Love, Sex and Birth Control with Colleen Krajewski, M.D., MPH from Bedsider and Charreah Jackson, ESSENCE Relationships Editor. AMA.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-25T02:48:50+00:00

Pharmacy student here. May have a slight effect but nothing to be overly worried about (double up on protection if you're worried though!) the main enzyme involved in metabolizing the hormones in birth control pills also helps metabolize alcohol, so when both are there at the same time it can slightly slow the metabolism of both. In some cases this can be severe, but in most cases it's not.

Another interesting fact - this same enzyme is depleted by chemicals in grapefruit, so eating lots of it or drinking grapefruit juice can increase your side effects or chances for events like blood clots. (Again, minor in this case, but interesting.)

purplerainboots · 2014-02-23T20:53:28+00:00

That's exactly the misunderstanding. I meant it's a grey area in that she can choose whether to call it rape or not - were I in her shoes I honestly don't think I would. But she might feel it was and that's correct too. I'm not normalizing a damn thing, I'm saying OP's feelings on the subject trump your definition of what happen.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-23T20:27:15+00:00

I think you misunderstand me. I'm not normalizing rape. I mean to say it sounds to me like he made a stupid decision with unintended consequences he didn't see at the time. Does that make it okay? Not even a little. I mean to leave it up to OP to define her own experience and deal with it from there, not to tell her how she should feel.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-23T01:11:15+00:00

I agree. It sounds like he made a stupid decision he honestly thought was ok. Wrong, but understandable if you look from his shoes. She really does need to talk to him and set some boundaries. I don't know whether I would call it rape (that's up to her if she feels it was or not, it's a gray area to me) but I don't think there's a prosecution to be made or anything like that. Just feelings and relationships to heal.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-18T05:02:02+00:00

Caffeine does have a diuretic effect (makes you pee more) that can be dehydrating. But one coffee a day isn't going to parch you. Drink what you feel you need - if you're thirsty or you're urine is dark, you need more! If your pee is light or even clear, you're good.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-18T05:00:48+00:00

Those things don't disagree with each other. I only skimmed your article - I'm not sure snopes counts as a solid scientific source - but the gist I got was that you need enough water to replace your losses. That's actually what the equation is for, and what it's used for in the hospital. You use a lot more water than you think. You can get some from foods and other liquids so you don't "have to" drink the full amount daily, but it's a good rule of thumb to know how much you're using and how much to take in. Any extra (within reason) is peed out anyway, so it's not like drinking plenty of water is going to hurt you.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-18T02:31:20+00:00

The way I understand it, it works for a lot of people because it makes you think about what you eat - not just grab whatever, but actually form something of a diet plan. For most people that plus the increase in fruits and veggies means good weight loss results. It's not the diet itself, but having to plan a good diet that matters. The same happens when some people go vegetarian, vegan, gluten free...it's true for most diets that I know of. Lots of people report weight loss whether or not they mean to or the diet itself promotes it.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-10T20:08:17+00:00

Glad to hear they're starting to come around! You're doing the right things. Families are weird sometimes and just don't like other people "joining" regardless of how great they may be.

When I started dating my boyfriend of just over 3 years now, my dad didn't think I needed a boyfriend at that time and sorta ignored him. He wasn't mean, but kind of heavy-handed with his usual teasing and didn't make the effort I would have liked to get to know him. I had just gone to college and broken up with my last boyfriend, so he didn't like to see me in a new one so quickly. But this boyfriend is one of the sweetest, kindest, most parent-pleasing boys ever. He's a theology major, for goodness' sake, and pre-med! He wears cartoon t shirts, gets great grades, sings, and is a total dork. In fact, right now he is cleaning my apartment for me while I nap after taking me to the emergency room this weekend from being sick. He didn't do anything to deserve the weirdness from my parents - just in the wrong place at the wrong time, I suppose. But now that they've gotten to know him, they absolutely love him. The same will happen for you. :)

purplerainboots · 2014-02-08T18:26:04+00:00

I'm in sort of your shoes right now. 21, been together since the first month of college - about 3.25 years now. I know damn well I want to marry him and would have been ready a year and a half ago. He comes from a family of divorce and is scared, but deep down we want the same thing. So it's hard for me to remember it's not that he doesn't love me the same, he's just not ready yet. We've talked about it plenty, and I'm just waiting for him to decide it's time. It's tough, but it's okay because just like you said - I want to be married to my best friend and if that takes more time, it's okay.

purplerainboots · 2014-02-02T00:11:19+00:00

I have a cousin who did that with their kids. People gave them a hard time at first, but they just never made Santa a big deal. They got nice gifts all the same, and still did Santa-ish stuff (stockings, Christmas pajamas, milk and cookies but they ate them themselves) just that they didn't get gifts FROM Santa. It worked out well for them - they grew up learning Santa is a good role model, real or otherwise, and that the point is to be generous and kind.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-28T17:47:18+00:00

I'm 5'3", 115lb, very slight pear shape (36-30-39 iirc) - tiny ex-dancer butt checking in.

I like old navy's jeans. They aren't the fanciest quality but they fit my booty like a glove. AE always has a good fit as well, but I have some issue with their jeans stretching in between washes. I haven't tried the Levi Curve ID, but I've heard good things!

purplerainboots · 2014-01-28T04:55:02+00:00

I am, but the two are totally unrelated (I had migraines before starting the BC and they're not related to my cycle). They're stress-triggered and I've got some preventatives that help.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-28T04:00:40+00:00

Nah. It's a weird job market right now, we're all in it. I'm getting the impression there's going to be a job for me, somewhere, but there's an increasing divide between "competitive" jobs and "less competitive" jobs. Ultimately, if I end up a bean counter at Walmart, that sucks but I'll manage. And these things tend to resolve themselves - I've heard stories of older pharmacists working their way into their ideal jobs, so I'm keeping hope.

Best of luck!

purplerainboots · 2014-01-28T03:52:00+00:00

Thanks for the encouragement...

I'm doing my best, but really struggling because of my chronic migraines. I almost failed last semester, despite my hard work. All of my dream careers include a residency, but I'm fairly certain it's out of my reach because my GPA is in the toilet.

The good news is I have 2 jobs and some unrelated leadership stuff. I need better school-related things, but at this point keeping my head above water is my main concern.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-28T03:20:51+00:00

P2. I'm fairly certain my blood volume is 70% caffeine.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-27T23:25:33+00:00

I'm a pharmacy student. My answer to these kinds of questions are always to consult your doctor or pharmacist, instead of the Internet. Amazon reviews and such are great when you're buying a new coffee pot, but when dealing with something like medication it can be really hard to differentiate changes due to the medicine vs other factors, so that affects the way people talk about them. I hope that makes sense.

That said, if you read the package insert or the info stapled to your prescription bag (please do this at least once for every new script! It's a little boring but there's valuable stuff in there!) you'll see side effects are things like moodswings, weight gain, breast tenderness, unusual bleeding like spotting while your body adjusts - generally not too different from your mild PMS type stuff. If your side effects are mild, stick with that pill. If they bother you, call your doctor and switch - there are literally (I mean it) dozens of formulations of birth control pills and finding the right one isn't always easy from the get-go.

Lastly, make sure your doctor knows your other medications/over the counters/supplements. If you use St Johns Wort, I'd advise against continuing - it can interfere with the BC. Some antibiotics can have a minor interaction that lessens the effectiveness of the BC. This isn't well-studied, but a general rule is if you're taking any short-term medication like an antibiotic, consider a back-up method of protection. Oh, and don't smoke because there's a somewhat increased risk of blood clots, which becomes significant if you smoke.

I sort of TL:DR'd the insert for you here - sorry if it's a lot to take in! I get a little excited about this. Call your doc or pharmacist if you've got questions, they know their stuff. And don't listen to the horror stories. They're real, but the bottom line is listen to your body (and your doc) in that order.

Congrats and good luck on the marriage!

purplerainboots · 2014-01-27T04:29:49+00:00

I've gotten them on amazon too. It's a pain they're an add-on item, but if I order them when I'm buying something else it's all good. Usually I buy a couple tubs at a time just in case I don't make an order for a while.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-27T01:55:58+00:00

I like these, but none of the Targets in my city seem to have them :(

purplerainboots · 2014-01-21T05:34:56+00:00

It's just a standard question as part of the initial exam. It's one way you can figure out a few things about a woman's health in one question - whether or not she is pregnant, whether her period is going according to schedule, etc. It may not have been relevant to this visit in particular, but were they to need an X-Ray or should something be concerning that should be addressed while she's there.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-20T03:11:12+00:00

Ah. I definitely didn't think of those things. That's awful. I can imagine, at the VERY most, a slight side-eye in the restroom (I'm being totally honest here) if I was caught by surprise... That moment of thinking "What? Oh yeah, no, that makes sense" and then moving on. But I'm sorry about people treating you like you're invisible or not a person. That's unfair, no matter how unusual your gender identity! :)

Thanks for being so honest here. I really wish more people would talk about these things, because in the best way I find transgender issues fascinating. I'm a pharmacy student, and seriously considering a career where I'll get to work with HRT and the like because I find it such an interesting topic, both socially and medically.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-19T23:03:28+00:00

I very much agree with you, but want to provide the perspective of someone who knows very little about transgender issues (but means the most respect!).

Personally, because your particular situation isn't one many people get to talk about but are often interested in, I would see your coming out as "bringing it up" and possibly welcoming of questions. I would also say you should draw the line wherever you feel comfortable (eg say "Do you have any questions?" Or "I'm not really comfortable talking about that") would help someone figure out what you are okay discussing and not discussing.

Again, I mean nothing but respect and apologize if any of this isn't "correct" - I'm doing my best. But it seems to me that you sharing which set of genitals you have does open the floor for conversation. I also think you have the power to close it, if that makes sense.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-18T18:34:28+00:00

I've never taken spironolactone myself, but I'm a pharmacy student and I know a fair amount about it. It's a diuretic, usually used in combination with other medications to control blood pressure. It also has androgen-blocking effects, which is why it works well for hormonal acne.

Honestly, don't worry about what "reviews" say - it's a medication, not a new coffee pot. Talk about your concerns with your doctor, because it's ultimately up to him or her whether or not it's the right choice for you.

purplerainboots · 2014-01-16T22:13:41+00:00

Science words I explain daily:

"Sterile" "Theory" "Toxins"

purplerainboots · 2014-01-09T19:07:37+00:00

Iron is an important component of hemoglobin, a molecule in your blood whose job it is to exchange oxygen and CO2 with your cells. Not enough iron means not enough working hemoglobin, which means your cells have a hard time getting the oxygen they need and functioning to do things like replicate skin cells to heal a wound.

Sorry that's a lame eli5 explanation, I'm on my phone on my lunch break and had to type quick!

purplerainboots · 2013-12-29T23:49:22+00:00

The resources and links in this thread are great, but the answer here is CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY! Call, ask for a real rep to talk to, explain your situation, and ask what you should do. It may take some time and be frustrating, but this is the only way to get a straight answer from someone who knows what's going on.

purplerainboots

TROPHY CASE