Do you worry about serious side effects?

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-12-2004
Do you worry about serious side effects?
3
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 2:09am
I really want to be on some type of birth control since I am getting married in June. We are not ready for kids yet nor do we have the financial means for that responsibility. I did try the patch which seemed to make me sick-or it could have just been a headache that made me sick and I attributed it to the patch. But it's really not that that bothers me. I read that there is a possiblity of blood clots which lead to stroke or heart attacks. This scares the hell out of me! Does it scare anyone else? How common is this? I also saw a show one night where a lady died in her sleep. She went to bed and never woke up and it was caused by a stroke or blood clot due to her birth control! I am at my wits end, please give me any info. you can!

~Kristine
~Kristine
My body, MY decision. I'm Pro-Choice.
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-30-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 9:38am
Hi Kristine,

OK, take a deep breath and relax! Serious side effects from hormonal contraceptives are very rare in young, healthy nonsmokers. So, if you fit that description you have very little to worry about. If you are a heavy smoker and over 35 then there is a much higher possibility of serious pill related problems. The reason you have a long talk with your doc about your medical history before s/he puts you on HCs is to limit the possibility of anything serious occurring. You need to keep the risk in perspective. People get killed stepping off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic or occasionally drown in bathtubs. It usually takes 3 cycles for your body to adjust to the hormones in your pills so you could experience side effects from a new pill/patch/ring for the first several cycles. From what members have posted it seems headaches are a commonly reported side effect with the patch. I hope you find an effective method that you are comfortable with.

Good luck

      Jill

    

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 10:42am
Ditto to what Jill said! Actually, I think there is more of a risk for complications in pregnancy and childbirth than taking the pill!
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sat, 02-14-2004 - 12:07pm
I totally agree with Jill. If you are under 35, are fairly physically active, and do not smoke, the "risk" of blood clots is very rare. In fact, although yes, women who are on the Pill may be something like 10 times more likely to have a blood clot (10 is just an estimate on my part, I forget what the real number is), the risk only goes from something like 0.001% chance for women not on the Pill to 0.01% chance for women on the Pill. Put it in perspective. The chance is still very, very small. The Pill also has very good side effects. In addition to reducing menstrual pain, making periods lighter, and other short-term good stuff, it can also help reduce your chances of cervical and ovarian cancer.

If you ask your doctor, you can even find out that it IS sometimes possible to detect a blood clot in the leg - it is a hot, throbbing pain, sometimes, they're actually very hard to miss.

Here are a couple iVillage links for you to check out:

http://www.ivillagehealth.com/experts/womens/qas/0,,242103_127140,00.html

http://www.ivillagehealth.com/experts/womens/qas/0,,242103_151403,00.html

Good luck with your decision - and congratulations on your wedding!!

Caitlin