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Crohn's And Birth Control Pills?

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Posted 11/9/2012 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Is there anyone out there that is currently on bcp? My doctor is afraid to put me on it due to the increased risk of blood clots (and us Crohn's patients are already at risk) I'm currently taking Micronor which is a minipill, but I'm starting to think that I really should be put on a regular bcp. Is anyone taking one now? How do you like it?
Posted 11/9/2012 1:05 AM (GMT 0)
I am no longer on BC pills (had my tubes clipped after having second baby)...there is a possible link of the BC pills and IBD....my own experiance...I went on BC pills when I was a teen and shortly after I developed perianal crohn's skin tags which for a long time were mistaken for hemmies...I also started smoking when I was a teen (started smoking first, then went on BC pills)....although, I didn't have any other CD symptoms (just the anal tags) until about a yr and a half after having my first baby.

Everyone is different, but BC pills do have hormones in them and IBD is strongly linked to that as well (likely the reason BC pills are highly suspected to be linked for those that are predisposed to getting an IBD)....however, some women are not any worse off when taking the pill with their IBD.

Best of luck to you!
Posted 11/9/2012 1:35 AM (GMT 0)
I've been on birth control for longer than I've had Crohn's. I went off this year after getting married, and got an ovarian cyst which my GI says comes from being off of them. I went back on because I've been so sick this year (14 hospitalizations and counting) that being pregnant wouldn't be a good idea right now. :(
Posted 11/9/2012 5:49 AM (GMT 0)
I am currently on birth control pills, regular ones. My GI or dr never mentioned any concern with them. At one point i went on Depo (injection birth control) for a year which stop your periods, as ifound i would flare for a bit before each period, and this eliminated that. I would have stayed on the shot, but would like to have children at some point and didnt need something else to worry about when the time came to plan on trying for one. :)
Posted 11/27/2012 4:42 AM (GMT 0)
I was on BC pills two different times, once at 17 and again at 22 years of age. Both times, I developed erythema nodosum and both times it went away within 2 weeks of stopping the BC pills. At the time, the GP I was seeing said I must be allergic to synthetic estrogen, but then again, he also said my chronic D was a spastic colon......

I found out from my Crohn's doc, all these years later (I'm 33 now) that the reaction was probably the opening salvo for my CD. Granted, there's no hard proof, but there is a relation to hormone levels and onset of Crohn's for some people. I do know for a fact that after those 2 instances, I only had the one symptom (chronic D)from the age of 23-24 to the age of 30. Less than a month after the birth of my daughter, I started having transverse colon cramping, and from there my first real flare.

Granted, I've always had odd symptoms/strange referred pain/etc, so if your doc gives the go ahead, it probably can't hurt to try it! :)
Posted 11/27/2012 5:18 AM (GMT 0)
Started birth control pills at age 22 and am 41. Diagnosed with Crohns at 13. Never had a problem. Take an active pill everyday so I never get my period. Really helped with my anemia and when I am flaring.
Posted 11/27/2012 12:14 PM (GMT 0)
I have been on bcp since 18 (28 years) with a few years of not being on it.  I have not noticed any increase in CD due to the pill.  I can't discount that there could be a trigger relationship with the CD, but I can't testify to it being mine.  I had CD symtpoms since i was a small child.  I do notice that I always feel worse around my period and it being lighter on the pill has helped, but I also had a rupture that entangled one of my tubes so I seem to cramp every other month there any way.

As far as the clots, I was just tested for a chest clot, but it was a precaution.  It turned out the inflammatory marker increase was just the kick off of my current big flare.

I also tried the depo shot and HATED it---it made me gain an enormous amount of weight, very emotional and I also quit as it supposedly took longer to get out of your system if you decided to have kids.

Hope this helps in your decision.  Regardless of what you choose, it is great that both you and your doc are really looking at everything.

Posted 11/27/2012 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
I've had CD since a teenager, but only started on the pill 5 years ago, so I don't see any correlation between my CD and the pill. But, my GI wants me to stop the pill due to the risk of blood clots. You are right in saying that with CD we have a higher risk of clots, then add the risk from taking the pill on top of that and it's not looking very good. Having said that, I've yet to stop taking it as I seem to flare when I get my period, so I prefer not to get it at all and skip the sugar pills (my GI is aware of this). I am trying to convince him to let me have hysterectomy.
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