The Girly Thread

[VEGANGELICA]

Originally Posted by Paloma

Ah man, I'm just about to start bleeding again. I just got put back on birth control so it's not that bad. I had to get my gynecological exam done so I could get it again. That **** is so awkward, the first time I had one I'd eaten burritos before the appointment, so my legs are all up in the m stirrups and I'm trying to hold in a ****ing fart.

About the Pill:

Do you worry much about the risks of birth control hormones? I've never used the pill and avoided it because I don't want to change my hormone levels and increase certain cancer risks. Here's a quote about oral contraceptives (OCs) and cancer:

The risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers is reduced with the use of OCs, while the risk of breast and cervical cancers is increased.

A 1996 analysis of worldwide epidemiologic data conducted by the Collaborative Group on Hormonal Factors in Breast Cancer found that women who were current or recent users of birth control pills had a slightly elevated risk of developing breast cancer. The risk was highest for women who started using OCs as teenagers. Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk: Q & A - National Cancer Institute

Also, I'm concerned about the effect of The Pill on women's libido. I have another question for all you pill-users: what effect does the Pill have on sexual desire? I usually assume the pill reduces sexual desire or libido, based on what I've read. Here's a disturbing article about long-term effects of the pill on sexual desire: Less Sexual Desire After The Pill? - CBS News.

Originally Posted by Paloma

Yeah I'm out of gynecological adventures for now, maybe next year.

Gynecological Adventures:

Here are some of my thoughts on gynecological adventures, Tumor (still have to look up that religious anti-lust book).

I don't know which would be worse...having a gynecological exam, or (for men) having some doctor or nurse stick her/his fingers up the rectum to feel the prostate. In both cases, holding in a burrito fart would probably be uncomfortable! I wonder...do you think men like having a prostate exam? The feeling I get is that they feel it is kind of humiliating.

I don't like the part of the gynecological exam where the midwife/doctor does the PAP smear test by taking a cervix sample: it causes a little sting. Also, having a metal speculum up one isn't pleasurable, though it doesn't hurt. I appreciate it when the midwife warms up the speculum first!

Whenever I have a PAP smear, I ask the medical professional if causing a small cervix wound, leading to cell division to fix the wound, increases the chance of cervical cancer. Apparently it doesn't.

I don't know, though, why they bother checking for cervical cancer, since if I don't have the virus that increases cervical cancer risk (and I don't), then the risk is very low!

The part of the gynecological exam I dislike the most is putting your feet on the stirrups. It kind of gives me a helpless feeling, like I'm not in control...the stirrups are. I don't like that helpless feeling. I had one midwife, though, who I think understood that, because she put little sock puppets over the stirrups you rest your feet on. That was funny! And soft.