First gyno appointment, questions...

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TaylorKnows

First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

This may be a bit TMI...

So next week I'll be going to my very first gyno appointment. I was supposed to go earlier in the fall but because of my oh so lovely job, I had to cancel and this doctor is so booked, it took me awhile to get a new appointment. Anyway, at first I didn't want to go on the pill. I was just going to get the implant in my arm (I heard of it through HayleeandBaby actually) but I've been having issues with my period flow and I think I may have something that I want to test for (not an STD!) but I do think it'll be best for me to go on the pill because I've read they help with regulating period and stopping some very bad pain I have, since my periods lately have been way too irregular, painful and only last for a few days. Does anyone have a particular brand they'd recommend? I have heard horror stories about birth control pills, so I'm trying to find the best/safest one.

I also am a little nervous. My regular doctor has looked down there in the past, but I have felt awkward and it was just a quick check. Any tips on how to not be so nervous while all of this is going on and relax? Thanks in advance.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by strawberries »

I had my very first GYN visit when they had to test for things during my pregnancy. Honestly the way I relaxed was telling myself "I'm nothing special. They see hundreds of women like me a day. This is being done only for my health". I siked myself out the first time I had to go in by watching youtube videos lol. I just relaxed my body & let my mind wander. They will let you know every time before they do something ie. I'm touching your thigh, okay? All I felt was a slight pressure & nothing more. She asked me if it was my first visit & I told her yes. She told me I was the most relaxed she's had to deal with. It really isn't scary or painful in any way I promise.

Sorry I have no clue about pills. If extremely forgetful so I opted for the shot.
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FLOSSY77

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by FLOSSY77 »

Honestly.. unless you are having sex I would ditch it. Don't mess with mother nature.
TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

FLOSSY77 wrote:Honestly.. unless you are having sex I would ditch it. Don't mess with mother nature.
It's getting to the point where I cannot move the first day of my period. No pain reliever helps. I have to at least try. I get there's cramps, but what I've been experiencing is too much for me to handle.

Plus, I may not be having sex now and I don't plan on just slutting around, but if something did happen unexpectedly, I'd rather be prepared than not.

But thank you ladies for the advice.
FLOSSY77

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by FLOSSY77 »

You might have dysmenorrhea. I would start exercising. Might help. You don't want to be on birth control long term.
TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

I'll ask about it, thanks. I don't want to be on the pills forever, I would prefer some sort of non hormonal implant. I guess I'll talk to her about all of this. It's just been going on for so long. I've been using Dr. Google and it's been giving me pretty scary results, ha ha.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by blackbetty »

You could get the copper IUD. It's non-hormonal. But I don't think it will help much with your symptoms.

I was on Ortho TriCyclen Lo and loved it, my period was EXTREMELY regular and normal and it was awesome. I was single for a couple of years and I went off birth control because I didn't want to be on hormones long term. Well apparently now I can't have that because of my migraines with aura (which I had before too so I'm not sure why it changed) so they put me on Ortho Micronor, the mini pill. I like it now, but omg adjusting to it was absolute misery. The first few weeks I was super moody and my boyfriend and I were fighting all the time. I will add screen shots of my "flow" (I know it's tmi for some but this is a BC thread so thought you might wanna know what to expect) for the first couple mos. I had pregnancy symptoms and no energy and I was crying about everything. It was so freaking bad. I read online from someone that said the symptoms aren't so bad if you take them at EXACTLY the same time every day (you have to take them in a 3 hr window to be effective) and I tried it and surprisingly it did help. Finally my cycle seems to be going back to normal (it was a pretty regular 28-30 day cycle before BC) and I'm not nearly as miserable. And I'm not pregnant so far, about 4 mos in. Haha.

My app is just called "Menstruation and Ovulation Calendar" and it's a free iPhone app. The different letters are just for my symptoms - I record them to see if there is a pattern partially but also because it's part of my BC ritual to make it a habit and not something I have to remember. I put a note in every day with the time I took my BC exactly (that's what the N's mean!) and the I/L/M/H are symptom rankings... You can put in your own symptoms you want to keep track of too! It also guesses at when you ovulate with ooo as predicted ovulation date and oo and o as potentially fertile days so it can be used to be aware of your fertility or to block it. Haha.

But yeah I promise this isn't an app infomercial, I just figured I'd explain what all the crap means haha. This was my experience with it and how it worked for me.
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TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

cakewalked wrote:The red/pink days are days you had your period? Ouch...

So why can't/don't you want to be on the pill for longer periods? I mean I am on it now and don't plan to have kids for at least 5 years.
One of my teachers got on the pill at 16. She wanted to have a family at 28 and it took her a year and a half to get pregnant because she was on the pill for so long. It can cause a few other health problems too. It's why I originally wanted to not get on the pill.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by ladybug »

Don't use the copper IUD (paragard) although it is hormone free it's main s/e are heavy bleeding and more cramping. Have you tried aleve and a regular exercise routine? good luck!
TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

ladybug wrote:Don't use the copper IUD (paragard) although it is hormone free it's main s/e are heavy bleeding and more cramping. Have you tried aleve and a regular exercise routine? good luck!
I take two midol a day for the first two days and it helps for a little bit. I don't do much exercises other than PT stuff for my ankle which is pretty light. I'll have to try something new.Thanks!
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by fossilfinger »

I used to have dysmenhorrea. I was never diagnosed formally but the pain was extremely bad on the first or second day. I thought I was going to pass out a few times. I went on the pill for about a year and then stopped, and while I was on the pill and even after stopping my cramps were nonexistent to relatively mild. So you don't have to be on it long-term for it to help with cramping. It did help a bit when I knew my period was coming if I exercised a lot the days before and during.

Since you're not sexually active I would not recommend any other hormonal methods of birth control except the pill. Obviously this isn't medical advice, just my personal view on it. I would never, ever take Depo Provera or the implant (Implanon and others) because I've heard they both have horrible side effects. The IUD is a good method of birth control if you're sexually active, but I don't really see the need for it if you're not. I have one and my cycle is not nearly as regular as it was when I was on the pill. When I was on the pill it was PERFECT. My breakthrough bleeding lasted from Sunday/Monday to Thursday. Every single time. It was great! Now I have a lot of discharge and it's not really a period but it's still annoying.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by blackbetty »

cakewalked wrote:The red/pink days are days you had your period? Ouch...

So why can't/don't you want to be on the pill for longer periods? I mean I am on it now and don't plan to have kids for at least 5 years.
Yep and the third month was worse! It's better now though and back to normal.
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LizLee30

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by LizLee30 »

TaylorKnows wrote:This may be a bit TMI...

So next week I'll be going to my very first gyno appointment. I was supposed to go earlier in the fall but because of my oh so lovely job, I had to cancel and this doctor is so booked, it took me awhile to get a new appointment. Anyway, at first I didn't want to go on the pill. I was just going to get the implant in my arm (I heard of it through HayleeandBaby actually) but I've been having issues with my period flow and I think I may have something that I want to test for (not an STD!) but I do think it'll be best for me to go on the pill because I've read they help with regulating period and stopping some very bad pain I have, since my periods lately have been way too irregular, painful and only last for a few days. Does anyone have a particular brand they'd recommend? I have heard horror stories about birth control pills, so I'm trying to find the best/safest one.

I also am a little nervous. My regular doctor has looked down there in the past, but I have felt awkward and it was just a quick check. Any tips on how to not be so nervous while all of this is going on and relax? Thanks in advance.
Is a gynecologist appointment actually necessary for just going on the pill? I haven't yet been to a gyno but have been on the pill (Yaz) for 4 years. It seems bizarre to me that you'd have to have an internal examination of any kind before going on the pill... here, my doctor just asked why I wanted it and whether I was sexually active and prescribed a brand accordingly.

The pill has been amazing for me. I've had no side effects at all from it. It's expensive ($80 every 3 months for Yaz) but I don't intend on going off it anytime soon.
TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

I'd rather talk to her about what kind of a pill I should get on plus talk to her about everything else, just to get an expert opinion. Also as of right now, I don't have an adult doctor, since I just turned 18 in May, my doctor is still a pediatrician. At my checkup this year I brought up going on birth control and she said to go see a gyno.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by fossilfinger »

My GP made me get a pap smear before going on BP even though I wasn't sexually active. She said it's just her personal policy. Maybe the gyno will just talk to you and not even require a pap smear? I used Alesse and it was fine. I just wanted a generic because at the time my insurance paid 100% of generics.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by sleep84 »

It's odd to me to hear that you don't always have to go to the gynecologist. Don't they give you an ultrasound to your ovaries? Internal exam? Blood work? Usually based on that they know the dosage of the right pill for you..I guess it depends on the policy of the state/place of the world.

When you stop the pill I've heard that your fertility is sky rocket, not less. But it depends on many other factors (like presonal predisposition, age etc.)
If you turn out to have problems with cysts it can actually preserve future fertility.
If you are on it for at least 5 years studies show that it can prevent from certain kinds of female cancers. But then, you know...everything is subjective! :D

I don't think the ParaGard is indicated...it worsens the pain and heaviness of your periods. Just based on common sense I would avoid the first hormonal method that you try, to be a semi-permanent one. If a pill gives you uncomfortable side effects (heavy mood swings, headaches, nausea...) you can stop it right away, with the implanon/nexplanon, the shot, Mirena...those are slightly less immediate to take out.

Go rock your first check up, girl!! :D
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TaylorKnows

Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by TaylorKnows »

So I had my appointment and apparently everything's good. Is anyone on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo? That's what she put me on and she says it'll be good for me, just curious if anyone else has had experience with it? I don't start it until next month though, since I just had my present from mother nature last week. Wasn't as bad as I thought, she's a great doctor and she's funny and nice. She really answered a lot of my questions and I feel comfortable, which is important.

Oh and no papsmear. She did check down there but it was quick and we were done. She said since I wasn't sexually active, we didn't have to check this time.
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Re: First gyno appointment, questions...

Unread post by blackbetty »

TaylorKnows wrote:So I had my appointment and apparently everything's good. Is anyone on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo? That's what she put me on and she says it'll be good for me, just curious if anyone else has had experience with it? I don't start it until next month though, since I just had my present from mother nature last week. Wasn't as bad as I thought, she's a great doctor and she's funny and nice. She really answered a lot of my questions and I feel comfortable, which is important.

Oh and no papsmear. She did check down there but it was quick and we were done. She said since I wasn't sexually active, we didn't have to check this time.
I am not on it but I wish I was. I loved it. The best part of it is knowing exactly when your period will come no matter what. I can't take estrogen because of my migraines so now I'm on ortho micronor and I hate it.
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