WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for September, 1999: Re: Which Dosage of BC Pill to help PCOS Symptoms?

Re: Which Dosage of BC Pill to help PCOS Symptoms?

From: Patti Tessler, FNP (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon, 20 Sep 1999 16:48:02 -0500 (CDT)

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In reply to: Liz: "Which Dosage of BC Pill to help PCOS Symptoms?"

At Sat, 18 Sep 1999, Liz Bradshaw wrote of trying to control PCO with different treatments, including birth control pills. She tried two pills -- Dianette and Marvelon -- often used in the UK for this problem, but they gave her nausea, mood changes, and dizziness:

>Given that my symptoms are generally quite mild: I was
>wondering whether I could get away with taking a lower
>dose pill (20 mg instead of the 30mg pills I have
>tried). Would they make me feel less ill and would
>they have any impact on my symptoms?

It's possible that such pills might help. A literature search on PCO and oral contraceptives shows that there is a wide variety of birth control pills that help regulate hair growth and/or elevated testosterone levels. I would also encourage you to eat before taking the pill and/or take the pill at night before bed to help minimize symptoms during the "breaking in" period. The symptoms of which you complain usually disappear within the first 12 weeks of use.

There's disagreement about how often women with PCO should have periods. Speaking as a patient, I can tell you that my reproductive endocrinologist stressed the need for monthly periods and lifelong use of birth control pills when not trying to conceive in order to minimize the risk of overgrowth of the uterine lining, and to help reduce the other risks to the body from the hormonal irregularities of PCO.

Just thought I'd mention that women without PCO have "polycystic ovaries." If that's your main sign, but you don't have hirsutism, acne, obesity, insulin/glucose/testosterone abnormalities, or skin changes (acanthosis nigricans), then I wonder what led to your diagnosis. But, like any syndrome (collection of symptoms and signs), PCO is found in a wide variety of manifestations. Perhaps yours is just a very "mild" case. You may want to double-check with your doctor that other causes of long menstrual cycles have been ruled out.

There are some great on-line resources for PCO. There's the PCOSupport web site at http://www.pcosupport.org/, which also has information on subscribing to the PCO Support listserver. Also, this website hosts a regular chat on PCO with Dr. Mark Perloe; you might want to check it out.

--
Patti Tessler, BSN, MSN, RN, CS
Family Nurse Practitioner

Next message: Patti Tessler, FNP: "Re: PCOS, Insulin Resistance and Diabetes ?"
Previous message: Patti Tessler, FNP: "Re: There is a BIG knot on my wrist...Does anyone know what this is?"
In reply to: Liz: "Which Dosage of BC Pill to help PCOS Symptoms?"

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