If you have gallstones, should you take birth control pills?

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Gallstones can appear in the bile ducts in the liver, where the bile ducts and gallbladder meet; either in the common bile duct or gallbladder. When examining and confirming the diagnosis, the doctor may prescribe the patient to use many different drugs. However, many women wonder, "Should I take birth control pills if I have gallstones?"

1. Common drugs used to treat gallstones

To treat gallstones, doctors often assign patients to use drugs: Pain relievers, drugs to dissolve stones, treatment of complications.
Painkillers: Patients with gallstones are prone to pain caused by stones causing spasms in the biliary tract, gallbladder such as: analgesics with muscle-directing effects such as Alverin, Atropin, Visceralgin (Tiemonium); Medicines that dissolve stones: eg, Ursodeoxycholic Acid (Ursodiol) or chenodesoxychlolic acid; Complications treatment: gallstone disease often causes a number of complications such as: biliary fistula, gallbladder fluid retention, biliary tract infection, acute cholecystitis, bile infiltration into the viscera, gallbladder necrosis... All are very dangerous, easy to leave serious consequences. Drugs to treat complications are usually antibacterial drugs (such as Aminoglycosides and Quinolones); Diuretics are chemicals or herbs (artichokes). Gallstones often cause dangerous complications, seriously affecting the health of patients. Patients should be examined to determine if they have gallstones or not, then the doctor will prescribe medication or surgical intervention. Avoid subjective delay or arbitrary drug use.

2. If you have gallstones, should you take birth control pills?

Today, the use of birth control pills is considered the simplest and most optimal method for women who are intending to avoid pregnancy. However, like any other drug, birth control pills also have some contraindications that users do not notice. Therefore, before taking the drug, you should consult a doctor to rule out the risk of disease, to avoid side effects due to the wrong medication.
For women with hepatitis, acute and chronic nephritis, absolutely do not use birth control pills because when entering the body, the drug will be broken down in the liver and excreted by the kidneys; increases the "burden" on both the liver and kidneys, thereby causing severe damage to the process of excreting waste products from the body. Over time, hepatitis and kidney disease will become more and more serious and difficult to treat.

Compared to men, women have a much higher risk of gallstones. The reason is that the female hormone estrogen stimulates the liver to increase cholesterol production and secrete into bile to form stones. In addition, some pharmaceuticals, including birth control pills, lipid-lowering drugs (such as Clofibrat, Fenofibrate)... if used for a long time, will increase the risk of gallstone disease. Women who have a history of biliary stasis while using oral contraceptives should also not use this medication again.
So when you have gallstones, women should not use birth control pills. For safe and effective planning, women should go to medical facilities for advice on the most suitable contraceptive method for their health status. At the same time, you also need to monitor and thoroughly treat gallstone disease, to avoid prolonging causing dangerous complications.
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