Hi to everyone
Im new and not sure if I am posting correctly. I am having many of the symptoms of perimenopause, especially the anxiety and physical reactions that go with it. My regular doctor thinks that it is perimenopause related because I am 50 and have so many of the symptoms. He is helping me, but my annual exam with my gyn doctor was today and he told me that I couldn't be having symptoms because I am on low dose birth control pills. I have always had PMS while on birth control pills, so why not this? He made me feel crazy. I have worried all day. I thought I finally had it figured out what was going on and would be able to find ways to cope and then he took away my lifeline. Help. Is anyone else out there on birth control pills and still having perimenopause symptoms?

Hi anxiouslady!

Sorry no one has replied yet. It seems your post got pushed down the list a ways.

Well, I wouldn't believe any doc who says "you can't be having symptoms because..." no matter what the reason might be. You are certainly the right age for perimenopause. And I don't think there's anything out there that can totally eliminate all of our symptoms, even BCPs.

So, my opinion is that your gyn doesn't know what he's talking about. I'm sorry he made you feel crazy, but I know exactly how you feel and so many other women here do too, because we have had similar experiences with docs.

Thank goodness your regular doc knows about peri and acknowledges that he thinks you are in it! Consider yourself lucky.

Now, as far as how to treat your symptoms, you will need to educate yourself by reading here at Power Surge and maybe reading some books about menopause. You will need to decide if you want to try natural vitamins and supplements, or maybe bioidentical hormone replacement, or maybe traditional treatments. Each of us has to form our own health care philosophy, be our own advocates, and figure out what will work for us.

I was using bcp and still having perimenopausal symptoms. I must say that the pill did lessen the intensity of some of my symptoms, but they were still there.

It sounds like you might need to start seeking out a doctor who is knowledgeable, compassion, and supportive. While taking bcp I had to change brands several times before I found one that worked best for me. Not all brands are the same...and I found that I had more symptoms using generic vs the name brand.

As stated by RSGreen there are other options available and we have to be our own advocates when it come to our health. I hope that you find relief soon.

Hi anxiouslady.

I'm one of those on bcp, but not sure myself if I'm in peri.

I have 18 of the 34 symptoms, but not the most tell-tale of them like irregular periods, weight gain or hot flashes.

I did ask my gyno if I would experience menopause symptoms while on bcp and she said "No."

I do find that hard to believe since even using the best HRT doesn't help with all the symptoms (from what I've read here.)

I'm only 44 and I believe my Mom was about 50 when she went through it. (I need to ask her). It may actually be a little early for me. Just not sure.

If you find out any more, will you post back here again? I'm curious about this also.

Thanks!
bumfuzzled

The only symptom the bcp's helped for me was the irregular periods. Everything else was still there. Anxiety was definitely the worst!

I agree with regreen. You're lucky to have a doctor who actually acknowledges peri! Neither of mine have.

I finally had to talk my gyn into prescribing bhrt for me,just to see if it would help, which it has, immensely!

Thank you to all who have replied on my thread. I did ask the expert on this site about the bc pills and perimenopause and he said that my gyn was wrong and that from what I described I was there. So, thank goodness for my regular doctor who believes me and is trying to help me.

It is reassuring to know that some others are in the same boat with me. Thank you all so much for writing.

anxious lady

I can honestly say that when I was on the pill I was absolutely normal, I had been on the pill for 10 years and the body functions like clock work, since comming off the pill in 2000, I had started with hormone problems but I did not think it was hormones. The gynae says that there should ot be a problem when you come off the pill ( yeah right), I bled so much thats why I landed up with Hysterectomy. And thats when all my problems started. I also came off because I was smoking, and to smoke and take those pills gives you more problems.

I am on the pill for peri symptoms - mainly I was having hot flashes and my heart would race, I had insomnia, etc. That has all gone away since I went on the pill. My doctor told me that the pill almost always gets rid of hot flashes and helps with periods but that your own hormones can still fluctuate a little, so you can still get other symptoms. Sometimes during the middle of my cycle I will spot, feel anxious and get a headache, even though I am on the pill. It helps with some things but not all - good luck!

maura

This is an interesting forum for me!!!! I will soon be turning 40 and had felt that I was too young to be experiencing peri symptoms...now after doing a lot of reading and through this wonderful site, I believe I AM NOT TOO YOUNG. Depending on the month, I have had heart palps, night seats, internal shaking, anxiety, breast tenderness, hot flashes...beginning about 3 months ago...but still having a normal cycle (a little long about 33 days).

I have been put on Wellbutrin to help with the anxiety (has helped to take the edge off), but still have a couple days or irrational thoughts (due to these horrible hormones)! I now take B12, B complex, and magnesium (even had 2 weeks of being symptom free). My ob/gyn is putting me back on birth control this week~has told me this should help these peri symptoms (been off them for about 7 years). I am anxious to see if the b/c works...I'll give anything a shot to feel almost normal again.

[quote name='mauras' date='Jul 28 2006, 10:09 AM' post='133137']
I am on the pill for peri symptoms - mainly I was having hot flashes and my heart would race, I had insomnia, etc. That has all gone away since I went on the pill. My doctor told me that the pill almost always gets rid of hot flashes and helps with periods but that your own hormones can still fluctuate a little, so you can still get other symptoms. Sometimes during the middle of my cycle I will spot, feel anxious and get a headache, even though I am on the pill. It helps with some things but not all - good luck!

maura
[/quote

Everything above describes me exactly. The bcp I am on now has helped enormously with peri symptoms. I do still get some of them but I do feel so much better.

The last doctor I spoke to here in the UK confirmed that it is possible to experience peri symptoms while on the pill and that it may be difficult to establish whether or not you are in peri until you stop taking bcp.

Janeyxxx

HI Anxiouslady

Be wary of any DR who dismisses peri in any shape or from - for me this is most of the Drs I have seen in the last year - conventional Drs that is........

My peri did not hit full force till I was off BCP - but looking back (bathed in wonderful PS knowledge I have now) I did have bloat, dizzies and IBS increasginly bad in last 6 months I was on pill and also got PMS - so pooh to your DRs!!

Mele

janeyxxx,

What symptoms do you still have even though you are on the pill? Lately, I have been feeling nauseous, a little anxious, my feet are killing me. I am starting to think I am becoming a hypochondriac!
I have been on the pill for a while now and don't have any cycle issues or hot flashes anymore, but I do seem to have some other issues. Just wondering since you are on the pill also, what types of things are you experiencing?

Maura

My ob/gyn put me back on birth control pills today (NovaRing). I taracked my symptoms and found that most were occuring at midcycle until the start of my period...she said this is very common! She told me I had another choice~a pill that is taken at midcycle (prozac related). I decided on the birth control, since my body can't handle the prozac family! She told me this should help even out the hormones and my cycle. I started having longer cycles (34 days). I hope the bcp will help to eliminate some of the more annoying peri symptoms (they are all annoying to me)!

mauras

When I was on the combined bcp my biggest problem was really bad headaches which I now know were caused by the pill itself, but I also had hot flashes and night sweats, insomnia, palpitations anxiety and depression. I changed to the progesterone only pill and now I'm really only getting anxiety and palpitations and a bit of bloating

Tests showed nothing wrong with my heart so I am now trying calcium and magnesium supplements (which I learned about here).

I have had to try a couple of different progesterone only pills as the first didn't suit, the problem there being that it takes time to find out whether one is right or wrong. I think the biggest benefit for me of the pill I am taking now is that I am sleeping so much
better and that in itself makes everything else easier to deal with.

Janeyxxx

Janeyxxx

I have definitely become convinced that birth control pills do not totally eliminate the peri symptoms and that my gyn was obviously not as knowledgeable as he should be (I won't say he was mean although it sure felt like it when he told me I couldn't be having symptoms since I was on the pill).

I have read too much on Powersurge and seen too many other ladies comments about their doctors saying bc pill ease the symptoms. I hate to think what mine would be like if I didn't take bc pills. Of course, the anxiety and racing heart are my worst. I don't really get hot flashes more like an occasional extra warm flush and a few night sweat versions during the week I'm not on the pill.

Thanks for writing on my thread.

anxiouslady