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RodneyJ
Guest
This is what the OBGYN suggested for my wife. I am wondering is this even a good reason for the birth control or if there is something else we could look at.
Is regulating your menstrual cycle a good reason for birth control?
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1ke
Guest
We are not allowed to give medical advice on here.
However, I suggest you study Natural Family Planning and if your wife has issues related to her cycle she should look at the book Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition and also consult the Pope Paul VI Institute (Dr. Hilgers) or someone he has trained.
The Pill doesn’t “regulate” anything. It creates an artificial cycle as the body responds to the drug. What would be the purpose of “regulating” a cycle by completely replacing it with a synthetic one?
However, I suggest you study Natural Family Planning and if your wife has issues related to her cycle she should look at the book Fertility, Cycles, and Nutrition and also consult the Pope Paul VI Institute (Dr. Hilgers) or someone he has trained.
The Pill doesn’t “regulate” anything. It creates an artificial cycle as the body responds to the drug. What would be the purpose of “regulating” a cycle by completely replacing it with a synthetic one?
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Schluns
Guest
Also, how irregular is it? If it is just long or a little short why bother. If it is heavy or never seams to stop, she should look into the why. Pills just hide the problem it does not fix it.
I would find a OB/Gyn that is more interested in finding the cause. This from personal history.
Look for the book “Fertility Cycles & Nutrition” by Marilyn M. Shannon. Reading it really gave me some insight and actually did help.
I would find a OB/Gyn that is more interested in finding the cause. This from personal history.
Look for the book “Fertility Cycles & Nutrition” by Marilyn M. Shannon. Reading it really gave me some insight and actually did help.
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Proverbs3130
Guest
Several years ago, I was on the Pill (as a single) for my irregular periods. To this day, my OBGYN sees this as the only possible option. I have consulted with an endocrinolgist who found an alternate to regulating my cycle without using the Pill. I suggest calling your Diocesan Family Life office for a referral for an OBGYN that supports NFP and is willing to discuss various medical options.
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06convert
Guest
I think the question isn’t about “birth control” it’s about contraceptives. Don’t confuse the two, it’s important, trust me.
It is morally licit if there isn’t an alternative. Take the advice of seeking out a good NFP or prolife doctor to see if there is something that can treat the cause and not the symptoms. This is a good rule of thumb anyways when talking about taking any kind of drugs.
If there ends up being no alternative, or if the alternative is something like major surgery, then taking a contraceptive might be the best alternative. As long as this is never taken with the desire to prevent pregnancy.
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Schluns
Guest
I agree with you 100%. Unfortunatly most OB/Gyn’s do not understand that there may be alternative options, for me it was cutting out most processed foods and taking a prenatal vitamin.
I think the question isn’t about “birth control” it’s about contraceptives. Don’t confuse the two, it’s important, trust me.
It is morally licit if there isn’t an alternative. Take the advice of seeking out a good NFP or prolife doctor to see if there is something that can treat the cause and not the symptoms. This is a good rule of thumb anyways when talking about taking any kind of drugs.
If there ends up being no alternative, or if the alternative is something like major surgery, then taking a contraceptive might be the best alternative. As long as this is never taken with the desire to prevent pregnancy.
And this after 3 years on nuvaring (localized hormonal therapy i.e. contraceptive). I learn that I just need more natural foods in my diet and vitamins.
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06convert
Guest
True. There are also hormonal supplements that might fix this too. My wife and I use NFP and it’s amazing how much further it goes than just fertility. They can help women in all sorts of ways with many issues.I agree with you 100%. Unfortunatly most OB/Gyn’s do not understand that there may be alternative options, for me it was cutting out most processed foods and taking a prenatal vitamin.
And this after 3 years on nuvaring (localized hormonal therapy i.e. contraceptive). I learn that I just need more natural foods in my diet and vitamins.
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sherimarie
Guest
I had severe pain with my endometriosis, the irregular cycles i could handle, the pain was horrid, I called the paul vi institute and they helped out a lot. Proper nutrition is very important. Marylyn Shannons book is excellent also “fertility cycles and nutrition”. Good luck.
Keep in mind the pill doesnt “fix” anything it only masks the symptoms. Not good.
Keep in mind the pill doesnt “fix” anything it only masks the symptoms. Not good.
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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
And there can be instances where that is precisely what is needed: taking over the management of the system so that the normal system is relieved and can recover.
It is disturbing when it is flatly asserted that there can be no medical or biological use for these medications. That is flat out false (I am not a physician, but I am a life scientist), and I know of no doctrine of the Church that says a woman is to be denied needed treatment, not an authoritative doctrine in the area of biology and physiology.
Of course opting for such a treatment is a serious matter, from both a medical/physiological and moral point of view, because of the contraceptive side effects. And it is important that we are dealing with a side effect here, not just a cover story. A judicious application of St. Thomas Aquinas’s methods concerning actions with double effect seems to be indicated here, with due regard for the particulars of the case.
Blessings,
Gerry
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Randy_Carson
Guest
When we were first married, my wife NEVER had a period. Good for some things
, not so good for having children.Her doctor put her on the Pill to jumpstart her cycles. After six months or so, she was having a regular cycle and has ever since.
I believe the law of double-effect is relevant here. The Pill was given NOT as birth control, but as a hormone treatment. So, although we were contracepting, contraception was not the primary (or any) reason for taking the medication.
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Schluns
Guest
Gerry,
I don’t think that any of us have given an outright “NO!” but a “there may be other natural options to look into also.”
As I have stated before I was on the hormonal therapy to regulate my periods, but I am doing just as well by adjusting my nutrition and avoiding too much processed foods. Trust me, if I ‘cheat’ too much I know it. It’s not pretty. Given the difficulties I had tolerating the BCPs until we found one that worked without giving me migraines. I think just putting me on prenatals and telling me to lay off processed foods would have saved me alot of heartache and money.
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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
Good that there’s no flat-out no. There are cases where they can help.
But make no mistake. The female reproductive system is intricate, delicate, and complex. It makes any man-made engineered system look like simplicity itself. The knowledge available to medicine not withstanding, we are a long, long way from having mastered its functioning.
Can other things help better in some cases? Yes. That’s the nature of the system. Any treatment of it is iterative. It’s not anything like, say, removing an appendix.
Frankly, as a life scientist, I would be straight-out frightened about dealing with problems with systems like that. And I’d be very reluctant to see a tool that could be useful removed from the hands of responsible physicians who have the courage to deal with problems related to that system.
Blessings,
Gerry
But make no mistake. The female reproductive system is intricate, delicate, and complex. It makes any man-made engineered system look like simplicity itself. The knowledge available to medicine not withstanding, we are a long, long way from having mastered its functioning.
Can other things help better in some cases? Yes. That’s the nature of the system. Any treatment of it is iterative. It’s not anything like, say, removing an appendix.
Frankly, as a life scientist, I would be straight-out frightened about dealing with problems with systems like that. And I’d be very reluctant to see a tool that could be useful removed from the hands of responsible physicians who have the courage to deal with problems related to that system.
Blessings,
Gerry
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tresz08
Guest
100% agreed…as what i had learned the abnormalities of menstruation period can affect woman’s body and daily life…especially those who are married…who wants to have a child and those who are wanted to undergo birth controlling…
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pnewton
Guest
I am know little of medicine yet have full confidence in my doctor. In our case, she was on a hormone to regulate her for a year specifically because she was told that as things were she could not conceive. Before we met she had two other doctors tell her she would never have a child. Indeed, this was our last ditch effort. Whether the doctor was right or God gave us a miracle she had her first child at age 40.
We named him John after John the Baptist.
We named him John after John the Baptist.
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1ke
Guest
Remember also that in the principle of double effect whether or not the effects are proportionate comes into play.
The OP is non specific regarding what is really going on with his wife’s system. Being “irregular” *may not *be a sufficiently proportionate reason to apply the Pill to the problem when you balance that against the Pill’s abortifacient properties.
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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
That’s possible. But an “irregular” cycle can bespeak a hormonal control system that is not functioning properly. If that be the case, then the cascading effect on other hormonal and body systems can be incredibly disruptive and damaging.
Some of the nastiest things that happen to systems happen indirectly. Sub-System A may be out of whack. That puts stress on Sub-System B to compensate. Over time, Sub-System A may not change much, but Sub-System B may suffer damage from the stress of compensation. That damage can be more troubling and more dangerous than the original problem. Sometimes you have to support Sub-System A to take the pressure off Sub-System B, which cannot take the pressure of coping.
It’s complex, and as a result there’s just no pat formula of an “if a then b” nature for dealing with the pertinent concerns. What may be indicated in one case is not indicated in another, where the presenting symptoms can be virtually indistinguishable.
Blessings,
Gerry
Some of the nastiest things that happen to systems happen indirectly. Sub-System A may be out of whack. That puts stress on Sub-System B to compensate. Over time, Sub-System A may not change much, but Sub-System B may suffer damage from the stress of compensation. That damage can be more troubling and more dangerous than the original problem. Sometimes you have to support Sub-System A to take the pressure off Sub-System B, which cannot take the pressure of coping.
It’s complex, and as a result there’s just no pat formula of an “if a then b” nature for dealing with the pertinent concerns. What may be indicated in one case is not indicated in another, where the presenting symptoms can be virtually indistinguishable.
Blessings,
Gerry
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Schluns
Guest
Gerry,
I think that you have gotten your point across. I can say that I agree with most of what you say. Sometimes BCPs do a wonderful job of resetting a woman’s system. However, I for one can say that they did not and I wasted 3+ years being on them, when all I needed was a better diet.
Agreed, not knowing what “irregular” means, as I stated in my first post:
How can you come to any conclusions without this information? Sure, I put BCPs in a bad light. That’s because, after years of using them, I would not recommend them to anyone, unless they have explored other avenues.
You may be a life science guy. I am a nurse with pediatric, maternal/fetal, oncology and psych experience. Plus having “irregular” periods myself, I have lived this. Gerry, when you experience having a period that is 28 days on and 3 days off. I think your opinion may mean more to me. But right now, you trying to explain how a period works and how to correct it holds little value to me.
That and the fact that we really are not to give medical advice here, I refuse to give advice only to give information regarding other alternatives, which the OP seemed to be asking for.
Sorry if this is a little harsh, but rehashing the same thing over and over is getting tiring.
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Gerry_Hunter
Guest
I am at a loss to know how to reply to the insistence that one cannot have (name removed by moderator)ut without “experience.” I suppose every treatment formulated by someone who never had the disease or disorder must herewith be scrapped. I must have a stern talk with my younger daughter, who spent 8 months on an AIDS research team, but never had the disease.
Well, as a man with a wife and two daughters I care deeply about, not on my watch. Over and out!
Well, as a man with a wife and two daughters I care deeply about, not on my watch. Over and out!
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pnewton
Guest
St. Paul gave advice on marriage. Pope Paul wrote Humanae Vitae. Yes, some will disregard the above because they were men, but that’s women for ya.
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