Skipping the period

[lindajdunn]

When I was a teenager – back in the days of the dinosaurs – unmarried women could not obtain birth control pills and it was generally considered unsafe to take them as they increased your health risks and could -- worse of all -- possibly lead to infertility. [Note that this is what people believed at the time and thus was not 100% accurate.]

Today, some women are skipping periods and apparently having no side effects. CNN recently had an article about this at
http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/05/22....ap/index.html
and there is more information about this option at
http://www.noperiod.com/

So how do women fencers feel about this?

Personally, I feel cheated. I had endometrosis and hormone deficiencies with resulting pain, frequent and long-lasting periods, flooding, and all the negative stuff. If I’d just had the sense to have been born a couple of decades later, I could have avoided all of that.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

there's been research that our bodies aren't designed to have as many periods as we do.

hormonal birth control, while different for lots of people, can often make periods shorter and lighter.

that, combined with the DivaCup, has made my periods really easy to deal with now. A lot of people get freaked out by the idea of the Diva cup, but.... it's been amazing. getting my period during a major fencing competition used to be a nightmare--- now it's not something i worry a lot about.......

[Fencergrl]

As mentioned in a previous thread, I was offered the opportunity to not have periods and declined. At that point in my life, my periods were always light and never much of a bother.

However, I did have a time where it was exceptionally heavy and I had horrible cramps…. If I was offered an opportunity to relieve myself of this misery? Yes and no… If it was to mess with my already messed up hormones due to a thyroid condition… ah… no, I rather deal with the source of the problem (which I did).

Which brings me to yes… I was thrilled that my thyroid medication returned my body back to normal. So I can well understand women who want so desperately to rid themselves of the pain and nuisance every month if not by reducing their discomfort, then ending it.

Even though my periods are easy to deal with, I am still eagerly awaiting menopause…. I know you older women are going to hate me for this… but so far perimenopause has been a breeze! I only found out I was in it because of some blood work that was done.

[gojujay]

Originally Posted by Fencergrl

Even though my periods are easy to deal with, I am still eagerly awaiting menopause…. I know you older women are going to hate me for this… but so far perimenopause has been a breeze! I only found out I was in it because of some blood work that was done.

Should I comment... should I... Discretion is the better part of valor in this case.

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!

Originally Posted by lindajdunn

If I knew how to create a poll and/or had sufficient motivation to create one, I'd put one at the top that read: Skipping periods, safe or unsafe?

I have set up several polls. If you wish, I can set this one for you.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by PeterGustafsson

Hi!



I have set up several polls. If you wish, I can set this one for you.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

Thanks. That would be good. Any chance you can point me to a place to learn how to create polls here? I know how to create them in livejournal and I'm assuming this one is probably not that much different.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by lindajdunn

Thanks. That would be good. Any chance you can point me to a place to learn how to create polls here? I know how to create them in livejournal and I'm assuming this one is probably not that much different.

1. Start a thread

2. Where it says "include a poll" or something, check the box

3. Fill out the poll options.

It's a bit hard to find, but really straightforward.

[lindajdunn]

Thanks. I added a poll.
It's undoubtedly flawed.

[jessicasimpson]

Shouldn't this thread be in armoury, and not politics

[General Sweetpants]

Why is the word 'female' as such? Clearly 'male' is, well, 'male' but why the 'fe'? How does 'fe' change anything?

[Fencergrl]

Originally Posted by gojujay

Should I comment... should I... Discretion is the better part of valor in this case.

A man who understands it's best not to mess with a woman who's hormones can lead her to react in unexpected and often unpleasant ways...

[qatet]

Personally, I'm a bit wary of the idea for myself, but don't see problems with it for others. As a kid I probably would have jumped at the idea - I got cramps so badly that I'd spend a week out of every month throwing up. It was actually one of the factors that contributed to my stopping fencing in high school - my coach was annoyed that I'd miss a week of practice every month, and I was much too shy to explain.

The world became a much better place when I started taking the pill - it knocked back both flow and cramps. That said, the new generation of birth control pills use such low does of hormones that they can make things somewhat screwy in their own right. The one time that I tried to adjust my pills to avoid a meet I ended up having my period for three and a half weeks. Very much not my goal! I'm happy enough with the changes I've got, and I wouldn't want to risk getting my old period again even once every three months.

[Fencergrl]

If I may thread-drift slightly….

First off, Gojujay or General S... this is not directed specifically at either of you, but I would like to bring this up as a comment to the men visiting this thread.

I get the feeling that some of the men on this forum find it odd that women talk frankly about periods, their breast size, menopause etc… In real life women do this. We seldom do this in the company of other men… afterall...what would be the point? Other than making them uncomfortable? Besides... they seldom have much to contribute as their bodies are different.

On the forum it’s more difficult. You see a thread that is clearly going to be more interesting to women than men. You see only women contributing, out of habit, you contribute as you would in any other “all women” setting. Then the men start jumping in…

Sometime ago I suggested a section for “Women Only” where women could have discussions such as this, that don’t really interest men. While many women seemed in favour of the idea, a lot of men didn't or didn't understand why such a thing would be desired.

The odd comment in a thread can just be ignored, but you guys have a habit of taking over the conversation. An example... in the "Sportsbra thread" many of the top posters were guys. Seriously men... if it were reversed would you value the recommendations from a woman or a man on athletic cups?

Please respect that women DO want to discuss things that are of no interest to you and refrain from posting if you have nothing to contribute.

End of sermon... please continue with this thread.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

all hormonal birth control has a great number of side effects......

the only side effect that's been negative for me in any meaningful way is that it's more difficult for me to predict when i'll get a migraine. I don't get any more than i used to, they just aren't as predictable when.

everything else has either been overwhelmingly positive (like my lighter periods, clearer skin, and the not-getting-pregnant part) or suprisingly positive (yes, my sex drive has gone down a bit.... but my sex drive was much higher than most womens, and higher than some men.................. so... um..... it hasn't been a problem, in fact.)

[lindajdunn]

Originally Posted by General Sweetpants

Why is the word 'female' as such? Clearly 'male' is, well, 'male' but why the 'fe'? How does 'fe' change anything?

Fe means iron. Female is a stronger version of a male in that she generally lives a longer and healthier lifespan than the male member of the species.

[Inquartata]

A whole thread about whether proper punctuation is dispensable or not? Oy.

[JasminaJ]

Since surgical menopause my health has improved overall. Well, since Pittsburgh NACs, it's been rough. When my periods stopped due to being underweight-it was great. No anemia, bloat, or headaches.
Both my daughters have elected to stop their periods. No ovulation means they are happier and healthier. It works for them.

[the doc]

for those of you who suffer from menstrually associated migraines, there is a drug around called frovatriptan, that is used to treat migraine and is being trialled specifically for m.a.m. due to its long action time, you can take it in advance of the period and the attacks never start. ask your doctor for it.

as for stopping them, i have also heard that women were not meant really to have so many periods as they now do, as they were 'supposed' to spend most of their time pregnant.

my ex gf used to occasionally use the pill to stop her periods and it didn't seem to do her any harm. up to the person i guess, but she did suffer from pretty bad ones.

[mrbiggs]

Originally Posted by Fencergrl

I get the feeling that some of the men on this forum find it odd that women talk frankly about periods, their breast size, menopause etc… In real life women do this. We seldom do this in the company of other men… afterall...what would be the point? Other than making them uncomfortable? Besides... they seldom have much to contribute as their bodies are different.

In real life, men talk about a host of things they don't usually talk about with women. But we don't on a fencing forum, usually.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Originally Posted by mrbiggs

In real life, men talk about a host of things they don't usually talk about with women. But we don't on a fencing forum, usually.

the hot girls threads???