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[LadyCC]

Yes they are new ish on the market in the last few years.

Women can stay on any combined pill until 50 now as long as they don’t have risk factors for clots.

They are as available as other pills now although I do think Qlaira might be a bit more expensive.

You can find them online at online pharmacies.

Wow! its just over 10 years ago that I was told that I couldnt have the combined pill.  As soon as I stopped a myriad of symptoms occurred including acne.  4 years later, a male doctor put me back on the pill on a low dose to alleviate the symptoms but forewarned that I would be expected to stop within a few short years, at very latest 45 so I spent those next few years working diligently to find ways to help my body and to prevent the symptoms re-curring when I stopped taking it again.  That was where I took a look at my diet and managed to successfully transition from taking the pill to a good tailored eating programme that made me look and feel full of vitality and I lost weight back to my former self and gradually phased myself off the pill too. 

For me and I guess others, as these pills put the body in a sleep state, I would have just been delaying the inevitable if I had continued to take it or others like it anyway seeing as I am in what is termed early menopause.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge here Joziel, very interesting indeed.

[joziel]

For sure, 50 is the age you have to stop. Here's some info: https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/

To quote:

"Combined hormonal contraceptive methods (pill, patch and vaginal ring) are suitable until the age of 50, so long as there are no health risks (e.g. smoking, obesity, high blood pressure) that could lead to heart, stroke or blood clotting problems."

Are you on HRT? Especially if you had an early menopause, HRT is really indicated to prevent health issues in the future - at least until the age of 51 which is the average age of menopause anyway.

The main difference between the pill and HRT, is that most pills don't use body identical hormones and they do stop ovulation (otherwise they wouldn't be much good for contraception!). Whereas HRT uses body identical estrogen at least (some HRT also uses body identical progesterone) and it doesn't usually stop ovulation.

The Qlaira and Zoely are interesting pills because unlike all the others, they do use body identical estrogen. They use synthetic progesterone, but so do a lot of HRT products. To be contraceptives, they must stop ovulation. For me, with mild endo, I need to stop ovulation - and HRT with body identical progesterone wasn't doing that, which is why I had to add in my desogestrel POP. But an alternative for me, until menopause (when ovulation stops anyway!), would be a combined pill like one of these - which would stop ovulation and also give me estrogen.

[LadyCC]

For sure, 50 is the age you have to stop. Here's some info: https://www.womens-health-concern.org/help-and-advice/factsheets/contraception-older-woman/

To quote:

"Combined hormonal contraceptive methods (pill, patch and vaginal ring) are suitable until the age of 50, so long as there are no health risks (e.g. smoking, obesity, high blood pressure) that could lead to heart, stroke or blood clotting problems."

Are you on HRT? Especially if you had an early menopause, HRT is really indicated to prevent health issues in the future - at least until the age of 51 which is the average age of menopause anyway.

The main difference between the pill and HRT, is that most pills don't use body identical hormones and they do stop ovulation (otherwise they wouldn't be much good for contraception!). Whereas HRT uses body identical estrogen at least (some HRT also uses body identical progesterone) and it doesn't usually stop ovulation.

The Qlaira and Zoely are interesting pills because unlike all the others, they do use body identical estrogen. They use synthetic progesterone, but so do a lot of HRT products. To be contraceptives, they must stop ovulation. For me, with mild endo, I need to stop ovulation - and HRT with body identical progesterone wasn't doing that, which is why I had to add in my desogestrel POP. But an alternative for me, until menopause (when ovulation stops anyway!), would be a combined pill like one of these - which would stop ovulation and also give me estrogen.

Thanks for the link - interesting reading.  Things must have changed within the last 10 years, either that or my GP's were more behind with the times than I thought.

By HRT if you mean traditional oestrogen and progesterone then the answer is no.  My initial post on this thread was relating to my intolerance of oestrogen and the fact that after 3 time trying with horrible side effects, I wont put that in my body again.  I am using just utrogestan which is not something that UK doctors prescribed but as others here have pointed out is widely prescribed in other parts of the world.

Forgive me joziel are you perimenopausal - im losing track (concentration and focus still not at optimum since peri/menopause)? 

[joziel]

Ah yes sorry my bad! I remember.

I’m also having bad estrogen side effects although I think they are different to what yours were. I’m getting pulsing, throbbing hands and body generally in bed at night, feet and hands feeling a little tingly or pins and needles-y at these times and heart palps. I only really know about the heart palps because I feel a bit jittery and my blood pressure monitor will say irregular pulse. I’m also waking between 4-6am every night. (It’s 4.30am now!)

I’m absolutely exhausted and no idea what to do. I can’t stop estrogen, it has fixed so many of my awful symptoms- but I also can’t go on like this. And I remember having slightly similar side effects when I was 21 and went on the combined pill. I just switched it for the POP. But I can’t do that now…

[Marchlove]

Wow joziel, that’s more or less what I get with the estrogen.

Well not the heart palps but bad burning feet and I also wake every night about 4am.
It’s rather odd though as I get the burning feet when I go to bed and I get to sleep ok. When I wake up my feet are fine but my mind races away. After about 1.5 hours my burning feet start again and I go back to sleep for about another hour or so.

It’s so odd! In some ways I rather like the burning feet as it means I’ll go to sleep.

X

[joziel]

When you say burning, do you mean throbbing? Or are they hot to the touch if you touch them with another hand?

Mine don’t burn, my theory is the blood flow to my hands and feet is affected somehow. I often in my sleep feel my hands are numb like when you get a dead foot - I have always had this if I sleep with an arm above my head but now it happens just with hands on my chest or by my side so it seems to happen more often and take less.

Everything I read says estrogen is good for cardiovascular health. I’m not sure which part of all this is good for me. 🤷‍♀️

Last night was really bad, because the pulsing and throbbing and palps started  before I went to bed at 11pm and they are still happening now - 9am. This is a day they will probably last till lunch time.

I’ve no idea what to do. I can request a heart monitor but chances are the palps will be deemed okay and I’ll be offered beta blockers. They are not strong palps by the way, the only way I know is the blood pressure machine says irregular pulse when I feel like this. It’s not really that I can feel it although it does feel a little fluttery or jittery…

[Marchlove]

Throbbing hot pins and needles type pain, actually I’ve never felt them to see if they’re hot but will do so tonight.
The only thing I can find is that it’s indicative of low vitamin B’s but I take them and it’s still the same.

Sorry I can’t help at all with the palps joziel
apart from remembering reading that a certain magnesium can help, is it taurate or taurine, something beginning with T anyway. X

[joziel]

Yeah I’m taking the magnesium glycinate.

I do have faint pins and needles so maybe it’s related. I wouldn’t call it a pain more a sort of faint tingling. But it could be a weaker version of the same thing 👍

[Marchlove]

Yes mine started off weaker a few years ago, so could well be.
Have a look at the other magnesium joziel, it might help x