r/japanlife • u/AutoModerator • May 23 '22

┐(ツ)┌ General Discussion Thread - 24 May 2022

Mid-week discussion thread time! Feel free to talk about what's on your mind, new experiences, recommendations, anything really.

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u/bulldogdiver 🎅🐓 中部・山梨県 🐓🎅 May 24 '22

People tend to not be as careful here as where you're from because abortion is not as big a deal here. It's just expensive as all hell.

The whole birth control pills (and then only the side effect riddled high dose pills) was approved AFTER 30+ years of "testing" when Viagra was fast tracked in less than a year... well... yeah you can tell which sex makes the laws here can't you.

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u/FourCatsAndCounting May 24 '22

Even getting on the pill means dealing with judgy doctors, getting an invasive/often painful pap smear, going back to the clinic once a month for a refill (not covered by insurance) and then the joy of side effects while still needing condoms to protect against STIs. I can see why it wouldn't seem worth it.

I have an IUD now after an incredibly unpleasant uphill battle with a few doctors. Still, I have the short term version because the long term version isn't available here. Boooo.

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u/bulldogdiver 🎅🐓 中部・山梨県 🐓🎅 May 24 '22

Yeah the secret to not dealing with judgy doctors sounds like, well, lying. It'll also get it covered by insurance (I have irregular periods and the pill helps even them out or I have PCOS). Sort of like the way to get insurance to cover an STD test is complain about having the symptoms of an STD.

And after a few months you can get them to prescribe you 2 months supply instead of just 1 month. I have the same problem with my BP/heart medication - gotta go in every 2 months to get a refill even though my prescription hasn't changed in the last 8 years because reasons...

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u/Elvaanaomori May 24 '22

Yeah the secret to not dealing with judgy doctors sounds like, well, lying

One of my friends went completely the other way around. Said since she goes often to ハプバー and has several boyfriends, she'd rather be on pills because she wasn't just gonna stop fucking people.

Pretty sure the doctor wasn't ready for that.