Conference turris::womannotes-v3

    Yay, Carla!
    
    I know how you feel.
    
    D!, still waiting...

    
    
    > It's so great being a woman.  And strangely, or maybe not,
    >    the flow and my cramps are much lighter and less intense
    >    than when I was on the Pill.  Is this natural?  It sure is
    >    nicer!
    
    Actually, usually the reverse is true.
    
    I quit taking the Pill in December too.  My periods have been REALLY
    weird since then.  Some have been heavier, some lighter.....it's taken
    almost 6 months now for it to get to settle to any sense of regularity
    (and I was on the pill for a much shorter period than you were).  
    
    I never even had many cramps until just a couple months ago....now they
    seem routine each month....not too bad, though.
    
    If this is your first real flow since going off, give yourself a few
    consistent cycles before you start to rejoice!  
    
    
    ;-)
    
    kat

    Well, my body has never figured out how to do this without causing *me*
    much pain and suffering.  In fact, even as I speak I am having wicked
    bad cramps!!!!  I think it's the worst part of being a woman.  :-(
    
    BTW, I stopped taking the pill 11 yrs. ago.  I didn't have cramps as
    bad on the pill, but had other side affects that seemed worse.
    
    Lorna
    

    If I may reply in this string. My ex went through major mood changes
    because of the pill. She went from sweet and kind and loving to mean
    and bitchy and downright angry all day. When she stopped taking the
    pill and left responsibility of birth control up to me. (we used
    condoms) She returned to her old self and her periods went back to
    regular and the cramps did lose their intensity. Good for you Carla.
    You are taking back youurself as you should be and not using scientific
    enhancements (Detriments, depending on your point of view) Good for
    you. You are yourself.
    
    PJ

    To me having a period each month WAS a curse.  It was like going
    through heavy labor, intense pain, cold sweats, nausea, dizziness,
    back pain, etc.  I suffered for years because I believed what my
    mother told me, "There is nothing that can be done."  I remember
    on one of my worst days begging her to call the doctor.  It wasn't
    until I was in high school (by this time I had been suffering for
    about 5 years) that the school nurse saw what I was going through.
    She asked me what my doctor was doing about it.  I told her that I
    had never been to my doctor for this because of what my mother 
    said.  Well the school nurse got on the phone and called my mother.
    I don't know what was said, but I got the first of many appointments.
    
    He tried me on the Pill, straight codeine and lots of other
    medications that I can't even remember.  The only thing that helped
    was Percodan which knocked me out.  Now you should know that unless
    my period started on a weekend, I would lose 2 days of school and
    later work because of this.  At 25 I DEMANDED a hysterectomy or a
    gun.  Boy, was my doctor shocked.  He started talking about having
    kids and hospital review boards, but I wouldn't be put off.  He
    scheduled me to meet with a surgeon.
    
    The surgeon gave me another option.  He said that he could sever the
    main nerve to the uterus. That would relieve the pain, I could still
    have children AND I would never experience labor pain, but only if
    the surgery worked.  It worked in about 85-90% of the patients.  In
    my case it did.  I asked him why doctors don't do this more often
    instead of letting women suffer.  His answer was that is was considered
    an old-fashioned remedy.  Who cares, it works and I recommend it 
    highly.
    
    Now at 37 I don't care anymore anyway because I'm menopausal.  My
    doctor has me on hormones.  She gave me the option of continuing
    to have a period or not.  I opted not.  Why put up with the mess
    and bother.  After all these years, I'm finally free with no pain
    or mess to contend with.
    
    Linda
    

    Linda
    
    I'm also menopausal. I have been having gradually heavier periods
    because of fibroids and have been getting hot flashes. The doctor
    put me on some pills (estrogen days 1-25/ progesterone days 16-25)
    that still allow me to have a period but are *supposed* to eliminate
    the hot flashes. (I get them when I sleep! :-P!). Anyway, they do
    eliminate them when I'm on the pills but the 2 or 3 days after the
    pills stop and before I get my period are *far* worse. I've even
    had cramps again this month.
    
    Do you or anyone else who has used this kind of pill have any
    suggestions or insights?
    
    Bonnie

    I much preferred being *on* the Pill.  Ahhhhhhh.....regularity, no
    cramps......the good old days.
    
    I, too, had such bad pain with my period that I needed drastic
    measures.  It *wasn't* cramps; it was shooting pain!  It was so bad my 
    mom and doctor were afraid I would die of an overdose.  I would stuff
    *anything* in my mouth if it would help!  (Now, *be* *nice*!)
    
    When I had some cysts removed, I also had the nerve severed.  Now I
    "only" get cramps.  This is a real relief, since I no longer have need
    of the Pill for birth control.  
    
    I would still rather not deal with the whole thing.  I mean, *really*! 
    What good does it do ME?!  (*8
    
    
    E Grace

    re.0
    
    Congratulations!!!  When I went off the pill [was it really 8 _years_
    ago?] I felt soooooo great.
    
    ^ that part was for you, however,
    
    I reeeealy like the red ribbon idea ... and with the hair I've got I
    could cause a major run on fabric stores ....
    
      Annie

    
    I like the red ribbon idea too, I think they'd complement all the
    yellow ones very well ...
    
    D.

    periods when i was on the pill were a breeze - a day or less,
    predictable to the hour.
    
    no pill was less of a breeze, but i would synch immediately with nearby
    women.
    
    really weird was getting used to my periods with an iud...

    I have abnormal body chemistry anyhow, so I can't relate very well to
    what most of you folks are saying about how *nice* you think it is to
    *not* be on the pill.  When I am not on the pill, my period varies from
    as little as ten days to more than 40, and is usually extremely heavy
    (wear two pads at once, get very anemic, etc.).  I hate it!  I get some
    cramps either way, but I can deal with that.  I don't get any other
    side effects from the pills, and my period is predictable to within a
    couple of days, and only lasts a week, and I can use tampons, so I do
    not have to cancel a lot of my normal activities because they aren't
    practical when wearing double pads.  I hated setting the alarm clock to
    get up during the night to change the darn things, too, but the
    resulting giant mess if I didn't made it easier to just get up once or
    twice (I hate messes anyhow).  I am 38, and my gyn thinks I can stay on
    the pill indefinitely if I prefer.  Thank goodness!  My older female
    relatives, all of whom share the abnormality,  were all real pleased to
    enter menopause and be done with putting up with it all - my mother
    when she was 55 (she even thought the hot flashes were kind of
    amusing), for example.
    
    In some ways, men sure have it easy!
    
    /Charlotte                      

    I saw the note about what goes does this whole apparatus do for us?  I
    was just diagnosed with endometriosis after years of very painful
    periods.  My doctor and I talked about hysterectomy but I wasn't real
    sure that's what I wanted.  I found a great book, "Hysterectomy -
    Before and After" that goes into detail of how each part of our
    reproductive system does contribute to the health of the entire woman. 
    Even the cervix has value in releasing some of the necessary hormones
    that we need.  The author had 1,000 references that she used in
    researching the book and I have to admit I was quite impressed.  I
    recommend this book for all women, whether your having a hysterectomy
    or not.  The author is Winnifred Cutler, Ph.D.  I have decided against
    a hysterectomy.
    KK

    re .6
    
    Bonnie,
    
    I started on premarin and provera together, two pills every day.  No
    more hot flashes or mood swings.  The mood swings were the worst. I
    knew what was happening, but couldn't stop yelling and screaming at
    people for no reason.  Came real close to throwing my terminal out
    the nearest window, went home instead.
    
    Had some problems, light spotting.  My gyn tried to do a biopsy for
    endometryosis (sp?), but couldn't get through my cervix.  It was too
    tight.  She know has me on one pill days 1-25 and them both premarin
    and provera days 16-26 so I'll get a period (YUCH!). She is hoping
    that by doing this for 6 months, my cervix will loosen up and she
    will be able to do the biopsy.  So far, I've still had no more
    problems with hot flashes or mood swings.  
    
    If you are still having hot flashes, etc., I would check with you
    doctor.  Could be that the dosage is wrong for you.
    
    I can't wait for the six months to be up so I can go back to a 
    period-free life again.  I forgot how annoying, itchy and messy
    it can be.
    
    Linda
    

    Okay... Please tell me all the reasons you can suddenly be late
    -- other than *the* reason.
    
    Jacki
    (who does not want to see the stork again!)
    

re .14

just a few off the top o'my head...

change in diet
change in exercise
weight loss/gain
miscounted days
mom nature playing a creul joke
stress

dee (painfully familiar with these things)

    
    
    Stress, tension
    Diet
    Increased exercise (that the body isn't used to)
    Sickness
    
    
    to name a few....
    
    
    kat

    once my husband and I went on a three-day canoe/camping trip on the
    Saco river in Maine with several other people in a couple of other
    canoes.  I was due to start the day we were leaving.  I **really*
    *really* *really* *really* did NOT want to deal with my period on a
    camping trip.  *Really*.  I *really* didn't.
    
    so it didn't.  could have been a complete coincidence.  but I think I
    did it, somehow.
    
    Sara
    
    p.s. the canoe trip was pure heaven, perfect weather, and a total
    blast.  Three days after I still didn't want to come home...

    Tension over not wanting to be late
    
    Nancy

    
    the start of menopause (early or otherwise)
    

    Maybe just a change in cycle?  I will be clock-work regular for
    anywhere from 6 months to 2 years and then suddenly shift a week, which
    is enough to send me up the wall.  Try a cup of Chamomile tea, and
    relaxation.  (I know it won't help if it is the stork, but it won't
    hurt either)  
    
    Meg

    Update from .14:
    
    It arrived today... the latest I ever recall waiting.  After all your
    replies I realized: 
    
    1) Yes I had been dieting the last 2 weeks (pretty strictly)
    2) I had a booster/tetnus shot for the first time in 10 years last week
    3) I had a pretty good scraping for a pap last week, and
    4) yes, after a day or 2 late I WAS A TOTAL WRECK!!
    
    So, your suggestions are quite valid.  
    
    Once again this great notes file has been a real comfort.  
    
    Thanks,
    Jacki