On Tuesday, the FDA approved Wyeth's oral contraceptive Lybrel, which is designed to eliminate monthly periods. As long as a woman is taking the pill, her regular monthly cycle will be stopped. However, they are warning that breakthrough bleeding and spotting is still possible. Lybrel does contain a lower daily dose of synthetic hormones than traditional oral contraceptives now on the market.
To date, known side effects of Lybrel are similar to other low-dose oral contraceptives. They include risk of blood clots, stroke and heart attacks, particularly in women over 35 and women who smoke. The drug is receiving mixed reviews both from women and health experts. In a survey Wyeth conducted nearly two-thirds of women expressed an interest in eliminating their menstrual periods. However, nearly 50% welcomed their period as a sign that they were not pregnant and 25% said their periods were just a natural part of being a woman. Like that word natural.
Every time you challenge the natural workings of Mother Nature you are going to attract controversy and also risk the chance of compromising your health. Just look what going on with hormone replacement therapy. What's best the synthetics, the bioidenticals or taking nothing at all? Nobody knows for sure. That's why you should never decide what's best for you without consulting with at least 2 doctors. Each one of us is different and have different inherent risk factors.
Experts are questioning whether there has been enough research conducted on Lybrel's long term effects. Amy Alina of the National Women's Health Network said "although Lybrel could be a good alternative for some women, she is concerned that Wyeth is downplaying the number of women who experienced bleeding and spotting while taking the drug." Christine Hitchcock, an endocrinology researcher at the University of British Columbia said, "there might be important health consequences we don't know about".
Wyeth is the company that brought menopausal women Prempro and Premarin, synthetic hormone replacement made from pregnant mare's urine. We all know that didn't work out to well for us. Will history repeat itself with Lybrel? In 10 or 20 years will we be hearing about all the negative side effects from this drug? I sure hope not.
Ladies, don't be so ready to be human guinea pigs. Our bodies are wonderfully efficient machines, that if treated well, will serve us well. Let's stop being human guinea pigs and stay as natural as possible. All these new drugs that are supposed to help us, may do just the opposite. Gardasil for the HPV virus, Seasonale, the drug that offers women the opportunity of having only 4 period a year, and now this.
I will close with this thought. I can't help but wonder, if there was a drug that stopped a man's natural production of sperm, would the guys be chomping at the bit to take it. I don't think so.
I actually just took my very first pill right before reading this. I have suffered from endometriosis for YEARS! I have had laparoscopy surgery twice and I have been on almost every pill imaginable! I have had to take myself off because of the side effects I was experiencing. My gyno suggested Lybrel and I was (am) pretty apprehensive about it. I dont really agree with the whole no period thing, as I just read, many women actually want to have their period and don't agree with that (glad to know Im not the only one!). Even though I suffer from a tremendous amount of pain for at least 2 weeks out of the month, getting my period is a way for me to know that my body is doing what it is suppossed to be doing. My dr advised me that I MUST do something now if I want to have children. I am only 26 and I have been on and off birtch control since I was 12 for my "issues." I can't take the pain anymore, but from reading this and from previous experiences with other birth controls, I don't think I can deal with the side effects. My gyno gave me 2 choices- Lybrel and a monthly injection that will actually put me in temporary menopause (where I will actually go through menopause) for 6 months. The shot is $700 PER SHOT and I have to take it for 6 months. Now, Im no genius, but I seriously can not afford that! Considering my options, Lybrel was the ONLY way to go (not that I even wanted to do this, but I really ahd no other choice). Do you have any other suggestions? Im tired of being in pain all the time!
Posted by: Amanda | February 26, 2009 at 11:33 AM