HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Contraceptive patch and flare up

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 4/19/2022 10:40 AM (GMT -8)
Hey,

I haven’t been on here for a while. 2 years ago was when I first had a flare whilst I was pregnant with my third. After months of distress, once she was born my symptoms completely went away.

18 months on and my symptoms have returned. I can’t put my finger on what has caused a flare up, the only thing that has changed is the exact same time my symptoms started, I started back on the contraceptive patch.

Could this be linked or just a coincidence? Anyone else had experience with this?

I am awaiting a colonoscopy and until then have been given no advice or treatment (they found procitis in my bowel last week when I had some surgery)

I feel in complete limbo - don’t know what I should and shouldn’t be eating, should I stop taking the patch

Any advice would be appreciated
Posted 4/19/2022 4:34 PM (GMT -8)
Sorry you're flaring. My vote is coincidence. As hindsight is always perfect, 2/20 vision. We try and find something, anything to pin as the cause of our flare. We're seldom correct. A flare is likely something that builds slowly and silently over months, with the buildup of inflammation until a critical mass is present, and flare symptoms show.
Posted 4/19/2022 5:08 PM (GMT -8)
My UC diagnosis 11 years ago coincided with coming off oral contraceptives after seven years on them, I think, but I didn’t ever think of causation. However, I will say that my gut health / ibs or flare symptoms definitely track with my hormonal cycle, so my intuition says it’s not impossible that there was some relationship between your patch and symptoms. However, it might have been just one factor among many? I haven’t been on hormonal contraceptives since my diagnosis, so I can’t comment. Others might be able to share anecdotally? I think hormonal cycles and UC is an area researchers still have lots of work to do on.

If you need the contraception, I wouldn’t just quit the patch. But it’s worth having a chat with your doctor when you can?

Solidarity.
Posted 4/19/2022 6:57 PM (GMT -8)
Were you in any meds before this flare?
q
Posted 4/20/2022 6:14 AM (GMT -8)
I guess it's possible. I have taken the pill on and off my entire adult life with no effect on UC that I can tell.
Posted 4/20/2022 8:05 AM (GMT -8)
Thank you everyone for replying.

No I wasn’t on any meds beforehand. To be honest it is all new to me. I was put on saloflak enemas whilst pregnant then suppositories but it didn’t have any effect and they were reluctant to try anything else twhilst pregnant.

I stopped all this near the end of my pregnancy as it all got abit too much.

When I saw consultant after pregnancy, all my symptoms had gone - was just left with some hemmoroids which has been the main focus. Hadn’t thought anymore of it I just put it all down to pregnancy and hormones

I went in last week to have the hemmoroids removed and mentioned the flare up of my symptoms, he tried to pass it off as ibs (which I don’t suffer from)
After investigating he said I have moderate procitis and they will now need to do a colonoscopy. Not been given any advice or meds and am awaiting a follow up appointment.

So I feel abit in limbo at the moment.

No idea on what I should be doing diet wise etc to help

The only reason I was thinking could be my patch was as it all triggered with pregnancy and the hormones and the patch is obviously hormonal but like ipoop says, it could just be a coincidence
Posted 4/20/2022 9:53 AM (GMT -8)
You could always stop the patch for a while and see if you improve.
Posted 4/20/2022 10:49 AM (GMT -8)

Sara14 said...
You could always stop the patch for a while and see if you improve.

Yes this is what I’ve decided to do. Only time will tell I guess
Posted 4/20/2022 9:45 PM (GMT -8)
I don't understand why not even the first-line mesalamine... oral and rectal retention enemas...especially since you are in a more advanced flare. I really don't think it's the contraceptive as much as it's you not being on any UC meds.

q
Posted 4/20/2022 10:36 PM (GMT -8)

quincy said...
I don't understand why not even the first-line mesalamine... oral and rectal retention enemas...especially since you are in a more advanced flare. I really don't think it's the contraceptive as much as it's you not being on any UC meds.

q

Yes very frustrating, I feel like I am just waiting around for someone to give me advice and treatment. Am going to contact the doctor this week to see if I can get a sooner appointment
Posted 4/21/2022 9:17 AM (GMT -8)
Request meds and the appointment. Im frustrated for you.
q
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply