What is the best Birth Control for IC?

[i3luebyrd]

I've read that some of you are taking seasonale and it seems to help because it delays your period. Is anyone else taking a birth control they find to help their symptoms? I'm on Yasmin and am starting to think it might not be the best for IC. Something in the pamphlet mentioned that your body produces more potassium than normal? I'm pretty sure potassium is bad for IC. Anyone know more about this? Anyone on Yasmin find it to cause flare ups?

[Imustpee]

I am doing continuous birth control pills..no more periods at all for me anymore...I have had a period for 33 years and I am done...I feel so much better..

[shennan]

it has helped with my ovary and uterus---spasms.
it is very expensive, though.
i still have my ic, but i am not having as much pms.

my ob/gyn said that she used it herself.

good luck.
shenna

[ICNDonna]

Potassium ingested doesn't react in the same way as the potassium that is instilled into the bladder for the test to diagnose IC. Actually, potassium is an essential nutrient and deficiency can be extremely serious.

Many of the foods rich in potassium are IC irritants (such as orange juice) so it can sometimes be difficult to get an adequate amount --- I take a physician ordered supplement.

Donna

[carolynyeo]

Whatever you do, please, please think twice before trying depo provera. I tried one shot this summer and I swear I wish I could sue the company. I was on othro tricyclen for years and didn't have any bad reactions to the pill. Well I tried depo on my doctor's suggestion. Well, I had my period for four months straight...which means huge flare for me. I was in remission up till then, and bang back to square one. Second...no intreast at all in sex...I swear I would rather learn how to knit then even look at my husband. THird...im fat now...lol. Well not fat but my metabolish has slowed to a snail. I had a baby two years ago...before that I was around 116 pounds. Always...no matter if I ate mcdonalds five days in a row I wouldn't gain anything. I went up to 150 when pregnant back down to 122 after the baby. So not much difference. Well I was around 121 - 123 for the whole year after the baby...one shot of depo and I gained 15 pounds in the first three months afterwards. I seriously was exercising as well. Well now Im 135 about six months afterwards and I can't lose a pound...not a pound. I do step aerobics three times a week, 30 mins of running and 45 mins of strength training four times a week and three pilates classes a week. Besides that I eat around 1600 - 1800 cals a day. NOT A POUND can i lose....And trust me it is not all muscle. I was a size 4 after the baby and now Im a size eight....I mean your not supposed to go up a year later, so I blame depo. Second, I retain water. I can gain ten pounds in a day. Anyway...oh ya another thing. I went four months afterwards not having a period...then six weeks with one...totally fooled up. Also my breasts starting leaking milk. Anyway gyno says it was the depo. Just didn't agree with me. And once you get the shot if it doesn't agree with you your stuck with it....Just some caution.

Cheers...carolyn

Try the seasonale I heard it's good but we can't get it in canada.

[mom_in_ma]

I use an IUD and I love it! I don't do well on hormones at all. In fact, my IC reared it's ugly little head just as I was going off of the pill. Coincidence? I'm not so sure. Anyway, I've had the IUD since last fall and other than having a bit heavier bleeding the first few months it has worked great for me. I still get periods, but my IC is in control and I feel healthy most of the time.

Insertion takes about 10 minutes and with the type I have you can keep it in place for 10 years. Yes, 10 years! My insurance paid 100%.

Hope this helps!

Robin

[sacausa]

carolynyeo I TOTALLY agree with you about the depo!!! I've had 2 shots so far in an attempt to stop my period. YAH RIGHT! After the first shot, I had my period for 12wks...then after the second shot...the GYN said that my period would prob. stop... but it DID NOT.. now I'm taking extra estrogen on top of the depo....so that I don't have my period. I might be crazy but I'm gonna try the depo 2 more times cause I've already stuck it out for 6mo. What the heck... it's really common for it to totally wipe out your period after a year... sooo I'm going to try that and see if it will do the same for me.

[young lady]

I tried yasmin and had an awful time! I was put on a few different pills before I found one that was mild enough not to flare my IC. I am on lessina now, and it seems to work good for me.

[melanie626]

I am going to cycle for 3 mo on Ortho Cyclen....ask if you are on a monophasic pill now (one where the dose doesn;t change at all during the month) you may be able to skip the sugar pills and start a new pack. I am hoping this will help get my flare under control-

I tried depo years ago, passed clots the size of hockey pucks...that was it for me...

Melanie

[Sherry5]

I did the depo shot once and it totally screwed me up for a whole year. Everything that was mentioned and more. Depo is a mega dose of progesterone, which causes weight gain on top of everything.

I totally agree with Robin. I have a hard time with all hormones, so the IUD is ideal for me. They do make an IUD with progesterone that my friend uses. Because it goes straight into the uterine wall it is not supposed to have the side effects of depo, she didn't experience weight gain or anything. It also made her periods much lighter.

Make sure a good doctor inserts it. I had mine for three years and loved it. I had to have it removed to have surgery for endometriosis, and boom, I got pregnant. If I wasn't pregnant, I would have a new one in by now. Good luck! :)

[SillyPixie]

Are you all trying to get rid of your periods because you flare during them? I just recently started taking the pill because I noticed without fail that my vulvadynia and IC symptoms were horrible the week before my period and got better the week during the week after, so I figured it must be hormones. (It was this way even when I went into remission for a few months two years ago - I was fine except the week before my period.) I had my hormone levels tested and found out my levels of progesterone were really low. My homeopath wanted me to try topical progesterone cream before I tried the pill, but I was so miserable that I decided to go with my uro-obgyn's advice to just get on the pill. (Condoms irritate my vulvadynia to the point that I could only have sex for about five minutes, if that. Plus I have terrible periods.) I started taking Kariva which is a generic one for something else. Now, my symptoms are horrible. Instead of just being really bad the week before my period, my vulvadynia is in major flare almost the whole month, with a few days of relief during the period. It's almost unbearable to have sex at all. My obgyn says the pill shouldn't be affecting my vulvadynia, but my IC support group leader said a number of women in the group were bothered by birth control pills.
Does anyone have a similar experience or can anyone recommend a good pill? I took ortho-tri-cyclin 5 years ago right before my IC started. When I started getting IC symptoms, it was the first thing to go and I have never been back on the pill until these last three months.

[Sherry5]

I can't handle birth control pills at all. If I were you I would definately try your homeopaths advice of trying topical progesterone, such as wild yam cream. I used it to help with period pain and it did make a difference. Some women even use this as birth control. The data on that is a little controversial, and if you do it, use an alternate type of birth control with it for at least a month. You may want to use something non hormonal as birth control (I loved my IUD) and use the wild yam cream for symptom control. It certainly won't hurt to try, and I know a lot of women who get symptom relief from it. I mean relief from PMS, I don't know about IC as I am relatively new to it. But the concept is the same, and less invasive hormone control like wild yam cream could work for you. Good Luck!

[ti_fanny]

It seems everyone acts different on everything. I loved the shot Depro. Started it the day I gave birth to my son, which was in 1992 and was on it until the year 2000. NEVER HAD MY PERIOD ONCE FOR 8 YEARS. That was great. I do know that everyone is not the same. The only problem I did have with it was the weight gain. I am suppose to go get my shot this week, starting it again. I can't handle the pain with PMS and IC:( It hurts. Hope you find something good that will work.
Tanya

[melanie626]

Sillypixie-
I am cycling to end my monthly flares and condoms don't work for us, and I haven't had kids, so an IUD is out of the question. You may want to try ortho try cyclen again if it worked for you before your IC....if you want hormonal, the nuva ring is released at the cervix, so less systemic absorbment, but I don't know if you have PFD and if so, it may be irritable. I don't know about the topical progesterones. Good luck, hope you find something that works.
melanie

[JAMIEL]

I am in my second month of seasonale and it has made a big difference with the flares I had with ovulation and my period. My frequency has gotten worse since I started it though but it may just be a coincidence. Has anyone else had trouble taking seasonale???

Jamie

[stacey79]

I was on the depo shot for about two years and didn't have too many problems. At first I had a period for about two months, but it was really light. THen it straightened out and I had nothing.

However, we are getting closer to starting a family so for about the last year, I've been on the birth control patch, Ortho Evra. I like it. HOwever, the first three months I was on it, I had really bad cramps almost nightly. I don't know if it was from the patch or just getting my cycle back to regular after being on the shot. Now I don't have problems with it. My periods are painful some months, but I've found taking Aleve really helps my symptoms. My gyno actually suggested Aleve. I had been taking Advil. The Aleve is much better and it helps keep my flow from being really heavy all at once, which is nice.

I've debated about going completely off of hormonal birth control. Condoms aren't a problem for my bladder, but I know there is a bigger risk for pregnancy with them. Though we're closer to starting a family, we're not that close. :) I've thought about trying some other barrier methods, but for now, I'm going to just stick with the patch.

[Specs]

Sillypixie-
I am cycling to end my monthly flares and condoms don't work for us, and I haven't had kids, so an IUD is out of the question.

This is actually a common misconception - anyone can get an IUD, as long as they're in a monogamous, stable relationship (with no risk of getting STD's). I have never had children, and I got an IUD inserted last year. Yes, it was probably more painful than it would have been for someone who has had a child, but 3 minutes of pain for 10 years of non-hormonal birth control was worth it for me.

If you have difficulty with hormones, I would highly suggest an IUD. If your doctor refuses to give you one on the basis that you have never had a child, find another doctor.

[Sherry5]

It is interesting that you just posted this, specs, as I was just having this conversation with my little sister. She is getting married in August and is debating about the different forms of BC. I LOVED my IUD, but I had it after my second and third children. She said the same thing, "well I can't get one of those until after my first child" I agreed, not knowing any better. I will have to let her know. If you are sensitive to hormones like I am , and have a hard time with condoms, an IUD is really the only way to go. She doesn't know if she is sensitive to hormones, because she has never tried anything, but it would be nice if she could get an IUD just in case.

[Imustpee]

I had an IUD before I ever had kids..it was also my BC after I had my son..

[birgie]

does this really work im might be trying it out will it do the same as birth control???

[Sherry5]

It may help balance your hormones like BC pills. It did help me. I know some people who use it as birth control, but I do not know how reliable it is. If I were you I would try it to balance hormones, but use an alternate form of birth control as well. If you would like more info on how it is used as BC, PM me and I'll tell you.

It only contains progesterone, not estrogen. Most birth controls use both. Some BC pills use just progesterone. Doctors often call it the "mini pill". I am personally more sensitive to estrogen and cannot tolerate it. That is why it is a good fit for me. Only you can decide if it is a good fit for you.

Good luck!

[Diagnonsense]

I know a few people who use the pill. It's 99.8% effective as a contraceptive and it helps balance out hormones and regulate your period.

:)

[lauraads]

I'm out here searching because I've been on the seasonale for just five days and I suddenly find myself with constant bladder pain, which is a first. I read the post about frequency. Anyone else have a problem with it? I wish I had not gone off Yasmin but my insurance company wouldn't pay for me to do continuous on it (that 3-4 more packs a year) so I tried seasonale. Wondering what to do now! Wait and see if it gets worse (don't even want to think it), wait and see if it gets better, stop and then have an extra bad period without the pill for a month. Oh boy, I hate this!

[sami4]

Dr. Vliett usually recommends Ovcon 35 for her IC patients and most of them do fairly well on it. The idea is to get a pill with more estrogen than progesterone.
As for the progesterone cream helping with PMS I cant see how as PMS is caused by the drop in estrogen and increase in progesterone. Also those OTC creams are not titrated by pharmacy standards and some are very, very strong and will cause progesterone overload which spells pain and flare for IC.
There is also a MIrena IUD which is medicated with levonorgestrel which will stop your periods after awhile (they will resume when you remove it). I use this and love it as the progestin only goes into the uterine lining and stops it from building up and bleeding.
Sammie

[stacey79]

I took Ovcon for a few months and did just fine with it. I recently switched to Necon, which is a generic and am doing fine with it as well. I switched because my co-pay was $50 a month for Ovcon and is only $10 a month for Necon. It works for me.