Pill for medical reasons debate

[Annette0723]

I’m feeling so torn. I don’t want to act on an uncertain conscience and I don’t want to be scrupulous…

I am newly engaged. I have taken the pill for the last few years due to extended bleeding and painful periods. I have documented hormonal imbalances (namely, cortisol) that may or may not be causing these problems.

I have sought the help of an nfp-only gynecologist who did blood tests and ultrasounds and could not give me any answers. He ended up putting me on the pill since I was not sexually active.

I now live in an area that does not have an nfp-only gynecologist. My gynecologist here examined me while I was having a non-pill period and said I needed to take it for my health because I was bleeding too much.

What is the moral thing to do after I am married? I have contacted PPVI Institute to see if they would give me a long distance consultation.

 

[teachccd]

In your case, sterility would be a secondary effect of a medication that is necessary for your health. This would be true only if there were no other medications available for your condition without this secondary effect. This might be paralled with a pregnant woman who was in a car accident and needed a particular surgery that would save her life but as an effect of that surgery she would lose her child. This loss was not the goal but a result of a necessary life saving procedure.

I would seek counsel for your particular situation with your pastor or the bishop of your diocese. This is a moral issue whereby circumstance plays an important role…teachccd

 

[nicolep]

I’m feeling so torn. I don’t want to act on an uncertain conscience and I don’t want to be scrupulous…

I am newly engaged. I have taken the pill for the last few years due to extended bleeding and painful periods. I have documented hormonal imbalances (namely, cortisol) that may or may not be causing these problems.

I have sought the help of an nfp-only gynecologist who did blood tests and ultrasounds and could not give me any answers. He ended up putting me on the pill since I was not sexually active.

I now live in an area that does not have an nfp-only gynecologist. My gynecologist here examined me while I was having a non-pill period and said I needed to take it for my health because I was bleeding too much.

What is the moral thing to do after I am married? I have contacted PPVI Institute to see if they would give me a long distance consultation.

I agree with the PP. If the pill makes you uncomfortable (for medical reasons, as I assure you the moral issue doesn’t reallly exist for reasons PP stated), you might want to check into an endocrinologist. Those doctors can sometimes p(name removed by moderator)oint the hormone imbalances and offer an alternative. That’s an extraordinary measure and might be worth it to avoid some of the side effects of the pill. I saw one (I was put on the pill for different reasons) when the BC pill caused some rough side affects.

 

[Annette0723]

Thanks for the reassurances! I am under the care of an endocrinologist, but unfortunately at this time there are no medications or interventions to lower cortisol (at least not that I’m aware of!) Basically all he can do is “watchful waiting.”

 

[basil07]

I had a similar issue, and doctors put me on the pill at the age of 13 years old. I was told that was my only viable option.

10 years later, I found an awesome doctor who had an alternative. He prescribed a biodentical progesterone called Prometrium. Most doctors don’t know about this, because the birth control has such a monopoly on the women’s health industry. It turns out that prometrium tends to work better than the pill at dealing w/ these issues, without the risks involved with taking synthetic chemicals.

So far, the only doctors I have met who are knowledgeable about Prometrium are also Catholic. I know of a great one who would probably be willing to talk to you over the phone.

You can send me a PM if you have more questions.

 

[Ruthie]

If you want a big family, you can look forward to being without a period at all for 9 months at a time! Perhaps that would make up some for the horrible ones. (I have sympathy. Menopause was such a relief!)

Ruthie

 

[Annette0723]

Thanks for all the replies! I actually contacted the National Catholic Bioethics Center and they said that the current state of the evidence is that the pill is not an abortifacient. They advised that I just check back periodically to make sure the research hasn’t changed. While they didn’t say it was necessary, I decided to stop taking it for a month just to make sure I still need it. Kudos to them for researching this stuff!