FDA Set To Approve Pill Ending Women's Periods Indefinitely

White Rain

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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,273834,00.html

TRENTON, N.J. — Women looking for a simple way to avoid their menstrual period could soon have access the first birth control pill designed to let women suppress monthly bleeding indefinitely.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expect to announce approval Tuesday for Lybrel, a drug from Wyeth which would be the first pill to be taken continuously.
Lybrel, a name meant to evoke "liberty," would be the fourth new oral contraceptive that doesn't follow the standard schedule of 21 daily active pills, followed by seven sugar pills — a design meant to mimic a woman's monthly cycle. Among the others, Yaz and Loestrin 24 shorten monthly periods to three days or less and Seasonique, an updated version of Seasonale, reduces them to four times a year.
Gynecologists say they've been seeing a slow but steady increase in women asking how to limit and even stop monthly bleeding. Surveys have found up to half of women would prefer not to have any periods, most would prefer them less often and a majority of doctors have prescribed contraception to prevent periods.
"I think it's the beginning of it being very common," said Dr. Leslie Miller, a University of Washington-Seattle obstetrician-gynecologist who runs a Web site focused on suppressing periods. "Lybrel says, 'You don't need a period."' (more at link)
 
Why'd they have to go and invent these when I'm so near not having them naturally?

I wonder what kind of tests they've run to see how this affects woman down the line. I need to do some reading because I can guess my girls will hear about this. Won't say yes until I see how if it has bad consequences later on.
 
I too would wonder if there were long term problems with this. As I didn't ever have problems with having periods, no cramps, etc. nor did my daughter, I can't see benefits to this. With all of the damage we have done to our bodies with smoking, bad diets, sun damage, over medicating, recreational drugs, ... periods don't seem a big deal to me. I would love for the medical profession to concentrate more on study of stem cell treatment and prevention of devastating diseases. Maybe there are benefits? But then again, many women do suffer so their voices should be heard too.
 
WHEN WILL THEY BRING BACK ZELNORM??!!! I don't like Bentyl it makes me groggy, and I *really really* can't be in the heat at all. :( I have IBS, main symptoms are bad pain after eating, and "the runs". Zelnorm worked really well for me. (It might very well be back, since the patients who had difficulty had heart problems before they ever took Zelnorm.)

Er, on topic? :blushing: I thought that women had less heart problems in part because they got rid of the excess iron build up with their periods, and since males don't do this, they have to deal with problems caused by iron build up? I am almost sure I read a study about that in a magazine some time ago. (Was it Discover, or another magazine, it was science-y, but also medicine-y....) Hmmm... I don't think getting rid of your periods (since they are a way to excrete an excess iron build up) is a good idea. I wouldn't do it. Well, sort of I have, since I had a partial hystrectomy, (a cantaloupe sized fibroid in the utereus wall, I still have my ovaries) and I did worry about that at the time. I am at more risk for that kind of health problem because of it.

*realizes she's rambling and hits submit before she goes on*
 
You know, you reminded me - my neighbor, male, has high levels of iron and the Dr. gave him a paper authorizing him to donate blood on a schedule more often than normal. He feels good after these donations.
 
On the flip side-I have very low iron, wonder if this could be part of a solution? And I have to wonder if this will take care of the "pms"? If it does, then I'm sold. I've never taken birth control pills, and my husband has had a vasectomy, but I think I might try to find out more about these.
 
And at one time, hormone therapy was encouraged for the sweats and mood changes associated with menopause. I took them, thought they were not doing too much except curbing the hot flashes. When I went off of them - wow. Took a while. Then "they" decided no, can be dangerous. Drink coffee, don't. Eat eggs, don't. Use butter, don't. Don't eat red meat, OK if lean. Fish is good, no we have contaminated the water. Chicken is good, although their feed may be contaminated. Eat your spinach...

My mother always said "Everything in moderation" - but I am too compulsive to go with that!
 
Well, I just think that the female body was designed to have a period and to mess with that really doesn't seem smart.

Would it be great not to have a period? HELL YEH, and I'm sure alot of younger folks will participate.

I agree with an earlier post that long-term affects need to be examined.
 
Well, I just think that the female body was designed to have a period and to mess with that really doesn't seem smart.

Would it be great not to have a period? HELL YEH, and I'm sure alot of younger folks will participate.

I agree with an earlier post that long-term affects need to be examined.

I agree with this Lisa.

I have painful period problems and my doctor offered me a surgery where I could have the lining of my uterus either boiled off or fried off and end my periods. Thanks but no thanks.

No menstruation sounds great in theory but I think women should have periods until their body stops having periods!
 
I've read that while we're designed to have periods, in times past, they weren't nearly so common - when you're not eating right or working strenuously, they don't happen. So women in modern times have an unprecedented number of periods compared to what we evolved with.

A lot of people have been doing this for a long time - seems like maybe we don't need one at all. That'd make me very happy, althopugh not so much as my sister who has really terrible (psych and physical issues) periods. Especially for those who are done having children, but don't want a hysterectomy or anything, this could be a wonderful thing.
 
I didnt have periods regularly for years due to infertility problems. My dr. had me take a beta and provera every three months due to such an increased risk of uterine cancer of not shedding my lining. I cant imagine that this can be good for ladies long term but granted bcp in the 50's were horrible too and no long term studies were done.
 
I didnt have periods regularly for years due to infertility problems. My dr. had me take a beta and provera every three months due to such an increased risk of uterine cancer of not shedding my lining. I cant imagine that this can be good for ladies long term but granted bcp in the 50's were horrible too and no long term studies were done.


I am suffering from secondary infertiltiy myself...did you get treatment for your infertility?
 
Er, on topic? :blushing: I thought that women had less heart problems in part because they got rid of the excess iron build up with their periods, and since males don't do this, they have to deal with problems caused by iron build up? I am almost sure I read a study about that in a magazine some time ago. (Was it Discover, or another magazine, it was science-y, but also medicine-y....) *

I get so anemic on a monthly basis, if you know what I mean. I have to take Iron right around then, or I'm very weak and tired. My doc said that hubby can't take it for the exact reason you mentioned. Men don't have a "natural" way to get rid of excess Iron, and it's a bad thing to have too much.

I guess the pharmaceutical industry will just have to create another pill to keep Iron from building up in women if they all start taking this pill! (sarcasm intended)
 
I am suffering from secondary infertiltiy myself...did you get treatment for your infertility?

I have pcos and celiac disease. I knew I had pcos and treated it with glucophage which helped me ovulate with clomid. After over 2 years of ttc I became pregnant with my daughter. I tried vitex also, and I did become pregnant but I miscarried. I dont think it was due to the herbs though as we found out later that I do not make enough progesterone to sustain a pregnancy.

When my daughter was 2 years old I tried a gluten free diet and my periods came back five months later, regularly, something that had never happened before and I was later diagnosed with celiac disease. My symptoms werent typical so I had to diagnose myself and start the diet on my own. I would love to have another child but my glaucoma has to be treated and even though I think I could get pregnant, I cant because there are horrible birth defects that could happen with these medicines.

I hope you can have another child soon. I know the feelings well that come along with it. Have you had testing done? Have you done any treatments yet? If you dont want to talk about this here feel free to pm me.
 
I have pcos and celiac disease. I knew I had pcos and treated it with glucophage which helped me ovulate with clomid. After over 2 years of ttc I became pregnant with my daughter. I tried vitex also, and I did become pregnant but I miscarried. I dont think it was due to the herbs though as we found out later that I do not make enough progesterone to sustain a pregnancy.

When my daughter was 2 years old I tried a gluten free diet and my periods came back five months later, regularly, something that had never happened before and I was later diagnosed with celiac disease. My symptoms werent typical so I had to diagnose myself and start the diet on my own. I would love to have another child but my glaucoma has to be treated and even though I think I could get pregnant, I cant because there are horrible birth defects that could happen with these medicines.

I hope you can have another child soon. I know the feelings well that come along with it. Have you had testing done? Have you done any treatments yet? If you dont want to talk about this here feel free to pm me.


Nope, no testing or treatment yet. We don't have any medical insurance and I know how costly these kinds of things can be.
I try to stay positive...I am only 28, so there's still time!
What is "ttc?"
 
In order to stop the periods, the drug has to affect the hormones and I wouldn't trust that on an ongoing basis at all. It's probably good for those who have pain and heavy bleeding, but for those who just want convenience, I would worry.
 
Kat, on the Zelnorm, I am totally with you!
I got on it in Dec. and it was an amazing help....then they banned it.
My doc agrees that this is mainly a CYA move on the part of the makers of Zelnorm......it went thru 10 years of testing prior to approval, and only a teeny tiny minute fraction of a percent of patients had any problems.
Currently I am trying to get into a clinical study group for a new drug, Linaclotide, which is seeking FDA approval for this condition. I will find out in a few days if I qualify, and pray that I don't get the danged placebo, LOL!
Only other thing my doc suggests is Amitzia, which I hear is really bad and causes major nausea.........
Sorry for being sooooo off topic, but honestly, the idea of stopping that time of the month indefinitely just seems, to my mind, to go against the laws of nature.
Gotta be some fallout from such a folly IMHO.
 
Only other thing my doc suggests is Amitzia, which I hear is really bad and causes major nausea.........
Sorry for being sooooo off topic, but honestly, the idea of stopping that time of the month indefinitely just seems, to my mind, to go against the laws of nature.
Gotta be some fallout from such a folly IMHO.

Amitiza?! *HISSSSS* That stuff is made to help people who are "plugged up". It works by making more water go out through your backside. I took it for a short time, then went right back into the Doctor's office saying "Um, that stuff does exactly the OPPOSITE of what I need. If you had been eavesdropping outside the bathroom door...you'd have sworn I was PEEING. Well, I wasn't!" :eek: :blushing: If you have a problem with being plugged up, that stuff might really work a treat for you. If not, then ask your doctor if Bentyl would work for you. (It's an older medicine, I took it as a child/teen for "colitis" but the doctor also said "you have an irritable bowel", so I think maybe the diagnosis terminology has changed since then.) It's...ok....sort of for me. At least I'm not camped out in the bathroom. But it makes me groggy, and we had to start the AC earlier this year than last year because I was getting too hot.

Back on topic. I really don't see widespread use of this drug as being anything good. It hasn't been thought out very well I think, and too many are going to take it and get rid of their periods for "convenience" and regret it. I think it's going to cause problems, but they won't show for ten, twenty years. :(
 
I take a low dose birth control pill daily. I skip the week of the placebo pills and keep taking the regular pills.

No period. No cramps. No bloating. No side effects.

Occassionally, I'll stop taking them for a week - just to make sure everything is in working order, and I get a period that lasts about a week. Maybe once a year. This has been going on about 5 years now.

I'll never go back! :)
 

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