Birth-Control Patch May Have Higher Risk

That's really sad.

I was on it a few years back, but developed some issues that prompted the doctor to take me off of it in fear of stroke or blood clots. Now I'm really glad that I went off it as quickly as I did. Now we just risk it!

The Food and Drug Administration warned users of the popular Ortho Evra birth control patch that they are being exposed to more hormones, and are therefore at higher risk of blood clots and other serious side effects, than previously disclosed.

Until now, regulators and patch-maker Ortho McNeil, a Johnson and Johnson subsidiary, had maintained the patch was expected to be associated with similar risks as the pill. But a strongly worded warning was added to the patch label Thursday that says women using the patch will be exposed to about 60 percent more estrogen than those using typical birth control pills.

'I wish I had known. It's quite likely I would never have used it,' said Jennifer Cowperthwaite, 26, of Broad Brook, Conn., who still suffers breathing problems after a blood clot reached her lungs two years ago after using the patch.


Although most pills and the patch are loaded with the same amount of estrogen, hormones from patches go directly into the bloodstream while pills are swallowed and digested first. The result is that women using the patch have much higher levels of estrogen in their bodies.

Thursday's warning comes four months after The Associated Press reported that patch users die and suffer blood clots at a rate three times higher than women taking the pill.

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i wonder if the women who died were smoking. i have been on the patch for like two years and i dont smoke, that increases the chances of blood clots.
im staying on it. It works for me.

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Posted by halloweenbride04

I was on the patch for about 1 1/2 years. I just stopped it last month though.

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me too... I felt great on it but who knows

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Posted by LO13LO13

i have tried both, if i was still on something it would be the ring, the only complaint i had about the patch is that even though it stayed on very well, when i would take it off, it looked gross like if you left a bandaid on too long and it got dirty around the edges

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That is me exact same complaint,. It is the pill for me

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Posted by halloweenbride04

I was on the patch for about 1 1/2 years. I just stopped it last month though.

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me too and now my period is 3 weeks late!

ETA: It was because I was pregnant LOL

they said this months ago

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Posted by june262004

they said this months ago

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Yep, but now the company who makes the patch admits the risk.

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Posted by MrsP2Be

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Posted by june262004

they said this months ago

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Yep, but now the company who makes the patch admits the risk.

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AHHH... Ill admit I didnt read the article.. I saw it on the news and was like they already went through this

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Posted by june262004

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Posted by MrsP2Be

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Posted by june262004

they said this months ago

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Yep, but now the company who makes the patch admits the risk.

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AHHH... Ill admit I didnt read the article.. I saw it on the news and was like they already went through this

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yeah - it's scary when the DRUG CO. admits all the risks!!!

I had some bad experiences with this form of BC - I'm not a smoker, nor am I a woman over 35, nor am I even close to the 200 lb. weight limit. The higher dose of hormones really wreaked havoc on my system.

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Posted by kismet8601

My friends uses that Nuvaring (sp?) and she thinks it is the greatest thing ever created-she has no problems with it and swears by it!

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this is what i switched to, well over a year ago.

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Posted by kismet8601

My friends uses that Nuvaring (sp?) and she thinks it is the greatest thing ever created-she has no problems with it and swears by it!

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what is is? is it a pill?

I use it too, it's a ring inserted into your vagina.

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