Mood swings, bcp, perimenopause Options

[MyFaith]

I've been taking Mircette, a low dose bcp, for about two months and I'm wondering why am I still dealing with mood swings? When I was taking another brand of low dose bcp my mood swings were under control, but I had to switch because of elevated glucose levels, and other unpleasant symptoms.

I thought bcp were suppose to suppress my fluctuating hormones and provide a more constant "stable" supply of hormones. Why is this not happening?

One minute I feel terrific, wonderful, delightful... then the next I feel anxious, irritable, scared, panicky, sad, weepy, confused...I can go on, but I'm sure you get the picture by now .

Hopefully, someone will reply.

[gunner43]

Hi:

I hope you know the bcp will hide your peri and meno symptoms and when you go
off they all will appear - I tried the pill and like you this happened - but my ob neglected to tell me at the age of 50 when I go off I will have to deal with all these
symptoms. My ob said it takes 3 months to stabilize your body when you are on the pill and off. Maybe this explains what is happening to you - I do not know all I know is I feel greaty for 1 week then it all builds up. I could not handle the anxiety on the bcp - Psycho lady - Good luck

[MyFaith]

Gunner thanks for replying. Believe me right now I can not go off my bcp. My ob/gyn is excellent and we already decided that once I actually go through menopause we'll probably switch to something else. My 55 year young co-worker is using a bioidentical hormone patch along with creams and doing wonderful. This might be an option that I'll pursue soon.

I just don't understand why I'm still having symptoms while on bcp. Maybe I need more estrogen since I'm taking a bcp with the lowest dose.

[chriscarol]

BCP make me morbidly depressed. I'm sure it's the synthetic progesterone.
The natural progesterone makes me feel pretty crappy too. Wouldn't peri
be over at 55. My sister is that age and feels great using nothing. You
really should only use hormones for 3-5 years when symptoms are worse.
I take such a minute bit of estradiol for flashes that I doubt I'm hindering the
natural process of menopause. By day 3, get me off the BCP! I also
a history of nasty PMS, which is when progesterone allegedly surges, so perhaps
this explains the nasty reaction.

Of course if the drugs improve one's quality of life, the risks may be worth the benefits. Of any drug I've ever taken, BCP scare me the most.

Also, strangely, I could handle them before childbirth.

My sister felt BCP helped initially, but eventually the mood and anxiety symptoms
resurfaced, while on the pill. Regarding using BCP for peri symptoms, recall
reading it makes one third of women feel better, one third feel worse and one
third feel the same.

[leanne0721]

I thought bcp were suppose to suppress my fluctuating hormones and provide a more constant "stable" supply of hormones.  Why is this not happening?

BCP's ARE hormones, an equal dose with each pill. They can't possibly suppress "fluctualting" hormones. If you are lacking a hormone on a certain day that BCP's can supplement, well, then you would probably feel better, but if you are NOT lacking on a particular day, then the BCP gives you that hormone in excess, causing you not to feel better.

BCP's are not a cure all, infact, I think they are even dangerous to take at our age.

Don't even get me started on the whole "Pill and Bill" way of thinking.

My Faith, if I were you, I'd find a doctor who was truly interested in helping me find a safe, natural way to ease me through perimenopause.

Good Luck!