Comments for Broken Rubbers http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com Safety first, mad sex later. Wed, 14 May 2008 06:54:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU Comment on Menstrual suppression: empowering or dangerous? by ema http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/menstrual-suppression-empowering-or-dangerous/#comment-80 ema Sun, 11 May 2008 22:44:16 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-80 Heh, when it comes to advocacy, we'll let Dr. Rako do that. Seriously now, the only credible sources are the ones used by both Dr. Miller and myself, namely the specialty textbooks and literature. I don't know how much access you have to either, but one way is to ask your Ob/Gyn to give you some articles on topic. And any Ob/Gyn has a copy of Williams Obstetrics in his/her office. [Also, if your university has a medical school, you can use their library.] Now, briefly, as I mentioned before, menstrual suppression and withdrawal bleeding suppression are two separate issues. For menstrual suppression, other than planning a pregnancy, there's no know medical benefit to having a monthly menstrual period. [You can find this information in any medical textbook. Try Williams.] For withdrawal bleeding suppression: <a href="http://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(00)00182-7/fulltext?refuid=S0010-7824(04)00172-6" rel="nofollow">"Although there is no known medical benefit to routine monthly bleeding, women continue to be prescribed the standard 21/7 OC regimen."</a> As to the slightly increased hormone exposure with some, but not all, continuous regimens, there's no evidence that it poses an increased risk of adverse events. Heh, when it comes to advocacy, we’ll let Dr. Rako do that.

Seriously now, the only credible sources are the ones used by both Dr. Miller and myself, namely the specialty textbooks and literature.

I don’t know how much access you have to either, but one way is to ask your Ob/Gyn to give you some articles on topic. And any Ob/Gyn has a copy of Williams Obstetrics in his/her office. [Also, if your university has a medical school, you can use their library.]

Now, briefly, as I mentioned before, menstrual suppression and withdrawal bleeding suppression are two separate issues.

For menstrual suppression, other than planning a pregnancy, there’s no know medical benefit to having a monthly menstrual period. [You can find this information in any medical textbook. Try Williams.]

For withdrawal bleeding suppression: “Although there is no known medical benefit to routine monthly bleeding, women continue to be prescribed the standard 21/7 OC regimen.”

As to the slightly increased hormone exposure with some, but not all, continuous regimens, there’s no evidence that it poses an increased risk of adverse events.

]]> Comment on License to pill by Jenny's Pennies » I am a Culture of Death blogger! http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/license-to-pill/#comment-79 Jenny's Pennies » I am a Culture of Death blogger! Sun, 11 May 2008 19:44:51 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=46#comment-79 [...] Yglesias Tar hearted Dark side of the moon Power up Overclocked drama ifeminists Eccentric bitch Broken rubbers Childfree hardcore CelticBear’s musings Feminist.org Ginandkerosene’s blog Items of [...] [...] Yglesias Tar hearted Dark side of the moon Power up Overclocked drama ifeminists Eccentric bitch Broken rubbers Childfree hardcore CelticBear’s musings Feminist.org Ginandkerosene’s blog Items of [...]

]]> Comment on About by Ashlynn http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/about/#comment-78 Ashlynn Fri, 09 May 2008 15:53:44 +0000 #comment-78 Hey Alex thanks for linking to the BCB blog! You can find your link on it next time you swing by for a read. Keep up the good work and the great articles (which I'm sure the BCB blog readers will enjoy!) Thanks again, Ashlynn Hey Alex thanks for linking to the BCB blog! You can find your link on it next time you swing by for a read.

Keep up the good work and the great articles (which I’m sure the BCB blog readers will enjoy!)

Thanks again,

Ashlynn

]]> Comment on Menstrual suppression: empowering or dangerous? by Alex http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/menstrual-suppression-empowering-or-dangerous/#comment-77 Alex Thu, 08 May 2008 04:58:59 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-77 Thanks for the information, most of which I was already aware of from reading your site and NoPeriod.com. What you point out in #6 is exactly why I'd like to find a credible source that talks about the risks involved with menstrual suppression through monthly-cycle pills without advocating it at the same time. I learned a lot from your blog and from Dr. Miller's site, but I felt like the information I got was probably colored by your position on the issue. Thanks for the information, most of which I was already aware of from reading your site and NoPeriod.com. What you point out in #6 is exactly why I’d like to find a credible source that talks about the risks involved with menstrual suppression through monthly-cycle pills without advocating it at the same time. I learned a lot from your blog and from Dr. Miller’s site, but I felt like the information I got was probably colored by your position on the issue.

]]> Comment on Menstrual suppression: empowering or dangerous? by ema http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/04/29/menstrual-suppression-empowering-or-dangerous/#comment-76 ema Thu, 08 May 2008 03:51:46 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=42#comment-76 Thank you for the link. A few points: 1. Continuous/extended Pill regimens aren't meant to be used to skip periods, inconvenient or not. [Women on the Pill don't have periods for the duration of use.] They're to be used to skip the monthly withdrawal bleeding episodes. 2. The NoPeriod.com site is run by Dr. Leslie Miller; she's one of the main researchers in the field of extended Pill regimens. 3. Having a monthly period is not natural. It's a recent (~100 yrs or so) development for women who live in industrialized societies. So it's normal, but not natural. Having a monthly withdrawal bleed while on the Pill is also not natural (nor has it ever been). From the start it's been nothing but a "designer" artifice. 4. If you're already on the Pill you don't have a period. Also, the Pill hormones are not in addition to your body's hormones, they're instead of. [The Pill works by suppressing endogenous hormone production.] 5. Brands like Seasonale and Lybrel have no effect on the menstrual period since women on the Pill (any brand) don't have periods. All brands like Seasonale and Lybrel do is to either shift the frequency of the withdrawal bleed to q 84 days (Seasonale) or eliminate it (Lybrel). 6. Dr. Susan Rako is not a credible source. Briefly, the risk of menstrual suppression is different from the risk of shifting the frequency of, or eliminating, the monthly withdrawal bleed. There's no evidence that either is detrimental. 7. "I wish I could find something good about renegade use of monthly-cycle pills." What would you like to know? Thank you for the link. A few points:

1. Continuous/extended Pill regimens aren’t meant to be used to skip periods, inconvenient or not. [Women on the Pill don't have periods for the duration of use.] They’re to be used to skip the monthly withdrawal bleeding episodes.

2. The NoPeriod.com site is run by Dr. Leslie Miller; she’s one of the main researchers in the field of extended Pill regimens.

3. Having a monthly period is not natural. It’s a recent (~100 yrs or so) development for women who live in industrialized societies. So it’s normal, but not natural. Having a monthly withdrawal bleed while on the Pill is also not natural (nor has it ever been). From the start it’s been nothing but a “designer” artifice.

4. If you’re already on the Pill you don’t have a period. Also, the Pill hormones are not in addition to your body’s hormones, they’re instead of. [The Pill works by suppressing endogenous hormone production.]

5. Brands like Seasonale and Lybrel have no effect on the menstrual period since women on the Pill (any brand) don’t have periods. All brands like Seasonale and Lybrel do is to either shift the frequency of the withdrawal bleed to q 84 days (Seasonale) or eliminate it (Lybrel).

6. Dr. Susan Rako is not a credible source. Briefly, the risk of menstrual suppression is different from the risk of shifting the frequency of, or eliminating, the monthly withdrawal bleed. There’s no evidence that either is detrimental.

7. “I wish I could find something good about renegade use of monthly-cycle pills.”

What would you like to know?

]]> Comment on CycleBeads fail to impress by Alex http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/cyclebeads-fail-to-impress/#comment-75 Alex Thu, 08 May 2008 01:37:28 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-75 I did research the Standard Days Method before I wrote this post (and learned so much about it in theology classes in high school to boot), and that's why I didn't really take much issue with its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. I took issue with other things about it that I think make it a pretty poor alternative to other more reliable and more widely applicable methods. Effectiveness isn't the only priority in making birth control decisions--even if it were, there are lots of methods that do better than 95%. I did research the Standard Days Method before I wrote this post (and learned so much about it in theology classes in high school to boot), and that’s why I didn’t really take much issue with its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. I took issue with other things about it that I think make it a pretty poor alternative to other more reliable and more widely applicable methods. Effectiveness isn’t the only priority in making birth control decisions–even if it were, there are lots of methods that do better than 95%.

]]> Comment on CycleBeads fail to impress by Nikki http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/03/23/cyclebeads-fail-to-impress/#comment-74 Nikki Wed, 07 May 2008 22:38:35 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=27#comment-74 I'm not sure if you read the research that went into developing the Standard Days Method, which is what the CycleBeads method is based on, but it does indicate that the method is highly effective - about 95% effective if used correctly. For women who understand the risks, and are able to use the method, it seems like a great alternative to other methods. I’m not sure if you read the research that went into developing the Standard Days Method, which is what the CycleBeads method is based on, but it does indicate that the method is highly effective - about 95% effective if used correctly. For women who understand the risks, and are able to use the method, it seems like a great alternative to other methods.

]]> Comment on License to pill by Will http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/license-to-pill/#comment-73 Will Wed, 07 May 2008 19:17:40 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=46#comment-73 What if the male birth control's testosterone overload makes me more aggressive and hairy, and makes my breasts tender? What if the male birth control’s testosterone overload makes me more aggressive and hairy, and makes my breasts tender?

]]> Comment on Take another picture with you click click click click camera by Alex http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/take-another-picture-with-you-click-click-click-click-camera/#comment-72 Alex Wed, 07 May 2008 18:44:07 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=47#comment-72 Who could even blame you? I like the new Wordpress default pictures so much. Who could even blame you? I like the new WordPress default pictures so much.

]]> Comment on Take another picture with you click click click click camera by Will http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/2008/05/07/take-another-picture-with-you-click-click-click-click-camera/#comment-71 Will Wed, 07 May 2008 18:39:44 +0000 http://brokenrubbers.wordpress.com/?p=47#comment-71 I started a blog just to link to Newman. True story. I started a blog just to link to Newman. True story.

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