RA & increased flares around menstruation

[Guest guest]

Hi Ladies,

I too used to experience flares around the the time of menstruation. I talked

over my symptoms with my gyn. and we decided that a decrease in the number of my

periods would be beneficial for me. I researched the topic before-hand and

discovered that today women have more periods than they did even 50 years ago.

There was no additional harm in using the birth control pills at a steady

hormonal dose than taking for 3 weeks and bleeding 1. Now I have 4 periods a

year and even they are mild. My RA flares were greatly reduced! I am using

Yasmin and just skip the " inactive " or dummy pills and continue taking the

active pills until it is time for my quarterly period.

Now they are packaging a pill designed specifically for extended use. See

article below. I still use the Yasmin because I have few, if any side-effects

and we (DR. & me) are reluctant to change what is working well for me. Please

take the time to check out this option & discuss it with your DR. I am SO

thankful mine was willing to listen and try it.

Extended-cycle birth control a viable option by Baker

Public Relations

http://www.musc.edu/catalyst/archive/2004/co7-30extended.htm

Intriguing advertisements for Seasonale, a new birth-control pill, make a simple

claim: in addition to preventing pregnancy, the pill allows women to have only

four periods each year.

While the opportunity to sidestep a major inconvenience of womanhood may draw

more women to the product, the pill's true value lies in its ability to spread

awareness of the health benefits of birth control.

Melisa Holmes, M.D., associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology, counsels

many female patients about contraception and said that despite the novelty of

the new drug, its effects aren't unusual.

" Seasonale is the first FDA-approved birth-control pill specifically designed

for prolonged use, " she said. " But for years, women have accomplished the same

results using typical monophasic birth control pills. "

Typical oral contraceptives function on a 28-day cycle. For the first three

weeks, the woman takes a pill containing two hormones: estrogen and

progesterone. The estrogen prevents follicle formation and helps prevent

irregular bleeding, while the progesterone helps prevent ovulation.

During the fourth week, the woman takes a placebo pill. She receives no hormones

and consequently has her period.

Thus, the woman prevents pregnancy without disturbing her menstrual cycle.

Seasonale and other monophasic drugs-those with an identical hormone dose in

each pill-merely expand upon the original regimen. Instead of a three-weeks-on,

one-week-off schedule, the pill provides 11 weeks of daily hormones followed by

a week of placebos.

The method reduces the menstrual cycle's frequency, allowing it to repeat only

once every three months. The number of periods women experience drops from 13

each year to only four.

" Women may see spotting (of blood) before or at the three-month mark, so

three-month cycles may not work for all women, " Holmes said. " Yet some may be

able to go longer than three months. It's possible to take the hormone pills

continuously until you start to spot; then, take the placebos to allow a

period. "

Other than the obvious target population, the pill helps women on whom

menstruation is particularly taxing.

" A lot of women can benefit from extended-cycle birth control, " Holmes said.

" Women who get migraines associated with menstruation, who experience heavy,

painful periods, or who suffer from any medical condition that gets worse with

their periods-depression, for example-can reduce those problems by reducing the

number of periods they have. "

Furthermore, she said that women who take birth control often reap the

advantages of better health.

" Long-term studies clearly show that using birth control, because of the

hormones involved, does a lot for preventative health, " she said. " Birth control

reduces the risk of developing iron-deficiency anemia, osteoporosis, endometrial

cancer, and fibrocystic breast disease. "

Although researchers aren't sure why, birth control also reduces a woman's

chance of developing ovarian cysts. More importantly, long-term use of oral

contraceptives significantly reduces the risk of ovarian cancer.

Aside from the more concrete health benefits, women who take extended-cycle

birth control experience lighter, less painful periods. In fact, periods on oral

contraceptives tend to have 50 percent less blood loss per cycle.

In most cases, the absence of menstruation shouldn't be cause for alarm.

" A woman who takes birth control can stop having her periods without any health

risks, because she's still getting the necessary hormones, " Holmes said.

" However, for anyone who isn't taking birth control, a lack of periods could

signal a serious health problem. "

Avid female athletes often experience sporadic, extended-cycle periods without

taking birth control because their bodies lack enough estrogen. The hormonal

deficiency can lead to osteoporosis and stress fractures due to loss of bone

density. Physicians often prescribe birth control for such athletes in order to

replenish their estrogen levels.

As always, Holmes stressed, birth control does not protect against sexually

transmitted diseases. She debunked other myths about birth control as well.

" The main concern is that it causes weight gain or alters a woman's mood, but

that hasn't been proven scientifically, " she said. " The biggest side effect is

breakthrough bleeding. Of course when you notice the bleeding, you can always

take the placebo pills and have your period. "

Other side effects may include breast tenderness and nausea, which usually occur

when a woman first takes the pill. However, the issues resolve within a few

months.

Holmes also asserted that no proven long-term risks exist, nor does any

relationship between birth control and breast cancer or infertility after going

off the pill. Conversely, some evidence suggests that women who stop taking

birth control may experience a brief period of hyperfertility immediately after

cessation.

However, certain women should not take birth control, including those who have a

history of breast cancer; experience abnormal blood-clotting (blood that clots

too easily) or have had clots in their legs or lungs; have active liver disease;

and take certain medications (primarily for seizures).

For women concerned with cost, Holmes assured that extended-cycle birth control

costs about the same as three packs of typical birth control, an equal supply.

Similarly, the co-pay costs three times as much.

Cost and side effects aside, most women should be able to take birth control

successfully.

" There are about 85 pills on the market right now, so chances are, we can find

one that works for a patient, " she said.

For women who aren't ready to experience motherhood or for those for whom

menstruation is a test of will and endurance, extended-cycle birth control may

be a viable contraceptive alternative. With a success rate of 97 percent, it

provides a reputedly reliable tool that can prevent pregnancy and turn a monthly

visitor into a minor distraction.

Message 18

From: " Kathe Sabetzadeh " lv2ryd@...

Date: Tue May 30, 2006 3:08pm(PDT)

Subject: Re: Enbrel

Hi :

I have been on a combination of Methotrexate and

Enbrel now for about six months, and have felt benefit

from this. Do you take anything other than the

Enbrel? If not, your doctor might look into combining

another medication with it like Mtx or Arava,

sometimes that helps the Enbrel to work better. I

think that this whole thing is very hormonal so it

would not be too strange to have increased flares with

your periods - I no longer have mine (thanks to the

heavens!), but it still seems like I do get hormonal

once in a while!

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