is my bc pill dangerous? - Birth Control Message Board

starry eyes · 01-14-2003, 01:52 PM

OK, I'm on Diane-35 (BC pill) and on the radio today my mom heard something about it having a five times higher risk of blood clots. I think maybe she's panicking needlessly since she didn't hear the whole story, but she wanted me to post here.

So please, does anyone know anything about different brands of the pill?

Is there one that's safer than the others?

Thanks!

*starry eyes*

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"I could live without having erotic nipples... but it wouldn't be fun." --my bf

Apollo · 01-14-2003, 08:29 PM

They all have risks, your doctor probably wouldn't perscripe you a dangerous birth control pill, if there were safer ones out there. If you feel nervous or you seem to feel different, you should read the pamphlet on side effects, and see if you have any.

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laria82 · 01-14-2003, 09:50 PM

Some pills are said to have a high blood clot risk. Mainly the third generation b/c pills..(You could do reseach to see if yours are third generation). Even with that said, only 25 out of 100,000 will get blood clots from b/c pills (each year). Which is about a .025 percent chance of you getting one, which if you dont know.. is very, very small chance.
Your chances are increased though, if you smoke, or over 35 on b/c pills.
Hope that helps!

wrin · 01-14-2003, 09:53 PM

Honey, the use of the word 'times' in reference to statistics to be used from clinical studies in prescriptions is a misleading thing.

In other words;

Your chance could be 1 in 1,000,000 or 0.00001%. Multiply that by four. Now i'ts 4/1,000,000 or 1/250,000.

Still not a very big chance.

Don't worry about it. The blood clot risk factors have to do more with age, smoking, and high-bloodpressure. So unless you're a 45 year-old smoker with a resting BP of 160/95, don't worry.

Thisby · 01-14-2003, 10:24 PM

I just heard that this morning on the CBC too. Sounded scarey. They were stressing that it was originally prescribed as an acne medication for the severest of cases and a side effect was that it worked as a birth control method.

They were saying that Health Canada was concerned that Doctors were still prescribing it as a birth control when it hasn't been recommend for that purpose in years. As a matter of fact, the warning states that Diane-35 is NOT authorised for the sole purpose of birth control.

And as far as the statistics go, the chance of blood clots with Diane 35 are 4 in 10,000 (1 is 2,500), which is hundred times more than what Wrin wrote, which is why there is a concern with that particular product. Not all birth control pills are the same. They are NOT equally safe. This particular product carries a much higher risk.

Part of the news report was a comment on the fact that not all doctors are aware of this restriction of use of the product and are still prescribing it as birthcontrol, therefore the warning was issued.

If you want to read more, do a search for CBC Newsworld, Health Matters. Or seach for the Health Canada warning. (I'd link it because it's important, but it would be deleted...)