Women: NO MORE PERIODS!

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

http://www.slate.com/id/2166983/

Say goodbye to another curse of nature. Menstruation just became optional.

We've been tampering with periods for years. But on Tuesday, we made it official. The Food and Drug Administration approved Lybrel, the first birth-control pill explicitly designed to abolish monthly bleeding.

Since the dawn of hormonal contraception, women have debated the wisdom of suppressing their periods. Crunchy feminists think it's unnatural. Techno-feminists think it's liberating. I'm a guy, so I'll stay out of the fight over womanhood. But I'll say one thing about nature and liberation: Pharmacology is dissolving them. Menstruation as we know it isn't exactly natural. And for some women, abolishing it isn't exactly liberating.

[Angelyne]

From the article:

Then, about 50 years ago, we invented the pill. It prevented ovulation by mimicking the hormones that told a woman's body she was already gestating a baby. In short, it faked pregnancy. But that didn't bother people.

The Pill doesn't bother people? Has this author never heard of the Catholic Church? And why do we have idiots on Fox News saying otherwise?

Fucking moron.

For women with severe physical symptoms—cramps, migraines, nausea—banishing periods is a no-brainer

TMI alert:

That's easy to say as a man who has never had to deal with the massive influx of hormones that come with taking birth control. I've tried stopping my period before--once with Depo, and then another time by skipping the placebo pills in my birth control. The results were disastrous and I ended up bleeding every day for months. In my case, it's far easier to deal with a monthly period--cramps, PMS and all--than it is to deal with the amount of hormones needed to stop it.

I'm not complaining about women who use Depo or any of these period-stopping pills, and I really don't want to sound like a femi-Nazi, but this writer simply has no idea what the hell he is talking about. He is presenting is this as some miracle, liberating "cure", when in reality, these pills won't work for everyone.

[雨]

This Is Great News!

[Roxie]

wow Ang, I skipped my placebo pills and was fine...are you sure that was due to the pills and not some other condition?

[Angelyne]

wow Ang, I skipped my placebo pills and was fine...are you sure that was due to the pills and not some other condition?

I think my body is just extra sensitive to hormones--I had to try a couple brands of birth control pills before I found one that didn't give me terrible side effects. It's been a couple years since I tried skipping placebos, and it might even work now that I've been using my current brand of pills for awhile, but I'm too scared to try again.

The point is that I know I'm not the only woman who has had trouble with the side effects of hormonal birth control. That's why I think the article's author is a fool for presenting these new pills as some sort of miracle solution for all women.

[Kleshya]

There are a lot of women who have problems with birth control, especially the after-effects, i.e. when trying to concieve. The inability to conceive for several years after getting off Depo is a pretty big problem, that and the fact that they evidently did a study on it not too long ago and found that it can cause some major bone density loss if you take it for longer than a year. I was warned about this last one before getting one along with some pamphlets on it.


I too had some problems with Depo, I got off it last year, had a month long period right after and then didn't have a period for 6 months and then finally started having one, but still very very irregular. My doctor warned me about the problems conceiving when I brought this up with her after reading about it on several message boards and my husband read about it on WebMD.


I would agree that the "great, wonderful" ability not to have your period at all is not so great or wonderful.

[laggedreaction]

OMG, you guys have to watch this: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/25/i-want-more-babies-more-babies-we-love-babies/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVhyXHmuS4

Some people are actually against this. :eyepop: What a nut.

[Knife-Fingered Sue Sanderson]

I think if you're one of those women who get horrible periods, the kinds where you can't even function - this pill is great! But other than a day of bad cramps, I really don't even care when it comes. With regular birth control pills you can skip your period if it falls across a time where having would be inconvenient anyway (taking a trip, anniversary, etc.). But I'm actually very relieved when I get my period because I know right away that I'm not pregnant.

I do kind of understand why some people are against this. Menstruation is a natural, womanly part of life (albeit an inconvenient one) that some people treat like a disease that needs to be cured.

[雨]

OMG, you guys have to watch this: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/05/25/i-want-more-babies-more-babies-we-love-babies/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOVhyXHmuS4

Some people are actually against this. :eyepop: What a nut.Oh my god. Why do they let these kinds of people speak so that the audience can hear. It is just torture.

They should limit this kind of retarded and repetitive banter to documentaries about retarded people so we can know their type exists but not have to put up with it unexpectedly.

[Life25Karma]

....:box:

[D-pad]

*giggles*

This is too good to be true...

*evil laugh*

[Plekto]

I can definately see it helping my friend, though. They have two kids and she's not ever having any again(their decision), as she's in her late 30s already. She wants menopause to start asap.

But yeah - it's best not to mess with the body's natural functions unless there's a really good reason to. So just use a condom.

[Lea]

I'd love to not have periods if it's safe... :/

[riona]

I'd love to not have periods if it's safe... :/
Ditto. I hate periods. They get me really moody and evil. And then I do bad stuff that I regret a lot.
Plus, I've been getting mine for upwards five years now and they are still extremely irregular. I was considering asking my doctor for it just to regulate my period, but now I think I'll ask for that new one and just skip it altogether...

[Roxie]

I must link my thread (http://www.outpostnine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=361523#post361523)..

[The Divine Comedy]

That sounds like a really nice thing. I might be worried about more breakthrough bleeding on it, though, since I've heard that could be one of the side effects.

[Soli]

Death to periods!


...Commas shudder in fear.


>_> Sorry! I've heard it before and it made me giggle, so I'll share it.
This sounds like a good idea, in my opinion. Another thing to get when I'm older!

[Stephy]

and I really don't want to sound like a femi-Nazi, but this writer simply has no idea what the hell he is talking about. He is presenting is this as some miracle, liberating "cure", when in reality, these pills won't work for everyone.
I have to agree with you on some parts.



Also, there are pros and cons to this. I think I rather just get my period and deal with it.

There's risks involved when trying to deal with hormones of the body and tricking it. I don't know. I like the idea of NOT having a period anymore especially if it can prevent cramps, a minor acne break out, and my breast hurting each time, but I want to be sure its really safe and the risks are minimum and not common.

[bubbles]

Females these days do have more periods than is natural, and they're annoying as fuck. Also, some have chosen to pick at the menses as a symptom of weakness in women (Can't trust anything that bleeds for 5 days without dying, can't have a female president because she'll get PMS and start nuking the world, other half-joking bs)
I've tried one of the older variances of higher dose pills, but stopped because of the side effects. The new low dose ones like this don't seem to have the possible blood clot problems, and though they've not been extremely thoroughly researched I'd go for them in a heartbeat (when the govt. here funds them). The female body can handle having the levels of hormones needed to supress periods for a sustained time; whether it's through natural release or supplement it's a choice that is worth having.

[ellie]

(^ there are bc pills that don't carry a risk of blood clots? can you link me to where i can find that?! the reason i can't take bc pills is because my blood clots like, way too much. maybe i should go to a ob.gyn or something to ask about it?)

I would love to NOT have my period, mainly because of the horrible PMS accompanying it. But I also like having definite proof each month that I am not preggers.

[SlickWilly440]

This is great, now women taking this have no excuse to get angry and blame it on their period. The situation goes something like this:

Guy: "Why are you gettin' all moody and yellin' at me!"
Gal: "I'm on my monthlys!"
Guy: "Woman I know you be taken them pills!"
Gal: .......................(the argument is over).

[Beowulf]

Psychologists repeatedly say that there is no such thing as PMS. There is no hormonal/chemical difference in women's brains to indicate a reason for it. Women just use it as an excuse to get bitchy.

[Fred]

As a general rule, psychologists don't seem to know the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad. I like to watch them eat before deciding whether to consider the merits of their statements.

[c-rex]

The trick is don't let the blood dry.

Wait, what?

Someone will get that

[jihei18]

This is great, now women taking this have no excuse to get angry and blame it on their period. The situation goes something like this:

Guy: "Why are you gettin' all moody and yellin' at me!"
Gal: "I'm on my monthlys!"
Guy: "Woman I know you be taken them pills!"
Gal: .......................(the argument is over).

How well do you know women? THE ARGUMENT IS NEVER OVER!!!
...until you admit the error of your ways, of course!

[h2orowe]

Psychologists repeatedly say that there is no such thing as PMS. There is no hormonal/chemical difference in women's brains to indicate a reason for it. Women just use it as an excuse to get bitchy.
If it's as painful as they say it is >.>; then I think that's good enough reason for them to get bitchy. I know I'd be pissed off if I had major cramps and such. Ever had cramps or like.. sharp pain in your testicles? It fucking hurts, man. It fucking hurts.

[Hatsumomo]

I miss the years where I didn't get cramps. Now it's just like somebody's taken a vise and is squeezing the hell out of my uterus, like an antidote is within. What's worse is if I'm in class or at work.

[seiji]

I miss the years where I didn't get cramps. Now it's just like somebody's taken a vise and is squeezing the hell out of my uterus, like an antidote is within. What's worse is if I'm in class or at work.
QFT. I, for one, do not fake PMS.

[Stephy]

Same. You can't fake that. O.o geez. There were times I passed out from so much pain. There's girls I know who vomit and get really sick over it, feeling so much pain, and some who have had hospital visits for it. Its definitely NOT fake. The mood swings are apart of it too. Also homorne levels are different during PMS. I even get a really minor acne break out with my periods and then my skin clears really well and goes back to normal afterwards.

[Hatsumomo]

I know my period is coming up when I'm extremely pissed for absolutely no reason. That's when I ask my bosses to put me somewhere with the least amount of contact with customers. Just them existing is enough to make me furious.

[seiji]

^ Same again. My boyfriend will be the same lovable dweeb as ever, and I'll suddenly feel the inexplicable urge to sock him for it. He learned quickly to recognize that look.

I think we're channeling each other's PMS...

[Hatsumomo]

Do you have cravings for anything chocolate and/or with ice cream the week before and during? That's another warning sign for me.

[Beowulf]

As a general rule, psychologists don't seem to know the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad. I like to watch them eat before deciding whether to consider the merits of their statements.
Uhhh...Ok...

Ever had cramps or like.. sharp pain in your testicles? It fucking hurts, man. It fucking hurts.
If only women knew the sheer unabated agony of getting kicked in the nuts :knockout:

[Hatsumomo]

I don't know. I used to be a gymnast and more than once I have fallen on the beam and got the edge right inside the sensitive no-nos. My legs are crossing just from the memory.

[Plekto]

This I can verify from ex girlfriends. That part is exactly as sensitive for men as women - and hurts as much if there's a really good kick.(plus biologically, the same tissue forms the organs/area in both men and women while we are developing - so the nuymber of nerves are the same - just organized differently.

Of course, internally, yeah - men don't have any nerve connections to a uterus or simmilar.(nothing like an appendix/vestigial anything) So there's no way to conceptualize the pain in that case.(cramps, whatnot)

[seiji]

Do you have cravings for anything chocolate and/or with ice cream the week before and during? That's another warning sign for me.
Dammit, I do, especially dark chocolate and mocha. My house is a pretty safe place to be a candy bar except for that one week every month.

[The Divine Comedy]

Yeah, periods suck. I'm luckier than most in that I only get cramps on one day out of it. But they still hurt. Another annoying this is tender breasts. I get those for about a week beforehand. Sucks when accidentally poke them with something. Or sleep on my stomach. Or whatever. :(

[ZaichikArky]

Yeah, periods suck. I'm luckier than most in that I only get cramps on one day out of it. But they still hurt. Another annoying this is tender breasts. I get those for about a week beforehand. Sucks when accidentally poke them with something. Or sleep on my stomach. Or whatever. :(

Yeah, same here. The weird thing was that my tender breasts were caused by my birth control. They hurt for 2 weeks before my period started. As soon as I got off it, I was virtually pain free. the only problem was that birth control relieves cramps and now I have them again once a month : (. I need to find some kind of pain reliever that works for period cramps...

[The Divine Comedy]

Aw, that sucks. I've always found that Tylenol works wonders for mine, but that could just be me.

[Hatsumomo]

Aleve was the wonder drug for me.