The connection between hormonal birth control and V-problems

Hi ladies,

I have not seen any posts regarding this, but apologies if there are.

Are any of you knowledgeable about the connection between hormonal contraceptives (any kind; the pill, injection, patch, ring etc.) and the onset of V-complications?

I never properly made the connection until reading something about “atrophic vestibulodynia/vaginitis” or something along those lines… the premise was that the artificial hormone can unbalance things and can cause thinning in the vaginal walls and other complications that lead to ongoing pain symptoms. I don’t think just stopping the pill does anything though. The damage is done, so to speak, and treatment involves stopping the pill and using Estrogen cream.

My main question is… do you think there is some merit to this idea? Do you know anything about it?

I’ve been on the pill (first Levlen, then Diane, then Yasmin) since age 18. Onset of my Vestibulitis (after UTI/Yeast infection) was about a year after that. Doesn’t seem aligned, but who knows?

I won’t be changing my contraceptive until later this year if at all. I’m travelling the second half of the year and don’t want things to be unpredictable. But after that, I may consider going off the pill and seeking that line of treatment. BUT… what contraceptive would I use then!?!? This is the biggest issue… my partner and I DETEST condoms. What other options are there, that are not hormonal?

~Tyger.

Hi tyger, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert here - Oh maybe I will! What about a Mirena coil? Once it's in which I understand may be an issue, it's in! This thing tends to follow an hormonal route so perhaps get rid of anything that plays havoc with the hormones? Just a thought

Hi Tyger,
I'd really recommend that you read a book called "why sex hurts" by drs. goldstein and another woman whose name i forget. We talked about this recently on another thread if you can find it. I was struck that you took Yasmin because in our discussion it seems like many of us (including me) took it and now have VVS.
In any event, in this book, they detail the results of a recent study that women who take birth control pills at a young age have a 900% more likely chance of getting VVS than other women. The reason is interesting. The vestibule is actually formed from a different tissue than the rest of the vulva or vagina. This tissue (I think in the embryo it derives from the uretha) is testosterone dependent to be healthy. When we take the Pill, it binds all the free testosterone in our blood streams (as a side effect), and deactivates it. We have dramatically less testosterone than when we don't take the Pill. This puts the vestibular tissue into crisis in some women and can lead to VVS.
They'll give you a lot more detail on how to treat hormone-caused VVS in the book. But I'd definitely recommend getting off the Yasmin asap!
p.s. I tried the Mirena coil and it was a-w-f-u-l but that's an individual experience. The insertion was very painful so I'm not sure you'd be a candidate if you can't have a regular exam.
Be well!

I read of this connection too. But then I tend to think, the amount of women on obc anyway, perhaps just a Coincidence? not sure on this theory I read it on Goldsteins website.

Im from Canada and I was on YAZ (Not sure if it is the same as YASMIN) and it was horrible. I think I got the V right after i started taking it. along with a breast lump and ovarian cyst. I think there may be some connection? Should I get off the pill?

Google Dr Golstein and the pill and V.

The pill messes with your hormones and your vulva needs the right balance to funciton properly. I have been off for a month and not noticed a difference yet. My IC is heaps better though!

I just think natural is best now after reading so much on the pill causing v. Yaz is preetty high in hormones. I would advise you get off it.

Also perhaps look into the copper coil. the Marina is still hormones.

We are using non latex condoms for now. No smell, much better feel and does not irritate, hubby says they feel better for him too. We use them with 'Yes' lubricant. The only one I have found to not irritate.

I am considering copper coil but I have painfull irregular periods and think it may worsen this.

it's true. I was on Yasmin, ttook some naproxen with it for a small bartholin cyst, it ruptured, was infected, boom- VVS!!

Lucky you guys can get off of it. I'm begging for a hysterectomy so I don't bleed so damn much all the time but without bc I'm in total pain and very anemic. Not possible. I just got back on yaz hopefully v cant come back after surgery haha ugh

I wanted to post about my story to reiterate that there are DEFINITELY cases where VVS is caused by hormonal contraceptives, even when not immediately obvious.
I want to desperately encourage anyone who has VVS to come off hormonal contraceptives if possible.

In 2012, I had unprotected sex and took the morning after pill. I developed vestibule redness/soreness/itchiness. The clinic confirmed a Yeast & BV infection, explaining that this was common after sex (though I had never had any vaginal problems for years before). They also put me on the Pill (Microgynon 30). The infections cleared (tested negative) but my symptoms remained constant.

My symptoms extended beyond vestibule pain. I also had itchiness, redness & subtle inflammation of the whole vestibule (localised to this area), my vestibule skin started to tear during sex, get more inflammed & very regularly develop new infections (Yeast/Bacterial). I also had a lot of discomfort/itchiness in & around my anus.

Firstly, this made me question whether I had VVS because I didn't just have pain of the vestibule, as I kept getting infections too (now I understand that women with VVS are often simply more prone to infections & discomfort of the whole area).
Secondly, I assumed my VVS must have been caused by the infections (proliferation of nerves in the vestibule after infection), because the symptoms I had felt like they were permanent, that the skin itself was not normal anymore & seemed irreparable.

I didn't come off the Pill until mid 2013, when I had read more info about a link. I felt I should just come off it in case it might have been making anything worse.

The reality was (by my complete surprise and total elation) that within a month, my vestibule returned to completely normal and ALL other related symptoms also disappeared — the anal discomfort/itchiness & bring prone to developing infections.

I hadn't thought the Pill could be causing my VVS, because I had developed the infections before I started the Pill (I didn't consider at the time that just before I got the infections, I had taken the morning after pill which is a huge dose of progesterone). I also had no understanding of hormones & no idea how they could cause pain in a specific area of the body like this! Every doctor I asked said there was no way the Pill was relevant, which made me have little hope.

I believe there are 2 main causes for VVS — hormonal or a response to an infection. But there can be an overlap, and I didn't consider the Pill could be the cause because I kept getting the infections. But I was mistaken (and so were over 10 doctors & specialists).

I really hope this can help any women suffering.

As a side point, unfortunately, after being perfectly normal for 18 months, this year I developed infections (no hormones involved) and VVS has fully returned. I feel that my body has learned how it responded to infections when I was on the Pill, and now the nerves are irritated again = VVS

A2015