Does anyone think Norplant caused their pcos?

Pandora1151 · 01-03-2007, 06:50 PM

This topic came up in another thread. I thought my pcos was caused by the norplant even before I knew what pcos was because I didn't have these problems before I had the norplant put in at age 19. Once I had the norplant taken out, the symptoms/side effects never went away. Docs told me it was all in my head until (finally) almost 10 years later, an intern was able to recognize the symptoms of pcos and put me through a series of tests to confirm. I found this link that explains how norplant was taken off the market due to certain side effects, such as Norplant could cause irregular and excessive bleeding, infection at the insertion site, capsule expulsion, migraine, and breast abnormalities. Other Norplant side effects include: nausea, dizziness, breast soreness, acne, weight gain, depression, skin discoloration, ovarian cysts, hair loss, and removal difficulties. Here is the link:

http://www.adrugrecall.com/norplant/norplant.html

Does anyone have any solid info on this or has anyone else experienced this besides me and Briggy?

Jashobeam · 01-04-2007, 01:23 AM

My cousin I think might have had the norplant. She is having horrid health problems. I have no idea if she has PCOS, but I think her sister shows signs of it. Both are really having a time of things right now. One I think had norplant or such and the other had the shot.

nomadic_existence · 01-04-2007, 02:37 AM

Interesting theory. I never got Norplant but was on Depo Provera and I believe it brought the PCOS out and caused my IR. I think I have had PCOS all along maybe lying dormant (if that is even possible), I was never regular until after I had my daughter before I got the depo shot. Then BOOM! massive weight gain and major problems that never ended.

Pandora1151 · 01-04-2007, 06:41 PM

I think the depo provera shot is almost as bad as norplant. I've never known anyone on it who had regular cycles. My sister was on it for about 5 years. She doesn't have pcos that she knows of, but she has the facial hair, which got worse w/depo. She also has a hard time losing weight but after she stopped the shot, she has been very fertile.

Before norplant, I was thin - in fact I had trouble keeping weight on. My AF was somewhat irregular, but I had 2 babies before age 20 and AF was fairly normal. It always lasted 4 days and always came every 3-5 weeks. My cholesterol was around 150! Now it's 269! I had normal body hair & a normal appetite. I don't know about the acne, it wasn't bad, but it was there. I figured it was because I was a teen, then it never went away.

Got norplant right before I turned 20 because it is illegal in Michigan to have your tubes tied before age 21. Doc told me norplant was no worse than pills and probably better for me because I miss pills frequently (that's how ds got here at age 16). I only used norplant as a "place holder" until I could get my tubes tied.

I was able to get tubes tied at 21 but I had to get a statement from a psychologist saying I was mature enough to make that decision. I NEVER would have had the norplant put in if I knew what kind of health problems I would have from that point forward for the rest of my life! I don't know...I have read that we have to go through a grieving process after dx w/pcos. I have been in moderate denial since dx 3 years ago & finally snapped out of it recently. Now it seems like I am angry about it all the time and keep looking for someone/something to blame. I am swinging between anger and sorrow, but I prefer anger! Maybe trying to blame the norplant is wishful thinking. It's just that all my symptoms started with norplant and it just seems so unfair that I was unable to get my tubes tied when I wanted to. Why would a 19 year old single mother of two, who was on welfare, be denied that? You'd think they would encourage sterility for someone like me. It's like the system has been against everything good I've ever tried to do in my life. I'm gonna go, I can hear my mother AND my grandmother in my mind telling me to stop feeling sorry for myself!

Pandora1151 · 01-04-2007, 06:46 PM

Another thing I am angry about is that I went through all that to get my tubes tied FOR NOTHING! Now I have pcos & I have to take bcp ANYWAY! Doc told me how LUCKY I was to have had babies as a teen because now it would probably be very difficult. I love my kids and I am a good mom, but I would have been such a better mom if I waited until now to have babies. PBAH!!

Jashobeam · 01-04-2007, 07:07 PM

I'm sorry you went through all of that. I had no idea it was illegal for teens to get their tubes tied in some states.

deedlebug06 · 01-05-2007, 04:48 PM

I used Norplant for three years. I think I have had PCOS since I was a teen. I always had problems with blood sugar, weight gain, irregular periods. The norplant did however worsen things. I either had no period at all or bleed for a month straight. I also gained almost 80 lbs on it. I still have pain in my arm where it was implanted from time to time. Sometimes I wonder if I still have part of it stuck in me since they had such a diffucult time removing it.

nomadic_existence · 01-05-2007, 06:49 PM

I'm telling you- there are some things that science should just not mess with- and hormones is one of them!

SnowFlower · 01-05-2007, 07:14 PM

ive never had one so i cant comment but it does seem interesting

Cyster1976 · 01-06-2007, 01:48 AM

I had the norplant system when I was 17. My cycles were a little off before the system was put in, but once I had it in AF came and never left. I couldn't get anyone to take the norplant out. I had the system in for approx a year and half...and bled the entire time!!! I finally got them to take it out because my hair was falling out, nose bleeds, and had developed anemia (sp?). Once the norplant was removed AF left and never came back (at least not on her own). I am almost positive that I had PCOS before the norplant was in place because after I dx'd in 99 I started thinking back and had symptoms long before the norplant was put in. I do believe that the norplant made things worse. Not to mention that the system was not put in properly I had one of the tube thingys burrow out of my arm and another burrowed into my muscle.

jaxmah · 01-09-2007, 03:18 PM

I also am not sure about Norplant but I will forever believe that Depo messed me up. I had my first Depo after having my son at 24yo and was regular up until then no problems with my body but after a year on Depo PCOS in all it's glory joined my life.

Pandora1151 · 01-12-2007, 02:10 PM

I wonder if other long term bc methods, like nuva-ring, would also bring out or cause pcos. It seems like the "fix it and forget it" bc methods cause more harm than good. People should be warned about stuff like this. I guess norplant is no longer on the market because of these side effects and other problems, but depo is going strong and they are always trying to make new ones where you don't have to remember a pill every day and whatnot.

lachicarubia · 01-12-2007, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pandora1151

I wonder if other long term bc methods, like nuva-ring, would also bring out or cause pcos. It seems like the "fix it and forget it" bc methods cause more harm than good. People should be warned about stuff like this. I guess norplant is no longer on the market because of these side effects and other problems, but depo is going strong and they are always trying to make new ones where you don't have to remember a pill every day and whatnot.

I have to agree that Norplant could be the reason that your PCOS symptoms started

Here is my theory about PCOS and Norplant.
This is my personal theory, I don't have any scientific data to back it up yet. Hopefully some day I will be rich enough to do a study to test my theory. For now, I just have my own experience, and a few anecdotal case studies.:
Hormone therapy, like BCP's, Norplant, Depo Provera, etc., can put the body in just the right condition that allows yeast to thrive. Not bread yeast, but candida, the same type of yeast that causes female yeast infections, or loose bowels whenever you take antibiotics.
At first, you might have syptoms of yeast overgrowth, but if the yeast continues to be out of control, the body compensates and covers up the symptoms of yeast, so the obvious symptoms go away. The yeast might start growing out of control slowly, so no obvious yeast symptoms could become apparent, but it remains there, hidden, but still out of control.
I believe that if the yeast population in the body is high enough, that the toxins secreted by the yeast will be produced in great enough qualtities that it will mess up some of the bodies metabolic and hormone functions, which eventually causes PCOS symptoms to start showing up.
It might not happen with every one who uses BCP's. It might happen more often with the use of Norplant, or depo, because the hormones stay in the body for longer periods, which gives the yeast more time to get out of control.

So these ladies start using these types of birth control, the yeast gets out of control without them realizing it, and then they start having PCOS symptoms, and the logical explaination for them is to think that the Norplant or Depo caused the PCOS to start. Which is true in a way, because it was those things that caused the yeast to get out of control. But it is really the hidden, out of control yeast that is the real culprit.

Sometime out of control yeast will cause occasional flair ups. How many cycters complain about recurrent yeast infections, or yeast infections while on BCP's (Yeast Infection and Yasmin)

The same thing can happen with antibiotic therapy, and steroid therapy. They all allow yeast to get out of control in the body, unless yeast control measures are taken.

I think that my PCOS started while I was pregnant with #1, and was getting antibiotics while I was PG. The pregnancy hormones, plus the antibiotics as a combination can also result in the yeast getting out of control. I had NO problems getting PG with #1. But after he was born, I didn't have AF for over 1 year, and then when it finally came, they were 40 day cycles. And my other PCOS symptoms started showing up. I had problems TTC #2, and it was only when I took things that kill yeast that I was finally able to get PG with #2.

THE BAD NEWS
If my theory is correct, Cysters that use BCP's to treat their PCOS are still getting those hormones that allow the yeast population to thrive, and even though the hormone therapy helps to create regular cycles, it can actually allow the yeast to continue to grow out of control, which in turn allows the PCOS to continue to progress.

THE GOOD NEWS
If my theory is correct, then the best way to get the PCOS under control is to take or do things that help keep the yeast population under control. This is very easy, inexpensive, and can be done in conjunction with ANY PCOS Tx program.

One example: A low carb diet. Yeast thrive on sugar

and simple carbs

. Stop eating sugar, and simple carbs, and the yeast will die to a controlled level (you can never get rid of yeast completely, only keep the population under control). After the yeast is at a controlled level, they can no longer secrete enough toxins to mess up the metabolic and hormonal functions, and the PCOS symptoms start to go away.
How many cysters have reported success treating PCOS with a low carb diet? How many cysters have reported that their symptoms return when they stop the low carb diet (because the yeast can return after they stop)?

If a low carb diet is difficult for some to follow, there are other ways to control yeast. There are lots of things that can kill yeast: meds like diflucan, herbs, garlic, probiotics/acidophilus, enzymes, etc.
I have even seen a few advertisement links on this Soul Cysters message board for Candida control supplements.
Take your pick.
So that is my

. I will get off my

now.