His and Her Health

I am new here, and I have a problem I'm hoping someone can help me out with. I was on ortho tri-cyclen for 6 years, and decided to get pg. I got pg and then breastfed for a year. When I went back on the bcp, I noticed that I am nauseated all of the time, my stomach aches, I am tired and have a low desire for sex. And with just generally not feeling good all of the time who really wants to have sex? I guess I never really noticed these things before because I seemed to always be on bcp. I just thought it was me until I was off of them for so long. I am wondering if there is a bcp that will not have alot of these side effects. Has anyone taken a bcp that does not lower your sex drive? What is it in the pill that lowers your sex drive the estrogen or the progestin?

As we age and change ( you have given birth) our bodies react in different ways than they did to the same drugs that might not have botherted us before. The whole BC thing is very complex and I certainly can't tell you what is best for you. I can say that Ortho tri cyclen (sp) is supposed to clear up your skin and it does that by stimulating your liver to produce Sex Hormone Binding Globulins (SHBGs) they go around binding up excess Estrogens (in the pill)BUT also bind up your bodies own TESTOSTERONE (which can cause oily skin) thereby fixing your skin But killing your libido. I did find one reference that suggests that EXCESS estrogen in some pills can cause nausea. there are some new BC alternatives, a vaginal RING and a weekly skin patch, these may relieve side effects because they [side effects] are triggered by the ORAL injestion of these synthetic hormones. Since you have given birth you also might consider an IUD. You need to talk over these alternatives with you physician.<p>[This message has been edited by the siren (edited 13 August 2002).]