(no subject)

[geminigirl]

(For anyone who is actually reading this...my NP switched my birth contorl pill a couple of months ago, because there were concerns about atrophic endometrium on the pill I was on, since my periods had gotten really light and crampy again. The suggestion was to stay on new pill for at least six months, which would be about the same time as my regular appointment, and then figure out what to do from there on.)

So, new pill-period about the same length, slightly heavier, but not noticably so. Cramps reduced. Contact lenses easier to wear (this was a big concern for me when I started wearing contacts again, after a number of years of not wearing them-I had long conversation with the opthamologist about it.) Spotting when I tried to skip period (surprising-it's a higher estrogen pill than my old one, which I didn't have problems skipping periods on), mood changes and appetite changes which may or may not be related to the pill, noticable enough that I'm concerned about them, and inclined to think they're not entirely due to things that are going on in my life. Serious headache for the entire inactive pill week.

I think that's it at the moment. I started the third pack of six the other day, so we'll revisit this post in a few weeks...

Comments

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind me asking, which brand pill was each?

Re:

[geminigirl]

New pill=Zovia
Old pill=Levlen

The old pill is much higher in androgenic activity than the new pill-I needed something that would dramatically reduce my periods and thin my uterine lining to treat dysmenorreah. I'd been on very high androgen pills for eight or so years, and there were some issues as a result-basically, it had done such a good job that there was no lining left. I'm not happy about the new pill, but if I can do this for another month or maybe two, and see how I'm doing, when I go for my annual in a few months, perhaps we can find something that would work that doesn't have the same negative side effects that I'm having, but isn't going to cause the problems I was having either. Her suggestion was to do the higher androgen pill for two months, and then alternate with a month of the lower androgen pill...I'm just going to ask for a different one.

Re:

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

Yah know, I would love to some day go off the pill forever. I think, being on hormones for as long as I have has screwed something up.

I'm currently taking Mircette, which is a low dose pill, but only has 2 days of placebo instead of 7. It's interesting... my periods are light and drawn out on it though. But I have noticed that since taking it my "PMSness" is much less edgy.

Re:

[geminigirl]

I'd love to go off the pill. It's not going to happen because I can't fathom going back to the kinds of periods I had pre-pill...10-14 days of heavy clotty crampy bleeding, fainting, puking, etc. etc. etc.

I discussed the possibility of a progestin IUD with the NP a few months ago, but she thought it might not be the best idea-monogamy didn't even come up as an issue, nor did my not having children or not being married. She was more concerned with the possibility of irregular bleeding, and unfortunately the HMO won't cover the progestin IUDs unless you've either had a failure (rejection, not pregnancy) with the copper IUD or you've got a copper allergy.

I'm not sure what we're doing about it. Frankly, I'd rather go back on the Levlen, and have cramps, which are managable then feel like this.

[meepkitty.livejournal.com]

When I was on Depo, I had no period woes whatsoever. I had no period and it was a godsend. But, my libido began to dry up completely. I do not know if this was totally due to the Depo or possibly in conjunction with other factors, but when coming off the Depo, I had a period for six weeks annd it has only recently straightened itself out. I am now on Desogyn which seems to be working well enough. Good luck!

Re:

[geminigirl]

It all sounds like normal depo stuff. I couldn't get an appointment with the NP I like so last year I saw a different NP, who was pushing Depo, which I won't do. Some people have great experiences on it, and it's come highly recommended by some people, but I'm not comfortably risking three months of side effects that aren't reversible. I'm just not capable of coping comfortably with it.

I think Desogen might have been one of the pills we considered, before going with this one...

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

Contacts easier to wear? What's the mechanism there?

( never been on pills)

Re:

[geminigirl]

Side effect of progestin for some people is dryness. Different pills have different progestins in them (synthetic progestrone) and have different effects like that. That's why I'm having such crazy reactions to this pill-different synthetic hormones.

Progestin

[sweetmmeblue.livejournal.com]

Side effect of Progetstin on me is becoming psychotic. It's the only time in my life I came very close to hurting my child and punching my husband. The two weeks I was on the progestin only pill were hell.

[jennifer0246.livejournal.com]

If you're still in the first three months, spotting while trying to skip would be normal, as you're still in the adjustment stage. As someone who has withdrawal migraines myself, I'd recommend trying to skip again so you can avoid the withdrawal headache during the off-week.

And the higher estrogen woiuld account for the mood changes - I'm a little more iffy about the appetite changes. I'm one of the disbelievers who doesn't think hormones and weight gain are linked - I think eating and weight gain are linked.

Re:

[geminigirl]

Eating and weight gain are linked, but there is some evidence that some people have appetite changes from the pill-I know it's happened to me before, when I first went on the pill, and I actually lost a bunch of weight...this isn't so much being hungrier, as it is finding that my body wants different foods than it did before. And unfortunately, the foods that my body seems to be desiring are not foods that are necessarily good for me, nor foods I usually keep around.

I'm actually not going to skip next month, because I want to be sure that the pill is what's causing the headaches, and not stress or sinuses or something else. The headache was difficult, but if it does turn out to be that, I need to know, so I can avoid this pill, or this particular combination of hormones again, or pills this high in estrogen (this is a 35 mcg pill, I've never been on one higher than 30 mcg).

I'm not really happy with how I feel on this pill, but if it takes a few months of unpleasant side effects to resolve the condition that caused my need to switch pills, it's fine.