July 11, 2011

Reducing PMS Symptoms

Filed under: acne,Menstrual Cramps,menstrual periods,menstural cycle,mood swings,pms — Janine @ 4:20 pm

Girl experiencing PMS symptoms A study led by the University of Massachusetts followed more than 3,000 women in the discovery of reducing symptoms of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome). The study showed that women who ate diets rich in thiamine (B1) and riboflavin (B2) had reduced their risk of PMS.

PMS is a combination of physical, emotional, psychological, and mood disturbances which occurs after a woman ovulates. About 80% of women experience PMS with average symptoms. Symptoms of PMS include mood swings, crying, irritability, depression, and over sensitivity. Physical changes are bloating, acne, fatigue, and a shift in food cravings.

The study indicated that the vitamin B supplement should come from a food source and not just vitamin pills in order to reduce risk of PMS. Women who had the greatest intake of vitamin B had reduced their risk of PMS by 35% compared to women with the least intake of vitamin B. Thiamine and riboflavin may link to the brains neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin which are connected to PMS.

Thiamine can be found in fortified cereals, beans, whole grains, and nuts. A source of riboflavin is available in milk, meat, eggs, and green vegetables. 2-3 servings of each should be taken each day, starting a week before a menstrual cycle.

Other treatments for PMS include exercise, drinking plenty of water, emotional support, and reduction of intake of salt, caffeine, and sodium. Avoid fast foods and processed foods and try to consume more fruits and vegetables. Birth controls such as Yaz may also reduce symptoms of PMS. Also, intake of calcium or magnesium supplements can naturally reduce water weight. Consult your doctor first before trying any vitamin supplements.

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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November 9, 2010

Irregular Period-More Serious than Stress

Filed under: menstural cycle,Uncategorized — Candace @ 10:29 am

When a woman’s period gets out of whack she may just blame the irregularities on stress and let the problem pass, when really it could be much more. Doctors often prescribe birth control to restore periods to a schedule before really checking the woman to see what the root of the problem is. Both blaming irregularities on stress and curing them with birth control is a bad approach to the issue.

Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is an interference with reproductive hormones that plagues 1 in 100 women over 40 years old. POI has been known to increase the chance of infertility and can diminish healthy bones. Normally POI is undiagnosed for years before the symptoms are evident enough, but by then damage is already done.

Many women find the menstrual cycle as more of a bother than it should be. Actually menstrual cycles are a sign showing that the ovaries and endocrine system are functioning properly. Women may think “My periods are coming so everything is fine,” when in reality their ovaries aren’t supplying the hormones needed and birth control is merely masking the problems.

Maureen from New Jersey had this exact experience. After she was married, she went off the pill and began to try to start a family. When she didn’t get pregnant the doctor took a couple of blood tests and discovered that in her body, things were going wrong. The news was that she was post menopausal, though she was only 35.

The diagnosis was thankfully off. POI is often called “premature menopause” but the name isn’t actually as final as it seems. Menopause is a permanent thing where menstruation and ovulation both end. POI can come and go. It can temporarily stop the ovaries but it sometimes starts up again. Between 5 and 10 percent of women with POI are able to become pregnant and have successful births. Maureen did notice that her hormones did seem out of whack when she looked back on the past few years. She had experienced irregular periods and hot flashes. She saw her doctor and he immediately gave her a birth control prescription.

Instead of this immediate reaction doctors should be more evaluative of menstruation alterations. If you do not menstruate for 90 days, or if you have a cycle shorter than 21 days or longer than 35 days you should be checked out by a doctor for other conditions. Just a simple blood test can find if you have POI.

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January 13, 2010

Is It Best For You To Get Rid Of Your Period?

Filed under: birth control methods,birth control options,Menstrual Cramps,menstrual periods,menstural cycle,periods,Uncategorized — Candace @ 4:48 pm

Menstrual cycles are annoying and painful for most women. They cause mood swings, cramps, headaches, and are uncomfortable. Taking a birth control pill on a daily basis has halted woman’s menstrual cycles in many cases. For women to hear that with a simple pill they can stop their period is glorious! But is this pill safe? Is it as effective as we have been told? There are various pros and cons to be considered.

Pros –
Women don’t need a period – The only reason known for a menstrual cycle, is for a woman to get pregnant. A period occurs to rid the body of the uterine lining which has been built up monthly to prepare the egg to be fertilized. When you are on a hormonal birth control pill the lining no longer builds up, thus there is nothing to expel and no reason for a period. A traditional 28 day pack of birth control pills have 7 placebo (sugar, no-hormone) pills. The lack of hormones is what causes the flow.

It is convenient – With monthly menstrual cycles many women undergo severe pain. The symptoms include headaches, cramps, mood swings, and various other painful and undesired feelings. When taking birth control pills and not having a period, there are no symptoms and no pain!

Skipping periods is another reproductive choice for women; the more choices we have, the better.

If you decide to use/continue using birth control pills as a way to stop your period, check with your insurance if they are covered in your plan. You will need a doctor’s written approval to prescribe you with BCP’s for excessive pain before your insurance will cover the pills.

Cons –

It’s not philosophically right – Periods are not diseases. The pill is not an antibiotic. Doctors have prescribed continuous-hormone birth control pills for women who experience extreme pains, mood swings, and discomforts. Getting rid of one’s period would be just a matter of convenience. By expelling menstrual cycles it gives the image that women’s periods are something to be ashamed of.

Lybrel doesn’t work – A new release, the no-bleeding pill, Lybrel, might not work for all women. After a year of using Lybrel, a study showed that 40 percent of women on Lybrel still had spotting, and 20 percent bled enough to need tampons or pads.

May be unsafe – Although most professionals say BCP’s are safe for stopping your period, we have yet to know the long term effects of taking hormones nonstop might be.

How will you tell you are pregnant – Skipped periods are the most common way women discover they are pregnant. If you are not expecting your period, how will you know you are pregnant?

We do not know enough about using BCP’s to stop periods to consider it completely safe.

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October 5, 2009

Oral Contraceptives: 21/7, 24/4 or Continuous use?

Filed under: Alesse birth control,birth control methods,birth control pills,birth control statistics,birth control types,estrogen,Menstrual Cramps,menstrual periods,menstural cycle,oral contraceptive,Uncategorized — Amanda @ 4:43 pm

18% of women ages 15-49 use a combined oral contraceptive (COC). Of all Canadian women who use a form of birth control, 32% chose COCs as their primary form of contraception. Birth control pills were first made to be taken for 21 days before a seven day hormone-free period. Today, this 21/7 regimen is the standard dosing regimen for oral contraceptives, however there is also a newer 24/4 regimen that may have even more benefits than the standard dose of 21/7.

Many of the Canadian women taking COCs today still follow the 21/7 dose, however it is not necessary. There are many women who choose to forgo their menstrual period all together by using contraceptives continuously without a hormone free interval. All available contraceptives (oral, trans-dermal, vaginal) can be used in a continuous regimen therefore eliminating a bleeding period. This contraceptive method is becoming popular among Canadian women who are comfortable with eliminating their menstrual period.

90% of all menstruating women have reported some form of premenstrual symptoms. 30% of these women have been diagnosed with PMS, and 8% have been diagnosed with an extreme form of PMS called premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Women taking COCs that contain progestin drospirenone, have noticed relief in minor PMS symptoms including physical and emotional PMS symptoms. COCS have even been successful in alleviating symptoms of severe PMS and PMDD in some women.

There are a number of benefits that the continuous/extended COC use has shown. Some of these benefits include the lessening of menstrual pain, headaches, bloating and swelling, acne, breast tenderness, and shorter periods. Continuous use, however, may cause spotting or unscheduled bleeding.

The benefits of the new 24/4 regimen include a more efficient suppressing of ovarian activity, that those who take a 21/7 hormone break increase their endogenous hormone levels which making ovulation more likely, therefore giving them a higher risk of becoming pregnant and developing ovarian cysts than women who use the 24/4 regimen. The 24/4 regimen prevents hormonal fluctuations helping to improve the quality of life for its users.Types of birth control pills and their dosage:

21/7 Regimen: Alesse, Yasmin, Cyclen

24/4 Regimen: Yaz, Loestrin 24 Fe

Extended Regimen: Seasonique

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August 10, 2009

Get Rid of Acne with Birth Control Pills

Filed under: acne,Birth Control Pill,Birth Control Side Effects,birth control types,breakouts,clear skin,menstrual periods,menstural cycle,oily skin,pimple,skin,Uncategorized — Amanda @ 9:09 am

For women who tend to break out around their menstrual period, some birth control pills can help. Research shows that these pills can clear acne by slowing down the skins oil gland activity. Androgen is a male hormone that stimulates the skins oil glands, therefore causes acne. Low-dose birth control pills decrease the excess androgens in the body. This means that breakouts will be prevented! Consult your doctor about birth control, and ask about these brands:

Yasmin

Yasmin is a low-dose birth control pill that has been known to reduce acne breakouts in its users. It is affordable and does not cause severe side effects. Yasmin birth control is the most popular among young adults.

Yaz

Yaz birth control pills will clear acne after about 2 or 3 months of use. Some women on Yaz have also reported to having “baby smooth skin” while using it. Yaz users find that they continue to have acne for several months before their body gets used to the new hormones. This side effect is common in many birth control pills. After the first 3 months, the benefits start to kick in. When trying a pill it is good to take it for at least 3 months in order to experience its potential.

Ortho Tri-Cyclen

Ortho Tri-Cyclen is not for everyone; however those who try it and like it experience very satisfying results. Have a consultation with your doctor when choosing a brand of birth control pill – they will know if Ortho Tri-Cyclen is right for you.

Other pills that help clear acne: Mircette, Alesse, Trivora, Cyclessa

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August 15, 2007

Endometriosis and Birth Control: The Facts

Filed under: birth control pills,endometriosis,menstural cycle,pain,Uncategorized — Ashlynn @ 11:24 am

To be able to explain more about the nature and prevention of endometriosis, it would be helpful to know more about the relationship of endometriosis and birth control pills. To be able to find solutions and relief for the painful symptoms of the disease, knowledge and understanding is necessary.

It is estimated that there are about 5 million women who are affected by endometriosis in the United States alone. The figure sits at around 70 million worldwide.

Endometriosis is the name of a medical condition where endometrial tissues, similar to those found in the uterus, are located in different areas in the body. In the same way as the endometrium in the uterus undergoes the process of growing, shedding and bleeding each month inline with the menstrual cycle, these tissues do so too.

It is still unknown why these tissues sometimes grow in other parts of the body like the intestines, the back, the neck, the head and the abdomen.

But when menstruation occurs these tissues breakdown and bleed too, resulting in pain caused by the inflammation and scarring associated with this process.

Endometriosis is a progressive chronic condition, which means that it worsens over time. As the scarring increases, adhesions can form. These are ropes of scar tissue that fan out from endometrial deposits and can attach themselves to other organs. Cysts are also common.

So, how can birth control pills help?

It is the level of the female hormones that make birth control pills effective in preventing pregnancy, which help with endometriosis symptoms. Because birth control pills lower estrogen levels and increase progesterone in the body, they are also deemed effective in alleviating the symptoms of endometriosis.

Of course, birth control pills are usually given as a prescription. However, for the purpose of controlling or eliminating the painful symptoms of endometriosis, you should always seek a prescription from your doctor for the pills.

That is because although you would be taking the same pills used in birth control, the dosage and use would have to be modified. To make it clear, for birth control purposes, there are placebo pills that the woman takes during several days of the month. In contrast, women who are trying to decrease the symptoms of endometriosis should not take placebo pills. Active pills are intended to be taken all year round by women who want to make endometriosis pains stop.

There are many treatments for endometriosis nowadays. There are the numerous modern medicines and alternatives to traditional medications available. While there are many women who try to use the two groups of medications, many consider using birth control pills to control endometriosis a good option.

Endometriosis and birth control are interrelated. But before using contraceptives as an endometriosis treatment, make sure you are properly advised by your own gynecologist or doctor.

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, various types of birth control (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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