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healthynow

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Jul 4, 2012
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Hi Everyone
I just want to put it out there, I have had crohns for 16yrs, diagnosed at 27. I have taken prednisone on and off for 16 yrs have been on remicade and numerous other medications that was ok for a while then I had to stop and was recently started on another medication July last year 2011 and that still was not working by Dec 2011 I had been on the contraceptive pill since i was 16 (now 42). Dec i was looking for a new pill for my daughter and was reading the contraindications of the pill i had been on all this time and it said "Cronhs and Ulcerative colits could be a side effect. Light bulb moment I wnet off the pill and within 1 week thaer was a small change in my crohns, within 1 month back to normal and feeling good, i was still taking the medication but has since weened my self off it and it has now been 7 months and I feel like the person i was before i had crohns no chnage in my bowel habit at all, not getting much support from Dr's in regards to this. So to all the women out there if u are on the pill just try going off it for a while and see if it works for you, i just feel this is a major breakthrugh that is never told to women, what the harm in trying to go off the pill, just practise safe sex for a while. I am no longer on anything for my crohns and haven't been for 6 mths. Please someone pay attention to this
 
Hi healthynow,

It's good to hear that you are doing much better now. Studies have shown that a small percetage of women do achieve remission when they stop using the contraceptive pill and it sure sounds like you are one of them! :)

Tell your doctor if TRIQUILAR ED is used in the presence of any of the conditions listed below or they appear for the first time or recur or worsen during treatment, you may need to be kept under close observation. Your doctor can explain this to you. You should tell your doctor if:

you smoke
you have diabetes
you are overweight
you have high blood pressure
you have a heart valve disorder or a certain heart rhythm disorder
you have an inflammation of your veins (superficial phlebitis)
you have varicose veins
anyone in your immediate family has had thrombosis, a heart attack or a stroke
you suffer from headaches
you suffer from epilepsy
anyone in your immediate family has had breast cancer
you have liver, kidney or gallbladder disease
you have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (chronic inflammatory bowel disease)
you have systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE; a disease affecting the skin all over the body)
you have haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS; a disorder of blood coagulation causing failure of the kidneys)
you have sickle cell disease
you have or have had chloasma (yellowish-brown pigmentation patches on the skin, particularly of the face); if so, avoid too much exposure to the sun or ultraviolet radiation
Click to expand...

Whether the Pill causes Crohn's is a very grey area. There was an early study that pointed to that but that has since been largely discarded. Of course there is always the argument that men and children and women that have never taken the pill still contract it. I wonder if much of the warning re side effects above has do with the possible absorption issues that may render it ineffective...

http://ibdcrohns.about.com/od/pregnancyibd/f/Does-The-Pill-Cause-IBD.htm

Good luck! I hope your remission last a very long time! :)

Dusty. xxx
 
Hi HealthyNow, I found a very recent article which is very similar to what you were saying. Thanks so much for sharing this valuable information. :)

Birth Control Pills, HRT Tied to Digestive Ills

Researchers found apparent connections between estrogen treatments and Crohn's disease, colitis

May 21, 2012

By Kathleen Doheny
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- The use of oral contraceptives by younger women or hormone therapy by older women may be linked with inflammatory bowel disease, new research indicates.

Birth control pills are associated with a higher risk for Crohn's disease, said researcher Dr. Hamed Khalili, a clinical and research fellow of gastroenterology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Crohn's causes inflammation of the lining and wall of the large or small intestine, or both. The lining can become so inflamed it bleeds.

Hormone replacement therapy taken by some women after menopause is linked with ulcerative colitis, the study found. It is a disease of the colon (large intestine) or rectum. It causes diarrhea, abdominal cramping and rectal bleeding.

Khalili presented the findings Sunday at the Digestive Disease Week meeting, in San Diego.

Of the two links they found, Khalili said, the association with birth control pills and Crohn's is the most relevant to patients.

That is especially true, he said, for long-term users. "If you took oral contraceptives for more than five years, you have a threefold increased risk of Crohn's disease," he said.

For the study in younger women, Khalili and his colleagues looked at about 233,000 women enrolled in the large U.S. Nurses Health Studies I and II.

He looked at data from the beginning of the first study, 1976, through 2008. He found 309 cases of Crohn's disease and 362 of ulcerative colitis.

He compared those who never used birth control pills to those who did. Current users had a nearly three times greater risk of Crohn's disease. Those who used birth control pills had no increased risk of getting ulcerative colitis compared with never-users.

In the second study, he looked at the data from nearly 109,000 women past menopause. They were enrolled in the Nurses Health Study that began in 1976.

He followed them through 2008. He found 138 cases of Crohn's disease and 138 of ulcerative colitis.

Those on hormone therapy had a 1.7 times higher risk of ulcerative colitis, compared to never-users. No link was found with Crohn's disease.

While the studies uncovered an association between the hormone-based therapies and digestive problems, it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

Still, how to explain the apparent connections? "We probably don't have a clear mechanism," Khalili said.

In animal studies, he said, researchers have found that the colon is more vulnerable to inflammation when estrogen is given. It changes the permeability of the colon, he explained.

The link is probably of more concern in younger women, said Dr. David Bernstein, a gastroenterologist and chief of hepatology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y.

In the study of older women, "the risk may be present, but it seems to be quite small," he said. The link appears stronger, he said, for oral contraceptive use and Crohn's disease.

Older women on hormone therapy probably do not need to be concerned, Bernstein said. More research may clarify that link.

However, "younger women on oral contraceptives need to be told that there is an increased risk," he added.

Khalili agreed. He said women on birth control pills who have a strong family history of IBD should especially be made aware of the research finding a link. A link is not a cause-and-effect relationship, but simply an association.

Still, he said, they should be aware, in case they want to pick another form of birth control.

Digestive Disease Week is jointly sponsored by four societies: the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, the American Gastroenterological Association Institute, the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

A co-author on both studies reports consulting work for Pfizer, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Bayer AG.

Because this research was presented at a medical meeting, the data and conclusions should be viewed as preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

More information

To learn more about inflammatory bowel disease, visit the American Gastroenterological Association..

------
another article of the same caliber...this time on a government site

http://healthfinder.gov/newsletters/women061112.aspx#664939


What’s The Connection?
So just how does the pill inflame the bowel? Well, we know that the contraceptive pill brings with it a risk of clots in the blood vessels inside the body. It’s therefore possible that the pill diminishes the blood supply to the intestines which can cause damage resulting in inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s. Moreover, a very small number of Crohn’s patients have found that their condition cleared up completely when they stopped taking the birth control pill.

Another site that explains IBD and the serious side effects of the Pill

http://www.crohns.org.uk/Docs/5/The oral contraceptive pill and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.html
 
Last edited:
Hiya! My doctor took me off the pill when I was diagnosed because of two reasons. One because she was worried I was not absorbing it and would get pregnant and two because it can cause bowel issues... I know that my Crohn's was developing prior to going on the pill so I am not one of those coming off sorts it but its definitely and interesting issue. My doctor suggested a Mirena instead which I am not sure if I am happy with or not however it does the job :)
 
I'm glad you've found something to help with your IBD.

On the flip side, I have seen on the forum some women find controlling their periods with the Pill improves their CD symptoms. And of course there is the "mini-pill" now which is safer for any high risk patient such as IBD, smoker, overweight etc because the increased risk of blood clots is minimal, if present at all.

Anyone thinking of going on the Pill should take advice from a GI and a Gynae, and consider all the risks fully. Instead of taking it blindly or buying into the idea that it is mega-evil.

If only there was a one-size fits all approach!
 
Excellent that you found relief!

However, on contraceptive, off contraceptive, before hysterectomy/oophorectomy and after hysterectomy/oophorectomy did not make any difference for me.
 
Interesting info! I've been on the pill for 17 years (over half my life), minus 2-3 years while we were TTC. It helps control my endometriosis, plus I take it continuously so I never have a period, which helps the Crohn's. I don't think I'm willing to come off it to see what happens. I could end up with a flare-up of the endo, which would require surgery again.
 
You have my sympathies, Stephanie. My endo wouldn't respond to anything, so had hysto/oophor at age 22.
 
When I have my period my whole gut is a mess. It is awful. The pain is like unbelievable. I was told by my gyne that I likely have endo, but I am not running in to do no lap that is for sure. I have severely painful periods. The first two days are the worst as far as pain goes. I will not go on BC pills. Anyone who has an inflammatory issues is three times as likely to get a blood clot. I was told this by a doctor I was seeing. She did a blood test and it showed high levels of fibrinigens in my blood( meaning that my blood was thicker due to all the inflammation in my body). When you have a chronic inflammatory issue your blood gets thicker due to all the fibrins in your blood cells being sent out to constantly fight the inflammation going on throughout your body, this makes your blood like sludge increasing the risk of clots.

I would love to be able to get rid of my period! I am 37 years old and have ways to go before menopause, so this sucks! BC pills can be very dangerous. I personally know of 2 people who have had blood clots and both were on the pill. The one lady I know she had a pulmonary embolism. She is ok now, but can no longer take any sort of BC pills. The other girl, well it is really a sad story. She is only 19 and she had a massive clot in the brain and has been in rehab for the last couple months. The doctors are saying she will never be able to live a normal life on her own as the stroke messed up the whole side of her brain. The doctors will not say what caused this, but she was a normal healthy girl, but she was on the pill. Scary stuff.

This is why I am scared to go on the Pill. But I sure would love to get rid of this period. It makes me so miserable and makes my intestines and whole gut so sick. I dread every three weeks!!
 
Another flip side - and I'm sure there are other bits of the diagnostic "puzzle" we collectively don't know yet..
I'm an "older age Crohn's onset"" person. First symptoms at age 50 roughly coincided with menopause for me. I wonder if the 2nd peak in Crohn's incidence may be influenced by the decline in oestrogen/progesterone as we get older? Is it something to do with hormone balance that triggers an underlying genetic predisposition it IBD?
Certainly I feel generally better with a bit of topical oestrogen replacement (haven't tried oral..), entirely subjective, plus enhanced wellbeing with regular Vit D and daily probiotics
Wouldn't pass a controlled clinical trial in any way -"soft science", as my GE would say!


HD
 
Ironically, my period just showed up, for the first time in 2-3 years. Apparently, I forgot to put my birth control in my pill box when I filled it last weekend. Ugh. I've been having more cramps than normal, but I chalked it up to the Crohn's. LOL
 
I was diagnosed with Crohn's looooong before I started the pill. I've never had a side effect, and I've gone on and off it before and never notice any differences one way or the other.
I don't understand why there is so much birth control bashing on this site. It's little ridiculous. I mean come on, if you survey a whole bunch of women with IBD, of course a fair amount of them will be on the pill. A fair amount of ALL women are on the pill. If you do any survey with women, lots of em are gonna be on birth control. Correlation does not prove causation and I am not buying this.
Of course, any medication you take can interact with you in different ways. Everyone is different. I'm really glad you feel well and are off it.
But I cannot believe that it GIVES people Crohns. Perhaps for some it can interact with your IBD symptoms, which is why they advise you to speak with your doctor. But it's a big stretch to say it causes IBD. There are medicines out there that have been proven to do so, Accutane is just one example, but birth control is not one of them.
 
I am so happy that this seems to have helped you and it is a good point to mention as it could work for others as well but as many of the above posters mentioned it wouldnt work or really is not associated with many people's onset (awkward sentence...). For example my crohns came on quickly when I was 8, ending up with a full colectomy less than a year later and I like many others had mini flare ups monthly with my cycle....so while it could definitely be a piece of the puzzle I don't think that it is a major one.

I hope you continue with your improved health =)

Kat
 
Thanks everyone for your posts and different opinions, different strokes for different folkes. I understand that what works for some may not for others, i am in a bit of a conundrum as my 15 year old had a laparoscopy to investigate her severe pain with her periods and was found to have endometriosis and she should go on the pill to control this except she was on the pill previously for about 1 1/2 years to control her periods and pain, the Dr said it was a suprise she had it so young and was 1st for her. I am not saying that the pill causes crohns i just think it can exacerbate it. I was never informed of a connection and me being on the pill was never considered even though it was the only medication I was on when diagnosed with crohns, so not a lot for a Dr to consider at the time. As for bashing the pill thats not what i was doing, i was was trying to inform people about my experience and if it works for some it may work for others, word of mouth is a wonderful thing because i wish someone had told me, i may not have had to take toxic drugs that stuff with other things in your body, just before i stopped taking humira i was starting to develop Lupus, my hair was falling out and had a terrible rash across my face so if i could have done without taking prednisone,remicade, methotrexate, humira over the past 16years, not to mention u cant have anymore children while on these medications. This is a forum and that is what i was using it for to just get the word out, some may have success, and I totally understand for those who dont because it can be such a debiltating disease. I wish good health for everyone :)
 
healthynow, I can see your point in all this and it is good to share your experiences. I for one will agree 100% that ANY type of medication can cause a number of different health issues, I mean come on, look at all the advertisements on TV about lawsuits due to drug reactions. BC Pills mess with the hormnes and hormones control alot of what goes on in the body, so yes, I do believe that they can possibly set someone up for crohns or any number of health issues. I mean ALOT of women end up DVT and other issues from BC pills. But there are alot of women who are fine on them. My SIL has been on the pill for years now to control her endometriosis. She is fine with them. Then again I know of a young 19 year old woman who was a healthy woman and was on the pill and had a massive blood clot in the brain and will never be right again. It just all depends on our bodies. I would LOOOVE to take a pill to make my period go away. I likely have endo( my gyne thinks I do), and I get all the severe pain with my period but I am too afraid to take the pill. Like I said, I was told that anyone who is suffering a chronic disease that causes inflammation is at a three-fold higher risk for getting blood clots if they take BC pills. I am not taking that chance myself. I wish there was something else I could do to help with the pain I get when I have my period. It does suck. In the end we all have to make our own decisions. As far as drugs causing diseases. Well in my opinion, ANY drug can cause a disease or adverse effect. They are all poision to the body so anything can happen. Drugs are like the blessing and the curse it seems. They are very helpful for certain things, but usually at a price(side effects).
 
Hi, yes life is certainly complicated, just when u think u have it bad there is always someone who has it worse and then u are thankful for your life and that it is not so bad. Yep medications are a wonderful thing, it has felt sometimes they have saved my life and taken away the pain but there is always a cost somewhere else, i really hope above all else they do find something for crohns and the cause so many people have it and continue to be diagnosed. What is the link? ARRRRRGGGH
Ihurt have u thought of having a lapaaroscopy and having your endo diathermied as my daughter who is 15 had that done and is pain free for now with her periods (when she gets them now, which is few and far between) the DR said it(the endo)
will come back but she may 4 yrs out of it.

Cheers
Healthy :)
 
Hi healthynow,

my gyne did not think I should do a lap at this point. I have so many other health issues going on she thinks it would just aggravate things. She did tell me that even if they found endo, they would excise it ( burn it out) and it would get rid of it, but then she said I would have to be put into menopause permanantly other wise it would be back and likely worse than before within a year. I have had painful periods since day one.The pain is really bad the first two days. It just seems like things have gotten WAY worse, especially with the intestinal issues that seem to make the pain even worse.

I agree, I wish they would find a cure for these horris issues we deal with, it just makes life so hard to live sometimes...
 
I have been on the pill for two years and after the first year have been diagnosed with Crohns. I am still on the pill and seriously considering going off them. For the past 3 months 2 days prior to ending the pills for the cycle before starting the placebo pills I have severe stomach pain. It's a contraction like pain so severe that I could easily go to the hospital. Upon reading the research from Dr. Khalil that was posted I am defiant sly going off the pill to see if I continue to have this pain.
 
Hi Mbelle
I hope you get the result I have had. An update I am still Crohn's free and medication free for arond 3 yrs now, the only thing that gives me a bit of grief is when I go on antibiotics but just take a probiotic and that helps, but I rarely go on an antibiotic any way..I really really do hope it works for you :thumright::dusty:
Oh and as I'm 45 now and was not planning on more children I have a tubal ligation about 2 yrs +ago for contraception
 

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