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[Snapple]

Hello All

I posted for the first time about eight weeks ago and subsequently wasn't very active on the forum, although I have been reading and digesting as much as I can. 

To briefly recap, I was experiencing a lot of unpleasant symptoms despite being on Microgynon.  The advice given on here was that perhaps this bcp was too androgenic.  I took your advice and showed my GP the Avon Pill Ladder and she was happy to switch me to a more oestrogen dominant/less androgenic bcp and I have been thriving ever since!  So thank you all!

My palpitations took almost two weeks to calm down, but my flushes/sweats, anxiety and mood improved almost immediately!  My skin is clear and my eyes are no longer puffy slits peering out from under a greasy fringe.  I am a few days into my pill free week and had a few battles with insomnia and feeling hot, but other than that I feel better than I have done in years.  I am praying that it continues.

Anyway, I wanted to give this update as grateful thanks for those who replied to my initial post and the invaluable information on this forum.

[Dorothy]

Lovely news!  So glad you have been able to find a BCP that suits you better. 

[CLKD]

  for the update. 

[Briony]

That's super news! Being the one who keeps harping on about the Avon Pill Ladder on here, I'm so chuffed that someone else has found it useful x

[GypsyRoseLee]

So nice to hear some good news on here

Also, it's personally nice for me to hear too as I tried Microgynon, back to back with the packs, for 3 months but I was still getting my symptoms breaking through (mainly anxiety and low mood, but also insomnia).

After seeing Briony's incredibly useful posts about the Avon Ladder I realised I might need something more oestrogen dominant. I believe I have been used to higher than average oestrogen levels prior to peri menopause, so HRT was never going to be enough to control my hormonal fluctuations. The extreme mood swings have been horrendous.

Microgynon was an improvement on HRT but still not enough. Plus I had daily, constant spotting which was annoying. I have just changed to Gederal (Marvelon) in the hope it will suit me better.

Can I ask which brand you have changed to?

[Snapple]

GypsyRoseLee - as suggested on the Pill Ladder I have switched to Cilest.  My GP was more than happy to give me three months worth. 

Hopefully your change will be as effective!

Snapple

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thanks Snapple. Do you intend taking yours back to back? When I took Microgynon back to back I was okay, pretty much, for first 2 packs then going into the 3rd pack it all went wrong again. Had a bleed and symptoms back with a vengence. Think had too much of a build up of progesterone?

Have you read Poppyflower's post about her appointment with an endicrinologist? Very informative if you take the BCP like us.

I hope the progesterone in Marvelon will suit me better, but I am tempted to just run two packs together to avoid a progesterone build up. Poppyflower's endicrinologist advised you can just allow yourself a 3-4 day break from the BCP too, rather than the usual 7 day break. So I might try that too.

Hope Cilest works better for you too.

[Snapple]

GypsyRoseLee - how funny that you have asked this question because I have just finished reading Poppyflower's post about her consultation with the Endocrinologist.  What her Endo said really does seem to make a lot of sense.

I am currently on my 7 day pill free break, but am wondering, in light of Poppyflower's post whether I might cut it short to only five days.  These pill free days have seen a return of my insomnia and feelings of being hot, but not like a flush.  Today I have also had a low level headache.  Not unbearable issues, and certainly not the shopping list of complaints I was enduring before this new pill, but enough to suggest that I need to get some more oestrogen circulating asap.

Like you, I am keeping a diary. 

Very best wishes
Snapple