Contraception & Crohns Disease

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starsparkle

starsparkle

Joined
Feb 12, 2010
Messages
40
I have been recently diagnosed with Crohns, though havent had a flare up in over a year now.

I was wondering if any female board members out there could tell me what they do for contraception? I was on the pill for 7 years which was fine for me but came off last year. I want to go back on the pill but know this might not be the most effective thing to use with Crohns but wondered if this is only the case during periods of flare up or if I would be ok (and pregnancy free) as long as I wasnt experiencing any symptoms of the Crohns????
 
Why wouldn't your pill be effective with Crohn's? Is it because you are on a antibiotic regime? I use it and a back-up and have no problems (then again, I am not on any meds right now) except for those caused by my endo.
 
When I began being ill I changed from the pill to the contraceptive injection as I was having lots of d and of course that makes the pill ineffective. It's worked really well for me. I go for a *** every three months and it's stopped my periods altogether so don't get any pmt problems etc
 
I use the mini pill, during a flare back up with condoms. I cant be doing with having periods + normal pain!!

I have migraines, so only option was mini pill (depo and implant were awful for me!)
 
I've never heard that d makes the pill ineffective....I was on it for YEARS while flaring with no 'accidents'.......however when I got out of the hosp after a flare, and didn't pay attention with the antibiotics....that is when we were blessed with....

<<<<<--------------HER!
 
Really? You're supposed to use other protection for 7 days after having any d or that's the case for all the different types of pill I've been on!
Congratulations on your daughter. She looks gorgeous!
I also get migraines but contraception does not seem affect this
 
My doctor told me my pill would be unaffected also... but just to be extra careful we double up if I am going to loo more than 10 times a day say.
 
I've never heard that about d making your pill ineffective either, although I guess it would make sense, if your body never actually absorbed the pill.
 
There was a young adult on here in the past and still on contact with her but she has a IUD on and has no periods or pains and that my friend is better than the pill! Just some help. Let us know what you decide..and good luck!
 
I've heard good things about the IUD too Jetta, but unfortunately you have to be a "candidate" to have one.

IUD Candidates

A good candidate for an IUD is:

an older woman with children, who is in

a stable, mutually monogamous sexual relationship, and who is

not planning additional pregnancies.

A bad candidate for an IUD is:

a young woman with no children, with

multiple sexual partners, with a history of PID in the past, who would like to have children at some time in the future.

Most women considering an IUD don't fit perfectly into either category, so some judgment must be used. Contraindications to IUD use include:

Known or suspected pregnancy

Known distortion of the uterine cavity

PID past or current

Pregnancy-related infection within the last 3 months

Known or suspected cervical cancer

Undiagnosed vaginal bleeding

Current cervicitis or vaginitis until effectively treated

Wilson's disease

Allergy to copper

Impaired immune system

Genital actinomycosis


From http://www.brooksidepress.org/Produ...nalmed/Manuals/enhanced/Contraception/iud.htm
 
I had been on the pill for over 10 years, but after I got ill I also became afraid that it wasn't being fully absorbed because of the amount of d I was having. So I did a little research and decided to switch to Nuva Ring (it was either the ring or the depo shot, and I had read that because the shot gives you all the homones at once, it can make some people a bit crazy - I didn't like that, so I decided on the ring).

I am not sure if the pill was affecting my symptoms, but I can tell you that I felt really good for about 3 days after coming off the pill and switching to the ring. The ring is supposed to be just as effective as the pill, I can't feel it when it's in (and neither can my husband) and it's really easy because I don't have to remember to take a pill each day. I've been on it for about 6 months now and I have no complaints.
 
Are you guys saying that when you have diarrhea that the pill is ineffective? I've had the ***** at least 3 times a week for since i was 16 and never got prego......hmmmm?
 
Diarrhoea definitely increases the chances of the pill not being effective. I think you will in the literature of the pill, if you are taking it, a warning about diarrhoea and the precautions you should take.

It was also something that worried me when Roo had her resection and subsequent short bowel syndrome, so I specifically asked about it. In her case she will always have to take double precautions if using an oral contraceptive.

Dusty. :)
 
I've been on the pill for over 14 years (after my diagnosis) and have never had a pregnancy and that's been my main and usually only form of contraception. I've even had intercourse while on antibiotics and I have frequent/constant diarrhea. I started out on Ortho Cyclen and am now on Ortho Tri Cyclen. I don't think its a bad idea to go back on the pill. Talk to your OBGYN about your concerns.
 
Thanks for all your replies everyone!

My crohns has been in remission for over a year now - only very occasional d, so I guess that going back on the pill will actually be fine. Going to call the Crohns nurse at the clinic Im with tomorrow to double check but you have definetly all put my mind at rest about this. Thanks!! xxx
 
Ok I was told by my gyno that the pill can become uneffective if you have crohn's disease. The pill is absorbed by a certain part of the digestive tract and if that part is inflammed or scarred it won't absorb properly.

This is why I'm on the Nuva ring. I've been using it for almost 3 years and its been good to me.
 
When I found out I had Crohn's I had to figure out what contraceptive to take. I had heard about the pill being ineffective (I was on Seasonique before diagnosis) and wanted to know what my options were.

I had tried the Nuva Ring before, but could never get it to stay in properly and the shot was not an option for me due to many worries about osteoporosis. My new gyno agreed about the possibility of the pill not being as effective and if I chose that option would need to use condoms on top of it. I ended up trying out the patch and have had no problems with it whatsoever. It's been about 5 months now.

I've heard many women on the boards say they hadn't heard of the pill being ineffective or they had been taking it on its own for years and never got pregnant. For me, I'm in absolutely no financial position to think about children, so even if there was only a slight chance of it becoming pregnant I wasn't willing to risk it.
 
I am on the pill and do not use any back up. I have had 2 pregnancies and they were both planned. Neither my GI or OB has said anything about pill not being as effective.
 
bushydougie said:
Really? You're supposed to use other protection for 7 days after having any d or that's the case for all the different types of pill I've been on!
Congratulations on your daughter. She looks gorgeous!
I also get migraines but contraception does not seem affect this
Click to expand...



I have never heard of using other protection before. I've used the birth control patch for the last 7 years and have not had any pregnancies. If I had to use extra protection for 7 days after any D I would have been pregnant years ago, so I always have D.
 
My doctor gave me the contraceptive patch because the pill could be messed up if the Crohns was bad and the d. The injections made me have a slight bleed all the time, so the patch was the other option apart fron IUD which he didnt want to do.
Not may people know about it, and it doesnt get offered actively to patients. Its worked good for me so far.
 
I've had Cd since before my periods started.
I am on Depo-Prevara. I get a shot every three months at the GYN's.
And the best part is NO MORE PERIOD!!!!!!!
I get terrible flares ups right before, and during my period.
My Gi and GYN both thought this was a good way to help control them.
Even though it's pointless...my hubby got snipped last year!!!! LOL
 
I just got the Depo shot last week with my CD.. I heard it can help with weight gain? Is this true? It doesn't affect our tummies do it? I was told by my doctor that gave it to me thought it was a good decision being that I have severe chronic cramps and + flare ups on my cycle (YIKES!!!) Anyone on DEPO? =/ I used to be a size 7/8 now I'm a 3 =( I am trying to gain my weight back I feel so small.... Can't fit anything anymore
 

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