Can I Use Birth Control Pills If I Have Heavy Periods
Generally, yes. Birth control pills should not have an adverse effect on heavy periods and can help, as described above. However, when you initially have a heavy period, you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause. Your physician may advise you to alter the kind of birth control pill you are taking to help address the heavy period.
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Birth Control Options To Regulate Periods
There is no exact method to choosing a birth control option to regulate periods. Some are better for women with heavy bleeding, and they are specified below, but in general, use of a specific type is generally based on personal preference and what you and your doctor decide is best for your reproductive health.
If You Just Cant With Your Period Anymore Talk To Your Doctor About The Options At Your Disposal
Dont wait until youre looking to stop your period for a specific window of time, like for a wedding or vacation. Try to give yourself some lead timeif you can give yourself three months, thats better than the month before, Dr. Shirazian says. The longer youre trying methods to stop your period, the more likely they are to give you no bleeding.
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You Can Get Pregnant Before You Even Get Your Period Again
When your body realizes youve stopped taking the birth control , you might begin to ovulate, which means you can get pregnant right away, she says.
No period in sight? Says Dr. Dweck: Number one, two, and three on the list of why someone isnt getting their period after coming off the Pill for a while is pregnancy, pregnancy, pregnancy.
Can I Have A Regular Period If I Have Pcos
If you have PCOS, you may experience missing or irregular periods. Its also not uncommon to have long cycles , or very light bleeding when you do have a period.
Despite this, it IS possible to address the underlying causes of PCOS to help regulate your cycle.
Learn more: What is PCOS? Integrative Therapies and Fertility
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Removal Of The Lining Of The Womb
Another option is to remove the lining of the womb . Here the tissue is removed using surgical instruments or destroyed, for instance using laser beams or microwave energy . After the procedure, the woman often stops having periods, or her periods are much lighter. This makes pregnancy unlikely.
But the lining of the womb can grow back. If heavy periods start again as a result, the procedure can be repeated. About 20 out of 100 women have this kind of surgery again within two years.
Endometrial ablation or resection can sometimes be performed as outpatient surgery. Women recover relatively quickly afterwards.
Which Birth Control Method Is Most Effective
The most effective birth control method is abstinence however, this may not be the preferred method for many. Alternatively, the most effective birth control options are the implant and IUDs , especially when paired with a condom.
The implant is a small device that is inserted into your arm and slowly releases the hormone progestin into your body. It lasts for up to four years.
Non-hormonal and hormonal IUDs are available as small devices. The IUD is placed into your uterus, lasting up to 12 years.
Implants and IUDs are considered more effective than the pill as there is no human error in remembering to take your medication. If taken perfectly, the contraceptive pill , shot , vaginal ring , and patch can all be highly effective. Speak to your doctor about which method will work with your medical history and lifestyle.
Remember that birth control pills only protect from pregnancy. They do not protect against sexually transmitted infections or diseases. Thats why its always recommended to use them in conjunction with condoms.
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Using The Pill To Regulate Periods: How It Works
More than half of all birth control pill users in the U.S. take the pill for purposes other than or in addition to contraception. Doctors often prescribe hormonal contraceptives to manage menstrual cramps or regulate periods.
Lets look at the science behind these uses of hormonal contraception, together with the European Board and College of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
Do Birth Control Pills Cause Irregular Periods
On the other side of the spectrum, birth control can throw off menstrual cycle patterns, too. Any exogenous hormone regimen has this ability.
It is said that unscheduled bleeding and spotting can occur during the first few months of implementation, generally stopping with time. This can continue post-pill use as well.
Moreover, post-pill amenorrhea can happen, during which the body takes time to return to normal hormone production since the pill was preventing it from producing its own. Again, this lasts for around three months.
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Birth Control Pills To Regulate Period And Acne
Dear Alice,
My doctor suggested to me that I start on birth control to regulate my menstrual cycle and also to help with my acne problem. I have gone to a dermatologist for four years and my face still breaks out. Do you think that I should try the birth control pill or would the side effects outweigh the benefits? I worry about the weight gain mostly.
Dear Reader,
Your decision about whether or not to take birth control pills is both a medical and a personal choice. It is important that you speak with a health care provider to voice your concerns and get all the facts. Yes, birth control pills can regulate periods, and some are effective in controlling acne. You may want to consider the following questions: What are the pros and cons of taking birth control pills? How long would you need to take the pill to get the desired effects? Could you try them out to see if you experience any positive or negative effect? Other factors to consider are your age, whether or not you are having sex, and whether or not you are a smoker.
Remember, you do not have to make a decision in a jiffy. Make sure that you communicate with your health care provider and get all the information you need in order to make a carefully caculated decision.
What Should I Know About Storage And Disposal Of This Medication
Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture .
Unneeded medications should be disposed of in special ways to ensure that pets, children, and other people cannot consume them. However, you should not flush this medication down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medication is through a medicine take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. See the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location â one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach.
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What Are The Treatment Options For Heavy Periods
There are various treatment options available for women who have very heavy periods, including medication, hormonal contraceptives and surgery. Knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of each can help make it easier to choose an appropriate treatment.
If very heavy periods become too much of a problem, treatment can help you to cope better. Different types of medication can reduce the bleeding and related problems. If one medication doesn’t work, it is usually possible to try out other kinds.
Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills or intrauterine devices affect the menstrual cycle and lessen the amount of bleeding. Any fibroids or polyps that are found to be the cause can be surgically removed. If the effects of heavy periods are particularly bad, other procedures can be considered.
The choice of treatment and best time for treatment will depend on whether a woman is planning to become pregnant. The most effective treatments all limit a woman’s ability to get pregnant either temporarily, like the pill, or permanently, like the surgical removal of the womb .
But as long as the heavy periods arent causing anemia, they dont necessarily need to be treated. Some women learn ways to prepare as well as possible for heavier days. But its a good idea to see a doctor and try to find out what the cause is.
Chances Of Pregnancy On Birth Control Patch
Birth control patches contain estrogen and progesterone, which are absorbed through the skin, where they have to be applied on a weekly basis. The most common birth control patch brands include Xulane® and Ortho Evra®.
With perfect use, a birth control patch is an effective contraception method . As such, the chances of getting pregnant on the patch are about 1%. Certain factors, such as obesity or current medications, might decrease their effectiveness, while increasing the odds of pregnancy to 9%.
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You May Have Some Hair Loss
If you dealt with hormonal-related hair loss before you went on birth control, going off of birth control might bring it back. This switch could trigger telogen effluvium, a temporary condition that causes your hair to shed. Thankfully, telogen effluvium doesn’t last forever, subsiding usually within six months, and stress is also a factor. However, this isn’t super common. Most women won’t see a significant net effect on their hair after stopping birth control pills,” Josh Klein, MD, chief medical officer at Extend Fertility in New York City previously told Health.
Why Would I Use Very
Very-low-dose birth control pills not only prevent pregnancy but may also have some health benefits. If youre in your 40s and are still having periods, you could still get pregnant. Very-low-dose birth control pills protect you from pregnancy. They can help regulate your periods if they are heavy or irregular. Very-low-dose birth control pills also may prevent bone loss, which helps protect you from osteoporosis. Another potential benefit is protection from cancer of the ovary and uterus.
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Reasons For A Missed Period On Birth Control
There can be a number of reasons that a person can miss a period while on hormonal birth control.
It is considered abnormal to go more than 90 days without a period unless a person is pregnant, going through menopause, or breastfeeding.
People may miss periods or they may stop getting a period entirely for a variety of reasons, including a change in birth control methods, stress, exercise, changes to diet, hormonal imbalances, and pregnancy.
What Does Birth Control Do To Your Natural Hormones
In order for an egg to be released during a womans menstrual cycle , both hormones are present in her ovary. The body makes natural hormones that are altered by these changes. In addition to making mucus thick and sticky around the cervix, progestins also cause the mucus to become thick and sticky. In this way, sperm cannot enter the uterus.
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Qualitative Measures: Focus Groups And Interviews
Six focus groups were conducted between March and April 2014 each included 8 to 12 women, with a total of 61 participants. Discussions lasted approximately 2 hours. Participants received a $50 incentive, parking compensation, and refreshments for their time and efforts. All discussions were recorded using the SoundNote iPad application. All moderators and co-moderators received graduate-level qualitative research methodology training.
Focus group discussions followed a semi-structured guide consisting of a pre-determined list of questions that allowed the moderator to adapt and/or rearrange questions, and clarify topics to enhance conversation . The questions investigated participants general contraceptive method knowledge and contraceptive decision-making attitudes. Participants were asked questions related to the theory of planned behavior construct attitude, such as have you heard of: the implant the IUD ? and what do you think about these methods? Additionally, focus group questions assessed subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control .
Can Birth Control Can Protect Against Other Conditions Too
Birth control pills can also help with a wide range of other conditions, from anemia to hair loss.
Heavy periods may make you prone to anemia due to the amount of blood lost. When youre anemic, you dont have enough red blood cells to carry healthy amounts of oxygen throughout your body.
Anemia can make you feel tired, weak and even out of breath. By lightening your period or making you skip it altogether, the pill can reduce the amount of blood loss and alleviate anemia symptoms.
If you have certain types of hair loss or excessive hair growth , birth control pills can be a surprising treatment. They regulate the amount of androgens, male hormones, in your body. Keeping androgen levels within normal range may also help hair growth return to normal levels.
Birth control pills can also help with many other painful conditions, like migraines, mood swings and polycystic ovary syndrome . If youre not sure whether birth control will help you, read more about when to talk to your doctor about painful period symptoms.
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What If My Period Is Very Light While Im Taking Birth Control Pills
Your period may be so light when you are taking birth control pills that you may have only a brown smudge on a tampon, pad, panty shield or underwear. The hormone doses in birth control pills are very low. This means that the lining of your uterus doesnt become very thick so very little blood needs to come out each month.
It Decreases Acne And Excessive Body Hair Growth
Breakouts are caused by many factors, but changes in your hormones are near the top of the list.
As a result, the birth control pill is great for helping with hormonal acne and body hair growth. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, androgens, male sex hormones, can cause acne by triggering oil glands in the skin. Pills with decreased androgenic activity help decrease the level of androgens in our system, which tends to improve both acne and abnormal hair growth, says Dr. Cepin.
Not all birth control methods are effective for treating acne, however. Combined birth control methods can be used as a treatment for abnormal hair growth , Dr. Gray says. They increase the sex hormone binding globulin, which binds to the testosterone that circulates in a womans bloodstream. This has the effect of decreasing hair growth. While your hair thats already there wont go, it can prevent future hair growth. In fact, according to Dr. Gray, some birth control pills are used specifically for this purpose: combination oral contraceptives, that contain both estrogen and progesterone.
If you want to get rid of a sudden breakout, getting on birth control might not be your go-to there are some simpler options.
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