Posted by AnneL on December 8, 2003, at 22:23:49
In reply to Re: Bipolar and birth control pills, posted by metalflipflop on December 8, 2003, at 9:58:22
Hormonal birth control is very much like finding an AD that works well, but does not cause tremendously undesirable side-effects. . .
I tried the Mirena, progestin-releasing IUD for 3 months. I was depressed with this particular hormone-based IUD, but nothing was worse than OCP's. I would suggest that you give the Mirena a try. Approximately 70% of women who use the Mirena will stop having periods (with the Mirena in place). The thought of not having periods was very appealing to me.I have tried every single combination pill available, all with the same side effects of mood instability, crying, depression, anxiety and palpitations. Progestin (synthetic progesterone) is well-known to cause depression or worsening of depression in some women. This was certainly the case for me. The best contraceptive I found for me is an older IUD called the Progestasert IUD that releases natural progesterone (not a synthetic progestin) over 1 year. Progestasert IUD keeps the lining of the uterine wall (endometrium) thin, yet maintains a normal cycle. Menstrual periods are much lighter than women who have the traditional Copper T-380 IUD. I did not notice any worsening of depression and had one removed and reinserted every year for approximately 10 years. On the other hand my periods were highly unmanageable with the Copper T and I became moderately anemic and was advised to discontinue. Do a Google search for Progestasert IUD and see if you can find this IUD. Some physicians may stock them or may be able to order it for you if it is still on the market. The only drawback is that the Progestasert needs to be removed/replaced every year versus 10 years with the traditional Copper T. My vote would be Mirena first, Copper T second. :) Anne
> i have tried about 6 different brands of bcp's (yasmin, mircette, allesse, estrostep, loestrin, the nuva ring), all causing similar worsening of mood--crying a lot, feeling unstable, cycling more dramatically. i had the same reaction when my doc gave me 5 days of progesterone to induce a normal period. i have finally come to the conclusion that my body just cannot take hormones. it's a real shame, as non-hormonal contraceptive options are completely sub-standard. i am thinking of getting a copper iud, though i am still undecided due to risks of greater bleeding and cramps, and infection.
> one option you could look into though, if you would like to give hormones another go, is the mirena iud. unlike the older copper iud, it is plastic and releases a small amount of progestin which can help with period problems. as the hormone is so localized, it is less likely to cause the mood-related side effects that plague people like us. i'd say it's your best bet.
> i think i have given up on the hormones though, b/c i just value my stability so much and don't want to upset what seems to be a delicate balance lately. there is just so much that science doesn't know about all this.
> best of luck.
> liz
poster:AnneL
thread:287630
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031208/msgs/287868.html