Scarleteen

Hi,

I've been using Qlaira for about a couple years now and only recently started being more adventurous in bed. Just got me wondering, exactly HOW does Qlaira work? I tried googling, but the results I got weren't very detailed or satisfactory answers. Like one website says it "work mainly by tricking your body into thinking that ovulation has already happened". What does that mean?

Thanks

Hi theconfusedone,

A good place to start is with this article, as it goes into more detail about how pills like Qlaira work:
Combined Oral Contraceptives (The Pill)

Oh, I couldn't find that article, thanks.

Still a bit unsatisfied though. Like, if ovulation doesn't happen, what happens to the egg that was supposed to be released? Why would I still have ovulation symptoms as well? Why would the uterus lining not fall out earlier if there wasn't any egg to "expire" in the first place?

Sounds like some of the issue is not understanding how menstruation works, and that it is about hormones -- and with the pill, synthetic versions to do different things -- not about what goes on with a given ovum. For example, lining is shed because of hormonal changes (and the pill mimics those to create a withdrawal bleed).

Check this out?
http://www.scarleteen.com/article/bodie ... nstruation

In terms of what happens when someone doesn't ovulate, for any reason, the ovum just stays hanging out in your ovaries. And in time, this time happens to many of our ova, no matter what: http://www.scarleteen.com/article/advic ... zy_eggs_go

Interesting, how the hormones worked was never really explained to me. I was just told that there are hormones and they change lol.

So when exactly does the proliferative phase happen? According to that article, it's usually when ovulation starts. Does that mean about 2 weeks after a period starts, or it's immediately when the period starts? ... I guess a better question would be, when does the ovum usually release estrogen?

With that, how does the pill's synthetic version of estrogen prevent an egg from being released if estrogen is used to tell the body TO release the egg?

Well, if you're using a method like this pill, for you, you don't have that phase at all. This is way oversimplified, but basically, when using a hormonal method, it's like your body is kept in the secretory phase during your active pills, then during placebo periods, is put into the menstrual phase. Make sense?

And the hormone that really does all the work with the pill isn't the synthetic estrogen, but the progestin. It's what tells the body NOT to ovulate (and what also signals the body to keep cervical mucus thick).

Hmm. So when a pill is missed, the synthetic hormones wear off and the body's estrogen signals to release an egg?

(Also, for future reference, when does the proliferative phase happen when off the pill? I do want babies sometime in the future, haha!)

So, while one missed pill will rarely do that (it can, but it'll more often take two or more), what would be happening in that instance is that the level of progestin the pill creates to make it effective would drop and not be enough to suppress ovulation.

That piece you read explains when that phase happens for people who aren't using hormonal methods. To find out exactly when it happens for an individual, with their own cycle, they -- or you -- would need to chart their cycles. There's no one pattern for everyone in terms of exact dates or times.

Ah, that makes more sense. I thought it was a bit silly that there are so many "dire" warnings about missing ONE pill lol.

I never had strong ovulation symptoms before I took the pill is why I'm a bit confused. Discharge wise, they were always very strange though I notice the changes halfway between my last and next period. My mum was supposed to teach me about basal temps, but lost her thermometer XD At average though, it's usually about 2 weeks before the next period?

Check this one out: Get With the Flow: All About FAM

WOW! That was an awesome read. My favourite part has to be the description of changes to the cervix, coupled with the pictures! My mum had told me about FAM before, but never went into detail (mostly because of said missing thermometer hah). That was cool, thank you. I might actually stop taking Qlaira completely in a few months time, depending on how I am with my flow (I had stupid heavy periods that caused anemia), so definitely will get myself a basal thermometer. I never knew getting a plastic speculum from the gyne was possible either... So excited to show the pictures to my mum now! Most fascinating was the 3rd set, the one on the pill, wow!

Thanks again, my questions regarding this has been answered!

Actually, I have just one more question. I thought of this just as I was about to sleep lol.

If pills change how our bodies react with the use of synthetic hormones, thus causing us to NOT have an actual cycle, then what IS the withdrawal bleed? Like, what is it made up of? Since it's not period...

Hi confusedone,

I'm borrowing this from Heather elsewhere on the boards, but I think this should cover what you're getting at:
"Too, the withdrawal bleed IS still shedding of the lining. It's not a period in the sense that your own body is making it happen all by itself. It's called a withdrawal bleed because it mostly occurs when it does and how it does because your body is withdrawing from the synthetic hormones of your active pill (it creates a similar hormonal pattern as with periods, where both estrogen and progesterone levels get lower and lower until they are so low a period occurs) . The pill is designed to make that happen and work in concert with your cycle sans-pill so that you have that flow."

Ah! So regardless of the release of the egg, the synthetic progestin still tells the uterus to start lining?

More or less. Different pills don't all have the same levels of hormones or at the same time, but what nearly all brands and dosages have in common is that drop in progestin (the synthetic form of progesterone). When that drop starts, what your body thinks is "time to slough off the lining.

Okay, thanks!

I also wanted to make sure you had found and seen this, just because I think you might enjoy geeking out on it: http://beautifulcervix.com/cervix-photo-galleries/

Amazing! o.o Now I really want my own speculum just to check out how I look like! I never knew how interesting I would find all this LOL

The pap smears really do look scary though. I've never had an exam done before and I'm quite petite, so I have been concerned about exams being way too painful to go through without anesthesia or something...

Those torn cervix pics and stories are also scary D: Now I'm wondering if I really do want natural births! So much to think about and ask my gyne! Is it possible to avoid torn cervices through specific exercises or massages before birthing?

Really, thank you for all this information. Very helpful!

The vaginal canal isn't something where its size has anything to do with our overall body size. It's a flexible tube, not something like bone. More to the point, when doing exams which involve speculums, providers use speculum sizes based on what's right for a given patient. There are even pediatric speculums for children, so.

Really, talking about your cervix and birth when you're not pregnant or even near planning a pregnancy seems a bit off course per our help. But having geeky questions to ask a GYN during an exam is always fine: there's often time for small talk!

Oh, they have different sizes! That's great news! Hehe, I got a bit excited there. Having children is something I definitely want, and for a long long time, I was adamant on vaginal births because I felt like c-section was more hassle. I knew the vagina walls can tear, but never knew the cervix can too. Which is worrisome even now because my fiance is HUGE High possibility of HUGE babies lol!

(Seems like some gynes don't have time for small talk. I visited my previous gyne just a couple weeks ago and she brushed off my questions about the montgomery glands clogging up, not sure if you remember my previous thread. She was in quite a hurry to shoo me out. Thankfully, that will be the last time I see her because I will be migrating to the US this month! I really do hope my next gyne is much much better!)

I definitely hope you have a more helpful doctor next time! I find it incredibly frustrating when I hear stories of doctors brushing off patients' concerns or not allowing any time for questions. I've also had doctors like that, and to be honest there's a good reason I no longer go to their practices! Here's hoping you find a doctor in your new home that's a much better fit for you.

Thanks Mo!<3