Anyone else on The Pill?

[whatagem]

I've been pretty busy & calling a nurse or pharmacist just keeps slipping my mind. After a quick search, I found some info here:
A Toxic Mix - Smoking and Birth Control Pills



Nicotine causes high blood pressure and an increased heart rate. This puts extra stress on the blood vessels. When a woman is on the pill, this adds even more stress to the blood vessels because of the extra estrogen. Those who are light smokers have less chance of having heart issues, but they should still be aware of the side effects, including heart attacks, blood clots and strokes, that smoking while on the pill can create.
A Deadly Combination

Anyone who smokes more than 15 cigarettes a day should be very careful about using birth control pills. The risks increase for women who are over 35 years of age and for those who smoke a great deal. One study showed that women increase their chances of having a first time heartache 30 times if they smoke 25 cigarettes or more each day while taking birth control pills. This is true whether they are taking high dose pills or the low dose variety.

Even women who are not at high risk, and have not reached the age of 35, should be careful about combining nicotine and birth control pills. If a woman has certain risk factors, including a family history of heart disease, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure, these can be very dangerous when combined with smoking and birth control pills. One problem is clot formation which can occur both in the woman's veins and in her lungs.
Know the Signs

Warning signs of potential problems from nicotine and birth control pills include very severe pains in the calves, legs, abdomen or chest and headaches that feel like migraines and last a very long time.

 

[whatagem]

It makes sense that nicotine can still pose a problem no matter what form it is while on BC. My blood pressure has always been SUPER LOW (a nurse once asked me if i was alive) so I may not have as huge a risk as others might. I need something to control my hell-on-wheels periods & for now, I need the nicotine. Not sure what I'm gonna do yet.



Of course the ultimate goal is to get off the e-cig and be done with this wretched drug completely but speaking fro myself, I'm just not ready yet. I do vape a LOT--but I was a heavy smoker & I'm not even sure how much juice I use in an average day because I carry around a bottle in my purse & a seperate one to keep at work.

I can say however that I am noticing some benefits to quitting cigarettes while still inhaling nicotine.

I was a chain smoker & could not sit in front of the computer without getting HORRIBLE headaches. I now might experience light to moderate headaches with prolonged exposure to my nose being three inches from a screen while sitting in a chair that is made for someone one foot taller than me

My sense of taste has returned *slightly* however my sense of smell is outta control. Not always a good thing.

Been sleeping like a baby for the first time in my life since I was a baby. Although I must also point out that I gave up caffinated soda--I have no caffine after 1pm. 3 cups of coffee in the AM (only in the winter--can't drink it in summer) and maybe a Crystal Light Energy Wild Strawberry later (which I just found out has 3x the caffine as a regular soda!!!)

My skin seems a little healthier. I've been at war with my face since I turned 12 years old. Without the effects of an exhaust pipe in my face all day, I am noticing a slight chance.

MY FINGERS ARE NOT YELLOW!!!!

 

[Mary Kay]

From what I understand cigarettes have an average of 10 to 7 mgs of nic. Some of that goes up in smoke and is not absorbed. But since nic rides into the lungs by piggybacking on tar molecules..what happens when we vape..with no tar? I know the people who study this type of stuff say we get less nic when we vape, at least by half what the cart says. And since a cart and a cartomizer will last for a few cigarettes worth...we may not be get even half of what we used to. That's good news.

I vape 11mg on a new cartomizer and refill it with 8mg. A carto lasts me the same as 4 or 5 cigarettes. So I am guessing 5 mgs per 4 cigs=20mgs. 1 carto at 11mg=5 1/2 mgs. so that puts me at 1/3 to 1/4 or so the nic and none of the other chems in a cigarette.

 

[whatagem]

I've thought of this too, that we are not getting a ton of nicotine by vaping. Although as I've mentioned I am a chain vaper. I'm going through liquid like crazy (24mg) As with smoking cigarettes, I personally think there ought to be concern for anyone on birth control or has high blood pressure, etc as nicotine is a stimulent and still has some of the bad stuff that all drugs do. I still notice my heart rate going up when I vape--though it doesn't flutter & race anymore as it did when I was smoking.

With that said, (and I am prob repeating myself again) for the moment I am happy with just nic & water as I am not inhaling from the exhaust pipe of a cigarette 40+ times a day. I am not personally concerned for myself because I not on cigarettes, though I am aware there may be a small risk. On the other hand, there is also a small risk with eating processed cheese, but that's another argument entirely!

As for another example, a benign tumor was found in my dad's brain--between the lining that cushions the brain from the skull. This was found 3 months after he quit smoking. He'd been using the nicotine lozenge and still is to this day--about three years later. Doctors told dad if he smoked, he'd most likely have a stroke or heart attack as this tumor is some rare form that raises these risks by 10x.

Dad is still sucking those lozenges & none of us have expressed concern because well, he's not smoking. And that's good enough for all of us.

 

[Firegrl]

I've been on birth control so long, I think my uterus has given up on something "magical" ever happening!

Going to the doctor next week and the whole practice is HUGE on women's health. Kinda wondering what their response to my vaping will be....kinda scared I'll get an even WORSE lecture than I usually do!

 

[Mary Kay]

Read up on some of the benifits of vaping and health. Then print it out! Take a device and show them.
They hate smoking..so maybe they will be receptive to vaping. Don't forget to mention you don't get all the chemicals from vaping and the nic is very low..about half of what you got in a cig! (one cart can =4 cigarettes)

 

[Firegrl]

That's a good idea. I will have to remember to do that.

Guess I'm just getting sick of all the people bugging me about quitting completely. "You are quitting the analogs, why don't just quit vaping too?"

Ugh...

 

[Mary Kay]

I get that..the Grandson said "Well Grandma, now you are hooked on those things"! I told him, at least "these things" aren't hurting me or you. Now take out the garbage! My at 16 I know everything grandson hasn't said another word about it except to try to guess what flavor I am vaping.
My Dr. did say that she heard bad stuff about E-cigarettes. I mentioned that she didn't remember to yell at me about how bad my chest sounded. She looked at me funny and then realized how far my lungs have improved.

 

[whatagem]

my (smoker) co-worker said, "You're just trading one habit for another"
I said, "LOOK! My fingers are no longer YELLOW!!!"

funny how no one ever says this to folks on nic gum

 

[Mary Kay]

It's the truth! The non smokers try to put us down for doing what they are always bugging us to do..quit! The smokers are just as bad! I can't tell if they are jelous or so embattled that they see "us" as the "Them'.
But the really weird thing is the ex-smokers who quit without e-cigs. They see using E-cigarrets as a crutch and react with a "I just did it cold turkey!" Like we are weak or something.
I get that when auguing about natural birth..give me the darn drug and let's call it a day!

 

[BakedGoodies]

So migraines are a symptom of a bad mix of analogs and birth control? I've been on birth control since I was 13 due to my period (16 days on, 14 days off, on average) and now do the 3 period a year thing. My doctor won't even bring up smoking anymore cause we've talked about it so much but I would really love to talk to him about this. Too bad he's been booked the last 3 times I've tried to make an appointment - I have Kaiser Permanente, and even all the other doctors are booked. What good is having insurance if I can't even go to an ER type room without an appointment?!

 

[maureengill]

Unfortunately I'm not on the pill....but only because I'm not getting any....DOH.

Maureen

 

[Metstoo]

Unfortunately I'm not on the pill....but only because I'm not getting any....DOH.

Maureen

Ha! Same here!

Actually, I am 45 and the more I heard about smoking, age and the Pill, the more concerned I became about strokes and heart attacks. I was only smoking 15 cigs a day or so but it made me nervous...

So I quit the Pill.

 

[zomgalyssa]

I hope it's okay that I bump this fairly old thread but I couldn't find anything more recent on this subject.

I just ordered my kit and completely forgot I am taking the pill - I am currently NOT asmoker, quit a few years ago but have always had pretty intense cravings. I used my moms ecig for a few months earlier this year and I felt so much better not dealing with that everyday. she needed her spare back so I got myself a kit to stop from going to the real thing.

I started the pill 2 1/2 months ago.

is there anyone on the pill and vaping ?? any problems ?
I am 22. diabetic (type 1 since age 9). I intend on using very low nic juices.

my bigger concern is actually lowering the effects of bc since I take it strictly for prevention. antibiotics make it less effect we know. is there any reason to think ecig juice would ?
I would just get an iud if I wasn't so scare of the pain, cyst, or it splipping / floating around in my body. I guess I'm scared of everything about it, lol. I also do not have insurance and never had kids. I learned when I got bc that I have a very high cervix and the exam / pap smear had me ready to scream / pass out !
bc pills are really my only option. fiancé... tmi here ! he's got a rather severe curvature in his stuff. I have tightness. this results in condoms.not staying. last time we tried them it had slipped off, and gotten pushed way up inside, and it took a while to he it out and we had to get plan b. we didn't try again for many months until going on the bc.

sorry that's a lot of info for my questions .. just hoping there is more known / experiences now

 

[CES]

Hi Zomgalyssa

Welcome to ECF and the women's room.

To get a real answer about the risks of birth control and nicotine, you'll really need to talk to a doc.

The dangers of smoking and the pill have been reported for quite awhile- so much so that after a certain age you can't get a prescription if you smoke. I couldn't find anything about the risks of just nicotine related to estrogen and/or progesterone (in a quick google search- which means that I'm just guessing about what i say next). The issue isn't likely to be one of whether vaping decreases the effectiveness, but the possibility of nicotine increasing the risk of getting a blot clot or embolism - and a medical professional should at least be able to get that data.

Since it's not likely that the ingredients other that nicotine will have an effect, have you considered using 0 nicotine?

 

[brittanyNI]

One thing worth looking at is the list of risks and contraindications for nicotine gum and patches to see of there is a problem with using NRT while on the pill. The nicotine from vaping is more akin to using NRT than to smoking.

 

[Fudgey]

Welcome to The Wome's Room zomgalyssa and brittanyNI

I would talk to you doctor about it.....

 

[brittanyNI]

Welcome to The Wome's Room zomgalyssa and brittanyNI

Thank you! You know, ECF is sorta big ... this little corner is hard to spot. LOL

 

[Fudgey]

Thank you! You know, ECF is sorta big ... this little corner is hard to spot. LOL

ECF is huge.......I still get lost.... Glad you found us

 

[classwife]

Hey...we are pretty big here for a little corner !!!