For Women Only- Personal

[Rowan555]

Ohhhhh.....

 

Well, other than scheduling your cruise so it falls in the middle of your cycle, the only thing i can think of is either going on the shot, or taking birth control pills consecutively so that it "skips" your period.

 

However, the taking birth control thing doesn't always work and you may experience some spotting or bleeding.

 

 

This is what happened to me. My Dr put me on Yasmin birth control pills and instructed me to just take both packs without the sugar pills, which would delay my period a few weeks. Well, 3 weeks into the pills I started with the spotting, then full on bleeding, and I bled off and on the entire week before the cruise and the entire cruise. It stopped the day we came home. And it looks like I'll have my period for the 7 day cruise in December too, now. Frustrating!!!

[faeriechick]

If all of that fails and you still get your period there is a wonderful product called Instead. It works similar to a diaphram and is terrific for water activites. Unlike a tampon that will get drenched and may leak after long water exposure, the instead creates a "dam".......I use them on lighter days for water activities. Heavy days they tend to need alot of attention and require frequent changing. Also allows mess free mattress dancing, if ya know what I mean:cool:

 

Sorry that was so in depth. You can get them in Walmart, Target, Walgreens etc in the feminine products area.

 

Oh my gosh! I swear by this product! It's a little more expensive, so I normally only use them during "special" occasions, but i love love LOVE how well they work. :)

[MarriedInStThomas1807]

If all of that fails and you still get your period there is a wonderful product called Instead. It works similar to a diaphram and is terrific for water activites. Unlike a tampon that will get drenched and may leak after long water exposure, the instead creates a "dam".......I use them on lighter days for water activities. Heavy days they tend to need alot of attention and require frequent changing. Also allows mess free mattress dancing, if ya know what I mean:cool:

 

Sorry that was so in depth. You can get them in Walmart, Target, Walgreens etc in the feminine products area.

 

I've never heard of it but it sounds like a great product. I'll have to check it out!

[Senoj84]

I actually was able to count the days ahead of time to see when it was going to come and fortunately it was scheduled to come the week before my cruise and it was on time. I see that you have 190 days to go and that's to far to count. If you're not on the pill then this might be a good time to get prescribed for it so you can plan when you want to have it.

[Senoj84]

Sorry double post.

[sakapfet]

so I normally only use them during "special" occasions, but i love love LOVE how well they work. :)

 

 

Is lil' one your husband?

[okgirl]

So you start this a couple months before your cruise or just continue as normal only skipping the inactive ones if they fall on the cruise dates?

 

My doctor told me that I could do this for 4 months in a row, then I should let myself have a period then start again on 4 continuous packs. I did that for several years before my hysterectomy. She also put me on a pill at one time (I think it was Loestrin) that diminished my flow to very light and only 2 - 3 days.

[faeriechick]

 

Is lil' one your husband?

 

Well, I'm not married at the moment, so I'd have to say no. Why? :)

[KenMo]

Cruise after menopause. Worked for me! :D

 

Amen, sister!!!

 

Thank God I don't have to worry about it anymore!

 

(My first thought was to get pregnant, also....lol!!)

[jimbug]

This is just a thought for any of you who are thinking about skipping periods with pills or taking the extended-cycle pills (Seasonale, etc.)...

 

If you are overweight (not 10 lbs overweight, but a significant amount), just be careful how much you do this. I am significantly overweight (and working on losing it!), and had been to 2 different OB/GYNs over the past 5 years. They both let me do the period 4x/year thing, and I loved it, and they both seemed to be in support of it. However, this past year, I moved to a different city and, thus, a different OB/GYN. When I told her how I had been handling birth control, she was flabbergasted that a dr. would even let me skip so many periods. Overweight women produce more estrogen then healthy-weight women, and when you do not have a period, you do not release that excess estrogen. That can cause major health problems. I did my research when I got home and found out she was absolutely correct...why my 2 previous doctors never said anything about that is beyond me.

 

So, just keep that in mind. I'm sure that for a special occasion once in awhile, it would be no big deal, but for an extended amount of time, maybe not such a good idea.

[thescarlett]

If all of that fails and you still get your period there is a wonderful product called Instead. It works similar to a diaphram and is terrific for water activites. Unlike a tampon that will get drenched and may leak after long water exposure, the instead creates a "dam".......I use them on lighter days for water activities. Heavy days they tend to need alot of attention and require frequent changing. Also allows mess free mattress dancing, if ya know what I mean:cool:

 

Sorry that was so in depth. You can get them in Walmart, Target, Walgreens etc in the feminine products area.

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I haven't been on the pill in 22 years, I had a tubal ligation after my youngest was born. I went last month to ask my doctor for a prescription for birth control pills. She refused to give them to me. Her advice was "schedule my honeymoon for when I wasn't on my period".

I'm going out ASAP to get a pack of those babies.

 

PS

Fiance also says thanks!

[sakapfet]

Well, I'm not married at the moment, so I'd have to say no. Why? :)

 

 

That was an insided joke. Excuse my ignorance, I was wondering during "special occastions" how can you fit both the "Instead" + mr happy during motion of the ocean? ;)

[faeriechick]

That was an insided joke. Excuse my ignorance, I was wondering during "special occastions" how can you fit both the "Instead" + mr happy during motion of the ocean? ;)

 

Ohhhhhhh haha ok!

 

Basically, the Instead fits like a diaphragm, so there is no problem with that at all :)

[WuWei]

Depo-Provera is the "wonder birth control" for me! I used to have horrible cramps (caused by endometriosis) and heavy bleeding. The shot saved me! I haven't seen "Aunt Flo" in eight years! (Every few years, I go off it for 6 months, and never had a mense! Love it!) It's not for everyone, as some people's bodies react differently, and your OB/GYN will let you know if it is right for you. It's the best next thing to menopause-without the mood swings and hot flashes! However, I think I still get those "time-of-the-month" hormonal changes, as three days a month I absolutely need chocolate and ice cream... (Which is convenient on a cruise ship.. he he he...)

 

Chris :)

[emmysmommy]

If all of that fails and you still get your period there is a wonderful product called Instead. It works similar to a diaphram and is terrific for water activites. Unlike a tampon that will get drenched and may leak after long water exposure, the instead creates a "dam".......I use them on lighter days for water activities. Heavy days they tend to need alot of attention and require frequent changing. Also allows mess free mattress dancing, if ya know what I mean:cool:

 

Sorry that was so in depth. You can get them in Walmart, Target, Walgreens etc in the feminine products area.

 

Oh my gosh! The guys sure are staying away from this one!

 

I read about Instead on one of the fashion boards and decided to try it out since it sounds wonderful. Let's just say that I couldn't exactly get it to work right! I couldn't bring myself to call the 800# for assistance... Hello, my name is ____ and I can't figure out how to use your product can you help? :D

[misssea]

Wow! I can't believe so many of you responded to this! I am 43 (44 in 11 days) and swore I would never go on the pill again after I got married so I was just wondering if there was a magic shot I could get just prior to leaving for the cruise. I cannot plan things according to the length of my cycle because I am very irregular. As far as the pregnancy thing, I have a 2 1/2 year old and when I planned my last cruise, I had to cancel it because I would have been 8 months pg which is not allowed. So now pregnancy is out of the question because hubby is too afraid due to my age. So it seems I will have to go on some form of birth control to avoid it all together. I definitely will discuss it with my OB/GYN.

[victory2020]

sorry..when I saw your post, my first thought was...get pregnant:eek: !

My thought exactly!

[missty]

Wow! I can't believe so many of you responded to this! I am 43 (44 in 11 days) and swore I would never go on the pill again after I got married so I was just wondering if there was a magic shot I could get just prior to leaving for the cruise. I cannot plan things according to the length of my cycle because I am very irregular. As far as the pregnancy thing, I have a 2 1/2 year old and when I planned my last cruise, I had to cancel it because I would have been 8 months pg which is not allowed. So now pregnancy is out of the question because hubby is too afraid due to my age. So it seems I will have to go on some form of birth control to avoid it all together. I definitely will discuss it with my OB/GYN.

 

I am 43, and am on the seasonale pill - love it! If your irregular, the pill will help that. I don't need to take the pill. I take it to be regular, and for vacations and the ease of only having 4 periods a year! The first month or two I had some break through bleeding, but that stopped. I refuse to spend thousands of dollars on a vacation, and have my period. It just won't happen, if I can do all I can not to have it!! See your doctor immediatly, tell him you are going on vaction and don't want to mess with your period. I know one time, I couldn't get into my doctor to get a new rx before my cruise, so I found an online rx place. it was pricey, but i got my rx as needed. Good luck.

[isleschick3]

You will never believe this...I have been controlling my BC to make sure I don't get my periods while on our cruise, well we have decided it's time to get off to start trying...I am going to get it right in the middle of our cruise if it stays the same!

[golden778]

...I am going to get it right in the middle of our cruise if it stays the same!

 

Me too:( . I'm 49 and headed into menopause - my cycles have shortened to 24 days.

 

Our cruise leaves Oct. 7th and this is our first :mad: . I hate the fact I'll have PMS the first half and my period the second half of the week. No BC pills to manipulate here - I had a tubal ligation years ago.

[MsMinx]

Are you on the pill? If so, you can continue to a second pack the day after you finish your last active pill. (Dont take the inactive ones).Continue the second pack all the way through. This is what my doctor told me to do. Can't hurt you at all.

Hope this helps.

 

This works for me. I actually skip my period every 2nd time and i've never had any issues.

 

Good luck with it :D

[mochuck]

Well you can hurry up and get to menopause. Of course that comes with its own set of problems.

 

I don't have that monthly problem anymore but I would ask your local pharmicist. I have heard to something over the counter but can't remember the name of it (see above-- regarding problem) but I'm sure the pharmicist could point you in the right direction.

 

I'm certainly with you on the set of problems that menopause brings. I've gone from thinking I was pregnant 3 months ago to having continuous spotting for 4 wks. Have just been started on Primolut for 7 days and then a month of the pill to get me through the cruise and my daughter's wedding in 2 wks. If thats TMI I apologise.

 

I would be very careful about buying anything over the counter that can have an effect on your hormones. The OTC "natural" hormones have very little or no data to support their clinical efficacy or safety.

 

Just an addition to the person who said that they had a tubal ligation so can't take oral contraceptives. I've also had a TL and it is not a contraindication to taking OC to regulate menstruation.

[Bakincakes]

For anyone that is having breakthrough bleeding you might want to ask your GYN about an ablation before you consider a hysterectomy.

 

Some fibroids can be taken care of with an ablation, not all. Your doctor would have to determine if you are a candidate.

 

An ablation simply destroys the uterine lining and that is what produces the blood every month. My GYN explained my cycle as hills and valleys. As we get older sometimes our body gets stuck in valley land, causing us to have almost non stop bleeding.

 

I had an ablation done 5 years ago...no periods since.:)

[GRRL]

Depo-Provera is the "wonder birth control" for me! I used to have horrible cramps (caused by endometriosis) and heavy bleeding. The shot saved me! I haven't seen "Aunt Flo" in eight years! (Every few years, I go off it for 6 months, and never had a mense! Love it!) It's not for everyone, as some people's bodies react differently, and your OB/GYN will let you know if it is right for you. It's the best next thing to menopause-without the mood swings and hot flashes! However, I think I still get those "time-of-the-month" hormonal changes, as three days a month I absolutely need chocolate and ice cream... (Which is convenient on a cruise ship.. he he he...)

 

Chris :)

 

 

I was on this drug for 5 years & LOVED it!!! I HATE having my period! Some people have bad side effects to it, though. I was ok while on it, but realized towards the end that I had gained 50 pounds from it! At the age of 23! :eek: My doc took me off because there have been studies done that show it's bad for our bones becasue it sign. depletes the calcium in our systems. Some docs won't give this shot anymore... :o I'm now on Yasmin & really like it, as much as I can like anything that still allows me to have my period every month. I tried Seasonale, but I felt extremely bloated when I was "missing" my period, so I decided to just put up with it once a month. At least on the pill I know when it's coming...

[Morisnfan]

I am not on the pill (and don't want to be) so I have been experimenting with essential oils. I used to make lots of products (massage oils, scrubs etc) and in my research had found a few oils that stimulate periods, so I have been using them for a couple of months a week earlier than my period, just to get it going a few days earlier & it is working. I should only have the last day or so of my next period on the first day of my cruise! YAY!