Up to 12 weeks between cycles

I am under the weather and just not feeling great. Sure enough, I started spotting today.
Since I have been sick I can't say if I experienced the usual headache before my cycle this time. I did have a massive sinus pressure facial and head ache the other day, but since I have been sick, it was par for the course.
Overall, Levora continuously has been doing the trick and endo is at bay.
The heat sensations subsided after taking Chinese TCM Two Immortals 3X/day. I am now only taking them 2X/day (except for the past week because I have been sick - Chinese TCM recommend to stop taking herbs during severe illness).

Finally spotting after months

Saw a dark spot on my underwear this afternoon and wasn't sure what it was at first. I guess that is a sign of how long it's been since my last period. The spot was brown, which is typical of the beginning of my cycle. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a full cycle or just a light, brown dribble.
Note: I did have a headache a couple of days ago, which tends to be one of the pre-menstrual symptoms of my cycle.

Went out of town, no period.

Scratch that last post. Went out of town for a week but still haven't started my period.
Interesting.
I think it's been 12 weeks and still no period.
I get hot a lot, sweating to the point I have to change my clothes. Perhaps this is the beginning of "the change"?

Why is it that I start my period when out of town?

Seriously, it seems that any time I am traveling, which is not often, I start my period.
Could it be because I have intercourse more when I stay in hotels?
Anyway, the continuous BCPs seem to be doing the trick because even though my periods are not fun, they are nothing like I experienced before. The gastrointestinal symptoms are rare and when they rear their ugly head they are livable.
I am so relieved that the Levora is doing the trick.

longest time between cycles

Just started spotting this morning, December 16. My last spotting started September 23. This is the longest time between cycles. Interesting.
I am 44 now. Could this be an early sign of menopause?
So far I only have a dull headache at the right temple. It could be from the three glasses of red wine last night.
I had the annual PAP exam in October and all is well.
Thank god for continuous BCPs. They have given me my life back.

Light period this time

I stopped the BCP and had light spotting for several days. Finally my period came but it was light compared to previous cycles. I had the horrible headache a few days, sometimes at the right temple, sometimes at the left temple.

My scalp was tender several days and each time I would rub/massage it firmly and sure enough the pain would go away (after the initial intense pain).

One thing I did notice this cycle is how much clear discharge I had. The blood was light but I was still changing tampons within 4 hours (like a good girl should anyway). I have no signs of a yeast infection so who knows why the heavy discharge (not blood).

I will start the BCP tonight. That made a 9 day break, shorter than previous cycles.

Ahhhh...the dreaded spotting. No wonder I felt badly this afternoon.

This afternoon I noticed I felt bloated like something didn't agree in my intestines. I was a little gassy and felt tired. Sure enough, I was spotting. Now that I take my BCPs continuously I almost forget what it feels like to have an Endo period.

I will not take my BCP tonight or for the next week and see what happens with this cycle...

We never know, do we?

No more headache, down to light flow

Today I am feeling human again!
No more headache. The flow is much lighter. Cramps are minimal.
Hooray!
It's been a week since I stopped taking the BCP. I will resume tonight and see if that will stop the light flow.
Last cycle I waited until I stopped spotting and it took almost two weeks.

Even though experiencing my cycle still in less than enjoyable, my life is much better than before when I would experience a week and a half of hell every two weeks.

Menstrual headache continues

The nagging headache continues...
This morning I woke up and felt a slight headache. I did drink wine last night so I figured, well, today it's my fault.
But, what happened was the headache got worse during the day instead of better.
I've had my fair share of hangovers over the years and this was not a hangover headache.
The headache would get stronger, then back off, then get stronger, then back off. I wonder if my flow was doing the same thing?
All day long I suffered through the pain. I took Advil in the morning, but finally a little after noon I took a half Vicodin. That seemed to help a little once it kicked in. When it wore off, the headache returned strongly. I took more Advil.
The headache is strange how it gets stronger then backs off, but is always still there.
We were hoping to attend a show tonight, but with this pain that I've been enduring for two days, I am wiped out. I am ready for bed.
Tomorrow should be a better day.

Menstrual headache today

Man, I have an obnoxious headache and I have had it all day.
At first I thought, did I drink too much last night?
No.
Oh yeah, this is my menstrual headache.
Shoot, I almost forgot about how I get a headache during my period now. I never got them when I was younger. This started after 40.
This sucks.
I've taken Advil but it's not really helping.
Also, I've been cramping a lot. The cramps are moderate, but considering what I've experienced all my life, moderate is tolerable :-)

Heavier flow after a few days

Finally the flow has really started. It is odd how the spotting is very light for a few days and then..BAM! Whoa Nellie!

A cycle at 10 weeks - I can live with that!

This time I managed 10 weeks until break-through bleeding. Hooray!
The last cycle in April did last a bit longer than normal, but it was fairly light except for the two heavy days at the beginning.
This afternoon I noted some spotting and stopped the pill.
I have been feeling great and so far am very happy to be taking the pill continuously (until I spot),

Not taken BCP for 3 nights and now the heavy begins

This morning I woke up a little tired. I went to the bathroom like usual and whoa nellie! The heavier flow has started.
Within a half hour I started cramping mildly. A half hour later, the cramping is much heavier.
Ick.
Funny thing, I haven't noticed that I had the all-day bad headache like before. I'll have to look back in my blogs but I thought the headache came a day or two before the heavy flow. Hmmm.
So, other than cramping and bleeding, today is going to be a great day! At least it's Sunday.

Finally home and stopping the BCPs

I am finally home and will not take my BCP starting tonight.
I have been lightly spotting since Tuesday (2 days ago) but no other symptoms have started.

Made it another 8 weeks before my period

Early this morning I thought I noticed a slight discoloration when I wiped. Since I didn't feel any cramping or have a headache, I shrugged it off.
Early that afternoon, I was definitely having spotting. Darn!
I made it 8 weeks since my last period, so I guess that's o.k.
Unfortunately I am traveling so I will continue the BCPs until I get home in a couple of days. No sense in allowing the wrath of god to destroy my last few days. And, traveling is always difficult anyway.

Now taking Levora .15/.30 - Been working great!

In the middle of January I noticed I was running pretty low on the Mexican BCP's. Some research on the internet for equivalent U.S. BCP's helped me find that out of all the matches (same dosage), Levora seemed to be the best priced.
Sure enough, Costco has it for $13.75/pak. Awesome! Since it's all out of pocket and a pak only lasts 21 days, I was relieved at the price. Some of the BCP's are upwards of $60/pak! That's insane.
So, I've been on the continuous BCP and just tonight I started spotting. Time to take a week long break. I just happen to have an appt with my Acupuncturist tomorrow so if I'm cramping, he'll be able to help. I noticed I am lightly cramping tonight already.
Without counting the days, I think it's been 8 weeks since my last period. I would like to see a little more time between spotting, but hey, at least it's 8 weeks and not 3!

Period after 7 weeks

Still taking the Mexican BCPs. I don't have the exact date, but after my last breakthrough, I believe I started taking the BCPs continuously again around October 25th.
I've been symptom free and had new breakthrough bleeding on December 14th. That's 7 weeks, only one week longer than last time.
I find I get pretty bad headaches when I go off the BCP for the week. I will usually wake up with the headache in the middle of the night and it's still lingering the next morning. Sometimes I will wake up feeling o.k. and then the headache appears within an hour.
I have been looking around the Internet for a comparable BCP as I am near approaching my last pack from Mexico. It appears the dosage is the same as Nordette, which is the same as the generic Levora.
I need to contact Costco Pharmacy to see if they have Levora and how much it is (they are closed today, Sunday). I can probably get my OB/GYN to write a new prescription after updating him on my success, even though I went around his back to get cheaper BCPs with the slightly higher dosage.
I dread having to pay $15-$20 for 21 days worth of pills (Mexico was $6). The doctors don't seem to understand how the math works out. "It's only $20/month." No, it's $20 for 21 days and if I have 4-5 periods a year that works out to $26.50/month. I have no insurance. This is all out of pocket expense for me.
When it comes to health care, I truly miss living in Mexico.

Six weeks and break-through bleeding

Started taking continuous BCP again on Sept 7th. Today, October 18th, I started bleeding. I noticed spotting mid-day and put in a tampon. Four hours later, sure enough I started bleeding. Hmm. Kinda weird that it started while I'm taking the BCPs and it's only been 6 weeks, not 3 months like before.
I won't take a BCP tonight. I will wait a week and see if I have a normal cycle.
The BCPs I've been taking are:
ethinyl estradiol levonorgestrel
30mcg .15mg
I remember from years ago, like decades ago, that when I was on a BCP I had to take a stronger dose. I think it was when most women were taking Ortho/Novum 1/35's and I had to take 1/50's.
Symptoms? Nada. I did feel a little pang for about 10 minutes earlier today, but after the intense pain from before taking the BCPs today's pain was nothing.
I don't like taking medication as I always try to do things naturally, but taking the BCPs seems to have minimized all the symptoms and I have my life back.
We'll see how this week goes....
Aloha!

Labor Day

Oops, it's a holiday weekend and I forgot yesterday was Sunday so I didn't start taking the BCP last night like I had planned.

I will start the continuous BCPs tonight.

At least I'm feeling good.

Still draining...

Ok, so that might be a gross way of putting it, but just when I think the cycle has stopped, a little more comes. It;s like in the Austin Powers movie, "Evacuation com-...Evacuation compl-...Evacuation comple-...Evacuation comple-..."

Today is only 7 days and the heaviest bleeding was the first 3. Since then it's been light to minimal.

I think I will start the continuous BCP tomorrow night (Sunday) just to try and put my body back into some sort of regulation.

I have felt uncomfortable on and off all week. My bowels are all messed up and not consistent and that is ever painful when things are not going smoothly. It is not easy to explain how going to the restroom can leave me completely exhausted or in pain for several hours. thank god I work out of the house.

At least I made it through this cycle. If I can get through another 90 days or so before needed to have another period, I could live with that.