[medicalfox]

I decided placing this thread in the bipolar form would have better/more responses than the female support group.

Does birth control always cause mania? Is it safe for someone with bipolar 1 to take it?

I have endometriosis and my pcp and gynecologist want me to have the implant, but I'm scared about mania because oral contraceptives made me very manic and aggressive. Does anyone here have any luck with their birthcontrol and remaining stable?

Birthcontrol is the only way to manage my pain because I can't take NSAIDs all the time because they interact with my stomach medication. I have been trying natural methods like yoga, exercising, eating well, hot showers, but the pain is getting worse and more frequent.

I never had a problem on the 5 years I was on the pill and on psyc meds. It didnt seem to affect my mood in the slightest. But I do remember there being a warning about using it with Lamictal, something about lessening the effectiveness of the pill (birth control), you may want to look that up.

Off the pill I had very bad PMDD, getting suicidal almost every month.

I cant be on the pill now but have the Mirena, so far I am very emotional. I dont feel depressed as such but I do feel quite fragile. Im teary, irritable and anxious. They did warn me it could be a tough 6 months but its supposed to level out for me for the 5 years after that. Its better than the PMDD, but not pleasant.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by Supanova

I never had a problem on the 5 years I was on the pill and on psyc meds. It didnt seem to affect my mood in the slightest. But I do remember there being a warning about using it with Lamictal, something about lessening the effectiveness of the pill (birth control), you may want to look that up.

Off the pill I had very bad PMDD, getting suicidal almost every month.

I cant be on the pill now but have the Mirena, so far I am very emotional. I dont feel depressed as such but I do feel quite fragile. Im teary, irritable and anxious. They did warn me it could be a tough 6 months but its supposed to level out for me for the 5 years after that. Its better than the PMDD, but not pleasant.

I would be using birth control just for endometriosis and I have to talk to my neurologist about the lamictal because it's used for both seizures and mania. I heard good things about the Mirena and hopefully that all passes soon.

I hope you can find a good treatment option for you.

[A Red Panda]

I'm bipolar 2. I've been taking birth control pills since I was 18, and I have never had any issues with my hypomanias. My depressions have been more mild in the past decade and sometimes birth control can have a mild AD effect I think - no idea if those are correlated.

Birth control pills do lower the effectives of lamotrigine at least which is something to consider if you take that.

No idea about other forms of birth control at all.

[Mia34]

I had mood swings and discomfort for almost a year after getting the Mirena, but after that I have had absolutely no issues. My 5 years are over next month and I am getting a new one as soon as this one comes out. Good luck!

[hamster-bamster]

I am on my second Mirena iud. They last for 5 years. No issues and, as an added bonus, I do not menstruate at all. So I am not losing iron and not buying pads . 30% of women on Mirena don't menstruate. I would think that with endo, Mirena would be good for you. It has no estradiol, which is good as as well.

[medicalfox]

Can you have the Mirena if you never had a child? I'm in my younger twenties and I have never been pregnant.

[hamster-bamster]

Medicalfox, I believe that according to the new rules you can have a Mirena before your first child. Call your local planned parenthood.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Medicalfox, I believe that according to the new rules you can have a Mirena before your first child. Call your local planned parenthood.

I'm seeing a gynecologist later this month so I will ask her, thanks for the info!

[justbeingme80]

Thanks for the advice about Mirena. I will have to ask my doctor about it. I haven't had a child either.

[Mandysue]

ive been on oral bc since i was a teenager, i dont think they caused my manic episodes...only had 2..one at 29 and one at 31. but im on lithium and bc and had no issues,

[Moreta]

When i took BC when I was in my teenage years and early 20's, it made me so depressed. I decided to go back on it though last August and I've been fine so far. Haven't even had weight gain. I'm doing the depo shot, b/c I'm on tegretol, which messes with BC.

[hamster-bamster]

You are lucky to not gain weight on depo provera. I don't understand though why depo and not mirena. Quarterly shots versus one appointment every five years...

[krisakira]

The Birth Control pill (cant remember which one) caused me to be suicidal. I attempted suicide like within a week or 2 of being on it, and so they took me off it. Because I have PCOS and have heavy long periods that never stop, they put the Mirena IUD in me. I haven't had any problems since! Some pain every now and then but it is minor. Now I never get a period and I am not suicidal from it!

[doyoutrustme]

I've got a Copper iud. good for ten years, no hormones to mess with your moods.

[Moreta]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

You are lucky to not gain weight on depo provera. I don't understand though why depo and not mirena. Quarterly shots versus one appointment every five years...

I'm not so hype on having things inside me.

[medicalfox]

The mirena sounds quite promising! I'm hoping the doctor will let me have one and I hope it doesn't hurt.

[hamster-bamster]

When you wear it, you do not feel it. The insertion feels like a Pap smear.

[krisakira]

Not true. The insertion can feel EXTREMELY painful, it did for me. It was the most pain I'd ever felt in my life. I have not had kids and I have a small cervix. So It can range from pap smear, like hamster said, or be extremely painful to put in.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by krisakira

Not true. The insertion can feel EXTREMELY painful, it did for me. It was the most pain I'd ever felt in my life. I have not had kids and I have a small cervix. So It can range from pap smear, like hamster said, or be extremely painful to put in.

Can they give a local anesthetic for the pain? I already deal with a lot of pain so having more pain is not something I'm interested in.

[hamster-bamster]

Krisakira - I had mine inserted after I had three kids vaginally. I am sure that made it easier - they say that even after just one kid, the mother's cervix never closes all the way back. I am sorry it was so bad for you!

[FaithlessCat]

wow I didn't even consider my Mirena could be affecting my Bipolar or meds.

I couldn't give up my mirena thou as it is literally saving my life after an on going issues caused Toxic shock and almost killed me. The mirena is keeping my hormones in check and helping to stave off the recurring infection that caused it. I had it put in under anethestic during the life saving op to clean out the tissue that was poisoning me.

I think they are a lot less delicate when you are under general cos you can't feel it, because when I came too man I felt like I'd gone through a few rounds with rocky down below and nagging pains for a few weeks after !

I got the mirena a few weeks back and I have never had kids. I am extremely thankful I was able to have it under anesthetic, the gyno said it would hurt too much to open the cervix (unnaturally) without it. But I think you are right about them being less gentle... I also have a few friends who have had it under anesthetic even after they have had kids because of the pain causing twitching.

I had uncomfortable cervix pain for 12 days. I didnt know how many painkillers I was allowed and turns out I severely underestimated so the whole experience was more painful than it needed to be. Im still a bit tender in the cervix area a few weeks on, especially after sex. The cramps are strange but nothing bad most of the time, occasional back pain but not nearly as bad as some periods I've had so thats nice. I've had spotting most days but nothing terrible.

There are already some upsides but I have waves of OCD (which severity was directly related to my mentural cycle) randomly now. It passes with in a few hours now instead of days. I havent had any of the depressive totally lead dead legs days so thats brilliant! I have been more teary on certain days for no apparent reason but that hasnt happened for a week now, and it was never real depression, just sadness or overwhemed.

Hope this helps

[krisakira]

Now I am so upset that the doctor did not do mine under anesthesia. I even went one day to get it in, and the pain was so unbearable that I made him stop. He proceeded to prescribe me an ativan and muscle relaxer to take an hour before trying again the next week. I had no idea anesthesia was an option and have no idea why he wouldn't advise that. It truly was the worst pain I have ever experienced. Stupid doctors!!!!!