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[Brightside23]

Hi, I am 42 and am pretty certain I have started early menopause (my mum had an early menopause). For the last year or so, my skin has changed with increasing hormonal acne. I never even had acne as a teenager! I seem to have also developed dry eyes. The problem is I am on cerazette and until recently haven't had a period for about 10 years! Just lately I seem to be getting some breakthrough bleeding and this month definitely felt signs of PMS which I also haven't had for years. Could this be menopausal symptoms?

Has anyone else experienced the menopause whilst already on cerazette? Is there something I can do to help control these hormone fluctuations that are giving me bad skin etc. How do you know if you're going through the menopause if you aren't having real periods.

Thanks for any advice.

[lancashirelass]

Cerazette is renowned for stopping  periods.  Only way you will know is to get fsh tested

[Briony]

Cant really answer your questions - sorry. I am sure someone more  knowledgeable will come along!

What I can say is that, if heading towards menopause, I would assume a progesterone only pill is not the best thing for you? Wouldn't a combined pill be more suitable, to keep the prog/estrogen balance more stable? Maervelon is the equivalent to what you take, with added estrogen. This pill seems popular with ladies in the 30-40s age band like you and me. If you dont like the thought of a synthetic estrogen, you could try Qlaira or Zoley with a bio identical estrogen more akin to hrt.

This might be helpful:
http://media.wix.com/ugd/bd2962_03c990a85f144c28b75c1a975a1bb94b.pdf

B

[SadLynda]

Also on Cerazette, symptoms for last 3.5 years (I am 49 now).  My last GP said my fsh blood test was 'fine'

I have spent this year on every alternative remedy known to man but have made an appointment with my new GP for help.

To answer your question I only found out I was in perimenopause from having most of the known 34 symptoms (and more of my own), like most ladies here I just thought I was going bonkers and my previous GP's also made me feel that way.

My advice is to visit your GP and if you do not get any joy visit another or change practice till you find one who will actually listen and help.

I was on cerazette as I 'was' a smoker, GP's wont give combined BCP to smokers after 40 (I think).

[Hurdity]

Just to confirm that the NICE Guidelines say that FSH test should not be used to diagnose menopause in women on CCP or high dose POP. I'm not sure whether Cezarette is classed as high dose or not but the product information here: https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/medicine/10098 (Section 5.1) says that desogestrel depresses estradiol levels so presumably leads to an artificially high FSH level - if my hazy understanding is correct!

I agree with Briony that you don't know where you are in menopause, and ideally don't want to be on this once your oestrogen levels start dropping. 

Hurdity x

[Limpy]

I'm not sure whether Cezarette is classed as high dose or not

Just guessing but I suspect it is a high dose given that there is a 12 hour leeway for remembering to take the pill.
The older POPs had to be taken within 3 hours.

[SadLynda]

just shows how great my last GP was then   I did even say 'should I stop it for a while' and she said 'what for if you are happy on it'

[Brightside23]

Thank you for your responses so far. I think cerazette is actually a low dose of progesterone from my recent research. Just 75mg rather than 150mg which the next one on the Avon ladder has. I too was on it because I was a smoker but I haven't smoked for almost a year now and wondered if I might be able to go on a combined one. I don't have a lot of faith in my doctor. He doesn't seem to know much about menopause at all. Dismissed my symptoms quite quickly but my gut instinct says they are menopausal.

Is it estrogen or progesterone which is more helpful in perimenopause? Or both?

[Limpy]

just shows how great my last GP was then   I did even say 'should I stop it for a while' and she said 'what for if you are happy on it'

I think GPs are/were more worried about the combined (oestrogen containing) pills.

[Briony]

If you want a middle ground, then I'd look at Qlaira. This has bio identical estrogen, so it's a lower risk. It was what I was first prescribed due to having migraines with aura.

[junebug]

I am a pharmacist and I disagree with the advice to take Qlaira rather than cerazette if around menopausal age. It is recommended that older women take progesterone only contraceptive pill, not a combined hormone pill, as there is more risk of thrombosis with the combined pill.
I came to this site, however, looking for information about how to tell if you have reached menopause when you are on cerazette for contraception. I don't know whether to believe the information that our FSH level will tell us if we have gone into menopause when we are taking Cerazette, as I feel surely the hormone that we are taking will affect the FSH levels! I have gone off Cerazette now, and after three months being off it, I'm going to get my FSH levels checked. I'll see now if I have indeed gone through menopause. I hope so! I have not bled yet, after 80 days off being off the pill.

[Vicki1701]

Hi, new here and have been trying to find out if desogestrel effects FSH/lh levels. Did you ever find out? Am 36 and have been having hot flushes, night sweats, pain during inter course, dry hair/skin, vaginal dryness and difficulty staying asleep. Also onlynjust been told that my nan, mum ,auntie and cousin all went through menopause before they were 40. Complete shock, and rather angry that none told me sooner. Only have one child and me and hubby were considering starting for another buy am noe too scared to try due to increased risk of miscarriage( had miscarriage about 7 years ago and couldn't knowingly go through the increased risk of it happening again). Had blood tests last week but all came back normal apparently but not actually spoke to doctor about them yet. I am on desogestrel and am wondering whether that would have an effect on the blood results. Any advice or knowledge greatly appreciated xx

[wombat62]

Hi Junebug

I was on Cerazette and must have gone through most of it whilst on it! I started getting flushes quite early during the week off on the combined pill. Once in my 40's the doc swapped me to the mini pill to be on the safe side and stayed on it until the flushes/night sweats became unbearable. I hadn't had a period in years, the doc said the combined pill was just working very efficiently but bloods indicated that hormones were very low even then.

To get a proper reading you need to come off anything for at least a month and then get your bloods done, mine indicated I was into post and put on to hrt. However, 18 months later I had my last hurrah period which caused no end of stress because they thought it was something else! So if you are still under 50 don't be surprised if nature doesn't do it's own thing!

[Vicki1701]

So bit of an update, can anyone help please?? So came off pill mid Feb, had 1 day period, very light almost nothing and then nothing else since, nearly 8 weeks since stopping pill. Had amh levels checked last week, and they have come back 'under 1', also got fsh and lh levels from first blood test (when I was still on the pill), fsh is 8.8, lh is 8.9. Doc wants me in to discuss starting hrt but aren't my fsh and lh levels normal? Would the pill of artificially lowered them? So confused 😕

[dahliagirl]

https://www.fsrh.org/standards-and-guidance/documents/fsrh-guidance-contraception-for-women-aged-over-40-years-2017/

This guidance is worth a read.  It is a bit dry, but it has been updated recently and contains a lot more on the cross over between contraception and menopause and hrt than the previous one.

Vicki - have you considered using mirena in conjunction with oestrogen patches/gel?  This is a really good combination for the time when you are in late reproductive phase, as it gives you contraception and the progestogen part of hrt all in one, reduced periods (good for those experiencing heavy bleeds) and you never need to know your fsh level or anything else 

DancingGirl used one for early menopause and always recommends it.

I was recommended it when I was 49 and came off the pill.  I regret not trying it now and it would be harder to get it sorted now as I am 54 and so would have to go through a gynae rather than a fp clinic.  I was really squeamish about the idea and put off by the stories, but now I know what it is like without, I wish I had had a go as if it had worked it would have been so much easier - you just need to take paracetamol and ibuprofen before you go.