Side effects of OCP for treating irregular periods?
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Hello, I am 25 years old lady. I am unmarried. I am facing issue with irregular menstrual cycle. It’s been three months that I am not getting periods. But once I get my periods, the flow rate becomes very high, my blood pressure level goes down. I feel sick. I went to see a doctor. I have done USG imaging also. There I was prescribed some oral contraceptive pills. Honestly I don’t want to take them to regularize my medicines. I learnt from my friends that these medicines are not good for health and presents lot of side effects. I would like to know about the side effects of OCP. Please comment.
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@tathoi Some women will need medication and lifestyle changes to make the periods regular. These medications include: a combined oral contraceptive, progesterone, which stimulates the uterus and induces bleeding, hormonal implants, vaginal contraceptive rings, and intra-uterine devices containing progesterone. It is important to discuss the options with your doctor and work together to choose the method of hormonal contraception that is right for you. The oestrogen and progesterone in hormonal contraception act to override the body’s control of the menstrual cycle and ovulation. The oral contraceptive pill works by ‘switching off the ovaries’. This means that when a woman takes the contraceptive pill, her production of hormones such as testosterone is greatly reduced. The oral contraceptive pill reduces ovarian production of testosterone and other androgens. It also increases the body’s production of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). This reduces the activity of testosterone and reduces the symptoms of male-hormone or androgen excess. Oral contraceptives can worsen insulin resistance and slightly increase the risk of type 2 diabetes in very obese women with PCOS. In general, most oral contraceptives have similar effects on androgen excess. Some of the more common side effects associated with hormonal contraceptive medication include: mood changes, weight gain or loss, bloating, breast tenderness, irregular bleeding.