Hormone therapies are always being developed to minimize side effects, however, there are some that you should be aware of if using for acne treatment.
Common Side Effects:
Nausea
Vomiting
Cylical weight gain
Bloating
Breast Tenderness
Depression
Mood swings
Headaches
Rare Side Effects:
Blood clots
Thromboembolism
Stroke
Retinal artery thrombosis
Heart attacks
Benign liver tumors
Gallstones
An increase in blood pressure
A link with breast cancer remains controversial
Failure of birth control
Women Should NOT Take Hormone Therapy If They Have Any Of These Conditions:
History of coronary heart disease
Very high cholesterol
History of blood clots or stroke
Late renal failure
Jaundice
Symptomatic heart valve disease
Breast cancer or other estrogen dependent cancer
Smokers
Possible Drug Interactions:
Antibiotics may interact, for example, ampicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, cotrimoxazole
Nitrofuratoin (Possible interactions with this drug are still controversial)
Rifampicin has definite effects on estrogen levels
Antiepileptic drugs – for example, phenytoin, phenobarbital
Diarrhea or laxatives may reduce absorption of OCs
Suggestions For Breakthrough Bleeding While On The Hormone Therapy:
If you experience bleeding early in the cycle, switch to a pill with higher estrogen. For mid or late-cycle bleeding, switch to a lower estrogen or higher progestin pill.
