Why no traditional BC pill with MS?
 

I asked my doctor to prescribe me a 'traditional' birth control pill to take. I thought it would be nice and easy, since I could just take it with my copaxone injections nightly, right?

My GP discouraged it, saying my neurologist would not want me to take a 'traditional' type of pill.

So she put me on Depo Provera. Been here before with horrible results a few years ago. Horrible results yet again.

Why would the doctor discourage the pill? She said I could take the progesterone only pill, but wouldn't that be the same thing as the Depo P. shot that's progesterone only?

I'm just curious what the pill does to those with MS that neurologists would discourage taking it.

Laura -

I was on traditional birth control pills up until October. All of the neuros I've seen (including my neuro at Hopkins) are totally fine with BC pills. In fact, I think the hormones help with MS stuff.... there is that study with estriol and copaxone even.

I'd ask around some more about this. I know a lot of people with MS who take regular bc. I used to take Lo-estrin 24. My first exacerbation happened last December when I accidentally went off the pill for a few weeks!

I'm curious to hear what others think. But if you've had a bad reaction with depo, I wouldn't continue to take it unless you find out more concretely if/why bc pills aren't good with MS.

~Keri

I've never heard of that either, Laura.

Since your GP is suggesting that it is your neuro who might have a problem with rxing b/c pills . . . why don't you go right to the source to ask if he does? :confused:

Cherie

Yep, I'd do what Cherie has said. I'd ask my neuro. Let us know what you find out please.

I think I'll definitely call Monday and find out, because this is unreal.

I flat out said I'd rather be pregnant than get another shot of Depo Provera. That's how awful the shot's been for me (I'm certainly not ready for children at this time!).

I would ask, although undx here, even with my sxs..at one point one dr was thinking of putting me on them to see if some of my sxs would subside as she knows when preggo I feel GREAT so she was thinking if on BC maybe same effect. We havent done it yet but just thinking as others that it is ok...ask the neuro..hugsss,sarah

I think the problem is you are seeing a GP and not an ob/gyn! Just my two cents!

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/512731

http://www2.healthtalk.com/go/multip...pills-treat-ms

LOL! Well I do have an OB/Gyn that I'll consult as well :)

Thanks again :)

Edit; First link requires a log in, but the second link is VERY helpful and appreciated! :hug:

Was this advice given to you due to the MS or because you just recently quit smoking?

My GYN is advising the prestogen only since I'm turning 35 and still smoke (I know - I'm a baaad girl). I have to take a BC right now because of endo, so I need to call her back next month to say which option I want.

None of my docs, including the GYN, see any problem with the MS and regular BC.

I have always been on the pill, before MS and during MS. I asked my neuro about it, and he was fine with it. I have had a couple of ob/gyns turn me down to get my tubes tied and/or a hysterectomy. They told me they don't want to "put my body under any stress", like contiuously wondering if your pill is working isn't being under any stress:eek:. I asked the neuro about that too, and he pretty much told me they were crazy. I am to live my life as a normal healthy person, until I find out otherwise by trial and error.

Nope. I think it's because under 'warnings' on my diagnosis sheet, my neuro had mentioned 'smoker', 'birth control'. I seem to recall something about the BC pill and MS? Like they were looking for a link between those who develop MS and who were on the pill before? I don't know. :p

I think I'm dealing with some old quacks who are going by their idea of tradition. :p

Update: I called my gyno. He's STILL not back in his office following the fire. My GP is out till the 5th. Since I'm having a 2 month long flo issue, my LTD case worker at work told me to get my butt to the ER tomorrow and not come to work. She's fearful that I could pass out at work and I should get this looked into asap.

Google "birth control and multiple sclerosis". There are plenty of articles and studies ... saying the exact opposite of each other. :p

What I do know is that I didn't use birth control for very long (maybe 5 yrs). As with most meds, I had problems with it. :rolleyes: So, if it "causes" MS, I am definitely one of the unlucky ones as most women use them for YEARS and don't get MS!

Frank, Peter, Tom, and Chris have been up to some weird stuff too, if they got it from B/C. :p

Cherie

BTW, they have a pill called a "mini-pill" which only has progesterone, like the D/P shot:

"Depo-Provera – With this method women get injections, or shots, of the hormone progestin in the buttocks or arm every 3 months.... Women should not use Depo-Provera for more than 2 years in a row because it can cause a temporary loss of bone density that increases the longer this method is used. The bone does start to grow after this method is stopped, but it may increase the risk of fracture and osteoporosis if used for a long time. It is 97% effective at preventing pregnancy. You will need to visit your doctor for the shots and to make sure you are not having any problems."

The Mini-Pill – Unlike the pill, the mini-pill only has one hormone, progestin, instead of both estrogen and progestin. Taken daily, the mini-pill thickens cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. It also prevents a fertilized egg from implanting . . . "

http://www.4woman.gov/faq/birth-control-methods.cfm

Cherie

Yeah, the mini pill.. which here reads to have a much higher success rate than my doctor lead on.

And how come the patch wasn't offered? That one sounds fantastic :p

I couldn't take the regular BC pills (before my hysterectomy) they made things much worse. Now I take a low dose estrogen (post hysterectomy) and have for 8 years. I tried depo when I was hemorraghing (sp) and it also made things worse. Hence the surgery since the pills and shots couldn't help me.

I'm on traditional BC pills and have been on them for years. My GP prescribes them for me and my neurologist could care less about them. LOL

I was on depo provera for about 3 years in the early nineties. My experience with it, in hindsight, is that it caused me to gain weight and contributed to a waning sex drive. Everything got back to normal once off that form of BC and I realized only then how it had been somewhat detrimental to me.

From what I've heard from friends who have tried it, it is not reliable (inconsistent dosage), can cause skin irritation, and falls off unnoticed! :eek:

Wow that would SUCK!

By the way, I did go today to have things examined. The doctor checked my cervix (following my LEEP I wanted to be sure it wasn't a problem) and said my continuous bleeding is most likely due to the Depo Provera shot. She acknowledged it can cause this problem.

She recommended waiting until after January for the shot to be out of my system and see if things return to normal. She did say, "Sometimes they don't on their own". Oh great :p

My urine and hemoglobin tests came back excellent, so no adverse problems health wise at least.

"it" falls off? :eek:

Well at least you wouldn't need to worry about birth control any more! :D

Cherie

LMAO!!! Cherie you dirty birdie. :hug:

birth control and prozac
 

I took a low dose estrogen/progesteron pill and prozac for a while. My MS symptoms went almost completely away. I stopped taking the BC pill because my mother has terminal breast cancer that is highly reactive to estrogen--since breast cancer runs very strongly in my family, I decided to stop taking it.

I took the pill because of intense pre-menstrual symptoms, not because there was any chance I would get pregnant. I'm still considering going back on the BC just because I did so well on it. Still...cancer os MS? Hard choices here.

Katty

Sorry to hear about your mom Katty. That is certainly a tough decision.

My decision to take the pill would be to prevent pregnancy. I took the pill for many years (as a teen) before I was sexually active to control heavy cycles and cramps (later found I had endometriosis).

When I'm not sexually active, I would rather avoid bc all together, but while sexually active, I'm definitely going to use a reliable option. Condoms work, but condoms alone don't have the proven success of the pill. :)

I'm curious to find out how the pill works for my MS. I have a feeling it will be much the opposite of remission. My trigeminal neuralgia seems to be hormone driven. :cool: