Candyfloss & Dreams

Tag: women’s health

Betty Box for Girls – Review

I started my period when I was eleven but I’ve known girls to start much younger than I was. I’ve also known girls not to start until they’re a bit older but it’s something I feel like I really need to prepare myself for because it’s one of those things you simply don’t know when it will all begin. My daughter will be eight in September, which is quite a way off yet and I also hope that her first period is still years away. In the meantime though, I want to do all I can to normalise and prepare her for starting her period. At her age she hasn’t done any form of body or sex education but that doesn’t mean she shouldn’t know how her own body works. I also want her to have self respect and put taking care of herself as a priority.

I think this is why I think Betty Box are really great. A period subscription box that’s aimed at preteens to help them learn about their bodies, take care of themselves and the importance of feminine hygiene products. Evie hasn’t really seen a lot of pads and tampons around the home because when I was on the implant I didn’t have any periods. I didn’t even have a need for an emergency stash because for five years of Evie’s life I didn’t have them. This isn’t a problem as such but having the products in the home where they are easy to see and recognise hopefully teaches girls that it’s just a normal part of being a woman. It’s normal to have periods, it’s nothing to be ashamed off and there are ways to keep yourself clean, fresh and feeling a bit better about the whole thing. You can sign up to Betty Box here.

Let’s be honest, it doesn’t matter how much you normalise them or talk about them, periods really suck. They’re painful, uncomfortable, come with constant hormone changes, emotional changes…there’s nothing nice about them. No one likes them but we have to deal with them. Having a treat like Betty Box each month might just make things a little bit easier. I love that with Betty Box you have a right now supply in a colourful bag that you can pop into a backpack, handbag or school bag. You then have seperate night time and day time pads for the main part of your period. Again showing that pads come in all shapes and sizes because everyone’s periods are different. You can also have a mix of pads and tampons depending on your personal preference.

Then you get goodies. A little box of skincare, stationary and chocolate treats. This is absolutely something that would have made me feel better as a young girl every month. Betty Box is a great idea for young girls that will help them educate themselves, take care of themselves and show them that even though periods aren’t very nice, there are people out there that want to make them as comfortable as possible.

Disclaimer: I received a Betty Box in exchange for this feature. All opinions are my own.

March 12, 2018
#SmearForSmear – The Truth About Cervical Screenings
This week is Cervical Cancer Awareness Week so I wanted to share some helpful stories from other women to get the conversation going about cervical screenings, or, commonly known as Smear tests. Throughout 22nd – 28th January you might see a lot of lipstick smeared selfies across social media and this is to encourage people to talk about smears and most importantly go and have their cervical screening. I’ve had two since turning 25, I’m no expert but I know what to expect. The years before I turned 25, despite having a baby at 21, was full of anxiety about my first cervical screening but when I got the letter through inviting me to make an appointment I did.

I remember getting that first letter and leaflet and thought how strange it was that I was being invited to a cervical screening. It’s not really the kind of party you want to attend but it’s the kind of invitation you should always, always RSVP with a big fat YES! Get it done, get yourself checked out, have the screening and be on your merry way. At least then, whatever the results, you didn’t just leave it. It shocks me to learn that women just aren’t going to their screenings when it’s the biggest cancer killer for women under 35. 2 women die every day from Cervical Cancer and that just breaks my heart – but it makes me glad that each time I’ve got that letter, I’ve made the appointment, dropped my knickers and chatted to the nurse about how many she’s done (I think I was number 960 – she seems pretty qualified!)

Here in the England women are invited to their first cervical screening around the time they turn 25. There are plenty of campaigns to have this age restriction lowered as it is in other parts of the UK. A cervical screening or smear test is taking my swabbing some of the cells from your cervix. It can’t tell you if you have cancer, but what it can do is check to see if you’re cervix is healthy, has any abnormal cells such as HPV which can sometimes lead to cervical cancer. It’s important to note that there are 100’s of different types of HPV which is why it’s so important to get that smear test done as soon as you can. It takes a while for the cells to change which is why you go back every three years. These cells are sent off to check for abnormalities and over the years as you have more they are checking for changes and abnormalities. They’re quick, uncomfortable but not necessarily painful, and usually take place at your GP’s surgery by the nurse.

The appointment in my area lasts for around 40 minutes and the majority of that chat is talking about general health. We spoke a lot about my weight and BMI, general concerns and a quick look over my medical history – despite being fat I’m relatively healthy and don’t really go to the doctors for anything. I was then given the privacy to undress – I always opt for a cotton or jersey style dress, leggings and big ass comfy cotton knickers. It takes just a few minutes of lying back with a big bright light at your lady bits, some discomfort, a swab and your done. A few minutes of your time that can safe your life. I said above I’ve been lucky enough to have regular results but some of my blogger friends have experienced a bit more. I wanted to share more stories with you to help you see just why Smear tests are so important and why, if you’re due one, you should book in right now!

Twinderelmo talks about abnormal results and the fascination of watching a colposcopy.

Evan Angels Fall shares why she welcomes smear tests and encourages you to do the same.

Whinge Whinge Wine shares her story about abnormal results and what to expect if you have to get checked again.

Through Ami’s Eyes talks all about her nerves for her first smear test and how her nurse made her feel relaxed and reassured.

Mimi Rose and Me gets open about Smear Fear

Emma Reed has got together with a group of ladies to share more Smear for Smear selfies and about how we have to get our lady bits looked after!

Pass the Processco talks openly about her Cervical screenings including having one post-partum and dealing with PCOS.

And lastly, The Incidental Parent and Me, Annie Bee both encourage you to just go and get that smear done!

I hope the stories above help to show you that a cervical screening is just a way of looking after your body and having a health check. It’s important to get it done, it might be a bit embarrassing but ultimately, it’s five minutes of your life. Five minutes that could tell you if you’re at risk of developing cervical cancer.

How to get involved – Check Out Jos Trust for more information

When you share your #SmearForSmear make sure you tell people why you’re doing it. Here are some example posts you can use to let people know what the campaign is about, remember to tag us!
1. Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35, yet one in three young women don’t attend their smear test. I’m supporting @JoTrust (Twitter) / @joscervicalcancertrust (Instagram) and sharing my #SmearForSmear because every woman should know that smear tests save lives. Attend your smear test, #ReduceYourRisk
2. The number of women attending smear tests is falling. I’m supporting @JoTrust (Twitter) / @joscervicalcancertrust (Instagram) and sharing my #SmearForSmear because I want every woman to know that smear tests save lives
3. Attend your smear test; reduce your risk of cervical cancer. Here’s my #SmearForSmear for @JoTrust (Twitter) / @joscervicalcancertrust (Instagram) to encourage more women to go to their smear test
4. I’m supporting @JoTrust (twitter) / @joscervicalcancertrust (Instagram) with a #SmearForSmear selfie because 1 in 4 women do not attend their smear test. Attend your smear test to #ReduceYourRisk of cervical cancer.
January 23, 2018
Contraceptive Implant: Why I’m Having It Removed

I’ve been on and off hormonal contraceptive since I was about 14. Starting with the combined pill Microgynon to help control heavy periods and reduce the pain I was having. It didn’t really work to be honest but you follow your doctor’s advice and hope for the best. Since then I’ve also had Cerazette, the mini-pill and the contraceptive implant, Nexplanon. That’s pretty much 12 years on and off, but mostly on, some form or hormonal contraceptive with a small break where I had a baby. My reason for having the implant was to prevent pregnancy in my new relationship and in the last five years I’ve had an implant inserted, removed three years later and exchanged for a new one. Two years on and I’ve had enough of hormonal contraceptive.

I’ve been really lucky with Nexplanon, the implant has worked perfectly for me. It’s a small, flexible tube put into my upper left arm. It was first put in with a local anaesthetic to the area, a small incision and a stitch. I had a dressing for about a week and awful bruising for around two weeks. It wasn’t a painful procedure but the local anaesthetic made me feel a bit sick and the bruising was a lot bigger than I thought. Within around six months my periods had reduced, then completely stopped. I haven’t had a baby either so it’s done its job pretty well. Nexplanon, when inserted correctly, is apparently more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy. It can move, so you have to keep checking that it’s been inserted in the right place and if you can’t feel it, speak to your GP. It contains the hormone Progestogen which is the same as the mini-pill. They last for three years and then you can decide to remove or have a new one put in. This is again done with a local anaesthetic, a small incision and the removal and insertion of a new Nexplanon implant. For me, the bruising was a lot bigger this time because there was a bit more poking around on my arm to remove the old implant.

The science bit; The implant stops the release of an egg from the ovary by slowly releasing progestogen into your body. Progestogen also thickens the cervical mucus and thins the womb lining. This makes it harder for sperm to move through your cervix, and less likely for your womb to accept a fertilised egg. – NHS

Bruising after removal and insertion of second Nexplanon contraceptive implant

The not so positive side effects are very person specific. On the whole, the implant has been pretty good for me over the last five years. No pain, no periods and no pregnancy. My GP told me that fertility should return to normal within 72 hours of the implant being removed. It’s great after birth because it’s safe to use with breastfeeding too. However, there are always side effects with every single medication and hormonal contraceptive that you take. These can include, for some women, disrupted periods, acne, headaches, breast tenderness, changes in mood, loss of sex drive and feeling sick. These are typical of hormonal contraceptive and should subside over the first few months.

Since having a baby and then having the implant I’ve suffered really badly with migraines which have been awful. It wasn’t really something I’ve ever connected with my implant but if removing it helps reduce them then brilliant. The biggest side effect though is the women that report weight gain. In the five years that I’ve had the implant, I’ve gained around five and a half stone. That’s a pretty massive chunk. This has absolutely been down to food cravings and mood changes. I wouldn’t say the Nexplanon implant has made me depressed but it’s absolutely made me more emotional. I cry all the time, at all the silly things, I am a sensitive soul anyway and I think the implant has affected that and contributed to quite a few of my mood swings. I’ve had a lot of skin breakouts too which are always down to a hormonal imbalance. I’m also in a loving relationship with a man and we both want to have children together, so if pregnancy happened then, well, we are both adults and I’m sure we’d cope absolutely fine with the prospect of being parents (again).

The weight gain has been a significant reason as to why I want a break from my hormonal contraceptive implant. I want a chance to lose weight, healthily, safely and if this is a stumbling block for me then it makes sense to get it removed. I am hoping removing the implant will make weight loss easier, reduce cravings and prevent mood swings. The only downside is my periods returning because they’re horrible and painful and rubbish. I’m going to invest in a period happy box so I can get chocolate treats and things that make me feel better. Mostly, I want my body to be in a much better shape than it was in my previous pregnancy. We won’t be trying for a baby until I’ve lost a significant amount of weight and we know where we’re going to be this time next year. We need to move really as well because we have no space for beautiful baby things.

I’m speaking with the contraceptive nurse on Wednesday to get my appointment with the only doctor in my surgery that is trained to remove the implant. When I’ve got my appointment and everything’s been removed I’ll keep you updated on any changes I feel.

October 16, 2017
Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This is a collaborative post.

October has come along so quickly, hasn’t it? It’s that time of year to where lots of people really consider their health because of so many awareness-raising activities going on. For me, October always means Breast Cancer Awareness Month so here, my lady (and lad – men can get breast cancer too, they have breast tissue!) friends, here is your reminder to check your breasts. You don’t need to raise awareness by putting a heart or a status on facebook, you need to check them. You need to give your breasts some firm but tender squeezings to make sure they’re exactly how they usually are. Don’t make this a yearly thing because it should be done regularly. If you want to go that step further if you’re someone at risk of developing breast cancer, it runs in the family or you’re just concerned about it then you might want to consider breastlight which is a breast cancer screening device that can be done in your home. Breastlight gives you clear view inside the breast tissue to view any abnormalities developing over time.

Getting to know your breasts, their shape and size will really help you to understand your body and also make you aware of any changes. Make yourself aware of the signs and symptoms and if you’re worried about anything at all, if you feel something different then get in to speak to your GP straight away. It’s not just your boobs you need to feel either, the tissue goes right up to your collarbone and under your pits so get feeling all over. It’s something that will only take a few minutes of your time. If you want to help raise awareness for Breast Cancer then why not share something really valuable like the infographic below? Encourage your friends and family to check their breasts too. Something so simple as getting to know your body can help save lives.
PHOTO CREDIT: https://www.pinkribbonfoundation.org.uk/2017/07/13/breast-cancer-self-check-guide/

October 1, 2017
1 in 3 Women Will Experience Light Bladder Weakness

Did that statistic punch you in the face? It did for me. Then when I went on to hear that light bladder weakness is more common than hayfever…I was just blown away. That’s a lot of people, because honestly, everyone I know suffers with hayfever. Last weekend, I attended a fantastic event hosted by #LightsbyTENA in an effort to raise awareness of the brand and to pass on their #FeelFresh message.

Firstly, I have to say the event was incredibly well organised and a fantastic afternoon with some other wonderful bloggers. It was lovely to meet and speak with Jade from Raising the Rings, Joanne from Opposable Thumbs, Sally from SallyAkins.com and Emma from EmmaVictoriaStokes.com. Toegether, surrounded by champane and beautiful flowers we enjoyed nattering away and a delicious brunch at the beautiful Haymarket Hotel in London.

Raising awareness for light bladder weakness is so important and TENA want to speak to women that may have experienced this because they have a great product for them. They are looking to establish a difference and segregate from the thicker TENA lady products because this isn’t about incontinence. It’s more about as we get a bit older, have kids, drink more and our collagen levels deplete, our bladder and pelvic floor weakens. It’s a pretty natural and normal, but not very glamorous part of getting older, becoming a parent and just well, being human. In most cases, it’s usually nothing to worry about, but if you are worried you should always speak to your GP. After all, you won’t be the first woman to ask ‘is this normal’ and you’ll never be the last woman either.

My question is if this is so common then why don’t we talk about it more often? We talk in a joking way about having a weaker bladder after having kids but it’s still very hush hush. Why? Because it’s a bit gross? We’re women, all we do is gross. We clean everything off our kids, we are happy to talk about our periods and our birth stories but we’re not happy to confide seriously in a friend or a GP about light bladder weakness. We love feeling fresh, we fill our home with beautiful flowers and scent up with gorgeous perfumes and TENA lights have really put a lot of thought into their award winning liner of which they are offering a money back guarantee for you to try their lights product, and if it doesn’t make you feel fresh, you’ll get your money back. I think it’s great that they’re so confident in their product that they’re willing to offer this to their customers. (#FeelFresh or it’s FREE available until 30/6/2017) You can find full T&C’s on their site. I found the below infographic really informative and gave some top tips on how to improve the strength of your bladder and keep light bladder weakness at a distance.

Strengthening our pelvic floor is really helpful for bladder control and it’s so important to do them regularly, especially during and after pregnancy.

After learning more about the Lights by TENA range we moved on to a perfume masterclass which was so much fun. I loved creating a signature scent and I was really surprised by some of the scents I really liked. I’m really happy with the little fragrance I created which I aptly named Candyfloss Dream – it doesn’t smell of Candyfloss though, I’m just not very good at coming up with names. It was exactly what I wanted, a sensual, evening scent with spicy but sweet notes. I used seven different fragrances to create my perfume with a top note of Orange, heart note of Jasmine and base note of Tonka Bean. I absolutely love the fragrance and it’s much longer lasting than those I’ve bought in the past. I notice it all throughout the day and have had a few compliments on it too.

I really enjoyed my day in London with some fellow bloggers working with Lights by TENA and our beautiful flowers and fragrance to take home. They are certainly making me feel fresh. So would jumping in this glorious pool at the Haymarket Hotel…

Disclaimer: I was invited to an event hosted by Lights by TENA to discuss their feel fresh or it’s free campaign.

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February 7, 2017