Print

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

[Gilla999]

Thanks for the lovely feedback Shannon!

I had initially thought that "preventing ovulation" (which the Pill does within 7 days) was the same thing as "switching off my own hormones", but it seems from some of the things I've read that it's not the case. Which is why they say things like swollen, painful boobs should ease within 2-3 months - because at the moment my body is still producing its own Estrogen, topped up by the Pill, which is then causing Estrogen dominance. From the things I've read it indicates that it takes a bit of time for your body to realise it doesn't need to produce its own hormones anymore. And then symptoms like the swollen, painful boobs should ease. And it goes as far as saying if it doesn't, then it might not be the right Pill for you.

I'm such an impatient person by nature and want things fixed straight away, but I don't think I can make a call on this one until 3 months in. And to be honest, if it in any way helps my original debilitating cyclical symptoms of insomnia and night sweats in the last 2 weeks of my cycle, then I would absolutely cope with the boob thing anyway! (Boob reduction here I come    )

Keep me posted on how you get on xx

PS. Side note: I find it interesting how many women in their early/mid 40s here are (like me) desperately talking about wanting to "switch off" or "override" their cycle. The fluctuations really seem to be causing a lot of people difficulties

[MadameOvary]

Covid test came back negative which is a big relief. I have no idea what my achy muscle symptoms were about. It's possible it was a side effect of the pill.

Still feeling fine. I have a tiny amount of breakthrough bleeding but really nothing significant.

I've been a bit weepy (which is one of my many PMS symptoms) but there's quite a lot to feel weepy about at the moment! It's been such a tough year and this is such a strange Christmas. All the Christmas films are setting me off!

I'm still waking up super early (5.30/6am) which is annoying because I'm off work and would love a lie in. But I'm not waking in the night.

[MadameOvary]

Gilla999 how much estrogen is in Zoely?

[CrispyChick]

Sounds good all round so far ladies... No nausea or side affects??!

Shannon, i'm intrigued you already have the mirena and are now having to ramp up the estradiol to override your system... In yet gp's keep pushing the mirena at us peri women. Makes little sense.

I'm picking my patch up tomorrow. Scared stiff. 😬

[MadameOvary]

No nausea at all CrispyChick. Good luck with your patch.

The mirena really works for some women and is terrible for others. I think depending on how sensitive to progesterone you are. I was quite tempted by it but was scared by prospect of it making things worse and not being able to get it removed easily. At least with a pill I can stop taking it if it makes things worse.

[Shannonplussed]

A little background about my Mirena. In my mid-late 30s, I was having bleeding after sex for which they couldn’t find a cause. I got a Mirena and that solved the issue (after spotting constantly for about 6 weeks). I had no periods until the 4th year and it worked well in that regard, although I did still have a hormonal cycle/PMDD that lead me to use Sertraline (which helped a lot). Got the Mirena removed after the 4th year because my own cycle was breaking through and causing severe symptoms which I NOW know was peri menopause (but they said I was too young). I went on the pill back-to-back (to stop the roller coaster) and life was fine for a year or two (but no sex drive). Urged my husband to get a vasectomy and I went off the pill. My period never returned and after 6 months, tested as post-menopausal level FSH (age 42). I started Estrogel and Prometrium (Canadian equivalent of Utrogestan). It was okay but I kept increasing the Estrogel and doctors here are more conservative with how much they allow. The ob-gyn felt better about the higher dosage of Estrogel if it was paired with the Mirena, and I was fine with that as it had worked for me fine before (again, in hindsight, I was peri menopausal at the time, but when you don’t have a bleed it’s hard to know that!). I haven’t cleared the attempt to suppress ovulation with the ob-gyn but she knows I’m treating to my symptoms and we have a follow up scheduled in a few months. I would love to come to her and tell her that I’ve got it finally figured out.

[CrispyChick]

Thanks for the update Shannon. I really hope this method works for you. Slightly confused why you're trying to suppress ovulation when you tested post menopausal... But I'm easily confused 

Keep updating ladies. I'll happily post how I get on with the patch. Although I'm feeling dreadful, I am glad I tried the HRT as it shows I'm not ready for increased estradiol yet... Prob because my own hormones are on a roller coaster.

Fingers crossed for a good 2021...hormonally anyway!!!

[Shannonplussed]

Totally valid question! I’ve had 3 high post-menopausal level FSH tests but not officially technically menopausal in the textbook no period for a full year sense because I’ve been on HRT and I’m not willing to to go a full year without precious hormones just to prove that. 6 months was long enough and it was a hell of a ride. Being on HRT has given me some bleeds here and there and I know my own hormones are at play in some regard because of just how variable my day-to-day experience has been. Am I ovulating here and there? Is my body trying damn hard to, but failing? Is the HRT giving my body false hope that fertility isn’t a done deal? How much no one can say. Since there’s no badge bestowed for being officially post menopausal, I don’t mind if I’m seen as peri menopausal, as it’s semantics really.
I’m just trying to muddle through with as little collateral damage as possible.

[Gilla999]

MadameOvary the Estradiol in Zoely is 1.5mg every day.

I do have some confusion with that dose and how it's enough to suppress ovulation. But I have a feeling it's not as straightforward as it sounds because the symptoms I have of swollen painful boobs are at the same level/intensity as when I was taking 25mg Estradot or when I had naturally sky high estrogen dominance a couple of years ago.

Enjoy your Christmas ladies, keep us posted with how things go! Xx

[Gilla999]

Thought I'd give a quick update - it's now day 19 of the pill and day 21 of my natural cycle (out of 29). In the last couple of days I think my estrogen levels are starting to drop as although my boobs are still gigantic they're not quite as sore as before. I've also had a little cramping (but doesn't last long) and the return of the night sweats and the related insomnia where I wake up sweating and can't get back to sleep (probably because of the rise in my core body temp). I'm assuming this is happening because my body is getting used to the hormone levels and not because of hormonal changes associated with my natural cycle, though it is the time of the month where they would happen so who knows. I think what it shows, for me anyway, is that my night sweats and insomnia are a result of estrogen changes. It doesn't necessarily mean I have low estrogen, but even when it's shifting from very high to high, I get the same side effects as someone with low estrogen would. I'm not sure why in my early 40s I have suddenly become SO sensitive to fluctuations in my estogren but there you are!

MadameOvary, hope you're doing ok!

[MadameOvary]

Thanks for the update Gilla999. I'm now 2 weeks away from when I would expect to start my period. On day 15 of Qlaira.

My sleep hasn't been great to be honest but it's not temperature related. I just wake up several times around 4am then wake up properly at 6am and can't get back to sleep. Very annoying because I'm off work and could really do with a lie in!

My breasts have been a bit fuller than usual since starting the pill too. Slightly tender but not as bad as they usually are with pms.

I've noticed I've been very tearful and irritable the last few days - usual PMS symptoms for me - but I can't work out if it's the pill or just normal stresses and emotions of Christmas in a pandemic!

The only other side effect I've noticed is my hair seems to need washing more often.

I hope you all had a good Christmas. Fingers crossed we all manage to get our crazy hormones under control in 2021!

[CrispyChick]

Ladies. How are you feeling?

I'm asking this here, as we're all at similar stage. So, I've got the patch to try, but I was waiting on a period. Clearly my 15 says on hrt has totally messed that up.

So, I think I had mild ovulation pain on sun. Before that I was extremely fatigued and teary. Now I'm still fatigued and also mood dipping up and down. Any idea what this would mean at time of ovulation??? Low estrogen? 🤷‍♀️. But still enough to trigger ovulation.

[Gilla999]

Hey Crispy. It's possible that it's not related to ovulation and your hormones are just a bit skewed because of the HRT - I also had the same thing when I tried it for a few days only, my period was about 7 days late i think (which never happens). What I've come to realise through my current experience with Zoely is that for whatever reason, in my early 40s I have become super sensitive to Estrogen changes, and it sounds like a similar thing with you too maybe.

In the last 3 days I've had the return of my crazy bad night sweats which I think causes my insomnia (both in waking up and then unable to get back to sleep, as my core body temperature has risen). It's definitely not been as severe, or if it has I've so far been able to cope so much better with it the next day (which could also be due to me increasing my SSRI). The return of the night sweats/sleep issue has also been accompanied by my boobs dropping from the super swollen and painful state they were in from about day 5 to to day 18 of taking Zoely (which is my classic very high estrogen indicator), down to still being a larger cup size but not swollen or painful at all anymore. These two things happening in tandem has showed me that the night sweats and insomnia must be related to when my estrogen levels drop. And as I mentioned before my Estrogen level doesn't even have to be clinically low to cause me problems... a drop of any kind causes it, even when going from "super high" to "high".

I've also had a lot of breakthrough bleeding over the last 4-5 days - almost like my normal period - but I can deal with that.

Your symptoms are different from mine but it would make sense to me that it's down to changes in your hormone levels caused by the stopping of HRT and my own experience is that estrogen is the pest!! But I'm obviously just guessing   

As all the literature I've poured over says it takes 3 months for full suppression of your own natural hormones on birth control pill I'm hoping that when that happens it will stop my fluctuations which cause these symptoms for me.

Side note: still annoyed that the hormone specialist told me (1) my symptoms "can't" be related to my hormones when they so clearly are, (2) hormones fluctuate all the time in your natural cycle so this wouldn't cause you problems and (2) she gave me incorrect info about my hormone levels - she got the prog and estrogen results the wrong way around 

Hope you start to feel better soon Crispy - I know it's hard if you're experiencing rubbish side effects but I'd really recommend trying to stick with a contraception pill for a full 3 months once you start it if you can, as I think only then can we judge if it's working or not xxxx

[MadameOvary]

Hi

Sorry you're both having a tough time Gilla and Crispy.

I had a terrible night last night. I woke up at 4am and didn't go back to sleep. I'm shattered today. No night swears. If anything I was freezing cold. I just couldn't sleep. I don't know if it's hormone related (that would be normal insomnia for me at this time of my cycle) or if it's general stress etc.

Gilla999 I'm getting some breakthrough bleeding too but it's very slight - not enough to need a pad.

On the plus side, I think my skin is looking slightly better than before 

I'm definitely sticking with it. I'm hoping that the insomnia is just because it takes time for the pill to fully suppress my natural cycle.

[MadameOvary]

Oops, just noticed I typed swears instead of sweats