Lybrel: a Popular Birth Control Pill

Lybrel is the best designed pill for those women who want to eliminate their monthly period. It is the first birth control pill which was approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 22, 2007.

Just like other combination birth control pills, Lybrel will work by preventing ovulation from occurring. The difference is that it will supply a steady low dose of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel to be taken 365 days of the year without a pill-free interval or placebo period. Lybrel will prevent menstruation as long as the pill is taken daily.

In a latest report of 187 women taking Lybrel, it is determined that ninety-nine percent of women began menstruation within 90 days (3 months) after discontinuing use. Besides that, 4 women became pregnant before their period returned, and 2 women reported a return to menses more than 90 days after the completion of the study. In monthly period, many women suffer from headaches, tender breasts, cramps and nausea during their monthly period. Regular use of Lybrel can help stop these monthly symptoms.

Gynecologist, Dr. Anita L. Nelson, professor of OB-GYN at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, advises that all women using birth control can benefit from having more control over their bodies. She further claims, in regard to the withdrawal bleeding that occurs while using the pill, “women need to realize that there is no health benefit to this.”

According to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals (the manufacturer of Lybrel), 59 percent of women taking Lybrel stopped bleeding after six months of use. Eliminating periods through the use of continuous oral contraceptives has been shown to be an effective treatment for many health-related problems, such as endometriosis, anemia, and epilepsy.

On the contrary, it is strongly advised to women that not to smoke while using the Lybrel pill. Because, cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels from oral contraceptive use, especially if you are over 35. The other thing is that regular monthly bleeding does not occur on LYBREL, it may be difficult to recognize if you get pregnant. If you suspect that you may be pregnant, or if you have symptoms of pregnancy such as nausea/vomiting or unusual breast tenderness, you should have a pregnancy test and you should contact your health care professional.

Lybrel may not be for every woman because some side effects can also occur with this pill. And the most common side effects that occurred with Lybrel in a clinical trial were headache, menstrual cramps, upper respiratory infection, vaginal bleeding, and nausea. In any case, if you experience some serious side effects, then stop taking Lybrel and seek immediate medical attention.