Birth Control Blunders

Have you ever wondered why you always seem to produce “old blood” when taking birth control? Find out why and how you can stop it.

Case #: 1268

Concern：

I read an article about a woman on birth control pills who had dark brown vaginal discharge. I am on another type of birth control, Etonogestrel/Ethinyl estradiol which is estrogen based. I just recently began using it and I’m experiencing the dark vaginal discharge a couple times a day. Is this normal, will it cause any damage to me, and will it ever completely stop?

Discussion：

Birth control can be a tricky beast, because there is no guarantee that it will completely mesh well with your individual genetic makeup.

Common Symptoms

Although your new form of birth control is estrogen based, a significant amount of artificial progesterone and estrogen are still getting trapped in the cervix and uterus, when the correct function would be to travel through the bloodstream and then to the brain. The new form of contraception is directly affecting the health of your cervix and uterus even more than other birth controls could.

How It Works

The reason why birth control floods the brain with excessive amounts of estrogen, is because it tricks the mind into thinking that you're actually pregnant. Once your brain believes you are in fact with child ,it will signal the ovarian function to shut down.

A hormone-based birth control typically includes a large amount of progestin, which is what causes a heavy vaginal discharge. The hormone with the aid of synthetic estrogen can cause spotting sourced from the lining of the uterus. When the spotting blood becomes oxidized, the outcome is a vaginal discharge that appears dark black or brown. If the blood is trapped within the vaginal walls for long periods of time, yeast will cause a noticeable odor.

How To Fix It

The first order of action would be to talk to your OBGYN about whether or not you might possibly be able to switch to a birth control of a lesser dosage, or one where the only ingredient is progesterone. If you are not able to, and you still wish to get rid of the blackish discharge, I would recommend getting off of birth control for at least six months. This time off will allow your liver to play catch up, so that it may resume cleansing the entire body of the excessive synthetic hormones.

During the detox period, you may utilize herbs such as Mexican Wild Yam, Fo Ti, Safflower, Muira Puama, Ligustrum, and Fenugreek. (TRY: Vaginal Detox & Infection Relief) These natural herbs will help to speed up the detoxification process by replenishing the body with essential fatty and amino acids, as well as boost your bodies immune defenses.

They will also cut back on that thick vaginal discharge that women who take birth control regularly experience. In addition to these herbs, you can help your liver out by drinking plenty of water. About six glasses of water each day can help your body to flush out harmful toxins.