BCP and menopause Options

[Lady E]

I have a quick question.Does anyone know if I actually went through menopause while on my BCP would I still have the withdrawel bleed on the week off of the pills?The last period I had was very light,and barely lasted three days,I am on a low dose bcp,and usually have a semi normal period during the week off the pills.Does anyone know anything about this?Thanks and GODbless

[SandraSmith]

This is just my theory based on what I've read, not from my experience !

I think the only way you can tell if you are in menopause is if you experience menopause symptoms during your off-week, presuming your pill is the type that you have one week of placebo.

[skiergirl]

Hi Lady E,
I think some women who are post-menopausal stop having periods on the bcp, however it's not uncommon for women who are not menopausal to also have very light or short periods or to skip periods. A few years ago, when I was on a bcp for contraception, my gyn told me that some women who have been on the pill for a long time stop having periods even during the placebo week. I always got my withdrawal bleeds on the pill even in peri (the last time I was on the pill was about a year ago). I don't know what would happen now if I took it; because I'm on HRT, I have no idea where I am in the menopausal transition.

[Lady E]

Thanks for the answers.My symptoms are very bad on sugar pill week.Hot flashes that leave me sweating,extreme fatigue,headache,weepiness.Also my palps hit hard that week.I am wondering if I am getting closer to menopause.But I am not sure.GOD-bless

[ex-urbanite]

Lady E, I am still on the pill at 53, and my doctor okayed me taking it back to back, with no week off...so I never get those dreaded symptoms...
I am planning to go off the pill soon, and am not looking forward to it!

Skiergirl, do you mind telling me what kind of HRT you are on? I tried low dose Femhrt a few years ago, and felt good, but I gained weight, so I went back to the pill....
I may try another type of HRT after I go off the pill...if I cannot stand how I feel...

[skiergirl]

ex-urbanite,
I'm on the Climara patch (.1 mg) and I supplement with oral estradiol--.5 or 1 mg, depending on what I need. I also take Prometrium for 12 days per month. I feel really good, but I'd like to switch to something cheaper--my patches run out after 5 days and they are really expensive.

Lady E,
Why are you putting up with those nasty symptoms on your placebo week? Life is too short to be miserable for one week a month! Why don't you ask your gyn if you can:
1. take the pill continuously;
2. supplement the pill on your placebo week with oral estradiol ($4 at Walmart) or some other form of estrogen; or
3. switch to some other form of HRT where you take estrogen continuously, and only stop the progesterone to get a withdrawal bleed.

You are too young to be tolerating those symptoms!

[SandraSmith]

Hey, what about FSH ? You know how it goes high when you are menopausal ? I know that real estrogen (estradiol) suppresses FSH, and that's why for a pre-meno woman that's why FSH is typically low. Do the synthetic estrogens suppress FSH too ? It not, you could do an FSH test ? Maybe ? :-)

[Lady E]

ex-urbanite,
I'm on the Climara patch (.1 mg) and I supplement with oral estradiol--.5 or 1 mg, depending on what I need. I also take Prometrium for 12 days per month. I feel really good, but I'd like to switch to something cheaper--my patches run out after 5 days and they are really expensive.

Lady E,
Why are you putting up with those nasty symptoms on your placebo week? Life is too short to be miserable for one week a month! Why don't you ask your gyn if you can:
1. take the pill continuously;
2. supplement the pill on your placebo week with oral estradiol ($4 at Walmart) or some other form of estrogen; or
3. switch to some other form of HRT where you take estrogen continuously, and only stop the progesterone to get a withdrawal bleed.

You are too young to be tolerating those symptoms!

I asked about continous and even tried it for a few months,but I had constant spotting.So I just decided to do the week off.I may ask about supplementing though,that sounds promising.Thanks

[Lady E]

Hey, what about FSH ? You know how it goes high when you are menopausal ? I know that real estrogen (estradiol) suppresses FSH, and that's why for a pre-meno woman that's why FSH is typically low. Do the synthetic estrogens suppress FSH too ? It not, you could do an FSH test ? Maybe ? :-)

I am going to talk to my dr about testing at my next check up-I am curious about my levels.Thanks

[skiergirl]

Hi again Lady E,
I don't think the FSH test would be accurate while you are on the pill. Mine was really high when I first started having symptoms, then after being on YAZ for 6 weeks, it had come right down to normal. The estrogen in the pill brought it down. I think the only way we can truly know if we are post-menopausal is to go off all all HRT or bcp and and see if a year passes with no periods. That's not an option for me!

[Lady E]

Hi again Lady E,
I don't think the FSH test would be accurate while you are on the pill. Mine was really high when I first started having symptoms, then after being on YAZ for 6 weeks, it had come right down to normal. The estrogen in the pill brought it down. I think the only way we can truly know if we are post-menopausal is to go off all all HRT or bcp and and see if a year passes with no periods. That's not an option for me!

Not for me either-I take my bcp so that I can function as a mother.My kids need me.I will just keep trudging along,and trust GOD to help! Thanks!!