Re: Andrea Re: Qusestion for Andrea
From: andrea (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu Oct 11 19:29:24 2007
If you're not taking it for birth control, I would definatley do the
natural stuff. It regulated my period to every 28 days, just like the
pill would and cut down my days of cramps from 6 to 2 or 3 usually.
People I know who have tried synthetic progestin like the Mirena IUD got
the opposite affect of what it was supposed to do...they bled for months
non-stop, so that Implanon could do the same thing as well, because it
is such a high dose. With the natural stuff, you take 300mg, but that
is only equal to about 10mg in synthetic. With the synthetic
time-released things, they usually release about 20mg/day into your
system and that makes alot of people feel yucky, bloated, with irratic
bleeding.
At Thu, 11 Oct 2007, M wrote:
>
>You know Andrea I was going to ask the doc I saw yesterday to check my
>hormones and I completely forgot. I didn't even remember until reading
>your reminder, so I will ask.
>I'm not considering taking for actual birth control reason, but to
>lessen/stop period due to anemia and to help with pain, etc.
>I like both of the docs I've seen, but I get confused because one says
>one thing and the other says something else. My regular keeps on
>mentioning BCPs and the new one I saw said no way. She said that
>Implanon is the way to go. I m not sure what Ill do now. I hate the
>side effects on these things and how the docs seem to leave out info.
>Thanks for all your help!
>Melissa
>At Thu, 11 Oct 2007, andrea wrote:
>>
>>Melissa,
>>
>>I hate to say, but yes it can cause problems. Although not as dangerous
>>as estrogen, any synthetic hormone is not good for us. My doctor told
>>me he no longer wants me taking anything synthetic, but I don't need to
>>at this point, because I know I can't conceive. It's been 5 years since
>>I've used BC and nothing has ever happened. But if I had to choose a
>>birth control pill again, i would go with the all progestin pill. The
>>risk of cancer is not as high as it is with estrogen pills. Did your
>>doctor check your levels to see if you actually NEED more progesterone?
>>You shouldn't take any hormones until you know how your hormones are
>>now, then you can balance them out correctly.
>>
>>I copied these side effects from a page about synthetic progestin. In
>>taking the natural progesterone, I do not have any of these side
>>effects, but do get migraines with my period for a couple days. I
>>always have, though. Would your doctor be willing to write you a script
>>for the natural stuff or are you taking it for actual birth control? We
>>are all different and you may not get any of these side effects, but you
>>never know....
>>
>>Side Effects
>>Most side effects of the progestin-only birth control methods go away
>>after the first few months of use. Side effects include:
>>
>>Irregular menstrual cycles.
>>Spotting or bleeding between menstrual periods.
>>Sore breasts.
>>Headache.
>>Nausea.
>>Dizziness.
>>Bloating or weight gain, especially with the Depo-Provera shot (to
>>manage this, increase your activity level).4, 1
>>No menstrual periods. Although mini-pill use can stop periods, the shot
>>is most likely to do so. After 1 year of taking Depo-Provera shots, 25%
>>of women stop having monthly periods. After 5 years of shots, 80% of
>>women do not have periods.4 This does not cause medical problems.
>>Less common progestin side effects include depression and darkening of
>>the skin on the upper lip, under the eyes, or on the forehead
>>(chloasma).
>>
>>HOPE THIS HELPS..... :)
>>
>>At Thu, 11 Oct 2007, M wrote:
>>>
>>>Hey Andrea
>>>I saw a new gyn yesterday and she agreed that I should not take BCPs due
>>>to my visual/regular migranes. She said that it would put me at greater
>>>risk for a stroke. She recommended Implanon insert in my arm. SHe said
>>>this would do better because it was prgesterone. Does progesterone also
>>>cause problems?
>>>Thanks Again
>>>Melissa
>>>At Wed, 10 Oct 2007, M wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Thanks Andrea!
>>>>I ended up not going to the drug store to pick up the BCP. That's just
>>>>a route I really don't want to take, unless that's it. My doc had
>>>>mentioned something about progesterone once, but didn't say nothing else
>>>>about it and I didn't know what to do.
>>>>I do have an appt with another GYN this afternoon so Ill see what
>>>>options she gives me. I believe from my one previous visit with her
>>>>that she is more knowledgable about endo.
>>>>Thanks Again!
>>>>At Tue, 9 Oct 2007, andrea wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>I agree that your bleeding needs to be stopped, but the pill may not
>>>>>work. The pill is actually what made me bleed non-stop, after taking it
>>>>>for so long. I just take natural progesterone now and I get a period
>>>>>every 28 days and if I stop taking it, I will bleed non-stop again. It's
>>>>>weird. I guess I just have a natural hormone imbalance and too much
>>>>>estrogen makes me bleed if I don't balance things out.
>>>>>
>>>>>The pill may work for you, though. I am really hesitant to tell anyone
>>>>>to take anything synthetic, because they have so many risks. You can
>>>>>always try what I take, but so many doctors are not willing to prescribe
>>>>>it, because they don't get a cut of the cost of it and think natural
>>>>>meds are hoaky anyway. If you get your levels checked and your progest
>>>>>is low, fixing that will definately stop or slow your bleeding, but you
>>>>>have to find a doc who will prescribe it and find a compounding
>>>>>pharmacy. I don't know....I have literally been on about 8 different
>>>>>BCP's and they all gave me headaches and irregular bleeding, & seemed to
>>>>>make my hormone imbalance even worse. If all she is willing to give you
>>>>>is BC right now to stop the bleeding, I would ask for an all progestin
>>>>>pill, without estrogen or try prometrium (a patented natural
>>>>>progesterone) until you get your test results back.
>>>>>
>>>>>I hope you get this in time, sorry so late!
>>>>>
>>>>>--
>>>>>Andrea :)
>>>>>
>>>>>At Tue, 9 Oct 2007, M wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Hey Andrea
>>>>>>You seem to be very knowledgable when it comes to BCPs, so I have a
>>>>>>question.
>>>>>>I am anemic and my hemoglobin had been 9.7 for the last two months. I
>>>>>>just had a period that ended at the end of Sept and last night I started
>>>>>>bleeding again. This makes me nervous because of the anemia.
>>>>>>I'm having horrible bloating and left side pelvic pain.
>>>>>>My doc just called me back about thirty mins ago and says that she's
>>>>>>worried about the heavy bleeding. That she would call me in an
>>>>>>emergency presriptio for a mid level birth control pill to stop the
>>>>>>bleeding. I'm unsure of this because I get bad visual and regular
>>>>>>migranes and have other health issues. She has acted for a while now
>>>>>>like this is my only option. At least she too agrees no Lupron. She
>>>>>>said I could also try taking 600mg of Ibprofen tonight to slow the
>>>>>>bleeding.
>>>>>>She said the pain was probally endometriosis(duh) and she wanted me to
>>>>>>follow up shorty for an ultrasound.
>>>>>>I'm nervous about taking the BCP. I'm seeing a new GYN tomm afternoon.
>>>>>>Do you have any suggestions for me now or anything I should ask my doc
>>>>>>tomm? I will ask to get my hormones tested.
>>>>>>Sorry I've wrote a novel. It has been a rough day.
>>>>>>Thanks
>>>>>>Melissa
>>>>>
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