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birth control and pain
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An_245639 posted:
ive just recently started taking birth control for the first time, and 3 days in i start having pain on both of my lower abdomen, Sharper on the right than the left. Could birth control do that?
I had a history of small cysts on my right ovary but nothing detrimental. Has anyone else experienced this? i called my gyno and they told me to just monitor for a few days and if nothing has changed to go in.. but its really bothering me..
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Jane Harrison Hohner, RN, RNP responded:
Dear An: Usually we tell women that ovarian cysts are less likely to occur when one is using regular birth control pills (BCPs). However BCPs do not do a great job of decreasing the size of a pre-exisiting ovarian cyst. Thus you MIGHT have an ovarian cyst, from before starting the BCPs. Yet pain from a cyst tends to be mostly on the side of the cyst, not on both sides of the abdomen.

Some other causes of lower abdominal pain can include: problems with the bowel, right sided appendix pain, bladder pain (eg UTI). kidney stone, or pelvic infection (eg chlamydia or gonorrhea), etc. The only abdominal diagnosis which I can attribute directly to BCPs is a VERY rare condition. That would be a blood clot in one of the pelvic or abdominal blood vessels.

If the pain is really bothering you, or seems to be escalating, it is reasonable to call the GYN clinic back and let them know. They can do a brief abdominal exam and thorough history to see if the cause can be determined.

Yours,
Jane


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