Using Birth Control To Regulate Hormones

Post Birth Control Acne

Birth control is often used as a treatment for hormone-related acne. The synthetic estrogens in hormonal birth control pills can dry up skin oils and acne. This effect can keep the acne at bay when you are on the Pill.

But, once you get off the Pill, the acne flood gates will open and can leave you with horrible estrogen withdrawal breakouts! These breakouts will usually fade after being off the pill for 3-4 months, but this can be a brutal process for your skin.

If you go on the Pill to help with your acne, there is a good chance that your acne may be even worse when you stop the Pill. You are much better off resolving the hormonal disturbance that is causing the acne than to go on the Pill, which will only temporarily keep the acne at bay.

Show Your Liver Some Love

The liver is responsible for processing and packaging up hormones to get them ready for elimination from the body. Since the pill is introducing extra hormones into your body, your liver might benefit from extra support throughout the process of your body beginning to cycle on its own. Frequently consuming things like quality animal proteins, dandelion root tea, dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, garlic and antioxidant rich berries are all excellent ways to help support the liver’s ability to detox naturally. Talk to your provider about targeted herbs and supplements that help support hormone detoxification.

Get On A Regular Sleep Schedule

Our circadian rhythm, our 24-hour internal clock, regulates hormone release cycles, including ACTH and cortisol, as well as most physiological processes in the body. Light and dark cycles, mealtimes, and physical activity help the brain maintain the circadian rhythm.

Your body relies on the pineal gland to produce the hormone melatonin to maintain this 24-hour cycle. Adenosine, a byproduct of metabolism, accumulates in the brain throughout the day. When melatonin levels go up and enough adenosine has accumulated, you become sleepy. As you sleep, adenosine is metabolized and its levels decrease. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, promoting alertness.

Poor sleep habits stress the body. Initial symptoms of lack of sleep include fatigue, memory problems, and irritability. Since sleep replenishes chemicals used by the immune system throughout the day, a lack of sleep adversely weakens the immune system, making you more susceptible to infections.

A regular sleep cycle promotes the release of growth hormones. Growth hormone release peaks during deep sleep. Growth hormone release is reduced due to irregular sleeping habits because you often do not reach deep sleep stages.

Lack of sleep also decreases leptin levels and increases ghrelin levels, which can contribute to weight gain. Researchers have shown that lack of sleep increases cravings for calorie-dense foods high in carbohydrates . Weight gain increases the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

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Which Type Of Contraception Is Right For You Right Now

Plenty of people have sex with no intention of having a baby, and there are more options than ever to prevent a pregnancy.

According to CeCe Cheng, MD, a maternal fetal medicine physician in Texas and a fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health, preventing pregnancy may not be the only or most important goal of birth control, either.

How Are Very Low

Very-low-dose birth control pills are usually started on the first Sunday after your period starts. If you’re perimenopausal but you aren’t having regular periods, you can probably take a hormone called medroxyprogesterone acetate to start your period. These pills are taken for 21 days in a row and then not taken for seven days. During the seven days without medicine, your period will start. Seven days later , you’ll start taking the very-low-dose oral contraceptives for another cycle .

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How Hormones Work In The Brain And Body

In order to feel happy and healthy, you need to have balanced hormones. Here is some important information to note about the differences between natural and synthetic hormones.

Natural hormones bind to specific receptors and keep your body in balance:

• Estrogen binds to the estrogen receptor.
• Progesterone binds to the progesterone receptor.
• Testosterone binds to the testosterone receptor .
• There is no cross-reactivity.

Synthetic progesterone acts differently on the body:

• Progestins do not limit binding with just the progesterone receptor, but many other receptors as well.
• When a synthetic hormone binds to the wrong receptor, that receptor may convey inaccurate signals, which throws the body off balance.

Because synthetic hormones may bind to the wrong receptors, birth control pills may cause hormone imbalances and detrimental side effects. Not all women experience these problems, but for those that do side effects can be quite miserable.

+ Birth Control Withdrawal Supplement Protocol

+ Magnesium Magnesium deficiency is a major cause of menstrual cramping. Thus, magnesium supplementation can help relax muscles, ease cramping, and improve sleep. It also helps relieve constipation, allowing the GI tract to function better and help maintain normal estrogen levels. I like this brand.

+ Vitamin B Complex The birth control pill depletes B vitamins significantly, which impacts your energy, sleep, mood, fertility and weight.

+ A ProbioticAs mentioned earlier, birth control pills disrupt the normal gut flora and may even cause leaky gut. Healing the gut after being on the birth control pill will go a long way toward you feeling better in ALL areas of your life. This is by far my fave brand and you can use the code SOFRESH15 to get 15% off.

+ Di-indole Methane This is a compound naturally found in cruciferous vegetables. It supports the liver during detoxification to remove excess estrogen and also helps the liver clear out any artificial estrogens left over in the body from being on the pill. This helps your body start making its own natural estrogen again.

+ Vitex This herb inhibits prolactin, which helps the body begin ovulating again and can also help calm the nervous system. I recommend waiting at least three months after going off the pill to see if you start ovulating on your own first.

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Your Libido May Increase

Women may be surprised by their newfound sex drive. While taking birth control, you may have experienced discomfort during sexual activities, which leads to less interest in intimacy. Eliminating birth control can resolve discomforts such as vaginal dryness and improve low libido. Birth control pills can also alter your sex drive by levels. Testosterone is responsible for sexual desire, which means you could see a spike in libido once this hormone begins to re-emerge.

It Can Help With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Normally, a woman’s body releases at least one egg each cycle, but with polycystic ovary syndrome, those mature eggs aren’t released and instead stay in the ovaries, which can lead to infertility. Other symptoms of PCOS include irregular periods and excess body hair. Because hormone imbalances are at the root of this issue, contraceptives can help regulate your levels so your body releases eggs on time and sticks to a regular menstrual cycle.

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Something To Be Aware Of

Balancing your hormones increases your chance of pregnancy, compared to the pill.

Why?

Womens bodies are made to function a certain way when it comes to reproduction.

• Start our period
• The menstrual cycle starts over.

Estrogen increases after our period stops, falls, and progesterone rises as we ovulate, drops and then our period starts again.

This is the normal cycle, and promoteshealthy hormone levels and fertility.

When our hormones are out of balance , this cycle falls apart. We miss cycles altogether, gain/lose weight, emotions fluctuate, and we have labeled it PMS.

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Can Birth Control Help Pcos Weight Loss

Hormonal contraceptives can cause weight gain. However, scientists do not understand the mechanism behind this.

Combining hormonal birth control with metformin can help reduce body weight. People should contact a healthcare professional to discuss whether this combination of medication, alongside a nutritious and balanced diet, is suitable for their weight loss goals.

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How Does Birth Control Help To Treat Acne

A common cause of acne, especially present among teens, is an imbalance of androgens, a type of hormone found in both men and women, but some people may produce it in higher amounts. One side effect of this overproduction is an increase in sebum, a type of oil that your skin naturally produces. Excess sebum can clog pores which leads to acne.

Birth control, however, can help to regulate hormones, reducing androgen production and thereby decreasing the amount of sebum production, and acne as a result.

Functional Medicine Labs To Consider Post Birth Control

Although it is not required to have labs when discontinuing birth control, it could be a proactive way to optimize your health. Assessing hormones, nutrient status, and liver function are beneficial tests to monitor patients suffering from hormone imbalance symptoms, painful periods, absent periods, altered libido, or PMS.

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Can I Use Birth Control Pills If I Have Heavy Periods

Generally, yes. Birth control pills should not have an adverse effect on heavy periods and can help, as described above. However, when you initially have a heavy period, you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause. Your physician may advise you to alter the kind of birth control pill you are taking to help address the heavy period.

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Chances Of Pregnancy On Birth Control Patch

Birth control patches contain estrogen and progesterone, which are absorbed through the skin, where they have to be applied on a weekly basis. The most common birth control patch brands include Xulane® and Ortho Evra®.

With perfect use, a birth control patch is an effective contraception method . As such, the chances of getting pregnant on the patch are about 1%. Certain factors, such as obesity or current medications, might decrease their effectiveness, while increasing the odds of pregnancy to 9%.

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Number : Whats Normal For A Period On Birth Control

The UK National Health Service says that irregular bleeding, like bleeding between periods, is common when you first start to take hormonal contraception like birth control pills, the patch, or the shot (Depo-Proveraâ¢.

Here are some facts about bleeding irregularities when you take birth control pills:

• Overall, birth control pills should decrease how much you bleed.

• Irregular bleeding is a common side effect during the first 3 to 6 months of taking the pill. Itâs so common that 30-50% of women experience it.

• The good news is that irregular bleeding will lessen or go away with time, usually after 3 months, when only 10-30% of women experience unscheduled bleeding.

It may be helpful to describe what bothersome bleeding can look like when youâre on birth control:

• Unscheduled bleeding when youâre bleeding between periods or while taking active pills

Can I Take The Pill While Breastfeeding

The combination birth control pill contains estrogen, which can decrease milk production. If you are breastfeeding, your healthcare provider may recommend taking the progestin-only pill instead. However, some women may use estrogen-containing pills once milk supply is fully established, and a womans risk of blood clots is minimized.

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Things You Can Do Now To Optimize Fertilityeven If Youre Still On The Pill

If you suspect you may want a baby in the future, the answer isnât to just quit birth control immediately or live in fear of using the pill. Instead, schedule an appointment with your doctor to have a conversation about your specific situation and concerns and what the best course of action for you is at this time in your life.

Wherever you are on your journey with the pillwhether youâre still taking it or have recently stoppedyou can begin to implement the following steps to improve your fertility now. It takes 90 days for the egg you ovulate to mature, so what you do today can help your eggs in future cycles.

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Natural Ways To Balance Hormones Post Birth Control

Women opt to stop taking birth control for many reasons, whether they are trying to conceive, tired of taking a pill every day, balancing hormones, or for other personal reasons. Whatever the reason, we want to support you with all the evidence-based information so you know exactly what to expect.

This article will discuss changes and symptoms you may experience after the pill, beneficial lab testing to monitor hormones, and how you can support your body as hormones balance out.

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Will My Daughter Gain Weight From Taking Birth Control Pills

Its unlikely that your daughter will gain weight on the Pill. Research studies have not shown a connection between birth control pills and weight gain. Some teens gain weight, some lose weight, but most teens stay exactly the same weight when they are taking the birth control pill. Sometimes a young woman thinks she has gained 5-10 pounds, but when weight is actually measured, theres no change. If your daughter thinks she may have gained weight due to the Pill, she should see her health care provider and get her weight measured. Encourage your daughter to eat a healthy diet. Suggest that she eat 5-7 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, eat normal portion sizes, avoid fast foods and simple carbohydrates such as cookies, cake, sugary cereal, etc. Also, encourage her to be active and exercise or take part in an activity that she enjoys.

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Choosing Among Hormonal Contraceptives

A variety of hormonal contraceptive options are available by prescription. These differ in how often theyre administered and the ways they deliver hormones into the body. These include:

• Hormonal pills. A pill is taken orally each day.
• Hormone-releasing Intrauterine device . This tiny, T-shaped piece of plastic is inserted into the uterus. It can stay in place for three to seven years, depending on the type of IUD.
• Birth control patch. This is a sticker that delivers hormones through the skin. Its worn on the belly, upper outer arm, buttocks or back and is changed once a week.
• Depo-Provera shot. This shot is given as an injection into the muscle every three months. It generally requires a visit to a healthcare provider, who administers the shot.

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Birth Control Pills To Regulate Period And Acne

Dear Alice,

My doctor suggested to me that I start on birth control to regulate my menstrual cycle and also to help with my acne problem. I have gone to a dermatologist for four years and my face still breaks out. Do you think that I should try the birth control pill or would the side effects outweigh the benefits? I worry about the weight gain mostly.

Dear Reader,

Your decision about whether or not to take birth control pills is both a medical and a personal choice. It is important that you speak with a health care provider to voice your concerns and get all the facts. Yes, birth control pills can regulate periods, and some are effective in controlling acne. You may want to consider the following questions: What are the pros and cons of taking birth control pills? How long would you need to take the pill to get the desired effects? Could you try them out to see if you experience any positive or negative effect? Other factors to consider are your age, whether or not you are having sex, and whether or not you are a smoker.

Remember, you do not have to make a decision in a jiffy. Make sure that you communicate with your health care provider and get all the information you need in order to make a carefully caculated decision.

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You Can Get Pregnant Right Away When You Stop Taking The Pill

Many people on the pill want to have kids when the time is right. One of the great things about the birth control pill is you can get pregnant right after you stop taking it.

After you stop taking the pill, it can take a few months for your periods to return to the cycle you had before you started using it. Once in a while, people have irregular periods or no periods at all for a few months. This is more likely if your periods were irregular before you started taking the pill.

Even if your regular period doesnt come back right away, its still possible to get pregnant when youre not taking the pill. So if youre going off the pill but dont want to get pregnant, start using another birth control method right away.

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Reasons For A Missed Period On Birth Control

There can be a number of reasons that a person can miss a period while on hormonal birth control.

It is considered abnormal to go more than 90 days without a period unless a person is pregnant, going through menopause, or breastfeeding.

People may miss periods or they may stop getting a period entirely for a variety of reasons, including a change in birth control methods, stress, exercise, changes to diet, hormonal imbalances, and pregnancy.