I apologize if this has been posted before - I’ve just been unable to find a thread regarding it. First let me say, I’m not trying to get pregnant, but this seemed to be the category closest in relevance. I’m 28, and was on a low hormone birth control pill for about 11 years. I was started on it due to severely painful period cramps and heavy bleeding. It worked well until around year 10, when I started have consistent breakthrough bleeding. My doctor and I made the decision to put in the Mirena IUD since I was in a serious relationship, and we thought it would help with the bleeding issues.
While I’m a bit more regular than I was before, I’m still having moderately heavy periods and experiencing symptoms of depressive mood, weight gain, swollen feet, dry skin, and loss of hair. My doctor believes that my hormones are definitely out of whack, but doesn’t contribute it to the Mirena since it’s only releasing small doses of localized progesterone. The havoc of the wacky hormones is starting to really mess with my blood sugar control. Now I’m experiencing chicken and the egg syndrome: are my blood sugars bonkers because of the hormone fluctuations, or are the hormone fluctuations a result of uncontrolled blood sugars?
Does anyone have any experience or sage wisdom they could offer on how to get through this? Can you balance out your hormones and your blood sugars naturally through diet? Any thoughts, suggestions, or experiences would be most appreciated.
Let me just say as a fellow T1D female, birth control is such a challenge! I’ve been experimenting with different methods of birth control that don’t reek havoc on my blood sugars and just recently found one that works.
Your doctor is probably right about the IUD not being related to the changes you are seeing. I would ask your doctor about the symptoms you have been having and what you can do to make them better. While I don’t have any specific advice, I do have encouragement! You will get through this. I would just say to be persistent with your doctor until you get some answers or perhaps get a second doctor’s opinion. You’ve got this!
Hi! This actually happened to me a few months back as well. I had been on the same pill for five years and my hormones went out of whack causing extreme issues with breast pain. My doctor switched me to another pill that helped with pain, but it also spiked my blood sugar like crazy. So I called my endo and they said to ask for a lighter progesterone pill. Once I switched to another pill, my blood sugar has gone back to normal and it seems like the hormone stuff has figured itself out too! I’m not sure what mirena contains but it could be worth a quick call with your endo just to see if they have had anyone encounter a similar thing or have suggestions for you.
Ladies,
I am glad you raised this issue. I have recently started hormone therapy due to a 12 pound weight gain after starting on the 670G pump and CGM system. I am post menopausal and a 48 year T1D, but have experienced high blood glucose as well. My endo thought the Bioten pellets would balance my hormones and with progesterone tablets and Levothroxine for borderline low thyroid would help with the weight and sort out the hormones. Haven’t been on this long enough to measure success
So, short story long, I may not be your age but want to know if hormones affect blood sugar.
As a note to you young ladies, I opted for an IUD during childbearing years because of the annoyance of yeast Infections when on the pill. The IUD solved the problem. Undoubtedly, birth control has changed dramatically in 34 years, but I liked the idea of no additional chemicals in my system. I had the Copper 7. Which had its ups and downs since then, but It was a good choice for me…