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[GypsyRoseLee]

I agree with Briony, in that possibly you just aren't still getting enough oestrogen Pepperminty? At your age I would think it very unlikely that HRT was giving you too much.

Day 16:

Well mood is still definitely up, despite this blasted head cold driving me mad. I feel centered and contented still. Very slight brown spotting has returned, but it's minimal and only noticeable when I wipe.

Don't have any excessive tiredness still either which is good. I have noticed a few blemishes on my face but nothing major. For me it's always about the mood and anxiety, and so long as that is controlled I can happily deal with anything else.

[LW44]

love reading this grl ! x

[Briony]

Yes, fab news GRL 

I am actually relieved all is going  well as, being someone who encouraged you to try the pill, I'd have felt so bad if it had been a nightmare for you!

It'll be interesting to see how you feel at the time when you'd have naturally had a bleed. For me, that can mean a dip, but being on something stronger, I suspect you won't be affected.

Xx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Thank you. I'm not taking anything for granted at all. It would be far too good to be true if by just taking one little Pill each night magically all my problems disappeared almost straight away.

One thing I have learned with peri is that it twists and turns you until you never trust the direction in which you're heading.

I don't think I will let myself have a bleed this pack, just go straight to the next one. I want my own hormones to have been thoroughly beaten down.

Please don't ever feel worried at talking to me about the Pill. Your advice and support have been so incredibly helpful. But I'm a big girl, it was my decision to take, regardless of the final outcome.

But if taking the Pill 'does' carry on making me feel like this over the next weeks/month's then that will make you (un a surreal internetty type of way) one of the most important people I have ever known, I think? Because I was in such a very bleak place for much of the time and I had started to lose my sense of myself.

[pepperminty]

Good to see you are still making progress Fingers crossed !!!

Pepperminty xx

[Briony]

Thanks for the wise words GRL, as always   

Went to see GP today at open surgery. There were so many in front of me for my doc that I was asked to see the locum. She was lovely, but ... as soon as she saw I've a history of migraines with aura, she said she would not personally prescribe the pill. I felt a right idiot sitting there with all my research only to get a total refusal   . In fairness, I see what she is saying - if I had a stroke, she wouldn't want it on her conscience.

She explained that Qlaira is just about the same as Femeston 20 in terms of estrogen, so no point swapping. She was very positive about taking a high dose patch to suppress ovulation, but suggested giving Qlaira another month in case it's just a blip. My plan is to wait a week or so then book up to see my own GP! X

[GypsyRoseLee]

Oh how frustrating for you. I hate seeing locum GPs.

Personally I would have thought if you were going to have any blips on Qlaira, you would have got them out of the way by now?

A high dose patch could be a good alternative though? When I was away a couple of weeks ago I had a random mood dip with some nasty anxiety. In desperation I stuck on an extra 50mg patch, so was getting 100mg, and within 36 hours my mood had definitely picked up.

I'd never had such a fast recovery before. Since this peri nightmare, once my mood dipped it stayed down for at least 6-7 days.

[Briony]

Funnily enough, by accident, I took two pills the other day (reading the day of the week on the pack was obviously too much for me  ). Within 24 hours I felt great!

Currently researching 200mcg patches  which Prof Studd recommends to avoid ovulation and the PMS effect. At least the risk is lower, even though the lazy part of me prefers the idea of popping a pill!  x

[GypsyRoseLee]

Well that's quite telling isn't it. I know when I very first saw my consultant she talked in terms if my having a 100mg patch. At the time I was feeling better so declined it (stupid). When my symptoms came back I couldn't get an appt with her for over 4 months, so went to my GP in desperation.

He was only prepared to start me on 25mg, which did nothing. He then agreed to increase to 50mg which was a slight improvement.

I then finally saw my consultant again, and she said she wanted me on AT LEAST 50mg (with the implication that it should be more) but then forgot to give me a prescription! I couldn't get in to see her again for months, and my GP refused to increase my dose without a letter from her.

At which point I thought sod this and switched to the Pill. I might well have been much better in 100mg patches? But I am enjoying the economy of just taking one tablet a day (and it's free).

[Briony]

Yeah, I'd have had the same logic had it have been an option (free pill rather than faffing with patches).

Assuming my own GP wont let me have the pill, I will definitely try higher dose patches. The nearest comparison you can do is 1mg pill = 50 mcg patch - however, doc added that the rate of absorption for the patches is much stronger as it by-passes the liver. That means, on 100 or 150mg surely I should be near the oestrogen dose of a standard BCP?

I'd still love to know why, in peri menopause with regular periods,  we can take the combined pill back to back, but not have continuous Utrogestan?

[GypsyRoseLee]

I don't understand why we can't have continuous Utro either? It doesn't make any sense?

I hope, for simplicity, that your GP does let you try a standard BCP.

Day 17:

Mood still really stable and 'up' despite head cold still lingering, and petty annoyances at work. I have noticed I am feeling a lot more feisty these last few days, which is definitely more the 'old me'.

Brown spotting still here with tiny 'bits' in it (sorry if that's TMI) which is a bit weird?

[Briony]

Don't worry, I remember having lots of spotting, including 'bits'. Had random bright bits too, which freaked me out. Phoned doc, thinking it was a red light,  but she simply said it was 'settling in symptoms'.  She said if it continued, I needed a stronger  estrogen. (That wasn't the doc I saw today!). From memory, it was always around the middle of the pack that it kicked in X

[pepperminty]

Hi GRL,

glad you are still making progress.

About the bits - If it helps - I was on loestrin BCP and every night bits would be in the bath ( again apologies for TMI )  it's the womb shedding. At the time my GP didn't give me any reassurance or tell me why it was happening and I panicked and stopped the pill.
I had a thickened lining , so the pill was just thinning it out ( progesterone) .So it is quite normal.
It should right itself within a few weeks.

Peppermintyxx

[GypsyRoseLee]

Phew, thanks for the reassurance. It's not physically troublesome, just a minor irritation. I really don't care about any physical symptoms, so long as my mood stays 'up'. I can deal with anything so long as my mood is stable.

I only have a few more days before this pack finishes and I intend to go straight to the next one without a break. But how long can you feasibly do this for? Anyone know?

Interestingly my boobs aren't swollen or painful anymore, despite the BCP having much stronger hormones. Yet when I was on HRT they were getting really uncomfortable at times.

[pepperminty]

Hi GRL,

as far as I understand you can take the pill back to back indefinitely. My friend did. There is no reason for us to bleed at all whilst on the pill. My friend did it for years ( and saved a fortune on tampax!!)

Peppermintyxx