Taking the Pill to help MS

[Azlemed]

i had an interesting conversation with my GP yesterday and he suggested taking the contraceptive pill to help with my MS like symptoms, has anyone done this or read research on it? He said there has been research done on estrogen and MS.

[Azlemed]

I was also just curious though as to if anyone had tried estrogen etc as I had heard there had been some studies on this.

[Azlemed]

Thanks, yes same GP, I haven't taken him up on it as I had a hysterectomy 3 yrs ago and the thought of taking the pill again made me laugh. I think I will keep taking the vitamin D and see if that helps.

[karryon55]

I would be cautious about this as you don't know you actually have MS & if you have a vascular issue instead ie Migraines or APS/Hughes then Estrogen actually thickens the blood. I spent a lot of my life on the contraceptive pill and was oblivious of the dangers of this widely used drug.

It wasn't until I got pulmonary embolisms from a PICC line insertion that I learnt of the dangers of Estrogen use. Also I had been on the contraceptive pill since I was 15 and yet I still have MS. I'm sure there is research going on in this area but I would make sure of what you are dealing with first. Maybe even see a haematologist (blood doctor) first.

Take Care,

Karry.

[immisceo]

I assume this is based on the fairly well established observation that pregnant women often (though certainly not always) experience a reduction in or absence of MS symptoms which seem to return, sometimes intensely, after delivery. As contraceptive pills work by suppressing ovulation (in effect making the body think it's already pregnant), this may be where he's coming from. But... this is a GP. He is not a neurologist, much less an MS specialist. I think he's trying to be helpful (and GPs who are open to treating our symptoms are our friends!), however this is a little bit more in the 'theoretical' category than the usual augmenting prescriptions we're offered (things for neuropathic pain, depression, fatigue, etc.).

Is this the same GP who's also throwing around 'conversion disorder'. I think I'd get a new one. My neurologist (Michael Hutchinson) actually did the groundbreaking research on pregnancy-related 'MS holidays'. http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199807303390501 I see him every three months. He's never suggested the pill.