Greenville SC Thyroid Clinic Answers – Can Birth Control Pills Affect My Thyroid?
When women are prescribed birth control pills, they are given a list of side effects they may experience, but is low thyroid one of them? For some women, the answer is “yes”. The way these pills interact with the female body can contribute to a wide variety of symptoms, including those that are related to thyroid dysfunction. If you’ve noticed that you’ve been experiencing any of the thyroid symptoms below, then this could very well be due to your birth control.
Symptoms of a Thyroid Problem:
– Fatigue
– Lethargy
– Hair loss
– Brittle nails
– Constipation
– Slow heart rate
– Weight gain
Connection Between the Thyroid and Birth Control Pills
When a birth control pill goes into the body, it triggers hormonal changes in order to prevent pregnancy. Progesterone and estrogen levels in particular will change, which can affect the way the thyroid functions. Unfortunately this can result in symptoms such as being lethargic, gaining weight, losing hair, and many others than affect quality of life. For any woman this can be frustrating, especially if she doesn’t know exactly why she feels the way that she does. To make things even worse, most women blame these symptoms on stress of everyday life, leaving them in an endless cycle of not understanding why they don’t feel good.
Getting to the Bottom of Your Thyroid Problem
If you have been taking birth control pills and are concerned that they could be affecting your thyroid, it’s important to speak with a functional wellness practitioner. These care providers will give you the comprehensive tests and exams that are necessary to find out what’s really going on with your thyroid. Once they have the results, they will have the evidence they need to finally address the underlying causes of your thyroid symptoms.
The solutions that are right for you will depend on your body as well as what you’re comfortable with. For some women they’d rather stop taking birth control while others still choose to take it. Whatever option you choose, your wellness practitioner will be there to help you achieve total wellness. For example, if you still want to take birth control, they will help you work towards resolving the imbalances, dysfunctions, and deficits that are specific to you.
Working With a Wellness Practitioner
How big of an impact has birth control had on your thyroid and body overall? Whether you think it has contributed to the symptoms you experience or you’re wondering if something deeper is going on, a functional wellness practitioner will be there to help. Their priority is to provide drug-free solutions and personalized advice that’s based on your body. Even if you’ve been taking birth control for a while, it’s never too late to find out what role it’s been playing with your health.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Never discontinue medications without first consulting with your doctor.
