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Birth control pills
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Side effects of birth control pills
Originally Published: February 04, 1994
~ Last Updated / Reviewed on: September 22, 2004
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Dear Alice,
My roommate is on the pill now, and she seems to be having some unpleasant symptoms: bleeding, decreased appetite, etc. I've heard some awful stories about what this form of contraception can do to young women. Should I advise her to see a doctor? Thanks, Dear Worried, Listen, for pressing medical concerns such as this, Columbia students should either go to Health Services or call Primary Care Medical Services at x4-7426 during regular business hours. After hours, the Clinician-on-Call is available at x4-9797. You should not be waiting for an answer from Alice. The way the pill works is that it enters your bloodstream, travels through your body and affects your tissues and organs, just as natural estrogens and progesterone do. The hormones in the pill, however, are synthetic and can have exaggerated side effects on some women. Some of the more common effects are the two you noted, breakthrough bleeding and decreased appetite. As far as the breakthrough bleeding, it usually happens during the first or second pill cycle and often clears up after that, as your uterus gets used to the new levels of hormones in your body. If breakthrough bleeding doesn't stop after a few months, see a practitioner to find out whether you need to try a different brand or whether you may have another problem. Breakthrough bleeding does not mean that the pill isn't working as a contraceptive. Nausea is a common early negative effect of the pill, as the estrogen in the pill may irritate the stomach lining. Nausea usually goes away after three months; antacid tablets or taking the pill with dinner usually gives relief. Again, if this symptom persists, seeing a practitioner and switching to a pill with twenty micrograms of estrogen might offer relief from the nausea and decreased appetite. Other common side effects of the pill are headaches, depression, change in intensity of sexual desire and response, vaginitis and vaginal discharge, urinary tract infection, changes in menstrual flow, breast changes, skin problems, gum inflammation, it can aggravate asthma, and increase your incidence of contracting viral illnesses. All of these are common side effects, which means not to be alarmed, but to discuss them with your practitioner to see what changes can be made to reduce the discomfort. Any problem lasting more than two or three cycles should be reported to a health practitioner. The following are symptoms of serious problems: severe pain or swelling in the legs (thigh or calf), bad headache, dizziness, weakness, numbness, blurred vision (or loss of sight), speech problems, chest pain or shortness of breath, abdominal pain. Report these immediately; they mean you should stop taking the pill. Please have your roommate discuss her particular concerns with a practitioner in Primary Care Medical Services. Call x4-7426 for an appointment, or bring a book and just walk-in (4th floor of John Jay Hall).
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