A Side Effect From Taking the Pill

When women take the birth control pill, some do just fine. There are others that put up with some minor symptoms for the sake of reducing the chances of getting pregnant or reducing the symptoms of menopause. Others have major side effects and decide on alternate methods of birth control or menopause symptom management. In my view, taking hormones has some risks and each woman has to decide for herself if the benefits outweigh those risks.

I took the birth control pill for about four years in my early 20s. I liked it because it seemed to reduce the horrible cramps and occasional vomiting I had with my periods at the time. However, I began to experience anxiety and panic attacks which became more and more severe and interfering with my life. I was told I had hypoglycemia or low blood sugar and there was no treatment for me except to try a diet high in protein that may or may not work.

Someone I was close to told me that she also had unpleasant symptoms from taking the pill and that it had given her hyperglycemia, that is, diabetes type II or high blood sugar. When she went off the pill, the symptoms went away and her blood sugar normalized. So, I did the same. I stopped taking the birth control pill and my anxiety symptoms gradually went away. My blood sugar normalized, although it stayed on the low side of normal. Unfortunately, the unpleasant symptoms during my periods returned (cramping, heavy bleeding and sometimes vomiting) but at least those symptoms did not last the whole month, usually only one or two days each month.

I mentioned my experience to a doctor a couple years later and he told me that some women do react with blood sugar problems from taking the pill. So, if you are a woman on the pill and developed high or low blood sugar after taking the pill or your condition worsened, please consider the possibility that the birth control pill may be adversely affecting your health.

Considering my experience with the pill was over 20 years ago, it could be they offer a much lower dose than what I was taking at the time. If you have any concerns that taking the pill may be affecting your blood sugar, talk it over with your doctor. Perhaps the dosage could be reduced or some other treatment or lifestyle change be implemented to reduce any negative effects from taking the pill.