Birthcontrol pills and PCOS

[paige17257]

does anyone take BC pills for their PCOS? they have never agreed with me, but i havent tried them again for about 7 years, so i am seriously considering them again. the OB gain me one, that is a constant lowdose hormone, with 1 week of dummy pills. she said that it would help my complexion. i am so sick of zits!!! and ugly skin. any one have any opinions? what to do, what to do!!! :confused:
paige17257

[clodagh]

hi there

I have been taking bcp for 2.5 yrs now since I was diagnosed with PCOS. I found them wonderful as my acne went away and I felt much better.

However I think it depends on what stage your life is at whether or not to take BCP. There is a school of thought that says why give more hormones to someone who already has messed up hormones!?!?

do you low carb? I have been lowcarbing for 6 months now and have managed to lose some of my weight in preparation for giving up the piils ( I am getting married in 8 wks ) as I would like to try to conceive.

I think it's going to take up to 6 months for the pills to come out of my system but at least I have mastered the low carb diet so my symptoms shouldn't be as bad as they were before.( fingers crossed!)

Anyway they are my thoughts. I don't know how old you are, but if I was very young I would definitely go for bcp to give myself time to work out where to go from there.

Clo

[paige17257]

i am 33. i have tried BC pills in the past, but they never agreed with me. i have 2 children and i think i am done. i havent tried them again since my daughter was little 8 years ago.
i heard that theory too, about why add hormones, when you already have too many. but this is to balance them, i am told.
this might sound strange, but my OB told me that if i wanted to get pregnant again, she would be me ON the pill, for a couple of months to prime up my ovaries with female hormones. (the pill), this makes them more fertile to the sperm. then she said that when i went off the pill she would give me Clomid, to make me ovulate, and hence get pregant. so, it sounds like you are on the right track. i wouldnt wait too long after going off the pill to try to conceive on your own. i have read too many times, of women with PCOS trying a long time, so dont miss your window of opportunity.
i am LCing. i read on this site, that LCing helped some PCOSers turn completing around. i guess regulating the insulin thru diet, really helps some people. unfortunately, the OB doesnt act like she wants me to wait 6 months to see if the WOE helps. she wants me to have regular cycles now! i have only been doing this since june, and i have gotten a period, but my hairs and acne are no better, so i guess i need more help than LCing.
thanks for the reply. good luck, and keep me posted!!
take care,
paige17257

[Danyele]

hi,


I tried Diane 35 over a month ago and i was a wreck. Because i'm hypothyroid as well the excess estrogen was making me extremely tired. I was so tired i started to cry and then everything made me cry and I never do. I think my body is just too sensitive to it. My ob/gyn prescribed a lower dose BCP (elysse) but i haven't filled it yet. I've been doing chromium, evening primrose oil and wild yam extract and found a huge difference in three weeks.

Danyele

[Scarlet]

If you took the pill before and had negative side effects it is very likely that you will experience the same problems again. There are other treatments for acne such as spiro and aldactane (sp) so perhaps you should try those first. I have skin problems but even though the pill helped those it messed me up so bad in terms of IR and weight that I don't think it was worth it. Just my two euros, but pay attention to your own body. Also, if you do decide to take the pill ask for Yasmine because it contains spiro and tends to suit lots of us cysters more than other brands.

[paige17257]

hi scarlett,
yasmine? i will have to ask her about that. she prescribed ortho cyclen. told me that would clear up my face. she said that she would add spirolactone(sp) only if the BC pill didnt clear up hair and face. they wont let me try the spiro. without one of us has to be permently fix, or on the BC pill, because of birth defects. so, i cant just take that, i would love to. i didnt start anything yet. i think i am going to ask the Gen Doc. if one of us gets "fixed" will they let me try just the spiro. i have so many risk factors to even go on the Pill. and she said that she would want me followed closely for HBP, diabetes, etc... i have to ask myself, is this really a good pill for Cysters? we already have an increase chance of heart disease, and stroke, and then they want to put us on the BC pill? i really am confused!!
take care, talk to ya soon,
paige17257

[tigersue]

Ortho Tri cyclen isn't the only pill that helps with acne, most of them do. If you find you have problems with it you can change. I have been on so many pills and most have given me some kind of trouble or another. One cause my BP to go sky high, another made me very depressed, one made me sick and depressed, and ortho tri cyclen always made me sick. Now I'm on low estren and I like it a lot. I don't get sick, and my moods are more stable. I think if you do LC you will find your skin to clear up, mine has and I have oily skin, never had a whole lot of problem with acne except on my back and now that has been good too.
My doctor told me that if one pill doesn't agree with me we will work until we find one that does. You don't have to be on one pill and one pill isn't the cure all for acne.
Tanya
PS I have had to be on the pill because my PCOS expanded to endometrial hyperplasia when I'm not on them.
Tanya

[silkenluck]

Originally posted by paige17257
hi scarlett,
yasmine? i will have to ask her about that. she prescribed ortho cyclen. told me that would clear up my face. she said that she would add spirolactone(sp) only if the BC pill didnt clear up hair and face. they wont let me try the spiro. without one of us has to be permently fix, or on the BC pill, because of birth defects. so, i cant just take that, i would love to. i didnt start anything yet. i think i am going to ask the Gen Doc. if one of us gets "fixed" will they let me try just the spiro. i have so many risk factors to even go on the Pill. and she said that she would want me followed closely for HBP, diabetes, etc... i have to ask myself, is this really a good pill for Cysters? we already have an increase chance of heart disease, and stroke, and then they want to put us on the BC pill? i really am confused!!
take care, talk to ya soon,
paige17257
Orthotricylcen is bad bad news for PCOsers - at least from what I've read. The same for high dose estrogen pills. I just started on Yasmin - it's supposed to be a chemical analogue of spiro - and thus helps with the hairloss & skin problems. It's also supposed to be a mild diuretic and should help with any water retention (good news for me).

So far so good with the Yasmin - although I'm having trouble with insurance since it's not on their forumulary. *sigh*

[paige17257]

i am to take ortho CYCLEN, not ortho TRI cyclen. i cant take pills that have 3 phase hormones. i dont bleed at the right time,and it ,makes the migraines worse. i saw on a BC pill list that ortho is right in the middle of estrogen strengths, not high or low. i would like to be on the lowest dose possible. i dont know if i can take Yasmin or not. i wonder if you mate has to be "fixed" if it is related to spiro? because you wouldnt want to get pregers on it, by accident. could cause birth defects. i am getting ready to take Provera, to start my cycle, but i dont think i am going on anything until next month. i still am trying to make this decision!!
thanks for the advice
paige17257

[silkenluck]

Originally posted by paige17257
i am to take ortho CYCLEN, not ortho TRI cyclen. i cant take pills that have 3 phase hormones. i dont bleed at the right time,and it ,makes the migraines worse. i saw on a BC pill list that ortho is right in the middle of estrogen strengths, not high or low. i would like to be on the lowest dose possible. i dont know if i can take Yasmin or not. i wonder if you mate has to be "fixed" if it is related to spiro? because you wouldnt want to get pregers on it, by accident. could cause birth defects. i am getting ready to take Provera, to start my cycle, but i dont think i am going on anything until next month. i still am trying to make this decision!!
thanks for the advice
paige17257
whoops misread and thought I saw orthotricyclen - not orthocyclen! Sorry!

Yasmin still works as a birthcontrol pill - so don't worry about getting pregnant on it (any more than any other pill). It works to stop your ovulation and therefore helps PCOS women because it helps to prevent the development of cysts from non-released eggs. Yasmin is similar to progestin based pills but it's a little different. Supposedly there is no estrogen in Yasmin at all. I would recommend going to as low a dose of estrogen as possible, but of course I'm not a doctor so don't just take my recommendation - as I'm sure you willl - talk to your doctor about getting a low estrogen pill. The estrogen spikes were causing migraines in me as well - and non stop spotting. Depoprovera (the shot) helped me a for a while but I wouldn't recommend it - just too many side affects to worry about, and it's definitely not good if you're thinking about trying to concieve any time soon.

I tried Loestrin for a while - helped with the migraines but I was spotting/bleeding way off schedule - 2-3 weeks at a time with 1 week of no bleeding in between. :( not fun.

Hope that helps some :)

[paige17257]

0.035 mg of estrogen or less.


ok, i just went to the Yasmin website, and it says that it has this very minimal amount of estrogen. basically none!!
i wonder if my doc ever heard of this one? i am afraid of the estrogen because of my migraines, and depression. i dont want it to set me off!! i am to go to a new doc in November, i may wait to take any BC pill, and ask her what she knows about Yasmin. i specifically asked my OBGYN, if the BC pill would interfere with my depression, and she said, maybe , maybe not. then my psycho. said, the estrogen is such a small dose, it should be "ok", but you have to wonder why no one is suggesting the Yasmin instead for me. i will have to ask! maybe they like to try the combo pills first, and then use Yasmin last?? i dont know? thanks for the info. i am going to post a site for you all to check out, as soon as i figure out how to do it. its all about the Pill, and other interesting stuff.
take care!!
paige17257 :daze:

[silkenluck]

As far as I know Yasmin is relatively new - maybe your doctor & psych haven't heard of it? I know I never heard of it a year a go when I was looking for birth control pills to try. I'm like you - estrogen makes my life a living hell, between the migraines, cramps, non stop bleeding, and now I find out - the cysts in my ovaries. I was really worried about falling into a depression as well - I've been there once before and it was awful, I don't want to go back there!
Yeah I want to avoid estrogen as much as possible myself. Combo pills didnt' seem to work for me - but everyone is different, you have to do what is best for you, but I would mention yasmin to your docs when you get the chance, it might be what you're looking for!

[Autumn30]

From what I have read yasmin and diane 35 are good for pcoser's. They never brought on af for me which in turn never cleared up my acne. I unlike most women with pcos dont have high estrogen, I had low estrogen. Once my IR was treated with meds my estrogen came up to normal, and my acne completely cleared up after about three months. I only had slightly high testotsterone 62 (supposed to be lower than 50). BCP's can exacerbate IR is what my RE told me. If you just want to bring on af you can also use progesterone cream, take some herbs, or take provera. If you want more info on the herbs or cream private message me.

After we are done having kids, its dh's responsibility to deal with the bc issue :D I feel so much better being off the pill I will never go back on it.

[Scarlet]

Yasmine has only been licensed in the US recently, so that could be why none of the docs reccommend it to you. It really is one of the best for cysters though.

If you just wanna get AF you can use herbs etc. I also have lots of info on using herbs for AF. PM me if you are interested in that.



Scarlet

[silkenluck]

Originally posted by Autumn30
From what I have read yasmin and diane 35 are good for pcoser's. They never brought on af for me which in turn never cleared up my acne. I unlike most women with pcos dont have high estrogen, I had low estrogen. Once my IR was treated with meds my estrogen came up to normal, and my acne completely cleared up after about three months. I only had slightly high testotsterone 62 (supposed to be lower than 50). BCP's can exacerbate IR is what my RE told me. If you just want to bring on af you can also use progesterone cream, take some herbs, or take provera. If you want more info on the herbs or cream private message me.

After we are done having kids, its dh's responsibility to deal with the bc issue :D I feel so much better being off the pill I will never go back on it.

Not sure if this post was meant for me or not but I'll respond :)

I had/have the opposite problem - AF around ALL the time :/ So far Yasmin has stopped the bleeding - even on the first pack. That really impressed me, every other bcp I tried hasn't done that in the first pack, even if they managed to stave off the flow it was only for a few months and then back to breakthrough bleeding and hell. I'm not sure how it will affect my IR and type 2 diabetes. So far I'm still keeping my blood sugars within normal range so I'm happy with that. My estrogen levels are actually too low, progesterone & testosterone too high. I'm getting another round of blood work done at the end of the month though - hoping that the numbers will be better then. I'm rather sick of the body acne and the hairloss - and hair growth in icky areas. I guess though I could live with all of the cosmetic crap if my fertility were okay. For me all the work I'm doing now is to restore my fertility. I want to be as healthy as I possibly can before ttc. :)
Cheers!