Health question for ladies

[Shiraz72]

I don't smoke or have any diseases or anything, I don't take any pills, and cancer is from not eating healthy. I've never had a pap smear, and I don't think I need to, and I don't go to the doctors, I've only gotten a flu shot once in my life. If I take birth control I only need to worry about and check for the bad side effects. Other people that do smoke, drink, use drugs, take any type of pills and such and have a disease do need to talk with the doctor though, I know that I would need to if I did have anything, I only occasionally suffer from bronchitis or asthma which btw for me it is from eating too much sugar and/or going to bed too late and not getting enough sleep, and that puts my immune system down. I know more about my body than a doctor, because they thought I was allergic to cats so I had to get rid of my cat my beautiful Siamese cat with blue eyes, stupid doctor! I don't even know where that poor thing is, or if it's even alive. Oh but I did like that sweet pink liquid medicine when I was a kid. Yummy. what was it for, a sore throat? it wasn't those nasty kinds, and you have to have a prescription for it.

Just speaking from experience and offering you the same advice I would give my daughters. I used to work at a health center and also for the Aboriginal nurses center. Cervical cancer can be caused by the hpv virus which is very common in young women. Most cases go undiagnosed because there are not often visible symptoms. The risk increases with the number of partners you have and even if you have only one partner, the number of partners he has.... That's why even if you're on birth control, it's always advisable to use condoms. Either way, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if you eat healthy, the risk is there. Some life long smokers never get sick and others do. Some are geneticly predisposed. Prevention and awareness is always a good idea. Cheers. Shiraz.

 

[Africaida]

A match made in heaven

I don't smoke or have any diseases or anything, I don't take any pills, and cancer is from not eating healthy. I've never had a pap smear, and I don't think I need to, and I don't go to the doctors, I've only gotten a flu shot once in my life. If I take birth control I only need to worry about and check for the bad side effects. Other people that do smoke, drink, use drugs, take any type of pills and such and have a disease do need to talk with the doctor though, I know that I would need to if I did have anything, I only occasionally suffer from bronchitis or asthma which btw for me it is from eating too much sugar and/or going to bed too late and not getting enough sleep, and that puts my immune system down. I know more about my body than a doctor, because they thought I was allergic to cats so I had to get rid of my cat my beautiful Siamese cat with blue eyes, stupid doctor! I don't even know where that poor thing is, or if it's even alive. Oh but I did like that sweet pink liquid medicine when I was a kid. Yummy. what was it for, a sore throat? it wasn't those nasty kinds, and you have to have a prescription for it.

Are you dating Yanandu ??? :cheeky:

 

[Twix]

Just speaking from experience and offering you the same advice I would give my daughters. I used to work at a health center and also for the Aboriginal nurses center. Cervical cancer can be caused by the hpv virus which is very common in young women. Most cases go undiagnosed because there are not often visible symptoms. The risk increases with the number of partners you have and even if you have only one partner, the number of partners he has.... That's why even if you're on birth control, it's always advisable to use condoms. Either way, it's better to be safe than sorry. Even if you eat healthy, the risk is there. Some life long smokers never get sick and others do. Some are geneticly predisposed. Prevention and awareness is always a good idea. Cheers. Shiraz.

Yes, and thanks for the advice yeah, condoms should always be used anyways, to also protect from stds. Umm, I've never heard of hpv. what exactly do they do when you get a pap smear? well I think I know, but it doesn't sound too pleasant.

 

[SantiagoDR]

Yes, and thanks for the advice yeah, condoms should always be used anyways, to also protect from stds. Umm, I've never heard of hpv. what exactly do they do when you get a pap smear? well I think I know, but it doesn't sound too pleasant.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a member of the papillomavirus family of viruses that is capable of infecting humans. Like all papillomaviruses, HPVs establish productive infections only in the stratified epithelium of the skin or mucous membranes. While the majority of the nearly 200 known types of HPV cause no symptoms in most people, some types can cause warts (verrucae), while others can ? in a minority of cases ? lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva, vagina, and anus in women or cancers of the anus and penis in men.

 

[Shiraz72]

Yes, and thanks for the advice yeah, condoms should always be used anyways, to also protect from stds. Umm, I've never heard of hpv. what exactly do they do when you get a pap smear? well I think I know, but it doesn't sound too pleasant.

Google HPV and you'll see some nasty pictures of the incurable genital warts they can also result in. Very unpleasant. A pap test is very simple and painless. The doctor gives you a pelvic exam, takes a swab of your vagina with a long Q tip and sends it to the lab for analysis...Sometimes they may take a small tissue sample but this is painless as well. The only discomfort is the cold metal scope they insert for a few seconds. If you need more details PM me.

 

[Twix]

Are you dating Yanandu ??? :cheeky:

Hmm, what?

 

[Africaida]

Hmm, what?

Don't mind me, it is funny friday :cheeky:

 

[Twix]

oh, freaky! yeah well I'm sure I don't have that, and I'll get a pap smear when I get older, like 30 or something, or 27.

 

[Twix]

Don't mind me, it is funny friday :cheeky:

lol, yeah I did think it was funny.

 

[dv8]

firts, yaz is sold in DR at about 700 pesos per box.
two, insurance does cover birth control pills (but it depends on your plan).
three, buying pills with insurance is worthless because you will run out of funds in few months.
four, there are more pills available in DR than i can count and there is plenty to chose from. there are also various injections and pills taken once a month.
five, a cucologo can instal IUD, no problem.

i used to take yasmin, lured by it's "get thinner" side effect. it was all cool but the bleeding between boxes was almost none and it got on my nerves. i switched to cilest i was taking before. cilest is fine.

few brands that i know from poland/england can be found in DR: yasmin, cilest, diane 35, microgynon, triquilar.
a box of good pills ranges form 500 to 800 pesos.

btw, all pills i have been taking say "take the firts pill on the first day of your period". never heard anything else than that...

 

[tink23]

I've been taking Duofem here in DR... I don't know if it's sold elsewhere. Have you heard anything about it? Good? Bad? I haven't had any problems with it, but maybe there are side effects that don't necessarily show?

 

[dv8]

duofem is no more. it was a product of profamilia, subsidized by the government, hence the price. now it is sold under the name PERLA, bluish box. dominicanas like it because it's cheap and that is the only good thing i've heard about it

 

[dv8]

oh, freaky! yeah well I'm sure I don't have that, and I'll get a pap smear when I get older, like 30 or something, or 27.

i would like to chop off your head.
every woman who is having sex should be taking smear tests. preferably once a year. more often if there is a family cancer history.
in DR is is called papa nicolau (after the dude who started it) or more scientifically citologia. the test is painless and the results are in within few days. they show the state of the cells inside vagina and indicate not only cancer but also infections and other irregularities.
the test is covered by insurance.
you are crazy not to do it :ermm:

 

[tink23]

but I just bought Duofem last week... maybe I'll switch! I used to take Yasmin, but it's very expensive here. It was nice when my bcp were covered under my insurance in Canada!

 

[dv8]

if pharmacy or institution still has duofem they sell. but profamilia stopped making it, so i am told. it has stopped coming months ago
i think all pills are cheap in comparison to having a baby. 600 pesos a month is nada
if you like your pill and see no side effects keep on taking it, no reason to switch. change is not always for the better.

 

[tink23]

Ok. Thanks for the advice, dv8. I'll keep taking it as long as it's available, and then worry about changing when it's no longer being sold.

 

[las2137]

every woman who is having sex should be taking smear tests. preferably once a year. more often if there is a family cancer history.
in DR is is called papa nicolau (after the dude who started it) or more scientifically citologia. the test is painless and the results are in within few days. they show the state of the cells inside vagina and indicate not only cancer but also infections and other irregularities.
the test is covered by insurance.

YES! Really, EVERY woman should have a pap smear, regardless of sexual activity, starting at age 18. (It doesn't matter if you are currently abstaining from sexual activity- it you've ever had sex you should get one.) It is painless and takes 5 seconds.

I don't know what the standard practice in the DR is, but in the US they are done yearly or whenever you have your annual ob/gyn check-up.

If you have an old prescription or box of your old pill, write down the clinical name. The doctor might be able to help you find a similar one in the DR.

 

[dv8]

i would also add that there are no risks, no complications and no side effects, it is completely safe.
what is more, any woman who is infected with HPV (and it is quite popular) should take citologia more often, as directed by gyno - HPV has been linked with increased risk of cancer.

 

[TOOBER_SDQ]

Thanks dv8 for all of the fantastic information you laid out in this post.

I am sure that many will benefit from it.

 

[Twix]

i would like to chop off your head.
every woman who is having sex should be taking smear tests. preferably once a year. more often if there is a family cancer history.
in DR is is called papa nicolau (after the dude who started it) or more scientifically citologia. the test is painless and the results are in within few days. they show the state of the cells inside vagina and indicate not only cancer but also infections and other irregularities.
the test is covered by insurance.
you are crazy not to do it :ermm:

:tired: I am not sexually active, sheesh. that's why I said when I am older, like when I am married. I don't know anyone in my family that has had cancer, only self inflicted diabetes on one side of my family and the others are pretty healthy. I'm not exactly comfortable doing it for no reason, and I don't like going to the doctors.