If any of you ladies use Orth-Evra (the patch), I may have some bad news for you. A US advocacy group has filed a petition urging the FDA to pull the patch from the market. Why? Studies have found that using the patch can increase a woman's chances of dangerous blood clots. 
These clots can trigger life-threatening heart attacks or strokes, especially if you are a smoker. Of course the risk of blood clots is common with all hormonal birth control, but clots are twice as likely to occur in women who are using the patch. This type of birth control can expose a woman to 60 percent more estrogen than birth control pills, which is pretty scary.
In its defense, the FDA feels that the risk of developing a clot is low — for every 10,000 women who use hormonal birth control for one year, three to five of them will develop a blood clot. Also, Ortho Women’s Health & Urology, the Johnson & Johnson division that makes the patch, believes that there are risks and benefits to using the patch, just like there are with other types of hormonal birth control. But it seems the risk is higher with the patch.
This makes me a little wary; how about you? If you use Ortho-Evra or are thinking about using it, talk to your gynecologist and get his or her advice. There may be a better birth control option out there for you.
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I've used the patch for the last 5 years and have never had a problem. I absolutely love it, but i don't think it is the best form of birth control for a smoker or for a woman is over 35 year old. However, I don't think that just because it is not the best option for everyone, it should be taken off the market when it remains a viable and healthy option for some women.
It's not like it's an over-the-counter drug that can be picked up anyone at a drugstore. To obtain it, you must have a physical exam and a fairly in-depth conversation with a doctor, who is quite capable of determining whether you fall into the group of woman who have an increased risk of these side effects and then can help you determine what form of birth control would be the best option for you.
1I tried the patch and got so violently ill when taking it (I was nauseous all the time and got major migraines). I don't know what the hell is in it compared with ortho tricyclen (which I've used for more than a decade), but I don't recommend it to anyone!
2I used the patch once because I thought it was the most convenient form of birth control at the time and got soooo sick! I even ended up throwing up in one of my handbags in taxi once :0(..as soon as I took it off I started to feel so much better..I think it just has too many hormones that not everyone can handle..the pill works best with my body
3I use the patch, and while I don't really like having it on me, it's what works best for me. I tried the pill for awhile, but the hormones weren't strong enough and I ended up bleeding three weeks out of every month! I talked to my gyno and she said that the risk for having blood clots while on the patch is actually less than the risk of blood clots while you're pregnant, and that with my health history I would be fine. I get more nauseous now, too, Marni7, but not nearly as badly as you! We're planning on trying for a baby at the end of this year, and after we have a baby I'll probably try the pill again or even an IUD. I've had the patch for the past two and a half years (with a nine or ten month break in the middle where I tried the pill) and while I'm okay, it's obviously not for everyone.
4i tried the patch- the think i hated the most about it was the nasty outline on my skin around the patch..you know, like how a bandaid gets all gross. it's sticky and all kinds of things stick to it. i thought it was ugly, so i stopped using it.
5I used the patch for a few months & it made me REALLY ill. I was car sick, nauseous all of the time, had migraines and was am emotional wreck. I have not met one person that has had good results. It sounds like there are a few people out there that have had a fine time with it...but not me!
6i've personally never used it but my friend's sister was on it and was getting married so she changed her timing with it or something and ended up having a stroke becuase of blood clots that her DR. attributed to the patch. it's scary to think about those things, but i guess they do put that warning out there for a reason right? they say that all birth control has the risk.
7Please do NOT smoke if you take birth control! My sister who is only 34 has been in the hospital for a week now as she has two blood clots in her lungs. They said it is from smoking and taking birth control at the same time. She is now on blood thinners which is not working and it is too risky at this point to do surgery to remove them as her heart is working overtime to keep up.
8i used the patch for 2 years. when i first started it i developed cysts in odd spots and my hands started peeling. on top of that i could never find a good spot for it where folks wouldnt see or it wouldnt peel off. i ended up finding it a home right near my bikini line... which was unpleasant for the boyfriend!
9I used the patch for two years and it worked great (minus the pesky bandaid-square-goo-iness). I got off of it because of the clot risk. I then tried the NuvaRing which completely stopped my estrogen production. Now, I'm on the pill.
10I was on the patch for about 6 months. It worked great for me, I loved not having to worry about a pill every day and it was one of the few hormonal birth control options I've tried that didn't make me sick. When all the controvery over it started, I switched back to the pill just to be safe but I still miss the convenience of the patch. The only downside that I found was the bandaid yucky ring around the edge and the fact that it hurt a little bit when I took it off (think ripping duct tape off your arm).
11A lot of people I know who took the pill ended up becoming extremely sick. I have never taken it, nor do I plan on it!
12I attempted to use the patch once because I am forgetful with pills, and it was beyond awful. I was so, so sick and even had dangerous blurred vision. I ripped it off and never went back. The ring is the best birth control ever--you have to think about it even less than the patch!
13I've had patients that have gotten blood clots from using this patch! They were in the ICU. It is very dangerous, you can get blood clots and die! It doesn't even matter if you don't smoke. I remember hearing about one of the first deaths from this patch in NY, the girl was like 21 and dropped dead on the bus.
If you have pain in your legs or most importantly difficult breathing/shortness of breath suddenly, then get to the hospital or call your doctor right away!!!
Sorry to hear about your sister Liss, I hope she gets better!
14I've used the patch for a few years now and have never had any problems. I really like it, its much eaiser to change it once a week then to have to take a pill every day.
15i trust the pill b/c its been around since 1960.... I am wary of new drugs
16My sister is a nurse and she's told me some not-so-great things about the patch before. I'd never consider using it.
17Personally, taking a small pink pill everyday is not a big deal...I can do it while sitting in lectures, sitting or lying in bed, and it's not too bad. The patch seems irritating because it's visible and awkward.
18when using nuvaring their is also a hight risk of blood clots,...will they remove from the market too ??
19My gyno will not even prescribe the patch because of the risks and flat out said he didn't like the patch so we wouldn't even talk about it as an option.
20I used the patch for a long time and the whole time I was on it I had horrible headaches that ended up causing some not so great health problems. There are a lot of side effects of this patch but it's completely up to you and your doctor to decide if it's right for you.
21its really annoying how you americans call it "birth control". its not birth control!!!!!!!
22I had a clot when i was 16, unrelated to Birth Control, but i cant take the pill or anything with estrogen in it because of the risks now. I had an IUD put in after I had my daughter when I was 17, and i love it. I only have a year left before it has to be taken out, and im dont think i'll have one put in again because we want to have another baby. Hopefully we'll be ready for another by then because it sucks to use condoms and hope they dont break, also cant use the morning after pill lol.
23i use it... it's the one bc i've found that works for me. it's a godsend.
24I have been using the patch for over 2 years and I have not any problems with it. I try to change the places for it on my body, such as my lower back, and I have been comfortable with the patch on. I do agree with the left-over stickiness and the pain of ripping off a bandaid from my skin. I have used a couple of dabs of baby oil to clean off the spot and soothe the redness after the patch is removed.
25Otherwise my experience with the patch is that it has worked for me.
I have been using the patch for 5 years. I also have smoked that whole time and have never had a problem. I have only had one time in those 5 years that i have had any problems...and that was simply a 3 week period because the patch fell off after a week straight of being in a pool and the beach. Im sorry for all of you that have had problems, however, when there are many people that it does help...there isn't a reason to take it off. I always forget to take a pill, so this is much more simple.
26I have been using the patch for 5 years. I also have smoked that whole time and have never had a problem. I have only had one time in those 5 years that i have had any problems...and that was simply a 3 week period because the patch fell off after a week straight of being in a pool and the beach. Im sorry for all of you that have had problems, however, when there are many people that it does help...there isn't a reason to take it off. I always forget to take a pill, so this is much more simple.
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