Birth Control Pills and IBS
#274528 - 07/18/06 09:57 AM
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Hi, I'm new to these message boards. I was wondering if anyone knows the effect of Birth Control Pills on IBS in women. I've heard they can make things worse, so I got off of them months ago. But now some doctor has told me that that's not true and that I should get back on them, that they would actually help me. I don't know who to listen to. Does anyone know much about this subject?
Sara
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I was on bc pills for 18 years! When I stopped, I didn't notice any change in my IBS. My periods were worse, heavier and more cramping and that in turn would aggrivate the IBS. Some women seem to tolerate the pill just fine and others don't. Its a very individual thing. I was "piggybacking" my pills so I would only have 2-3 periods a year and that helped a lot. If your IBS seems to get worse around your period you may benefit from a monophasic pill, that means the hormone levels do not vary, like Yasmin.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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I recently went off birth control pills for entirely different reasons, but I can tell you that I haven't noticed ANY difference in my IBS symptoms on them or off them.
If you're especially prone to having IBS problems related to your period, I can see where they *might* help... but honestly, I'm prone to such a thing, and the pill didn't make a single bit of difference one way or the other.
For the sake of comparison, I've tried Ortho-Evra (the patch), Ortho-Cyclen, and Alesse - all monophasic.
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Birth control pills have actually helped my IBS. For about 8 months after I started taking them (Yasmin, not ortho) I didn't have any flare ups. They helped my cramping which in turn decreased my IBS problems.
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~*If you can dream it, you can do it*~ Walt Disney
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I think my IBS is better being off the pill, but like Michele said, it's a HIGHLY individual thing.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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If you're not dead, you've still got time.
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Thank you so much for all the advice. I think I'll wait and see how this next period goes, and if I get severe pain like last time, maybe I'll try going back on the pill.
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oh, one last thing. I've heard that BCPs can cause breast cancer, but my gyno says that's not true. I tend not to trust doctors, so I don't know what to believe. Does anyone know about BCPs and cancer?
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I have been on bc pills for 7 years and they didn't do anything, I didn't gain or loose weight and it didn't change my ibs what so ever.. (i'm on synphastic 21)
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