Ladies Only!!! Monthly cycle question-

[horner5]

Ok, Ladies!

I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow unrelated to this, but my husband is trying to convince me to talk to my doctor about it. I am 34 and my cycle just sucks. I have a lot of cramping on Day 1, Days 2-4 are unbelievably heavy (let's just say my skin color turns white because of the blood and clot loss) and then it can last another 4+ days beyond that where it is not nearly as heavy (just annoying). My husband had a vasectomy a few years back so we don't need any birth control methods.

However...

I saw a commercial last night for a low-dose BC pill called Yaz and it got me thinking. Would it be completely selfish for me to ask my doctor about maybe going on a pill to lighten and shorten my periods? Here's the real selfish part-3 times that we've gone to Disney for trips, my period has traveled along with me . I was pretty miserable. We have a trip in October coming and I thought that if I started something now, I would surely be regulated by then (I'm scheduled to start the day before our trip).

What are your thoughts (good and bad!)? Do you suggest one brand over another? I like the idea of a low dose one, but since I haven't been in the market for this in 15 years, I don't even know what's out there.

I'm not a smoker, I'm healthy and the only other prescription I take is Zyrtec for my allergies.

Thanks in advance-I appreciate your advice!

Amy

 

[poohandwendy]

No, I don't think it would be selfish, but I would just find out what the doctor thinks first. There may be other options that are even better, I dunno. Sorry to hear your periods are more like exclamation points!

 

[kmebee]

I don't think it is selfish at all. Let me just say that, I feel your pain. I could've written the exact same thing. I've never thought about BC to lighten them up though. Hmmm, might have to see what the doc says. Maybe there are other alternatives though too.

 

[ILUVMYBRIT]

TALK TO YOUR DOC! There is nothing wrong with asking to be put on the pill for those reasons...many of us are. My periods are horrible without them. I had a friend in highschool whose doctor put her on the pill when she was 16 for that very reason. Its not at all unusual and your doctor wont be surprised or think you selfish.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

Definitely talk to your doctor about it and listen to all options. It's not selfish to not want to suffer with that.

 

[crz4mm2]

Not selfish at all. I have suggested many patients do just what you are asking for. Yaz is great for that. Most patients experience very light cycles
Go for it!!!

 

[KelNottAt]

AFAIK, BCPs are often prescribed for reasons like yours. Definitely speak to the doc. He might even has some free trials in the office with him.

 

[hydster]

Talk to your doctor about it and see what methods he/she would recommend. For me it ended up in a hysterectomy and it was the best decision I have ever made. We knew we weren't having more kids when dh was snipped 7 years ago so my Gyn asked me why I wanted to bother with this annoyance any longer? I asked myself that and thought..yeah why? So I had a hysterectomy 4 years ago and haven't had a single regret and it's so nice to never have to worry about when it's due and how to mess with it.

Another thing is my niece was due for her period on her wedding day and honeymoon so she and her doc put her on the pill to make it so she didn't bleed until after the honeymoon. It was a 1 time thing but she had a great time on her honeymoon not worrying about it.


Definitely ask your doc for advice! And NO you are not selfish for wanting to rid yourself of the annoyance known as menstruation!

 

[Christine]

Two words: MIRENA IUD.

My cousin had the same problem and got this. She LOVES it. Little to no bleeding and no cramps.

 

[golfgal]

Another thing to look into is that if your insurance doesn't cover birth control for birth control they USUALLY will cover it for medical reasons such as this. I was on the pill for quite a while for bad menstrual cycles. They are MUCH better since having kids though so I don't need it any more.

 

[DebbieB]

Your doctor may want to do testing to see if there is a cause for your heavy bleeding. I mentioned it to my gyn a couple of weeks ago and she's going to do an endometrial biopsy plus I have to get bloodwork.

 

[Chicago526]

I'm the kind of person that avoids medication unless it's absolutely nessesary. I'd say this qualifies, vacation or no! I hope your doc can figure it out and get you on the right medication. Good luck!

 

[Briarmom]

Two words: MIRENA IUD.

My cousin had the same problem and got this. She LOVES it. Little to no bleeding and no cramps.

I second this.
Good luck!

 

[horner5]

Wow!

Thanks everyone for all of your responses so far! I feel much better about asking my doctor tomorrow. Fortunately, my doctor knows my history. A little over a year ago during my annual exam I brought up that my periods are getting progressively worse and I think he did bring up the fact that I could try something, if memory serves me right. He ran bloodwork to test my hormone levels at the time and said everything looks healthy and normal and I am nowhere near menopause (my mom and her mom entered menopause around 35 and had no issues at all with it, so I was hoping for the same with me).

When I was on the Pill in the mid 90's between child 1 and 2, the only thing I remember that was worse than having natural periods was the fact that I got the most excruciating migraines in the world that would incapacitate me for 2 days. I have never suffered one since I got off the Pill and it worries me that if I go on it again, the migraines will reappear. Are the low dose pills better for that nowadays?

Amy

 

[Donald - my hero]

Oh dear get thee to you doc! I had horrific cramps from the 1st time i had my period to the point where i would be laid up in bed only up to throw up. Went on the pill when I was about 15 to help with that. Within 6 months I needed an antiflamitory added to the mixture. I still would double over a lot.
OH and whenever I went to see Doc he would ask "is everything NORMAL?" Yup I would respond not knowing that bleeding heavily for close to 7 days and then only having about 10 days before the stupid cycle started over was NOT normal.
Was hard to get preggers since it was hard to figure out ovulation time with that kinda cycle and besides .....
Eventually we agreed to rip the entire thing out since cyles got worse and I began to loose weight and look like a skeleton. Apparently as soon as they took out my ovaries I pinked right up. I don't care about taking pills every morning now -- I have no PMS that hubby had to mark in his calendar (TRUE) so he could avoid me

 

[LadyyRedd]

I can't imagine what you go through because mine have never been more than 3 days at its heaviest (yes, 3!). Mine generally comes Wed afternoon and is generally gone by Friday night.

I don't think it's at all selfish and a perfectly understandable reason to be on them.

Kimya

 

[SandraVB79]

I have a lot of cramping on Day 1, Days 2-4 are unbelievably heavy (let's just say my skin color turns white because of the blood and clot loss) and then it can last another 4+ days beyond that where it is not nearly as heavy (just annoying).

Join the club

As long as I was on BC, I didn't have any problems, but now that I am completely not allowed anymore to take those hormones, my period just sucks. Big time It did put me in quite some embarassing situations.
My life quality was surely better with hormones.

Ask your doctor about it. It's not selfis. Think about all that time out of your life you "loose" because you feel miserable. You could have fun instead.

 

[Christine]

Wow!

Thanks everyone for all of your responses so far! I feel much better about asking my doctor tomorrow. Fortunately, my doctor knows my history. A little over a year ago during my annual exam I brought up that my periods are getting progressively worse and I think he did bring up the fact that I could try something, if memory serves me right. He ran bloodwork to test my hormone levels at the time and said everything looks healthy and normal and I am nowhere near menopause (my mom and her mom entered menopause around 35 and had no issues at all with it, so I was hoping for the same with me).

When I was on the Pill in the mid 90's between child 1 and 2, the only thing I remember that was worse than having natural periods was the fact that I got the most excruciating migraines in the world that would incapacitate me for 2 days. I have never suffered one since I got off the Pill and it worries me that if I go on it again, the migraines will reappear. Are the low dose pills better for that nowadays?

Amy

I am not a "headache" person, but when taking low-dose BCPs (I was on Mircette), I got migraines about 2 times a month. Not fun.

I can say enough about asking for the Mirena IUD. The only hormone it contains is progesterone and that hormone only goes as far as your uterus--they do not go systemic as they do with BCPs, therefore, no side effects. Since you're done having children this is perfect for you. The BCPs do carry some slight risk if you are over 35.

 

[floridafam]

1. There could be a reason for your heavy bleeding. I had it so bad I couldn't leave the house during that time of the month. I went in and had an ultrasound. They found some benign polyps on my uterus and I had them removed during a D&C.

The most important thing is to try and find if there is a reason for the bleeding being so heavy.

When you say YAZ are you talking about Yasmin?? I was on it and it was the worst birth control pill I have ever been on in my entire life. It was awful! I usually tolerate things pretty well but not that.

There are many alternatives to control the bleeding. I had an ablation done last year. My period stayed the same for a few months but now it is much lighter and shorter. You may want to ask your Dr. about this procedure.


I would definately say something.

 

[Briarmom]

I can say enough about asking for the Mirena IUD. The only hormone it contains is progesterone and that hormone only goes as far as your uterus--they do not go systemic as they do with BCPs, therefore, no side effects. Since you're done having children this is perfect for you. The BCPs do carry some slight risk if you are over 35.

Plus you don't have to remember to do ANYTHING. Just go to the doctor. Get it put in. Leave the doctor.
5 years of no-fuss birth control.