Birth control pills probably should not be used long term in PCOS'ers - Page 4

rocknroll · 02-06-2008, 11:03 PM

i really dont agree...
i mean some of pcos symptoms really are worth the trick of the BCP. you just need the right one, then again some women just dont feel right on it..but that is another issue.
if i am not on the bcp then this is what happen

i have really heavy period that cause me to be aenemic
i have constant headache
i have AN that indicates i am IR
i am constantly tired
i have acnea on the worst period
unwanted hair
hair loss....
brittle nails
flatulence (ir symptoms i think)...

just the bcp and androcur or spiro clears all this up.
so it really means it can help women with pcos. ans i really thing the bcp and androcur/spiro, actually HELPS my IR.

i am on the skinny side though i am IR...but now i cant eat normally whereas before almost anything beside fruit and meat would put me to sleep in no time.
iknow what works for me might not work for other people...but just for the period thing..it is good for women with pcos..the period problem if not controlled can lead to very serious gynecological problems

bLove · 03-29-2008, 10:01 PM

in my experience bcps do work and clear up all my symptoms, however, Im not on them anymore even though im not ttc because they only cover up the problems. getting my af naturally is what I want to do because when I am ready to ttc, my body should be functioning properly without bcps only covering up the problems. id rather not take any pills and rely on God to do natural healing. but thats just me.

only4some1special · 03-30-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bLove

in my experience bcps do work and clear up all my symptoms, however, Im not on them anymore even though im not ttc because they only cover up the problems. getting my af naturally is what I want to do because when I am ready to ttc, my body should be functioning properly without bcps only covering up the problems. id rather not take any pills and rely on God to do natural healing. but thats just me.

which bcp did u take?

anna

pennylane1979 · 04-09-2008, 02:23 PM

Thanks for the informative article! It's soo important to know how to treat condition properly, even if your doctor doesn't know how to.

bLove · 04-12-2008, 05:08 AM

oh i took the generic form of Ovcon 35.

reubenthetadpole · 05-11-2008, 12:40 AM

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18--after not having a period for eleven months, having irregular periods for four years, and my hair falling out. I went to see a repo endo who put me on a BCP. The BCP was wrong for me (read:3 weeks of spotting a month), and after trying a couple other BCPs, I gave up.
After another year of no periods, my mom sent me to a gyno who confirmed the PCOS diagnosis and put me on Desogen. I have been on it ever since.
Now, there were periods where I tried other methods. For six or eight months straight, I was on this expensive, comprehensive, high-quality nutrional supplement that helped all my other health issues (and helped other women with their reproductive issues) but I still didn't have a period on it. In fact, my hormones remained so whacked that I started get horrible large pimples on my face. It was not until I returned to the Desogen that my period came back and the acne disappeared. I have tried metformin exclusively and diet/exercise regimes.
So I must respectfully disagree that BCPs shouldn't be used as a long term solution. For some of us, it's the only solution. If I choose to get pregnant at some point, I'll cross the bridge when I come to it, but I think it's unfair to criticize the methods that other people in your same situation are using to get by.

Bethany · 07-16-2008, 04:53 AM

I am torn... an endo told me to stay on Met to treat PCOS & an OB/GYN told me to use BCPs to treat PCOS... any new info on who is right?

My gut tells me Met makes more sense b/c it's treating the root of the problem, the IR, rather than covering up the symptoms & making me have a "fake period".

Playing by heart - I rarely got af (3-4 times/yr, it was anovulatory bleeding I was told) & af became regular on Met after a few months. I have had 2 children easily using Met & I am now pg with my 3rd (I had 2 m/c right before I started Met).
Thought you also might be interested to know that the endo I saw told me that exercise is more effective than Met in preventing diabetes.
Guess I gotta get back to the gym one of these days ((sigh))

ang84 · 07-24-2008, 11:55 PM

Is anyone taking Orthro-Novum? That's what I'm taking has anyone heard anything about it good or bad?

Lea cyster · 08-30-2008, 07:38 PM

Here is lik about hair loss and BCP's

http://www.americanhairloss.org/wome...raceptives.asp

JMspear · 08-30-2008, 11:35 PM

This is all so interesting- I was fine while I was on BCP, it was when I got off them that the PCOS symptoms kicked in. I've been on them for nearly 15 years. My gyno assures me that there are no longstanding complications b/c I am on the lowest amount of hormones a person can be on (generic, Kariva). Anything higher and I get migraines and various other problems.

rocknroll · 09-05-2008, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bethany

I am torn... an endo told me to stay on Met to treat PCOS & an OB/GYN told me to use BCPs to treat PCOS... any new info on who is right?

My gut tells me Met makes more sense b/c it's treating the root of the problem, the IR, rather than covering up the symptoms & making me have a "fake period".

Playing by heart - I rarely got af (3-4 times/yr, it was anovulatory bleeding I was told) & af became regular on Met after a few months. I have had 2 children easily using Met & I am now pg with my 3rd (I had 2 m/c right before I started Met).
Thought you also might be interested to know that the endo I saw told me that exercise is more effective than Met in preventing diabetes.
Guess I gotta get back to the gym one of these days ((sigh))

Both are right in their own way. You have to choose the treatment you want depending on your age and needs.if you need contraception and arent planing to concieve and under 40BCP is prolly good and will work in less time than Met.Met will take a bit more time but is good if you are TTC and also can be a good treatment for those premenauposal postmenauposal pcos ladies.
Both treatment can be used at the same time as well.

sportsphotogirl · 09-06-2008, 06:40 PM

This article is very helpful. I was put on BCPs when I was 17 due to my heavy periods. When I later married and tried to come off BCPs to get PG I then had problems. I have been married for 13 years and had my first child just last year. She will be 1 year old next week. Thanks so much.

mama2ak · 09-07-2008, 11:48 PM

Does this same idea keep Mirena from being a viable option? I'm assuming so because of the hormones in it? I am not sexually active right now so I'm not on birth control but have used pills (Yasmin, Ortho-Novum 7/7/7, Ortho-TriCyclen, Seasonale) and Mirena in the past. I have 2 daughters (ages 4 and 2) and was just diagnosed with PCOS a week ago.

Is Demulen still the best way to go for pills if you decide to go that route? Otherwise I am thinking of getting Mirena re-inserted.

sue_trask · 09-08-2008, 02:39 AM

i think its find. i been off and on it since i was about 13 and before that i had pcos. also met doesnt always work with all pcos girls. or it could be me. i dont know. i know i have problems with meds working like they should. i do know i have a severe case of pcos from what was told to me

jendix78 · 09-30-2008, 09:44 AM

Obviously different things work for different people, after reading many replies to this thread. I was diagnosed with PCOS around 1998 when I had a cyst burst and went to the hospital not knowing what it was. The sonogram showed PCOS, which explained why I rarely got my period. I went on the pill (Ortho Tri-Cyclen) and basically was on it for the past 10 years. When I went off the pill for a year in 2001, I gained a ton of weight and all of my PCOS symptoms (hair loss, extra hair growth, etc) came back. I have now been off the pill since July 07 TTC naturally, which I knew would probably not be possible. I did not bother to go to the DR. about the PCOS because I was always told BCP is all there was to treat it. (Before I found this site and starting looking up info on my own, I knew no better.)
After this long story... I have now started the insulite system and it seems to be working great for me, but others said it has not worked for them. So my point after this long post! Different treatments work for each person. Would I go back on the pill after I have a little one? Yes! It was one pill a day that helped my symptoms virtually disappear and kept my weight down. I had light periods that lasted 3 or 4 days, and in general FELT GOOD. I'll note the insulite system is making me feel GREAT as well, but is much more expensive for me to continue long term.