A Whole New Realm of Tacky

[Xanthia, Maker of fine Tin-foil hats since 2007]

I was in a very similar experience my Freshman year of college.  I had a friend who started on The Pill for other reasons (lets just say she's very likely infertile, with or without the pills).  As a matter of fact, she's against sex before marriage.  First, she acted like getting the exam was traumatizing.  And, while I admit it's not enjoyable by any means, she would change the story every time she told it to make it sound worse and worse.  By the end, the male doctor was being accused of stuff.  I was having the same exam a matter of three weeks later, she knew it, I asked her to stop trying to scare everyone, but eventually I had to just leave the room until she got the hint.  Then, once she got The Pill she managed to bring it into every single conversation.  And when I say EVERY SINGLE, I mean it.  It was as if she treated it as if she belonged to some exclusive club where all the cool kids belong because "that's what grown women do".  She walked into the room of another of our friends and said, "Yeah, so I started The Pill," as an introduction (as in, she walked in and said that).  Her roommate said, "Yeah, so am I?"  Seeing another person who could be in her little club, she asked why (like it's any of her business).  The roommate replied, "Because my boyfriend and I have sex."  That shut her up real fast.  It was so annoying and not what I needed to hear at the time.

I just want to let you know that your "friend" may have been pretending to be traumatized, but some people  (ME ME ME ME) have severe anxiety over OBGYN visits (I have to be mildly sedated, similar to some people having to be sedated for the dentist), and I am in pain for days after, so I freak out for a week before the visit.  I am 34 years old, and would rather go to the dentist once a week than go to the OBGYN, but I have PCOS so I have to go every few months.

Just wanted to let you know there are some "chickens" out here, LOL. 

[freakyfemme]

I was in a very similar experience my Freshman year of college.  I had a friend who started on The Pill for other reasons (lets just say she's very likely infertile, with or without the pills).  As a matter of fact, she's against sex before marriage.  First, she acted like getting the exam was traumatizing.  And, while I admit it's not enjoyable by any means, she would change the story every time she told it to make it sound worse and worse.  By the end, the male doctor was being accused of stuff.  I was having the same exam a matter of three weeks later, she knew it, I asked her to stop trying to scare everyone, but eventually I had to just leave the room until she got the hint.  Then, once she got The Pill she managed to bring it into every single conversation.  And when I say EVERY SINGLE, I mean it.  It was as if she treated it as if she belonged to some exclusive club where all the cool kids belong because "that's what grown women do".  She walked into the room of another of our friends and said, "Yeah, so I started The Pill," as an introduction (as in, she walked in and said that).  Her roommate said, "Yeah, so am I?"  Seeing another person who could be in her little club, she asked why (like it's any of her business).  The roommate replied, "Because my boyfriend and I have sex."  That shut her up real fast.  It was so annoying and not what I needed to hear at the time.

"Exclusive club" of birth control users?  That's pretty funny.....sometimes I think I'm in an "exclusive club" of people at my school who *aren't* on the Pill, lol.

[ButterflieRJ]

Um, I'd be annoyed as well, but in all honesty, I would just be glad she isn't on the NuvaRing!  LOL!

I'd be tempted to be PA about it and start doing the same thing.  With all 3 daily medications I'm on.  Complete with overdramatization of symptoms if I don't take each one.  Of course, that's just wishful thinking. 

I like what buckeye said.

[snowball's chance]

She said that she brought them to the theater because her doctor said the were more effective when taken at night.
[/quote]

I've been on the pill for 6 years, prescribed by 3 different doctors/nurse practitioners and was never told it was more effective to take at night; I was just advised to try to take it at the same time every day.

I have talked about taking BC w/ close female friends, and I asked other friends/older women I knew questions about they're experiences, but I've never advertised it this way.  Very tacky.

I DO remember semi-bragging, when I was 11, 12, 13 about need a bra & "feminine hygiene products", b/c I was excited I had "become a woman" (boy, did that wear off).  Looking back, I was probably tacky, and may have hurt some of my friends feelings who were still awaiting these milestones, but as I said I was a pre-teen at the time.  Someone should have grown out of the need to get negative attention by the age of 23.

[Tabris]

From what I've read about the Pill (never taken it myself) it's at its least effective if you take it at different times every day. It sounds like the BirthControlQueen is well on her way to a surprise pregnancy.

[Linda1967]

I always assumed that BC pills are most effective if you take them in the morning, because if you put them right by your toothbrush and (I hope!) regularly brush your teeth in the morning, you're not likely to forget to take them - you remember to take them when you brush your teeth.

That's what I've always done, and I can't remember the last time I missed a pill during the past nine years. And I usually brush my teeth at the same time each morning, give or take an hour.

I can't believe that someone would deliberately advertise her use of BC, or any medication for that matter. I'm reminded of one Christmas when my younger sister and I were visiting my parents. She was in a long-term relationship at the time; I wasn't. One day I noticed her BC pills sitting right out in the open, and she walked into the bedroom we were sharing as I noticed the pills and was mortified that I had seen them. She kept saying, "You won't tell Mom and Dad, will you?" and I promised her I wouldn't. Never mind that she was well into her 20s and had been living with her boyfriend (who later became her husband) for a while and that she knew that I probably thought she was on BC - she still thought BC should be a private matter and not shared with family members.
     

[Morty'sCleaningLady]

Hmmm, after reading this, I feel like I should stop visibly taking my multi-vitamin every morning when I get to work.

[DottyG]

Hmmm, after reading this, I feel like I should stop visibly taking my multi-vitamin every morning when I get to work.

I know you're being facetious.  But, really, you may have a point.  Now, visibly taking a med isn't a problem.  But, announcing it and waving it around would be wrong regardless of the medication or supplement, I'd think.

So, while you can still take your multi vitamin at work - even if others are around, it would be wrong for you to announce in the staff meeting, "HEY EVERYONE!  Look at ME!  I'm about to take my Flintstones Vitamin now!" (Well, unless you're offering those to everyone, because they're good! )

[LadyJaneinMD]

Maybe she needs to get a T-shirt made (I'M ON THE PILL!) so that she won't have to worry about these little things all the time.

[Slartibartfast]

So this is a bit off topic, but it reminded me of a similar story.  Last semester I was taking this class that had undergrads and grad students.  One day, the class topic was overpopulation.  The professor was telling us about how some medical professionals were promoting this particular type of contraceptive (I think it was IUD, but I'm not sure), even though it did come with some unpleasant side effects.  One of the undergrads asked her a question, and then felt the need to announce to the entire class that she was on this particular type of BC.  Silence ensued.  I was mortified!  (I'm sure many others were too!)  I was so shocked/disgusted/amused that when I returned to my room that night, I told my roommate what happened.  Her reaction was similar to mine, and for the rest of the semester, we refered to that class as the "birth control class."   

Hoo boy, I took an "Alcoholism and Addiction" class where we got a lot of stupid questions like this.  One of the four professors specialized in alcohol-induced blackouts, and was always interested to hear students' stories, so we have a lot of TMI in that class.  Although the funniest was one girl who came across as a complete ditz:

"Ooh, yeah, so, um, I was at this party where the guys were taking their shot glasses, and like, turning them upside down and filling the divet with vodka and then snorting it.  [Clueless voice] Is that bad for you?"

My class all started laughing, and the professor just responded with "I would think that would HURT, but yes, it's bad for you" and then went into an explanation of how alcohol can be absorbed into the bloodstream nasally and how it's different than just drinking it.

And who could forget the urband legend (maybe?) about a girl asking in class why sperm tasted salty, then turning bright red . . .

[Tagy]

It could be worse, MissBrit.  Just be glad she isn't using the female condom for BC.