The major topic I would like to talk about here is high cholesterol and birth control pill.
For the purpose of not promoting any brand I don’t mention here any particular
medication. Instead I just use a sort of common name birth control pill (BCP)
There is a typical letter I am having in my E-mail almost on a weekly base:
“Hello Wanda!
I started birth control pills last month to help regulate my periods, control acne and
hormone fluctuations, and for birth control. Just before I started the pills I was
diagnosed with high cholesterol (250 total; HDL 49, LDL 188, Triglycerides 86) and have
since read that birth control pills causes cholesterol to rise. I am on a low fat diet and
exercising daily.
I am taking garlic supplements to try to help lower my count also. However, I am 38
and there is a history of heart disease in my family. Is it safe for me to take birth
control pills? Should I be doing anything additionally, such as taking a baby aspirin to
help prevent blood clots?
My Dr. told me that birth control pills are used on menopausal women as hormone
therapy, and that it is extremely low-dose. However, I do not know enough about this
drug to make an informed choice. So far I have had very few side effects with this pill,
and it has helped with all of the things it was supposed to help; I would like to keep
taking it. Any medical information from your medical experience about birth control pills
would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your time.”
There are some common believes about birth control pills.
Believe number one - birth control pills could be used for women with high cholesterol
because these pills improve HDL/LDL ratio.
Believe number two - combination of high cholesterol as well as some other health
conditions can increase the risk of blood clotting.
I could possibly continue this list. This is not my point. My point here is very simple.
There is no at this point real comprehensive research about severity of side effects
caused by birth control pills in women with high cholesterol level.
So my strong advise will be as simple as that – do not take birth control pills if you
have high cholesterol level.
W. Michalewska.
