His and Her Health

What BC pill has the least side effects, and the lowest dose of hormones possible. I am 30, 5'4" 120lbs, I am healthy. I have taken Levlen, Allese, Orthotrycylin, and I gained a lot of weight from taking them. I want a pill that doesn't make me gain weight. I have heard about Yasmin, but I'm not sure of the hormonal dosage level. <BR>Any suggestions would be helpful.<P><p>[This message has been edited by Jennifer42474 (edited 17 April 2004).]

Okay:<BR>The data shows pretty clearly that if a woman gains more than a few pounds (5) while on the pill, it's not the pill! This would suggest there are other things causing weight gain- like perhaps a twinkie or two? This is excluding the water weight a woman might gain for the first month or two while on a new pill.<BR>Since you asked a specific question, the lowest dose pills have 20mcg of estrogen- like LoEstrin1/20, but they have never been shown to cause less weight gain than the others. Actually, the difference in side effects is likely a function of how each woman's body interacts with each pill, and can't be predicted in advance.<BR>Yasmin has a unique progestin (the other female hormone), and may actually lead to weight loss. It is not uncommon for women to lose weight on other pills as well.<BR>Pretty complicated, isn't it? See you doctor if you don't know what to do- and exercise more/eat less!<P>Good luck!<P>------------------<BR>Supportive Guy

As far as I know, and from my experience ALESSE is on eof the lowest dosage on the market (it's infact the lowest you can find in Canada). I am very happy with it - I have no side effects - except for having a much lighter period. And I can't complain about that!

Birth control having the lowest hormonal amounts are *non-oral* forms of estrogen (and or progesterone) ie patches.<P>It is incomprehensible to me why the gyn community continues to advocate and dispense oral hormones to women, both for birth control and for HRT. <BR>Taken by mouth, about 75% or more of hormones is destroyed by the digestive system, thus far larger amounts of hormones must be given in hopes that the small amount actually needed will survive. The other 75% is doing god-only-knows-what damage to our livers and other organs.<P>I'm amazed that oral contraceptives pills actually work, because the lower dose in oral HRT pills most certainly does not. <P>Ask your gyn for a birth control patch or other non-oral delivery system. The efficacy and safety are both higher. <BR>(Although this will probably not make the weight gain problem go away, I'm afraid.)