The Pill: What You Might Not Know

[buffalo]

The Pill: What You Might Not Know

A new pilot program in London will make the birth control pill available next month, through pharmacists, without a prescription. It’s a big shift from December 1955, when scientists made the first presentation that progesterone can stop women from ovulating, and many states had laws banning the use of contraception.

Despite nearly 50 years of access to the pill, some women are clueless about side effects that doctors might not bother sharing, and some that are just being discovered.
“Doctors in general tend to hesitate to suggest things to the patient,” said Dr. Nanette Santoro, director of reproductive endocrinology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City and a member of The Endocrine Society.

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[Em_in_FL]

Thanks for posting!

 

[FickleFreckled]

I can sure attest to the side effects. I was on the pill for 3 years in my 20’s. Because of the related hormonal changes, I developed fibroid tumors and endometriosis, which my doctor said had been caused by use of the pill. I had 2 major surgeries to remove the tumors (9 the first time, 14 the second, and thankfully no malignancies.) The third time, one humongous one had engulfed an ovary so in my 30’s I had to have a hysterctomy. The Pill also caused depression and mood swings. I was unable to have kids. The Pill changed my life, alright.

 

[yoniage]

…]Despite nearly 50 years of access to the pill, some women are clueless about side effects that doctors might not bother sharing, and some that are just being discovered. …]
Pharmacy business is no different from any other people in any other business - expect them to think just to their own profit.
I see birth control pill as the next way to brutally wreck havoc
in the - still partially documented - clockwork of intricate bioelectric chemistry which a woman body actually is.

 

[marietta]

yoniage:

Pharmacists will answer questions when asked; it is not their responsibility to instruct the patient on the use of a medication which has presumably been explained to the patient by the doctor who prescribed it.

If a doctor has not provided a woman with the answers to questions she has about the Pill or any other form of birth control, she should ask that doctor until she is satisfied that she has all the information she needs to make an informed decision as to whether or not to begin taking the medication. With the internet available to most people, the public library, even the physicians inserts which accompany every medication prescribed, there is absolutely no excuse for any woman to not know the side effects of birth control methods.

Easy to blame it on the doctors or the pharmacists. But ultimately it is the woman’s responsibility to inform herself about any medication she takes for any reason.

Get proactive, women, and quit pointing the finger at someone else when you have spotting or an abdominal cramp!

marietta

 

[Jennifer_J]

yoniage:

Pharmacists will answer questions when asked; it is not their responsibility to instruct the patient on the use of a medication which has presumably been explained to the patient by the doctor who prescribed it.

If a doctor has not provided a woman with the answers to questions she has about the Pill or any other form of birth control, she should ask that doctor until she is satisfied that she has all the information she needs to make an informed decision as to whether or not to begin taking the medication. With the internet available to most people, the public library, even the physicians inserts which accompany every medication prescribed, there is absolutely no excuse for any woman to not know the side effects of birth control methods.

Easy to blame it on the doctors or the pharmacists. But ultimately it is the woman’s responsibility to inform herself about any medication she takes for any reason.

Get proactive, women, and quit pointing the finger at someone else when you have spotting or an abdominal cramp!

marietta

While I, in general, agree with you–it’s up to the patient to be smart enough to read the VERY fine print and to ask questions…I know when I started taking the pill in college, that I went to PP and they did an exam, said here are some pills, here’s how to take them, see you in a year for another exam. Never mind that after I started taking them that I had terrible side effects that I had NO idea were from the Pill. Even when I went to my family doc, not until AFTER I had an upper GI and put on acid reflux meds did she mention that the Pill can cause these problems. I didn’t know what questions to even ASK at that point in my life. Young and stupid. When I converted and went off the pill, the side effects went away, but my cycles have NEVER been the same. So, my point, I don’t think there is much informed consent. They (doc or pharm) need to spell out all the side effects clearly.

 

[little_flower_1]

I had a friend who not only got pregnant, despite being on the pill and taking it correctly, but later developed a blood clot from it. She’s never smoked. It almost killed her and she may be on blood thinners for the rest of her life as a result. She’s only 23 now.

Even if I were for the use of artificial contraception, which I’m not, I would say that the pill is not something that should be available without a prescription.

 

[marietta]

Jennifer J:

I think you nailed it when you said “young and stupid”. Women who are too young to even know what questions to ask about any birth control method are too young to accept the consequences of the medication or device, and they are too young to accept the consequences of failed contraception. Again, informed consent is the responsibility of the patient first (ideally in partnership with the physician), then the physician, then the pharmacy.

In spite of your cycles being altered somewhat, it appears that having taken birth control pills has not hindered your ability to become pregnant and carry to term.

little_flower:

We all have friends who have suffered because of birth control methods and lack of birth control methods. Every drug is not appropriate for every woman. Once again, we must ask the questions before we embark on a medical/chemical course of treatment. The physicians’ inserts spell out possible side effects and contraindications. Do they do this because they care? Who knows? Do they do this to limit liability when faced with the rare exception who squeezes through the safety net? Without a doubt.

Most everything in this life is a gamble. We all make choices we regret later. Sorry about your friend, but who is ultimately responsible? She is.

marietta

 

[Jennifer_J]

Jennifer J:

I think you nailed it when you said “young and stupid”. Women who are too young to even know what questions to ask about any birth control method are too young to accept the consequences of the medication or device, and they are too young to accept the consequences of failed contraception. Again, informed consent is the responsibility of the patient first (ideally in partnership with the physician), then the physician, then the pharmacy.

In spite of your cycles being altered somewhat, it appears that having taken birth control pills has not hindered your ability to become pregnant and carry to term.

marietta

No, it didn’t affect my fertility, that I’m aware of. Not all women are that lucky, though. What the hormones DID affect was my digestive system–and yes, it does happen. I had to have my gall bladder removed and the hormones are partly responsible (it’s one reason women are more likely to have gall bladder issues than men). I suffered huge amounts of pain due to acid reflux–hormone related.

PP hand these drugs out like candy. I think offering them over the counter is crazy. They are dangerous. Of course I think many drugs that are offered over the counter shouldn’t be…

 

[marietta]

Jennifer J:

I agree, birth control pills should never be available over the counter.

I understand the gall bladder thing - I had mine removed six years ago - over 200 stones! Now, that was an eye-opener! Had nothing to do with birth control pills, but may have had something to do with menopause . . .

blessings,

marietta