Guest guest Posted November 14, 2002 Report Share Posted November 14, 2002 I know we've had this discussion numerous times, but I'm about to make a decision about whether to stop taking my BC or not. We all know how sex hormones affects our thyroids. BTW, here's a really good article: http://www.thyroid-info.com/articles/thyroid-and-menopause.htm I'm 38. I've been contemplating this now for a while. There seems to be two schools of thought out there. One side says they're bad if you have thyroid disease. The other side says the hormones in the BC pills actually help by keeping you balanced. My endo says they're fine. My OB/GYN says I should stay on them because I'm approaching perimenopause, and they help ease the transition. I don't know what to think. So, I'm asking for advice, ideas, debate, whatever to help me make this decision. I'm due to start taking them again tomorrow, after my 7 day " break " . The only KNOWN down side I see to not taking them is that I'm going to have to use another form of BC, which I'm not looking forward to. My significant other has been " talking " about a vasectomy for about three years now, but it still hasn't happened. What an inconvenience. But, I need to do what's best for my thyroid. I've been on ATDs for 15 months now (man, how time flies), and I really just want to get this thing taken care of once and for all. If it helps my recovery to go off them, that's what I want to do. But how do you know? Any information and insight you can offer will be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance. Holly Dx. 8/2001; 5 mg. MMI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2002 Report Share Posted November 14, 2002 Hi Holly, all I can give you is my experience and a bad article I was reading last night about the pill. My experience: I think the pill made me lose my sex drive, lowered my energy levels and made me gain weight. When I went off the pill after being on it for almost 10 years, my sex drive came right back, I lost about 10 lbs without even trying, and my energy levels went way up. And I thought to myself at the time, I will never go back on the pill - what have I been doing to myself all this time?! Of course 3 months later I was pregnant and that feeling good feeling was gone and has not returned. Ok, the article I was reading: October 2002 Elle, pg. 224. " A Bitter Pill? " The question is, if there is more estrogen in the pill than in HRT, does that mean trouble? Ok, Elle is not a health magazine, and the author waffled on the question. Supposedly women under the age of 35 who take the pill have a 70% higher chance of getting breast cancer than those who have never taken the pill. So instead of a 1 in 257 chance of BC, you now have a 1.7 in 257 chance - which is still pretty good for that 70% scary number. And basically, the jury is still out, they are still doing studies. She summarized the page with this: " Remember that oral contraceptives do have many other effects, both good an ill: They reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers and increase the danger of rare events such as blood clots, strokes and heart attacks (like HRT does - my comment). And if used correctly, they prevent pregnancy 99 percent of the time. Which, for some of us, is the best effect of all. " How was that for a lame article? But I thought it was interesting that the pill had more estrogen than HRT, and the same risks... yet it's still on the market. I'm sure none of this helps you, but at least it's a response! Pam B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2002 Report Share Posted November 14, 2002 Hi Holly, all I can give you is my experience and a bad article I was reading last night about the pill. My experience: I think the pill made me lose my sex drive, lowered my energy levels and made me gain weight. When I went off the pill after being on it for almost 10 years, my sex drive came right back, I lost about 10 lbs without even trying, and my energy levels went way up. And I thought to myself at the time, I will never go back on the pill - what have I been doing to myself all this time?! Of course 3 months later I was pregnant and that feeling good feeling was gone and has not returned. Ok, the article I was reading: October 2002 Elle, pg. 224. " A Bitter Pill? " The question is, if there is more estrogen in the pill than in HRT, does that mean trouble? Ok, Elle is not a health magazine, and the author waffled on the question. Supposedly women under the age of 35 who take the pill have a 70% higher chance of getting breast cancer than those who have never taken the pill. So instead of a 1 in 257 chance of BC, you now have a 1.7 in 257 chance - which is still pretty good for that 70% scary number. And basically, the jury is still out, they are still doing studies. She summarized the page with this: " Remember that oral contraceptives do have many other effects, both good an ill: They reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancers and increase the danger of rare events such as blood clots, strokes and heart attacks (like HRT does - my comment). And if used correctly, they prevent pregnancy 99 percent of the time. Which, for some of us, is the best effect of all. " How was that for a lame article? But I thought it was interesting that the pill had more estrogen than HRT, and the same risks... yet it's still on the market. I'm sure none of this helps you, but at least it's a response! Pam B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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