Birth Control Pill Dilemma

[Dana]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

Felly, I have to share my PERSONAL experience on the Nuva Ring with you. I know other women who do just fine on it, but the day after I put it in I was sure I had somehow gotten pregnant. I had morning sickness every day, cramps, headaches, and unprovoked sadness and anger. My doc had put me on the ring because I was having problems with my gallbladder and estrogen can exacerbate them. I called her to report my symptoms and to ask if it was safe to just take the ring out and start my regular pills again. She insisted that my symptoms were due to my gallbladder. I took the ring out the next day and felt better within hours. I also got a new gynecologist.

The Nuva ring has progesterone only. No Estrogen in it. Supposedly, it is not absorbed systemically as much because it is not absorbed through the gut and passed through the liver. Your side effects are really rare but could certainly be due to the ring. I would say with those symptoms, you would not be a good canidate for the Mirania IUD as that is also coated with Progesterone....
Glad you are getting along well with your pills

[FilleBelle]

Dana, I have a question to ask just to satisfy my curiosity. There are several ways of using birth control pills to cut down on or eliminate the number of times a year a woman menstruates. Is it healthy to just stop menstruation like that or are there no negative effects?

[AnneCaitlin]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

Dana, I have a question to ask just to satisfy my curiosity. There are several ways of using birth control pills to cut down on or eliminate the number of times a year a woman menstruates. Is it healthy to just stop menstruation like that or are there no negative effects?

As an addendum, I've always heard that the period you get while on the pill is a false period and was only included to make it appear "more natural" to get the approval of the Catholic church and the FDA.

[AnneCaitlin]

Also, for all you ladies that miss the first pill of a new pack... I would recommend Kariva--instead of taking placebo pills the last week, you take a lower dose hormone than you do the rest of the month, which results in it being more forgiving if you forget to pick up the new pack right away. (which happens to me more than I would like)

[Dana]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

Dana, I have a question to ask just to satisfy my curiosity. There are several ways of using birth control pills to cut down on or eliminate the number of times a year a woman menstruates. Is it healthy to just stop menstruation like that or are there no negative effects?

According to the studies there is no harm in delaying/pausing your cycle for up to 3 months while being on the pill. Some pills you can NOT do this with. Ortho Tricyline is one of those NOT to do it with.

IUD's/ Depo Shot will cause the the same thing in most women, however with those, you likely STOP the cycles. No harm, they will start back up. They are Progesterone only. No Estrogen.

It is when you take both (like in the Pills) that you need to cycle every 3mos'. Why every 3 mo's, because that is how all the studies have been concluded and there has been some studies to show that overgrowth of uterine lining can lead to cancer.

[Dana]

Originally Posted by AnneCaitlin

Also, for all you ladies that miss the first pill of a new pack... I would recommend Kariva--instead of taking placebo pills the last week, you take a lower dose hormone than you do the rest of the month, which results in it being more forgiving if you forget to pick up the new pack right away. (which happens to me more than I would like)

Playing with fire with Mother Nature. This particular pill pack has 2 blank pills with 5 low dose pills at the end of pack, as opposed to 7 blanks in the regular packs or 4 blanks in the Yaz packs.

Don't think that you are any more "protected" if you forget your pills....
If you are a poor pill taker, consider Implanon implant, IUD, Nuva Ring..

[Dana]

Originally Posted by AnneCaitlin

As an addendum, I've always heard that the period you get while on the pill is a false period and was only included to make it appear "more natural" to get the approval of the Catholic church and the FDA.

Not an expert on Catholicism but from my understanding from my Catholic friends..... they don't embrace ANY type of family planning, especially the pill. Natural family planning, yes. Blatant prevention, no.

The period that you get from the blanks are called "withdraw" bleeding. You are chemically withdrawing from the hormones and bleed. You do slough off any endometrial lining that you have laid down in preparation for fertilization (that can't occur, because ovulation is suppressed) IF you don't bleed and oversuppress your cycles more than 3 months, you can develop what we call "hyperplasia", that is a fancy term for overgrowth of the lining of the uterus, this can lead to increase risk of cancer.... now don't freak and say that you would never suppress your periods based on this. That is WHY we cycle you every 3 month.... Does that help answer your question?

[skibum515]

Originally Posted by FilleBelle

I know the patch is waterproof and very adhesive and all that good stuff, but I would still be in constant fear of it getting scraped or rubbed off. Have you had any trouble with this?

I'm just a worrier by nature, lol. If it isn't one thing, it's another.

sorry i didn't get back to you sooner I only have internet when John's home and I can be at his place...

anyway,

the *only* time in the 5 years I have been on the patch that I have had a problem was when we went to the water park and I went down the steep slide (the one that's like a million stories tall...) and I think I lost it then because I noticed it was gone in the morning after.

I have been in the pool, ocean, shower, bath, hottub, beaches, sex, jeans, skirts, etc and never any problems!