Denise consulted me because she struggled with post-birth-control syndrome (PBCS) after she made the difficult decision to go off the pill. Reviewing her health history, I noticed Denise’s doctor had recently prescribed several rounds of antibiotics for a urinary-tract infection (UTI). Also, Crohn’s disease ran in her mom’s side of the family and her father’s side had a history of severe depression. As a doctor who helps women treat autoimmune disease and balance their hormones, I drew the parallel between Denise’s symptoms and her gut health. Let’s start with Denise’s weight-loss struggles. I’ve found that nearly every patient who goes off the pill and takes proactive approaches to reduce inflammation also starts losing weight. That’s because studies show4 chronic inflammation ramps up obesity and other symptoms of metabolic syndrome like high blood pressure and messed-up cholesterol levels. Conversely, when patients lose weight, they also lower inflammation, which improves5 gut and overall health. Then there’s depression, which Denise blamed on genetics, but I saw as a gut problem. Did you know that about 80-95 percent of serotonin is manufactured6 in your gut? The pill’s knocking her healthy gut flora out of balance—thanks to inflammation—meant Denise wasn’t making enough of this feel-good neurotransmitter that also plays a role in gut motility, explaining why she felt so bloated. Newer studies, though, suggest that might not be the entire story. Instead, depression might occur7 due to chronic inflammation itself. In other words, if your gut or other parts of your body are inflamed, and most of ours are, you’re more likely to struggle with feeling depressed. And then there’s leaky gut. When tiny particles that aren’t supposed to slip through8 your gut wall do, an immune reaction results and among its havoc includes—you guessed it—inflammation. Working with Post-Birth Control Syndrome can be a real challenge, but with the right guidance, you can get back to feeling like your healthiest self. If you’re looking for an alternative to the pill you might want to read this about birth control apps or this one the IUD.
