Birth control pills are a good way of preventing pregnancy that has been used for many years. Many women are afraid of taking such drugs because of fear of side effects. If you approach the choice of pills responsibly, you will get reliable contraception and will not experience any adverse reactions
Possible side effects of hormonal contraceptives
The main disadvantage of such pills is that they have certain side effects that, one way or another, may affect the body:
- When the woman starts taking the pills, she may have a discharge of red color. But as soon as the body gets used to the drug, everything will pass;
- Hormones that make up the drugs can cause swelling in the limbs, bloating in the abdomen, headaches, and even an increase in pressure;
- Progestins can make a woman irritable, cause excess weight, acne;
- When taking contraceptives, appetite increases dramatically, so weight gain is quite understandable. In exceptional cases, weight is gained because fluid is retained in the body;
- Many young women have small dark spots on their faces, resembling pigment spots that occur during pregnancy. If they began to appear suddenly, it is recommended to switch to other pills;
- Some drugs can cause such a serious disease as thrombosis. In this case, it all depends on what dose of hormones is part of the drugs.
To avoid side effects, you need to consult a gynecologist!
Remember that you cannot start taking oral contraceptives without consulting a gynecologist. The specialist should carefully collect information about the state of your body for the effective selection of the drug. Use of the right medication will help you avoid unnecessary risks. This information includes history – collecting information about thromboembolic diseases, diabetes, hyperandrogenism, and other diseases in your family – and testing. The examination should include a general gynecological examination, examination of the mammary glands, blood pressure measurement, smear collection from the cervix, blood clotting and sugar, and an assessment of the risk factors based on the results.
Make sure the drug is not contraindicated for you!
Using the birth control pill which is contraindicated may increase the risk of adverse effects.
Usually taking oral contraceptives is contraindicated in:
- cardiovascular diseases;
- increased blood clotting;
- propensity to thrombosis;
- obesity and hypercholesterolemia.
Birth control pills are also contraindicated in smoking women.
Also, contraindications for some hormonal contraceptives include:
- diabetes;
- liver tumors (benign or malignant);
- pregnancy or suspicion of pregnancy;
- liver failure;
- thrombosis (venous and arterial) and thromboembolism (including deep vein thrombosis, thromboembolism of the pulmonary artery, myocardial infarction), cerebrovascular disorders;
- conditions preceding thrombosis (including transient ischemic attacks, angina pectoris) at present or in history;
- migraine with focal neurological symptoms at present or in history;
- diabetes with vascular complications;
- multiple or severe risk factors for venous or arterial thrombosis (including complicated lesions of the cardiac valve apparatus; atrial fibrillation; diseases of cerebral vessels or coronary arteries; uncontrolled arterial hypertension; serious surgical intervention with prolonged immobilization; smoking after the age of 35 years);
- pancreatitis with severe hypertriglyceridemia now or in history;
- liver failure and severe liver disease (until liver tests normalize);
- liver tumors (benign or malignant) now or in history;
- severe renal failure, acute renal failure;
- adrenal insufficiency;
- identified hormone-dependent malignant diseases (including genitals or mammary glands) or suspicion of them;
- vaginal bleeding of unknown origin;
- breastfeeding period.
How to avoid side effects when you quit birth control pills?
After the withdrawal of hormone-containing contraceptives, the reaction of the body is individual. It all depends on the state of health of the woman, her age and other related factors. Some of the women note an improvement in mood, others – on the contrary, are becoming depressed, often experiencing a feeling of aggression and irritability.
The termination of the regular receipt of uniform doses of hormones over a certain period of time can cause the so-called withdrawal syndrome. Many women note a general deterioration of health, nausea and dizziness, a change in taste and olfactory sensations, an increase or decrease in the duration of the menstrual cycle, etc. This reaction to the withdrawal of birth control pills is quite natural, but if it does not disappear after a couple of months, you should consult a doctor.
You should stop taking birth control pills correctly:
- It is important to consult a gynecologist before you cancel the medication containing hormones;
- You should complete the current pack of pills;
- You should gradually reduce the dosage of hormones, following the scheme developed by the doctor (unless the woman needs to stop taking medication urgently).
Category: Birth control
Tags: birth control pills, contraception, contraceptive, women's health