FitSugar

What Do You Use For Birth Control?

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 04:30:19 -0700

It might seem like I have ~~sex~~ birth control on the brain. Last week I asked you about your experience or lack thereof with the female condom. Although it's most often talked about in intimate settings, birth control is in the news.

Concerns are being raised about the safety of the Yaz birth control pill, the top selling pill in the US, according to the New York Times. Women taking Yaz might have a higher chance of developing blood clots compared to other birth control pills, a claim that drug maker Bayer disputes. Investigation is ongoing, as are 74 lawsuits charging that Yaz and Yasmin, a similar product by Bayer, created health problems in women taking these pills. The lawsuits are tricky business though, since warnings about clots are presented in the pharmaceuticals' literature. Bayer strongly stands behind its product.

These new fears about the most commonly used contraceptive pill in America emphasize that avoiding pregnancy can be a difficult task, sometimes with medical consequences. I am curious about you . . .

New Birth Control Pill Means NO PERIOD!!!

FitSugar — Mon, 21 May 2007 17:15:00 -0700

See ya Aunt Flo. Adios cramps! Sayonara uncontrollable mood swings and chocolate cravings! Hello Lybrel! This new birth control pill, expected to be announced on Tuesday by the FDA, will help women avoid their periods altogether!

Allow me to throw a little background history your way. Before the wonderful invention of birth control, women spent most of their time pregnant or breast feeding, and endured only about 50 periods their entire lives. Now that we have a plethora of birth control options, women get as many as 450 periods! Dealing with your period is just as much fun as going to the gyno, so who wouldn't be excited about a safe and effective way to ditch your monthly period?

Lybrel is kind of like the pill Seasonale, where you take pills for 3 months straight, and then take 7 days of sugar pills (so you get your period). The difference is that Lybrel is taken continuously, with no sugar pill breaks - and that means no period.

Lybrel could change women's lives everywhere, but unfortunately testing has shown that it doesn't work as perfectly as planned. Although 59% of women who tried this new pill ended up with no periods after 6 months (wa-hoo!), 18% dropped out of the study because of annoying spotting and breakthrough bleeding. At this point if you switch to Lybrel, you may be trading in "scheduled bleeding" for "unscheduled bleeding," which many women won't be too psyched about.

For many women, getting no period at all is a brilliant concept. Even though Lybrel may not be the best option just yet, it's still a great first step towards making this happen.

Want to know if not getting your period is safe? Then read more

When a woman is not on the Pill, every month she gets her period to shed the unfertilized egg and the built up lining in her uterus that her body has made to prepare for getting pregnant.

When a woman is on the Pill, since she is not ovulating (producing an egg), the "period" she has is not actually a real period at all. It is a hormone withdrawal bleed, brought on simply from taking a break from the hormones. So whether you are having this fake period once a month, 4 times a year (with Seasonale), or not at all, it doesn't really make a difference since it's not a real menstrual period.

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Chewable Birth Control Pill, Is This For Real?

FitSugar — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 17:30:00 -0800

Always forget to take your birth control pill? Or maybe you're one of those people who just can't swallow a pill?

Introducing Femcon Fe ($44 wholesale but who knows how much the pharmacies will actually sell it for), which is an option for women who would rather chew their birth control. The chewable tablet, which is aimed at women who occasionally forget to take their pills, contains the same hormones as standard oral contraceptives. The only difference is that you need to drink 8 ounces of water with it. The spearmint-flavored tablet can also be swallowed without chewing.

I am not sure as to why exactly chewing instead of swallowing would help us remember to take our pills, but maybe it will work for some women.

This sounds like a commercial but ask your doctor if Femcon Fe is right for you.

Are Occasional Breaks From the Pill Necessary?

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:50:05 -0700

Almost every woman I know has been on the pill at some point in her life, and many of us started when we were under 20 years old. It has many health benefits, such as preventing unwanted pregnancies, decreasing the risk of ovarian cancer, and alleviating PMS symptoms. The one big negative about the pill is that statistics show being on it for longer than 10 years puts you at a higher risk for breast cancer. Women may also be worried that taking hormones for so long may affect their chances of having a baby in the future. So does it make sense to take regular vacations from the pill to give your body some hormone-free time?

To find out if this is a good idea, read more.

While it's common to think that taking occasional breaks from the pill is beneficial for your body, it's actually not necessary. It's a myth that may have started a while back, since the very first birth control pills contained high doses of hormones. Today's pills contain a much lower amount so they're completely safe to take for years at a time. Doctors actually think it's healthier for your body to remain on the pill. The fluctuations in hormones can have a negative effect on your body, both physically and emotionally. Plus, all the symptoms you experienced when you first started the pill such as moodiness, sore breasts, or yeast infections may show up again.

What about your fertility? You may be worried that staying on the pill continuously for many years will make it harder to get pregnant when you decide to start a family. There's no evidence that being on the pill has any effect on a woman's future ability to conceive - it merely prevents pregnancy while a woman is on it. In fact, regularly going on and off the pill may increase your chances of having an unplanned pregnancy since your protection isn't consistent.

Most importantly, if you've been on the pill forever, you'll be happy to know that as soon as you go off it your risk for developing breast cancer begins to go back to normal over time. If you're worried about your risk, or the whole idea of putting hormones in your body doesn't sit well with you, talk to your doctor about hormone-free alternatives such as the ParaGard IUC. A permanent vacation from the pill might be the better option, as opposed to a break.

Myths on the Pill Debunked

FitSugar — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:30:00 -0700

Do you take "the pill?" If so, you're not alone. However, despite the overwhelming number of women on the pill right now, there are still some serious myths floating around out there, giving the pill a very bad rep.

Health.com has taken note and talked to the professionals to finally debunk the most common myths on the pill:

It’s risky to stop your period: Studies show it’s safe to suppress your period using various methods: Seasonale, a pill that limits you to four periods a year; Seasonique, a similar pill that may help fight PMS; or others like Depo-Provera injections that may eliminate your period. “The hormones keep the lining of your uterus thin, so nothing builds up,” says Rebecca Gould, MD, an OB-GYN at Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania. Side effects that usually go away include breakthrough bleeding. Menstrual suppression is great for women with particularly heavy flows, painful cramps, and menstrual migraines.

Does the pill make you fat or give you cancer? To find out, read more

The Pill ups your cancer risks: Actually, the risk of endometrial and ovarian can-cers goes down the longer you’re on the Pill. After one year, endometrial-cancer risk decreases by 50 per-cent, and after just three to six months, ovarian-cancer risk decreases by 40 percent. After 10 years, the risks are 80 percent lower than normal. “The longer you keep the endometrium thin and the ovaries inactive, you are reducing the chance of the inappropriate cell divi-sion that characterizes cancer,” explains Katharine O’Connell, MD, assistant clinical professor of OB-GYN at Columbia University.
The Pill may also lower the risk of colon cancer: What about breast cancer? The research is inconclusive. A recent review of previous studies, published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings, suggests a tiny elevation in risk among current users, which disappears when you quit. (There’s no debate for women who have-or have had-breast cancer: They should steer clear because the hormones can stimulate some cancerous cells.)
The Pill makes you fat (and frigid): Wrong. Most women link the Pill to weight gain, but only breakthrough bleeding is a proven side effect. (Women often put on pounds after getting the Depo-Provera injection.) As for libido, while some studies show a decreased sex drive, others show an increase-a lower chance of pregnancy can be quite an aphrodisiac.
An IUD ruins your fertility: The Dalkon Shield, pulled from the market in the 1970s, may have contributed to infections that led to infertility. It was also linked to 17 deaths. But not the new and safe IUDs, such as ParaGard and Mirena. Plus, they’re more effective and cheaper than the Pill.

Cons? Pain during insertion (for about 3 minutes you’ll feel a sensation akin to intense menstrual cramps), and cramps and bleeding that can occur for a week afterward. Also, there’s an increased chance of infection during the first 3 weeks, usually because bacteria have been introduced during insertion; this can be easily treated with an anti-biotic, though.

The Sponge is as good as the Pill: Nope. The Sponge, which blocks the cervix and contains a spermicide, leaves much to chance. Its failure rate is 32 percent for women who have delivered a child vaginally (because the cervix is larger after childbirth); for those who haven’t, the failure rate is 16 percent. For better protection, pair it with condoms.
Long-term use of the Pill is a no-no: You may risk getting pregnant if you take a break. “This is how my brother was conceived,” Gould says. There’s no medical reason to stop. It’s possible to get pregnant right away after quitting. Half of women get pregnant within three months-a good reason not to take that break!
Pill side effects last forever: Not at all. The first three months of any new hormonal birth control method brings side effects that eventually go away, Gould says. It’s past month three, and your doctor’s telling you to “gut it out”? Time for a second opinion.
Taking the Pill past age 40 is risky: Not if you’re healthy. You can take it till menopause. But if you’re over 35 and you smoke, or have uncontrolled high blood pressure or long-term or uncontrolled diabetes, your heart disease and stroke risks are elevated, and the Pill raises them. Anyone who fits this profile is fine on a progestin-only “mini-pill” (or Depo-Provera).
It’s OK to take any medicine with the Pill: Wrong. St. John’s Wort, a popular sup-plement used for depression, cuts the Pill’s effectiveness. Researchers think the herb makes your body speed up the metabolization of the Pill, preventing the hormones from doing their job. On the flip side, the Pill may exaggerate antidepressant effects.
The Pill makes migraines worse: The Pill doesn’t aid or aggravate migraine symptoms. But birth control pills may increase stroke risk in women who suffer from migraines with aura (added symptoms like numbness, weakness, hallucinations, or blurred vision). For them, the mini-pill and other estrogen-free hormonal methods are OK.

To read the full article and other fabulous information, visit Health.com.

Reduce Your Flow

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:57:08 -0800

The commercial for Seasonale, a birth control pill, raves about getting only 4 periods a year. So what's the deal? Is that safe?

Birth control pills can either be monophasic, where you get the same amount of hormones each day, or triphasic, where you get a different amount of hormones over 3 weeks.

Seasonale and other monophasic pills allow you to take them in any sequence you want. Each pill pack contains a 3 month supply, and each 4 week supply contains 3 weeks of hormones and one week of sugar pills. So if you want, you can get your period every month by taking the sugar pills after taking 3 weeks of hormones. Or you can get it every 3 months by taking all the hormone pills for 9 weeks and then one week of sugar pills, thus keeping Aunt Flo at bay for over 2 months.

When you're on any birth control pill, when you get your period, it isn't a real period, because you're not actually releasing an egg (the pill stops you from ovulating). It's called a "pill period," and it results as your body's reaction to withdrawing from the hormones. Having this kind of period once a month is just as safe as only having it 4 times a year.

Fit's Tips: Monophasic birth control might be right for you if you suffer from painful periods, excessive bleeding, or unbearable mood swings. Definitely ask your trusted DR about this if you have questions.

Birth control pills overdose

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:58:20 -0700

Overview

Definition
Poisonous Ingredient
Where Found
Symptoms
Home Treatment
Before Calling Emergency
Poison Control, or a local emergency number
What to expect at the emergency room
Expectations (prognosis)

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Definition

Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, are prescription medicines designed to prevent pregnancy. Birth control pill overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medication.

Poisonous Ingredient

Most birth control pills contain one of the following combinations of estrogen and progestin hormones:

Ethynodiol diacetate and ethinyl estradiol
Ethynodiol diacetate and mestranol
Levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol
Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol
Norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol
Mestranol and norethindrone
Mestranol and norethynodrel
Norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol

The following birth control pills contain progestin only:

Norethindrone
Norgestrel

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

Where Found

Ethinyl estradiol and ethynodiol diacetate (Demulen)
Mestranol and ethynodiol diacetate (Ovulen)
Levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol (Nordette, Tri-Levlen, Triphasil)
Norethindrone (Micronor, Nor-Q.D.)
Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol (Loestrin, Norlestrin)
Norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol (Brevicon, Ortho-Novum 1/35, Modicon, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7, Ovcon)
Mestranol and norethindrone (Ortho-Novum 1/50)
Mestranol and norethynodrel (Enovid)
Norgestrel (Ovrette)
Norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol (Lo Ovral, Ovral)

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

Symptoms

Breast tenderness
Discoloration of urine
Drowsiness
Excessive vaginal bleeding (2 - 7 days following the overdose)
Headache
Mental changes
Nausea and vomiting
Rash

Home Treatment

Stop using the birth control pills and use alternative methods, if desired, to prevent pregnancy. The overdose is unlikely to be life threatening, but call poison control for further instructions.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
When it was swallowed
The amount swallowed
If the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: National Poison Control Center

What to expect at the emergency room

A trip to the emergency room will probably not be necessary.

If an ER visit is needed, the health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

Activated charcoal
Blood tests
EKG (electrocardiogram)
Medicines to treat symptoms
Methods to make the person throw up
Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)

Expectations (prognosis)

Serious symptoms are very unlikely.

Review Date: 10/29/2007

Reviewed By: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

A.D.A.M. Copyright

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997-2009 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

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Source Doc: 1_002599

Birth control pill - series

admin — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:43:34 -0700

Back

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

Normal female anatomy

The internal female reproductive organs include the uterus, ovaries, cervix and vagina. These organs are necessary to produce a successful pregnancy. To prevent pregnancy, birth control pills affect how these organs normally function.

FSH and LH from pituitary gland

Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Lutenizing Hormone (LH) stimulate the ovary into producing a ripe egg ready for fertilization by sperm during a normal ovulation cycle.

Release of estrogen

During a normal menstrual cycle, hormones stimulate the ovary causing an egg to ripen. The uterine lining thickens preparing itself for implantation of a fertilized egg and the cervical mucus thins to help sperm reach the egg.

Release of LH

The estrogen in the body cause the pituitary gland to release LH stimulating the ovary to produce a ripe egg.

Birth control pill

The lower levels of estrogen in birth control pills supress FSH and LH "fooling" the pituitary gland into thinking a woman is pregnant. Ovulation will then not occur which prevents pregnancy.

Progestin in pill

The progesterone in birth control pills creates a thick cervical mucus making it difficult for sperm to reach the uterus. It also impedes an egg from attaching itself to the uterine lining (endometrium) because of changes in the cellular structure of the lining.

Review Date: 5/6/2007

Reviewed By: Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Source Doc: 3_100108

Birth control pill - series

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:34:59 -0700

Back

HEALTH GUIDE REFERENCE FROM A.D.A.M

The internal female reproductive organs include the uterus, ovaries, cervix, and vagina. These organs are necessary to produce a successful pregnancy. To prevent pregnancy, birth control pills affect how these organs normally function.

Review Date:
5/6/2007
Reviewed By:
Rachel A. Lewis, MD, FAAP, Columbia University Pediatric Faculty Practice, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M. Copyright

adam.com

Mirena: Birth Control For Up to 5 Years

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 17:15:00 -0700

The Mirena is a type of IUD, that is placed inside your uterus (by a doctor or nurse practitioner) to prevent pregnancy for up to 5 years. It's a T-shaped piece of plastic that emits hormones into your uterus directly, so it is considered an IUC (intrauterine contraceptive) or an IUS (intrauterine system). The hormones stay in the uterus and are not systemic, meaning they do not go to other parts of your body. This is why it won't cause significant weight gain like oral contraceptives sometimes do or increase breast tenderness. Another bonus is that the Mirena might also shorten, lighten, or even eliminate periods while you use it.

OK, but how does Mirena work? The small amounts of levonorgestrel (hormones) released by Mirena make your cervical mucus thick and tacky so sperm can't swim through it so it is difficult for them to make it to your uterus. If the sperm get in, then they can't make it to the egg to fertilize it.

Another way the Mirena, or IUDs in general, prevent pregnancy is it promote the production of white blood cells. When a foreign object is placed inside the uterus, the body creates white blood cells to defend itself. So when you have sex, if sperm do make it through your tacky mucus to your uterus, the white blood cells will attack them. Even if a sperm does fertilize the egg, the white blood cells will destroy that too.

Interested in how effective it is? To see the stats, just read more
Mirena is 99.9% effective at preventing pregnancy and like metal IUDs, it needs to be fitted and removed by a medical professional. Though once it's in place, that's it. You won't need to use any other form of birth control or even think about it.

Fit's Tips: Mirena is great if you are looking for hassle-free birth control for up to 5 years straight. Just a reminder, it DOES NOT prevent against STDs, so that's why it's great to use if you are in a long-term relationship with someone you know is disease-free.

It's also a great option if you've already had kids and aren't planning on having anymore, or if you know it's going to be many years before you want to start a family. If this interests you, ask you doctor about Mirena. Some doctors recommend against the using the IUD if you have not had children for they are more difficult to insert if you haven't had children.