Lessina-28 Gluten Free?

[Yenni]

I just got some birth control pills to regulate my period. The doctor said it was gluten free, but I thought I'd ask here if anyone knows. Also it has a red/pink color to it and I was wondering if I need to worry about that dye?

I took one yesterday and feel nauseaus today. Could be just the hormones though. I was hoping I wouldn't feel nasueas.

I hope it doesn't have soy in it or corn..

[CarlaB]

The birth control pills make your body feel like it's pregnant, thus the nausea.

They don't really regulate your cycle ... they just make you think it's regular. Their first mechanism is to prevent ovulation. Their second mechanism in the even that ovulation occurs is to thicken cervical mucus so sperm cannot migrate. If the first two mechanisms don't work, the third mechanism is to prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. It's scary to me that it makes so many changes in your body.

If you are not in pain from endometriosis, I would not go on them for cycle regulation. It's inconvenient, yes, but the hormones in the pills are bad for you. My mom's oncologist told her it was artificial hormones that caused her breast cancer ... our family has no history of cancer.

There are nutritional things you can do to help your cycle. I'm sure that malabsoption of essential nutrients has taken it's toll on your cycle.

[Yenni]

I am not fond of the idea of starting BCP either but the last two months I have been bleeding in inbetween my periods (the whole time, but very little) and also my period is 1

[CarlaB]

Have you had your thyroid checked? Low thryoid can cause long and heavy bleeding.

[Yenni]

Yes, they just checked me when I was in 2 weeks ago and it was all fine.

I dunno what to do..

[jerseyangel]

It's likely that the estrogen in the pills is making you nauseous. It's a very common side effect of BCP's.

Sometimes, the side effects go away over time--2-3 months. Sometimes it takes a few tries of different pills to get to the one that you can tolerate.

[Yenni]

I get nasueas very easily since this celiac thing started. I told my doctor this and she gave me a lowdose hormone pill even.

Why is nothing easy these days???

[CarlaB]

I dunno what to do..

I taught natural family planning for 7 years. I worked with women who had period trouble with nutrition and supplements -- I'm not a nutritionist, I would refer them to articles and books.

Most women with painful periods feel better supplementing vitamin B6 (also take a B complex, B vitamins work together) and magnesium (500-1000 mg., this is why women crave chocolate, it's high in magnesium). Essential fatty acids are important, too -- Oil of Evening Primrose and flax oil (The hormones are fat soluble). Vitamin A is also essential to cycle health.

If it were me, I'd research natural cures for heavy, painful periods. I know it hurts, but it may be indicating an imbalance in your system that needs to be fixed. It can be a symptom of another problem, like a nutritional deficiency. Your body is designed to work right, I'd take the irregular cycle as a sign that there's some kind of a problem.

[Yenni]

I taught natural family planning for 7 years. I worked with women who had period trouble with nutrition and supplements -- I'm not a nutritionist, I would refer them to articles and books.

Most women with painful periods feel better supplementing vitamin B6 (also take a B complex, B vitamins work together) and magnesium (500-1000 mg., this is why women crave chocolate, it's high in magnesium). Essential fatty acids are important, too -- Oil of Evening Primrose and flax oil (The hormones are fat soluble). Vitamin A is also essential to cycle health.

If it were me, I'd research natural cures for heavy, painful periods. I know it hurts, but it may be indicating an imbalance in your system that needs to be fixed. It can be a symptom of another problem, like a nutritional deficiency. Your body is designed to work right, I'd take the irregular cycle as a sign that there's some kind of a problem.

I tried taking Magnezuim like those doese you suggested. I was reading alot about this stuff two summers ago and followed some suggestions from Dr Phil's homepage about supplements and stuff. (Funny thing I never craved chocolate ;o) ) My blood sugar got really bad. It dropped like crazy and I gained 10 LBs that summer. I just had to stop. I felt like I had to eat ALL the time. I have been taking vitamins and nothing has changed my period. It has just got even more weird after I figured out what my body can't tolerate and eliminating that from my diet.

I have normal blood tests, PAP and check up was normal.

..so BCP was the only thing left it felt like. I really hate the idea but I feel my period has taken over. I get really bad PMS (which has gotten a tad beter since I stopped with gluten), I spott for 4-7 days before I get really bad cramps for 2 days and I have period with clots. It lasts up to two weeks almost all together with the spotting. And now the last 2 months I have spotted the hole month almost. A few days that was free only. I am pretty clueless.

Thanks for the suggestions though and I am with you on that it is probably not good. But I dunno what else to do now... I would love not to take these pills. I am all for natural.

[CarlaB]

Thanks for the suggestions though and I am with you on that it is the last thing to do..but I dunno what to do.

Over the internet it's hard to talk about it on a personal level rather than generalities! Did the magnesium cause the low blood sugar? Do you eat a clean diet of meats, eggs, veggies, fruit, rice, etc.? Diet has a huge effect on both your cycle and your blood sugar.

I think that the changes you're seeing with the diet are an indication that things are changing ... I'm sure it will eventually be for the better.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

[jerseyangel]

Jenny,

It sounds to me like there is something going on with you that the exam didn't pick up. The symptoms you have are not normal, and as someone who 1) could not tolerate birth control pills and 2) had undiagnosed female problems for years until I had an ultrasound, I would urge you to investigate this further.

I also took vitamin B6 and calcium/magnesium for years along with a good B complex and a good multivitamin. For me, these did not help and I ended up having a hysterectomy last month due to a worsening of my issues. I also have avoided soy for several years--not really eating much of it in the first place.

I think your doctor should have ordered an ultrasound as a first step in figuring out the root cause of your symptoms. Abnormal growths and structural problems can be seen this way. If the ultrasound is normal, a laprosopy can be done to check to see if there is endometriosis. Did the doctor take blood to check your hormone levels? Abnormal bleeding can also be due to your hormones.

I've done a fair amount of research on endo since I was told by my surgeon that I had had a stage 4 case of it that was never detected until they did the pathology report after my surgery. I've learned that there may be an autoimmune link--I thought that was interesting. Women with endo have an increased risk of other autoimmune disease--sound familiar??

I don't want to alarm you, these diseases/conditions can be treated and controlled--but first they need to be identified.

[Yenni]

Over the internet it's hard to talk about it on a personal level rather than generalities! Did the magnesium cause the low blood sugar? Do you eat a clean diet of meats, eggs, veggies, fruit, rice, etc.? Diet has a huge effect on both your cycle and your blood sugar.

I think that the changes you're seeing with the diet are an indication that things are changing ... I'm sure it will eventually be for the better.

Hope you're feeling better soon.

Yes, it was the Magnesium that caused the blood sugar to do that. I tried quitting and starting a couple of times and it happened every time. My blood sugar is low normally but it got really bad eating Magnesuim like that. I reda that Magnezium helps the body turning sugar into energy (or something similar like that) and apparently I didn't need that.

I ate Omega 3 and 6 back then, took B-complex vitamins... I can't remember what else was on that list. but it didn't do a thing for me.

My PMS has gotten better on this diest, I am still down and stuff, but I don't feel freaky (panik almost and dissy).

I eat organic fresh veggies, some brown rice, ham, chicken, fish, LOTS of Bananas, lots of Enjoy Life Very berry bars (has flax seeds and a bunch of B-vitamins, mineralts and Folate. Drink lots of water. Melon. I hardly eat any processed food at all. Potatoes.

(I am allegic to cherries, peaches, almonds, nuts, apples, pears, plums, strawberries, kiwi. And can't have any Legumes, Casein or Gluten (of course). I have tried Egg here lately and it doesn't land too well most of the times so I think that is a problem. I eat light-corn stuff. Can't have a lot of it.)

That is pretty much my diet. I haven't eaten chips, sweets or white rice in a long time. I avoid fast sugars.

Thanks for trying to help me.

I am thinking I'll try the BCP for a year or so. We might wanna try to have a child next year. I am not planning on eating these for many years. At least that I what I am hoping.

[Yenni]

Jenny,

It sounds to me like there is something going on with you that the exam didn't pick up. The symptoms you have are not normal, and as someone who 1) could not tolerate birth control pills and 2) had undiagnosed female problems for years until I had an ultrasound, I would urge you to investigate this further.

I also took vitamin B6 and calcium/magnesium for years along with a good B complex and a good multivitamin. For me, these did not help and I ended up having a hysterectomy last month due to a worsening of my issues. I also have avoided soy for several years--not really eating much of it in the first place.

I think your doctor should have ordered an ultrasound as a first step in figuring out the root cause of your symptoms. Abnormal growths and structural problems can be seen this way. If the ultrasound is normal, a laprosopy can be done to check to see if there is endometriosis. Did the doctor take blood to check your hormone levels? Abnormal bleeding can also be due to your hormones.

I've done a fair amount of research on endo since I was told by my surgeon that I had had a stage 4 case of it that was never detected until they did the pathology report after my surgery. I've learned that there may be an autoimmune link--I thought that was interesting. Women with endo have an increased risk of other autoimmune disease--sound familiar??

I don't want to alarm you, these diseases/conditions can be treated and controlled--but first they need to be identified.

I saw a midwife in December that did a check up and PAP. Everything was normal. I had an ultradound a year ago, so not this year.

The doctor I saw now was my regular doctor and she said I am young (33) and it is very rare to have serious problems at that age so she thought it was hormones. (She didn't check my hormones.)

Sigh, I hate doctors and we have like NO money right now.

These problems were happening when I had my ultrasound, not the bleeding inbetween periods so much though, just now and then for a day or two. Not like now.

So I should go to the midwife again then...

[CarlaB]

Well, it certainly is puzzling. It sounds like you are doing ALL the right things.

I think Patti had some excellent points, too. It just seems that the BCP will be hiding the problem.

IF it is endometriosis, you might NOT want to wait till next year to have a baby! Pregnancy and breastfeeding (while it keeps your cycles from starting) prevent the spread of it. PLUS, many, many people have trouble achieving pregnancy when they have endo so you wouldn't want it to have another year to spread.

Just like we have to fight to get our gluten intolerance diagnosis ... you might have to fight to find out what's wrong with you.

I have one more suggestion -- google Dr. Broda Barnes. He pioneered thyroid research that showed basal temperatures are a better indicator of low thyroid than the thyroid tests. If you have hormonal problems, maybe it is due to thyroid, but it's just not showing on the tests.

Have you looked into Progesterone Cream?

I'd be sure you were checked for endo, that is NOT unusual for your age! If you were tested last year and are having worse symptoms this year, it may be time to test again! The midwife might be a good idea.

[Yenni]

I haven't looked into any creams. I feel very clueless with this stuff some how. And I haven't been wanting to just starting something on my own, maybe making a misstake.

The thing is I have no decire to have kids now. We also live with my husbands folks and I am not feeling all that great yet, so I am thinking "later". Sometimes I am thinking "not at all" so it would be wrong to have a child now. If I can't have a child later on then I guess it wasn't meant to be, that is how we are thinking anyways. Maybe it sounds strange to others.

I have been so scared about this spotting. Thinking cancer and everything. When I went to this last doctor and she thought it was hormones and gave me pills I was relived. Thinking I'd get a break from my period and not having to worry about cancer.. Maybe I am just fooling myself.

I am gonna think about getting that ultrasound. I just wish there would be an end to being sick all the time. It's like I felt that I finally figured out my stomach/health problems and then my period starts messing with me big time this year.

Oh well.

Thanks you two. You are probably right, I should go back to the midwife.

[CarlaB]

Jenny, I'll probably sound strange to you ... I have six kids! I was a business major in college and never dreamt in a million years I'd have this many because I thought I'd have a career, but it's a lot of fun. Our oldest is now in college!

Keep us posted on what the midwife says.

[Yenni]

Jenny, I'll probably sound strange to you ... I have six kids! I was a business major in college and never dreamt in a million years I'd have this many because I thought I'd have a career, but it's a lot of fun. Our oldest is now in college!

Keep us posted on what the midwife says.

Nah, I don't think you are strange at all. We are all different. I like kids, as long as they aren't mine. (We might have kids one day.. Who knows. It might change when I feel well again. Next year..or 2..)

Update:

I had the ultrasound and went to see the midwife today. I have a fibroid in the wall of the uterus and also a bunch of eggs/cysts stuck in the ovaries. For some reasons my hormones aren't doing what they should and after the eggs are done they are not let go. So they stay there and also the lining of my uterus doesn't seem to get fully pushed out because of the lack of that hormone , this is why I have more amount of blood (I think she mentioned esterogen in there but not sure now). All this was not dangerous and not too uncommon. The fibroids can come and go I guess. Mine hurts a little actually.

I was given bith control pills. The proper kind this time. To let my own system rest for a while, take over and then hopefully it will start properly again when I get off them.

The fibrioid is also the reason I have bad cramps when I menstruate. The muscles needs to work more beacuse of it.

I am starting the pills today and I am going back in 6 weeks to see what has happened. They expect it to have cleared up by then and they wanna see what the fibroid is doing.

So I am relieved it isn't cancer or something nasty. She checked for infection too and that was all good.

I am glad I went. I can sleep at night again. Still have to do the pills, but I can handle that for a year or two.