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Mini pill and oestrogel only - is doctor right?

Posted , 4 users are following.

cazan11
cazan11

Hi all,

I'd really appreciate some help please as from what I've read online, I'm worried my doctor has made a mistake.

I'm 52, going through the perimenopause and just recently had to start taking contraception and beacuse of my age, it had to be the mini pill (Cerazette). 

The main symptoms of my perimenopause that are affecting me badly are the tireddness and anxiety.  I already take anti-depreesants but would liek to eventaully come off them (have had episodes of depression since my thirties) but anxiety just appeared with the peri. 

I did lots of research online and found a recommendation by Prof John Studd to try bioidentical hormones as follows: Oestrogel daily along with Utrogestan for the first 7 days each month (to protect the womb I believe).

I took the article in to my doctor and she has prescribed oestroegel for 7 days each month and says the progesterin of the mini pill will provide the progesterone.  Has she got it wrong?  I've read elsewhere that the mini pill does NOT provide enough progesterone to protect the womb while take oestrogen.  

Another alarm bell went off when I went to collect the prescription (oestrodose) and the pharmacist said that one is hardly ever prescribed!  Or should I just trust that the doc knows what she's talking about?!

Any help will be much appreciated  :-)

 

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • ImagineOneDay
    ImagineOneDay cazan11

    Posted

    Please see another Dr and discuss the situation. Don't trust one Dr. They do make mistakes and some are very ignorant. Buy don't panic. I am sure it all will be sorted. See a different Dr and double check everything. Good luck!

  • ImagineOneDay
    ImagineOneDay cazan11

    Posted

    Meant to say 'don't panic'. I don't know why the word 'buy' keeps appearing. Sorry!

  • Sochima822
    Sochima822 cazan11

    Posted

    Nope, she hasn't got it wrong. Progesterone is what makes up the mini pill. It's good you got an estrogen pill. Is your doctor a gynecologist or just an internal medicine doctor? If she's the latter then I advise you to see a gynecologist. If she's a gynecologist and much younger than you, then find one that's older. My gynecologist is in her late 40's and has a lot of older women under her care. However, my doctor didn't prescribed the mini pill for tiredness & anxiety?, she prescribed them for mood swings, hot flashes, pain from fibroids and cysts. For anxiety she prescribed something completely different, and it was medicine that had nothing to do with perimenopause.

    When I started getting anxiety? attacks I took St. John's Wort. This worked it's magic, it brought back my life. I'm not sure you'd be a good candidate for it. But you can always ask a pharmacist. Tell him what you take and ask if you can take it.

    When I have a question about medicine I always ask the pharmacist. They know their medicine as they are just as knowledgeable as doctors when it comes to medicine.

    • Sochima822
      Sochima822

      Posted

      Oh I forgot to mention that I decided not to take the medicine for the tiredness and anxiety. I wanted something more natural, so I took St. John's? Wort for heart palpitations and anxiety. For tiredness I took a vegetarian multivitamin. I took Epsom salt baths and hit the sauna or jacuzzi every chance I got. . But to be honest I didn't suffer much at all from neither because I also worked out as much as I could. When I did get it, it was mild.

      Maybe take up exercise. It may not only change your mood but you might get rid of the depression. Good luck.

  • maisie05
    maisie05 cazan11

    Posted

    Hi Cazan. Is the main reason you are having the mini pill because you need the contraception? Not necessarily for the hrt?

    I'm guessing you still have regular periods.

    Some ladies on here use the mirena coil for contraception and to lessen blood flow and as the progesterone part of hrt. They then have oestrogen either as gel or cream or tablet or patch.

    Hopefully someone will be able to advise you if your doctor is on the right lines and prescribing correctly. It maybe you don't need as much oestrogen.

    Read up on passionflower. It has helped me with mild anxiety and stress and helps me sleep. Not sure if you can take with antidepressants, so check this first.

    Hope you get your hormones sorted and start to feel better soon.

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