For Women Only- Personal

[surrocruiser]

I have actually moved mine by a few days if I have enough time to plan for it.

 

If my cruise leaves on a Saturday and I'm due to start on a Tuesday, I start taking my pills just an hour or so earlier everday. Eventually, there will be a bigger time jump due to the overnight hours. This actually worked for me on our honeymoon. I needed to move it by 5-6 days and did it in 4 months. (i hope this makes sense)

 

I have done the skip the sugar pills method but I always got so worried about a possible unexpected pregnancy when I totally skip a period.

[LBB]

Just went to the doctor a few days ago. I was on the ortho evra patch...and took it continuously. The doctor said it completely fine. I would take it off every once in a while just make make sure everything was working ok, and I barely even got my period anymore. I just switched to loestra because ortha-evra may have some blood clotting issues. The doctor said it's still absolutely fine to skip the sugar pills. Loestra is 24 days on and 4 days off, instead of the 21 and 7 like the older pills are, so it's still better.

[mad4mky]

Do you think a hysterectomy is too extreme? My cruise is Nov 4 and my Doctor said I have until Monday to decide if I want one on Sept. 29! I have a large fibroid and I get it almost every 2 weeks. If I do it now I can't bowl for 4 or 5 weeks or I can wait until April when bowling is over. UGHH I hate decisions.

 

Hysterectomy--best thing I ever did. :D (besides having my kids that is. I was 45 when I had the surgery, and had not started menopause).

 

I didn't have fibroids--but had other issues.

If you're not having any more children--having this surgery can be a godsend. I was for me. :D

 

And, my 21 year old daughter has been on Depo Provera for quite a while. She has really packed on the weight since she began. I think she'll need to switch soon to something else...

[codyboy]

I ll be going on OCt 28 thru Nv 4, and I am right on the DOT. it should be here on Nov 4 or 5th. Can't really count on it anymore as it been moving up 5 days earlier every month. I am 45 yrs, with FMS, bad pelivs pain during 14th days of cycle. SO in between I think I be lucky.... Pill birth controls, cna not take it due to high family breast cancer in history. :rolleyes:

[sustyse]

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.

I was due my period during my honeymoon many years ago and the doctor gave me tablets that would postpone it. Only problem was that my stomach got quite swollen and I stopped taking them on the second week.

[Mickeefan]

Do you think a hysterectomy is too extreme? My cruise is Nov 4 and my Doctor said I have until Monday to decide if I want one on Sept. 29! I have a large fibroid and I get it almost every 2 weeks. If I do it now I can't bowl for 4 or 5 weeks or I can wait until April when bowling is over. UGHH I hate decisions.

 

My first thought to avoid a period on a cruise was to have a hysterectomy. I had a hysterectomy in January and I'm cruising in 2 weeks. I, too, had a large fibroid (the doctor described it as a soccer ball - 5 pounds). I LOVE being period free. And my healing time was not long at all. I took 6 weeks off work, but after 4 I was feeling well enough (healed enough) to enjoy my last 2 weeks off! I'd say go for it!

[34TigerLily]

Chemotherapy put me in early menopause. I would definitely NOT recommend this as an answer to your question.

[mochuck]

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!

 

I'm sorry but that sounds a little scary. Do you have any medical / pharmacy qualifications?

[smoothdancer]

LOL... I was going to say Menapause myself!!!.... I entered this God afwul situation early....

 

At age 40 I had missed a few periods and I thought this just cant be... 2 grown kids and I am pregnant again.... I had no idea how to tell my husband, how to start all over again, when at last, my job done and finally it was not all about the kids... What a shock when the Dr said no you are not expecting but have passed right through the pre stuff and are full blown menapause....

 

Ladies, choosing the 2 options that was OK with me!! I dont miss wondering if a cruise will be dampered due to the period, flip side....hate that now I have to watch EVERY little thing I eat , less I gain weight at leaps and bounds.....

 

It is all good, just another phase of being a woman.

[henepup]

My first thought to avoid a period on a cruise was to have a hysterectomy. I had a hysterectomy in January and I'm cruising in 2 weeks. I, too, had a large fibroid (the doctor described it as a soccer ball - 5 pounds). I LOVE being period free. And my healing time was not long at all. I took 6 weeks off work, but after 4 I was feeling well enough (healed enough) to enjoy my last 2 weeks off! I'd say go for it!

I had my hysterectomy last April!!! It was the best decision I ever made. The pain, the bleeding, did I mention the pain. I had my tubes tided several years earlier and suffered with horrible bleeding and pain afterwards. Decided to try ablation...it worked for 1 year (I was the only in the DR's office that it did work for). Four months later, I had my hysterectomy. Life is sooo much better not worrying about Aunt Flo!!

 

To the poster about waiting til April for her hysterectomy, don't wait do it now!

[KC_fn]

Cruise after menopause. Worked for me! :D

 

Yea, it's great not having to worry about periods. But hot flashes in the Bahamas are NOT fun! :eek:

[Senoj84]

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. :)

 

I just saw it at the Target the other day. I looked at the instructions. It said to insert the entire thing into your body and then when it's time to pull it out pull the ribbed ring? :confused: Im confused on that. If the entire thing is in your body how can you pullit out? I would like to try it next time. Please tell me that it's not complicated to pull out.

[popsec]

Cruise after menopause. Worked for me! :D

 

LOL...worked for me too :) . I faintly remember the "good ol' days" when you could always plan on starting during vacation or anything important :(

[love2vacation]

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.:)

 

Well you are one of the lucky ones.

I had an ablation 2 years ago due to the constant bleeding and I still get a period- granted it is light and only lasts a couple days and is VERY irregular. Much better than what was happening before ablation! Unfortunately I got one on our last cruise - the day before our vow renewal- I just never know.

 

I am hoping by next year I will be finished since I will be 52 this fall- I am unable to take any hormones etc. because of other medical reasons. I have to just put up with it.

[flygirlWV]

Seasonal is great. I was on it for awhile but had to stop because of migraines. The other one like it is Yaz.

 

If you are going to use regular pills to keep from getting you period by taking the next back early make sure your are NOT on a tri phase pill.

Multiphasic pills. Also called biphasic and triphasic, multiphasic oral contraceptives contain varied amounts of hormones and are designed to be taken at specific times throughout the entire pill-taking schedule. Multiphasic pills contain various levels of estrogen and progestin throughout the month. They were developed to reduce side effects of oral contraceptives, including breakthrough bleeding, spotting and amenorrhea, associated with higher levels of hormones.

 

My doctor said that you must take these all and not start the next pack early so if you are on them, don't try to keep from getting your period. Get your doctor to git you a Rx for a different pill.

 

 

There is one Muliphasic Pill that is designed to be taken continually and will keep you from getting your period.

 

Of course, as with any pill there is always the chance of spotting. I didn't have any with seasonal and a lot with Yasmin.

[Bakincakes]

Well you are one of the lucky ones.

I had an ablation 2 years ago due to the constant bleeding and I still get a period- granted it is light and only lasts a couple days and is VERY irregular. Much better than what was happening before ablation! Unfortunately I got one on our last cruise - the day before our vow renewal- I just never know.

 

I am hoping by next year I will be finished since I will be 52 this fall- I am unable to take any hormones etc. because of other medical reasons. I have to just put up with it.

 

Sorry it didn't work for you....they did say that it was a wait and see result but am happy with it.:(

[Morisnfan]

I'm sorry but that sounds a little scary. Do you have any medical / pharmacy qualifications?

 

Funny, I was thinking all the talk of taking pills to change when the period starts sounded scary! I don't have any medical qualifications, not a doctor or anything like that, but I don't think they really teach much about EO's in medical school anyway... a least my MD doesn't know about them.

I have taken Aromatherapy classes & done lot's of research on the subject. I would never try to "sell" anyone on the use of essential oils for this purpose, I just wanted to respond to the post, and was kind of curious if anyone else had tried this. Doesn't seem like it, but it feels better for me than taking the pill. To each her own!

~A

[judy&steve]

Do you think a hysterectomy is too extreme? My cruise is Nov 4 and my Doctor said I have until Monday to decide if I want one on Sept. 29! I have a large fibroid and I get it almost every 2 weeks. If I do it now I can't bowl for 4 or 5 weeks or I can wait until April when bowling is over. UGHH I hate decisions.

 

Only you and your doctor can decide if a hysterectomy is right or you. I had mine at 40. I had multiple cysts in my ovaries and am in a bad ovarian cancer genepool and had fibroids for a long time. I had my period all the time and bled so much I was always craving red meat. The good news about the surgery is it has improved a lot since I have had it done. I had to have a full-blown surgery, up-and-down "zipper scar" because they were worried about finding tumors elsewhere. I felt better because I didn't have to worry about my period. I was on HRT for 12 years. I gained the requisite 30 pounds almost immediately. The recovery from major abdominal surgery is very intense. It was very painful and my muscles have never gotten back to what they were in that part of my body. I know I am still high on the ovarian cancer risk chart, even though the ovaries are gone.

You go into immediate menopause, which has its own set of issues.

So -- if you need the surgery, have it done. If you are young enough to bounce back from major surgery and go on a cruise so soon after, then go for it. It's a lifetime decision. I wouldn't hesitate to have it done again, because of the lower cancer risk, but since your internal organs can get rearranged, ask your doctor to explain that there could be other little surprises down the road (bladder, for one.)

Back to the OP --

No one can answer that question, even an MD or a pharmacist who may chime on on this board. You need to talk to your doc about it.

--Judy, neither a pharmacist nor a physician

[madge57]

I can't even count when I will have my periods!! They are never the same. sometimes it 28 day and sometimes its 14 days then skips back to 20 day and on and on!! I'm 49 and I'm not going back on the pill. I have been off of it for 18 years noway!! i might try the Instead sound like something I would like to try!! I have been have quit abit of pain with my periods so I need to go and get it checked out!! Had my bloodwork done to see if I was in to premenapausal but on came back 13. They told me that it needs to be in the high 100's or better. Guess she will be sticking around for awhile:(

[mochuck]

Funny, I was thinking all the talk of taking pills to change when the period starts sounded scary! I don't have any medical qualifications, not a doctor or anything like that, but I don't think they really teach much about EO's in medical school anyway... a least my MD doesn't know about them.

I have taken Aromatherapy classes & done lot's of research on the subject. I would never try to "sell" anyone on the use of essential oils for this purpose, I just wanted to respond to the post, and was kind of curious if anyone else had tried this. Doesn't seem like it, but it feels better for me than taking the pill. To each her own!

~A

 

Well thats fine, as long as you just experiment on yourself and it works for you. I think most people prefer to take medication that has been extensively tested and the safety profile is fairly well understood.

 

Just because something is natural doesn't mean its safe. Most poisons are natural -just have a look at the periodic table.

[CalgonMoment]

Funny, I was thinking all the talk of taking pills to change when the period starts sounded scary! I don't have any medical qualifications, not a doctor or anything like that, but I don't think they really teach much about EO's in medical school anyway... a least my MD doesn't know about them.

I have taken Aromatherapy classes & done lot's of research on the subject. I would never try to "sell" anyone on the use of essential oils for this purpose, I just wanted to respond to the post, and was kind of curious if anyone else had tried this. Doesn't seem like it, but it feels better for me than taking the pill. To each her own!

~A

Would you mind giving a little more info on the EO's that you have used. I am intrigued. I would be much more comfortable using something natural and gentle, than messing with artificial hormones. I quit taking BCPs years ago and won't put that back into my body, so something natural is worth giving a try.

 

Thanks for offering an alternative.

[Morisnfan]

I'd suggest doing some research on the subject. Here's a couple of links I found that have this type of info. If you do a search within the websites you should be able to find the info you want.

 

http://www.essentialoils.co.za/emmenagogue.htm

http://www.essentialoilblog.com/

 

A great place to purchase is fromnaturewithlove.com

 

Hope this info is helpful.

[Esilef]

I never even thought about this! DH wants me to go off the Pill before we cruise to "see what happens" and now I am concerned about what happens when you go off the pill after being on it for 12 years? Would not be a pleasant or romantic trip if it was that time of the month for the trip....... Anyone know what happens when you go off the pill (besides bubs).

[sandravb79]

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.

 

Out of experience, I can only say that the bolded part is true. In my case, it doesn't matter what I try to do, nothing really helps :( It's the "change of air", or the jet lag or what not... :(

 

Just "be prepared" and hope for the best!

[misssea]

Esilef,

 

When I went off the pill when I got married 7 years ago, we tried to get pregnant for a year with no results. I then went to my OB/GYN and found out that after that many years of being on the pill, I was not ovulating and they referred me to a fertility specialist to get me going again. A year of fertility treatments did nothing for me but 15 months later, I got pregnant on my own at 41! I am not sure how old you are but you may want to get checked shortly after you go off the pill to make sure things are working right.