Everyday Life Feels Like An Emotional Roller Coaster
A little PMS is normal turning into an emotional wreck all month long is not. And unfortunately for some women, the hormones in some birth control pills, patches, and IUDs can exacerbate this effect, Dr. Ross says. Fortunately, there are certain pills designed to help stabilize your mood swings. But, she adds, it all depends on how sensitive you are to synthetic estrogen and progesterone, the man-made hormones used in almost all types of birth control. If you try several different brands of birth control pills and still feel intense bouts of anger, anxiety, sadness, or depression, its time to consider another type of contraception, preferably a non-hormonal option like the copper IUD, Dr. Ross says.
Common Medications That Can Irritate The Esophagus Or Stomach
The lining of the stomach and the esophagus are delicate. It doesnt take much for certain medications, even in small amounts, to cause irritation. Among these are:
- Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs taken orally, such as aspirin, ibuprofen , naproxen , and indomethacin .
- Antibiotics, such as tetracycline and clindamycin.
- Dietary supplements, such as iron and potassium.
- Medications used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases, including bisphosphonates taken orally such as alendronate , ibandronate , and risedronate .
Many of these medications cause problems because they inhibit the production of mucus and other substances that protect the stomach lining. This may lead to chronic heartburn and other digestive issues if left untreated.
If you still need to take an NSAID to treat pain or inflammation, but are worried about adverse side effects, try taking the drug after a meal or with a full glass of water. The Hospital for Special Surgery also suggests that you limit your alcohol intake while taking these medications.
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Birth Control Shot Side Effects You Should Know
When you hear the term birth control, the Pill probably springs to mind, followed by methods that are growing in popularity, like intrauterine devices and the Nexplanon implant. But theres a slew of other options out there, including one that doctors say is popular but often overlooked in birth control conversations: the shot.
Depo-Provera, the brand name for medroxyprogesterone , is a contraceptive injection for women that contains progestin, a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. Its given as an injection once every three months, the Mayo Clinic says, and it works by suppressing ovulation, i.e., it keeps your ovaries from releasing an egg each month that could get fertilized, resulting in pregnancy. The shot also thickens your cervical mucus to keep sperm from reaching an egg.
According to Planned Parenthood, the shot is more than 99 percent effective when its used perfectly but, in real life, the shot is about 94 percent effective because sometimes people forget to get their shot in time. That means about six out of every 100 shot users will get pregnant each year.
Rebecca Starck, M.D., an ob/gyn and clinical assistant professor of surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, tells SELF that she tends to prescribe hormonal birth control pills, IUDs, and the implant more often than the shot, but Depo-Provera is among the range of options she discusses with her patients.
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Chronic Diarrhea And The Pill
Illnesses that cause chronic, repeated bouts of diarrhea can make oral birth control a problem. The most common conditions that cause chronic diarrhea include:
These conditions may begin before you started taking birth control or after you have been taking the pill for a while. Chronic diarrhea is also common after gastric bypass surgery and some other procedures involving the intestines.
In addition, chronic diarrhea can come and go. It can recur for months, resolve for a period of time, then return. If you develop chronic diarrhea after reliably using birth control pills for a while, talk to your doctor.
It is commonly recommended that women who live with chronic diarrhea use birth control methods other than the pill.
Can Birth Control Cause Digestive Problems
Short answer: yes. Your IBS and birth control might just be connected. Constipation, diarrhea and belly pain, to name a few.
Hormonal birth control can significantly increase your risk of Crohns disease . In addition, birth control can increase inflammation and increase intestinal permeability , two factors that are known to increase risk of IBS .
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Anything Else I Should Know
In addition to potential side effects and risks, there are a few other things to consider before deciding to use birth control pills:
- Frequency. Youll need to take the pill every day at the same time. If you miss one dose, youll need to use a backup form of birth control for the next seven days to prevent pregnancy. In addition, after a lapse in contraception, you may have spotting or light bleeding after the missed pills.
- Intimacy. The pill doesnt interfere with any sexual activities. You wont have to pause to take it during sex.
- Time line. The pill takes about seven days to start working. If youre sexually active during that time, youll need to use a backup form of contraception.
- Protection. While it helps to prevent pregnancy, birth control pills dont provide any protection against sexually transmitted infections. Youll need to use an additional form of birth control, such as condoms, to avoid sexually transmitted infections.
Can Birth Control Cause Constipation Diarrhea Gas And Bloating
Do you know that the birth control pill actually messes with your gut bacteria? Yup, many women become estrogen dominant while taking hormonal birth control which can lead to an overgrowth of yeast. This overgrowth can cause constipation, diarrhea, gas/bloating all of which are commonly diagnosed as IBS. I was plagued with horrible digestive problems for the four years I was on the pill and it took me ages to reverse the damage. And I see women on a daily basis whose gut problems all began while on the pill.
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Less Anxiety More Peace Of Mind
I was on the birth control pill for 9 YEARS. Every morning Id wake up, pop a pill, and wonder how putting synthetic hormones could be affecting my long-term health.
I hated having to rely on a pill every day. I didnt like the feeling of knowing Id need to stop one day when I wanted kids but was too scared of the aftermath. I knew the longer I waited to get off of it, the more issues I could potentially have.
Theres no convenient time to get off the pill and deal with symptoms. Its just something you have to face for yourself, because everyone reacts differently.
What Can Be Done To Help
If you experience the sickly symptoms at the same time each month and you suspect hormones are at the root of the cause, then its time to talk to your doctor. They could try changing the type of pill that youre on and therefore the balance of hormones youre receiving each month, which could potentially influence your symptoms. If you suspect that some digestive support could do the trick instead, try taking our Milk Thistle Complex, 3 times daily for at least a month or two.
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Tubal Ligation Is Permanent Too
There are permanent birth control options for women, too. Tubal ligation is also known as female sterilization, or having your tubes tied. It involves closing the fallopian tubes to prevent a womans eggs from being fertilized and pregnancy from developing.
Tubal Ligation Pros: Female sterilization is a generally safe form of contraception and doesnt change your hormone levels. Sterilization is also nearly 100 percent effective. It may also lower your risk of having ovarian cancer later.
Tubal Ligation Cons: The operation involves anesthesia, and as surgery, has some associated risks: reactions to the anesthesia, damage to your bladder or bowel, and pelvic pain afterwards, notes the Mayo Clinic.
This birth control method is permanent, so you should be sure you dont want more children before opting for this procedure. Like a vasectomy, reversing sterilization is expensive and not guaranteed.
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Your Weight Will Probably Stay The Same
Dont ditch birth control solely to drop a few pounds. Though many women believe theyve gained weight on the pill, scientific research hasnt actually found a link between oral contraceptive use and weight gain. In a 2014 review of 49 relevant trials, birth control did not appear to have a major impact on weight. There has been no definitive evidence showing that startingor stoppingbirth control pills will affect your weight, says Neha Bhardwaj, MD, assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive science at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.
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Why Is My Birth Control Making Me Bloat
#1: Hormones.
Birth control bloating is similar to period bloating. You bloat during your period due to hormone fluctuations leading to increased water retention. Since the pill contains synthetic hormones to manage your menstrual cycle, the introduction of birth control hormones to your system causes significant fluctuations in your sex hormones. Like your period, this leads to water retention. Hormone levels usually stabilize after three months and the birth control bloating and gas should disappear by then too.
Rising levels of hormones also affect your gastrointestinal tract. The fluctuation of estrogen and progesterone causes your GI tract to empty at a slower pace. Consequently, women often feel both bloated and constipated when first starting birth control. The irregular levels of hormones also introduce more gas-producing bacteria into the gut, thus making us feel gassy and bloated.
Optimizing detox pathways in your body can help with speeding up your GI emptying. NAC does just that, while also acting to increase antioxidant activity in your body. Sometimes you might need a little extra push to get your gut moving. In those cases, magnesium is your friend.
#2: Depression.
Knowing the gut-brain connection, it is so important to make sure you have a good gut flora by introducing selected friendly probiotics.
When The Rare Birth Control Pill Side Effect Happens To You
Sally King had been doing triathlons as a hobby before she started taking Yasmin. A few months after she went on the birth control pill, she developed asthma so severe that she could hardly climb a few stairs without being short of breath.
It was only when King, a medical sociology doctoral candidate at Kings College in London, met with a gynecologist as a potential program advisor that she got a tip about what might be causing her breathing difficulties. As she was about to leave the meeting, the specialist asked her if shed be biking home in the rain. I said, Yeah, it’s the only sport I can still do because Ive suddenly developed this severe asthma and I cant run or swim, and he immediately asked what pill I was on, she recalls. Within two weeks of coming off Yasmin, King says her asthma cleared up almost entirely.
When contacted for comment, Courtney Mallon, the deputy director of product communications for Bayer, said that the company takes all adverse events seriously and continuously collect and analyze all adverse event data we receive for our products. The adverse events associated with Yasmin are well-established and outlined in the product label.”
While Kings experience isnt a common one, researchers are exploring the link between asthma and sex hormones. Tellingly, CDC data shows that, as children, boys are more likely to develop asthma than girls while, in adulthood, asthma is far more common in women.
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What Your Healthcare Provider Might Say
Combined hormonal contraceptives are birth control methods that contain two hormones and include most pills, the patch, the ring, and some shots. Progestin-only contraceptives contain just a form of progestin hormone and include the implant, most intrauterine devices , a shot, and certain pills.
There is not enough evidence to say that combined hormonal contraceptives cause weight changes, but if they do, the change in weight is likely small . In people using progestin-only contraceptives, most studies do not show an increase in weight or body fat, but some do show a small increase . Some people will gain weight on birth control, and some people may be more prone to weight gain than others.
Hormonal contraceptives have a number of uses in addition to protection from unwanted pregnancy. They are also used to treat or reduce symptoms of PCOS), endometriosis, heavy, irregular, or painful periods, and anemia. Fear of gaining weight may keep someone from starting birth control, or could lead to them using it incorrectly or inconsistently, or could cause them to stop using it altogether. This could leave someone without effective protection from unwanted pregnancy or without treatment for a condition. Talking to a healthcare provider can help you consider the possible risks and benefits of taking hormonal birth control.
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So What Is It About Birth Control That Can Make You Feel So Sick
Before we get into why birth control can make you feel so crummy, its important that we define what it means to feel sick on the pill. Basically, it all comes down to how your individual body responds to the medication.
Alisa Vitti, author of WomanCode and a women’s hormone and functional nutrition expert, tells Elite Daily that short-term side effects of birth control can include nausea, vomiting, constipation, or bloating, in addition to headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Long-term effects can include more serious health issues, she says, like gallbladder disease, gallstones, resistance to insulin, immune system suppression, blood clots, and potential links to certain cancers.
I know that sounds like a lot, and it is, but here’s what you need to keep in mind: Hormonal birth control is a strong medication comprised of synthetic variations of progesterone and estrogen, which all work together to prevent ovulation. You might only think of birth control in terms of the female reproductive system, but the medication really does have a whole-body effect which is exactly why Holly Grigg-Spall, ambassador for Daysy and author of Sweetening The Pill, says your birth control can make you feel sick.
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Birth Control And Gut Flora
Birth control can change the microbiome: the community of bacteria and other microorganisms living in your gut. Changes in this community, what we call dysbiosis, is yet another potential cause of IBS. Not having enough diversity in your gut flora which is common in those with IBS can make your IBS worse .
Dysbiosis including SIBO can make IBS and other kinds of bowel dysfunction symptoms worse.
Common Questions About Bisacodyl
Bisacodyl is known as a stimulant laxative. It relieves constipation by helping your bowel move so you can poo more easily. It also softens your poo.
Bisacodyl tablets usually work within 6 to 12 hours after taking them.
The suppositories can take 10 to 45 minutes, so it’s best to stay close to a toilet.
Do not take bisacodyl every day for more than 5 days.
If you take bisacodyl for longer, your body can start to rely on it, rather than your bowels doing the work on their own.
If you are still constipated after 5 days, talk to your doctor.
It’s best to only use bisacodyl occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like bisacodyl for longer than this can lead to diarrhoea.
It can also cause an electrolyte imbalance, where levels sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low. A severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as muscle spasm and twitching, and even convulsions.
Using bisacodyl for many weeks, even months, could also stop your bowel working properly on its own.
If you need to use laxatives every day for longer than 5 days, talk to your doctor.
For most people, 1 laxative will be enough to make your constipation better.
Occasionally, you may need to take 2 different types of laxatives at the same time to get your bowels moving again. Only take 2 laxatives together if your doctor or pharmacist tells you to, as this increases the risk of side effects.
Yes, you can drink alcohol with bisacodyl.
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Possible Side Effects Of The Morning After Pill
There are no long-term or serious side effects associated with the morning after pill, and it is safe and well-tolerated by most who take it. There are some minor side effects that some women may experience after taking the morning after pill, such as:
- Nausea, with and without vomiting.
- Headache and dizziness.
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How Long Do Plan B Side Effects Usually Last
Again, it totally varies from person to personbut heres what Dr. Jackson-Bey says you might expect:
- Day 1: After taking the pill, you might have some mild side effects. Some people experiencing nausea may end up vomiting within a couple of hours of taking the pill, so its important to take another dose to make sure its effective.
- Days 2 to 3: Youll continue to feel mild side effects like headache, fatigue, breast tenderness, etc.
- Days 4 to 5: At this point, most people are no longer feeling their side effects, but you may have some lingering breast tenderness or headaches.
- The next few weeks to a month: Menstrual changes are super common here. Depending on when you took the pill in your cycle, you may skip your period or have irregular spotting.
However, if youre continuing to feel the same side effects after a weekor if they have gotten worse and include severe abdominal pain on one side or excessive vomitingpick up the phone and see your doctor. Or if you are experiencing extreme symptoms of an allergic reaction, like hives, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face, lips, tongue, or throat, thats a rare but serious red flag to seek medical attention ASAP, Dr. Ginde says.
And before you stress, Plan B will *not* eff up your menstrual cycle in any way. After about a month or so, it should return to its normal crampy self.
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