Hello! I've just been through the worst cycle, only feeling myself for about a week - nausea, low mood, hot flashes, night sweats the works! I tried bio identical gel for a year, but although it helped initially it actually stopped working and all my symptoms came back, has anyone else experienced this and then had better success with bcp or synthetic hrt? I'm
scared to put my body through more medication but I also want some relief, I'm 41, thanks
Hi! I'm at the same age, I am on hrt, estradiol and norgestel. My gyns don't trust bio identical and I think you need a standard high dose of hrt for brotection for your bones, heart and skin. You can try progesterone pill that is a bio identical one and estradiol.
Thanks Vicky, it's really interesting you say that because generally the advice seems to be that bio identicals are best, however I have been reading today that for women in early Peri where it's actually fluctuating levels not low levels of hormones that are the problem, low dose bcp is better, as it just shuts down the ovaries rather then adding hormones on top, which can cause problems, I'm reallly scared to go on it through as I've reacted badly in the past, but I thinking now that it can't be any worse than what I'm suffering with now, feel absolutely awful
Hi karen
Can you share your story please?
I'm 43 and been trying HRT since August. Not sure it's helping but interested in your views regarding peri and hormones fluctuations
Ladies, I'm going to jump in here and mention that YES a birth control pill will shut down and take over for a fluctuating system. It will provide a constant and steady hormone base, and therefore can make a women feel much better. But here's the point I wanted to mention, NOT ALL BIRTH CONTROL PILLS ARE THE SAME. What works well for one woman will put another under the bed. There is even a manual for physicians "Management of the Contraceptive Pill Patient" that helps guide physicians as to the problems with BCPs.
So if you try one, just remember that they are all different (with dozens f different formulas and combinations) If one doesn't work well, try another.
Thanks Gailanne
Of course you are right. I used to be on bcp when I was younger. Would they be a good place to start or are there certain ones more suited for peri?
Hi Zoe, I've been having peri symptoms since my cycle began after I stopped nursing my second child - I loved not having a cycle as I'd always had spells of pmt, so I knew that as my symptoms came back as soon as my cycle did, that my symptoms were related to that, so I went to dr John studd, who put me on bi oestrogen gel, no questions asked I actually don't think he even did a blood test! I was nauseous on it at first, but after a few weeks I started to feel better, in fact I started feeling like a teenager - getting crushes on guys and going out, which was a bit much reallly! Then all the symptoms came back - I guess my body reacted to it abdd it didn't have any effect any more, doctor just wanted to increase the dose to 4 pumps but that didn't help and was reallly inconvenient - I pursued with it until August when I went to a duffersnt doctor who told me to come off it...so since then I've just been managing with diet and excercise, but I've just had the worst cycle and I'm now willing to try bcp, most reviews are positive, I guess it can't make things worse, I think it will ssuit me better as I think I'm still producing lots of hormones but they are all over the place!! Particularly because I was well in pregnancy and breastfeeding when there was no cycle, I'm seeing my doctor in a couple of weeks, and will keep you updated x
Hi Gail, good advice always, I've reacted badly in the past to Yaz so I know to steer clear of that, I'm happy to go along with what the dr recomends and hope for the best x
If it worked well for you in the past, that brand/ strength is certainly worth trying. You can always make adjustments if they don’t work.
I want to start bcp as well. I am 41 and have started out with adrenaline surges when trying to sleep, night sweats, heart racing, anxiety (out of nowhere), and aches - muscles and joints. I am only 41. I started with a bio progesterone cream recently and I feel it has helped but I think I need some estrogen too. Anyways, I am ready to go to the gym to see what she says. I just am clueless as to what pill to start with.
Gyn not gym
Hi Kelle, so good to hear from someone in the same boat :-) most of the time when I tell friends that I think i'm have peri menopause symptoms, they look at me like I have 2 heads and I feel like a freak :-/ on paper bcp seems like the answer, especially as i have taken HRT gel before and that stopped working after a while, I'm.just so scared to take it when there is so much bad press about it - though I have read a lot of positive comments from women going through peri, so I figure it's worth a try. My symptoms come and go - I tend to have really bad spells which can last most of a cycle - sweats, nausea, depression, dry skin being the main symptoms, and then over night they can just disappear and i feel great for a few weeks, and then they are back again - talk about a roller coaster! have you experienced this? i never know how I'm going to be feeling and its quite scary,..
I went into peri after I had an ovary removed. My dr put me on low dose BCP and I can say it really helped. Night sweats almost completely stopped, anxiety decreased and I could sleep a bit better. Now, it’s definitely not perfect. I can go from feeling fabulous for a week to feeling uneasy among other physical symptoms. Who knew peri was such a pain! Anyway, I would say it’s worth a try for sure. I’m on Lo Loestrin, which is the lowest dose. My dr mentioned she could bump me up to see if that took care of even more symptoms (it really is trial and error!) Good luck!
thanks Jackie, I often wonder if I have a badly functioning ovary as i had a dermoid cyst on one of them, and then it was removed and doctor said it was big - so it must have affected that ovary and would explain why i get symptoms so early.and often only every other month, did you get any side effects? were you on it before ?are you in the UK ? I've pretty much decided I'm going to give it a try and give my poor old ovaries a break! will keep posting on here to update, thanks so much for the feedback x
They put me on Loestrin and BOY IT PUT ME UNDER. It really wasn't right for my body's chemistry. Everyone is so different. I did better with a pill that had higher estrogen content. It really is trial and error with BCPs.
Well this is true, everyone reacts differently, when I read the reviews it's either loved or hated equally, which one worked for you Gail?
Well it wasn't prefect by any means, but Ortho Novum 1/35 worked better than Loestrin for me. It had a higher estrogen content.
Karen, I had a dermoid too! Weird little things. Haven’t been on BC since my 20s (I’m 43, in the US.) I had a few side effects mostly in the beginning—nausea, sore breasts, a little cramping. My dr has me taking it straight through(no placebos) so I don’t get my period at all anymore. As Gail, mentioned, I noticed a little depression/irritability, so my dr said she could give me something with more estrogen to try. Haven’t made that step yet. To me, anxiety and night sweats is so much worse.
Hi Ladies - so here is the update, I went to my GP today and he wouldn't put me on BCP, because at 41 I'm too old! I was kind of relieved because it meant that HRT was the only option for me, and he has prescribed Premique Low dose tablets, which seem to have pretty good reviews as far as HRT goes, so I,m going to try them....has anyone any experience of them? really hope they work, I've only had about 10 good days in the past month, and last night had terrible sweats even though its freezing outside 
Hey Karen , I am very interested to hear how it goes for you on the Hey! Sorry, I never replied to your last response....i never saw it. Anyways, Yes to answer question. I can have 3 or 4 good days and then 3 bad days. It's pretty strange. For me, my bad days are like I have the flu or something. I just and the fatigue is unbelievable. This time I felt great the few days before I started but then once I started I crashed horribly. I actually just went to a Dr yesterday that specializes in BHRT. I went to my gyn a few weeks ago and she was awful. She didn't care one bit about any of my symptoms. Seriously, she listened and typed all of it in to her laptop and then have me a pap smear and sent me on my way. That was it!!! Then she called to say that my labs indicate that I am not post menopause.....DUH!!!! I already knew that. Anyways, I wrote my lab numbers down and while my FSH is normal (6.5) my estradiol was pretty low for my age (78). I've been reading a couple books on hormones and they say that you at least need to be over 100 for estradiol.
So, I will probably start BHRT soon but I had actually wanted to try bcp. If that doesn't work, I will try one more Dr and then give up.
Have you had any blood work done? I am curious to see where you are at. I just had my blood drawn again yesterday and go back to see her Monday.