Birth control pills and other hormonal birth control

January 16, 2019

2 hours ago, Junglechicken said:

I saw my GP on Monday.

Urine sample clear of blood and again no infection.

Symptoms were caused by peri-meno.

Next step is discussing HRT, although my preference is to explore the NATURAL route.

Also, elevated cortisol can cause peri-meno symptoms.

As can elevated blood sugar (don’t think this is an issue for me).

Both of the above need to be reduced. Will discuss with her on 25th Jan.

don't do HRT, try this DIM supplements

i spent hundred of dollars with a naturopath and she prescribed me DIM.

i am in peri as well. the progesterone is the first to decline. then you get into Estrogen Dominance that causes anxiety. difficulty to sleep...

so you need to supplement your liver to help it get rid of the excess of Estrogen.

HRT will only add more hormones to balance things out.

https://www.amazon.com/DIM-Supplement-BioPerine-Treatment-Inhibitor/dp/B006KL4TYG/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1547662116&sr=8-1&keywords=DIM&th=1

January 16, 2019

3 hours ago, wanttosurvive said:

Sounds it is only caused by WD.

Hi WR,

How can you be sure it's WD?

JC

January 16, 2019

On 1/12/2019 at 7:06 PM, wanttosurvive said:

I am just like you.....do not know what to do....

I can not take any supplement. No vitamin C, no omega3, no magnesium, no vitamin D, etc...

I am sensitive to lots of healthy foods.

But THANKS GOD, just recently seen some improvement in food sensitivity. 6 months earlier I could not eat any nuts, egg, sea food, butter, banana,... now I can eat small portions of these foods. But with caution.

Before WD, I was a supplement fan. I used to run, do heavy cardio and strenght workout, so used to take lots of vitamins. I used to eat 3 eggs in the mornings, tons of nuts as snacks, 2 portions of fish at lunch, drink 1-1,5 lt of kephir after workout,....these are only dreams for me now.

For the last 1,5 years, the only exercise I do is walking, if I can have the energy. Walking is a perfect exercise, if it is done regularly. But I am so tired that since the winter has come I do not walk regularly anymore. I know I am guilty about it...last week I found a gym just in the vicinity of the house, but believe me I have only gone twice and it was persuasion of my sister....

Hi WanttoSurvive,

You have been VERY sensitive, which is difficult to live with. I think it's because the body is overrun with inflammation.

I know what you mean re: the exercise. Walking is my mode of exercise too these days. Running and going to the gym as well as anything active meant I was Uber fit.

Alas, WD and middle age, as well as life's circumstances put an end to that but my goal is to run again.

Don't stop going to the gym! Once you get into a routine your body will thank you for it.

Sounds like you are on your way !

JC

January 16, 2019

3 hours ago, xyz said:

don't do HRT, try this DIM supplements

i spent hundred of dollars with a naturopath and she prescribed me DIM.

i am in peri as well. the progesterone is the first to decline. then you get into Estrogen Dominance that causes anxiety. difficulty to sleep...

so you need to supplement your liver to help it get rid of the excess of Estrogen.

HRT will only add more hormones to balance things out.

https://www.amazon.com/DIM-Supplement-BioPerine-Treatment-Inhibitor/dp/B006KL4TYG/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1547662116&sr=8-1&keywords=DIM&th=1

Thank you xyz,

I'll talk to my naturopath and see what she says.

Apparently Amazon doesn't ship it to the UK.

JC

January 17, 2019

15 hours ago, Junglechicken said:

Hi WR,

How can you be sure it's WD?

JC

Hi JC,

Why I am sure??? I am sure becuase this overall inflammation hits almost every organ. when it hits it is characterized by pain and edema.

For example: my poor stomach is the second mostly affected organ with WD after than the brain. stomach pain is almost constant symptom for me. no drug eases this pain, I have taken and tried every drug. but I am also a gastric surgery survivor. that means my stomach is smaller than the original. so when this pain comes, my stomach becomes more smaller. I feel it I know it. How? I can barely eat at those times because of constant reflux. but when wave is over and my stomach discomfort eases for sometime, reflux is over. and at those days I can hardly touch my abdominal area, it becomes so tender. it also happens for my other body organs. for example intestine. when I have intestinal pain, bloating, constipation (these are all because of WD, I am sure about it), I can hardly touch the area above my intestinal area. also it is true for ear ache, tooth ache, sinus problems. all these body tissues get inflammated. and the outcomes are pain and edema.

also your tests are okey....

Best wishes, hugs ❤️

January 17, 2019

14 hours ago, Junglechicken said:

Hi WanttoSurvive,

You have been VERY sensitive, which is difficult to live with. I think it's because the body is overrun with inflammation.

I know what you mean re: the exercise. Walking is my mode of exercise too these days. Running and going to the gym as well as anything active meant I was Uber fit.

Alas, WD and middle age, as well as life's circumstances put an end to that but my goal is to run again.

Don't stop going to the gym! Once you get into a routine your body will thank you for it.

Sounds like you are on your way !

JC

I am so grateful for your support...

January 18, 2019

On 1/17/2019 at 12:06 PM, wanttosurvive said:

Hi JC,

Why I am sure??? I am sure becuase this overall inflammation hits almost every organ. when it hits it is characterized by pain and edema.

For example: my poor stomach is the second mostly affected organ with WD after than the brain. stomach pain is almost constant symptom for me. no drug eases this pain, I have taken and tried every drug. but I am also a gastric surgery survivor. that means my stomach is smaller than the original. so when this pain comes, my stomach becomes more smaller. I feel it I know it. How? I can barely eat at those times because of constant reflux. but when wave is over and my stomach discomfort eases for sometime, reflux is over. and at those days I can hardly touch my abdominal area, it becomes so tender. it also happens for my other body organs. for example intestine. when I have intestinal pain, bloating, constipation (these are all because of WD, I am sure about it), I can hardly touch the area above my intestinal area. also it is true for ear ache, tooth ache, sinus problems. all these body tissues get inflammated. and the outcomes are pain and edema.

also your tests are okey....

Best wishes, hugs ❤️

I have to reluctantly agree that my stomach issues gained momentum after my last dose in April.

This is also an issue I’m going to raise with my GP on the 25th Jan.

They were bad after my father died last year, and definitely got worse after my last dose.

The peri-meno issues affect all “systems” of the body too.

Its very difficult I know to live with.

I think my symptoms are the product of a “perfect storm” of situational, hormonal and stress related factors.

Its learning to manage those factors through diet, and general self-care including CBT.

Best wishes and hugs back ❤️

January 18, 2019

Hello everyone,

I've been on withdrawal journey since last year and it has been really hard, especially due to PMS. What I have done and has worked for me is a change in diet. I eat oatmeal everyday like porridge... I've been eating it for about four months now. A doctor in Spain says it regulares many functions. You can find his videos on youtube. His name is Miquel Pros.

I also am eating plantains and sweet potatoes more frequently as they help regulate hormone balance. I've seen a drastic change in my PMS symptoms to the point that I don't worry anymore about it. They have lessened by 85% I think.

There is a book on Amazon called "Quit PMS" by Lauren Geertsen. She's a dietician and the book is very comprehensive on treating hormonal imbalance. I highly recommend it.

Hope you find your way to hormonal balance even during WD.

January 18, 2019

1 hour ago, Junglechicken said:

I have to reluctantly agree that my stomach issues gained momentum after my last dose in April.

This is also an issue I’m going to raise with my GP on the 25th Jan.

They were bad after my father died last year, and definitely got worse after my last dose.

The peri-meno issues affect all “systems” of the body too.

Its very difficult I know to live with.

I think my symptoms are the product of a “perfect storm” of situational, hormonal and stress related factors.

Its learning to manage those factors through diet, and general self-care including CBT.

Best wishes and hugs back ❤️

JC, I am sorry for your father loss. Sometimes life throws us a lot. But what is unfair is that, we have to fight both these unavoidable life events and this brutal disease. But in the end, I believe that we will be stronger than ever....

Take care,

January 18, 2019

14 minutes ago, BloombieK said:

Hello everyone,

I've been on withdrawal journey since last year and it has been really hard, especially due to PMS. What I have done and has worked for me is a change in diet. I eat oatmeal everyday like porridge... I've been eating it for about four months now. A doctor in Spain says it regulares many functions. You can find his videos on youtube. His name is Miquel Pros.

I also am eating plantains and sweet potatoes more frequently as they help regulate hormone balance. I've seen a drastic change in my PMS symptoms to the point that I don't worry anymore about it. They have lessened by 85% I think.

There is a book on Amazon called "Quit PMS" by Lauren Geertsen. She's a dietician and the book is very comprehensive on treating hormonal imbalance. I highly recommend it.

Hope you find your way to hormonal balance even during WD.

BloombieK, thank you for your suggestions. I will try as soon as possible.

January 18, 2019

15 minutes ago, wanttosurvive said:

BloombieK, thank you for your suggestions. I will try as soon as possible.

Hope it helps. Would love to hear how it goes for you. It took a month or so to start seeing changes in me so be patient.

January 18, 2019

8 minutes ago, BloombieK said:

Hope it helps. Would love to hear how it goes for you. It took a month or so to start seeing changes in me so be patient.

Thank you, I will be.

January 25, 2019

Any ladies had the "Mirena coil" fitted?

Did it work out ok for you etc.,?

February 1, 2019

Hi all you lovely ladies,

just adding my two cents (althought it might not be anything new..? If this post is unnecessary, please let me know).

I stopped taking birth control pills 2,5 years ago (efter taking them for a good 10 years, yikes!). Shortly after that I started SSRI-medication. Half a year passed and I started to suffer immense period pain. Like so immense, that I almost fainted from the pain and it lasted for hours on end. Also the anxiety levels sky rocketed during periods. Now that I have been suffering with WD-symptoms, time before and during periods is hellish. Few WD symptoms that I suffer the most (dissociation and intrusive existential thoughts) get so much worse during. I feel like I do not exist or that I will disappear. The panicky anxiety and the dreadful pain is also still there.

Some things that have helped me are the grain stuffed pillows that you can heat in the microwave, hot Epsom salt footbaths (or full body baths) with lavender oil, magnesium helps to sleep and grounding root chakra yoga helps to calm the dissociative mind a bit. Also resting and drinking a lot of water and herbal teas.

I wish you all the best!

February 5, 2019

On 1/4/2015 at 8:59 PM, Songbird said:

Oh yes, w/d plus hormones interacting, what a mess that makes. As my dose has got lower I've had a lot of depression and tearfulness, sometimes just feel like crying all day for no real reason. I've been taking vitex capsules which have really helped a lot. It can take up to 3 months to feel improvement but I had some improvement after just one month and more in the second month. When I feel grumpy, irritable, anxious, or tense and wound up (you know that feeling, it is hard to describe), I've found magnesium and vitamin B6 help a lot to take the edge off. If it is really bad I use valerian tincture, which I find very calming. Of course, responses to herbs and supplements varies between individuals, just saying what has helped me.

On 1/4/2015 at 9:16 PM, Moonlitelotus said:

For me, chamomile tea is a gift from God. Lol. Especially chamomile, lavender, lemon balm tea. Oh yeah, that takes the edge off too! I forgot to mention herbal teas to help with the exacerbated PMS.

Songbird,

What are vitex capsules and what do they do?

On 1/4/2015 at 9:31 PM, Songbird said:

The herb is vitex agnus-castus, sometimes called chasteberry. I've just read up a bit more about it and apparently it affects dopamine so I guess we should be very careful with it! Responses are very individual, it can make things worse for some people. All I know is, I got to the stage of being depressed and crying for about half of each month, and vitex reduced all that stuff by about 90%. I suspect I am in perimenopause and that combined with w/d is really doing a number on my hormones. It's probably not good to be on it long-term and I hope I won't have any kind of dependence issues or w/d when I stop taking it, but for now I feel like it keeps me able to cope instead of being a blithering wreck.

On 1/5/2015 at 12:46 PM, Songbird said:

I heard that evening primrose oil does great things for some people, so it is definitely worth a try. I've tried it several times, but unfortunately it had no effect on me.

I heard that rhodiola could be quite stimulating so I don't think I'll risk that. I gave up fish oil years ago, it was okay for a while but then it started to make me feel weirdly restless.

On 5/30/2015 at 4:36 PM, GardeniaBlossom said:

I developed PCOS a couple of years after I started AD & benzos. When it began, I was taking BuSpar and Paxil, if I remember correctly. A few years ago I discovered that the herb Wild Yam helped regulate my period well. Before I stopped the ADs while on Wild Yam, it was regular. However, after I withdrew it became wildly irregular, again. I suspected that I may not need the Wild Yam anymore. So, I recently started to taper off the Wild Yam. My period slowly became more regular, again. I'm only 8 months off ADs & benos and just stopped taking the Wild Yam completely this past month. I have only had one cycle without the Wild Yam, but it was on time.

I'm noticing that during PMS the physicial and psychological withdrawal symptoms I experience increase significantly as well.

Are there any other herbal teas or supplements that you have found reduce symptoms related to your menstrual cycle?

February 9, 2019

Hello,

I have been off Sertraline for 15 months and ever since my last dose my hormones have been out of whack! Immediately after I took the last pill I didn't get my period for a month (after taking some Adrenal supplements it returned). Over the course of the year I have gotten progressively more moody and lethargic with still no signs of a sex drive returning. Along with these, I now have cramps with every period, headaches and a very irregular flow. The only day I feel slightly better is the first day my cycle begins, after that and for the rest of the month it's just a foggy, tired, slump.

I am wondering if anyone else who has gone off antidepressants has experienced anything like this? If so, what did you to do balance your hormones and do you feel better?

February 9, 2019

On 2/6/2019 at 12:31 PM, Altostrata said:

Are there any other herbal teas or supplements that you have found reduce symptoms related to your menstrual cycle?

With Vitex, when do people take it? Some people suggest you take it for days 17-29 only and others suggest every day starting on day 1 etc.

any thoughts?

Also how much?

March 9, 2019

Just want to share that I have had a very positive experience from taking calcium citrate powder (500mg +) a day from day 14.

It’s reduced a lot of emotional issues of pms. I also take magnesium and d3 to aid in absorption and to make sure the mg:ca ratio is not over 1:2.

March 9, 2019

On 1/16/2019 at 10:08 AM, xyz said:

don't do HRT, try this DIM supplements

Have you had success with the DIM? What symptoms did it help woth?

No side effects? Are you sensitive to supplements during WD?

I have to do something, short of shutting down my ovaries, or stopping my period with hormones. Right now my only REALLY bad times/waves are during my period. This ya been the case for 3 years now...

thanks!

March 9, 2019

On 1/25/2019 at 2:32 PM, Junglechicken said:

Any ladies had the "Mirena coil" fitted?

Did it work out ok for you etc.,?

Did you end up trying this, or any hormone treatments? I feel if I could “halt “ my period for awhile, I could heal!

I hope your feeling better ❤️

March 9, 2019

1 hour ago, Peachy said:

Have you had success with the DIM? What symptoms did it help woth?

No side effects? Are you sensitive to supplements during WD?

I have to do something, short of shutting down my ovaries, or stopping my period with hormones. Right now my only REALLY bad times/waves are during my period. This ya been the case for 3 years now...

thanks!

DIM is a life saver. i am still tapering and my PMS are almost back to normal.

i switched to the stronger kind, and it works wonder.

i had supplements sensitivity until i was able to drink coffee again.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ENS0A7M/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=ANT0CMDU7X41T&psc=1

March 10, 2019

5 hours ago, xyz said:

DIM is a life saver. i am still tapering and my PMS are almost back to normal.

i switched to the stronger kind, and it works wonder.

i had supplements sensitivity until i was able to drink coffee again.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ENS0A7M/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_2?smid=ANT0CMDU7X41T&psc=1

Thanks! So no side effects? Are you doing full dose? Can I ask what symptoms it helped with? Mine are only/mostly mental...

March 10, 2019

3 hours ago, Peachy said:

Thanks! So no side effects? Are you doing full dose? Can I ask what symptoms it helped with? Mine are only/mostly mental...

mostly physical/ border line mental. i used to feel hyper and anxious, like my body was about to vibrate.

now it is just normal. at my last period, i even didn't know that i was PMSing.

no side effect, took 6 months to work though. i have been taking it religiously.

it costed me thousands of dollars of testing to get this prescribed by a naturopath.

this and another broccoli supplements. both of them costed 125$ per bottle, i found their alternate on amazon.

what it does is helping your liver to get rid of the excess of estrogen when you are in estrogen dominance due to the decline in progesterone

with HRT, i read that there is withdrawal involved specially with the synthetic progesterone (since it works on Gaba)

April 3, 2019

@sadandconfused

did you ever try the birth control? did it help? I have a script in my hand, afraid to start it...

I am having horrific symptoms around my period, a new diagnosis for PMDD (WD induced) and wondering if low dose birth control with help...

pregesterone cream made me much worse.

Would love to know how this unfolded for you!

April 4, 2019

!

April 4, 2019

I am suffering immensely from a new diagnosis of "PMDD". This was all triggered by tapering my long-term Lexapro.

I have never experienced any severe PMS in my lifetime, and I just turned 38. I've never even had cramps. I have always gotten a tiny emotional, or maybe a little crabby, but all well within normal range.

I know there are some mentions of PMS worsening on here, but this is so much more/different than PMS. It's seriously hell. I have one day of crying and hopeless exactly one week before my period, then I start to feel a little better, then I feel almost psychotic for two days before and a few days at the start of bleeding. Extreme intrusive thoughts and feelings, irrational thinking, intense rage and anger. I ALMOST feel normal, emotionally speaking, the rest of the month.

I just went to my gyno to explain to her what was happening to me. We did testing and my hormone levels are just fine.

She tried to convince me that a lot of women just magically get major PMDD when they are in the late thirties. No prior PMS issues in the past required... She then tried to convince me that SSRI's are my best option and I really "need" to be on them. Obviously I imagined punching her in the face several times, OCD intrusive thoughts aside. lol.

My only other option was a script for low-dose estrogen based bio-identical birth control pill. This is the script I left the office with but I am scared to have it filled...

Has anyone else tried a low dose BC or hormone therapy to ease the drop in hormones every month? Has it worked for anyone? Made things worse?

Are these just WD symptoms triggered by the hormone drop? Is it PMDD that was covered up by drugs for a long-time? Should I be more worried I won't heal since I have had this for 3 years now? I'm so confused and don't know where to turn. As if having OCD come back ONE MILLION times more severe, and not budging 3 years later was not bad enough, I now have this new "disease" to deal with... I feel buried. All this and I'm still on 4.6mg of Lexapro.

I'm looking for positive stories of others who had EXTREME pms/pmdd symptoms during the taper / WD process, and eventually they did heal. Does this get better? Like years out? I'm feeling totally deflated and hopeless.

April 4, 2019

@Peachy merged similar topics. Please go to drugs.com and look up the potential side effects of your birth control pills and post what you find in this topic.

April 4, 2019

On 4/7/2012 at 12:04 PM, Altostrata said:

Since I couldn't control the amount of a "dab," I stopped the progesterone cream and went to a Menostar estrogen mini-patch. This was calming.

So this form of hormone didn't make any symptoms worse, but seemed to help? Were you taking them for an imbalance or actual low estrogen? My gyno wouldn't discuss pure bio-identicals with me bc I haven't even reached peri-menapause.

She said I would have to do BC pills...

She DID however say that I could cut the pill in half since I'm not taking it for BC, but for stabalizing the hormonal drops.

Thoughts?

April 4, 2019

I was experimenting with progesterone and estrogen because I was menopausal and had withdrawal insomnia. The mini estrogen patch (.14mcg/day) helped. I've since discontinued it.

If you're not menopausal, you should be careful about experimenting with additional female hormones. Theoretically, you're making plenty of your own.

Many women experiencing withdrawal syndrome have increased symptoms in the pre-menopausal part of their cycles. Please read the PMS topic

April 4, 2019

On 4/18/2012 at 6:41 AM, DSN13 said:

Ever since I started the tapering process from Lexapro (20mg for 14 years, started tapering in January and am now on 5mg) I have been experiencing PMS to the worst degree. Physically it feels about the same, but emotionally I am a wreck. I am overly anxious, shaky and can cry at the drop of a hat. I want to curl up in a ball of tears in bed and not leave my house. I need some support doing this difficult time. Has anyone else experience this as well?

I know you posted this years ago, but did this resolve for you eventually? I am in EXACTLY the same boat as you were. 20mg lexapro for 14 years, tapered down to 5mg, now hellish PMDD. Does it get better??!!

April 4, 2019

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