Wed, Jun-11-03, 09:27
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Senior Member
Posts: 341
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Plan: Atkins
Stats: 300/300/195
BF:
Progress: 0%
Location: San Mateo, California
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Birth control, Zovia, & higher doses of estrogen??
I recently started taking Ortho-tricyclin again after realizing that it wasn't affecting my weight loss at all. However, I have a new doctor and a new health plan (Kaiser) and when I went in to ask for more pills, they prescribed me a completely different type of formulation.
I've been pretty used to Ortho-tri or -novum and the low level of hormone the first week and progressing up to a higher level of hormone. But this new formula, Zovia 1/35E has the same level of hormone for all 3 weeks. On the informational materials provided in the packs, there's listings of side affects of birth-control in general, but nothing specific to the higher estrogen doses in Zovia. The only thing I could find specific about Zovia was a note: "Zovia 1/35E is higher in estrogen than other birth control pills. Do not take unless specifically recommended by your physician." Well, Kaiser wouldn't prescribe me my usual Ortho-tri without charging $80.00 a pack for them. Despite that, I'm concerned about being prescribed a higher dose of estrogen when I (and I'm sure millions of other womn) don't need a higher dose.
Has anyone had any experience with Zovia specifically? Does anyone know what the drawbacks are with taking a higher level of Estrogen (and with weight-loss and cancer risks in particular)? Weren't there some recent studies about menopausal women taking high levels of estrogen (or was it progesterone?) and getting cancer?
Thanks for any advice! I'm really worried and refusing to take them until I can find out more.
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