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[Chocolatechaos]

Hi, I have had perimenopause diagnosed 15mth ago. For 6mth I had elleste duet 1mg but switched to evorel sequi 50mg patches due to bowel and stomach issues. Two months ago I felt my symptoms returning so my gp thought the low dose pill may be an option to halt all symptoms and as I am 42 with low risk it seemed be a good idea. I have been ok actually with the pill although had some troublesome nausea initially. I have mow taken two packs without a break but am feeling like a period is likely soon as I have had some spotting and cramps. Today I am due to go pill free for a few days and wondered if I should put an oestrogen patch 50mg on just to stop too much of a slump. What do you think? I plan to start the pill again after 4days and see what happens. It seems such a grey area lol.

[Briony]

A number of us have found ourselves in the same situation. Like you say, a very grey area. Which pill do you take? I took Qlaira which only had two blank pill days which helped. I know one member's GP suggested topping up with a little gel during the pill free days? X

[Chocolatechaos]

Hi Briony, merry Christmas to you. I am on gedarel 20. I thought maybe 4 days without the pill and perhaps a patch so my oestrogen doesn't drop too much. I assume the drop in progesterone will start my period?? I was hoping to find out what has worked for others but I guess I will be my own guinea pig lol. Will let you know how it goes!

[GypsyRoseLee]

I will be interested to bear bow you get on. Can I ask what your main peri symptoms are?

I tried using the BCP to control my peri symptoms (mood swings, anxiety) and I initially tried Microgynon. Overall it was better than HRT patches but I was still getting my syme breaking through periodically. And even though I took 3 packs, continuously with no break, I had constant spotting and heavier bleeds in between.

So my GP swapped me to Gederal 30 and for the first pack I felt absolutely great, just like the old pre-perimenopause me had finally returned. It was wonderful, and I even posted on here saying I was 'cured'.

But I had a short 4 day break at the end of the 1st pack and within 48 hours all my symptoms started coming back. In a panic I started the 2nd pack assuming I would quickly feel better, but I didn't. In fact my symptoms just got worse over the next week. Finally, after 11 days into the 2nd pack I felt so dreadfully low and anxious that I spent most of the day in tears and scared my poor DH.

I didn't take another tablet and within 24 hours felt an improvement in my mood. That was just over 5 weeks ago and since then I have just worn a 50mg patch every day, buty mood has been very flat and low.

I am.not sure what happened to me. Either, I think what happened to me was that I reacted badly to a build up of the synthetic progesterone in the BCP and after 4 months of being on it continuously I had a mini cris de neuf.

Or, by having just a short 4 day break, I reacted severely to the progesterone withdrawal and 11 days later was still suffering the side effects. I desperately wish I knew which one it was? Maybe if I had persevered for another week on Gederal everything would have come right again and I would have known to not risk a break from it again.

Many GPs will tell you that the progesterone can't cause such severe symptoms (honestly I felt suicidal) but my new GP admitted that she's had one patient recently go 'psycho' due to taking the wrong progesterone, so it can and does happen.

[Chocolatechaos]

Thought I would update, I stopped my pill after two packs and put on an oestrogen patch 50mg for 4days. I have to say my mood slumped to PMT within 24-48hrs. I had flushes, sweats and poor sleep as well. My period started pretty quickly and was reasonably heavy but not hideous. I restarted my pills after 4days and I have gone back to feeling so much better. My peri symptoms have been so much better on the pill and my moods brighter. I don't know that the anxiety has gone but it has been improved on the pill. I guess I may have anxious reactive habits that I need to address and I certainly have some pre-emptive anxiety about things that I am going to do. Its a new year so onwards and upwards!!!

[Tinkerbellj]

It makes me happy that someone has had a result I am so hoping this continues for u. I am seriously thinking of swapping to the pill tbh anyone I know seems to fair better on it than hrt!! Good luck x

[Dorothy]

I run  2-3 packs together and then have a four day break.  I crash within 48 hours of stopping - symptoms get much worse, but the worst is that I literally cannot keep awake, I've even fallen asleep standing up!  Symptoms lift within 24 hours of going back on the pill, but it is a nuisance.  Am considering going back to my GP to ask about a patch as although it helps being able to adjust the time I take my break, I am getting fed up with wasting so much time sleeping even if I don't have to be at work.