The Pill and Depression
From a small study, another example of a noncontraceptive benefit of using the birth control pill: for depressed women who already take antidepressants, using the Pill appears to decrease the premenstrual worsening of depressive symptoms.
The use of oral contraceptives appears to decrease the premenstrual worsening of depressive symptoms, Hadine Joffe, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association.
In preliminary research, the use of augmentation with oral contraceptive pills was evaluated in women who already take antidepressants but experience worsening symptoms during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, said Dr. Joffe, a psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
The 17 women who completed the study reduced their depression scores during the premenstrual phase on the Daily Record of Severity of Problems Scale from a median score of 58 to a median score of 35.3. In addition, their Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale scores improved from a median of 20 to a median of 4.
A total of 26 women, aged 18-45 years, were randomized to a double-blind treatment with an oral contraceptive containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol (Yasmin). One group received additional ethinyl estradiol on days 22-28, which is the typical placebo week of the oral contraceptive pills.
To be eligible for the 2-month study, women had to have regular 25- to 35-day menstrual cycles, a depressive disorder, and stable use of an antidepressant for 2 months or more. In addition, all participants completed a run-in tracking month before starting the oral contraceptive pill. Depressive symptoms were found to be present only during the premenstrual phase.
Of the women included in the study, 82% had major depression, 12% had minor depression, and 6% had dysthymia.
The oral contraceptive pills were well tolerated, and there appeared to be no difference between women who received the additional ethinyl estradiol during days 22-28 of their cycles and those who received placebo during that time.
The study was sponsored by the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, and product support was provided by Berlex, which manufactures Yasmin.
ObGyn News. Volume 40, Issue 17, Page 24 (September 1, 2005)
Labels: Birth Control, Pill, Yasmin, Yasmine
posted by ema @ 2:49 AM
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Another example on non-contraceptive use is in place of HRT in women with POF; especially those who are still menstruating occasionally. According to NIH POF website, in these women, the pill is not even that effective in preventing pregnancy - I read somewhere that it was because of high circulating levels of gonadotropins.
It'll be interesting how these pharmacists who refuse to fill the BCP prescription would react if the woman were to tell them that she is taking it for hormone replacement, that her chances of becoming pregnant are slim and that the pill wouldn't prevent it; also that by bringing up the whole issue of pregnancy prevention to her they are causing her emotional anguish: "thanks for rubbing my infertility in my face, now may I have my prescription..."
My name is Tina Cott and i would like to show you my personal experience with Yasmin 28.
I am 28 years old. Have been on Yasmin 28 for 4 years now. I am no longer going to be taking any hormones. this is the worst thing you can do. unfortunately, it's the easiest birth control but it's not worth the pain i've been through. and what's the point of it, by making you abstain? i hardly ever wanted sex anymore. i wish i could get those 4 years back.
I have experienced some of these side effects -
loss of sex drive, severe mood swings.
I hope this information will be useful to others,
Tina Cott
How many women with depression caused in first place by hormones do take anti-depressant drugs? probably many...
I suffered years of depressive moods, crying for nothing, sweating so much at night. Eventually I searched and found out more about the link hormones and depression... then I changed the type of hormones and was recommended to take the pill with no break... nothing changed, I was still crying, wanting to die, sweating at night.
Because of spotting and constant bleeding, I decided to stop all this nonsense. I stopped the pill and after a few days, I felt suddenly in peace with myself. It is a very difficult feeling to describe, it came all of a sudden, but I felt in my body that I was really back to my self, the real me who was strong, happy (and not the weeping girl under hormones!)
When you suffer from depression, the best thing is not to take any hormone at all!!
I would like to add as well that I am in much better health now, I hardly catch cough and cold, my immune system is probably much stronger without internal pollution!
It has been more than 3 years now... and with condoms and a bit of fertility days awareness, it is easy to avoid pregnancies.
I hope my experience can help others.
There are many women even which i have seen taking depression pills very regularly.This may be because of the fact that they undergo a lot of pains and many more traumas which they have to face in nay condition.That is the reason that they face much depression than anything else.
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