So weird for me to be thinking about the pill when for all these years I avoided hormones, but I don't exercise. I don't really DO anything on the second day of my period because I feel awful and I swear I feel like my bottom is going to fall out.

Would mean we don't have to pack condoms either - one less thing to pack!

But what about moodiness? A lot of people get moody with it. and why didn't I think to ask about it when I was at the gyn last month!

Or maybe get an IUD that tends to stop or lesson periods? Not sure if it will have time to "kick in" by then though.

I started taking the Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo because I had terrible, horrendously horrible periods that were heavy, crampy, turned me into a monster etc.

Once I was on it for a full month, when it came time for TOM it was SO much better. I had a lighter period, not moody at all, only a slight water weight gain (without BC I gain 5-6 lbs every time). However, my gyn told me that sometimes it takes up to 3 months to have a full effect.

When are you taking this trip? If it's in a month or two you should start asap if you decide to take BC. That way it is fully in your system and you won't have to worry about packing the condoms!! ;)

Originally Posted by mirax3:
I started taking the Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo because I had terrible, horrendously horrible periods that were heavy, crampy, turned me into a monster etc.

But, the beauty of the pill is you never have to have a period again.

The only reason pill inventers did 3 weeks on 1/ week off bleed was to make it seem "normal."

http://www.womhealth.org.au/healthjo...onceptions.htm

When a woman takes the Pill her normal menstrual cycle is interrupted. In effect, the Pill tricks the body into believing it is pregnant. When the Pill was being developed, however, it was felt that women would find the lack of a normal menstrual cycle disconcerting. Many women, for example, rely on their regular menstrual period for reassurance of not being pregnant. Consequently, it was decided to have the Pill consist of 21 days of active pills (pills containing the hormones), followed by a pill-free interval of seven days (either no pills or sugar pills). The rapid decline in the artificial hormones which occurs in the pill-free interval results in a 'withdrawal bleed', which somewhat resembles a menstrual period and is often still referred to as a 'period' for simplicity. It is important, however, for women to understand that when they take the Pill the bleeding which occurs during the pill free interval is not a menstrual period.

Similarly, women should be aware the current packaging of the Pill (21 active pills, seven day pill free interval) was developed primarily for acceptability reasons and not because of any physiological reason. Indeed, contraception expert John Guillebaud explains "When you think about it we have here a bizarre contraceptive: one that we providers actually instruct the users not to use - for 25% of the time" (4). As Guillebaud suggests, the pill free interval is the 'Achilles heel' of the Pill's efficacy as it can contribute to pill failure. To stop ovulation from occurring a woman needs to take seven consecutive active pills. In addition, if more than seven days are missed a woman risks ovulation and, if unprotected intercourse occurs, pregnancy. The lengthening of the pill free interval is one of the most common causes of pill failure and is often associated with a woman starting her new Pill packet late. It is very easy to start a pill packet late with women either simply forgetting or not having their new packet with them.

I'm another vote for menstrual cups. The silicone, non-disposable brands hold a great deal and don't leak, as they create a bit of a suction seal around the cervical neck.

I'm a heavy bleeder and still don't have to empty the cup more than every two hours during my heaviest time. The you just dump, rinse or wipe it if you can (not necessary each time it is emptied) and be on your merry way. Much more reliable and comfortable than tampons and no hormonal concerns. I love Lunette and Divacup, though the latter wasn't the best fit for my particular anatomy.

MELISSA ~ I had the same concern someone else had -- would you have enough time for the pill to be effective before the holiday? I think you have to use them at least 3 months. It could very well reduce your menstrual flow & symptoms, but you should still pack the condoms. ;)

Some people have worse symptoms on the pill -- it wasn't as heavy, but I had cramps & bleeding every day, so I couldn't take them (they weren't helping). If you haven't used them before, you do need some time to see how your body reacts to them as well.


GLORY ~ that was a great article ... :)

I took Minovral for my BC pills. It worked great. I had no side effects or symptoms and i actually found it improved my mood. I was actually happier on it then off...And it is true, after a month of being on it consistently, you can skip a menstrul cycle if you need to after that. It was the first pill i was on, and its the only pill i will take now.

Originally Posted by Arctic Mama:
I'm another vote for menstrual cups. The silicone, non-disposable brands hold a great deal and don't leak, as they create a bit of a suction seal around the cervical neck.

I'm a heavy bleeder and still don't have to empty the cup more than every two hours during my heaviest time. The you just dump, rinse or wipe it if you can (not necessary each time it is emptied) and be on your merry way. Much more reliable and comfortable than tampons and no hormonal concerns. I love Lunette and Divacup, though the latter wasn't the best fit for my particular anatomy.

Where can you find these? The disposable ones DO NOT WORK for me at all. I'm not squeamish - years ago we used the diaphragm for birth control (until we figured out it was hindering my enjoyment during sex).

I had no luck with the divacup. :( I consistently leaked...badly. I finally gave up. And for the record I tried to use it for over a year. While it doesn't help Melissa's sitch, I had an ablation last year. Not a drop since. I feel like I can finally live my life unhindered. The best part is no hormones. Like another poster, I reacted badly on bcp. I had monthly migraines. Same for DD24.

Originally Posted by berryblondeboys:
Where can you find these? The disposable ones DO NOT WORK for me at all. I'm not squeamish - years ago we used the diaphragm for birth control (until we figured out it was hindering my enjoyment during sex).

I frequently see them at Whole foods. I ordered mine online. I've never had any leaking myself but it does tae a little practice to get it in.