# can i take the pill?



## 23298 (Mar 20, 2006)

hey,just wondering how any one gets on taking the pill with D? really want to go on some birth control but wasn't sure if the pill would still work? Also worried about how the pill might upset my bowels, cos their doing pretty good at the moment and don't really want to chance taking anything that might upset them. Can anyone recomend anything? I asked my specialist, but he seemed really surprised at my question? don't think any one had every asked him about it before, and he just told me to ask at the family planning clinic. But not sure if they'd be any help, except suggesting i get the injections or implant. ( i might consider them, but just wanted to test how my body reacted to the pills first, cos if i have a bad reation to the injection or implant, i'm stuck waiting for the effects to go away!!) Kirsty


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

This is a your mileage may vary sort of problem. Overall we have all groups of people here. Those that see no difference on the pill, those that find the hormones make their IBS worse, and those that find the pill makes their IBS much better.I can't predict which category you will be in. Some woman find their period really effects their IBS without any hormones added and I don't know if even that predicts who does better or worse. Even woman who do not have IBS sometimes have more GI symptoms (of all kinds both diarrhea and constipation depending on the woman) around their period.Since IBS diarrhea seems to be a colon issue and not a small intestine absorption issue usually there is not a problem with not absorbing the pill enough for it to be effective (if you have gastroenteritis that kind of diarrhe may flush you out so fast you can't get all the hormones in the body). Basically if when you eat enough calories to maintain your weight and you do you don't have to worry about the diarrhea messing with absorption, and this is the case for IBSers.One measure that might make sense is the patch. If it bothers you, you can remove it easily (unlike implants or shots), but you don't have to worry about it going through your body too fast at all.K.


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## 20691 (May 7, 2006)

I started taking the pill a while back and whilst this hasn't worsened my symptoms, my GP did say that if I have a particularly bad flare up then I should use barrier protection as well. I guess it could just go straight through you. But I think vomitting is than diarrhoea. I guess it's better to be safe than sorry!


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## 23682 (Jun 24, 2005)

I've been on the pill for about 4 years and I don't really notice any difference in my IBS. There was one small thing I did notice...I guess when it was ovulation time I would get awful pains/cramps with like a tightness feeling I don't think I get that as much I think I've only had it once since i've been on the pill.


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## 18107 (Jul 31, 2006)

HI! I went on the pill (ortho tri) 5 months ago and began having IBS symptoms. I haven't been diagnosed yet but it has been 5 months of HELL!!! i went off the pill last week and am waiting (fingers crossed) to see if the IBS goes away. i guess BC affects everyone differently! i've been on it before and never had this experience? still not sure if the BC is the cause on my IBS but i would rather be safe than sorry!


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## 15758 (Feb 27, 2006)

When I was on the pill, my IBS symptoms were better. It didn't go away, but it almost eliminated cramping and diarrhea during my period, plus the other three weeks I had fewer episodes of constipation/diarrhea.


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## TammyJ (Aug 29, 2006)

i i take the pill and havent had any problems i find the pain killers the doctor prescribed helps with my period pains. my ibs gets a little worse around about when i get my period but i think thats because i hate having it and i worry.


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