Diffrence between Low dosage and high dosage?? Please Help! - Birth Control Message Board

Jazy_16 · 06-21-2006, 10:21 PM

Can someone please tell me how big the difference is between a low dosage of BC pills and a high dosage. Does it effect how long should you wait to have "relations"? and is it as effective as a high doseage pill? Please help! Should I be worried if I am on a low dosage?

Please Help

BluEyez1031 · 06-21-2006, 10:28 PM

To put it very simply, "low" and "high" dosage pills just depend on the level of different hormones that are in the pill.
If you are on a low dosage pill, then your doctor knew that your body would react better to a lower dose of hormones. If you are light-weight, then many "higher" dosages would give you too many hormones for your weight, thus giving you unnecessary side-effects.
Both types of pills offer the same amount of protection against pregnancy, so don't worry. Different people just react differently to the doses of hormones

mystic_star · 06-21-2006, 10:49 PM

the newer "low dose" pills were pretty much made for women in their 30s and 40s who want to keep taking BC pills until menopause. And they work great! I take Kariva (generic for Mircette) and they are one of the lowest dose pills you can get. I've had nothing but good results with them. Talk with your doctor and based on your health, age, etc. , he'll be able to tell you what kind would be best for your body. Loestrin Fe is also a good one that is "low dose". I took them for a while, but they were just not effective enough at keeping my cramps away ( I have endometriosis).

SweetPea83 · 06-28-2006, 10:30 AM

My doctor put me on Ortho Lo (I'm fairly thin, and tall....about 5'11" 130 lbs.) but for some reason it just didn't work for me. I had bleeding that occurred with sex right before my period. The doctor doesn't understand why my body didn't tolerate that pill. I went back to Trinessa and I was fine. Now I'm on Yasmin and experiencing the same problem I had with Ortho Lo. I'm thinking low dose pills just aren't for me? Anyone know why?

serafina · 06-29-2006, 02:28 PM

Sometimes the thinner you are (or the less body fat you have), the higher dose of hormones you need. When you have very little body fat, your body may not have as much estrogen as you need, (since fat cells produce some estrogen), and therefore, if you are on a low dose pill with little estrogen, you may spot and have other symptoms of low estrogen. It really depends on your particular body chemistry, which is why certain pills are great for some and make others miserable.