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Hi Ladies,

I am 22 years old and just started birth control last April/May because I started getting my period twice a month. My obgyn put me on a low dosage of Lo Loestrin Fe. I had a visit with my obyn yesterday because I've been having issues with my period again and I want to have it changed since it is no longer effective and I think it is impacting my blood work that my GI doctor has been ordering.

I started feeling sick right before going to my fall semester of school and emailed my GI doctor instead of calling her. She never received it and since it wasn't completely urgent so I waited until October to email her again. I was feeling sick and it was hard for me to bring myself to eat. My GI doctor called me finally and had me come in for an evaluation. I had stool samples collected and blood work done. My blood work came back abnormal for my lipase which was almost at 300 but I wasn't experiencing symptoms of pancreatis and I read online that birth control can have an affect on lipase levels but she just thought it was pancreatis and told me to avoid alcohol (which I only drink occasionally). When my stool studies came back, I was positive for C-Diff and she put me on flagyl and cipro (i hate flagyl so much). Besides the cold I recieved from my weakened immune system, I was feeling better after my course of antibiotics. I'm finally going in for my endoscopy and pouchoscopy on Thursday to see if there is anything else going on in my body. It is my first time having a pouchoscopy since I had my surgery in June 2011.

In October and November I missed both of my periods and I randomly got it last week when I wasn't supposed to have it. I went in to see my Obgyn yesterday since it is no longer correctly regulating my period. I gave her a copy of my most recent bloodwork. She said the only way we can know if its my birth control affecting my blood levels is by coming off birth control for the next three months. She tried pushing me towards the alternate options of an IUD which I have been always been very skeptical of and especially now that I have a jpouch. One option she gave me was Skyla which is inserted by her and provides you with 3 years of BC and lighter periods. As I was reading the pamphlet it says people who are prone to infections and weakened immune systems shouldn't take it which was a red flag to me. The second option was nuvaring which I would have to insert and remove every month. My problem with this is that after my pouch surgery everything is so tight and it hurts sometimes to even put a tampon in. I don't think I would be able to handle doing this and I suffer from bartholin cysts every now and then which are painful as well. I don't think she is very familiar with jpouch patients and I think I might look into finding somebody who works with patients like us.

I would rather just go back on the pill after my 3 months are up but on a different one since it is the least invasive. Are there pills that any of you suggest and what are your thoughts on IUDs and having a jpouch?

Any advice at all would be helpful!

Thank you!
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I've used very few birth control in my lifetime.

My hubby and I just used condoms for YEARS. We started dating in 1990. Crazy, but that's all we used from 1990-1998.

I took some pill for around 2 years before I went off it and got pregnant in 2001. I was 30. Whatever it was, it worked ok, but I've always been very regular.

Tried the Mirena. It's the hormone laced IUD. For some reason, I was VERY sensitive to its hormones. I'd have panic attacks out of the blue after it. Hated it, had it in very short period of time. A friend had it, and loved it.

Tried the copper IUD. I'd bleed for 2 WEEKS, and became iron deficient with it. Had it about a year and a half or so, we kept hoping it'd settle, but nope. Out it came.

Did nothing for awhile, but my Mittleschmirtz (ovulation pain) is HORRENDOUS the older I get. I'm on Altavera or other name Nordette, and like it well enough. Hate being on hormones, but omg. That mid-month pain KILLS me now.
My gynecologist has said absolutely no IUD for me because of my surgical history. Not that it's super dangerous or anything, but she thinks it's an unnecessary risk when there are other options available.

I take Seasonique and have no problems with it, and best of all only have to deal with a few periods per year. I hope this helps!
Marls,
Its been years but I still remember my OBS-Gyn refusing me an IUD due to my conditon, my pouch and the dangers (please understand that this was over 20yrs ago) related to it.
I was told to avoid it due to a cystic tendancy as well and very irregular periods and cycles.
I couldn't take the pill either so I was stuck with mechanical opitions like the cap, condoms etc.
Sharon
I'm not sure the reason you would not be able to have an IUD after pouch surgery, or what risk to the pouch it'd be? Especially if you're a woman with a benign gynecological history like I am/was. It sits in your cervix, no where near the pouch.

I know IUDs for women who have never been pregnant are sometimes harder to place, or more painful to place, but a cervix after a baby is different. But again, what exact reason would they give to not let someone with a J pouch have one? I had no issue but for unwanted side effects of the creatures themselves. They didn't affect my bowels at all.

Of course, all foreign placed things have their own risks, obviously, but I am not sure the direct issue b/w pouch and IUD?
Last edited by rachelraven
I used triphasil BC pills post pouch for about 19 years, with no trouble, although I was not on any UC immunosuppressive drugs at he time. Come to think of it, it was right after I went off 19 years of BC pills that I developed chronic pouhitis-ai never realized that before.

My 39yo Totally done having children just got pregnant with a Mirena in. Doc says it must have slipped. I wonder if your gyn, worried that your anatomy is "different" is worried about this? I have NO idea if this is a valid concern, but I have had many a gyn unsure of how to examine me simply because they have minimal experinice/exposure to pouches. Would be great if you could find a gyn and a GI willing to discuss this together so you can avoid trial and error or unneccisarily avoiding options which would otherwise be good choices for you,

Good luck-

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