Jun 25, 2007 05:39PM GMTJune 25, 2007 17:39:12
Question Lifestyle - Health
Posted by Richard

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24 answers
28 comments
raves +7  
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Could the new birth control pill Lybrel have long-term side effects on not only certain women, but our entire population?

Is it unnatural and potentially harmful for a woman to completely shut off her menstrual cycle all year? Could this have a detrimental effect on women of our generation? Or the women of the following generations? Could women end up becoming infertile in the future?
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raves +3   by reminder

Answered Yes

I am past that worry in my life now. I think a lot could happen with this. I didn't like having a period but this just may come back and bite you. I wouldn't use. Especially if I planned on having kids in the future. (Way pat that mysself.)
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  • raves     [-] by Katie

    Answered Yes

    I don't want to use birth control, I feel like it messes up your bodies natural flow. Ya' know? I know people already have all of these hormones in their systems from the foods they eat but it can't be healthy.
    Five months ago I felt completely different about this subject and I have no idea what changed it.
  • raves     [-] by All I ever did was love you

    Answered Yes

    I say yes only cause anything is possible
  • raves     [-] by catrinac

    Answered No

    studies have shown that birth control pills are mostly health protective even years later after discontinuing them.
  • raves     [-] by Andrew

    Answered No

    i would like to point out that I was tempted to say yes as there is a chance that some thing could go wrong, infertility for example. So my answer is a postponed no until we get more info.

    Is there any scientific evidence to suggest that it would? I think that the idea of this pill is good. It would stop the risk of pregnancy through forced sex (rape), although this could show an increase in STD's as people may stop using condoms as there is a lower risk of pregnancy.
  • raves     [-] by The Great Simonski

    Answered Yes

    I've had to vote no, as there's no undecided option.

    This really isn't a question for discussion in a public forum, unless of course everyone on Sodahead is now a qualified gynaecologist/chemist/biologi...

    For argument's sake I'm voting no.

    The contraceptive pill has been around for years now and there hasn't been a drop in fertility. Also, fertility is usually a genetic quality, no birth control pill is going to alter the genetic make up of a woman.

    --Edit--

    Ah fuckchops, I voted yes again : @
  • raves     [-] by JoJohnen

    Answered No

    I don't think too many women will take such a pill.
    What you all forgot about in that case:
    Women will lose their second best alibi (right after migraine) not to have sex with us men.

    But what really makes me think: Menstrual cycle - one per month ?
    Damn, that girl cheated on me, when she refused sex every day using that menstrual cycle-alibi ...
  • raves +1   [-] by Hank

    Answered Yes

    Any time you put someting manufactured or synthesized into your body with the effect this pill is going to have, there are going to be ramifications. this will happen sooner or later. I do not think you can "trick" the human body to this degree without negative results. Way too scarey. I would encourage all my female friedns and family to streer clear of this until a lot more study is done. Tooooo dangerous !
  • raves +2   [-] by Kari

    Answered Yes

    When I first heard about this, it just freaked me out. Although, there are lots of women out there that are excited about the drug. To me, it doesn't seem right to mess with something so natural. Let's just hope that if some of these women decide to quit taking the BC, they get their periods back without problems.
  • raves +2   [-] by jenni

    Answered Yes

    I think anything that messes up with nature is harmful.
  • raves     [-] The Great Simonski replied to jenni
    Like removing a cancerous tumour or taking paracetamol? Medicine is all about messing with nature, as is technology for that matter. Going by your logic using your computer is harmful because you're messing with nature by gaining access to information you wouldn't otherwise have.
  • raves     [-] jenni replied to The Great Simonski
    ok, now when i said "messes up" i meant "create disorder in; muddle or ruin". i'm not a black or white person. i won't compare it to removing a cancerous tumor but would probably do with taking performance enhancing drugs just coz you wanna bulk up or be faster or stronger.
  • raves +3   [-] by reminder

    Answered Yes

    I am past that worry in my life now. I think a lot could happen with this. I didn't like having a period but this just may come back and bite you. I wouldn't use. Especially if I planned on having kids in the future. (Way pat that mysself.)
  • raves +2   [-] by shiela33

    Answered Yes

    moderated...
  • raves +2   [-] by byebye ,I love you,gotta go

    Answered Yes

    moderated...
  • raves +1   [-] by Regulus [99 - INSHALLAH]

    Answered Yes

    It's unnatural alright...
  • raves +1   [-] by Shroom

    Answered No

    no/maybe

    I use seasonale--the pill where you only have 4 cycles a year-- and I feel fine about it. I think a woman needs a cycle at some point. Personally, I'd freak out if I never had one.
  • raves +2   [-] by Ant~ All Woman All Amazing~

    Answered Yes

    You only find out what the long term effects are when it is too late .. This really needs to have been studied over 25 years like they do most drugs.
    Only then will you get a true picture . I do believe that this is possible for this to have horrid side effects that will come out in future generations ..
  • raves +2   [-] by debra

    Answered Yes

    This is just going to cause trouble. Women can't mess with their cycles like that and not suffer from it.
  • raves +2   [-] by ddpd

    Answered Yes

    I'm no Doctor or science Guy or anything but, yea, sure I guess it could...
  • raves +2   [-] by Ihr Hase

    Answered Yes

    Where is the Undecided, could this pill have long term unforseen effects, sure, anything can, but riddle me this, is this drug being forced upon women? Here is some info about Lybrel that I got on a quick look for it...

    I wish to state that I am only voting yes because it is possible it could have long term effects, but any drug introduced could....

    Lybrel
    levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol

    Wyeth Receives Approvable Letter From the FDA for Lybrel
    MADISON, N.J., June 28, 2006 -- Wyeth announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an approvable letter for Lybrel (90 microgram levonorgestrel/20 microgram ethinyl estradiol tablets), a low dose, continuous, non-cyclic combination oral contraceptive. In response to the approvable letter, Wyeth will submit additional stability data regarding the Lybrel manufacturing method and additional analyses of submitted clinical data. The agency also indicated that it plans to convene a public meeting of contraceptive experts this year to discuss the clinical aspects of Lybrel. The anticipated topics include a review of the U.S. Pearl Index [a calculation of the pregnancy rates among study participants], bleeding patterns, and the discontinuation rate among women in the study.

    "Wyeth is confident that we can address the questions raised by the FDA, and we expect to move toward the launch of Lybrel," says Gary Stiles, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.
  • raves +3   [-] by Danny

    Answered Yes

    Every seen "Children of Men?" What if, 3 generations down the line, we find a massive portion of our women born sterile? Scary thought. I think nature intended for women to have to rough it out once a month. Yes, potentially unfair I guess. But it's definitely how things turned out, for most mammals in the world.
  • raves +1   [-] Ihr Hase replied to Danny
    What if three generations down the line none of us are here, like grandpa said put "what if" in one hand and dog s$%^ in the other and rub them together, you got s$%^ on both hands "what if" don't make a difference.
  • raves +1   [-] Danny replied to Ihr Hase
    So then it's worth the risk to you? You can't completely disregard "if's" as if they didn't exist. Is it not scary to women to think about taking a pill that completely took away their period? Mammals evolved this way for a reason, it took millions of years. I don't think it's the time for us to suddenly just remove such a large part of our evolved state just for convenience.
  • raves +1   [-] Ihr Hase replied to Danny
    I don't know about you, but the FDA approves it, can it change life as we know it, sure, but the FDA seems to think that the risk of permanent change over the entire human race is not a viable threat. I believe the situation you are referring to would require 100% usage for generations, and well we are not going to see that, ever. Aside that qualifier, theside effects of Lybrel is the same as EVERY other birth control pill, and is not tied to permanent infertility.
  • raves +1   [-] Danny replied to Ihr Hase
    It's not all or nothing. I'm not saying 100% use. But if even 5% use, in my opinion it would be a tragedy. I'm a skeptic as far as pharmaceuticals go. FDA approval doesn't mean much in my opinion. They allow adderall to be prescribed to "ADD" children all across the country. I am not disregarding ADD as some false condition, as I believe SOME people have it. However, having taken adderall this year as a college student (mainly to cram for finals :) ) I understand it to be a legal form of amphetamines. Seriously, kept me awake for 2 days.

    Should 14 year olds be taking amphetamines to "focus better?" No. Should women take a pill and NEVER have their period? No.

    The FDA legalizes drugs based on the fact that they are seemingly harmless in the immediate sense of the word. The FDA overlooked anabolic steroids as well...
  • raves +1   [-] byebye ,I love you,gotta go replied to Danny
    moderated...
  • raves +1   [-] Ihr Hase replied to Danny
    You do realize what ADD actually is right?

    Adderall, is in fact a stimulant drug, the condition of ADD is a chemical inbalance in the brain that makes stimulants recieved as sedatives and vice versa. So in fact the use of amphetamines to help a child with ADD calm down and concentrate is viable and is why it is used. The situation that you propose of a world of sterile women require such an incredible set circumstances that I choose to state my opinion that is it highly improbable. You do realize that some women lose their period all together as a reaction to many forms of birth control.
  • raves +1   [-] Danny replied to Ihr Hase
    Yes, I've had several friends diagnosed with ADD, none of whom reaped the 'benefits' of adderall. I have never heard of Ortho Tri-Cyclen completely nullifying a woman's period before, either.

    I prefer to be skeptical, and realize that something so seemingly unnatural probably is. As they say, if it's too good to be true, it most likely is.

    Just my opinion. You may be right.