Should I Go on Birth Control if I Have Endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a condition marked by the growth of the tissues lining the inner part of uterus, towards the outer side of uterus. It is a non-curable condition that affects many women in their reproductive years. It is a very painful disorder and often treated with painkillers and hormone therapies. Women diagnosed with endometriosis very often have extremely painful periods. Birth control pills can help patients deal with these symptoms and pain. The combined oral contraceptive pill has been a treatment method used for dealing with endometriosis for a long time. If you have endometriosis, you should consult with your family doctor and gynecologists about the birth control pill. If you control your periods, there is a very good chance that you will deal with the symptoms of endometriosis easier than you expect. Also, you can stop your period for a few months and let your body deal with the endometrial tissues. Endometriosis needs a high level of estrogen to spread on your organs. It is possible that you will need to take combined or progesterone based hormone pills. This will lower the levels of estrogen in your body.
Be careful. Not everyone can use birth control pills. You should check your hormones and talk to your gynecologist before making a decision. There are many side effects that women can have while using hormonal birth control pills, including the most common symptoms:
- Irregular bleeding between the periods
- Nausea and bloating
- Tender breasts
- Headaches
- Mood changes
- Acnes
- Gaining or losing weight
The side effects may go away after a few months of continuous use of birth control pills. However, if the side effects persist even after 3 to 4 cycles of usage, then it is recommended to talk to the gynecologist. the doctor may wish to put the patient on a different hormonal pill or examine the other hormonal treatments being used by the patient for endometriosis. There are also some rare side effects of taking hormonal therapies, including:
- Abdominal pain that lasts longer than the period or starts 7-10 days before the period
- Chest pain and hard breathing
- Painful and hardened breasts during the therapy
- Headache that may cause nausea, dizziness, weakness, and vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Pains in the legs, knees, and other joints in the body
The combined birth control pills have been used as a treatment for endometriosis since the 1950s. But it is not the only way endometriosis can be treated. The most effective way is surgery. A surgical procedure where the endometrial tissues are removed from the body.
It is very important to understand the type of hormonal pills you are taking for this treatment. The hormone pills are either active or inactive. The hormone medication is present in the active pills, while the inactive pills do not contain any hormone medication. The dosage of birth control pills is the same as other cases when this type of therapy is needed. The gynecologist may prescribe a dose of 21 pills. The dose should be one pill every day at the same time. Often it is recommended that pills be taken upon waking in the morning, but always at the same time each day. After the last pill, the woman should get her period in the first 3 to 4 days that follow. After 7 days, she begins on her new dose regardless if the period is finished or not. There is another possibility when a woman takes pills for 25 to 28 days. 21 pills of active hormones and 3 to 7 inactive placebo pills. You should start a new dose of active pills on the first day of the period. If you take pills with only active progesterone, you should follow the instruction of the gynecologist. There is no particular way that is the same for every patient. This means that women who are using a pack of 21-day pills are using the active pills in a continual pattern every day.
The combined birth control pills are highly effective for easing the pain of severe menstrual cramps during a period. Once you begin taking birth control pills, there is a very good chance that you will feel changes to your mood and emotional state. Not only is dealing with endometriosis a great challenge for the women that are diagnosed with the disease. It is also challenging for their closest relatives and friends. They should all be made aware of what effects the birth control pills may have on your emotional state and mood. Being surrounded by a good emotional support system can be a great help to the woman who is diagnosed with endometriosis. This will be a time when she will need it the most.
Unfortunately, endometriosis cannot be cured using birth control pills or any other hormonal treatment. However, it is still used by many women to treat endometriosis. The effectiveness of the treatment varies from person to person. While it may be highly effective for some, it may lack that effectiveness for others. It is recommended that you learn everything you can about hormone therapy. Consult your gynecologist to find out if this treatment is right for you, and what side effects may take place as a result of using this treatment. It is very important that women who have a history of migraine headaches in their family inform their doctor about the condition. Women who have a history of migraines will not be placed on hormone therapy. This is because the hormone therapy can alleviate the migraine headaches. Thus, only increasing the problem. Also, women with a family history of stroke and blood clots are not advised to take birth control pills. It should be known by the women who take birth control pills to treat endometriosis, this therapy is not always an effective treatment for all women. Many women have reported that their symptoms returned once they ceased use of the pills. Because of this, it is vital to have a regular advisory from the doctor before taking any medication, including birth control pills.
