Silly Question Sunday 1/29

NYTino24

Maybe someone has an answer for you?!? 

flashley-2

Pap at time of O. Yey or ney ? I know they don't go THAT far up but do they use anything that could affect sperm ? 

BertieMeetsGertie

@Flashley they usually use a non sperm friendly lube on the speculum. If you have preseed or something similar, you could bring it with you and ask if they could use that instead. 

MTgirlCOworld

Thermometers. I started looking at them on amazon and got a little overwhelmed. Which ones do you ladies use?

Btw @NYTino24 I like this thread idea.

NYTino24

@FLAshley I think it's fine. *TW* I had a pap done while KU and bleeding. If it's safe when pregnant, I'm sure it's safe around O. */TW*

@Sglen3 I use this one because it's backlit and I temp at 5 am. 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01DP0EZ3O/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485705490&sr=8-2&keywords=bbt

BertieMeetsGertie

@Sglen3 most of the ladies here use the Mabis BBT. I think it's around $7

dragonfly87-2

@sglen3: Like @bertiemeetsgertie mentioned,  I use the Mabis BBT and bought it off Amazon for $7. It's easy to use and was cheap. Then I plug the numbers into FF. Whatever brand you get, just make sure it takes temp to the 100th degree (so 97.81, not 97.8), otherwise you will not be able to detect the thermal shift after O.

I plan to ask my doctor next month and I have tried to use doctor google, but I am curious: 

Has anyone heard definitive information about concerns regarding the shortness or lightness of a period? I have read a lot about how long or heavy periods are a concern, but nothing about super short or light periods. Average seems to be 3-5 days. I am averaging 1.5 days of a mix of spotting and light flow for the past 3 periods, ***TW*** but had a 5 day normal period the first cycle off Mirena, which was the one before my CP. It seemed to change after that. **TW**.

adirat

dragonfly87 said:

@sglen3: Like @bertiemeetsgertie mentioned,  I use the Mabis BBT and bought it off Amazon for $7. It's easy to use and was cheap. Then I plug the numbers into FF. Whatever brand you get, just make sure it takes temp to the 100th degree (so 97.81, not 97.8), otherwise you will not be able to detect the thermal shift after O.

This is not true and the opposite of what TCOYF says. I have the Mabis, and though it records to the hundredths place, I only mark on my chart to the tenths place (following TCOYF's guidance). I have never had a problem seeing a thermal shift. Your thermal shift will not be less than 0.1 degree, which is the only way mathematically you would need to record that far out to see the shift. 

@NYTino24 Great idea for a thread!

@FLAshley I second @bertiemeetsgertie that if you are concerned, bring your own Preseed. I wished I had done that for an ultrasound on CD13 once because I learned afterward the ultrasound gel is not sperm-friendly. 

@sglen3 I have a Mabis but I wish I had a backlit thermometer, FWIW. In the winter when it's still dark at 6:30 when I temp, I can't see the temp immediately which is kind of annoying. 

sheknows6

Echoing what @adirat said, you only need to record to the tenth degree to see your shift, as ovulation is detected when your bbt rises at least .4 degrees and maintains that increase for 3 days. Hundredths is fine to chart but not necessary at all.

I use this thermometer instead of digital because I've found its not as touchy as the digitals. It helps that my husband gets up before I do, but even if he didn't, the glass bbt will hold your temperature until you're able to read it or until you shake it down. I really like it.

No batteries, easy to clean, very accurate! Win, win, win in my book.

https://www.amazon.com/Fairhaven-Health-Model-Non-mercury-Thermometer/dp/B000KIOB98/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1485710487&sr=8-2&keywords=glass+bbt

sheknows6

@dragonfly87 I would talk to your doctor ASAP if that's how your last 3 periods have been and isn't the norm for you.

My periods shortened down to what you're describing and then I was diagnosed with Graves disease. Not saying you have a thyroid issue, but a scanty period can indicate any number of issues that can and often do impact your fertility. Your period is a great tool to insight into your health, and it's good you're paying attention to it. 

Hope it works out for you.

[Deleted User]

@Sglen3. I got mine ages ago at cvs before I even joined tb, and not that I use it anymore these days, it always worked for me.

@FLAshley. I wouldn't worry about getting a pap around O, but as PPs have said, if you're concerned, feel free to bring some preseed or ask them not to use any lube.  I honestly don't think it's that big a deal.  I think they like to use way more lube for an u/s, vs. for a pap they just get in and get out quick and there's no reason to like, douse your cervix in lube for a pap, cos it would only get in the way of taking the sample.

While we're on the subject, quick <b>PSA to keep getting annual paps</b>, even if your doctor tells you can wait till every three years.

<div class=" Spoiler">A dear, dear friend of mine died from cervical cancer that progressed to the ute and everything else, and I fully blame the new insurance company-driven (not patient care-driven) 3-yr guidelines.  If it had been caught sooner, perhaps her life and/or ute could have been saved.  She was/is <i>such</i> a beautiful soul, and it makes me so freaking MAD just to think about it.  Please please please, tell your sisters, your aunts, your nieces, your cousins, your mothers - keep getting annual paps.  It's your body and your life potentially at stake, and Lord knows the insurance companies don't really care if we get cancer cos they get to bill $$$$ for the treatment.  It's pretty despicable.</div>

bluejeanbabi05

@businesswife That's devastating A good reminder, though.

it also reminds me of my silly question. I should go get my annual this year (its due soon) from my normal ob even though I'm constantly seeing my RE, right?

eta: I eventually do need to find a new ob that delivers to the hospital I want, so maybe I'll actually use a well-woman exam as a reason to vet one.

jenotontx

@BusinessWife That is so heartbreaking. I actually haven't had a pap in almost 3 years because of that new change and it has always made me feel uncomfortable/worried. 

@bluejeanbabi05 I'm about to schedule an annual with an OB so I can do the same thing. I would normally just go to a PCP but I want to start the vetting process considering I don't have a ob already.

Does anyone know why FF is showing that this Tuesday is CD27 for me and then it jumps right to CD3 on Wednesday? What happened to CD 1-2?

dragonfly87-2

@adirat You are right, I was remembering incorrectly since my thermometer goes to the 100th. It doesn't hurt to record to the 100th but not necessary. 

ETA:
@sglen: Just for context why I recommended a BBT thermometer to the hundredth. This is an excerpt from https://www.babyhopes.com/articles/thermometers.html

"Whereas typical fever thermometers measure to the tenths place of a degree, basal thermometers measure to the hundredth place. This additional increment provides a more accurate measure, better for measuring the subtle changes in basal body temperature."

I had interpreted it was more about the degree accuracy rather than difference between basal and fever thermometer. So measuring to the 10th is fine, but most important thing is to make sure you purchase a therm that can measure bbt and isn't just a fever thermometer. I still prefer to the hundredth though since it shows more detail in small fluctuations. Just personal preference.

jess0211

@BusinessWife I am so sorry about your friend. I don't agree with the new guidelines at all. My gyn wasn't going to do one this year and I told him I wasn't comfortable with that because I have had abnormal paps over the years. He did one without question. Ladies, just ask! It's your health and your body! 

LadyMillil

@bluejeanbabi05 My RE won't do paps so I need to go to my PCP for that.

@JJMNO1616 I've had FF do weird things like that before, usually if I O'd later than normal making my cycle longer than FF had predicted. I once got AF a day earlier than FF predicted and it refused to start a new cycle! I wouldn't worry about it

kiki75

@bluejeanbabi05 I would definitely use it as an opportunity to get to know an OB/Gyn who has privileges at the hospital you want to deliver at. I think it's good to start building that relationship and trust. *TW* I'm so grateful that I did that so when I went in for first prenatal appointment, she was the one who did my ultrasound, was the one to break the bad news and was there to discuss next steps. I'm really glad it was someone I knew instead of someone I had just met.

bluejeanbabi05

@kiki75 thank you for sharing your story and for the excellent advice

LoveInDC

RE: BBT 1/100 of a degree v 1/10. As long as you're using a BBT thermometer that can measure that accurately, you're fine. You only have to record to the 1/10. The issue is non-BBT thermometer that only measures to the 1/10. That's because most of those thermometers have a variance of +/- 1/10 which makes their measurements unreliable and could affect your chart.

dragonfly87-2

sheknows6 : Thanks for the response, I have my annual coming up at the end of February and plan to ask my OB around that time. I should have one more period between now and the appt and should be CD 3 on that day.

Also, google is a dangerous thing. I know it's unlikely, but after I started googling Grave's disease, I got really paranoid. Ever since getting off Mirena last October I have been struggling with extreme insomnia, weight issues, random heart palpitations/racing heart beat at times (thought I was having a heart attack one day due to intense chest pain/heart beating fast), swelling red eyes when period starts and the short periods. I know I need to talk with my doctor, but trying not to go too overboard with the symptom manifesting given it could be anything or nothing at all.

I am sorry you are struggling with Graves disease and I hope you are on a path to effective treatment or management of it.

kiwi2628

When did a pap every 3 years become a thing??? Is this new? I have gotten one every year no questions asked. Is that weird?

dragonfly87-2

@kiwi2628: I get one every year. A few years ago, there was some recommendation saying you only need to get it every 3 years if your previous one was normal. I honestly do not know where it came from, but I remember talking about it with friends and thinking it was a potential disaster for women missing significant health issues and maybe insurance companies way of saving money.

Tennis11785

I second yearly paps - I had a dear dear friend be diagnosed with cervical cancer determined during an annual pap.  She caught it so early that it was easily treated (she had surgery to remove the spot and things around it), but had she waited or gone with the 3-year recommendation, it might not have been so easy to treat.  Luckily my doctor is on board with annual paps and isn't actually recommending them every three years.   @BusinessWife - I'm so sorry your friend and that she fell victim to this less patient-centric recommendation.  

Tennis11785

I second yearly paps - I had a dear dear friend be diagnosed with cervical cancer determined during an annual pap.  She caught it so early that it was easily treated (she had surgery to remove the spot and things around it), but had she waited or gone with the 3-year recommendation, it might not have been so easy to treat.  Luckily my doctor is on board with annual paps and isn't actually recommending them every three years.   @BusinessWife - I'm so sorry your friend and that she fell victim to this less patient-centric recommendation.  

jess0211

For anyone interested & @kiwi2628


https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/knowledge/provider-education/cervical/recommendations.htm

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/Page/Document/UpdateSummaryFinal/cervical-cancer-screening

sheknows6

@dragonfly87 it's fairly common in women with thyroid issues, and if you're having symptoms, a simple blood test will clear it right up for you.

My advice, don't want till your annual, make an appointment with your GP and ask for a blood draw to check TSH, Free T3 and T4. That will tell you same day if you're having any issues with your thyroid and it's one less thing for your OB to have to check.

I've been on Methimazole since November and I feel so much better. I don't recommend waiting to get checked since if you do have an issue, it takes 6 weeks for your meds to kick in if you need them.

dragonfly87-2

@sheknows6: I unfortunately do not have a GP since I rarely, if ever go to the doctors office (on an HSA plan, so it's costly to visit). I wonder if I could just ask my OB's office to do a blood draw sooner before my annual (since they did one before for my betas). 

Glad you are on a treatment plan and feeling better!

ETA: This conversation prompted me to talk with my mother. She said that my grandmother, aunt and cousin all have thyroid issues and take Levothyroxine. So, makes me wonder if genetics might play a role. I definitely think it will be worth having my levels checked just to be sure.

sheknows6

@dragonfly87 thyroid issues absolutely run in the family, and women are more afflicted than men. Your OB can order the blood-work for you, so I'd give them a call. You can also order labs yourself from any independent lab, like LabCorp of America. 

dragonfly87-2

@sheknows6: Oh, I had no idea I could order blood work myself. Will it still get covered under insurance the same way if the blood work is ordered without a doctor's request?

ETA: I looked up info on my insurance website (Cigna) and it says I should only have to pay $11 per test at Lab Corps. So I will call them in the morning and ask if I need a doctor referral. I may just order the tests and then bring the results to my OB. Then could potentially avoid the office visit ($150) just to get the labs ordered and either discuss at my annual or just have the follow up visit to pay for.

adirat

@dragonfly87 My insurance does not cover any bloodwork not ordered by a doctor. Like @sheknows6 said, there's some evidence of thyroid issues running in families (my father has hypothyroidism just like I do, for instance) so you may want to request bloodwork. Also, while you are fine to ask for your thyroid levels to be checked by any doctor, if something comes back abnormal, I strongly recommend seeing an endocrinologist (not a PCP, not an OBGYN, not an RE) so that you can get to the right dose of medication quickly and safely. It took me more than a year to get my thyroid issues resolved and it would have been so much better if I'd just seen a good endocrinologist sooner. If your doctor isn't really familiar with this stuff, make sure to ask for TSH, T3, T4, and antibodies. 

dragonfly87-2

@adirat: Thanks for the response. My mother has been pushing me to see an endocrinologist as well for other reasons ( hypoglycemia issues and likely pre-Type 1 diabetic--she is Adult Onset Type 1 diabetic), but I have been pushing it off. I know it's not ideal, but I should probably just deal with it.  

I really need to switch insurances, this high deductible plan just makes me want to avoid doctors visits....

sheknows6

@dragonfly87 I was just about to say exactly what @adirat did. Run the labs however you choose, but if they come back out of range, or even slightly elevated, please go see an Endo ASAP. You will need to be closely monitored for the duration of your treatment, and they'll want to analyze your labs as well as do an ultrasound or RAI test. 

I'm in the insurance industry, and I can tell you that you can order labs from LabCorp without a doctor's referral, but either way it goes, I hope you get some answers soon as the sooner you're treated, the better you'll feel. 

dragonfly87-2

@sheknows6: Thanks for all of your help. I called my insurance and I do not need a doctor's referral for lab work (one benefit of the HSA) and it would cost $38 for to have the Thyroid Panel with TSH completed (Free Thyroxine,T3, T4 and TSH). 

So, I went ahead and scheduled an online appointment for tomorrow. I figured, for $38 I will either find out something might be off and can schedule a follow up or I will have spent that money for a little piece of mind that thyroid issues are not a concern. Either, it's a price I am willing to pay.

ETA: This is the test I am ordering, does that seem right?

https://www.labcorp.com/test-menu/35811/thyroid-profile-with-tsh

sheknows6

@dragonfly87 yes, that's what you need, and also add this to test for graves. Anything above 0% is positive:

https://www.labcorp.com/test-menu/35831/thyroid-stimulating-immunoglobulin-tsi

If you feel comfortable, I'm happy to look at your results but please understand I'm not a doctor and I still recommend you discuss your labs with your endo. But I can take a look and tell you what I think based on my experience.

dragonfly87-2

@sheknows6: I will add that test as well, and thank you for offering to look at the test results, I appreciate it! I know I would need to consult a doctor, but initial thoughts would be great to have some sense of anything is wrong.

jsnakehole

I think I might win for silliest question, but here goes: I just got AF back after going off the pill. Is there any reason I should be favoring pads over tampons as I'm trying to get my body back into a regular cycle? I don't know why, I just feel hesitant to use tampons. Anyone have any insight?

heatherdubrow

@dragonfly87 I must have missed this, but why not see a dr and have them order the appropriate tests?

NYTino24

@jsnakehole There is no reason you can't use tampons unless.... *TW* They are absolutely not to be used when pregnant and bleeding or during a MC. */TW* They are also discouraged during an infection like a yeast infection, but are encouraged instead of a pad when you have a UTI. 

dragonfly87-2

@heatherdubrow: I have an HSA plan, so any doctor's visit is about $150, plus any tests. I can afford it, but the cost is high given I would only be going in for the referral to get the tests. I have communicated my health issues with my OB over the past few months, but the soonest I can get in to her is at the end of February. Given my symptoms and family history, it's likely these tests would be ordered anyway.

I do not have a PCP and most places in my area (not a huge town) take about 5-6 weeks to be seen for a PCP. My health insurance does not require a doctor's referral for lab tests, so for $38, I figure it's worth it to have them done. I will have to see a doctor at some point, and I will...but this is just a test that wouldn't hurt to have now. 

I am not trying to avoid a doctor, but I would rather go in with some information than simply wait until they say to do the tests anyway. My annual exam with my OB is free, so if more tests are needed, she could order them at that time.

ETA: All of this is just reconfirming my need to switch to the PPO plan in August. I used to never go to the doctor's office so the high deductible plan made sense (and I like the tax benefit of saving in my HSA). But in the past 6 months I have had to go in a few times for blood sugars, my CP, a chiropractor for neck issues and now likely for my short periods and other health issues. This year is going to be quite expensive.

NYTino24

@adirat @sheknows6 @dragonfly87 Thanks for the info. I am seeing my GI doc Wednesday and wanted to see if he'd order a thyroid panel for me since my OB office won't order tests until after 12 months TTC or several losses. I had one run when I was diagnosed with Lyme and don't remember results. They were sent to MFM but I'm still waiting almost a month later with no appointment yet...

dragonfly87-2

jsnakehole  I have no idea if there is any scientific data to back anything about tampons or pads...but I would choose based on flow. 

For me, my first AF after coming off Mirena was normal and I used tampons. I prefer them because pads feel like diapers to me. However, for the past 3 cycles, I have had light flow for 1.5 days...so a panty liner has sadly been sufficient. In fact, (tmi) using a regular sized tampon was almost painful because it was too dry. 

So I say, go with what feels comfortable!