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[Angelasurrey]

Thanks Sue for sharing your experience..Just wondering .. Why did you need to come off the Qlaira and did you switch over to anything else..?

Thanks so much!

[Sue_M]

The gynae said at my last appointment she was taking me off and I'd be going on hrt. Dont think they like you to be on them for more than 5 years. I've had to get a new referral because she left the clinic I was going to. Got a long wait due to covid .

Should add when I was on them I only had a very small bleed over 2 days.

[Angelasurrey]

I really hope you get to see the gynae soon and any symptoms are manageable. 🙏🏼
Sending best wishes and thanks again for sharing❤️ x

[MadameOvary]

Hi

I'm doing better this month. The main thing is my sleep is much better which is a huge relief. I think insomnia really exacerbated other symptoms I was dealing with like anxiety and irritability.

Some of the symptoms I had in the first cycle of qlaira like sore breasts haven't been an issue so far in 2nd cycle.

And as I mentioned before, the short, light, relatively painless bleed was such a blessed relief after a lifetime of heavy painful periods. It's a real game changer.

So I'm definitely sticking with it.

Sorry to hear Zoely didn't work for you Aveline. I can see Qlaira isn't such a good option if you have to pay for it. I'm very grateful my GP prescribed it on the NHS.

Gilla, it sounds like Zoely is working out really well for you which is great news.

Take care everyone. X

[Gilla999]

I totally agree on insomnia - I read a really interesting article that explained what happens to the brain after sleep deprivation and why it causes you to feel so anxious (I suffer with very severe anxiety after a night or two with no sleep - to the point that I'm vomiting / can't function). When I've slept, I can deal with pretty much anything!

So glad that things are going ok for you too MadameOvary. I'm thinking of taking my four day break this time (in a few days) rather than going straight through, as I'm still getting low level period type pain every night before bed. It's nothing painkillers don't get rid of but I know it's not great to be knocking ibuprofen back every night! I'm a little bit nervous that the four day break will cause a recurrence of my original symptoms but I'm hoping it will also allow me to have a little bleed and perhaps stop the pains next month. Fingers crossed!

[CrispyChick]

Loving keeping following this thread ladies. Glad to hear things are going a bit better for you both - will be do good to find something that helps. Good luck with the 4 day break gilla.

I'm on day 5 of microgynon (after 4 days on the patch). Had terrible nausea sat to Mon, but thst has subsided today. Taking it at night now.

My mood was low yestersay, but OK today. Just shows you each day on start up brings different symptoms.

My main side affect now is wooziness (mild dizzy). I'm pretty sure now this is an estrogen side affect fir me as it we t off the scale on my 2 weeks hrt trial (topping up my own). Hopefully it will subside as my own is suppressed.

Interestingly it was one of my first peri symptoms, so now looks likely I was estrogen dominant at the start. Prob explains why I've never had hot flushes properly yet. I think the prog only pill helped flatten it a bit last year, but now my mood is terrible on prog only or nothing, so I've clearly changed. Must be the roller-coaster.

Trying to stay positive this time. I need to flatten this roller coaster. One day at a time...

[Gilla999]

Just thought I'd check in and see how others are doing? Frustratingly I've had a return of my symptoms since Friday night - the dreaded insomnia. The interesting thing is that I literally felt the shift on Friday evening, where for no reason at all I started to feel wired and anxious - just like I used to get in the week before my period. Have only got a couple of hours sleep each night since Friday.

It's just over 6 weeks since I started taking Zoely (with no break) so I'm hoping this is just my own hormones still adjusting, as the previous 5 weeks I had literally felt like a new woman. "You're back to the old Gill!" people had said. I had some cramps yesterday morning and also noticed over the last few days that my boobs have completely back to normal so that would indicate there are still some hormonal changes taking place, so I'm really hoping this is just a blip. Not planning on taking my 4 day break on Zoely now, just going to go straight through!

How's everyone else getting on?

Update: Just read back through some of the old threads here on Qlaira and one I found particularly useful was the one titled "why do I feel worse on month 2". Not because it gave a specific reason but just because a couple of people shared their experiences of how they didn't start to feel better until month 4 and that anything before that is the body still getting used to the new hormones. (Especially useful to read that from Briony who I know posted a lot about Qlairna). It's a reminder to me that we often want solutions right now (because to be fair, we feel SO crap!) but all medications including hormonal take time to settle and we can't really make a call until month 4. Because, you know, it's not like we're having to practice patience enough already in the world right now 

Sending good vibes out to the ladies on this thread and hoping you're all doing ok 

[CrispyChick]

Ahhhh Gilla, its soooo frustrating!!! Stick with it. If it is manageable. If it is your original symptoms, you're still better trying this than being on nothing!

I'm day 10 of microgynon. Pleased to report the nausea and woozy have left... Fabulous. I'm now feeling extremely aggitated and anxious with mood dips. Given that my boobs are not sore, I'm guessing this is a side affect of the levongesteral, which is quite a potent old school progesterone - hopefully these are start up symptoms.

Plodding on. The poisoned feeling I had with the hrt and the patch have gone, so I think the estrogen was too much in them, on top of my own still cycling.

Fingers crossed we all come out the other side! Xx

[Gilla999]

Thanks Crispy! It is (so far) absolutely better than nothing, so definitely sticking with it. Those days when you feel horrendous are so long drawn out though!

Well that's at least good news on the nausea and woozy! Yes I seem to recall that for me the progesterone side effect of the Pill was a very agitated feeling, although that was more BLIND ANGRY RAGE than anxious    I'm sure that they are start up side effects and will improve for you, it's just getting through the initial 2 or 3 months with the combination of getting used to a new medication and also your own hormonal cycle still being present.

I read a great article that confirmed the differences between the Pill and HRT for perimenopause which essentially said what we have been discussing on this thread - that the Pill completely suppresses your own hormones (because of the quantity of estrogen and progesterone in them) where as HRT is designed to "top up" your naturally dwindling hormone levels. It talked about how HRT can therefore often not be the best option if your hormones are still fluctuating (like they do in Peri, or at least early Peri), because you'll still get the swings of your own cycle - and these could even be aggravated by adding more on top. I felt reassured after reading it that we're all on the right track here 

As you say, just keeping plodding on xx

[CrispyChick]

Absolutely right track. My two weeks on estradiol alone (as hrt) were horrific... I was clearly overdosing on estrogen.

But... I'm glad I did the trial, now I know for sure, I'm not at the low estrogen stage, just on a merry roller-coaster.

I think you're also right... My agitation now feels quite ragey 😂😂😂. Home schooling not helping. Poor kids. Really hoping this is start up.... 😬

Fingers crossed your blip disappears as quick as it arrived... We can do this!!!

I'm not planning on taking any breaks.

And remember, if this doesn't turn out to be the right pill, by 3 months the system should be suppressed and should be much easier to swap to an alternative. 😊👍

[Angelasurrey]

Gilla and CrispyChick ... quick update from me. I think this month so far has been a mixture of symptoms. Had lot of cramps and just feel a bit off in the mornings. Sleep is patchy and often have to get up to go to the bathroom. This is the week before my period so a tough one. Also my trying to get my partner to understand what I’m going through.
I decided to try and reduce the amount of things I will do. Have bought some easy meals as just fed up with cooking, mess cleaning etc.  I have gained weight this past 6 months  ( I feel like I have pms 3 out of the 4 weeks a month So I know it’s eating on the go and comfort eating) and just need to find a healthy meal plan and aim for some exercise. It’s getting me down a bit.  Skin is better ie no spots or itching.
CrispyChick homeschooling is tough on its own and these peri symptoms can tip you over the edge.
Gilla , I find the insomnia one of the hardest symptoms. I hope you get some sleep. It sounds exhausting.
thanks for the details on the hormones. I will try and ride it out and then at least I feel I’m trying something.

Hugs xxxx

[CrispyChick]

Good to hear from you Angela. How long have you been on qlaira now then???

As Gilla says, some folks find month 2 the worst.

Is your pmt still bad? Mine was horrific last month, which is why I decided to try again with the pill... But this one is making me very noody, narky and angry... So not much change 😬 but its only week 2!

You are absokuteky right yo get ready meals etc.. I know exactly how you feel. My days consist of home schooling, making meals, cleaning up abd then a bit of work... So tiring. Hope things improve for you soon. Xx

[Angelasurrey]

Hello Crispy Chick,

How are you doing? I hope things improve...
You are not alone.. PMT is still bad. This is month 2. I’m noticing it starts about two weeks before period and lasts a long time. Struggling with sleep and cramps. My little girl had a nightmare last night. I was wide awake ... so ran in to comfort her. The positive is that it didn’t wake anyone else. I managed to burn dinner yesterday. It was literally just in the oven . On top of that both kids were either crying or tantrums. Had to do a last min school assignment. I’m doing a work course which I’ve put on pause as just too shattered with Peri symptoms . Today everyone doesn’t want to eat the ready meal options so now I’m back to cooking a bit. I  also did feeling really sensitive about everything. What partners says and the noise in the house.
There’s a massive pile of laundry staring at me and I’ve decided it just leave it and have a tea. House is upside down have no energy to get it tidied.
How is everyone doing?

Xx

[Gilla999]

Hi Angela, lovely to hear from you

When I first started having all of my symptoms (primarily night sweats and terrible insomnia) it would be about a week before my period but gradually over a few months it extended and then would start on day 14 and last up until the end. So I can empathise with your two week timeline and how rubbish it is. You can kind of resign yourself if it's just a few days a month but when it's half your life it's so rubbish.

The advice of reducing the things you do is really good! Think I might splurge on some frozen meals from Cook.

I've had 5 nights in a row now of only 2 hours sleep a night and feel wretched and am off work AGAIN. Just hoping it turns a corner soon. I am just reminding myself every day that my own hormones are still active at the moment and I can't make a call until 3 or 4 months. I am starting to have doubts creep in about whether I'm pinning it all on hormones when it isn't, but I know that (a) when I look back at my diary from the last year every time it happened it was in the two weeks before my period, (b) I've just had 5 glorious weeks since starting Zoely of no sleep problems whatsoever and it makes no sense to me why that would be the case if there wasn't something underlying that changes and (c) I've been getting cramps every morning since this blip of insomnia started which makes me also think something hormonally is happening. But I guess if it still happens after month 4 then maybe I need to reassess...

Crispy - I can so remember the all consuming rage of that kind of Pill! BUT it did definitely go for me when I was younger so hang on in there if you can xxxxx your comment about it being easier to switch to another Pill after that time also made me feel a lot better!
xxx

[CrispyChick]

Hi ladies

So sorry you're all having a hard time!!! Well, I guess your hormones are not suppressed enough yet Angela, if you can pinpoint it as pmt like that. It is awful to be going through, whilst with the kids all day. I feel for you. Sorry, but you did make me laugh when you pointed out Noone wanted the ready meals. We're having chippy tea tonight, and I feel happy about that!

Dissapointed for you gilla. But you're month 2...we thought 2 would be worse... Keep going, end of month 3 will be here before you know it.

I'm now day 12 on microgynon. My god, the agitation, low mood and rage are off the scale. But, they feel artificial. Does that make sense? Although I'm feeling it all day every day, I can pretend to be normal if I need to as it all feels artificial. My only hope is it lifts - thank you for your kind words about how these pills used to do this to you, but then lift.

Everything else is much better on this pill. I'm same, just keep telling myself one day at a time... Got to see it out. I jumped off this one before because of same symptoms, but I'm determined to see it out this time. It certainly gives me less physical symptoms than some of the others, but boy, I'm like a grizzly bear 🐻