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LEG PAINS ON BCP!?
Hello, I am a 22 year old female. From 12-14 years old I took orthocyclen and orthonovum for menstrual cramps, an stopped due to loss of periods. Took these with no other problems. Year ago I started Yaz and on the 4th day I got severe leg cramps in my left leg and stopped. About a month and a half ago I started orthocyclen on the 5th day the same thing happened, Sharp stabbing pains in my left leg and leg cramps! Dr. switced me to micronor, thinking No estrogen would help, on the 2nd day the same thing happend! So yesterday I started aviane (lowest dose BCP) and again the same situation. I have only taken one and within hours, I have dull achey pain in my left leg and sharp stabbing pains in my feet! Last time I had the stabbing pains in my thigh! I have SOME pain in the right leg but mostly in the LEFT. I am also having some chest pains. Doc doesnt think chest pains is from BCP (i think it is) Doctors have absolutely NO IDEA what is causing this leg pain! They claim to have never of heard of these side effects! I have no family history of blood clots, I dont smoke etc. The pains seem to go away when I stop the pills. I would really like to take BCP but I am scared and confused as to what my problem is? Is there any tests that could be done to figure this out? or any underlying conditions/disorders that could cause this almost instant reaction to BCP? Any clue as to what is causing these pains? Should I continue or stop these pills? PLEASE HELP!!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The most life-threatening side-effect of birth control pills and all estrogen hormone containing birth control pill are blood clots. If the blood clots develop in the leg it causes pain in the leg this is know as a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). If the clot travels to the lungs through the blood stream it is known as a Pulmonary Embolism (PE).
From what you have written, it doesn’t sound like you have either of these conditions. Blood clots take time to development large enough to cause symptoms like several weeks not days. And they also do not resolve immediately after discontinuing the hormone containing birth control. I agree with your Gynecologist that non-blood clot related leg cramps/chest pain is not a common side effect of birth control pills.
It sounds like your OB/Gyn did the right thing and tried several different preparations of birth control pills including one without estrogen in it, and it made no difference. I can’t tell why you are having leg cramps from the birth control pills and there really isn’t any test out there to investigate this. Everyone is different and it is not humanly possible for studies to be conducted on every possible side effect that a drug can cause in every single person. Studies show what is commonly experienced as a side effect. With that said, it is possible that your body doesn’t tolerate birth control pills well and causes leg cramps.
If you are having chest pain/leg cramps and you feel that it is correlated to the birth control pill, you should not continue taking this. There are many different birth control options out there but they mostly are hormone containing. There’s a patch that you wear on your skin or a vaginal ring that you insert or IUD that the Gynecologist inserts. Perhaps they might not cause the same problem. If you want to stay away from hormone containing birth control, you can consider barrier methods like condom and diaphragms.
From what you have written, it doesn’t sound like you have either of these conditions. Blood clots take time to development large enough to cause symptoms like several weeks not days. And they also do not resolve immediately after discontinuing the hormone containing birth control. I agree with your Gynecologist that non-blood clot related leg cramps/chest pain is not a common side effect of birth control pills.
It sounds like your OB/Gyn did the right thing and tried several different preparations of birth control pills including one without estrogen in it, and it made no difference. I can’t tell why you are having leg cramps from the birth control pills and there really isn’t any test out there to investigate this. Everyone is different and it is not humanly possible for studies to be conducted on every possible side effect that a drug can cause in every single person. Studies show what is commonly experienced as a side effect. With that said, it is possible that your body doesn’t tolerate birth control pills well and causes leg cramps.
If you are having chest pain/leg cramps and you feel that it is correlated to the birth control pill, you should not continue taking this. There are many different birth control options out there but they mostly are hormone containing. There’s a patch that you wear on your skin or a vaginal ring that you insert or IUD that the Gynecologist inserts. Perhaps they might not cause the same problem. If you want to stay away from hormone containing birth control, you can consider barrier methods like condom and diaphragms.
Hey I had the same problem!! I would get a sharp stabbing in my leg and it sucked... I quit birth control after that and have vowed Im not going to take them anymore.
the leg pain got to be to much for me.
I think it was my body's way of telling me to stop.
the leg pain got to be to much for me.
I think it was my body's way of telling me to stop.
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