Experiences With Birth Control Pills

[Broken_Shell]

Hi To All The Ladies,

I know we have nearly discussed the topic to death, but I can not handle menstrual periods. I have tried low dose combination hormone therapy since April with nearly constant bleeding that has given my RBC count and H&H quite a hit and even landed me in the ER for fluids to bring up my blood volume several times. It is time to try something new and my doctor suggests that I try a birth control patch, ring, or pill option. I tried a pill in the past several years ago and it made me feel so jittery and anxious and sent my body for quite a loop, but I think I need to give it a try again anyways because I need someway to stop my body from cycling hormones and bleeding. So... if you have had either a good or bad experience with one of these methods or one of the may birth control pills (or ring or patch) can you please respond? Thank you!

~ Broken_Shell

[EarthMother]

Sometimes it hard for me to discern what causes what symptoms for me. But in a nut shell (mine of course, not yours) I was on birth control pills for over 20 years (accept for three children in between :-) So it would be impossible for me to know if there was any contributing factor of the hormones.

As I approached 40 I decided to try the Mirena IUD ... I knew it had some hormone in it, but didn't realize how much ... I really thought I was going to a lesser hormone than the pill. But that wasn't the case. However, the lose dose Mirena did pretty much stop my period entirely. I had no problems with it for five years.

However at the end of the five years I did have a serious POTS crash and couldn't figure out if the Mirena was part of the problem. So off hormones I went. That lasted 3 months and as I continued to slide down POTSville my PCP suggested I go back on hormones to try and stabalize my thyroid which was way off (Hashimoto). I tried, the Seasonique which is one of the continious options .... then about another 3 different brands. All the while my symptoms continued to just get worse.

Meanwhile, back at the POTS-farm, my Cardiologist insists that I go OFF hormones all together -- because I'm TOO OLD. I'm sure he said it in a much nicer way. But he's right. I was 45 at the time and that was last October. I've been off all hormones since last fall.

My periods are now AMAZINGLY HEAVY ... in perimenapause they call it flooding. I couldn't beleive I could bleed that much and still be standing. But I am. And I must say, I don't have any cramping despite the heavy flow. All of my labs are coming back normal and for whatever symptoms I am having now ... I can't pin point my "female" hormones at the top of my hit list. But who knows.

Good luck finding something that works for you.

[jump]

I've been on a low-dose combination pill for several years and I LOVE it (I think the generic is called Kariva; I take the brand name, which is Mircette) - but I tended to have the opposite problem, that of too light periods.

My sister, however, couldn't handle any pill, and her situation sounds a lot like yours. But now she does really well on the ring and swears by it. If you've tried different Pills and don't feel good on them, maybe try the ring. Unfortunately, hormone treatments are very individual and it's kind of a trial-by-error situation. But do your research -- ie, if you tried a high-dose Pill and felt sick, try a low-dose. If you've tried the patch, but didn't like it, try something different. I think it's high time someone figured out a more scientific way to help women find something to help them keep their hormones in balance, but, until the medical world delivers, just keep trying things til you find something that makes you feel better. Because of my sister's experience, I'd recommend starting with the ring and taking things from there.

[kayjay]

Shell, Please be careful with taking hormones. I was just diagnosed with POTS last month but I have had it for 10 years (since my first pregnancy) I was misdiagnosed at Johns Hopkins For pheochomacytoma (adrenal gland tumor) any way I was getting by for several years undiagnosed and untreated but then I was given Yaz for my endometriosis. It made my POTS symptoms very bad. My resting heart rate was in the 160's and my ttt after beta blockers was crazy high. Every body is different and I am thankful to finally have a diagnosis... but the birth control pills almost killed me at the age of 35. Good luck to you! I would be weary of "new pills" ...consider something that has been around for a while... I never had a problem with pills before the YAZ.

[delphicdragon]

NuvaRing really gave me my life back. I didn't realize how bad the fatigue I was facing was until I went off it for 2 months (1 cycle) and was falling asleep by 9pm and unable to wake up until 10am. I was pale and lethargic and a royal ***** if you tried to wake me up.

Now, back on it, I feel alive again - still fatigued, but only needing 8-9 hours of sleep instead of 13, and not having the blood pressure drop before my period started.

I've tried oral contraceptives before and they always gave me gastro side-effects (more pronounced with the ones designed to stop my period) or copious bleeding. I've had neither with the ring - though I think I'm losing weight on it, which is weird, because I'm eating MORE.

Sara

[all4family]

Hi Broken_shell,

Sorry about the constant bleeding. Youch! I tried birth control pills before I was diagnosed with POTS some years ago. I was as is usual for me, but I just didn't know it yet, unable to tollerate them. I gained 30 pounds the first month on them, and I started getting really bad headaches. I also became unbearably aggitable. That being said I wasn't sick at the time. Someone once told me that you have to weigh the side effects with the benefits. Is the pill you are taking sustaining your life? Is it making it better? Is the side effects worth the possible help it can bring? I hope you find an answer that will help you. I know the stress of trying to find a medication to help. I hope you will find an answer that makes you comfortable.

Suzy

[iheartcats]

I was on Seasonique (or a constant-dose pill) for years because I just couldn't handle much of a menstrual cycle. The cycle plus menstrual migraines were bad even before POTS.

The Seasonique was still working 'ok' but my Gyno didn't want me to stay on it with Midodrine (blood pressure issues), so she told me about Mirena IUD. It's used a lot outside of the USA (Europe, Canada, etc). I'm really not sure why it's not used as much here, but I like it. It hurt to get in for a few minutes, and I had horrible cramping for 24 hours, but that was it. I've only had spotting. No menstrual pains, migraines, etc.

One thing, she said, is a lot of health plans don't cover it. My new health plan doesn't unless it's medically necessary, which it is for my case so I carry a letter stating why it is.

Good luck. It is trial and error. My Gyno just asked I try Mirena for 3-6 months...if it doesn't work, it can come out easily. But I like it, so that's a big relief.