Asthma and the Pill

hi, i was just wondering if my asthma will affect me taking the oral contraceptive pill?

[Moose1]

As far as i know wendy it shouldn't. I have the injection form of the pill (called depo provera) and that's never affected my breathing, never seen it on the leaflets either :o)

Dr or nurse should be be able to give u more info

Christine

[Hidden]

For some reason its not recommended...

saying that it can actually help asthma symptoms...

think its a one mans medicine is another mans poison case, definitely worth a discussion with medical bod first.

[Hidden]

I've actually heard of the pill *helping* some women who's asthma is affected by their hormones etc

But its finding a suitable option for you etc etc

[Hidden]

I take the pill alongside my inhalers so it shouldn't cause any probs.

[Hidden]

Mmmm, not sure about this, says he wearing Dr Tinkle (carry on Doctor) wig.

In my opinion, anything that modifies/manipulates a woman’s sex hormones can cause immune system dysfunction and therefore may cause/exacerbate asthma.

To quote from an allergy paper that I have…

Far more women than men become allergic. This gives a crucial link in the immunosuppression chain of evidence, because this imbalance is so frequently seen in illnesses involving the immune system, such as autoimmune conditions. The female preponderance in SLE (Systemic lupus erythematosus) is striking, and this is an illness in which psychological factors are not an issue. It is also highly significant that the sex ratio in allergy is 50:50 till puberty. Only hormonal factors can account for the changed ratio thereafter.

I'm not knowledgeable enough to provide evidence that the contraceptive pill does indeed cause/exacerbate asthma or allergy, however, I would recommend proceeding with great caution particularly for someone who is a severe asthmatic and/or described as a multiple symptom allergic.

Take hair,

Derek

[Hidden]

cheers derick, i will take all this info in to account, but i am considering having the injection instead, big thing if you have a major needle phobia lol

[Hidden]

Premenstrual asthma

For me, the combined contraceptive pill is an essential part of my asthma treatment and has been for the last 7 - 8 years.

I used to have very severe premenstrual asthma attacks - to the extent that I would end up intubated in ICU every month. It took us a surprisingly long time to make the connection (my mum finally worked it out!) but when we did, the docs put me on the Pill continuously (ie no pill free week and no period) and I've been taking it like that ever since! The frequency of my severe attacks and ICU admissions has dramatically reduced since then.

Of course, there are risks - increased risk of DVT, high blood pressure etc - but for me personally, the benefits far outway the risks and it's been (perhaps literally) a life-saving treatment for me (and never having to worry about that time of the month is not bad either!)

To every woman with asthma who hasn't considered that their periods might be making it worse, it's worth thinking about!

I've never heard of the Pill making anyone's asthma worse, but I'm sure it could happen, asthmatics being the awkward bunch we are! The levels of hormones involved are very low in modern pills though, so it shouldn't cause too many problems with most people. Certainly I don't think most GPs would hestitate to put someone with mild to moderate asthma on the Pill.

(Funny story - last time I was intubated my husband had to insist very strenuously that the ICU team grind up my Pill and put it down my NG tube - the docs couldn't understand why contraception would matter at a time like that and my poor husband got some very strange looks for insisting it was vital!)

Anyway, that's my tuppence worth on the whole Pill issue - it's a Good Thing for some asthmatics!

Emily H

[Hidden]

Thanks for your input Emily - your comments are very interesting.

Your comments support the view that hormones do indeed play a part in the increase/decrease in asthma symptoms. However, in many cases it would appear that the pill actually provides some sort of hormonal balance thereby reducing asthma exacerbations. Very interesting (as he scratches his wig).

Take hair,

Derek

[Hidden]

no as far as i know. it didn't effect me.

[Hidden]

More hormones

Hi Derek, glad you are interested in this topic as most men usually run a mile from discussing such things!

I should add that with me my asthma only started when I was 14, just a couple of months after I started the other thing! Interestingly my grandma, who's the only other person in my family with asthma (though not severe like mine) started hers at the age of 52 when she entered the menopause, sort of the same effect only backwards!

And if you look at the effects of progesterone on smooth muscle, it all kind of makes sense.... it makes smooth muscle less hyperreactive and prone to contractility (thus preventing the uterus from contracting and expelling a potential implanted pregnancy)... so the sudden dramatic drop in progesterone levels just before a period could well make the bronchial smooth muscle more hyperreactive and 'twitchy'... and being on the Pill, which contains progesterone, would make the tubes less twitchy.

That's my theory anyway!

Which probably suggests that the progesterone only pill (or the injection) would be as good for premenstrual asthma as the combined pill, with less side effects and a better safety profile... don't think I'm going to risk changing personally though!

I did a Medline literature search and couldn't find any case reports of asthma being made worse by the pill... that's not to say it couldn't happen of course, 'specially with the atypical and downright wierd bunch of asthmatics that seem to inhabit these boards! (No offence meant... I know, I know, I'm pushing my luck for a newbie!)

Sorry if I have hijacked this thread with my science-geekery, can't resist a bit of rampant speculation! Step away from the thread, Emily, leave it alone!

Anyway... take care all, hormonal or not

Emily H

[Hidden]

hey, well ive been on the pill for just over 2 years now and it has never effected my asthma, although when i went to renew my pill script when i started uni the nurse commented n asthma meds and said that when taking the pill with steroids it somehow makes the steroids stronger (cant actually remember all the details as it was a year ago) just thought it might be interesting and someone may know some more about it! xxxx

[Hidden]

went to the clinic yesterday and we both decided that it was for the better that i had the injection, especially as i am very pron to chest infection, no bode said how long the needle was though!

[Moose1]

Wendy - don't look! That's why i'm glad they put it where they do - can't see it lol

Good luck with it, hope it works for you!

Christine

[Hidden]

i looked and it scared me lol, i didnt watch it go in luckily, felt it though lol. should my bum be this sore 24 hours later?

[Moose1]

it can be wendy, sometimes i find it worse than others but it will settle. My nurse does the left side then the next time the right side and so on.

Christine

[Hidden]

lol, cos i made my nurse laugh, cos i wore my pink low riders (sadly a size too big LOL), the nurse was about to ask me to lowere my trousers, then she said jokingly ""no need to ask with those!"" we were both in bits LOL!

[Moose1]

lol nice! :oD