by 
wannerk
ANSWERS: 3
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The estrogen in combination pills (those containing both estrogen and progesterone) activate blood clotting in some women. The clotting is primarily in the legs, although clots may also travel to the lung. The risk is very small statistically and it is impossible to predict which women may have clotting. (It's not the same or related to menstrual clotting.) Progesterone only pills are an option to reduce risk as is reducing other controllable risk factors: excess body weight, high cholesterol, smoking, inactivity, varicose veins etc.
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When I was 18 I started having this very accute pain behind my shoulder. It got so bad that I could not lie down, my arm would not move and it was hard to breath. I went to the doctor and all signs pointed to a pinched nerve or muscle irritation. Luckily I had a doctor who didn't know when to quit. The cat scan proved that I had blood clots in both my legs and my lungs. The combination of smoking and birth control came so close to killing me. I have since then paid more attention to the commercials for the pill. To me they do not tell you how important it is and they always so "mostly in women over thirty" but I know from experience that a very young healthy women is just as much at risk. "littlemisdangerous" has got the facts right, but I just wanted to say that it is very dangerous to smoke and take the pill.
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Two weeks ago I woke up from sleeping with a sharp pain in my chest. It got worst in a matter of ten minutes. I then couldn't breath. I was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. I had an x-ray done on my chest...nothing was found. Then I had a cat scan. I was then told I had a blood clot in my left lung. I was scared to death. I was hospitalized for four days. I hated it, but it all came down to the fact that the estrogen in the birth control is what did it. Estrogen makes your blood thicker. I am now off the birth control and taking coumadin for the next three to six months.
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