The number of women who have suffered gallstones and gallbladder disease after having taken Yasmin birth control is growing. Many of these women have never experienced such problems in the past. It was only after taking this fourth-generation oral contraceptive that stones and inflammation manifested within their gallbladders.
Yasmin birth control pills are known as a combined-hormone contraceptive. It is one of the first to blend estrogen with drospirenone, a synthetic progestin that has been linked to blood clots, hyperkalemia, and other side effects. Evidence suggests it is also linked to Yasmin gallbladder disease.
This article will explain the job of your gallbladder and how Yasmin can contribute to gallstones and inflammation. I'll describe how gallbladder disease is treated and the possible side effects that can present if the organ is surgically removed.
Understanding Your Gallbladder's Job
Your gallbladder is located under your liver. It is a muscle-lined sac that is approximately four inches in length. Your liver produces bile and funnels most of it into your gallbladder through the common hepatic duct and cystic duct. Most of the bile (a few cups each day) is removed. A few tablespoons of concentrated fluid remain in the sac until it is needed to digest fats.
When food enters your duodenum in the upper portion of your small intestine, a hormone called cholecystokinin is released. This hormone triggers contractions within your gallbladder. The contractions push bile out of the sac into the common bile duct. The bile fluid flows into the small intestine where it helps digest fat molecules.
Gallstones And Inflammation
Most gallstones are cholesterol-based. The cholesterol is delivered from the liver to your gallbladder within bile salts. Normally, it only comprises 5% of the bile fluid. However, if cholesterol levels rise and the ratio becomes imbalanced, the bile fluid thickens within the gallbladder. Eventually, the cholesterol can crystallize and form gallstones.
Inflammation of the sac (with or without the presence of stones) can occur if the gallbladder cannot contract properly. This prevents bile from being pushed out into the common bile duct. Instead, the fluid remains within the gallbladder, causing irritation. In some cases, it can lead to infection.
Yasmin birth control pills can potentially cause gallstones and inflammation (called acute cholecystitis). The combination of estrogen and drospirenone has been linked to increased cholesterol levels and reduced contractions of the gallbladder.
How Yasmin Gallbladder Disease Is Treated
In the case of gallstones, the form of treatment depends upon whether the stones are symptomatic. If symptoms do not present, most doctors will recommend against treatment. If symptoms present, but there is no infection within the gallbladder or common bile duct, doctors may suggest painkillers or another form of drug therapy. If infection has developed, or there is a chance that it might, doctors will strongly recommend the removal of the entire organ.
In the case of inflammation, removal of the gallbladder is almost always necessary. This is usually accomplished through a minimally-invasive surgical procedure called laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Possible Post-Operation Side Effects
Some women who have suffered Yasmin gallbladder disease have experienced side effects after having the organ surgically removed. Post-operative nausea and vomiting are common, though both can treated with medications. Discomfort and diarrhea following meals are also common and may require changes in diet.
Far more serious is the potential tearing or damaging of the bile ducts during the operation. This can lead to post-op complications. Also, if the surgical team fails to remove one or more stones, the stones can cause an abscess within the abdominal cavity. Resolving the problem will require further surgery.
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