Question for the ladies... Birth control

[blessedheart89]

Right now I'm on the nuvaring as my birth control method, and I use it to skip periods due to suspected endometriosis (this is under my doctors supervision of course!). I've been on bc for a decade, have no plans of being intimate anytime soon, and prior to my herpes diagnosis had been seriously considering having a discussion with my doctor about quitting it for a while (something in me just feels a need to have my body back).

 

I know the literature says that having a cycle may cause an outbreak, so I'd be doing myself a favor by staying on it and skipping cycles. But I'm curious, for how many of you has that been your actual experience? Is it extremely common for it to correlate with your cycle, or just with some people?

[2Legit2Quit]

If you have endometriosis, stopping bc is a HUGE mistake. Take it from me who has stage 4, had two surgeries and my last one being so severe, I ended up in the ER away on business, across countey from my home. I had internal bleeding, a 5hr surgery and lost my right ovary and fallopian tube. They were the size of softballs, because I developed endometriosis inside my ovaries a second time. It got on my intestines and requires a second surgeon. They said it was the most complicated case they'd ever seen. I was a mess, it was everywhere. I couldn't have a bowel movement, w out feeling my insides were being ripped out of me or even sit sometimes w out feeling like someone was impaling me. That second surgery was a yr n half after my first. Had I taken bc like I was told, I'd never had gotten that bad and had surgery again. I am now two yrs after my second and have been in BC. When I mess around and not start my packet after my cycle for two weeks again, I feel stuff is sticking and pulling on the left side of my abdomen. My first surgery I had endometriomas as well in my ovaries the size of lemons. They made my ovaries stuck together and then my left side was sticking to my abdominal wall. It hurt so bad and just leaning into the mirror could send me I to excruciating pain for an hr and I can't move. Don't do it, you will regret that decision if you do in fact have endometriosis.

 

For the first yr, I would breakout on the 3rd day of my cycle w a single internal sore. I only knew it was there, because it would hurt a little to remove or insert a tampon and left a circular spot on the same place every time. The last few periods, I've not had it happen.

 

You will never know, everyone is different. Most seem to have an OB the week before their period, when the hormones start making huge fluctuations in preparation for the cycle.

[NothingGoodGetsAway]

I haven't noticed a correlation (it's only been 3.5 months though), but I would think that the regulation of birth control would help with outbreaks. Meaning, it keeps your hormone levels more consistent than if you're letting your body regulate the hormones.

[blessedheart89]

If you have endometriosis, stopping bc is a HUGE mistake. Take it from me who has stage 4, had two surgeries and my last one being so severe, I ended up in the ER away on business, across countey from my home. I had internal bleeding, a 5hr surgery and lost my right ovary and fallopian tube. They were the size of softballs, because I developed endometriosis inside my ovaries a second time. It got on my intestines and requires a second surgeon. They said it was the most complicated case they'd ever seen. I was a mess, it was everywhere. I couldn't have a bowel movement, w out feeling my insides were being ripped out of me or even sit sometimes w out feeling like someone was impaling me. That second surgery was a yr n half after my first. Had I taken bc like I was told, I'd never had gotten that bad and had surgery again. I am now two yrs after my second and have been in BC. When I mess around and not start my packet after my cycle for two weeks again, I feel stuff is sticking and pulling on the left side of my abdomen. My first surgery I had endometriomas as well in my ovaries the size of lemons. They made my ovaries stuck together and then my left side was sticking to my abdominal wall. It hurt so bad and just leaning into the mirror could send me I to excruciating pain for an hr and I can't move. Don't do it, you will regret that decision if you do in fact have endometriosis.

 

For the first yr, I would breakout on the 3rd day of my cycle w a single internal sore. I only knew it was there, because it would hurt a little to remove or insert a tampon and left a circular spot on the same place every time. The last few periods, I've not had it happen.

 

You will never know, everyone is different. Most seem to have an OB the week before their period, when the hormones start making huge fluctuations in preparation for the cycle.

 

The endo is suspected. I have never confirmed. If I stopped it would be under my doctors supervision.

[2Legit2Quit]

Well do what you think is best for you. If you start having very painful periods and sensations like it's pulling inside and hurts, that's a huge indicator. What makes them suspect it? Just so you know, once your off bc and if you do have endo, despite being under doctor supervision or not, the damage is done. The hormones will start stimulating the growth of the lesions and then you start having pain. Getting back on bc at that point doesn't reverse it. It may alleviate some of the pain but that's about it.. So just be careful.

[blessedheart89]

Well do what you think is best for you. If you start having very painful periods and sensations like it's pulling inside and hurts, that's a huge indicator. What makes them suspect it? Just so you know, once your off bc and if you do have endo, despite being under doctor supervision or not, the damage is done. The hormones will start stimulating the growth of the lesions and then you start having pain. Getting back on bc at that point doesn't reverse it. It may alleviate some of the pain but that's about it.. So just be careful.

 

Severely painful cycles that are very clotty and a family history of it. I never confirmed because she said the course of action would be birth control anyways.

 

 

[2Legit2Quit]

Yeah, only other way to diagnose is exploratory surgery or an ultrasound, but that will only show up if you developed endometriosis, it can't see lesions.

[WCSDancer2010]

The only way you will know how it affect you is to go off of it, but ask to have valtrex handy just in case, and as soon as you think you have any symptoms, hit it hard. I find that for me, that does the trick ... and given that you have been without a period for awhile it may take a bit for your system to figure out how to deal with the virus.

 

Definitely consult your Dr too.. about everything... but I think it's reasonable to have the Valtrex on hand :)

[blessedheart89]

The only way you will know how it affect you is to go off of it, but ask to have valtrex handy just in case, and as soon as you think you have any symptoms, hit it hard. I find that for me, that does the trick ... and given that you have been without a period for awhile it may take a bit for your system to figure out how to deal with the virus.

 

Definitely consult your Dr too.. about everything... but I think it's reasonable to have the Valtrex on hand :)

 

My doc is awesome. From the get go she gave me an RX for valtrex with three refills (and there's like 30 pills in each RX). She said if I need it more than that in the next year then we will consider suppressive dosing.