TMI - Here There Be Monsters

[perzephone]

I've been off the birth control for a little over a year now. My hair has stopped falling out for the most part - I still shed, but more like 5 - 10 strands a day instead of a handful every time I brush my hair or take a shower.

The last month I was on the pill, I had a normal period. Then no period for like, 5 months. Which is fine by me, honestly. No cramps, no PMS, no massive break-outs, no period. It's non-stop party time between my legs.

Then I started having periods - some light, some heavy, fairly regular, no big deal. I started my last period on June 26th. I have bled every day for the past fucking month. Now, it wasn't heavy, but it was constant, and it was nasty, bitter smelling & tasting, brown to black with dry stringy clots. I've also felt like everything from my belly button down is made of lead and I'm just run down. Bleeding. Every. Single. Day. Which is why I was on the pill in the first place. I get no periods, then normal periods and finally, the non-stop period. At least this time it wasn't like the shower scene in Carrie on a day-to-day basis, but the shit gets old fast.

I basically bled from the end of my last period until my normal period started today. Today, I am cramping fiercely. They came on hard and fast. 4 Tylenol 3s did nothing. 4 of them. I hurt so fucking bad right now. In fact, I'm hurting bad enough that I'm starting to wonder if it's uterine cramps or if I might be trying to pass the world's largest kidney stone. Which I do have, and since most of the pain is on my left side, right above my hip bone & penetrating through to my lower back, it might be a distinct possibility. I'm drinking extra water, just in case.

Comments

[moonvoice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, :( when I went off the pill, I was reminded, forcibly, why I went on it in the first place. I went back on after six months and no power on this earth will make me come off again (I'll switch to a different pill before I go off it again).

For me though, the side effects don't include hair loss, and everything else I'm willing to accept.

And oooooooooooooooooooooooow to the possibility of a kidney stone. :(

Better Living Through Modern Chemistry

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

I was on Lo-Ovral, which has a high androgen factor - hair loss is a pretty common side-effect of long term use :(

I'm starting to think I might have PCOS. Since I've been off the pill, my depression has been working overtime, I've put on 40 pounds, my blood pressure spiked, I've got dandruff, and my chin seems to have a lot more peach-fuzz than normal.

I've got a gyno appointment on Aug. 4th - I'm hoping, since I'm 35, the gyno will tell me, "Let's yank 'em!"

[spyral-weaver73.livejournal.com]

Meh..that suckeths majorly, Sis..Im about to start soon and its 7-9 days of near anemia.. @.@ Im probably going to end on them pills just to control the flow... GAHH!!

The Pill is Your Friend

[perzephone.livejournal.com]

That blows. Like I replied to Moonvoice, a lot of what I'm experiencing seems to match w/PCOS symptoms. Of course, I understand the dangers of self-diagnosing via teh interwebs.

At least my cramps have subsided enough where I can go pass out. :P