Question about the oral contraceptive pill and Crohn's

[mascarim]

Okay so I've been doing tons of research and seeing so many conflicting stories about if the pill is reliable to use when you have Crohn's or not. Even just having diarrhea while on the pill seems to be confusing. I have talked to doctors and pharmacists who both said diarrhea shouldn't be a problem, yet other places say it is. I have talked to my OBGYN and she didn't think I'd have an issue since I have no spotting or any signs the pill is not working, and my GI has never warned me about anything either. I have been taking Tri-Sprintec for my BCP for going on 3 years now. I have never had any issues....no spotting and my period comes for the most part on the same day each month. The few articles I have read saying that having Crohn's could take down the efficacy of the pill worries me still! I did have a resection surgery of my ileum but it was less than 6 inches removed, I think they said about 4. Now, I am pretty lucky as a don't have constant diarrhea. My stool has been a whole roller coaster between slight diarrhea or constipation, but I think the most I have ever gone in one day would be 4 times tops. If that's the case and I don't have any signs of the pill not working no spotting, consistent period and of course no unplanned pregnancies... would this mean for me the pill is probably working and being digested/absorbed as it should? :sign0085: I just get such bad anxiety over stuff like this!

 

[Orchid]

Most water-soluble small molecules are absorbed in the jejunum, as long as your particular drug is water-soluble you should be fine.

 

[mascarim]

Do you know if most birth control pills considered to be water soluble?

 

[mascarim]

I guess part of my concern would be the mild diarrhea I have been having (which is by no means severe at all, it is fluffy but there are also some formed parts as well. It's actually a bit weird I've noticed pieces of fluffy stool surrounding what seems to be a completely normal stool) but if the diarrhea I'm having is occurring 4+ hours after taking the pill, is it safe to assume the pill would have been absorbed before the mild diarrhea is happening?

 

[Orchid]

Yes. If you're that worried I'm sure your GYN can run a bloodtest for it's active metabolites.

 

[Snickerdoodle]

I've been taking lo ovral as birth control for the past 6 years without any issues...And I have much worse diarrhea than you were describing. Then again, I'm not 20 anymore. I am married tho and we have sex regularly, so I'd count myself as a fairly reliable example that birth control works for a Crohns patient with active disease, but you never know. As an old lady, I'd always recommend using a barrier method to protect from an unplanned pregnancy or std.