My left nipple has been SUPER itchy lately. It peeled majorly, then scabbed a little where I scratched the itch, then tonight it peeled again.

No discharge, no pain really, just a little extra sensitivity.

I'm not on ANY medication- no HBC, no antidepressants, no vitamins, nothin'.

I recently cut most dairy, especially cheese, out of my diet and have had a little more soy than usual in the past few weeks. I believe I have a lactose problem. I have no idea if the dietary change, which is minor overall, could have any impact on my left nipple; certainly my breakouts and digestion have improved since cutting way back on dairy.

No family history of gynae-related cancers... no personal history of breast weirdness...

So, VP: WTF?

I am totally clueless about the answer to this question and would really appreciate your input:
Does cohabiting (not sexually) with a drug addict increase a non-drug user's chances of getting a STD? Does this apply for AIDS as well? What precautions can be taken if moving out (i.e. leaving the drug addict)  is not immediately possible? 

I apologize if this is the wrong place to ask this question and would appreciate it if you can direct me to the appropriate source. 

Thank you. 

Edit: Drugs used are: pot, cocaine, meth. Maybe heroine. 

Wow, so much VP LOVE.

I really didn't expect that so many people would reply to my post, but I feel so incredibly supported by you all right now... And I really truly needed that.

So thank you so much. You've all helped me feel so much better about my feelings of discomfort. Talk about validation! :)

<3!

stepstomarrow
When granddaughter, Jada, was born with leukemia, a donor-match was located and Jada made a miraculous recovery. In honor of her grandaughter's health, Jeanna has decided to walk across the country (in the dead of winter) to raise awareness and build support for the bone marrow registry (all that's required is a cheek swab). Follow Jeanna's remarkable journey as she travels the United States by foot.

I'm currently on the active pills of birth control, (I take one called monofeme if that's relevant) but today I had some spotting. Pretty light, but I'm not sure if it's stopping or if I'm going to get my period (I'll update in the morning with which)
I've heard before that getting your period while on the active pills can be a sign of pregnancy? I had sex with my boyfriend a few days ago now, we always use condoms although there is some penetration before we put one on. I don't take my pill at the same time every day, I use it as more of a skip periods when I need to thing than a birth control thing (But I am planning to start taking it more regularly soon)
So, should I be freaking out that I'm pregnant or is it nothing?

I tossed my pack of BC in my bag and a few pills got shattered. The seal hasn't been broken, but the pills are in a few different pieces inside the packaging. Is it okay to take the pills in separate pieces? What if some small parts got powdered and I only take about 95% of the pill - how much does it matter? Or should I just not take the broken pills?

I am absolutely at my wits end right now. I have had yet another full set of vaginal swabs done and again everything has come back negative. This time, I had a doctor and a nurse tell me I most definitely had candida, I have a lot of white discharge, pain and itching, but the test says not. It's one thing to have a repeated/ongoing yeast infection (the itching/soreness has been on and off for the last 6-8 weeks), but how can it not show up? Whatever it is is also not responding to OTC yeast meds. It's not chlamydia, it's not gonorrhea, it's not BV, not trich. I've had ongoing problems for the last few years but this is the worst one in terms of symptoms. What on earth could it be?

Not happy with my birth control right now.

I've been using the Nuvaring for a long time, since I had my child 4+ years ago, actually. Lately, I have been using the method of keeping the ring in 4 weeks and then just putting a new one in to skip my period after that. (It's been approved as okay to do by my doc for those of you about to say you should only do 3 weeks...) I've done it for 2 months and this would have been my last month before I'd stop to get a period on purpose.

Well, my body didn't want any of that. I got my period while I still had the ring in, a good two weeks before I was going to take it out and have it on my own. They're calling it "breakthrough bleeding", I call it my damn period.

And to top it all off, the ring must have fell out sometime yesterday when I was taking my tampon out. So I am going to my pharmacy to get a new one and am encouraged by the lightening of the blood as hopefully it's a sign the damn period/bleeding thing is going away. And, needless to say, I do not intend on keeping the ring out for at least another 12 weeks from today. I'm calling that my quarterly period and am done with it.

:>

Any advice and/or thoughts?

Hey all,

I take Yaz, every day, about the same time, and have been on it about 6 months. My last real period was the 20th of November, and ended around Thanksgiving, I think. Then I started to bleed again on December 7th, and it has continued since then. This is not what I would consider "spotting," but maybe I should (I've never had anything like this happen before)...I bleed on and off throughout the day, the same amount I would on a light period. Sometimes the blood is more lumpy and less liquid. Still, I take Yaz and I was under the impression that it shouldn't cause me to get more periods, especially for this long. Should I be worried or is this common? Do you think that some stress (finals) could be a factor? Is there anything I can do to stop it? Should I call my doctor? Also, I had PIV sex about 5 hours ago and I am experiencing some cramping, but I never do. Why is this/is this common/should I be concerned? I am wondering if they are related because I don't usually experience any pain after.
Thanks !

this is probably a silly question and it doesn't apply to me right now but it's something i've always wondered about.

hypothetically if you mess up taking you HBC and unknowingly end up pregnant, would you expect to experience a "period"/withdrawal bleeding when going off of the HBC for the placebo week? in other words, is withdrawal bleeding an accurate assessment of pregnancy even though it's not really a real period?

TIA!

I recently was put on Zoloft due to anxiety and depression, but now it seems that I cannot get the same 'oomph' when I orgasm. Don't get me wrong, I can still get there, but it just doesn't feel the same. My clit becomes almost numb and it's difficult to feel anything. I know that there are sexual side effects with this type of meds, but is there anything I can do to? Should I just relax and keep at it? Does anybody have experience with this?

so when my boyfriend goes down on me, when it builds up and i'm digging it, it starts to get uncomfortable where it feels like a tickle fight and i feel like i need to pee really badly (but i don't); is this considered a normal part of climaxing? do other girls enjoy this? i just feel like i need to stop but like that's a bummer, not being able to get off on oral. now i just feel hesitant about being eaten out and i don't want this sensation to ruin oral for me. when i end up doing is biting my hand and wait until he does something else.

and not really a concern but a curiosity, how long until it stopped hurting for girls after they started having sex or how long until they started enjoying it?

I searched the memories and didnt find any on this topic.

I happen to be a girl who enjoys giving head as if it were a favor to me (unless being forced to do it) I get a rush from it and it definitly never feels like a chore. I have met others who agree but not many. any one else?

So, I looked in the memories and I couldn't exactly find a story that fit my situation so I figured I'd give it a shot. Let me give you guys a little bit of a back story. I'm 22 and my boyfriend is 28. We've been together for 7 months and we've known each other for 6 years. We've been throw alot in the last 6 years. I was with another guy for the last 3 years, that was very abusive and ended in a rape and a pfa. He has survived cancer twice. We dated once when we were younger and we decided to give it another go.

After my long term relationship ended, I wanted nothing to do with a serious relationship. So I dated casually and I did have one or two one night stands. They were fun, the sex was great and I didn't have to commit to any of them. When I was in the 3 year relationship, the sex was horrible. I felt trapped, like I was an object, I was resentful and I had no drive at all. And Now that I am out of that relationship, my drive is amazing. While I was casually dating when I was with someone, I could tell them exactly what I wanted, how I wanted ect. I had no problem. I was not self-conscious at all. I was actually very dominant.


When the boyfriend and I started dating, that all changed. When we started having sex, I got nervous. Foreplay was no big deal, I had no problem making out and all that, but when it came to the part where he pants actually came off, I found myself being very nervous and unsure of myself. I of course pushed through it, thinking it was maybe me just liking him to much, that I didn't want to mess anything up or me trying to be perfect. I've always been very comfortable with sex. With the people I've been with, being able to openly discuss it, and now its all changed.

My boyfriend on the other hand, is completely different. He is shy even though he says he isnt. He is on celexra, which is an anti-depressant, which I thought could be the problem too. When we first started to sleep together, you could tell that he was nervous, and usually its a big turn on when a guy is intimidated by me, but not this time. And yes, he has called me intimidating. I of course was very dominate, because if I wasnt, I feel we would have gotten no where fast. The first couple of times, I was very dominate and then I started to ease off, giving him more control and such, which is a nice change of pace. Well, that is were it all went downhill, I think.

We started to have a shot or 2, before anything sexual started. I think it calmed both of our nerves and everything seemed to be ok. Pictures were taken, videos were made, we openly discussed things we wanted to try. This went on for awhile, then we hit a dry spell. He told me it was his medication and after a about 3 weeks, we were back to normal. We then started to drink more. Well, he did. We'd drink and play cards or whatever and then I couldn't keep his hands off me. The in October, we stopped drinking. We still had sex and I was honestly still nervous. I still could not bring myself to tell him what felt good and what didn't. Was I scared I was going to hurt his feelings? Yes. He was already shy, I didnt want to make it worse..well I did. Early November, after a night of drinking and from a dry spell of 2 weeks, we had sex, or at least tried. He might have lasted all of 5 minutes. Which could have been the liquor or the dry spell, either way I let out a very aggravated, drunk "You've got to be kidding me". And yes, I understand how horrible that was and I apologized the next day. I honestly wouldn't have cared, if he was like "let me finger you to get you off" or something but he doesnt offer. And he knows how much I love it. But then I have to show him what to do, which I am getting better at. So I can see where I'm at fault too.I know he does masturbate, cause he used to be very open with it. So I dont think its his endurance? We've had sex once after that, and I we were sober, took about 45 mins to actually start having sex and we might have been 10 mins in when he asked if I got off because he did awhile ago and didnt want to tell me. I pretty much rolled off him, said that wasnt cool and told him we'd discuss it later.

We'll we never did. And everytime I try, we get no where. Its almost like he doesnt hear me and changes the subject. We are a very strong couple besides the whole lack of sex. We are very close, we dont see each other everyday, mostly on the weekends but talk all the time. When we first started out, we used to dirty text each other, send pictures and make out. God, I love to make out, we never do anymore. We Kiss, but it goes no further. We still cuddle and sleep in the same bed and we're very affection otherwise. I've tried everything, to skimpy clothing, doing things that usually used to initiate sex, like kissing his neck or touching on of his hot spots. Nothing. And now when I mention something dirty or send a dirty text, it gets ignored.


I am now getting self-conscious. I invited him in the shower the other night, and I get "Im not the shower kind of guy" when he used to text me all the things he wanted to do to me in the shower. Heck, all he wanted for his birthday was sex, and he spent the whole night playing warcraft. I'm out of ideas. I don't want to badger him or make it seem like its all about sex, cause it isnt, but I don't want to be missing out. lately he has grinded with me when we've cuddled and I've grinded back and it ends there. I know, He's turned on and that he's hard but its like he won't take the next step. And I've been rejected to many times that I just can't take it anymore. The Old Me would have been able to come out and say "let's F*ck" and for some reason I cant.

I understand its all about communication, we ourselves have said that to each other. We talk about everything, personal or not. It just when it comes to sex, it's like we're both scared and I don't understand why. I'm sorry if I confused anyone, I just have alot on my mind and I just want to give enough information as possible. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Has anyone ever tried it to start up their period? Most importantly, did it work? What form did you use? (Tea, vaginal insert..?)

As stated in a previous post, I was on HBC for 3 months or-so and stopped. My period is a good 2 weeks late if going by my last cycle (while on HBC). I am NOT pregnant, so no worries there. Have Just felt so bloated, crampy, head-achy and overall gross. :"(

What is the biggest lie you live?

Hey everyone =)I am posting on behalf of my mom since she's not terribly good with internet communication. She is thirty seven, has three children (including myself), and had tubal ligation about six years ago.

She has been diagnosed with global pelvic prolapse (meaning her uterus, bladder, and rectum are all prolapsing simultaneously). It is not to the most advanced stage yet, but she is due to have a hysterectomy around January. She is also showing signs of having developed endometriosis (pain beyond just cramping right before and during her period that magically disappears the week afterwards and more recently, extremely heavy bleeding). She is uncomfortable almost all of the time due to the prolapse but lately, her period week is supposedly worse than the pain of having kidney stones and leaves her shaking and immobile. So, I have a few questions I want to ask for her.

First, has anyone else here dealt with global pelvic prolapse? If so, was surgery to repair it a success?

Second, we've been told that recovery after her hysterectomy will be extremely long. I know she's dreading the recovery period and I'm wondering if anyone can say from personal or second hand experience if the recovery is really as lengthy and uncomfortable as the doctors say it will be.

Third, I know that many of you wonderful VPers have struggled with endo. What are some of the best ways you've found to cope with the pain? Vicodin isn't even making a dent in the pain for her. She's open to any ideas.


Thank you all for any insight you can provide.
<3

19, NP, not pregnant, never knowingly had yeast infection or BV before, STI-free. Myself and both exes (polyamorous relationship, both breakups happening close together) who I have had sex with in the last few months had been tested and are also STI-free, which was highly important to all of us considering the multiple partners dealie. Currently on Implanon after Mirena IUD/IUS expelled a month ago.

I am 90% sure I have some kind of BV. Since my IUD expelled about a month ago, I've had manual penetration and oral sex, as well as sex with my (now)ex-girlfriend with a dildo. I have had PIV sex once with a male condom since expulsion. While it wasn't within the first week after expulsion, I'm pretty sure that I was still at a higher risk for infection, but didn't really think of it at the time enough to use gloves and dams, just the condom.

Now, my discharge has been both slightly thicker (though nothing like that "cottage cheese" type of thickness) and slightly yellow in color, though I didn't think much of it because I attributed it to the irritation and breakdown of my uterine lining when the IUD was in and when it expelled (I had it for about a month). Usually when my hormones fluctuate, I have a slight change in scent. I did not notice an abnormal change in scent, but my housemates claim that they notice on their blankets (we tend to bring our blankets in the living room and just get under whoever's because it's cold).

So, now I'm wanting to try the hydrogen peroxide or a vinegar douche. Problem is, I don't have anything like a syringe to squirt it up there with. I've never douched before. I've heard something about a douche bag, and am wondering how it works and if I could make a makeshift one with a condom after washing away the lube. If that' possible, would latex be okay or should I go with nonlatex?

Thanks, VP!

Tori's Fire to Your Plain came 3rd place in a top of songs of 09, which weren't released as singles. Congrats to Tori !!!



(See Top 2009 Here)

Hi all,

I've felt some pressure/pain around my clit for a few days now. At first I figured it was because I got both the flu and my annual insomnia simultaneously (slightly raised temperature, sensitive skin, everything hurt for a while, etc.), but both are over today and my clit still feels uncomfortable. It's not a burning or itching feeling, more the kind of slight pressure/pain I normally feel when I really, really have to pee. I feel a sort of lingering pressure just after I've been to the bathroom as well, but I don't have to pee more often than usual, and I haven't noticed any other possible symptoms.

I won't be able to see a doctor until Friday, but should I assume this is the start of a UTI? I've never had one before, so I don't really know what to look for. On top of that, my period starts on Friday - will that complicate things at all?


ETA: Just to add, I know it seems odd for UTI pain to be around my clit, but it's a bit hard to pinpoint. I guess it could be the part of my urethra directly underneath that area.