with a great amount of compassion. I also had some self harm injuries, so, cut for triggers.

I wanted to post this because I know a lot of women in the comm have has negative experiences with both abortion clinics and OBGYNs, so I wanted to share my good one.

( Cut for cutting...a pun! )

So, I've heard antibiotics can mess up your BC. I was recently put on something for my bronchitis. I slept over my boyfriend's the past two nights, thus forgetting the antibiotic AND my bc. I'm not sure if it has anything to do with either pill's absence in my system, but today when I got up, my cooch was..really really wet. Like, I would be inclined to think it was some sort of discharge, but it's..clear..and not smelly or anything. Do you think the antibiotic, or lack of BC, could suddenly make me get a weird wetness-like discharge? Or am I just..superwet and should be happy about it?
Thank you.

i'm in my first year of college. i just came back from break yesterday and noticed that a new bulletin board display had been put up.

it's "princess themed" and full of pictures of disney princesses along with the "princess-like" things to do in various catagories. this is enough for me as a woman to feel just a teensy weensy bit talked down to.

the best parts:
"all princesses, even those who are naturally thin, exercise 3-4 times a week."
something about the phrasing comes across as weightist to me.

"princesses always dispose of their feminine products properly and discreetly."
i have nothing but WTF for this. yes, dispose of your tampons 'discreetly', nobody wants to acknowledge those icky vaginas. WTFFFF.

"while princesses know how to have fun, they know the best relationships are monogamous."
this just doesn't sound quite right to me...

there's also something about how princesses know that birth control and protection are their responsibility, but i didn't copy it down. i'd like to think that responsibility belongs to both partners.

am i taking this too seriously, or is this... well... kinda offensive?

ETA: there have been no issues with tampons or pads being left in bathrooms - i haven't seen a one since the start of the academic year.
(there's also signs on the back of every bathroom stall door asking us to dispose of them in trash cans or flush them. reiteration seems unnecessary.)

ETA x2: this should link to photos of the board. tell me if it doesn't.

My fiance and I usually need a little lube to get us started when we decide to food around, because unless i'm HUGELY turned on, I don't get too wet...and we can't seem to find any reular lube that works for us. The first kind we tried was the KY Yours/Mine lube. It doesn't create fireworks when it combines like they say, in fact, it sucks as far as that goes, but they are a GREAT lube just as a regular lube. We don't even use them toghether anymore, we just grab one and go, because it feels the same, whether you combine them or not, but it is a GREAT lube...its just really expensive. We've also tried regular Astroglide, and we discovered after using it a few times, that it's yeast infection central for me, I can't figure out why.

I've seen the brand called "Wet" lube at walmart and have thought about trying it, but I decided to get recommendations first.
We don't want anything that smells, or anything that's sticky, we prefer something that comes off with water, or hand sanitizer, preferably something that comes in a good amount without spending a lot...trust me, if Sam's Club sold economy lube for cheap, we'd shop for it there lol

Hey all, I checked the tags and couldn't find the answer so I thought I'd ask away.

I've been getting cold sore since I was a kid and since I became sexually active pretty much avoid kissing/oral sex while I have a visible sore.

Occasionally if I get a real nasty big one(usually when I have a bad flu) the scab will heal except the area will leave a red mark (like a scar) which will last for ages before returning to it's natural color. This happened only once before. It's not oozing or tingling like the sore, it's just red and the skin is a bit rough.
There is no blistering.
Now I have a sore that formed on the 24th and by the 26th the scabbed formed and flaked off on the 28th. Now all that is left is a red scar on my lip. I may be meeting my s/o tomorrow and haven't gotten any in like a month. We love making out and I love going down on him but I want to know if the scar still counts as having an outbreak and that I still am very contagious? I looked online and most of the web sites I found said that the mark was just a scar and the sore itself has healed.

If there is still a high risk I'll just tell him we can't kiss and I can't give him oral sex.

Edit - All sorted! My lovely mother called and helped me out :>

Might as well use this post now to say thank you to everyone who replied to my topic about my first pap smear. I didn't get to reply, as after I posted it I wasn't back online for almost a week! I still haven't gone though, work has been nuts and whenever I'm free to go they can't fit me in. I will get there soon!

Thanks again. VPers rock!

Dearest vaginapagina members, I really need your advice here.

Over the past two years I've had a small, hard growth at the rear of my vaginal canal up towards my cervix. It's always been about the size of a pea, though in the past few months I'd say it's gotten harder and a little bigger. I now have another smaller growth more towards the opening of my vagina, though still BEHIND the vaginal canal and not inside it. Both are closer to my left leg and almost feel like they're attached to each other, and they hurt if I apply pressure. I also have some little polyps around the opening to my cervix.

What could these growths possibly be? The last time I asked a doctor to try and figure out what they could be that doctor ignored me. I'm now making an appointment with a gyno so I can get some answers, but I'm frightened because I've been with someone in the past two years who was unfaithful to me and could have brought an STD into our fooling around that I'm now showing symptoms of. The growths do impact my bowel movements in terms of shape (there's always two indentations, about the same size and distance apart as the growths I feel).

How can I get my gyno to take me seriously enough to figure out what these could be?

So after being dumped by a fiance six months ago, I have re-entered the world of dating and boyfriends, oh my! And new boyfriend is amazing, thus the post :)

"I am psyched."
- About anything in particular?
"You. Tonight. Everything. Just a great night."

"I really like you, you know. I feel like I should tell you that every once in awhile. I just wish I could be telling you in person rather than via text."

I'm lucky :)