So, effectiveness rates for methods, including condoms, are for one year of use. Perfect use just means someone followed all the directions for using a method. But someone can still do that and have a method fail. With condoms, for instance, while it's uncommon -- again, 98% effective in one year of...

So, sounds like it is all good! That said, it is always nice to hear from an attentive parent!

That is not particularly unusual. It generally takes a few years for periods to become regular, and in the first year or two, they can be especially sporadic. How is her weight? In those who are low weight, or who have high levels of activity, or who undereat, this can be more common. Also, does she...

One place you might start is by recognizing that if by sex, you mean intercourse,it would be hard to know that is what your body wants, as it were, if that is not something you have experienced. Can we physically crave a food we have never tasted or had any experience with? Probably not, and I would...

Sorry it took so long for me to understand you, btw! Didn't mean to give you any kind of runaround there.

Ultimately, the vaginal opening and the vulva are two parts of a whole we can't really separate when we talk about pregnancy and STI risks, especially since I don't know of any studies that have been done to look at how much of a difference, if any, it makes in people not having fertility issues to ...

I'm sorry, I'm still just having a very tough time being sure I have you right here. Was there direct genital-to-genital contact -- between his penis and your vulva, whether or not he fully inserted his penis in your vagina or not -- while he was wearing the condom that was first put on inside out, ...

Okay, so you DID take that first one and turn it inside out and reuse it for direct genital-to-genital contact? In that case, yes, you have to figure your effectiveness per pregnancy and STIs may have been reduced, as that isn't proper use of a condom as you would have then been potentially exposed ...

Even if the condom was put on the wrong way, any of your partners fluids would still only be on the inside of that condom, just like when a condom is put on the right way round. If you had taken it off, turned it back round, and put that SAME condom back on, yep, this would be an issue. But that's n...

Hey there, lemonpickle. I am not sure I understand what you are describing here. Do you mean the condom was out on inside out? And if so, are you saying it was out on that way, but once you noticed, a fresh one was put on properly? If so, nothing in that situation increases your risks or lowers the ...

I have to tell you, I keep feeling very stumped with this because I think I keep getting caught on the idea that free lunch is a BAD thing! As someone who grew up poor, when we got free lunch -- either from school or from the hospital where my Mom worked -- it was a very good thing, and something th...

Sweet! So, there's one additional thing to be tried that hasn't been tried yet, at least! Btw, I just reviewed some contraception info from the ARHP and they are listing diabetes as a risk factor for combined methods, which, given that you also feel strongly it had adverse effects for you, I would p...

I actually came back because I want to make as clear a statement about this as possible, given your topic title and the conversation. I just want to see what I can do to give you something strong and clear to support you in this. You DO have the right to call a sexual assault whatever words for sexu...

The thing is, legally and practically, someone drunk saying yes is meaningless because they are intoxicated and impaired. It might help to remember that "informed" is part of the picture of real consent, and we can't be informed when our brains are mush. I disagree with you that most peopl...

Well, one thing you should know -- in case you don't -- that you can always do is to ask your healthcare providers to confer with each other via phone or email. So, you can ask your endocrinologist to please talk with your OB/GYN to put their heads together and combine their general knowledge and th...

I'm glad you feel safe enough to bring this here. I want to show you something you wrote so you can look at it again: I was being sexually harassed, assaulted (the unwanted groping), and then when they brought in alcohol, one of the sober guys took advantage of it and had sex with me, even though we...

You've probably already seen this, kabith, but I thought it was a pretty spot-on parody and callout!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WqkJqOOyKQ

I'd add that given we know -- and have known from so many people's experiences, as well as the study of sexuality -- how fluid orientation is, I think it's safe to say that is any general term for orientation doesn't appear to have room for at least some flexibility or variance, the problem is likel...

You got it, we'll see what she comes back with. But for sure, when it comes expressly to help with contraception, I think an OB/GYN is your best bet, period. They simply are almost always going to have had more education, and have done more continued education, with contraception than other kinds of...

They're very scary. You know, I was just in Vancouver, WA, recently for a conference, and in just driving around to find places to shop for food, saw three of these places within a five to ten mile radius. And while I've been in all of this long enough to recognize the kind of coded language they us...

Okay, well, let's see if she has someone to suggest for you there first, and if not, I'm happy to refer you to her directly.

Apropos of nothing, I love Olympia. Such a cool city, and such a nice blend of urban things with funkiness and outdoor beauty.

I'd add, too, that much like depression, suicidal ideation is something that isn't always exactly situational, but can be chemical. In other words, even if none of this were going on with him at home -- or if the situation is as mild as you feel it is -- if he is someone who is suicidal, then him fe...

Email sent, btw, will holler back when I hear back!

I thought I had it right that you were in WA, just wasn't sure I was remembering correctly! You know, let me shoot an email to one of the best GYNs I know in Seattle, and see if she can't give me a referral for you in Olympia. Unless, that is, you ever get to Seattle, in which case I'd suggest you m...

Wanting what we want for our own sexual satisfaction is selfish...but not in a bad way. That's something that's about ourselves, and we get to want what we want. I don't see any reason to pile on any shame around any of this, or to discount what you want. It's okay to want things, and it's certainly...