low vs. high progestin bcp?
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low vs. high progestin bcp?
| Tue, 06-08-2004 - 10:37am |
I was wondering what the main differences between low-progestin and high-progestin bcp are?
I know it depends on the person, but are there any indicators that you might be better suited to pills with higher or lower progestin? What does progestin do?

http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm
With the pill, we have our variety of progestins of different strengths in different doses combined with differing amounts of estrogen--each different combination may affect a woman differently, which is why there are so many options. For me, I can't tolerate one of the progestins (levonorgestrel, it's found in Alesse, Nordette, Triphasil, etc. and derivatives of it are in Ortho Cyclen/Evra/Tri Cyclen, etc.), but I can use several of the other progestins without a problem.
Which progestin a woman may do better on is totally dependent on her body chemistry. Typically, though, low levels of progestin can allow for heavier crampier periods, breakthrough bleeding, breast tenderness (because the estrogen is too high for the level of progestin), depression, and any other too-much-estrogen side effects. If progestin is too high, that can cause depression, irritability, fatigue, absent periods, breast shrinkage, vaginal dryness, and other not-enough-estrogen side effects.
Which combination of progestin + estrogen is best may even vary during your reproductive years, it's common for a woman to take a pill for years and have to switch later on because she's starting to have side effects that are new to her. Chemistry in the human body is difficult, particularly where hormones are concerned, which is why the pill is so much trial-and-error to get the right fit.
Make sense? Too much information? Or more questions? Just holler...
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