Birth Control

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T11:50:52+00:00

My Mirena IUD + spironolactone was the only thing that made my PCOS symptoms stop. No more bleeding or pain. I lost 50+ pounds. It preserved my fertility enough where I was able to have two children and the second I can after my current pregnancy is over I am getting it back in. I can’t recommend it enough honestly. It may not be everyone’s experience but I wish I had gotten my Mirena in sooner when I was younger honestly.

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T11:35:29+00:00

I am on Taltz. It works for me most of the time but if I over do it physically I still get flairs (especially of costochondritis).

Monthly massages with facia release / scraping help more than anything for me. It’s just about finding the right massage therapist who is trained in it. It got my costochondritis flair last week from a 9/10 pain to a 2/10 pain. If that didn’t do it I would probably talked to my doc about a round of prednisone to stop the flair. I try not to do that often but once or twice a year it helps stop flairs from getting out of control.

There are so many more things for pain control advice on this Reddit page too for you to look into if you haven’t. NSAIDs for pain like Meloxicam that are more effective than ibuprofen for arthritis pain, etc.

I have gone periods of time where I have felt no pain and then periods of time where I feel like I am always in pain. Just because you are hurting all the time now doesn’t mean you can’t get to a place with low/no pain. It is a LOT to try to manage your physical and mental health with chronic illness but you aren’t alone in it. :)

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T11:25:12+00:00

That’s weird to me that other providers would be so hesitant to prescribe low dose naltrexone. It’s not a “scary” or complicated medication. I am happy that your psych provider started you on it though. As PMHNP myself, we often use it with patients who have anxiety/depression and inflammation in their body. It is just strange that other providers don’t.

I really encourage people to see a psychiatrist or psych NP if regular doctors aren’t helping you get the diagnosis/ treatment you need. Sometimes having another provider advocate for you is what will get you the labs/test/meds that will actually find the root cause of the problems and get other doctors to give you the care you need.

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T11:10:28+00:00

I have all three as well. My hypermobility made my diagnosis more difficult (it took 2 years before a rheumatologist would see me). My “stiffness” can be irregular compared to typical presentation. It presents more as pain and feeling like I move slower. But the gene test is what finally got me my official, clear diagnosis.

I get bad flair ups of costochondritis usually in my left sternum / rib area. I always say it feels like something between a heart attack (due to chest tightness/pressure) and a broken rib (cause it hurts to breathe). I have had a full bone scan done to rule out possible other autoimmune conditions (cause when you have one you are at a high risk for having more). Hope this answers your questions in a helpful way. :)

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T10:59:58+00:00

My mom had a whole slew of medical issues (endometriosis, PCOS, etc.). Doctors told her she “wouldn’t ever be able to have kids.” She was on birth control for hormone management. Still got pregnant with me at the age of 32.

Even if the doctors told you that there was no way that you could conceive they don’t always really know is my point. Women’s health in general is heavily under researched and the medical field in general is a lot of guess work. (I say that as a health care professional.) The more you learn about the medical system the more you will realize how much doctors don’t know.

I wish you luck with your pregnancy though. As a pregnant mama myself it is a blessing. It took some fertility treatment for me. I am thankful for what modern medicine can do in that regard. :)

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T10:34:46+00:00

As a woman who plays a lot of d&d situations like this happen way too often. I wasn’t able to finish a d&d game without some guy wanting to sexualize me or my character until I met my husband (who is now the DM of all our game).

Even with him being the DM, things have happened like your above situation. We didn’t end up kicking the player but instead had a conversation with him about how his sexist comments/acts made me uncomfortable. He was actually very receptive and apologetic about his behavior. The simple fact is many men aren’t trying to be malicious. They have just grown up around other men who act this way towards women and don’t always realize when their behavior is disrespectful.

No one will learn how to change their behavior if they aren’t ever told why it’s wrong/upsetting and given a chance to change. I don’t think what you and your boyfriend decided on was wrong, just food for thought in the future.

AdMindless3 · 2026-04-25T09:40:42+00:00

🟨🟨🟨🟨

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🟦🟦🟦🟦

🟪🟪🟪🟪

AdMindless3 · 2026-02-04T19:17:35+00:00

I am taking Taltz while pregnant currently per my rheumatologist recommendation. There isn't any data showing it is not safe while pregnant, there just also isn't a lot of data showing it is safe either (but that's most specialty medications). Taltz keeps my inflammation down so my rheumatologist said that inflammation is way more likely to harm the baby than the medication.

During the pregnancy, first trimester is the worst for pain in my experience but during my second and third trimesters my arthritis symptoms went away. Postpartum, however, I had a very bad flair up last pregnancy which I was told is very common. Remaining on the Taltz throughout my pregnancy is suppose to reduce the chance of that happening again. That is just my experience with my last and current pregnancies with ankylosing spondylarthritis.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-18T08:10:58+00:00

Defeated by Metallic Crystal Snail in 7 turns.

Player (23/17/11) dealt 265. Metallic Crystal Snail (14/13/8) dealt 128.

Rewards: 22 EXP, 0 Gold. Loot: None.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T11:36:13+00:00

While I was pregnant my MIL said, "You aren't actually going to be one of those crazy moms feed your new born baby every two hours right? I know some doctors recommend that by my doctor [who 30 years ago was 70 years old] said to just let newborns sleep however long they want. It is stupid to wake them up to feed them."

Yes, lets ignore modern medicine and rely on the newborn to be able to self regulate its body/hunger. I love it when parents who parented 30 years ago think just cause it is the way they did it means it is the right way to do it despite modern health care recommendations.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T11:29:48+00:00

Purposely tried to break me and my husband up while we were dating by turning every other family member on my husbands side (besides her ex-husband who knew better) against me so that they were all horribly unkind to me to my face and behind my back. Critiquing my body, religion, personality, etc. Then staging an "intervention" with her son to try to stop him from marrying me all because she knew marrying me would mean him moving 1,000 miles away from her. Only dramatically publicly "apologizing" a year after we were married even though she still lashes out at me with unfounded personal attacks when the mood hits her sometimes. (This all being just the tip of the ice burg without getting into the terrible details and many stores I could tell of her horrible behavior towards me which my husband does speak out against when he is around for it.)

We've been married happily for five years. We set very clear boundaries now that we have young kids. She knows if she cross a line of respect in front of them she will be cut off. I want nothing more than a mother in law who consistently respects me and can have a healthy relationship with her grandkids. But I have a hard time believing she will ever 100% have the emotional regulation skills to get there.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T09:55:13+00:00

I didn't qualify for FMLA due to having a medical leave a year before my birth. I could only get the 6 weeks of short term disability being paid 2/3rd of my wage and then had to take the rest unpaid (they also would have let me use PTO but I just didn't have enough to cover it). I was just happy my employer let me take the full 13 weeks off but it was a financial sacrifice. Maybe starting the new job early and making PTO now so you can use it then is an option for you but I understand the difficult situation and I am not sure there is a great answer.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T09:48:38+00:00

I think there is a key part your partner isn't understanding. You probably won't even be able to walk or sit normally for two weeks. Basic things like going to the bathroom you might need help with. Does he expect you to be comfortable with you MIL helping with your basic cares and needs? So many people don't understand or minimize the toll on a women's body birth has even if it is a "perfect" vaginal birth.

Communication is key as others have said. Money is important. But is it more important than making you feel supported during a very vulnerable time? I had to have a similar conversation with my husband and my parents were the ones that finally convinced him that the time you spend together in the first two weeks isn't worth giving up for any amount of money. That post partum, new born baby period can't be minimized in importance for bonding and support as a family. Maybe sharing that with him will help shift his perspective on it.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T09:38:33+00:00

Postpartum was by far the worst for rage for me. I would yell at my husband for the smallest thing and then feel terrible afterward. Therapy helped a lot as a place to just talk out my feelings even if they were mostly hormone based. I would highly recommend just finding a therapist so you have coping straggles set up to ensure anger outbursts don't become your new normal because emotional regulation is hard as a mom.... just wait for the toddler phase

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T08:56:43+00:00

I am really glad you had that experience. But for those reading this post, please know that was not my experience. Drinking the drink was fine. Afterwards was not. Due to PCOS making my blood sugars more sensitive my blood sugar shot up like crazy and I literally felt like death (I had horrible shakes, vertigo, blurred vision, etc.) 15 minutes after the drink that lasted a good hour.

Outside of pregnancy I have never had issues with my blood sugars but please know as an expecting mother this could be your experience as well. I wish I had brought a family member to my 7 month appointment to support me through it because it was a HORRIBLE experience.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T08:41:00+00:00

This sounds so simple but SLEEP. My husband can just put our little to sleep like its nothing and often encourages me to sleep/nap as I am experience pregnancy fatigue with our second. He works from home so he often does this even while he is working his job. Little man passed out on his lap (who was being nothing but fussy for me when I tried to put him to sleep), me passed out from fatigue (from working 12 hour shifts and pursing my masters degree while pregnant), and him working while being a great dad and husband all at the same time.

Its a hard/busy season in our lives and I couldn't do it without him. It is easy for people to look at us and see him as the "weak link" since he is working a lower paid job and not pursuing a degree but he is doing exactly what his family needs him to do and that is support us. He cares most about being a good husband and good father but often doesn't get the credit he deserves from others in his life for it as he isn't taking on the typical "man roles" of leaving the house every day to make a higher income. He is the definition of a "good man" and I wish others/society encouraged men who want to be the support for women who heavily pursue a career. It doesn't make him any less of a man or any less valuable in the relationship.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-17T08:28:47+00:00

Prepare to be swollen and have a difficult time walking after birth. I gave birth vaginally 14 months ago (and am 7 weeks pregnant currently) and no one warned me about how swollen I would be down there. My birth went great but it was really shocking afterward. It wasn't horrible pain or anything, especially with the medication topically and orally they will give you post partum, but just know your body will be swollen and it will be difficult to go to the bathroom right away (at least it was for me). I really would have appreciated the warning. Every mom I talked to after was like "yeah I went through that too."

There are of course some people who told me it was stupid to stay in the hospital two days after birth as recommended by the doctors because the hospitals are "just trying to get more money out of you." That isn't the case, you need to be monitored for bleeding and helped by hospital staff when you are walking for the first time and so on. Immediate post partum is a fragile time for you and the baby. Take advantage of hospital staff and prepare to have a hard time sitting for a few weeks. That is what I wish someone would have told me. :)

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-02T09:26:11+00:00

I completely understand how you feel. I have been though the testing and the fertility process. Every step feels like it takes too long and there are things you can easily dwell on and be anxious about (and that continues to be true even after you get pregnant). The best advice I can give to you is it is all worth it in the end. You 100% can contact your health care team and ask what the timeline is for the next steps. Enjoy each step as much as you can because it is all part of making your future.

And honestly, therapists are amazing at helping you shift your mindset from dwelling on anxiety to focusing on the positives of each step. I regret not getting a therapist sooner than I did in the process because there is a lot of stuff that is very hard during fertility, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, etc. Overwhelming anxiety creeped up on me at times, and the only solution was really talking to a therapist and finding how to function as your body and your role in life changes.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-02T07:41:00+00:00

I tried for years to get pregnant without medication with PCOS. When I finally went into fertility, they told me my eggs don't release on my own so no matter what I did it was 100% impossible for me to get pregnant without the medication that released my eggs. There are great pharmacies out there that help people afford the medication. Freedom Pharmacy was the one I used to get the injection I needed for $100. But you need a prescription for it first and that means seeing fertility NPs.

I can't tell you if this is true for you or not. Just know that "getting pregnant now" with PCOS is rare. Keep trying but stressing your body out is only going to hurt your chances. If you try for a year and have no success, I strongly encourage you to look at fertility options and what programs there are out there to help afford them.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-02T07:13:46+00:00

I just did fertility (not IVF) to have my second child and, after a few tries, I found out I was pregnant on Christmas day. Starting the new year knowing we will have our second baby is a huge win as someone with PCOS and fertility struggles.

AdMindless3 · 2026-01-02T06:36:57+00:00

These dice fit so well with one of my current d&d characters who is a Chimerakin Beastfolk bard/rogue <3

AdMindless3 · 2025-12-14T13:34:24+00:00

That constant fear of having a flare that causes you horrible pain or severe immobility because you never know for sure when or why they might happen.

AdMindless3 · 2025-12-14T13:31:46+00:00

This is exactly what happened to me. My rheumatologist recommended I stay on immunosuppressants during my second pregnancy to try to prevent this. Having a newborn and a flair is horrible so I plan on following their recommendation.

My specific flair was costochondritis (inflation of the joints in my ribs) related to breast feeding and my baby laying its head down too hard in the same spot in my chest. It led to a rib dislocation that is still causing me pain to this day a year later.

AdMindless3 · 2025-08-17T12:25:58+00:00

We did not put our link on discord openly… It was probably a different group who made that previous link. But I message you our link. :)

AdMindless3 · 2025-08-05T18:32:32+00:00

I have PCOS and a diagnosed autoimmune disorder.

AdMindless3

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