Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Chi chi]

Well it's been 2 weeks since starting and to be honest there's not much to report. I've had no real side effects, had a few weird vivid dreams but they seem to have stopped now, haven't been sleeping too well but not sure if that's down to Qlaira? Also been having restless legs more but again that could be down to other things as these aren't new problems. Headaches still the same, no better no worse. No spotting or anything either. Mood hasn't improved yet but doesn't seem to be any worse and it's not as bad as it was on Yaz.

It's only been 2 weeks but so far but there's been no improvements in any of my symptoms yet, I haven't experienced anything bad but also nothing good either. I realise I need to continue for at least 3 months and at the moment I plan to do so, unless something drastic happens 

[CLKD]

Your body may take a while to adjust to this, if you aren't feeling worse then go with it? 

[Briony]

Three months minimum, you're right. If I remember rightly, month two was harder for me than one. Months four to five were the breakthrough. Your experience sounds so similar to mine - nothing specific happened at the start - good or bad - I was just pretty much steady. It's such a low dose that side effects are far less likely than they are on a synthetic estrogen. I intend to go back to Qlaira unless I find a better alternative. Half regret stopping!

-  Do keep posting x

[GypsyRoseLee]

I am certainly struggling far more with side effects during my second month on the BCP. First month went swimmingly. This month I'm struggling again with low mood and anxiety.

Not sure if this is typical for women starting out on the BCP.

[Chi chi]

I didn't think things had changed much but last night I realised that my libido has been non existent and I've been a bit more snappy than usual 

[GypsyRoseLee]

Chi Chi I also lost my libido on the BCP. I think this is really common. But how is your mood/anxiety?

[Briony]

I didn't think things had changed much but last night I realised that my libido has been non existent and I've been a bit more snappy than usual 

When I researched Qlaira a year or so ago, this was the most common side effect, along with spotting. I did find, once I started to feel better generally, the libido improved  x

[Chi chi]

My mood/anxiety hasn't improved yet, I'm not really low (as I was on Yaz) but I know I could feel happier and more content than I do at present  I'm just fed up of days/weeks being wasted feeling like this! Waiting and hoping that something improves! I'm not expecting to be happy for the rest of my life but just want to live without the constant underlying always in the background reminding me it's still there anxiety  I just want to forget that the last 3 years ever happened! I just want to be able to look forward and plan things without wondering how I'll be 

Briony I keep getting niggly little almost like period pains but still no spotting, im wondering if this is because I'm taking the Oestrogel? What do you think? I read something today about Qlaira (don't know how true it is) but it said
Dienogest is a progestin with antiandrogenic effects, meaning that it reduces testosterone levels
Dienogest blocks the formation of ovarian follicles, which means that women using it do not ovulate, and therefore do not produce hormones, including estrogen, progesterone or testosterone. Thus, a woman taking Qlaira®  will have little or no testosterone (and possibly no sex drive as a result), no progesterone, and some estradiol. The dienogest will have some progesterone-like effects, but will not have the full spectrum of natural progesterone effects.

This could explain quite a lot! But as I'm taking Oestrogel and Testim I don't know how this would apply to me?

I'm just getting fed up with it all, not knowing what to do or try next? I'm even thinking of trying the mirena again with the Oestrogel and Testim 

[Briony]

You won't ovulate on any pill, that's one of the ways it prevents pregnancy. However, the extra estrogen you take with it - in a combined pill - instead provides a fairly steady 'external' dose constantly. Q does have the potential to reduce testosterone from what I've read - that seems to be the flip side of it being a kinder progesterone. However there is nearly a week with no progesterone and I found this was when the libido put in an appearance!

I too had the niggling period type pains (and spotting) which started on day nineteen. It was one of the reasons I wanted to try something with more estrogen (the solution for spotting is usually a higher estrogen  pill) . However, looking at the bigger picture, it's a small price to pay compared to how I felt with the massive dose of synthetic estrogen in Marvelon.

I do think it's far too early for you to consider changing, providing you don't feel totally horrendous like you did on Yaz. I really don't think you can judge in less than two to three months as it has not had chance to get in your system properly. I know that is easier said than done, but if you switch again, your system really won't have had time to settle and won't know if it is coming or going.

The more I think about what I've done, the more I think my quest for 'perfection' has been an own goal. My stomach is now still bloated,  I am still spotting and I have a headache from stopping the Marvelon. If I switch to patches, I could make things worse, yet if I go back on Qlaira, I know I'll have to go through the initial side effects again. Aghhhhh. I'm so annoyed with myself. It's so confusing isn't it?!?!? I guess we both just need that crystal ball!

Seriously, try to give Q a chance if you can.  At least then you will know for sure what does and doesn't work for you xxxx

[Chi chi]

It's so hard just waiting and waiting  the reason I'm thinking about trying the mirena again is because it has levonorgestrel, my first ever pill was ovranette which also has levo and I did very well on it, no problems at all. When I tried the mirena before the only bad side effects I had were spotting and a few facial spots/little tiny bumps under the skin on my chin area, I had no emotional side effects but these have only been since my breakdown which happened after I had it removed and was on cerazette? I'm wondering if levo is one I can tolerate? 
Annie Evans did say that the spotting while on the mirena can be easily stopped by taking estrogen.

[Briony]

I know what you mean about the waiting and waiting.      The way I try to see it, if something makes me feel noticeably worse on it  after ten days of trying, then it's not for me. If feel no worse - even though I may not feel any better - then I try to give things a chance. For me, Marvelon was the first category (my stomach got worse by the day) whereas hrt and Qlaira were the second. Neither of those helped for three months, but they made me no worse. Both made subtle changes for the better ... but not til month four. With Marvelon, I just 'knew' something wasnt right. Do you know what I mean?

If you know you can tolerate the Levonrgestrel, then the Mirena is definitely an option for you. It's interesting that you could tolerate this (in pill form) as for so many people, that seems to be the harder one in terms of side effects. If you know you're OK with it, another option you have is FemSeven patches. Have you ever considered those?

[Chi chi]

Thanks For replying Briony, it's so nice to have someone to bounce ideas off who's been through it 😊 Not that id wish it on anyone! I was aware that there are patches that contain levonorgestrel but hadn't looked into it. The thing is its so hard to know what's what  yesterday and today I've felt more down and hopeless and am worried it's going to spiral downhill from here on  it could be my body reacting to the prog in Qlaira or just me getting fed up waiting and waiting for a sign things are going to improve?? Somethings def going on with my sleep, I can't put my finger on what though but something just feels out of kilter? I feel tired (this could be due to my lowish mood) but I've been purposely not giving in to it in the afternoon so that come bedtime I go off quicker, which I have been just lately (a week or so ago it was taking me ages). The last 2 nights I've only had to get up once through the night for the toilet so in effect my sleep should be more so why do I feel more tired?? My headaches have been different also.
Re having the mirena before and being ok on ovranette, again this isn't a deffinate as my anxiety, panicky feelings and feelings of hopelessness only started after my breakdown nearly 3 years ago.
I still wonder if I actually need HRT and if peri IS the cause of these horrible feelings? But then my levels were low so maybe I do need it.
It just confuses me that if it isn't peri and it's just anxiety/depression why haven't any of the AD's I've tried helped? I'm currently on the maximum dose of escitalopram and also a mood stabiliser 
I just hate feeling like this and not knowing the cause or what to do about it 

How are you getting on?

[Kathleen]

Hello Chi chi.

I just wanted to send you a hug as I can completely understand how you feel. I think on top of all the hormonal crap we have the added frustration of trying to figure out what causes what and then come up with a plan that will help. No answers I'm afraid but you are not alone and I wish you well.

Take care.

K.

[Chi chi]

Thank you Kathleen x

[Briony]

Like Kathleen, I have no answers but just wanted to send you a hug or two.

The fact you do get good days and that the ADs aren't helping does suggest it's hormone related, doesn't it?
I think the worst feeling of all is that 'trapped' downward spiral sensation ... I suspect we've all been there at some point. 

Thinking back, I definitely had issues with bouts of fatigue in the first few months. (That said, fatigue was one of the reasons I needed hrt/the pill in the first place, so it could have been due to continued low estrogen until it had got into my system properly; I'll never know). I think I remember someone on here telling me fatigue was due to the progesterone (being high) though on Qlaira  it really did improve after a few months. With it being multi dose, it would affect me ever so slightly about a week after the dose of Dienogest went up. After a few months, I just knew I'd feel a bit more tired for a day or so and it wasnt an issue, but initially, I was more conscious of it.

Are you still in email contact with Annie EVans? Would it be worth contacting here again to see what she advises, now you've tried the Yaz and the Qlaira?

Thinking of you x