Is It Dangerous To Take Birth Control Pills
There has been substantial research on the relationship between breast cancer and birth control pills. Although the findings aren’t conclusive, studies have demonstrated a link between pill usage and breast cancer in premenopausal women . This risk seems to decrease ten years after women stop taking the pill.
Moreover, most birth control pills increase the likelihood of developing blood clots.
How Do The Options Compare
Compared to the various other medications and hormonal treatments, hormonal IUDs are the most effective at reducing bleeding and the related problems. The effect of hormonal IUDs is comparable to that of surgery to remove the lining of the womb. There was no real difference between the two treatments in the studies.
Hysterectomies have the greatest benefits of the various surgical procedures: The less invasive procedures that involve removing or destroying the endometrium don’t reduce the problems associated with heavy periods as completely as a hysterectomy does. Those procedures may also have to be repeated if the lining grows back. But serious side effects and complications are much less common after endometrial ablation or resection than after hysterectomy.
What Periods Are Considered Irregular
Women typically get their periods once every 28 days or so. For some women, this happens like clockwork, but others have cycles that are much less predictable.
Your periods are most likely irregular if:
- The number of days between your periods starts to change
- The amount of blood you lose is more or less than usual
- The duration of your periods varies
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Your Period Could Also Be Totally Different
The other side of that: If youve been on birth control for years, your age, medical issues, stress levels, diet patterns, or exercise habits may have changed over time and could influence what your period looks like when you come off of birth control, says Dr. Dweck.
Say, for example, that you developed a thyroid abnormality while you were on birth control. You might notice your period is more irregular than you remember because of that. Your period may be different when you come off the Pill than it was before you went on, but thats completely unrelated to the Pill itself, she says.
How Can I Regulate My Menstrual Cycle
You can try to regulate your menstrual cycle with some at-home remedies.
First, use the Flo app to track your periods and symptoms each month. Even if your period is irregular, you may be able to detect some symptom patterns and be better prepared.
Some other suggestions include:
- Practice yoga. Yoga can help relieve stress. You dont have to be an expert to do it successfully. Check out some beginner poses and concentrate on breathing and relaxing to help you de-stress. Feeling less stressed overall can help make your periods arrival more predictable.
- Maintain a healthy weight. If youre overweight or obese, you may experience heavier periods. If youre severely underweight, you may experience irregular menstruation as well. Its important to eat a balanced diet and maintain a healthy weight.
- Exercise regularly, but dont overdo it. Exercise can help you maintain a healthy weight, which in turn can help make your periods more regular. But remember, too much exercise can have an adverse effect and make your periods more irregular. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week.
- Ginger Theres some evidence to suggest that daily ginger supplements may help reduce the amount of blood lost during periods. It may also help relieve PMS symptoms.
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Can I Cure Irregular Periods
Doctors who practice restorative reproductive medicine are best equipped to diagnose and treat the underlying conditions that cause or contribute to irregular periods. Rather than using band-aid, quick fixes like birth control, restorative reproductive medicine doctors and allied healthcare professionals work to uncover and treat the root causes of irregular periods.
Natural Procreative Technology is one such field of restorative reproductive medicine that can utilize the information from a womans chart in order to treat the cause of her irregular periods. NaPro-trained doctors, as well as medical professionals trained in Fertility Education & Medical Management , are available throughout the United States and beyond, and treatments are often covered by insurance.
To find out more:
When To Call A Doctor
Call your doctor if you have had regular, monthly periods and the pattern changes. Your doctor may give you a physical exam and other tests to rule out pregnancy or a health problem.
- You miss three or more periods a year.
- You get your period more often than every 21 days.
- You get your period less often than every 35 days.
- You are bleeding more heavily than usual during your period.
- You bleed for more than 7 days.
- You have more pain than usual during a period.
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High Testosterone High Oestrogens And Low Normal Progesterone
So as you can see saliva testing really clarifies whats going on with your hormones.
And saliva testing is the type of testing I get most of my patients to do. Its easy and painless to do. I give you the kit and you get to do it in the privacy of your own home and then post it off.
And when I get your results back I get to see what your imbalances are so I can design an individualised natural hormone rebalancing program for you to correct them.
The testing tells me exactly what foods, herbs, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients I need to include in your natural hormone balancing program to trigger your body to start producing the optimal level of hormones.
And once that happens your mood stabilises, your period comes regularly, your skin clears up, your period pain disappears and so on.
So if you have the symptoms of hormone imbalances and you want to eliminate them naturally then what you need to do is contact us today and organize a Hormone Imbalance Assessment Consultation.
Irregular Periods And Birth Control Pills
Contraceptives, or birth control pills, and irregular periods often go hand-in-hand for many women who are trying to find regularity in their menstrual cycles. Nevertheless, there is important information to know regarding each before deciding the best route for your reproductive health.
Continue reading to learn more about birth control pills and irregular periods, including what each are, if birth control pills regulate or disrupt periods, and more.
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Some Symptoms Are More Concerning Than Others
While a skipped period isnt automatically cause for concern, a few other things can be.
If you suddenly start getting a heavy flow during periods or start bleeding between periods , thats something youll want to bring up to your doctor, Zhang says.
Likewise, if your cycle lasts less than 21 days or more than 40, its also worth a visit to your primary care provider. If you skip more than three periods in a row and arent pregnant, thats also something youll want to get checked out.
Getting severe cramps during your period, when you previously didnt, could also be cause for concern.
The bottom line: If you think somethings up, even if its supposedly normal, just get it checked out. For example, Zhang sees many patients who come in because of a skipped period, which is something theyre concerned about but that isnt necessarily a red flag to a doctor.
If youre having new symptoms that are concerning to you, its always fine to go talk with your doctor about it, Zhang says.
Will Contraception Cause Irregular Bleeding
Quite a few methods might cause irregular bleeding: it can be unpredictable, and may be light, or may be heavy. The contraception will still work to prevent pregnancy, but bleeding can be a real nuisanceIrregular bleeding with hormonal contraception can happen because the womb lining usually builds up and then comes out during a period with hormonal contraception, the womb lining stays the same, but the body sheds the lining unpredictably
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Are There Other Advantages To Taking The Pill
Taking birth control pills can also help you manage other menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, mood swings, irritability, night sweats, and more.
Speak with your doctor about the proper dosage of pills needed to regulate your period as well as suppress the symptoms caused by the drastic hormonal fluctuations.
Keep in mind that it is still possible for a perimenopausal woman to get pregnant. So, even if you choose not to take the pill, you may want to continue using another form of contraceptives if you are sexually active.
How Do I Make My Period Stop
What do you do when you find yourself in a situation when you need to stop periods or to relieve the pain? There are medications that you can take to stop this agonizing experience. But not every woman has access to these. Many women are asking, can I stop my period once it has started? Below are a few home remedies to stop prolonged periods and to regulate your cycle.
Yes, do not cringe. It does help. If you can get past the messiness, it can help to relieve your menstrual cramps. Sexual stimulation will aid in increasing blood flow to your uterus, which will ease the contractions. Also, if you orgasm, your uterus will contract more, which will help it get rid of your flow faster. Therefore, it is a reliable remedy that you could use if you are looking for ways on how to stop your periods.
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Which Methods Are Not Suitable After Having A Baby
The combined pill, contraceptive patch and vaginal ring should not be used in the first 3 weeks after having a baby. This is because the risk of blood clots is higher after giving birth. Those who have had uncomplicated births, with no risk factors for blood clots and who are not breastfeeding may be able to start as early as 21 days following birth. However, if you are at increased risk of blood clots, you may be advised to wait 6 weeks before starting one of these methods. Speak to your doctor or nurse who can advise you.
The diaphragm is not recommended in the first 6 weeks because the cervix and vagina change shape and size during pregnancy and birth. These changes make the diaphragm less good at preventing pregnancy.
Fertility awareness methods are less reliable after giving birth because it is difficult to identify signs of fertility. You should have 3 normal, regular periods before using fertility awareness methods.
Should I Take Pills To Regulate My Period
I’m 15 and I have irregular periods. I have been told by people similar to me that they are given pills to help regulate their periods. I am unsure on whether I should go on them and I’m scared of the side effects. Do these pills work and what are some of the side effects? Are there any other ways to help regulate a period? – Nikeyah*
It’s normal to have irregular periods for the first few years of menstruating. Several things can cause irregular periods, including changing hormone levels. Doctors sometimes prescribe birth control pills to regulate periods because they can help control hormone levels.
Birth control pills can have some side effects, like nausea, possible weight gain, headaches, mood changes, breast tenderness, and blood clots. But most young women who take it have no side effects or very few. Girls who take the Pill should not smoke because smoking can increase the risk of some side effects, like blood clots.
Birth control pills can be an effective way to regulate periods. But the only way to find out what’s causing your irregular periods is to visit your doctor.
Note: The Pill does not protect you from STDs. So, if you do have sex, be sure to use a condom every time. This will help prevent STDs and give you extra protection against pregnancy.
*Names have been changed to protect user privacy.
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Ovulation After You Stop Taking Birth Control
For many, ovulation begins within a few weeks of discontinuing use of oral contraceptives. Once again, those who were getting the birth control shot will likely have to wait longer for ovulation to resume.
Furthermore, your overall health and the amount of time you were on birth control can also affect the estimated timeline. These and several other factors impact your bodys ability to restore its usual hormonal balance, menstrual activity, and fertility.
Generally speaking, birth control pills give people the freedom to control their own reproductive systems by protecting against unwanted pregnancy. Once youve decided to stop taking birth control, be aware that irregular periods, cramps, and bleeding may occur. These side effects are temporary and should eventually resolve on their own.
Remember, handy tools like the Flo app can track symptoms of ovulation, including the consistency of cervical fluid and basal body temperature. This will help generate a more accurate prediction of when youre likely to be ovulating.
References
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.
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Many Things Can Cause Irregular Periods
You know that stress youve been feeling about your new job or moving into a new house? It can wreak havoc on the regularity of your cycle.
During times of your life that are more stressful, your period could be more irregular, Zhang says. This could mean it comes later or even skips a month.
Other things that can cause irregular periods include weight gain or loss medical conditions like a thyroid disorder or ovulatory dysfunction high levels of testosterone, such as what happens to women who have polycystic ovary syndrome or putting a lot of stress on your body due to a strict exercise regime, which sometimes happens to female athletes.
And, for those who are wondering, infertility can cause irregular periods but not the other way around, Zhang says. If youre experiencing fertility issues and arent menstruating regularly, theres probably an underlying medical issue that you need to address, so make sure to talk with your doctor.