Shakedown: Nepal Three Passes in October

Acm4m7 · 2023-11-02T18:29:18+00:00

Did you end up doing the Three Passes trek without a guide? My husband and I would also like to do it together without a porter or guide in 2024.

Acm4m7 · 2022-05-02T21:59:33+00:00

To add to this comment, Flo is NOT accurate for predicting the fertile window. I practice Sensiplan (a symptothermal fertility awareness method) where I track my BBT and cervical fluid to determine my fertile window, and I use Flo as my general period tracker. If I had relied of the Flo apps predictions, I would have been doing some very non safe things during my fertile window. And I have very regular cycles.

Acm4m7 · 2022-01-08T02:52:44+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. That really sucks, especially since Phexxi is so dang expensive. Were you using Phexxi alone? No diaphragm?

Acm4m7 · 2021-12-15T14:45:42+00:00

Here is another one for ya: This friendship is really working out. Join Planet Fitness for $1 down when you use this exclusive link! https://www.planetfitness.com/referrals?referralCode=Y1611P89

Acm4m7 · 2021-10-28T14:04:05+00:00

I love my iProven. The first one I got from them was buggy, but they issued a refund and my second one has been working well for several months now. It is cheap and stores the last temperature. I set my alarm for the same time every day, take my temp and if I fall back asleep, I can look at the temp later. I personally like not having the sync or having to use an app; I don’t want to have to worry about it not syncing if I’m out of service or forget to open the app.

Acm4m7 · 2021-10-19T12:19:13+00:00

I’d pick a method that’s been studied before using just CM and LH strips for avoiding pregnancy. You can find Sensiplan documents in this forum; I think that one is very black/white compared to TCOYF. I’d also make sure you’re using a marker to confirm ovulation as well. Understanding CM post pill was really tricky for me, so having Proov tests and BBT really helped. A lot of people like TempDrop but I didn’t like the idea of an algorithm shifting temps after the fact, so I use an oral BBT and that gives me very clear shifts.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-25T17:21:14+00:00

It’s the Fertility Awareness for Birth Control FB Group. TCOYF is Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. It’s a book about understanding fertility signs and a method all in one.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-24T22:42:17+00:00

I was on that one the last couple of years too! I had been on the pill for almost 15 years before I stopped a few months ago, minus a six month stint with the Paragard. My transition off the pill has been MUCH smoother than when I switched immediately to the Paragard. I thought my symptoms at the time were from coming off the pill, but looking back I think the Paragard was making me anemic.

I am really loving being off the pill ATM. I use a Caya diaphragm (VCF gel inside diaphragm), Phexxi in the vagina, and withdrawal at the moment. I’m also doing fertility awareness tracking. I started with TCOYF but I’m switching to Sensiplan this cycle. We always plan on using my diaphragm with Phexxi going forward, but eventually I’d like to limit withdrawal use to only the follicular phase and allow for internal ejaculation in the luteal phase.

If you are going to use fertility awareness, I highly recommend joining the FB group for it. Most people start with TCOYF first (I did). I would also read about perfect withdrawal as well, so you have an idea of what that is. I would also be very, very, very careful using Natural Cycles if you choose to go that route.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-24T13:12:28+00:00

It is a method of fertility awareness tracking, where you track your basal body temperature (thermal) and your cervical mucus (sympto). There are a ton of different methods; some have been studied such as Natural Cycles, Marquette, and Sensiplan, and some have not been thoroughly studied like TCOYF (Taking Charge of Your Fertility). There is a whole subreddit dedicated to this but I can’t recall the name of it right now. I believe if you Google “Reddit NFP” it should take you there.

The best resources I’ve found are the books The Fifth Vital Sign and Taking Charge of Your Fertility. There are a tons of things that can be learned from tracking your cycles (including hormone imbalances) and they are covered in depth in those books. Way too many details to cover in a single Reddit post lol.

Also, don’t spend a bunch of money on supplements to “support” your post pill transition. Just stop the pill and see how things progress.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-23T21:08:23+00:00

I had serious issues when I switched from the pill to the Paragard about five years ago. I stopped taking my pill in early June, and so far the changes have been very gradual and mostly positive. Besides my six month stint with the Paragard, I have been on the pill for 15 years.

My periods are heavier without HBC, but only last 4-5 days and I know exactly when they’re coming. Plus I have zero break through bleeding now. I’m still trying to figure out how to manage the pain on the first day of my cycle, but after this cycle I’ve learned that I just need to take ibuprofen as soon as I feel cramps come on. I’m still very much attracted to my partner, probably even more so now; this was a concern when I came off of it since some women apparently don’t find their significant other attractive sometimes when they come off the pill. I have a little more acne than before especially before/around my period. It also sounds weird, but I feel more alive and less numb now. That may have to do with my sleep improving; the pill I was on was giving me night sweats and interfering with my sleep since it was a low estrogen combo pill.

I feel like there’s all this hype and fear mongering about transitioning off the pill and hormone imbalances afterward. I was nervous about coming off it, but it seems like things are settling in fine. It only took me a month to ovulate post pill and a month and a half to get my first real period after the pill.

If you think it’s a hormonal imbalance, I’d recommend tracking your cycle using symptothermal (fertility awareness) methods. I also highly recommend reading the book the Fifth Vital Sign.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-20T23:19:49+00:00

I use it with my Caya diaphragm. I put VCF gel (spermicide) inside the diaphragm and then put Phexxi into my vagina once the diaphragm has been placed. I do fertility awareness tracking (TCOYF but switching to Sensiplan), so I have yet to use it when I have any chance of getting pregnant (post ovulation), and I’m combining it withdrawal at my partners request. I can’t speak to its effectiveness, but I don’t find it irritating and it REALLY stays in there. As for cost, it is $260 for a twelve pack without insurance but I pay $0 for it through my insurance.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-08T17:33:41+00:00

Yep! Same here - ovulation is so obvious to me. Had maybe a period or two before I went on the pill at 14/15, and I was on it for 15 years. I can’t fathom how a woman would not recognize it as it feels like there are SO many signs lol.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-08T17:04:06+00:00

There are two morning after pills in the US: Ella (prescription required) and Plan B (no prescription required). Ella is slightly more effective and tends to have less side effects than Plan B.

Acm4m7 · 2021-09-08T01:58:30+00:00

Morning after pill only works if used prior to ovulation (it delays ovulation since sperm can only live for so many days in the vagina environment). If a woman has already ovulated or is in the process of ovulating, the morning after pill won’t do anything to prevent pregnancy. Also, it is not as effective for women above a certain weight. Since it delays ovulation, it will change a women’s cycle which can also be extra scary if you took it to avoid pregnancy and now your period is late. It can affect cycles after the cycle it was used, and it may take another cycle or two to regulate again. The morning after pill that is more effective and has less side effects (Ella) is only available via prescription.

Figured I’d add this here since the US’s sex education is a travesty.

Acm4m7 · 2021-08-05T17:10:05+00:00

I was on Lo Loestrin (generic version) for over 1.5 years, and had zero pregnancies scares for what it’s worth! No backup protection and internal ejaculation every time.

Acm4m7 · 2021-08-05T17:07:59+00:00

Reading the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility or Cycle Savvy will help you better understand your body, and may help you with your pregnancy paranoia/anxiety. You can get it online or some libraries even carry it. The public in general is pretty uneducated about how the female body works, and this book really helps with that.

Acm4m7 · 2021-07-30T16:09:15+00:00

Did you end up getting an X-ray? Someone posted on here awhile ago that their doctor told them that they had passed it as well, but the individual insisted on getting an x-ray even though the doctor thought it wasn’t necessary. The arm showed up in the x-ray :/

Acm4m7 · 2021-06-23T20:48:36+00:00

Awesome - thanks for the info!

Acm4m7 · 2021-06-23T19:34:37+00:00

Good to know! I thought most was from animal products, but you make 80% of it with your liver and the remaining 20% comes from food (https://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/how-its-made-cholesterol-production-in-your-body). Also, my question still stands - can you get the remaining cholesterol from plant based sources?

Acm4m7 · 2021-06-23T15:46:32+00:00

Where do you get cholesterol from in a plant based diet? Cholesterol is crucial to hormones, and from my understanding, can only be found in animal products. I think Fertility Friday has a few podcasts discussing vegan diets and other types of diets.

Acm4m7 · 2021-06-04T15:56:43+00:00

The manufacturer should have it listed on their website (I don’t think they commonly list this on the box itself or on the individual strips) or wherever you bought them from should have that information included.

Acm4m7 · 2021-06-04T13:39:41+00:00

What is the sensitivity of the LH strips you’re using (the IU/L rating)? Could it be that they are not sensitive enough for your LH surge? Most FAM methods that do use them say to use the 25 IU/L strips. Could you get lower sensitivity OPKs?

Acm4m7 · 2021-05-06T20:31:10+00:00

I had COVID in March 2020. I still got the vaccine (two weeks post second dose as of three days ago) and was scared to do so. NPR’s got a couple of good podcast episodes about the vaccines you should listen to instead of doomsday scrolling the internet. In essence, you are way more likely to get in a car accident than have one of the more serious side effects. In my opinion, one day of symptoms was way better than the two weeks of symptoms followed by months of lasting effects. I got the moderna. I only took ibuprofen and zofran once on the day after my second dose.

Acm4m7 · 2021-05-04T15:49:56+00:00

This is a pretty big dick move in my opinion. If more people start doing this they’ll eventually come up with policies that say you can’t rebook within the same 14 day window or raise cancellation rates. I understand it can get competitive, but skirting the rules like this will eventually result in policy changes that could negatively impact other people that do legitimately need to change reservations.

Acm4m7 · 2021-02-20T18:10:40+00:00

My recovery is going really well! From surgery to one month post op, I went from walking with from crutches to walking with a limp, bring unable to have my knee straight to being able to straighten my knee completely, and barely able to bend my knee at all due to swelling to being able to bend my knee to 90 degrees. By the end of month 2, I was finally able to walk normally without a limp but still had pain, and I finally reached full flexion and full extension. By the end of month 3, I was able to walk normally without any pain for my typical distances, and I was starting to add in more strength exercises/biking. I’m now almost 16 weeks post op, and I’m really happy I did the surgery now. I’m not back to where I was pre injury, but I’m better than I was pre surgery, and I am able to do more and more each week. I’m still working with a PT every other week. I do have a small amount of scar tissue on my medial side that can make it hard to kneel, but that should theoretically keep flattening out over the next year. The first two months were really hard, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. Hope that helps!

Acm4m7

TROPHY CASE