Choosing an OC

[JJFigure]

I tried the diaphram and didn't like it at all. I hope, with the lower estrogen pills, that I won't have many problems with the pill. I really didn't have problems with Ortho Novum - just heavy water retention 2 weeks every month. The main thing I like about the pill is it regulates my cycle - before I started to take the pill I was very irregular. At least now I know exactly when my period is. Hopefully, this new one will work out ok.

 

[Nonerz]

there is also "the patch" which is applied directly to the skin and is replaced with a new on for 3 consecutive weeks...then off for one week. you can find the website if you do a search...they have a good info-video via the web and lots of information. i found it to be very similar to the pill and very simple (especially if you are forgetfull or have an odd day-to-day schedule). they are remarkably thin and are even stay on in the water.

 

[JJFigure]

Well, after reading about how the low dose OCs supress free testosterone, I've given up on OC - at least as long as I'm competing. I'm looking into my other options - MS pointed me toward the Mirena IUS - and of course, I can always just abstain. That's much less fun, but at least I don't worry about getting pregnant. Men have it so easy.

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

JJ -- Mirena does release low dose hormones. While MS is alot smarter in this arena than I am (or most of the population for that matter), I am disputing her -- but I would check their website. When I decided to go off OC myself and asked my doc about Mirena instead, she said it was not much of a difference with regards to the impact of hormones on a body that is trying to lessen the overall estrogenic effect.

 

[JJFigure]

Yes, but Mirena has 1/7th of the dosage that an OC would have. I think Mirena may be my long term choice, but not my short term choice. I haven't decided if I'm going to continue competing after my June comps, so I'll hold off making a long term decision until then. Short term I guess we'll just have to double-up with non-hormonal methods.

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

Well in any event...and a missed point on my part...GOOD LUCK in contest prep.

Your decision to use nothing for now is the best bet.

 

[MS]

"asked my
doc about Mirena instead, she said it was not much of a difference with regards to the impact of hormones on a body that
is trying to lessen the overall estrogenic effect."

newgirl, it is not my place to dispute advice given to you by you physician, but in rare cases I feel obliged. Mirena is NOT estrogenic AT ALL. It is a low dose progestin. Very little, VERY LITTLE of it is absorbed from the uterus. The device release around 20micrograms of drug into the uterus each day, but the long term plasma concentrations of drug only reach 150-200 picograms per ml. this is around 1/7th of the plasma levels of the same drug seen with traditional oral contraceptives. On top of this, as I already mentioned, there is absolutely no estrogen released by the device, so you're WAY ahead of the game here in terms of effect on blood hormone levels.

I am not advocating or pushing this method of contraception, merely providing info. Personally I don't think you can do better than abstinence in terms of birth control, sexually transmitted diseases, risk of ovarian cancer, and generally focusing more energy into bodybuilding instead obtaing safe sex. But since most people don't share my point of view, I try to offer the safest, most effective alternative methods that will suit an individual's needs for contraception. If I needed a contraceptive, I would personally use ormeloxifene (aka Saheli or Choice-7).

If you're going with non-hormonal methods for now JJ, I would advise you get plenty of caffeine in your diet......it can reduce fertility by ~50% in otherwise healthy women!

 

[JJFigure]

Woohoo! The morning coffe is back in! Thanks again for all your advice, MS. You've helped me tremendously.

 

[newgirl-chargeback]

MS -- I re-read my post and erroneously did not inlcude the word "NOT" in the phrase " I am disputing MS...." blech -- sorry 'bout that ....here I am complimenting you by saying that you are smarter and more informed in these areas than most -- and the quick typer that I am flew by and forgot ONE word of incredible importance...the word NOT. Good thing I am not a lawyer drawing up contracts! Nonetheless please forgive the mistake -- I make a point of reading the threads that you have replied to.

I believe unfortunately the most docs have the best intentions for their patients however they understand very little about the subtle nuances that can change the body of someone in the midst of fine tuning for a competition.

So I was not disputing your words merely pointing my doctor's reply stressed that if I wanted out of hormones added to my body - that I would be unhappy with Mirena overall as well.

My premise for dropping birth control last spring was to help get past a plateau and felt it would make a difference in my overall body composition and ability to build muscle (I am not a competitor but felt the hormones held me back so to speak).....

I find so far, it has not made that much of a difference in my physique....but then again...I am not at the level necessary to compete.

 

[MS]

I did not take any offense at what you said newgirl. I EXPECT that people should question anything they read on these boards whether it is written by me or whoever. But likewise I also encourage everyone to question things their doc tells them! I was just clarifying my position/understanding of how Mirena is different to other methods of hormonal contraception.

As an example about professional medical advice, I have a little anecdote that is worth relating. I recently accompanied a friend to see a specialist women's endocrinologist regarding her perimenopausal symptom of very sore breasts. It took 4 months to get her this appointment and in the interim I recommended a very small dose of winny to alleviate the breast tenderness. Winny is a potent antiprogesterone and has been used succesfully 'off label' for this kind of complaint (along with Danazol and Bromocriptine, neither of which was readily available). So anyway, this worked great and she had 4 months without anymore problems. I advised her to tell the endocrinologist EVERYTHING that she had been taking, including the winny. The endo's response was "that's kinda a sledge hammer approach, inhibiting ovarian hormone production with androgens" (she didn't even ask what the dose was, and given my friends otherwise normal menstrual cycles I think this was way off the mark-she completely lacked any idea that we were using it as an antiprogesterone). On top of that, she added that "this method was also likely to backfire on a woman because the AAS is very likely to convert to estrogen at a high rate, leading to even worsening symptoms of breast pain." (Winny cannot aromatize to estrogen, so this is completely wrong, and progesterone is more likely the cause of breast pain anyway, which is why anti-progestins or prolactin inhibitors like bromocriptine are useful). Anyway, my point is that doctors certainly don't know everything about medicine, they know almost nothing about preventative medicine, even less about bodybuilding, and an enquiring, proactive mind is more likely to get better health care than someone who just believes anything a doctor tells them.

All in all this specialist knew nothing about it, and so advised it was not a good idea to take winny and that she should stick to evening primrose oil, eliminating caffeine and alcohol, and that there was otherwise nothing that could be done to help short of putting her on oral contraceptives to control hormonal fluctuations! My friend had tried all of that already (not that the specialist ever asked....)