Females with Menstrual Cycles: The Birth Control Pill, ME Gets worse with Periods,etc

[TheMoonIsBlue]

Are there any ladies out there with menstrual cycles who take Birth Control pills to limit (or stop) their number of periods?

This is coming from someone who has a severe physical reaction, and sometimes emotional reaction, (ME worsens severly) to the hormone fluctuations that naturally occur in cycle. Starting about 7-10 days before period and all through my period.

Yes, I have seen Integrative docs, done all the hormone saliva testing. Estrogen high end of normal, Testosterone and Progesterone in the middle of normal, my DHEA level is slightly elevated. No "Imbalance" except mild "Estrogen Dominance" which seems the new fad diagnosis from reading online. Have done Bio-Identicals in the past. Made me worse. MAY try again, maybe.

All comprehensive thyroid tests normal as well.

NOT really wanting to take the pill, but those that do: Has any particular brand of pill in particular helped you?

If I do take the pill, I'd like one with the lowest dose of estrogen. I was reading about Progestin only pill but it says it makes PMDD/PMS worse. Hmmm....wouldn't bioidentical progesterone have the same effect then? I don't know.

I'm going on the theory, I think many can relate to, that it is the body and the brains reaction to the hormones FLUCTUATING that cause this, which is probably why a lot of women with this problem report feeling much better during certain days of the month.

Oh, You LUCKY MEN!!!

Thanks!

 

[Boule de feu]

Are there any ladies out there with menstrual cycles who take Birth Control pills to limit (or stop) their number of periods?

This is coming from someone who has a severe physical reaction, and sometimes emotional reaction, (ME worsens severly) to the hormone fluctuations that naturally occur in cycle. Starting about 7-10 days before period and all through my period.

Yes, I have seen Integrative docs, done all the hormone saliva testing. Estrogen high end of normal, Testosterone and Progesterone in the middle of normal, my DHEA level is slightly elevated. No "Imbalance" except mild "Estrogen Dominance" which seems the new fad diagnosis from reading online. Have done Bio-Identicals in the past. Made me worse. MAY try again, maybe.

All comprehensive thyroid tests normal as well.

NOT really wanting to take the pill, but those that do: Has any particular brand of pill in particular helped you?

If I do take the pill, I'd like one with the lowest dose of estrogen. I was reading about Progestin only pill but it says it makes PMDD/PMS worse. Hmmm....wouldn't bioidentical progesterone have the same effect then? I don't know.

I'm going on the theory, I think many can relate to, that it is the body and the brains reaction to the hormones FLUCTUATING that cause this, which is probably why a lot of women with this problem report feeling much better during certain days of the month.

Oh, You LUCKY MEN!!!

Thanks!

My symptoms get really bad about 4 days before my periods. My throat is so sore and I feel totally wiped out. I have to stay in bed.

When I was a teenager, the pain was so unbearable that I would pass out. Fortunately, Midol extra strength was helping me a lot back then. I don't get the pain as much anymore but everything else.

Lately, ovulation is starting to be a problem as well.

My doctor refuses to test my hormones. I have been asking for several years, now.
I will have to go elsewhere to get it done.

I can't tolerate the pill. It's not an option for me.

 

[penny]

I take yaz for three months at a time, so I should have about four periods a year. My OBGYN started prescribing it this way to minimize my endometriosis, and combined with surgery, it seems to work for that (the bad menstrual pain hasn't returned, knock on wood).

I think it might help reduce hormone related fluctuations in my ME symptoms, but I am not sure. I started taking the BC pills this way about 8 months after getting sick, and before I had a diagnosis, or any idea what this disease was like. So it's hard for me to compare with much confidence.

It did take my body a little time to get used to the pattern, for a while it seemed that my body was so ready to have a period that if I was a few hours late taking my pill I'd start. But since I've gotten used to it, it's kind of the opposite. So far this year I've stopped taking my pills three times so I could have a period, and twice it just didn't happen.

 

[vli]

OP,
my symptoms are the same as urs but I really, really felt worse on BCPs/progestin-containing pills. I agree with what Rich's written here before that the PMS we feel must be due to increased estradiol but since learning that XMRV flourishes in progesterone i can't take bioidentical P either. So basically half of every month that I experience is a living hell.