Microgestin Birth Control

[elless]

Anyone who is gluten and dairy free ever have an issue with microgestin or loestrin birth control. I think it should be gluten free but I'm worried about the lactose.

I was on it before going gluten free, but stopped right before.

[LauraTX]

The best way to know would be to call the manufacturer and ask them if it contains any gluten or milk ingredients.

[elless]

Yeah, I was going to give them a call tommorrow. Im only 1 month gluten-free so I've been dairy free as well. I was just curious if anyone has ever had issues with birth control. Unfortunately I need it for medical reasons.

[kareng]

I am wondering if the teeny tiny amount of lactose that might be in a BC pill is significant. If we are just talking about lactose intolerance, usually small amounts in foods, bigger amounts than in a tiny pill, are digestable. Now, if it's a casein/ dairy allergy, with anaphylactic responses, that might be different.

[elless]

There is apparently small amounts of lactose in my synthroid, and I seem to be ok with that. But the probiotics my Dr gave me had milk and bothered me.

[WinterSong]

I used to take Loestrin24FE. That was gluten free according to the manufacturers. I do not know about the other versions of Loestrin. 

 

That birth control isn't being made anymore. Instead, I use Minastrin24FE, which is basically the same thing. According to the manufacturers who I checked with on two separate occasions, the active pills ARE gluten free, but the reminder pills ARE NOT gluten free. So I just skip the reminder pills and just remember the appropriate day that I need to start the active pills again. 

 

Hope this helps!

[GFreeGirly05]

@ WinterSong

 

That is awesome! I loved Loestrin 24 and just stopped and switched over to Loestrin 1.5/30's generic brand Gildess once I was told that the Minastrin had gluten.

 

Can you verify which manufacturers you might have called? And is there a chance of cross-contamination for the active pills if the placebo is not gluten free?

 

After calling the manufacturers for Gildess 1.5/30, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals, the woman on the phone told me that there are "no gluten ingredients used in making this product, however, they cannot guarantee it would be suitable for celiacs as they do not test for gluten"

 

Should we be worried about gluten cross-contamination with BC pills in general?

 

Thank you for your help!

[kareng]

 

the woman on the phone told me that there are "no gluten ingredients used in making this product, however, they cannot guarantee it would be suitable for celiacs as they do not test for gluten"

 

 

 

 

This is the best response you will likely get for any medication.  They don't test for gluten so they won't say it is gluten free.  Its a CYA statement.

[WinterSong]

GFreeGirly05 - 

 

I directly called the manufacturers of Minastrin. They said very specifically that the inactive pills contain gluten but that the active pills do not. 

 

Who told you that Minastrin has gluten in it? Was this recently? 

[elless]

So, I just started back on the birthcontrol. I'm on microgestin 20. I'm pretty sure it's casin I react to not lactose, but there's small amounts of lactose in my synthroid and I'm ok with that. Anyway, I've been a mess this week since I started it again. Hotflashes, mood swings, super dry mouth, bloating, anxiety. If I'm not on it, I have terrible debilitating ovulation pain. The bc makes some things better and somethings worse. Sigh. Any suggestions.

[WinterSong]

I'm sorry, I don't know anything about the casein content in birth control pills. Could you look into an IUD instead? For me, I need to take the pill to prevent ovarian cysts, otherwise I'd be looking into other alternatives. 

[WinterSong]

Update: wanted to let you all know that I called the manufacturers of Minastrin to check that the ingredients haven't changed. They verified that the active pills are still gluten free