Print

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

[MadameOvary]

How are you all doing? I'm approaching the end of my first packet of qlaira and I have to say I'm noticing my pms symptoms. I'm feeling really irritable, tetchy and anxious and my sleep has been terrible for pretty much the whole time I've been taking the pill.

But I would say the symptoms are much less severe than usual. I'm definitely not as irritable and anxious as usual. And I know I need to give it a few cycles to see how things go.

I'm interested to find out what my period/withdrawal bleed is like on the pill. My periods are usually so heavy and painful so I'm really hoping that the pill will at least mean lighter periods even if it doesn't completely cure the pms and insomnia.

[Gilla999]

Hiya - I would say my experience matches yours. I'm still experiencing my symptoms (night sweats and waking in the night from them / disrupted sleep) but they're definitely not as severe. I would also say that in the last handful of days they've got less severe again (I'm a few days ahead of you!). Since I started taking the pill I've so far only one had night where the night sweats have woken me and I've been unable to get back to sleep (which was the entire problem before) and that day was right at the start of taking it. So in general a big improvement (I have also increased my SSRI on the guidance of my Psych so I'm sure that has helped mentally too, although what has been going on for me is 2000% not a mental problem, it was cyclical hormones!).

Are you going to actually have your break for your "period"? I've gone straight through, I don't plan on taking any breaks - definitely not wanting that drop in hormones, from what I've been told there's no health benefit to it.

Keep hope - everything I've read says it can take 2-3 cycles for your own hormones to be suppressed so this is totally to be expected  And if for any reason you're still not feeling great on Qlaira after 3 months you can try switching to Zoely where the hormone dose is constant. You have options xxx

PS. I'm still having breakthrough bleeding which is a little annoying - like a constant period - but it's nothing in the grand scheme of things and I know it will eventually go away.

[MadameOvary]

Hi Gilla

It does sound like we're having very similar experiences. But my breakthrough bleeding was super light - nothing like my periods - and it's stopped now.

It hadn't occurred to me to skip the break. I didn't talk to my GP about it. I was just going to follow the pack. Qlaira only has a 2 day break so I guess I'll give it a go. If it's terrible I'll think about skipping the break next month.

Xx

[CrispyChick]

Well done ladies. This sounds really positive for you both. So pleased.

I'm still following. I'm still waiting on my period after that dreadful 15 day hrt trial. Interestingly I'm feeling better than I have in a long time... Bizarre... I guess there's no rush. I have the patch, but I'll only go there if I need to.

I am having no hot flushes or anything like that. So I'm thinking mine is absolute imbalance rather than true meno approaching, but who knows.

Keep plodding on... Keep updating 😁

[Angelasurrey]

I’m nearly 42 and since age 38 I’ve had lots of symptoms. They have got worse over time, I’ve got two young children and just find my symptoms overwhelming.  How conclusive are blood tests? For the past two years I’ve had blood tests in Dec 2020 which show thyroid is fine and gynaecologist has just sent a letter saying hormone levels are fine. To list a few of my symptoms  : Bad crippling cramps, Itching or burning skin, very sore breast, Hot flushes, Mood is low tearful or irritable  ( really bad before period just want to be alone), bad pms, Insomnia ( most of the time waking in night or wide awake a week before period), junk cravings, Weight gain nausea, reflux, waking at night to go to the bathroom and achy joints. I just don’t feel like me. I tried yasmin earlier last year For about 6 months... but it didn’t help
He’s suggested I go on qlaira to manage period or ovulation pain. I’ve just started it and noticed this thread.  I really appreciate that you all are sharing your journey... so grateful.
thanks so much x

[CrispyChick]

Angelasurrey, be good to hear how you get on too.

I'm nervous about trying the contraceptive patch... Especially now we'll be home schooling again. It's such a shame this happens to us when trying our best to parent. Xx

[Shannonplussed]

I’ll check in too, what the heck. Day 21 of 4 pumps estrogel + Mirena in attempt to suppress my own hormones. Still irritable here and there but I’ve had a few good days. A great one even. But weight is piling on and it’s starting to make me nervous. It’s coming on so quickly some of it has to be fluid, but as I’m not taking a break from hormones, I’m not sure at what point my body will see fit to to release that extra? I wear a Fitbit and my resting heart rate has shot up the in last two days. Usually when things feel stable, my heart rate is lower or steady, and when it increases often my weight goes up as well. Not feeling confident that I want to keep this up, but I’m telling myself that I’m going to try for two “cycles”.

[Angelasurrey]

I’m more than happy to share.
My experience so far has been a few side effects. Different ones each day. A few days of nausea. A bit like morning sickness.  I don’t know if this is because of starting taking the pill in the evening rather than morning.
Really itchy skin for a few days and itchy eyes. Then with the insomnia just felt very cold at night.
These symptoms have gone now. Still got PMS symptoms and started period recently. On the positivr side of things it’s slightly less painful and for a day I felt like things had lifted a bit. I did take the 2 day break. During this period I’ve had headaches. Never had these before.
I struggled with home schooling / lockdown and all the peri symptoms so hope that we all get some relief soon .. so we feel better. Hugs 🤗 x

[Angelasurrey]

Forgot  to mention the past 4 days I have  this pulse in my right bum cheek at night. A bit like a twitch.. very weird! Sorry if tmi x

[MadameOvary]

How long have you been on the Qlaira Angelasurrey? Nice to hear from someone else on it too. I'm just coming to the end of my first pack.

I don't know what to expect at all with the 2 day break. Does it mean I just have a period for 2 days? Did you find your period was any lighter/shorter?

My insomnia has been awful too and, like you, I've been freezing cold in the night. But it is January and it is freezing cold at night so I'm not sure that's a side effect of the pill.

I've been really irritable as well as tired. But probably less so than usual.

[Angelasurrey]

Hello! So nice to hear from you. From 7th Dec.. I started Qlaira.
The bleeding was shorter in my case so 5 days rather than 7 days and slightly less heavy and less crampy.
I’m still experiencing sore breasts ( my little preschooler hugged me and it was painful) and was wide awake yesterday from 1am.
You are right .. the cold weather isn’t helping. I use wheat bags and heat pads at night during my period but the run up to it .. is just so difficult . I did have an electric blanket in Sept last year but couldn’t get the temp right.. so sometimes it brought on hot flashes.
My husband said I was nagging a bit. 

How is everyone else doing? Hope you are all ok.

[MadameOvary]

5 days sounds good Angelasurrey! I'd happily take that. Sorry for the very stupid question but when should I expect it to start? When I'm on the 2 red pills at the end of the pack? Or the white non-active pills? Or after I've finished the whole pack 

I hear you on the sore breasts but that's a usual pms problem for me so I'm kind of used to it. On qlaira it was more the first couple of weeks. It's not so bad now. I think Gilla999 has been having trouble with this on Zoely.

Do keep us posted.

[CrispyChick]

I really hope this works for you ladies. I've got horrific pmt. Had it for 3 days solid... Its awful. My poor children 😬.

But on the plus side, my physical symptoms seem a bit better. No migraines, no sore scalp, no fatigue, no dizziness or nausea.... On the 2 weeks of HRT my dizziness etc went sky high.

That's why this is torturous. If I start the patch I'm pretty sure I'll get bad nausea avd dizziness. .. But this pmt is off the scale. I just can't lift out of it.

Usually after my period I end up with other symptoms like dizziness etc... But I am tempted to try another month avd see... Just wish my soddin period would arrive... Lift my mood!!!!

[Angelasurrey]

MadameOvary. I think the bleeding starts just as you get towards finishing the pack. Mine started as I was about to start the Last 2 white pills. I just couldnt wait for it and was so impatient. I hope it is ok for you. I felt quite drained the first two days.

crispyChick : it is so hard. I hope it passes soon for you. Did the Dr mention how long to try it for? I think the  trial and error process is the hardest.
I tried a video for cramps by yoga with Adriene online. It’s free on you tube. More than anything I think it helped to just make me slow down.. as I’m constantly running around like a headless chicken . My kids were there ..so they realised ..I’m not feeling great.
Peri is hard enough on its own..  let alone a global pandemic and being a parent to young kids.
Wishing you all healing and hugs x ❤️🤗

[MadameOvary]

Hi
Just a little update. I've just started 2nd pack of Qlaira.

Overall I would say I still had some of my usual problems (insomnia, irritability, low mood, tearfulness, sore breasts) but they were generally much less severe than normal.

One thing that's really different is my period. Instead of 8 days of heavy flooding, cramping, ibuprofen, etc, I've had 3 days of light flow. I'm over the moon! I had a tiny bit of cramping but I didn't need to take painkillers. I honestly could cry with relief. It's made me realise how terrible my periods have been and what life could be like with lighter periods.

I'm hoping that over the next month or two some of the other symptoms might improve too. Although I think I remember a poster on an old thread on here saying that month 2 of qlaira was the worst and it got better after that...

I hope you're all doing OK
X