Ladies,
I have been on BCP Loestrin since Oct. It was great. Slept like a baby thru the night and consistent upbeat mood. One week ago it went away. I wake up every night again around 2-3 and I can feel myself really pushing during the day to keep my upbeat attitude. Has this happened to anyone else? Can another BCP be prescribed? I am open to any ideas.

Wendy

Heya Grace, join us over here http://www.power-surge.com/php/forums/inde...c=15257&hl=. So far I am just finishing up my first pack and have felt great so far. You are at or around the time that the pills should be kicked into full gear so might be possible you need a different type.

Hi Wendy:

Have you tried Aviane (generic for Alesse) - I feel wonderful on it - sleep through the night etc. - I've been on it for almost a year now -

BTW did Loestrin make you gain weight? Also, don't give up on it - I'm sure its working for you - maybe there are other factors involved in your sleep and mood problem - are you drinking more caffeine - also these low dose pills do not totally stop all the perimenopause stuff - not all the time at least.

Good luck

Lara

Lara,
Thanks for the reply. Loestrin is the only one I have been on and yes I have noticed some weight gain. I am upset because I have worked so hard to lose 35 pounds and keep it off over a year so this is something I want to discuss with gyn/doc. I am assuming the med you mentioned is a BCP. Can you tell me what you like about it? Also, I know this doesn't cure all peri symptoms. This began for me when I started into the 4 days of placebo and I have had a tough time coming back out of that although today is a bit better.

Thanks,
Wendy

Wendy

I don't have any experience with Loestrin, but I was on 4 types of HC over the course of a year. Yasmin, Ortho-Cyclen, Activella and finally Nuvaring which I was on it for 7 months. I have no history of depression or anxiety and am a very happy and upbeat person. It was only the last month on Nuvaring that I started to have problems.

My intestines got really messed up. I had bad nausea and recurrent diarrhea and I felt like I was getting the flu every week or so. I lost 10lbs and had zero appetite. It finally culminated in a bout of the blackest depression I can imagine. I pulled the ring out 9 weeks ago and am a lot better, but the melancholy is still with me for a couple of hours most every day. I get some occasional anxiety too. I certainly know what you mean by having to push yourself during the day. I am like that during the melancholy time. If I am lucky it only lasts for 2 hours, but I feel like I have to kick constantly to keep my attitude afloat. It is exhausting and sometimes I give into crying just for the release if gives me. In my normal state, crying is very rare for me, so these jags are distressing.

I suspect that my estrogen is still way off. I have been getting some blood draws to try to determine just where it is and it seems that my ovaries have not "awakened" yet. Most of my estradiol numbers are below 100. I am supplementing with Vivelle Dot estrogen patches to try to raise the blood serum level, but so far I am not having much success. I'm 44 and wondering if I am now in full menopause. I was only peri before with lower than normal estrogen levels.

I do know that Loestrin is a low estrogen pill. Low estrogen can definitely cause mood problems, restless sleep and mid-sleep waking. I have noticed in the course of my own treatment, that raising the estrogen level can improve my sleep and lesson agonizing muscle stiffness in my back. I am having all of that right now. I am hoping it will resolve once I reach a state of optimal hormone balance.

My situation is extreme in that I just can't tolerate the progestin in hormonal contraceptives. I tried several pills years ago and swore off of them for the same reason I am swearing off of them now. It is likely in your case, though, if you just switch to a pill that has a better estrogen/progestin balance, you will get relief. The ones I was on are good candidates if you are able to tolerate them. I have also heard that femcon and ovicon are higher estrogen with lower dose progestin.

Hopefully this slight change will be all you need to get back to normal. I really wish that Nuvaring had worked for me because I loved the convenience and the constant delivery method.

Best of Luck

Vibes

Vibes,

Thanks for your reply. I went to see my nurse practitioner. She is wonderful and really understands all that menopause brings. She thinks Yaz would be a better fit for me so I will be changing soon. Things have gotten better. She said even on BCP there are ups and downs. It is just a matter of the two of us working together to downplay what I feel I can't live with and have a sense of humor about what I can live with. I watched my sister go thru menopausal psychosis so it can be a bit unnerving. My psychiatrist who monitors my effexor is also terrific. He has been on this website and asks me alot of questions about menopause b/c he is seeing so much of it in his practice. I have a great support team around me. I have to say the best husband in the world and my married children and their spouses have been fantastic. One thing I know, we go thru menopause not around it. Hope all goes well for you and I will keep you posted on the Yaz.

Wendy

You may need a pill with a better estrogen/progestin ratio. This is what Elizabeth Vliet says. http://www.herplace.com/ The link is to her website. She favors pills like Orthocyclen, Yasmin, Ovcon 35 (which I think is now called Femcon), Desogen, etc. I've been on Orthocyclen for 4 years with no problems till recently. Not sure what to tell you. I slept perfectly the whole four years until the last six weeks; now I have early morning waking and difficulty falling asleep. I'm not sure what I would switch to. Have read some OK things about Yasmin but also a lot of bad which is strange because it seems like it would be the perfect pill. I am considering giving up on the pill altogether and going the bioidentical route.

Bioidentical is good a option if you don’t want to be on the pill anymore. You might be able to find another pill that works, orthocyclen surely seemed to for a long time for you, but it will just take experimenting. I had such a rotten experience with every hormonal contraceptive I tried that I was forced to just give up on them. I can’t tolerate synthetic progestin. It is like a poison to my body. Luckily, not every woman is as extreme as I am.

I have been seeing Dr. Vliet for nearly 2 years now. I have an appointment with her in Dallas on Monday, in fact. She is so knowledgeable and I haven’t found another specialist with her ability to access and understand hormone imbalance. She does a lot of background study and research and really stays on top of her specialty. She does prescribe BCP’s frequently, but agrees that, in my case, it is not the right path.

When I wrote back in Feb, I was in very bad shape. Nuvaring had done a real number on my brain chemistry and it took 4 ½ month for me to heal from it. I avoided antidepressants and let myself recover naturally, but what a miserable time. I did eventually heal though. It is hard for me to remember the pain that I suffered. It is still too fresh, so I just concentrate on the present and the future.

I was on Vivelle Dot bioidentical patches with a supplement of Prometrium 12 days out of every month. Prometrium (bioidentical progesterone) wasn’t strong enough to keep my lining from becoming hyperplastic, so I was faced with the choice of switching to my nemesis, progestin, or removing my uterus. After much agonizing deliberation, I opted for the hysterectomy and took out my misbehaving ovaries at the same time. Their function was reduced so much that I was really in menopause anyway. In my case, it was an excellent decision. I don’t miss my uterus one bit and I really don’t miss the progestigen necessary to keep it healthy. It is obviously not the right choice for every woman, but for me it was. I don’t regret it for a second.

It has been a bit turbulent getting my patch dosage right, but not nearly as bad as I expected it to be. I like the fact that I am in control now and I don’t have off days when I have to wonder what my ovaries are up to. There are only a few variables that can cause hormone levels to change now and it is much easier to get the right dosage.

I wish you luck in getting the right hormone combination. It seems like you are on the right track and certainly you have found a good doctor to look to for advice.

Bioidentical is good a option if you don’t want to be on the pill anymore. You might be able to find another pill that works, orthocyclen surely seemed to for a long time for you, but it will just take experimenting. I had such a rotten experience with every hormonal contraceptive I tried that I was forced to just give up on them. I can’t tolerate synthetic progestin. It is like a poison to my body. Luckily, not every woman is as extreme as I am.

I have been seeing Dr. Vliet for nearly 2 years now. I have an appointment with her in Dallas on Monday, in fact. She is so knowledgeable and I haven’t found another specialist with her ability to access and understand hormone imbalance. She does a lot of background study and research and really stays on top of her specialty. She does prescribe BCP’s frequently, but agrees that, in my case, it is not the right path.

When I wrote back in Feb, I was in very bad shape. Nuvaring had done a real number on my brain chemistry and it took 4 ½ month for me to heal from it. I avoided antidepressants and let myself recover naturally, but what a miserable time. I did eventually heal though. It is hard for me to remember the pain that I suffered. It is still too fresh, so I just concentrate on the present and the future.

I was on Vivelle Dot bioidentical patches with a supplement of Prometrium 12 days out of every month. Prometrium (bioidentical progesterone) wasn’t strong enough to keep my lining from becoming hyperplastic, so I was faced with the choice of switching to my nemesis, progestin, or removing my uterus. After much agonizing deliberation, I opted for the hysterectomy and took out my misbehaving ovaries at the same time. Their function was reduced so much that I was really in menopause anyway. In my case, it was an excellent decision. I don’t miss my uterus one bit and I really don’t miss the progestigen necessary to keep it healthy. It is obviously not the right choice for every woman, but for me it was. I don’t regret it for a second.

It has been a bit turbulent getting my patch dosage right, but not nearly as bad as I expected it to be. I like the fact that I am in control now and I don’t have off days when I have to wonder what my ovaries are up to. There are only a few variables that can cause hormone levels to change now and it is much easier to get the right dosage.

I wish you luck in getting the right hormone combination. It seems like you are on the right track and certainly you have found a good doctor to look to for advice.

Wow thank you Vibes. I have wondered if making an appointment with her would be a good idea. I was impressed with her books when I first read them. The trouble is I would not want to argue with her. Birth control pills were a great option 4 years ago and may still be OK, I'm just worried that I would be better off in the long run on bioidentical. My hair loss has me especially worried. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Dear'catrinac'
Wish you lots of success in finding the right combination for you.I have been on synthetic HRT for many years now as there is no access to bio-identicals in my country ,.
Wouldn't worry about arguing with anyone.We have the right to our opininion.When my Gyno.wanted to take me off HRT as he felt I was staying on too long.I told him it is my body and I am totally responsible for it.When I did try weaning off HRT it was miserable.

I go for six monthly check ups and am as Healthy as a Horse-or should I say Nag!

So get all the advice and information you can in order to make your own well informed decision.

Lots of Luck
Best Wishes
Elizabeth