What's the best BC pill for us ICers?

[jenjen05]

I know everyone is different, yadda yadda...

I've done a lot of reading in different posts about how all of us react to different BC pills... but I wanted to ask the question: What's the best BC pill for us?

So please leave your positive (and negative) experiences with different BC pills here!!!

I'm currently taking Yasmin. I started taking it when I was 16 (I'm 24 now). I did take its sister, Yaz, for six months (this was before my diagnosis) and stopped it and switched back to Yasmin because Yaz caused extreme mood swings and an unusual amount of hair loss.

Now a little about my period. 2-3 days prior to my period I flare. I was taking Yasmin continuously for 9 weeks and then getting my period. During the first 3 days of my period, I have little to no IC symptoms. Why? I have no idea. I basically feel like a normal girl again. Then they gradually start to come back on day 4, but stay relatively mild the first week I'm back on Yasmin.

Lately I've started to think that as the Yasmin builds in my system, I think the Yasmin may be making my IC symptoms worse. So I've decided to take myself off BC for a couple months to see what happens. My doctor agreed this would be a good idea. Then she wants to know if I want to go back on Yasmin or try a different BC or not take BC at all anymore. My boyfriend and I still have sex from time to time, and I'd like to be taking a BC pill of some sort. No out of wedlock, unplanned pregnancy for me, please.

So please help me out, gals. If you would, post what BC pills you have taken while having IC, what you felt they've done in relation to your IC symptoms, and how you felt while you were on them otherwise too. It'll help me (and I'm sure others) figure out which BC pills they might like to try.

Thank you, my IC sisters! I love you. And many hugs always!

[kadi]

My IC started two months after I stopped a birth control pill I'd been taking for 10 years. I then tried Mircette, still sick. Then Yasmin, less sick but still bad. Now I'm taking Necon 1/35. When I changed to Necon, I had a really bad flare for 2 days, then I got much better. It hasn't made the IC go away,but it stopped the urethral burning. For me, the key was each pill that had more estrogen improved my IC a little more. Makes me wonder if I should get even more estrogen... My doctors have said though there is no pattern to what pill improves IC, one of my doctors researched this at Stanford. Sigh.
Good luck! I hope whatever you decide turns out well:)

[jenjen05]

I'm on day 10 of being off Yasmin and so far I'm not flaring. I do feel a fullness in my pelvis though. Its weird. It's like little gnomes are skateboarding in there or something. :loco:

Anyone else have a good or bad pill experience? Come on! I see you're all viewing this thread but not replying. What's up with that.

Kadi- I think I may try the pill you say you're on.

[MiLynn]

I'm also taking Necon. Not sure if it helps my IC or not, as I was taking it for several months before being diagnosed but it doesn't seem to be bothering it.

[jenjen05]

I saw my gyno today (who is in the same building as my IC dr) and they both want me to try Loestrin FE. They want me to stay off the pill this month and wait till after I get my next period to start the Loestrin. They want to know what my symptoms are like off BC for the month.

I started flaring today. There's no reason for that either because I've stayed strictly on the diet. So I'm assuming its from stopping the Yasmin. OUCH!

I dunno if I can take this for an entire month I might need to go ahead and try the Loestrin FE. I read around on here about other people's experiences. Some people said its a great pill and others claimed it was awful or they got brown spots on their face. Anyone care to weigh in on this?

If after what my Docs want me to try doesn't work then I'm going to insist on trying the Necon.

Thanks for your replies.

[glassd18]

Gosh. My IC started really badly when I changed Hormone Replacement Therapies, and I haven't felt okay since!! Sometimes they use BCP for hormone replacement and I was on Alesse which I did quite well on except that my breasts hurt too much, but that was always a problem for me. I went into menopause at 34 so I had to take hormones. It's called premature ovarian failure. Now I'm 44 so it's not really premature anymore. I just take estrogen daily now, and progesterone once every three months to have a cycle. Good luck!!!

[glassd18]

I forgot to mention that often it's the form of progestrone in the BCP that is troublesome for woman with IC, and levonorgestrel which is what is in Alesse or Aviane (same thing) is sometimes less problematic.

[an0bgobeloba]

i LOVE the nuva ring. it is not for everyone, but i would encourage everyone to try it!!!!! it certainly made my periods manageable and defiantly helped my ic symptoms. i wish that it helped more, but i'll take any little thing. (fyi - i was not on the ring when i got pregnant, so no worries about it's effectiveness). in fact, because there is no "user error" it is very effective.

[lonely sole]

Hey, I am on tri cyclen, and have been for the past few years.

I have no idea how it effects my IC, but I will say my IC doesn't seem to be affected by my cycle. So I can't recommend it as the *best* pill, but it doesn't seem to be harmful either!

[katie87]

i am on levora 28, i take the 3 weeks normal bc pills, then skip the placebos and start a new pack. no problems with pregnancy as it stops ovulation and causes you to have NO period... ive heard its not a "healthy" thing to skip periods but all i know is the flared extreme pain i had during and before my period was awful and skipping periods means skipping exctreme pain

[KaraLynne]

My pain started while on Yasmin. I'd get 'UTIs' (never cultured, so maybe flares of IC?!) on the 21st day of my cycle...usually about 4 a year, so not every month, but definitely on the 21st day of my cycle. Then after about two years, I started to get constant burning with bad flares sometimes on the 21st day.

I decided to go off birth control, hoping this would help. Unfortunately the burning has remained and I get flares or UTIs (not sure which) when I ovulate. But I'm not sure I'd go on BC to help that, as I think it's what caused this in the first place.

I use the Fertility Awareness Method for BC now, with condoms as a backup method. No hormones and it really helps me to chart my fertility cycle and see how it relates to my IC symptoms.

Good luck with all your changes. Although, it can take months for BC to get out of your system, so I'm really surprised your doctors wanted you to start so soon.

[jenjen05]

Just to update, I've been taking Loestrin Fe 1/20 for four months and feel so much better! Yay! My daily pain is not nearly as bad as it used to be on Yasmin, but I still feel extreme pain.

[navemj]

I am the same way. Pain before my period and no pain when I start until the fourth day. Then pain again Doesn't make any sense to me!

[musiclover]

I'm on the generic form of Alesse. I think it might help a little but what helps the most is that I take it continuously so I rarely have to deal with menstrual flares.