Birth Control Pill (To take or not to take??)
#135748 - 01/06/05 11:46 AM
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I was reading some things on this site yesterday and it really made me start re-thinking my use of the pill. I have been taking it for about 5 years now and have never thought twice about it.
I do notice and have talked w/ my dr. about the lack of sexual desire, but I've just assumed that's the way I was. I really want to go off of it but am worried about the possible side effects of stopping - mood? worse periods?
I'm also thinking that maybe if I stop there is a chance it will actually help some of my IBS symptoms.
I'm just really torn as to what to do.  Anybody been here done that??
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Natalie
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I have heard many people say on the board that they have had problems on the pill. I have to admit, I am the complete opposite. Before I was on the pill, my hormones made me seriously ill. I was severely nauseated and had severe D for PMS and even ovulation. It was miserable! When I went on the pill, while the symptoms didn't stop completely, I was able to deal with them and they weren't nearly as bad. I think the pill is a very individualized thing. It has helped some and hurt some. I would literally strangle someone if they tried to take my pills. 
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I've been on the fence about this, but the one reason I've stayed on the pill is the same reason I went on it in the first place: without it, I get amazingly bad cramps, usually accompanied by D. Since being on the pill, I no longer get D that is related to my time of the month. It does help with my moods, too, I think. I'm on Yasmin, which I've been taking for a little over 2 years. Before that I tried about 4 other kinds in about 4 years. Some of them helped my cramps but none helped with my extremely irregular cycle (In high school, it wasn't uncommon for me to go 4 months without a period, and then have 2 periods a month for 3 months). Yasmin hasn't upset my system at all, and it has also helped with the bloating.
If you are not happy with your pill, you might consider trying a new one before going off the pill completely.
Some people on the boards, I think Nelly, use the depo shot and avoid their periods altogether. That's another option you might discuss with your DH and your doc.
Panda
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Amanda
I live in the Big Apple, but I don't eat the skin
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Well I love it, but I have been on it so long that who knows how I would feel without? I mean maybe it does make some of my IBS symptoms worse? On the other hand my periods are so light they cause no trouble at all. I get no PMS and no cramps and no D anymore like I used to every month. I also used to get pretty sick from cramps and throw up occasionally. So I wouldn't go off unless some test was conducted and proves they are bad.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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I currently take the pill continuously, so I do not get any periods - I have been doing this since February of 2002. My doctor has prescribed this because I have really bad cramps and irregularity without it and I have endometriosis. I was recently diagnosed with IBS and I too have been wondering about the pill's effect on my IBS. I've been on the pill for about 10 years and am nervous to go off of it because I know how bad my periods were. If anyone knows of any research out there about the pill and IBS - please do share!
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>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<
Michelle
IBS-A, pain predominant
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well,
I have pretty much decided that my bc pill has caused a major flareup of IBS symptoms. I was FINE until this fall, and I started BC pills on Sept 23. This week is my "off" week (last week in the pack so the pills are inactive) and I am FINE. No pain, no gas, no nausea, no heartburn. I felt so good that I got a soy mocha from Starbucks. And I was FINE. So I got another one today! Still fine. I am almost positive now that the pills are causing my gastro problems. I still have IBS, but it's mild unless I have way too much dairy. It always was predictable and controllable until I started these pills!
That said, there are many formulations and different ones can affect you differently. It is supposed to take 2-3 months to get used to any particular pill. If my symptoms return with the start of a new pack, I am going to talk to my doc about a change.
Good luck!
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I'm a little concerned about this as well, because my sixteenth birthday is in 24 days, and in Canada, when you're 16, you can get birthcontrol without your parents consent! I know, that sounds a little sleezy, but my parents have enough to worry about...and then I'll have to worry a lot less! Mind you, I'd have to worry more if I was actually having sex...
Anyways, I'm concerned about the pill as well, because I've never reacted well to medication, over-the-counter or prescribed! I guess it'll be like finding a good SFS; trial and error.
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I'm in the process of exactly that trial myself. After many years on a Pill, I've come to suspect that it may be exarcerbating IBS symptoms, especially bloating. So I'm not taking it this month.
I do think the bloating has subsided a bit. But the other thing I'm noticing is that my period has already become wildly erratic! I mean, I had a regular period 2 weeks ago, didn't resume the pills, and bled very unexpectedly for a few days at the beginning of this week.
I'm not especially concerned about this cause, well, I'm 46. This is typical of the onset of the M word.
I don't think it can hurt you at all to skip a month or two, as long as you use an alternate form of BC. I say, give it a try and observe what happens.
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Thanks for all of the suggestions, but I pretty much feel exactly the same, which is what I had expected b/c of the conflicting stories about stopping. Some are good and some bad. I guess b/c I started the pill so young and I don't really know what my periods or my mood would be like without it, I guess I am just going to have to do the old trial and error bit, which b/c of IBS I seem to have become an expert at. I still have to think about it some more. Being married, working full time, and going to school full time I know the last thing I need is a baby. (But they are oh so cute )
Thanks again!!!
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Natalie
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This is one thing that is really confusing me at the mo to. I think everyone is really different on how the pill effects them and IBS.
I am (was) IBS-D and on my last Drs visit we agreed that the pill was not a suitable form of BC as the pills where not staying inside me long enough to be effective due to my crazy D. This was 2 weeks before Christmas, nearly a month later and I have only had 1 minor D attack since and I have been eating all sorts of foods including the good, the bad and the evil.
I would really like to go back on the pill to control regularity and of course to prevent the patter of tiny feet although I cannot help but think that the pill has something to do with my IBS.
Confused but happy due to lack of D!!!
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A friend of mine was diagnosed with IBS when she changed her pill. She changed back and all her symptoms went. Must be connected!
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S.
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HRT and IBS
#137271 - 01/11/05 11:22 AM
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Angie113
Reged: 12/31/04
Posts: 297
Loc: Alternate b/w Northern and Southern California
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There was a study in Heather's research on IBS and HRT (hormone replacement therapy) that showed women on HRT had a higher risk for IBS than those who weren't, so I don't know if that could also be true for the pill since the hormones are similar? I have also thought about stopping my pill and will probably try to do so. There was also a good post about this a while back and Daliatree in particular had some good info  , try searching for "birth control".
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~Angela
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I don't know which one you are taking but I was on ortho novum 777 for about 4 yrs and had to switch it was to strong and caused cervical erotion. I switched to ortho tricylene and just recently switched to ortho tricyclene low. It is a very low dose you might want to look into a lower dose if you are not already on a low dose. Good Luck!
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Although I am scared to do so, I am going to stop my pills starting on Saturday. That is when I finish the pack I am on now so I think that will be the best time. I am leary of the irregular and unpredictable periods and hope the pains associated with that don't get worse. I figure if I can squeeze in a little more exercise then that might help some of that.
Somebody mentioned that their friend was on one kind of pill and then switched and her IBS started up. I was on Orthotricyclen for 2 years and then switched to Nordette. I have been on that for the last 2 years and coincidentally it was two years ago that my IBS started. Maybe that is the source, but I'm going to try and quit all of it.
My husband and I discussed that condoms will have to do for a while. I have absolutely no sex drive so I'm hoping that quitting will help that too.
I'll keep you guys posted, b/c I know that this is a big question mark for a lot of people.
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Natalie
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Well, after 2 periods in a month, and no appreciable change for better or worse in IBS-type symptoms, I'm going back to the pill. This period every other week pretty much sucks. So much for that experiment.
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Well I stopped my birth control about two weeks ago and already I notice a few changes. I'm not feeling nearly as bloated after eating and I'm happy to say that yesterday I must have thought about sex more than I have in the last two or three months combined. It feels so good to say that b/c my sex drive has been so low for the last few years. I'm hoping that it just keeps increasing.
I've started exercising more in order to offset some of the side effects that might occur when it's time for my next period. I'll have to wait and see how that goes.
Also, recently I started taking acidophilus and I think that is helping tremendously. My stool has been much more "regular" and I don't feel as many cramps before and during the time I use the restroom.
Thanks for all of your advice and I'll keep you posted over the next couple months as to how things progress.
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Natalie
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I went to Wild Oats the other day to buy probiotics and I was discussing various brands with the sales lady and she told me that if you take birth control pills they can kill your probiotics. At that time I had been taking both my pill and my probiotic at the same time (right after breakfast). Now I space them 10 - 12 hours apart. (The pill before breakfast, the probiotic after dinner.)and the probiotic works much better. I just thought you should know.
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Nat, I'm so happy for you that stopping the pill seemed to help you! please keep us posted on how it goes for you...I am really curious since I want to stop taking my pill to see if it helps my symptoms. So let us know how you're feeling!! Thanks!
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~Angela
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