So I am 20f and i want to ask if masturbation causes hairfall or pimples like if I am doing it in once a week so does it effect my hair or skin

i’m not sure this is the right sub for this, but i’m not sure where else to go to vent this out.

i’m extremely frustrated. i became chronically ill back in feb and i still have no answers, no diagnosis and nothing to help make my symptoms more manageable.

i’m constantly being belittled, having my debilitating symptoms written off as “anxiety” or “hormone related”. i’ve had anxiety almost my entire life, i started having daily anxiety attacks when i was 11 and i do have pmdd and endometriosis but those things are completely irrelevant to my now chronic health issues.

my sudden onset of my symptoms and the lack of motivation from doctors to help me figure out what’s wrong with me has left me unable to work and living off sickness government benefits. i also am unable to maintain any sort of social life or keep up with any hobbies. i’m quite literally wasting away in bed. the only time i leave my house is to go to medical appointments and despite me doing my best to advocate for myself, i’m still being ignored and not taken seriously.

my chronic pain, chest discomfort, left sided pain and weakness, vertigo, dizziness, flu symptoms, fever symptoms, fatigue, brain fog, eye sight changes, swollen lymph nodes, exercise intolerance, temperature intolerance, circulatory problems and all the other bizarre symptoms that have been and continue to debilitate me and make me bed bound since feb are being ignored because of my age and gender.

today i had to fight with a doctor about getting my heart looked at, for now the most he was willing to give me was a referral for an echocardiogram and a blood test for my cholesterol. as angry as his stubborn dismissal of giving me a cardiologist referral makes me, i’m counting it as a small win and a step in the right direction but i still can’t get past the fact that it has taken me months of basically begging for my heart to be looked at just to get a referral for 2 very basic tests.

i just want to be healthy and get my life back.

Does anyone know how separation affects labor and delivery in a hospital? My husband and I are no longer together, but legally we are still married. I want to be no contact for safety reasons but am not sure how this will all play out. I’m scared and I am freaking out because the thought of being around him at a vulnerable time is enough to make me want to throw up and rip my hair out.

Hi everyone- I’m looking for advice or experiences with this medication and delaying a period.

I have a few months until my wedding and it looks like I’m going to be in my luteal phase - this isn’t the worst thing in the world but for me being on my period would be better than this - PMDD wrecks me- I’m so moody, bloated, exhausted, etc.

Since I have some time I was thinking about taking norethindrone acetate two or three months prior to my actual wedding to delay it long enough that when my wedding arrives I’ll be in my follicular- or even on my period is fine. Has anyone tried this and had any luck?

Currently not on birth control with periods 30-35 days on average (my normal).

Thanks!

I have been on a pill probably 25 years. I'm now entering into perimenopause and my doctor suggested changing to the patch with also taking progesterone. She's hoping that will help with my poor sleeping. Is there something I should be warned about? Should I expect a major weight gain or something?

I 18F have never been able to feel sexual pleasure normally. I have the desire to do sexual things technically but whenever i do it’s either really quick and unsatisfying or doesn’t work at all. My clitoris and g spot are completely under sensitive. I can feel sensation on the outside sometimes but it’s very difficult for me to feel and remain aroused. I’ve been on anti depressants since i was 12 but I’ve never felt anything before that or in between medications. I have a girlfriend whom i love and am attracted to and we do have sex sometimes. But it’s mainly me doing things to her because trying to do stuff to me always ends up being disappointing. I just don’t want to live my life like this. Gyno prescribed me some pills that will help me have one satisfying experience a month? I definitely don’t want to live like that. Any information is helpful i mainly just want to know how to fix it.

(21 female)
Hi, I'm looking for some advice because I'm getting worried.
About 2–3 days ago, I masturbated using a sanitary pad, (I was so desparate….) and afterward I started experiencing pain around the area just above my clitoris, where the labia meet. The pain feels like burning and soreness.
It's been hurting for several days now. It hurts when I move, lean forward while sitting, or put pressure on the area. Sometimes it hurts even when I'm not moving.
I've also noticed what feels like swelling and a widespread, firm or hard area just above my clitoris, under the skin. It’s pretty big. and It's painful when I touch it, so I've stopped pressing on it.
I'm worried because the swelling and pain haven't gone away. Could this be irritation or swelling caused by friction, or could it be something else? I'm also scared that I might have caused permanent damage or lost sensation.
Has anyone experienced something similar? How quickly did it improve, and what did your doctor say?
I'm planning to get it checked, but I'd appreciate any advice from people who have experienced something similar.

Hello everyone,

First time posting here, so I hope the post is alright:)

Long story short, I’ve experienced severe cramps since I was 14. I am now at a loss at what to do, and I hope someone can help me:)

Here’s a timeline of things I’ve tried, to hopefully make it make more sense:

\- Tried the pill when I was 15/16, had to stop due to migraines
\- Tried the smaller minipill after, but that didn’t do the job either.
\- Got an implant when I was about 20/21, but it stopped working within the year, so I got it taken out.
\- I tried being without for a while, to see how it would go, but it was too painful
\- I started asking the doctors about endometriosis and similar issues, because it runs in the family
\- I got a scanning and had a full exam at my gyno, but they couldn’t see anything wrong
\- I got the Mirena IUD inserted in late April of this year (I’m 23 now), because it was supposed to help with the pain
\- I was in severe pain the first two/three weeks after insertion
\- My cramps never got better, but the bleeding did go away
\- In May, I started experiencing episodes of excruciating stabbing pain in my left side, from my hip to my chest. I got checked for kidney stones and other organ issues, but there was nothing to be seen on the ultrasound…
\- I’ve had cramps almost everyday for the last two months, and painkillers and heat don’t do the trick anymore.
\- I got put on the minipill again, to manage the pain at ovulation (so many hormones, I hate it…)
\- Last time I went to the doctor, she suggested trying to manage my pain without painkillers, because I had to be on them constantly, and I hate having to pop that many pills. And that if the pain didn’t get better within a month or two, to get the IUD removed. Mostly to check if it’s the cause of the side pain.
\- I only spot bleed when my cramps are really bad

Yeah, so that’s the long story as short as possible… Now I’m here, heavily debating removing the IUD, but what then? The doctors seem clueless and I’ve just been met with the “oh some women just feel more pain” or “nobody has looked into that yet” comments, and they frankly piss me off.
I’m so tired of being in pain and having to go through doctors, all saying the same things and yet nothing happens!

So this is my Hail Mary, I suppose… To see if anyone else has experienced something similar and what they did??

Sorry this post was kind of long, hope someone can help! Thanks:)

I’m 27 and was taking a sleeping pill for a little over a year and recently upped the dosage and noticed I’ve been getting constipated. I’ve stopped taking my sleeping pill and I’m becoming more regular.

However, I noticed I have what I think are hemorrhoids. I have no symptoms other than it occasionally itches. It goes back in itself but I notice it coming out after a BM or during sex and I feel embarrassed to be intimate with anyone.

Does anyone have any tips?

Hi everyone!! So Im 19 and have never had a regular period basically, I spent my early teenager years in between eating disorders and exercise addictions. However now for the past almost 3 years I’ve consistently been the same weight and I eat 3 meals a day and get regular exercise. Still no period for over a year and a half though, I used to get it like 2-3x a year but it’s completely stopped. My mom doesn’t even know because we just don’t talk about these things. I don’t want to go on birth control I’ve seen so many of my friends suffer on it and I don’t want a fake period and weird hormones. Also I don’t want my period I’m just scared there’s something wrong atp. Im thinking about seeing a doctor but I don’t want them to put me on birth control I’ve already done so much mental and physical work to get where I am and I genuinely can’t deal with taking something that gives me depression or causes massive weight gain. Any advice would be helpful!! 😭

Edit: I also struggle a lot with binge eating so trust I eat enough now lol that’s not the issue

I'm on antibiotics and getting my first one. Wow, they suck. This is awful. Had me frantically googling STDs lol. Then saw antibiotics gives you them. I'm 29, I dont know how I'm getting my first one at this age and not sooner, but here we are. So what's the best OTC thing I can get and tell me a little about it. Thanks reddit ladies.

Hi everyone. I’m 21F, currently in college, and I’m honestly feeling scared, frustrated, and unsure what to do anymore. I’m posting because I’m hoping to hear from other women who have experienced unexplained health problems or struggled to get medical professionals to take their symptoms seriously.

Everything started around August 28. Before this, I was active, functioning normally, and able to manage my everyday responsibilities. During my first week back at college, I suddenly developed extreme fatigue that was completely unlike anything I’d experienced before.

I started sleeping 10–15 hours a day, sometimes even longer, and would still wake up completely exhausted. My parents would call me repeatedly, multiple alarms would go off, and I still couldn’t wake up. I began missing classes because I physically couldn’t get myself out of bed. I also started struggling to concentrate and think clearly.

My symptoms include:
- Extreme fatigue and excessive sleeping (10–15+ hours daily, sometimes with additional naps)
- Night sweats
- Random nosebleeds
- Persistent itching without a visible rash on legs.
- Poor appetite and feeling full unusually quickly
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath with minimal physical activity
- Middle back pain, sometimes worsening when breathing or standing
- Headaches
- Chills and episodes of feeling unusually hot or cold
- Difficulty concentrating and brain fog
- Episodes of my hands and arms turning bright red or purple, accompanied by burning and swelling
- General weakness and difficulty completing normal daily activities

These symptoms have significantly affected my ability to attend college, socialize, and function normally.
My recent experiences with doctors: Last week, I went to urgent care after experiencing concerning changes in the color of my hands and arms. A provider mentioned possible Raynaud’s phenomenon. Then I went to the emergency room because I was concerned about my worsening symptoms.

At the ER:
- My EKG was normal.
- My mono test was negative.
- My CBC Diff had some flagged results.
- The doctor told me my bloodwork was essentially normal but also claimed I’d had anemia for two years, something nobody had previously explained to me.
- I was diagnosed with a UTI based on a urine sample, although that diagnosis has since been questioned. I wasn’t experiencing typical urinary symptoms, and it didn’t explain the broader symptoms I’d been experiencing for weeks.
What frustrated me was that I didn’t receive a thorough physical examination.

The doctor didn’t listen to my heart or lungs with a stethoscope, examine my abdomen, or perform the neurological checks I expected given my symptoms. The next day the ER nurse sent me a note and also told me that they misdiagnosed me with a UTI, and to stop taking antibiotics..

When I asked about additional bloodwork, I felt discouraged from pursuing further testing. I left feeling like my concerns hadn’t been properly addressed. My family has also been dismissing my concerns. My parents have repeatedly suggested that everything I’m experiencing is simply stress or low iron. Other people have made similar comments.

I understand that stress and iron deficiency can cause symptoms, but I’m frustrated that these explanations keep being offered without a more thorough investigation.
I’ve been taking multivitamins, although I understand that doesn’t necessarily rule out deficiencies. What concerns me most is how suddenly everything changed. I went from being active and functioning normally to sleeping most of the day, missing classes, and struggling with everyday activities.

I also didn’t initially document my symptoms or take pictures because I genuinely didn’t realize how abnormal everything was. Being repeatedly told that nothing serious was happening made me question whether I was overreacting.

Where things stand now: My parents have picked me up from college, and I’m currently trying to arrange an appointment with my primary care provider as soon as possible.

I’m not trying to convince myself that I have a particular illness, and I’m certainly not hoping for something serious to be wrong. I just want to understand why my health has changed so drastically and make sure something important isn’t being overlooked.

My questions for this community:
1. Has anyone experienced a similar combination of symptoms, particularly extreme fatigue, night sweats, itching, and unexplained nosebleeds?
2. Have you ever had doctors repeatedly attribute your symptoms to stress or iron deficiency before receiving a clearer explanation?
3. How did you advocate for yourself when your initial testing didn’t explain your symptoms?
4. Were there any particular specialists or follow-up evaluations that helped you get answers?
I’m not looking for a diagnosis from Reddit. I’m hoping to hear about other women’s experiences and how they navigated situations where they knew something had changed with their health but struggled to get answers.
I’m only 21, and it’s frightening to feel like my health has deteriorated this much in such a short period of time.
Thank you🫂💙

Has any period having people suddenly developed an allergy to tampons? I originally thought it was a uti or BV. Was negative for both. Only happens during that time, tried switching brands, which made it even worse.

I’ve been itchy around the vaginal opening (not the labia or inside of the vaginal canal) for over a year now. It comes and goes with intensity. I’ve been tested for STDs, BV, yeast infections, etc. I’ve been to two different OB-GYNs and brought it up and they attributed it to allergies or just general irritation. One offered to give me a steroid cream but I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve tried switching laundry detergents and soap. I’ve tried switching toilet paper. I have moved to a new place. It happens when I travel too.

Has anyone experienced this? What did you do to make it stop?

I finally got my ultrasound readings back. My follow up isn’t until the 29th with my gynecologist, this is my second ultrasound.

Would someone be able to help guide me on what this says or what kind of questions I should bring to my gynecologist? Please and thank you.

Ultrasound Readings From October 2nd (day after I ovulated)

FINDINGS: Uterus: - Measures 11.4 cm in length. - Echogenicity: Normal - Mass lesions: None - Endometrial stripe: 15 mm - Cervix: Nabothian cysts. Right ovary: - Measures 3.2 x 2.6 x 3.0 cm, 12.7 mL - Vascularity: Normal flow on Doppler images. - Mass lesions: Dominant follicle. Left ovary: - Measures 3.6 x 2.7 x 3.5 cm, 18.4 mL - Vascularity: Normal flow on Doppler images. - Mass lesions: Dominant follicle. Adnexal masses: None Free fluid: None Other: None IMPRESSION: Normal sonographic findings of the uterus and bilateral ovaries. Relatively large ovarian volume is accentuated by dominant follicles.

Extra: This is my ultrasound from June 26th (a few days before my period)

FINDINGS: Uterus: - Measures 10 cm in length. - Echogenicity: Normal - Mass lesions: None - Endometrial stripe: 15 mm - Cervix: Nabothian cyst noted. Right ovary: - Measures 4.4 x 2.8 x 2.5 cm - Vascularity: Normal flow on Doppler images. - Mass lesions: None. Multiple follicles noted with the most prominent one measuring 2.1 cm. Left ovary: - Measures 3.8 x 1.4 x 2.8 cm - Vascularity: Normal flow on Doppler images. - Mass lesions: None Adnexal masses: None Free fluid: None Other: None IMPRESSION: Normal sonographic findings of the uterus and bilateral ovaries.

\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* ADDENDUM #1 \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* Right ovarian volume: 16.2 mL. Multiple follicles with dominant 2.1 cm follicle does not meet criteria for polycystic ovaries. Left ovarian volume: 7.9 mL. No follicles or cysts noted.

**I had these done because my periods are always on time but incredibly heavy. Like my ferritin was 4. I’ve had two of my iron infusions already. Waiting on third. I’ve also had two blood infusions in the past and plasma once. Yet my cycle is only 4 days long.**

Hi I was wondering if anyone noticed one boob get bigger than the other in your mid-thirties? I have been very stressed so my hormones have been out of whack. It’s not a super dramatic difference like swelling or anything, one is just a bit bigger and I’ve never noticed it like that before!

(I‘ve already gotten an MRI, mammo and 2 ultrasounds in the past two months so I know it is not anything scary)

Around 5-6 weeks ago I started experiencing excessive vaginal discharge to the point where I had to change underwear once of twice a day. It was usually watery or mucus-y and at the start was white. It was accompanied by near constant burning pain which led me to believe it was a thush infection which I have been diagnosed with many times before. I did a 3 day course of internal thrush cream which only made the pain and symptoms worse. After the cream, the discharge was a more yellow colour and smelled very sour. At some points the pain was so bad I had trouble walking. I did a ph test to rule out a bacterial infection and it was negative.

I waited a couple of weeks before seeing my GP, hoping it would clear up on its own, as when I have previously sort medical help for similar symptoms I've been brushed off and just told to use thrush cream again. This time took a swab sample which came back negative for a yeast or bacterial infection and indicated that my ph was normal.

For additional information I am not sexually active which. rules out an STI. I also had an IUD inserted this February due to being diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS which has been going well. During the swab however, my GP could not see the strings.

I was referred to a gynaecologist for further investigation however in the past two days the pain and excessive discharge has almost completely gone away. Is it still worth going to the appointment which is still a week away?

I was having low iron levels and prescribed oral ferritin and also progesterone pills to help stop my heavy periods (from causing low iron levels). I usually have extremely regular periods every 28 days on the dot, then it once it started it become every 20 days, now 10 days. 🥲 advice?

I've had a handful of UTI's this year alone. I have all of the regular symptoms: burning/stinging, frequent urination, feel like I have to pee so badly but then very little comes out, cloudy urine, sometimes it smells, sometimes it doesn't... and now I think I'm seeing blood?

In February I was given Nitrofurantoin by my pharmacy. I hate being on medication so I took it for 3 days and then felt better and stopped. I know this was dumb and I will not do it again.

In June I felt one coming on pretty strongly, I had no access to a pharmacy and was extremely desperate so I took a friend's Amoxicillin. I know, again, dumb. I will not be doing it again. Although I did feel better. Still dumb, will not do it again.

In August I had to get a pelvic ultrasound which involved chugging 1L of water and having the tech press on my full bladder for 10 mins, causing pretty intense discomfort. It triggered the worst UTI I've ever had. Pharmacy prescribed Nitrofurantoin again. Took the full dosage. Felt better.

But then one month later, I felt the dreaded UTI symptoms again. I feel like any time I held my pee that instantly meant I was going to get a UTI. I took the rest of my dosage from February because of the desperate need of relief, and felt better for a few days. ONE WEEK later and I'm back with the symptoms, but this time I think I might be seeing blood in my urine (I can't tell if it's spotting from my period or not)

I've started taking d-mannose/cranberry pills about a month ago to try and help the fact that this is reoccurring. But it's obviously not helping. I also feel like I do all the right things anyways. I drink a lot of water, I shower with natural soaps every day, I'm hygienic in general, always pee after sex, make sure my toys are clean, etc.

It's REALLY hard to function when I am feeling non-stop discomfort. And there is no immediate relief for UTI's I've just been suffering

I've been in agony for 2-3 days now and am seriously hoping my NP will be able to see me tomorrow because I cannot keep feeling like this.

Has anyone else gone through reoccurring UTI's?

Any advice/insight is welcome. TIA

Hi! I used Depo-Provera for five years. I stopped using it last year, and a few months later, I noticed that I would experience spotting during sex with my husband, usually one day before my expected period. The spotting disappears immediately after he wipes it with tissue. I don’t experience any pain during sex. However, the following day, I experience mild menstrual cramps, and my period starts.

I have already consulted my OB-GYN, who examined my cervix using a speculum. She didn’t see any sores, wounds, or lumps on my cervix.

hi, I’m 18 and I just recently started having sex at college and for me it’s so painful. whenever he puts it in, it hurts so bad I almost start crying. what am I doing wrong? I wanna have sex but I don’t wanna be in pain :(

Basically that. I, like many others, bled (and the other person was kinda rough). But I don't know for how long this is supposed to go on and I don't have doctor money to just go get checked up to see if something is wrong. Is there an estimate or does it vary per person? Cause today is the second day (not counting the day of) that I started bleeding. No, my period is nowhere close. I had it on the 6th of this month.

I'm anxious about this and idk what to do.

I need some advice. My boyfriend and I are both active. I'm newly active so I'm slowly learning things as I go. Around the first time we did it I got a yeast infection for not peeing after sex.
Second time I got a UTI (like immediately after I got over my yeast infection)I'm not sure on why. And now the latest time we had sex he was super rough with me. Immediately after sex I felt something running down my leg but I ignored it. When I went to shower I noticed that it was blood and that I was sooo swollen down there. It's been 3 days since, the swelling is gone but I'm still bleeding. I'm a very private person so I didn't even tell him about the yeast infection or the UTI but now I'm bleeding. I still didn't tell him anything except that I can't have sex for a while and which he said okay. He knows I've been going to the doctors but I haven't told him what for. I'm bleeding enough to fill a regular pad as if I'm on my period. I'm actually so nervous and I'm going to book a visit to the gyno tomorrow to see them on Tuesday. All Gynos are closed right now since it’s late but I really don't want to go to the ER. I'm already in medical debt because my dumb insurance says I need to finish paying an "out-of-pocket fee" before they cover everything 100%. (What's the point of even having insurance?) I'm not in pain, I'm just bleeding. I also wanna avoid the ER just in case they say that it's nothing serious and now I'm stuck with a thousand dollars of more debt. A Gyno check up is also well over due for myself (I've never went and my mom never told me anything about it before so idk but I'm basically wondering if I should suck it up and go to the ER or should I just wait for the gyno. Also is this something super serious?
I'm not in pain so I dunno. I'm freshly an adult so all this is super new to me

Some more important info:
My bleeding is dark, like old blood. I’ve already had my period this month (I always get it the first of the month). This is also how I know it isn’t my period because of the color of the blood. I took a mirror and looked down there and omg sooo creepy looking!! 😨😨 I haven’t looked down there for a while ngl. anyways I looked down there and I can see the blood coming out dark. I also noticed that I have tiny blood clots coming out. So whenever I shower/take a bath the water has little tiny blood clots in it just floating around…
Any advice is helpful I just don’t wanna spend more money at the ER for something so little

Edit
Guys I meant Rough sex not Thought sex LOL my bad I can’t edit the title!!

So i wanna start of by clarifying that i have not been to a gynaecologist nor have i been diagnosed! But i am 99% sure that this is what i have, i think? Ever since i was very young and exploring down there, it hurts. It hurts really badly whenever i try to insert anything, and it has been that way for as long as i can remember. I know i should get myself checked out at the gynaecologist, but I’m in the process, and unfortunately i live in a very rural place so it’s not that easy.

Im at that age now, where i want to have sex. I find boys attractive, i get aroused, and i want to do it. I can feel myself getting aroused. Probably is, not matter how aroused i am, i physically cannot get anything in there. It’s not like i dont have a hole, but it’s “small” and i can never get far without crying or hurting badly. I’ve never been able to use a tampon. It sucks.
And I’ve literally tried everything. It’s not about feeling relaxed and foreplay, trust me i’ve tired myself out trying. No matter how calm and pleasant i feel, it doesn’t work. I did some research about vaginismus, and everything physically matched with me, but i read some stuff about it being psychological? Which is what confusing me. If, hypothetically, this is what i have, what has caused it? I wasn’t touched as a kid. I didn’t grow up religious or having any shame towards sex. And i cant think of any reason on why this has become like this. Im not scared of sex. I dont know why i fully clamp up.

Has anyone experienced this? Any advice or thoughts? Side thought can like a bad injury have caused this? Like if i hit my private parts hard and it like traumatised me? Idk bro I’m grasping at straws here