birth control and hormones questions
#92281 - 07/22/04 09:46 AM
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Wookie
Reged: 04/01/04
Posts: 247
Loc: n/a
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Hello all! I have a situation I thought I would post and hope that maybe someone could offer me some advice. In the past, I was on the pill and it made me a raving beast!! I wanted to yell at people that usually never made me mad. I was out of control and decided to just use condoms the rest of my life. Also to add and help you understand, I have struggled with depression. This depression has recently lifted though. As it lifted, I noticed that I was having horrible PMS. Out of control feelings for 2 weeks before my period. EEK! I was miserable and just knew that God must hate women!! LOL! So I did some research and started taking estroven (which is a vitamin for PMS that has soy isoflavones) at night and estroven PMS a few days before my period. I have been doing great!!! PMS is gone! Never thought I would be able to say that but it is so true! Now here is the kicker... I have been taking estroven for about 3 months now. Also I have noticed that I seem to be developing a mustache!!! I am horrified!! I went and bought some nair for your face and it removed the peach fuzz that I had (which was blonde), but you can see a shadow and it looks like a mustache. I don't know if the soy in the estroven did this or what? I decided to not take it anymore though!! I am going to try some bleach and hope this nightmare goes away ASAP!! Anyway, they say that the pill is used to treat PMS too. I think I may be willing to try it once more since they have all these new kinds on the market. A friend told me Yasmin works well for her and she used to couldn't take the pill either due to depression. Does anyone have any suggestions about any of these issues I have mentioned. I am traumatized since how I am seeing someone new!! EEK! 
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~Wookie 
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Hi Doe, I was on BC pills for almost 18 years! I have also heard Yasmin is a good one becuase its a lower dose and usually tolerated pretty well. I did find that BC pills reduced some of my physical PMS but not the emotional part, but everyone reacts different so maybe it will help you with that.
I'm not sure on the other "problem", I wouldn't think your vitamins were causing that unless they have testosterone (SP?) in them but anything is possible! Every since I turned 30, I started noticing a little extra hair on my upper lip, yuck! I use little cuticle scissors to keep in cut short as mine is also blonde and not real noticable unless it gets a little long If I do get a dark hair in there, I pluck it out now!!! My girlfreind gets hers waxed at the salon every now and then to keep it in check. I can stand a bikini wax but not sure I could take waxing my upper lip area! Ouch!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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You know, I am not sure why the upper lip thing is happening. I just started to think of anything that I have changed in the past few months and that is the only thing. I am 27 so maybe my hormones are changing. But this is the strange thing. I used that nair and removed it all but there is a shadow there. But my skin is as smooth as a baby's butt! It is like it is my skin that has changed color. I had peach fuzz on my upper lip that was blonde and it wasn't long. I just don't understand what it is!! My mom suggested to try skin bleach or the bleach that you can use on your upper lip hair. If that doesn't work, I don't know what I will do. But I CANNOT have this!!! It is a nightmare!! It would be simple if it was hair and I just removed it but it is my skin color. ICK! 
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~Wookie
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Doe:
I must say your postings are a good diversion from our IBS woes! As an alternative, perhaps you could use some makeup to cover the upper lip skin discolouration.
If it cheers you up any (ha!), the problem only gets worse as you get older! I'm 46 and I have to pluck my whiskers every day now or I fear I will be offered a job in the circus as the bearded lady!
I say turn the other cheek to the problem, keep a stiff upper lip and buy some extra Maybelene!
Belinda
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Doe,
The extra pigmentation is a fairly common effect of being on any kind of hormone. (I'm betting the Estroven did it to you.) I've never gotten it, but both my sisters did. My trick? STAY OUT OF THE SUN or use sunscreen. The doctor can give you a cream to help fade it, but the only way to prevent it is to avoid tanning your skin (or going off anything that affects the hormones).
Here is one of many web sites that address it.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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I noticed that not only did I grow hair where I didn't grow it before once I hit my late 20s, but I also started getting some skin discoloration. Right now, it looks like I have brown lip liner applied right outside my lips - pretty lame!
It looks like you're a pale person like me. Are you staying out of the sun and using SPF 30 all the time? You really need to do this as you get to 30 and beyond - not only do you get this charming discoloration, but you start getting big ol' age spots instead of cute lil' freckles.
The good news is that all my discolorations has been fading ever since I got strict with the sunscreen, including putting on high-SPF lip balm. I also wear a hat all summer.
While this seems sorta lame, my dermatologist is so happy with me.  And hey, I'm not just looking better, I'm minimizing my risk of skin cancer!
--AC, the very pale
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You know what? I had been tanning too!! I usually don't tan my face, but I was broke out and tanning clears my skin up. EEK! I am just horrified!!! I guess I will get some skin bleaching stuff. I am prone to breaking out so I will have to be careful with that too! Jeez! If it isn't one thing, it is another!! 
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~Wookie
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I have been dealing with this for a while in secret. I am so glad I finally got the nerve to post it!! Liver spots run in my family. I guess I will just stop the estroven, get some skin bleach and face lotion with spf. I have been looking for some lotion with spf for acne prone skin but haven't had much luck! I guess I will just order some proactiv online. It works well with acne prone skin.
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~Wookie
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I don't like this aging thing one bit!!! Make-up didn't help as much as I would have liked! But I am going to get me some skin bleach and face lotion with spf and see what happens. No more estroven!
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~Wookie
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Do you think if I stop the estroven, that will make my skin go back to the normal color?? Or is it there for life?? I am confused and freaking out! 
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~Wookie
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Re: Christine
#92366 - 07/22/04 02:57 PM
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angela3
Reged: 07/12/04
Posts: 182
Loc: Texas, near Fort Worth)
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ladies, i am only 26 so i probably don't have too great of info on hormones..however...when i was sick with IBS and did not yet find this IBS website,i did a lot of shopping on the TV because I rarely left my apartment. (HSN, home shopping network). anyway, a little gadget called "the finishing touch" is great for removing my facial hair, without hurting, you might should try it you may even have seen the infomercial. also on HSN, a guy named Andrew Lessman makes vitamins..he makes them additive free and i use his calcium and healthy hair, skin and nails.. and they don't hurt my stomach. I have not tried it personally,but he makes a PMS vitamin with soy isoflavens and my aunt uses it and says it helps her PMS....I can't try it because soy gives me migraines. You can go to HSN.com and do a search for those items (finishing touch and Andrew Lessman PMS)
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Just my suggestions, as someone who STILL can't have perfectly clear skin (at 29):
I've found that CG Smoothers work well on my face. It's an SPF 15 tinted moisturizer. I've been using it for a couple years now, and haven't had it cause any breakouts. It is oil-free. If you have a foundation you like, you can layer it right over it (added bonus: foundation, by nature, has a little bit of SPF to it, so you'll boost the 15 up a smidge).
For all-over - but I've found it's fine on my face, too (again, no breakouts) - I use Neutrogena Healthy Defense Oil-Free Sunblock (SPF 30).
I am the sunscreen queen. I have a lot of tattoos to protect.
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You're definitely not stuck with it for life. If you stop the Estroven and quit the sun exposure, it will fade on its own. The fade cream from the doctor will just expedite that process.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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I like your pic! You keeping us on our toes and changing it up a bit!
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~Wookie
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I wanted to thank each of your for your help and suggestions! It was hard for me to get the nerve to post this topic because we females are supposed to be perfect! We are not allowed to grow facial hair or even fart! LOL! I went to the drug store last night and picked up some fade cream with sunscreen. I have stopped the estroven. And I found some neutragena face lotion that is oil free with SPF. I hope this regimin will put me on the road to recovery!! Thanks again! I will keep you guys posted!!
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~Wookie
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Yup! :)
#92493 - 07/23/04 06:46 AM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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I chopped off my hair... so it seemed like a good excuse to get camera-happy and get a new pic.
Glad you could find the sunscreen!
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I love short hair!! It is too cute! Not to mention, fun in the summer! 
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~Wookie
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Hey Doe.
I have to say that although it could be the estroven causing the discoloration (because any type or hormone makes one's skin sun sensitive), if you have any added hair, it is generally because your body is not producing enough estrogen (this can happen if your BMI is too low). In any case, I highly recommend proactiv solution (I have been a happy consumer for 4 years now). Sunscreen is definitely key to preventing the spots/discoloration (even though we are tempted to tan the acne, it actually ends up making it worse). I also use a lightening lotion with 2% hydroquinone (sp?) proven to help discolorations due to acne, sun, age disappear.
Please don't ever hesitate to post your questions. It is only in doing so that you find out things you never knew. And it helps us too!
Good luck! 
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I have been a huge fan of proactive for the past 4 years too!! Last year, a generic came out and I don't remember the name although I use the product 2 times a day (morning and night). It is half the price of proactiv and has the exact same ingredients. My skin is clear but I have an occasional breakout on my forehead (thank God for bangs!) I live in Oklahoma and the summers here are blasting HOT! Plus, I have no a/c in my car. That is why my forehead is having trouble staying clear. So do you use the fade cream that proactiv makes?? I bought it and never used it and it got old and gunky so I threw it away last summer. I was using the proactiv lotion with spf for the past few years and recently ran out..and that is when this new trouble began. So I share your views!! Proactiv saved my self confidence when the acne hit me in my early 20s. I am an avid FAN!!!
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~Wookie
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Awesome! Yeah, proactiv is the only thing that ever worked for me. It can get a bit pricey after a while, but, as I'm sure you know, there is nothing worse than having breakouts to minimize your self-confidence. If you can find another "lightening lotion" that is cheaper, by all means, get it. One thing to remember though is the ingredient: hydroquinone (sp?) at least 2%. And I am particularly careful about staying out of the sun when I have a facial attack (even if it's just driving in your car...wear a hat and block those UVs).
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Yes the money is worth it!! Just like you said, your self confidence is worth it. I was in fear of getting scars on my face so I was not only worried about the 'here and now' but the later in life stuff. I have a few scars but nothing too bad. Proactiv is the only thing that worked for me too! That stuff is a miracle! The generic works just the same but since I am not a memeber with proactiv any longer, I don't get the good discounts and offers of the lotion and bleach cream. However, I was at the mall a few months ago and noticed they were selling products at a stand. You ever witnessed that where you are from? I may try to drop in this weekend and review their pricing. It is good to share our acne horror stories!! Thanks for sharing!
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~Wookie
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