If I can''t ask it here...

[Tybee]

Okay,
I''ll just go ahead and lay in on the line. With the reality of my wedding coming a year from now, and the realization that I have really terrible PMS just about every month, I''m starting to try to count ahead to make sure that my wedding date doesn''t fall on a PMS week. Has anyone else done this?
Remember 16 Candles when Mollie Ringwald''s sister gets her period on her wedding day? Oh please don''t happen to me...ooh please!
Um, I hope this is an acceptable question.

 

[ammayernyc]

Have you thought about going on the pill where you only get your period four times a year... that could prevent it all...

 

[Tybee]

Well Amandapanda,

That would be really good advice for your average normal and sane woman.

I actually never considered it. When I was on the pill before I turned into a big fat meanie that cried all the time. Me and hormones...no good. Of course, that was a pretty long time ago, and I''m sure that pills have changed since then.

I guess I''ll just have to take what comes! I''m counting ahead and trying to make it work out, makes me feel a little control freak really. I guess I was just wondering if I was the only crazy one out there!

 

[gingerBcookie]

lol...i started worrying about htis problem sever since i knew what a period was! what i''m planning to do is go to my ob/gyn doc, tell her the issue, and get the birth control pills that let you regulate when you get your period. its all in the timing! i would get recommendations of the best timeto start since it takes a few months before it evens out and you''ll have less worries about spotting. i know some women also experience an evening out of their mood swings so possible added benefit!

i tried not to be too graphic for those who are uncomfortable with the topic...hope i didn''t offend anyone!

seriosly, best bet -- talk to your doc!

 

[ammayernyc]

There are so many types of pills out there that it might be worth a try.

But counting works too...

 

[Tybee]

he he,
thanks girls! Glad to know I''m not crazy Ginger! I will talk to my doctor, thank you both, now we can just let this topic fade into oblivion!
I also hope that I haven''t offended anyone!

 

[MelissaSue]

Hmm. I haven''t done it yet.. but I''ve been thinking about it. I don''t get terrible PMS, but I still don''t want my period on a day I will be spending in a white dress! When I was in my teens, I remember there were websites (I think made by tampon companies.. lol) that had little programs to calculate your period.. Lets see if I can find one.
Yep.. sure enough.. from Tampax.com
http://www.tampax.com/en_us/pages/perd_form.shtml?pageid=gn0001

looks like I''ll be OK for my wedding.. as long as I stay with the same BC and everything.

 

[teebee]

Hey Tybee ~ did you try more than one brand or type of bc pill? I had some of the very same problems when I first tried it, years ago, but I had a very patient dr. that kept giving me different samples w/ lower levels of hormones & we finally found something that I could work with. Now I don''t use a pill at all, no, not the patch... I don''t know how to describe it w/out being gross??? Anyhow, it''s a small plastic ring that contains the hormone that is released into my body at very low levels all day/every day, rather than taking a higher dose 1x per day. But really, your dr has probably been approached about this same thing hundreds of times so he/she will definitely have some options and suggestions for you.

 

[MelissaSue]

teebee- I''m on the ring too. It is a little awkward telling people about it.. but SOOOOOOOO much easier than taking a pill everyday..

 

[teebee]

Date: 8/4/2005 6:05:08 PM
Author: MelissaSue
teebee- I''m on the ring too. It is a little awkward telling people about it.. but SOOOOOOOO much easier than taking a pill everyday..

Hehe - it is a little awkward to explain...

but I''m sooooooo totally scatterbrained that I was ALWAYS forgetting my pill, the ring is great and I don''t ever know it''s there!

 

[JessesGrl]

Yep...already counted for my October wedding...thank god for birth control so I can be so exact!!! i will get my period the week before my wedding!!! So glad!!!I was soooo close!!!

 

[AmberGretchen]

Hey - I strongly encourage you to try the pills - there are so many great ones out there. And heres an interesting tip for everyone - according to my top-notch ob/gyn at a top-notch medical program, you don''t actually NEED to get your period at all. I haven''t gotten it since I was 18 (I''m now 23), and I have to say its completely fabulous - never a worry about it...has to be one of the best side effects of having a medical condition (endometriosis) ever. HIstorically, the only reason the off week was there was because pill makers thought women would be weirded out if they didn''t get their periods ever. But there''s no medical reason you NEED to have your period every month when you are on pills - its not even technically a period. The only purpose of a period is to shed the uterine lining that has built up, and when you are on the pill, you don''t build up the lining, so its not an issue. I would also just add that it does take a few months to fully acclimate to the pill - you will most likely have some spotting and other symptoms for the first couple of months, but once you get past it...so worth it!

And also, I don''t think that anyone should be embarrassed to ask a question like this - its a perfectly normal, reasonable women''s health issue, and this is a supportive, primarily female environment. You have to be comfortable enough asking/talking about it to take care of your health. Best of luck, and feel free to PM me if you want more info on the no period thing!

 

[flopkins]

Date: 8/4/2005 5:43:19 PM
Author: MelissaSue
Hmm. I haven't done it yet.. but I've been thinking about it. I don't get terrible PMS, but I still don't want my period on a day I will be spending in a white dress! When I was in my teens, I remember there were websites (I think made by tampon companies.. lol) that had little programs to calculate your period.. Lets see if I can find one.

Yep.. sure enough.. from Tampax.com

http://www.tampax.com/en_us/pages/perd_form.shtml?pageid=gn0001


looks like I'll be OK for my wedding.. as long as I stay with the same BC and everything.

thanks MS, that site is awesome!!! I have to admit - I *tried* to count. But then I got myself all mixed up and wasn't sure...

but according to the tampax calculations, I'm all good! whew! I'm also on BCP tho, so it's way easier. I heard that if you're on BC of some kind, you can just skip some periods and get yourself on a more desirable schedule, depending on what type of BC you use. But like the others said, talk to your doc!

 

[JCJD]

Date: 8/4/2005 8:51:47 PM
Author: JessesGrl
Yep...already counted for my October wedding...thank god for birth control so I can be so exact!!! i will get my period the week before my wedding!!! So glad!!!I was soooo close!!!

Mine was the same! Soooo convenient!

I''m on the patch, and it''s fabulous! I got really REALLY emotional the 2nd week of my first cycle on it, but since then I''ve been fine. I''m really glad I started bc 5 months prior too, cause it gave me a chance to get used to the hormones and the routine and change brands if need be before I needed it.

I have a tiny friend who is on low dose pills. She had really bad problems when she first went on the Pill (in the 80s), but this one has been great for her - no mood swings and milder PMS.

 

[AndyRosse]

A friend of mine uses NuvaRing and loves it! There is even a small computer program that reminds you when to put it in and when to take it out. It apparently couldn''t be simpler!

 

[teebee]

Date: 8/4/2005 9:41:48 PM
Author: Stretch4
A friend of mine uses NuvaRing and loves it! There is even a small computer program that reminds you when to put it in and when to take it out. It apparently couldn''t be simpler!

Haha - I have that little computer thing - it''s barely 2 inches tall, shaped like an hourglass & I keep it in my little make-up bag. One morning it was ''going off'' and beeping periodically to let me know to put it in - FI thought it was a little video game or something (duh???) and started pressing the button to get it to stop... boys...

It really is the most simple form of bc ever... love it!! Good grief, I sound like an advertisement...

 

[soontobemarried]

Your not alone...my wedding too is next year and ive calculated that if I remain on the same cycle I will be bloated and spotty on my big day. So I am definately going on the pill ( i want to avoid my period on my wedding and honeymoon)

 

[Tybee]

MelissaSue!
That is the coolest! According to the tampax calculations and my own I should be fine. You girls are so young, most of my friends are getting off the pill after many years of taking it. The scary thing for my friends is that now many of them are having difficulty getting pregnant! It might be an age thing (later 30''s) but at this stage of the game, if I get pregnant, well than wahoo! I''m not sure that I want to mess with hormones right now.
Thanks all of you for being so frank with your answers. I''m certainly not ashamed to talk about it, I just didn''t want to offend anyone else.

 

[Diamonds4Me]

http://my.webmd.com/content/tools/1/calc_ovulation.htm

I don't know if this will help but I use it to plan vacations. I hate going on vacation all poofy which is usually a week and a half before it actually hits. You have to really think hard when you're filling this out because you have to know exact dates. But if you keep it written on a calender of sorts it may be easier to figure it out. It maps it throughout the entire year. I don't really know how accurate it is but it helps me out a lot.


ETA: Oops, MelissaSue already posted one just like it.

Aren't they neat?

 

[IrishEyes]

AmberGretchen - you have endometriosis and don''t get a period?? WTF, how come I still get one?! I have pretty severe endo as well as pelvic adhesive disease, but I still get that evil monster every month!

Are you on something to stop it (if you don''t mind me asking. ) If you don''t want to talk about it here, which I understand, you can PM me. I''m just curious. The real kicker is that I still get a period (horrible ones at that), yet I only have a 40% chance of getting pregnant (long story) and an even slimmer chance of being able to carry full-term. So my husband and I decided a few months ago (there were other reasons besides my physical probs) that we wanted to adopt instead, in a few years. So I get period for NO REASON

Very upsetting......

 

[msb700]

For some reason, i only saw this thread today! i''ve actually been on the pill for the past year and a half and have been very happy with the results...of course i have a daily alarm on my cell to remind me, otherwise i would just forget! (such an airhead sometimes! ud think after a year and a half of continuous use id remember rite??)

JCJD: i was actually contemplating the patch, but i have read so many negative articles about it that i just chickened out...are u happy with it??

MS/Teebee: i''ve never heard of this ''ring''...any link u can direct me to so i can read more about it???

 

[JCJD]

msb - I really like it. It took a few weeks to figure out where it stayed put best on my body, but when it''s there, it''s there the whole week no problems. My only side effects have been extreme emotionality the 2nd patch of month 1 and occasional itchiness on the patch site. It has lessened my PMS symptoms too. There was a recent article saying there is an increased death rate from patch use compared to pill use, but it''s still like 3 in 1,000 women (pill is 1 in 1,000).

 

[MissAva]

Easy solution is to skip the last row of pills in your OCPs that is all the other brands are doing. Women have been doing this for years (I started doing this in 6th grade becuase mine were so bad I could not go to school). If you have other risk factors ie smoking or a drinking issue this may not be good for you. However skipping the last row and just going to the frist in the next pack will avoid the whole mensus on wedding day issue all together. Though this should not be done for longer then 6mths at a time.

 

[MissAva]

Date: 8/8/2005 12:12:04 AM
Author: IrishEyes
AmberGretchen - you have endometriosis and don''t get a period?? WTF, how come I still get one?! I have pretty severe endo as well as pelvic adhesive disease, but I still get that evil monster every month!

Are you on something to stop it (if you don''t mind me asking. ) If you don''t want to talk about it here, which I understand, you can PM me. I''m just curious. The real kicker is that I still get a period (horrible ones at that), yet I only have a 40% chance of getting pregnant (long story) and an even slimmer chance of being able to carry full-term. So my husband and I decided a few months ago (there were other reasons besides my physical probs) that we wanted to adopt instead, in a few years. So I get period for NO REASON

Very upsetting......

She is just skipping the last week of her pills...I have been doing the same thing. It makes life soo much easier.

 

[IrishEyes]

ah, gotcha! well, oh well I can''t do that. Long story, but I can''t be on the pill or anything with hormones. Back to square one.....

 

[MelissaSue]

So for those of you who skip the week off of the pills.. Aren''t you contstantly worried you could be preggo? Because I know I would be if I didn''t have my period every month to tell me I''m not. I''m a little paranoid, I think..but still..

 

[teebee]

Date: 8/8/2005 12:57:04 AM
Author: msb700
For some reason, i only saw this thread today! i''ve actually been on the pill for the past year and a half and have been very happy with the results...of course i have a daily alarm on my cell to remind me, otherwise i would just forget! (such an airhead sometimes! ud think after a year and a half of continuous use id remember rite??)

JCJD: i was actually contemplating the patch, but i have read so many negative articles about it that i just chickened out...are u happy with it??

MS/Teebee: i''ve never heard of this ''ring''...any link u can direct me to so i can read more about it???

msb ~ that''s a good idea to have an alarm for your bc. i''d been on the pill over 10 years and still couldn''t remember!! Here''s a link to NuvaRing. It is a once a month birth control & I think it is wonderful!! Um, so you can read about it there - but essentially, it''s a small flexible ring that is insterted vaginally, just like you would a tampon. I''m sure that the initial concept to many women might be a little... disconcerting... but it is one of the best things ever in my opinion - I think I would even have a hard time remembering the patch so I totally love NuvaRing.

 

[IrishEyes]

Date: 8/8/2005 11:38:06 AM
Author: MelissaSue
So for those of you who skip the week off of the pills.. Aren''t you contstantly worried you could be preggo? Because I know I would be if I didn''t have my period every month to tell me I''m not. I''m a little paranoid, I think..but still..

yes, beware of using the pill and only the pill. Even though there is only a small chance of an oopsie, it happened to me! Use a back-up method!!!

 

[JCJD]

Date: 8/8/2005 12:04:19 PM
Author: IrishEyes
yes, beware of using the pill and only the pill. Even though there is only a small chance of an oopsie, it happened to me! Use a back-up method!!!

My father the biologist delights in telling me I was conceived via bc failure, with 2 methods nonetheless. Granted they were both barrier methods, but my existence still speaks for something.

Just DO NOT double up on hormonal methods!! I had a women''s studies prof who did this in the 70''s and now she''s partially disabled (needs crutches to walk) and sterile from a stroke.

 

[MissAva]

Date: 8/8/2005 1:38:19 PM
Author: JCJD

Date: 8/8/2005 12:04:19 PM
Author: IrishEyes
yes, beware of using the pill and only the pill. Even though there is only a small chance of an oopsie, it happened to me! Use a back-up method!!!

My father the biologist delights in telling me I was conceived via bc failure, with 2 methods nonetheless. Granted they were both barrier methods, but my existence still speaks for something.

Just DO NOT double up on hormonal methods!! I had a women''s studies prof who did this in the 70''s and now she''s partially disabled (needs crutches to walk) and sterile from a stroke.

Even the stronger pills now area much lighter dose then they were then. OCPs have changed quite alot. If you are worried you might have forgotten then you can take 2 the morning after it wont make you sick.

Oh I just realized you might have meant pills and shots in which case that would be a nono. Regardless of what you are thinking of always ask your doctor these is a reason they can write scripts and we cant.