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Would you be on birth control if you didn't have to??

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 4/19/2009 6:24 PM (GMT 0)
I am not on any bcp now. I started in college and was on them for a good decade before we decided to have our oldest daughter. Went back on after she was born, but started having issues with it. (major mood swings being one of the biggest) So I went off, immediately got pg with my younger daughter, went back on after she was born, but didn't stay on it long then either. They tried me on Yaz, but I hated it. I don't do well on hormonal birth control and am willing to take my chances without it. I feel like some of the others-I am not interested in taking ANYTHING I don't have to take. And I am getting older, so I worry more about health effects now that I am almost 34.

I really don't know if it had an affect on my UC or not. I was diagnosed after my younger daughter was born (and prior to her birth had never had a drop of blood in my BMs or even so much as D, aside from stomach viruses-it came completely out of left field), but before I went back on bcp, and even then I wasn't on them long. I never had any additional problems during my periods before I was hospitalized and put on pred. The pred stopped my periods altogether (though my GI didn't think the pred was to blame, but it was-when I tapered, my periods started back up again), and ever since then my cycles have been off. I also have more problems with my UC when my period comes now, but again, that wasn't the case before the pred. Still worth it to me to be off of bcp. My OB/GYN wants me to go back on to regulate my periods again, but I am not ready to do that just yet.
Posted 4/19/2009 7:43 PM (GMT 0)
"Pill popping" is definately a negative term in the States. I am so glad to know that was not how it was meant.
Posted 4/21/2009 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
Nah Navy it wasn't meant in a negative way...but one thing I do wonder about is if there are females that are worried about ovarian cancer they should be aware of Gardasil (the vaccine to help protect against ovarian cancer and those that are elidgable are between the ages of 9 yrs to 26 yrs I believe) we have commercials about it all the time ever since the vaccine was created or I would think their docs would know about their family history and make them aware of the vaccine. Of course nothing is usually 100% but it may be a better route to go especially for IBD females. Just a thought.

:)
Posted 4/21/2009 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
Gardasil protects against some types of HPV (human papillomavirus), and some types of it cause cervical cancer, not ovarian cancer. Some types of HPV also cause genital warts, so gardasil also protects against that as well.
Posted 4/22/2009 12:34 AM (GMT 0)
Geez.....you are opening a whole can of worms with Gardasil. I will not allow my 2 daughters to get that vaccine. Can you believe that as I am typing this, there is a Gardasil commercial on?????
Posted 4/22/2009 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
LOL kim...I actually just saw another ad today and relaized DUH, I was wrong, it aids with cervical cancer not ovarian, my bad...I'm way past the age of getting one and I don't even know if I would get the vaccine, no family history for me, of course that's not a guarantee that I won't get some type of female anatomy cancer but it does make me feel better that it may be less of a chance based on family history. I've asked my daughter (19yrs) if she's gotten one or planning to and she said she was undecided.

why won't you allow your daughters to get it? I don't know all the details of the vaccine but I'm curious about your veiw on it.

:)
Posted 4/22/2009 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
pb-The following article says it best for me.........

http://www.zimbio.com/Gardasil/articles/52/HPV+Vaccine+Dangerous+Yes+says+Dr+Mercola

Not that I believe everything I read on the internet, but the articles/studies I have read have convinced me there is still much to learn about this vaccine. The benefits don't outweigh the risks, not to mention the millions of dollars going into the pockets of the pharmaceutical companies.
Posted 4/22/2009 1:26 AM (GMT 0)
Yikes kim, I certainly don't blame you.

:)
Posted 4/22/2009 2:28 PM (GMT 0)

I was reading about HPV and cervical cancer the other day and from what I read, with regular paps, the chances of developing cervical cancer are low - even without the vaccine. Most HPV viruses are fought off by your immune system in between 1 and 2 years.

If you are worried about HPV (or have an atypical pap), you can get a pap smear that checks for HPV. If HPV is found, your doctor will probably recommend a biopsy and can take the appropriate action based on the results.

Some HPV, the ones that cause warts, are not high-risk for cancer. It is the asymptomatic HPVs that typically cause cancer. Not sure but from what I read, it seems like even with a high-risk HPV, your chances of getting cervical cancer are pretty low if you have regular paps.

I am too old for the vaccine but at my age a pap with a HPV screening can tell a lot. If you're over 30 and you have a high-risk type of HPV show through your pap, it can mean that your immune system has not fought it off and it is considered to be "persistent". Persistent HPV is most likely to cause cervical cancer.

Hope you guys understand what I am saying. I am not a healthcare professional, this is my understanding about HPV and cervical cancer from doing research online. If you are over 30 and have 3 normal paps in a row with no signs of HPV, you are at exremely low risk for cervical cancer.

Posted 4/22/2009 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Personally, I was glad to hear that there was a vaccine against HPV. While I understand it is a sexually transmitted disease it scares me how incredibly prevalent it is. I am not getting the vaccine because I am married and monogomous. However, I have FIVE female friends that are by no means promiscuous who have HPV. And with that they have stress, frequent paps, biopsies, pain and embarassment. The problem is that HPV does not show up in a regular STD panel for males. Therefore, even people who have been "tested" and are now monogomous can spread it to one another. Scary. But I understand the concerns as well.

Kim, this one will fry you. I haven't had a chance to read your link yet. However, in a recent health law lecture I attended I learned that the Government has some incredible hoops for legal immigrants to jump through in order to attain citizenship. One of those includes getting the Gardisil vaccine. Hmmmm... could we be relying on them to be our "test subjects" to see if this is safe in the long run? It is not mandatory for citizens but required to become a citizen? Seems a little sketchy huh? Oh, and if you are getting it for citizenship purposes it is hugely expensive and not covered by insurance.
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