Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

Migraine Headaches, Breast tenderness, Blood Clots, headaches, Weight gain, mood changes, missed periods, vaginal discharge and Vision Problems.  We'll look at each of these side effects in detail below.

1.Vision Problems
Hormone changes from taking the pill can cause dry-eye symptoms that affect vision, says Beth Kneib, OD, director of the clinical resources group at the American Optometric Association. See your eye doctor right away if you have dry eyes accompanied by discharge or a change in vision, which can be more serious, she says. "Some eye infections mimic dry-eye symptoms and can lead to a larger problem,” she explains. If you have no other symptoms, try over-the-counter saline eye drops for relief.

2. Breast tenderness
Birth control pills may cause breast enlargement or tenderness. This side effect tends to improve a few weeks after starting the pill, but anyone who finds a lump in the breast or who has persistent pain or tenderness or severe breast pain should seek medical help.

3.Blood Clots
Blood clots are a rare but potentially serious side effect of oral contraceptives. Each year, a small number of women who take oral contraceptives (3 to 10 out of every 10,000) develops blood clots, notes the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Women who smoke, are overweight, are over 35, or have recently given birth are considered at higher risk.
Blood clot signs to watch for
Breathing problems or chest pain could signal a clot in the heart or lungs.
Pain, warmth, and swelling in the leg could indicate clotting in the lower leg, called deep vein thrombosis.
If you experience symptoms of a possible blood clot, seek immediate medical attention, says Kyoko Peña-Robles, MD, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology with One Medical Group in San Francisco.

4.Weight gain
Clinical studies have found no consistent association between the use of birth control pills and weight fluctuations. However, many people taking the pill report experiencing some fluid retention, especially in the breast and hip areas.
Fat cells can also be affected by the estrogen in birth control pills, although the hormone causes the cells to become larger rather than more numerous

5.Migraine Headaches

Some women who already experience migraines may notice that their headaches get worse when they’re on the pill, Dr. Peña-Robles says. A 2014 study in Current Opinion in Neurology found that a drop in estrogen levels can trigger migraines. Peña-Robles says this can happen just before your period and later in your menstrual cycle. Consider talking with your doctor about switching to a pill with fewer placebo days or a lower dose of estrogen to ease the hormonal fluctuations that can contribute to migraines, she suggests.