What is Birth Control and Why do Some Experience Side Effects?
Birth Control (also referred to as hormonal contraceptives) comes in several forms, shapes, and sizes. Some are ingested, others are applied to the skin (the patch), while some are inserted like the shot or ring. Although there are plenty of options out there, they all influence women’s hormone levels and try to prevent a mature egg from being released to get fertilized. Many women will experience side effects from birth control; after all, birth control is a type of steroid. Birth Control is a hormone, and it will always change hormone levels.
Understanding WHY side effects can happen is essential in understanding birth control. Throughout your body is tons of hormone receptors, think of these like puzzle piece edges. When your body’s hormones naturally release, if it fits together with another piece, it will bind there. Have you ever noticed that during a period your: mood, sleep, appetite, acne, or energy level might change? This unwanted reaction is because your natural hormones teamed up with some of the puzzle pieces that you wish they had not. The same goes for birth control. Please understand that if your natural hormones caused a reaction such as acne, it doesn’t mean birth control would create a similar response. This is precisely why pharmaceutical companies made SO many options. More options mean more puzzle piece options.
If you are not new to birth control, you’ve probably heard, “Let’s try you on this and see how you do over the next three months.” *Sigh* the Guinee Pig Game. Although it is sometimes necessary (especially for new contraceptive users), shouldn’t more science go into prescribing birth control? We believe, yes!
Your birth control should change with: age, weight, BMI, environmental choices, and family planning goals. It is a medical fact that as the average female ages or gains weight, they create more estrogen. The good news is that pharmaceutical companies have created a lot of options. So if you know you do well with a particular pill and progestin (puzzle piece type), a great option is to get a lower estrogen version of that pill. Estrogen is a blessing and a curse in birth control. It helps alleviate breakthrough bleeding and reduces many unwanted, annoying side effects, but it also increases the risk of heart attack, blood clots, and stroke. When you answer medical questions at a doctor’s office, they are ensuring that you are the right candidate for birth control, and the medical benefits out way your risks.
Here are some tips for your next appointment:
- Be honest and know your contraceptive past! Tell your medical healthcare provider what worked well for you or caused deal-breaking side effects. Know the names of your old prescriptions. A pill is just a pharmaceutical recipe; if you know one of the ingredients doesn’t make you feel well, tell somebody. That way, you get a pill with different ingredients.
- What works for your friends or family may not work well for you. If you ask for a particular pill and are eligible to receive it, most healthcare workers will honor your wishes. If you aren’t sure what you should take, ask, don’t guess.
- Go in with realistic expectations. Some people do well with hormonal changes; others do not. The longer you are on the same birth control, the longer your body gets used to and reduces your side effects. Don’t allow yourself to suffer, but know that side effects are common and usually decrease over time. Decide what your tolerance level will be, and what side effects are a deal-breaker.
Want to learn more about the chemistry of birth control? Visit https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4827491/