December 18, 2008

Birth control and its side effects

Filed under: androgen,birth control,Birth Control Side Effects,estrogen,progestin,side effects,Uncategorized — Janine @ 3:30 pm

If you are experiencing side effects from a birth control pill that you are not comfortable with, learning about the effects of estrogen and progestin in birth control pills can help you choose which is the best birth control pill for you. Oral contraceptives contain estrogen and progestin.

What is Progestin?

Progestin is a man made substance with similar properties as the natural progesterone developed in woman’s body. It stimulates progesterone receptors, preventing ovulation and lessens menstrual bleeding.

What is Androgen?

Androgen refers to the likelihood of progestin causing unpleasant side effects. When Progestins have high androgenic activity, chances of androgenic related side effects (such as acne and hirsutism-unwanted female hair growth) may increase. Progestins with low androgenic activity may have minor or no effect on carbohydrate metabolism (breaking down and creating sugars in small quantities for the body to produce energy).

What is Estrogen?

Estrogen is the main sex hormone in women, essential to the menstrual cycle. It consists of estrone, estradiol, and estriol. Estrogen works in two ways; it regulates the menstrual cycle and prepares the uterus for pregnancy by enriching and thickening the endometrium. The more estrogen there is in a woman body, the least amount of side effects your body will experience from progestin.

What are the birth control side effects and their Progestin/Estrogen levels?

Below is a general guideline of Birth Control side effects; it may not apply to every woman.

Absent period or too light menstrual flow-High estrogen, Low progestinpotency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Brevicon

Acne-High estrogen,low androgen potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Brevicon, Mircette,Ortho Tri-Cyclen,Yasmin

Breast Soreness-Low estrogen, low progestin potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Alesse

Depression-Low progestin potency
Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Alesse, Brevicon, Ortho Tri-Cyclen

Endometriosis or Endometriosis Prevention (Growth outside the uterus)-Low estrogen, higher progestin potency, higher androgen potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Levora, Loestrin 1.5/30, Loestrin 1/20 Fe, Nordette.

Headaches (not menstrual migraines)-Low estrogen, low progestin potency
Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Alesse, Brevicon, Ortho Tri-Cyclen

Moodiness or Irritability-Low progestin potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Alesse, Loestrin 1/20 Fe, Yasmin

Severe Menstrual Cramps-High progestin potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Mircette, Loestrin 1.5/30, Yasmin

Spotting (Break through bleeding)-High estrogen, high progestin potency, low androgen potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Yasmin

Weight Gain-Low estrogen, low progestin potency

Types of birth control brands that will minimize the side effect: Alesse, Loestrin 1/20 Fe, Yasmin

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line.

For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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April 18, 2007

Can hormones from birth control cause hair loss?

Filed under: alopecia,androgen,birth control pills,estrogen,hair growth,hair loss,hormone replacement therapy,hormones,male pattern balding,testosterone,Uncategorized — Ashlynn @ 8:38 am

Yes. Both birth control pills and hormone replacements contain estrogen which stimulates hair growth and prolongs the anagen growth phase. Most women say that their hair becomes thicker when first starting birth control or hormone replacement therapy. Some women describe an increased rate of hair sloughing or loss several months after starting the hormonal medications. This is not a reason to stop the hormones; the hair loss will go away with no change in the amount of hair.

Women who start the Pill may not notice the increased hair growth and thickness as much as an older, menopausal woman who has thinner hair to start with, but the gobs of hair in the hair brush several months after starting birth control pills will not go unnoticed. This loss of hair following estrogen stimulation by birth control pills, HRT or even pregnancy is called telogen effluvium. This is not a reason to stop taking your birth control. Both the use of Depo-Provera and Norplant contraceptive implants have about a 10% incidence of increased hair loss.

What can I do to decrease hair loss caused by birth control or hormone replacement?

It is best to continue taking the hormonal medications rather than stopping them. The new growth, resting and sloughing phases eventually come to a stop and your hair growth will start it’s normal course of action. Stopping your birth control or HRT may just prolong the hair loss.

One thing women should look for when hair loss is due to hormone therapy is to make sure that they are not receiving hormones that have too much testosterone-like activity. Some women who are genetically sensitive may develop a male pattern hair loss (balding on the side of the head) if their total androgen hormone level is too high. If this is the case, there should also be excess hair growth on the face, chest and lower abdomen in addition to the balding. The androgen hormone effect may come from the type of progestin in the birth control pills or it may come from a combination of estrogen and testosterone in the menopausal hormone replacement. If there is any suspicion that the hair loss follows a male pattern balding, then any androgenic compounds must be eliminated.

BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase birth control on-line.

For more information on types of birth control call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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April 3, 2007

Acne and Diane 35

Filed under: acne,acne treatment,androgen,birth control pills,Diane-35,estrogen,Uncategorized,women — Ashlynn @ 8:52 am

Diane 35 is used for the treatment of androgen-dependent diseases in women, such as acne, especially pronounced forms and those which are accompanied by seborrhea or by inflammation or formation of nodes (acne papulopustulosa, acne nodulocystica), androgenetic alopecia and mild forms of hirsutism. Diane 35 can also be used as a type of birth control in women with androgen-dependent diseases and for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. The aim of treatment with Diane 35 is to block the peripheral action of male hormones commonly present in the female body.

Diane 35 contains two hormones: cyproterone acetate, a progestogen, and ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen. Cyproterone acetate halts the influence of androgens, and reduces the activity of the sebaceous gland which plays an important role in the development of acne and seborrhea.

While all birth control pills may decrease the production of androgens to some extent, only Diane 35 decreases the ability of androgens to bind to their receptors, improving signs of androgenization such as acne, seborrhea and hirsutism in women.

The recommended duration of treatment is at least several months, as improvement may not be observed until four or five cycles of use. Research has shown that within three to six months of therapy with Diane 35, acne can be improved and suppressed.

Recently there has been much publicity in Canada about a possible increased risk of blood clots with Diane 35 compared to other birth control pills. It is not clear if this risk is real or not. There are other nonandrogenic birth control pills that should work just as well. These include Yasmin, OrthoCyclen, OrthoTricyclen, OrthoTri Cyclen Lo, OrthoEvra (the patch), Desogen, Mircette and others. If you are using Diane 35, discuss with your doctor as to whether you should continue on it or change to another pill. The risk however for an individual is very small.

For more information on birth control pills call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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