Birth Control Pills and INR

[Karlynn]

Warning - female subject.

Has anyone had experience with starting birth control pills and the raising of their INR?

My FP put me on Ortho Try-Cyclen temporarily to try and get a hold of change-of-life hormonal heavy bleeding. My INR went from 3.1 a week ago, to 6.3 today. (I'm holding a dose and halving tomorrow's and then reducing weekly by 15%)

Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue. My web search on Ortho TC did turn up an "increase in prothrombin".

Fortunately, I have an appt with my FP on Monday and will be discussing this with him.

 

[zipper2]

Warning - female subject.

Has anyone had experience with starting birth control pills and the raising of their INR?

My FP put me on Ortho Try-Cyclen temporarily to try and get a hold of change-of-life hormonal heavy bleeding. My INR went from 3.1 a week ago, to 6.3 today. (I'm holding a dose and halving tomorrow's and then reducing weekly by 15%)

Just wondering if anyone else has had this issue. My web search on Ortho TC did turn up an "increase in prothrombin".

Fortunately, I have an appt with my FP on Monday and will be discussing this with him.

Karylynn i had a shot of depo on march 30th due to a huge clot.
do to endometriosis and on hit 5.7 ,my inr was doing great even
with the drop in the amiodarone mg.
My family doc said the rise was due to bc shot and since my head
on different areas shoots with pain and my leg pain is due to the birth
control shot and i have to take it for the endo,but my Doc is very
concerned that i keep an eye on inr levels after a shot.
With 2 valves and my age on b c there are added fears of taking birth
control and sucks when my tubes are tied still on bc,but sure eases
pain caused by clots and heavy bleeding.
We on bc need to be very careful,at least i need to be aware of what
other poses can occur on bc,because of my heart problems etc two
years ago i stopped the bc and it resulted in huge clot this time so i'm
back on it again
I would say from experience YES it effects inr and my cardio agrees.
My doc says i have to stay on bc for the endom.till menopause
WOW THEN I CAN"T WAIT FOR THAT

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[Ross]

What I just checked said it should lower, not raise.

 

[Karlynn]

The photo is a screen shot from this article http://www.rxlist.com/ortho-tri-cyclen-drug.htm

I heard from Yoda Lodwick He said he thinks it's more due to my decreased exercise (since I have basically stopped since the whole mess started) But he just said to keep self testing and self dosing and it will work itself out

 

[Ross]

1 potential interaction was found for the drugs you selected.
You searched for interactions between the following drugs :

Coumadin Tablets
Ortho Tri-Cyclen 28-Day Tablets


Add or Delete Drugs

Start Over with a New List of Drugs

(Note: Not all drug interactions are known or reported in the literature, and new drug interactions are continually being reported. This information is provided only for your education and for you to discuss with your personal healthcare provider. )

WARFARIN SODIUM (in Coumadin Tablets) may interact with ETHINYL ESTRADIOL (in Ortho Tri-Cyclen 28-Day Tablets)

Although the cause of this potential interaction is not clearly understood, ethinyl estradiol may lessen the beneficial effect of warfarin. Ethinyl estradiol affects proteins in the blood that are responsible for preventing excessive bleeding. These proteins work by causing the blood to clot when it is needed. High doses of ethinyl estradiol may increase the blood levels of these proteins and this could cause the blood to clot more than normal. If these drugs are used together, ethinyl estradiol may diminish the ability of warfarin to prevent blood clots. Information about this potential interaction is limited, however the use of warfarin with a small dose of ethinyl estradiol does not appear to cause any harmful effects. In some cases, an alternative to ethinyl estradiol may be available to avoid this potential interaction.You may want to ask your healthcare provider about this potential interaction if you think you are having problems.

This interaction is poorly documented and is considered moderate in severity.

Last Updated:May 2006


http://www.drugdigest.org/wps/porta...s^Ortho+Tri-Cyclen+28-Day+Tablets^&step=check

 

[Ross]

Lyns taking Ortho Tricyclen-Lo. I should have looked to see what the difference is. She's taking it for the same reason you are.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

My new GYN wants to put me on BC for the above reasons. Have backed out of a hyst 3 times. Too concerned about complications.

I was advised by my heart surgeon and card never to take hormones or BC because of the clotting risks. My GYN ordered a blood panel that will test for genetic clotting factors. Have not taken it as of yet.Then he would like to prescribe. The Depo is the most appealing as it's not another daily pill. You need to watch for osteo.

What to do?

 

[Karlynn]

If this keeps up I think I'll go the uterine ablation route. But right now - our travel schedule is packed through the end of May, so those plans will have to wait.

It was my understanding (because of a post here quite a while ago) that even though BC pills carry a clotting risk - the fact that we're already on warfarin covers that.

But it's another thing to ask my FP about (who's consulted a GYN that I may end up seeing.) The BC pills were started as just a one time quick fix for a problem. Then it appeared that it was going to continue to be problem - so we'll see.

But hey - my skin is looking good!

 

[Ross]

But hey - my skin is looking good!

Always has!

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Karlynn,

If you are having associated pain. The ablation may not take care of it.

As I understand it, ablation is a short term cure. There is a study out there both of my DRs were referring to. They also had in office patient stats. Decided the ablation was not for me.

Really a huge issue. Have a number of years before the 'change'. Hope I can hang in there. It's awful.

 

[stilldreamin]

was in the forums looking for stuff on "female issues" when i came upon this thread.

i had an edometrial ablation done in 2003. my GYN told me there would be a 50/50 chance i would not have a period again. i was one of the lucky ones. however, since 2004 i've been experiencing abdominal pain, which has steadily increased in intensity and they have been investigating this problem... up until they found my valve problem that is. it was put on hold then. in fact it was a trip to the emerg for severe pain and vomitting where they discovered my heart murmur.

there is a suspicion that my ablation is what is causing the severe pain and nausea... which now happens every month coinciding with my daughters cycle, and for the past year i experience bloody discharge with it. i am going to be doing more research into the ablations and see if i'm an anomoly, or if others have had the same experience.

i was trying to find information about hysterectomies for valve replacement patients, but wanted to share my experience with you when i saw you were considering an ablation. i could be a rarity, and we've not been able to "prove" anything about my "mysterious" pains.. but it is suspected, and i completely believe myself that it is the cause.

jen

 

[Karlynn]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I appreciate your willingness to help me out.

 

[ottagal]

http://www.achaheart.org/pdf/heartm...Pearson_ContraceptionForWomenWithCHD_Su08.pdf

FYI...

Interesting fact sheet on the use of birth control for women with Congenital Heart Disease. I thought it might be useful, although it does not specifically address anti-coagulation/medication contra-indications.

 

[Karlynn]

I'm thinking the Ortho Tricyclen is raising my INR. I keep having to decrease my dose. I was at 70/week for quite a while, then went to 63/week, then went to 56/week. Today I was 4.3 on 56/week. So now I'm going to 52.5/week (7.5/day) and see what that does.

At first I thought it was due to the fact that I was not exercising daily, as I had been, because of anemia. (Yes, I'm taking daily iron.) But I haven't been on this low a dose in years, even with many months of no exercise.

I'm only going to be on it for 2 more months (to get me through a few trips to see family without having to deal with bleeding issues). So we'll see what happens when I stop.