Most of us ladies at some point have suffered from excruciatingly painful periods (or, in docs' and researchers' lingo, dysmenorrhea). If you've ever gone to your OB/GYN for help, you've probably heard him or her sing the praises of what they consider the #1 "cure" for this problem: The birth control pill. Docs have prescribed it for years off-label as a fix for cramps and heavy bleeding.

Now, there's a new study confirming this long-held belief. The findings, which are published in the journal Human Reproduction, show that women who used a combo estrogen-progestin pill (which is pretty much every mainstream pill these days) suffered less severe pain than women who did not use it. That's fabulous and all, but no one's talking about WHY this is the case?? And that's the most important part!

Remember the Blair Witch Project? Well, star and filmmaker Heather Donahue is back with a slightly less scary stunt: A memoir about her year growing marijuana titled Grow Girl. Apparently the acting thing didn't work out -- plus that darn PMS kept turning her into a witch month after month. And that's how Heather hooked up with her medical marijuana license to treat her PMS and embarked on the grassy adventure of a lifetime.

Smoke Pot for PMS?!? At first glance that sounds like an EXCELLENT solution. Yes, we should definitely look into that. Sign me up for that medical study! But when I really think it through (while sober), I have to admit that maybe it's not for me.

It's been a lousy year for some tampon users. Supplies of the applicator-less tampon O.B. in "Ultra" disappeared from shelves back in fall 2010. This is the only size that works for some women. For those of us who want to cut down on waste and are okay with touching our yonnis during that time of the month, this was a disaster. How big? $80 box of tampons on eBay big.

But starting in mid-2012, the tampons are back -- plus, O.B. has an apology for all of you! And not just any apology: A super-special apology personalized with your name. It's such a good apology, people were passing it around on Facebook all weekend, even sharing it with non-tampon-wearers (i.e., men). Does O.B. owe YOU an apology? Check this out.

Another day, another recall, and this one hits women in the worst possible place: Kotex is recalling its tampons because the plastic applicators may be contaminated with bacteria. Really. WHY OH WHY is there bacteria on the tampon applicators?!?

Here are the crucial details: These are the "Natural Balance Security Unscented, Regular Absorbency" tampons sold at Walmart, Fry's, and Smith's with SKU numbers 15063 and 15068. And now, the crucial question: Wouldn't you like to be in full control of the bacteria that goes into your va-jay-jay? Maybe it's time to explore your options -- as in, a menstrual cup. Never heard of it? Scared? Read on.

Last night, on the Season 8 Curb Your Enthusiasm premiere, Larry David winds up having to help a Girl Scout figure out how to use a tampon. It's quite a funny scene -- and, I believe, tampon instruction a very necessary lesson for every coming-of-age girl -- I mean, the first time I used a tampon, I went my whole first day, which included a bumpy ride in the back of a pickup truck (ouch!), with the tampon applicator still attached and lodged inside before figuring out the next time that the thing detaches. Of course, the scene gets girls and first periods all wrong -- just like TV and movies seem to always get girls and women and their bodies all wrong. Just like they never seem to "get it."

Will it ever be important to get women, their bodies, and their experiences right?

For DECADES, we women have been subject to TV and print ads for tampons and sanitary napkins that refused to deal with our periods as they actually exist. Over and over, the feminine hygiene products absorbed a "cleaner-looking" blue detergent-esque liquid. As IF menstrual fluid was some kind of chemical, alien, watery blue substance. We've wondered for years why ad agencies persisted in showing us this cockamamie fable! We know better, alright?! And believe it or not, MEN do, too!

But now, finally, finallllyyyyy -- the tampon/pad industry has entered the real world-slash-21st century! Always has a new AMERICAN (yes, that's important to note, because those Europeans are always cooler with bodily function stuff than we are) ad featuring a sanitary napkin with a maze trapping ... a TINY RED DOT. OMG! It's a miracle! Hallelujah!!!

There's almost nothing I'm more passionate about than a woman's right to control her reproductive fate. Birth control pills factor in big to that equation. Unfortunately, though, there are quite a few cons associated with the pill that the pharmaceutical companies don't want us to know ... particularly risks and setbacks associated with newer, low-dose versions of the pill, like Yaz, Yasmin and Beyaz (the original plus folate).Thankfully, there's a lot of new research coming out that shines some light on what we should know about these newer pills before going on them ... or continuing to take them. (Yes, even if they clear up your skin, or keep your "periods regular," aka shut down your ovaries, so you don't have an actual period.)

First, there's the study that says newer birth control pills don't increase your risk of gallbladder disease or gallstones any more than old pills! Whew, right? No sigh of relief allowed.

Ladies, we have some bad news. Remember the other day when the folks on Fox & Friends told us that we didn't need Planned Parenthood to get a pap smear? We could go to Walgreens! And so we pulled out our purdiest panties and started making plans to find a pharmacy near us.

But then came the bad news. Per an announcement yesterday, Walgreens doesn't offer pap smears after all. Wait, what? It turns out we were duped. Hoodwinked! Hornswoggled! And I was wearing my best Target panties to show the clerk when I dropped trou! Seriously, Walgreens, this was a dream opportunity for ladies America-wide that has been yanked out from under our feet.