Birth Control Pill

[LBear]

I know this is the pregnancy section, so what better people to ask than those who have little ones. I am in my mid twenties and want to start a family in a few years. I am currently taking a birth control pill and don't know if I should continue. I was diagnosed with celiac disease this summer and have changed my diet and am feeling better. I am not 100% yet and wander if getting off the pill might make me feel better. I spoke to a pharmacist about the pill I am taking and she said that there is no Gluten in it, but nothing is a guarantee. Any advise????

Thanks,

LBear

[Mom22]

I would suggest you contact the manufacturer of your bcp to make sure there isn't any gluten in it. I am very cautious and don't always trust the pharmacist. Also, remember the pill has alot of hormones in them and for some, they feel much better with another form of birth control.

Mom 2 2

[tarnalberry]

It's totally individual, once you call the manufacturer and rule out gluten in the pill (the vast majority of them are gluten-free, but it's always best to check). As for whether or not you'll feel better - it's TOTALLY individual and depends on your body. Heck, it depends on your body at the time. I was on BC for three years or so, and overall, I felt better (significant improvement in crampts), but eventually, my body decided it didn't like the pill for me.

[kabowman]

Along this same topic, I just called my pharmasist and he is going to find the manufacturers phone numbers for all my meds for me so that I can call them directly - since he is unsure if any/all my meds are gluten-free (and CF, L-CF, TNF, SF, etc.).

-Kate

[jaimek]

I figured I would post here since you were discussing the pill. I have tried to trace back my side effects to a point where my Celiac was triggered and they all lead back to the time when I started taking my BC pill. Do any of you think that the BC pill can be a trigger for Celiac? Just curious as to what other people think.

[tarnalberry]

Did you get any yeast infections while on the pill? There has been evidence to connect triggering of celiac to candida, and the extra estrogen in the pill is known to increase the likely hood of getting a yeast infection...

[darlindeb25]

i was discussing this with my sister just an hour ago--i was reading another post in here about birth control pills being a trigger and i do know that when i started taking them before my last baby was born, i became so ill and the doctor just kept telling mt it was the flu--for almost 2 months and guess what--i ended up pregnant---i do truly think the bc pills were a trigger for me, at the very least they made me worse and my sister just agreed with me because she remembers how sick i was deb ps---that was 23 yrs ago--i have been gluten-free for 3 yrs now

[Guest ~wAvE WeT sAnD~]

Well, I don't have any children yet, but I am taking birth control. Ortho-Macneill is very straightforward about their products and ingredients. Ortho-Tricyclen Lo (my pill) is gluten-free.

About Candida...I have been getting repeat yeast infections and I have no idea what else to do to stop them. I have been doing the usual "female maintenance," so to speak, but does anyone have other advice?

Thanks,

[tarnalberry]

I had to get off the pill to stop the yeast infections. (Of course, the standard advice of cotton only underwear, no tight pants, and changing out of wet clothes immediately applied.)

Estrogen allows yeast cells to more easily adhere to mucous membranes - one reason why it's far more common to get yeast infections during the years you menstrate than any other time in your life.

[WSLIZ]

i was just diagnosed with Celiac 4 days ago.....just curious if my pill would possibly better or worsen this disease..i take Ovcon....I DO NOT WANT BABIES!!

to young for that!

[darlindeb25]

as is true of everything else--not everyone is bothered by the pill--when i was taking them, i didnt know they may have been a trigger for me--i realize that now, but they probably just added to my problem, cause i was already having problems when i started taking them and i did take birth control after my 1st baby and they didnt bother me then--just monitor how you are feeling and go from there--deb

[OhNoes]

I wasn't able to shake the yeast infections until I got off the Pill. Plus I was tired of all the hormonal mood swings. My hubby and I aren't ready for kids yet and have found the rhythm method (charting bbt) suits us much better. Your doc might be able to suggest other forms of birth control if you're having problems with yeast and/or dryness.

[tarnalberry]

I also switched to FAM (charting temperature and cervical fluid) since the hormonal methods give me issues and I'm not a good candidate for the copper IUD. We use condoms for backup, but don't want to use them all the time because it can aggrivate a gynecological condition I have. We don't want kids yet either. :-)

[amylynne]

I definitely think it is individual. I have been on the pill for 7 years and have had celiac disease for 2; for me, the pill was not a trigger. I am also on Ovcon and don't plan on going off any time soon.

[Karina]

I can't take hormonal BC anymore. We use FAM here. I don't know if it was a pregnancy or the BC that triggered my celiac disease but I blame something like that. Now I may have had this my whole life, but I started having symtoms after baby #2. i got better going gluten-free and then still better when I went off of the BC, still have some issues but I know I can't do hormones.

Just my experience.