I guess I am going thru an awakening (finally). Ive done this before but something tells me this is it this time. Once again Im off Prozac and am making it stick--I feel like my body is full of a toxen, it has helped me thru this peri meno but its either up the dose or get off and find an alternative. This is NOT an easy project but its been a month and I am determined not to take it anymore.
OK--next project (calling on my intuition that has been bugging me for a while now)
I have been pn birth control pills for at leat 6 years now to control heavy bleeding. The bleeding has completely stopped, my last period was 4 1/2 years ago. I dont feel like this is normal at my age (44). In my opinion I have been peri since the age of 36.
I purchased progestacare 2 years ago and didnt give it enough time. I went BACK on BC because my periods are very very heavy, I wasnt going to have that.
Intuition tells me to get the progestacare again (which I did order this morning), get off the pill and start over.
I have been having constant headaches and joint pain for days and days now among other symptoms---my doctor will just tell me he will up the estrogen--I dont want that.
I have a very stressful job and I am scared that the BC is going to do some damage to me (like having a stroke).
Is there any advice I can get here on how to go off the BC and start the progesterone cream?
I have had Dr John Lees book for years now and will look thru them again to see what kind of info I can get but the more help I can get the better for me.
Sometimes I feel like I am going completely nuts, I get so stressed that my hands shake and I drop things. I know in my heart that the drugs isnt what I need.
Thank You in advance.
....going to put around the message boards a while

My advice? Contact Pete at ConsultP@aol.com and tell him what you told us.

My opinion? As we near post menopause, if we are blessed with fibroids, these will normally shrink. Progesterone helps with this process.

Personally? I would not fill a script for estrogen. I think using estrogen simply prolongs the inevitable - whether we are miserable now or in the future - miserable seems to be the name of the game for a lot of us. There are plenty of vitamins and other "stuff" that may make us feel better.

Conclusion? All of us are responding differently to this time of our life but we have one thing in common - we are seat belted in and riding the ups and downs with lots of support from this forum.

If you aren't having periods and are in menopause, I can't imagine that you would need the "big guns" like BC pills.

At the very least, you could use a low-dose bio-identical estrogen patch (like Vivelle or Climara, etc.) to make the transition easier when you stop the pill. Plus 10 days per month of progesterone.

Then in a few months you could transition to the progesterone cream alone and see how that works, if that's what you want to try.

I think it will be hard to go from heavy-duty BC pills (the Pill contains a very aggressive synthetic estrogen) to nothing.

Good luck.

Thanks Syb:
I had a nice cry (wjick is good cause it shows someone cares) after reading your reply.
Ill take your advice and contact Pete. Yes its the other "stuff" tahat I want to try---give it a GOOD try this time and just have patience.

Thank you too Aimee:
Im not having periods because of the big guns---not in meno but peri. I can ask my doctor about the patch---I dont see him till April, I think he will talk to me by phone or get me in sooner--you know hard hard it is to get in right away. I appreciate the advice.
I need God's speed thru this transition

I was told it takes 3 months to get the bc pills out of your system and Prozac a week or so. Can you go cold turkey and let your body settle down - there is no quick fix - no periods at 44 um - Did you ever have your hormoneschecked to
show where you are at...Making rash decisions I have found out often result in my failure - I too went off the Prozac but I have anxiety every month and learned not
to run with it but face it - Good luck

Hi Gunner, yes I was told also that it takes 3 months to get the BC out of your system. Im going to go off gradually---the lady who I purchased the progesta care on the phone from told me to use the cream while I was going off the BC and by the 3rd month I should have it out of my system or can go completely off.

Im not sure if the Prozac is all out of my system or not--I was on it for a few years. I just know that Im not right. I get dizzy, the constant headaches, anxiety so on and so on--BUT a lot of it is caused by stress. I do my job the best I can and am looking into other work. (I have been in child day care for over 20 years in my home) . Its time for a change, I will even work 2 jobs if I have to. The money is good when it is there and I dont have experience any where else so its gonna be tough---Im not happy with this job anymore, I need the change. My kids are grown now (youngest 17) and I worked at home so I could be here when they come home from school ect. Its time to start thinking about ME now. And I think that is where a lot of my "awareness" is coming from.

I had my hormones checked at age 39, of course the Dr. said I wasnt peri anything and put me on the pill.

I think I am facing my anxiety by making the changes in my life that need to be changed. I know I can be happy again.

Im also going to start excercising and yoga and watch what I eat and drink. I said this was going to be a better year now darn it--I need to make it happen!!