Cerazette - Anybody's gone *back* to it and survived?

[stickygotstuck]

Hello

Loooong story short - I had DD 4 years ago, and about 6 months later I was prescribed Cerazette as best match for me (long history of migraines). Gave it a very good shot of about 2 years. Felt miserable, sad, tearful and 'flat' (I cannot point the finger directly at it as I probably had undiagnosed PND but the 'flatness' was something else). Gave it up a year ago and started charting and using condoms.

At the moment though, my biggest hormonal problem is my PMS - spectacular rages and general murderous moods, a bit like a big and angry toddler . So much so, that I went back to the doctors, and she suggested:

• Antidepressants, which I am extremely reluctant to try. I am irrationally scared that I won't be able to function without them ever again. And I mean scared witless.
  

• The pill and the best candidate for me is.... Cerazette . My heart sank when I heard this. Doctor suggested I gave it a go as my body/hormonal balance will have changed since the months after having DD.
  

I decided to give it a go. Have been on it for a moth now. This week I have been specially tearful, feeling totally disinterested in most things and just wanting to withdraw. But like the last time, I cannot disentangle this from the fact that this month has been very, very hard (illness, travel-related stress, family-related stress, work-related stress and the threat of unemployment).

So my question is, has anybody given Cerazette a second go after an unsuccessful/horrid first time, and found it was actually fine the second time around?? Dr reckons 3 months is a fair trial period, but if the last two days are anything to go by, I doubt I can keep it up .

Pat yourselves in the back if you got this far!

[CatsRule]

I was on cerazette before I had my ds becausr I have high bp and can't take the combined pill. I was off it for about 3 years to have ds then went back on it afterwards.

First time around I had constant spotting for months and my hair thinned and fell out a lot. This time the spotting was only in the first month or so and my hair did fall out a lot but I know that will aldo be due to having had a baby. Despite that it does seem better this time.

I havr only had physical reactions, I don't feel my mood has been affected.

There are other mini pills but this I believe is the only one to give the 12 hour late protection. I tried another mini pill prior to the first time trying cerazette and I just didn't feel right on it...I can't quite describe why.

I don't blame you re the anti depressants, I would say they were a last resort but I'm not experienced nor knowledgeable in depression or its treatment.

[pettyprudence]

Urgh I hated cerazette and its the reason DS is here sooner than I planned (I came off it after 6 weeks). Dr gave me another mini-pill to try after DS as I said I did not like cerazette (can't remember name as I never bothered taking it but Dr was very insistent that I had them).

Cerazette made me feel "dead" inside both emotionally and er... physically at er... intimate moments....

I have a history of headaches but not migraines and I loved microgynon 30 (a combined pill). I was forced off it by a nurse who wouldn't renew the prescription as my bmi at the time was too high (but hadn't been a problem for any other dr/nurses) (I was also fine on the injection - dom-something)

[stickygotstuck]

Thanks both.

CatsRule, are you sticking with it then? I am the opposite, physically it was good (although I did put on weight as I was constantly hungry, especially at the beginning)

prettyprudence - you sound exactly like me. I took microgynon and was fine, then was put on Cilest, which was also fine. And what you said - "Cerazette made me feel "dead" inside both emotionally and er... physically at er... intimate moments...." is exactly how I felt. I felt like a normal person again after stopping it. I take you won't be going back to it then?

I think I'll try to hang on for another month, and if there is no improvement ask GP about Cilest. I didn't remember that one when I last went, but she said microgynon was a no-no for me. The annoying thing is, I don't want it mainly for contraception (although that's handy too obv.) but as a 'cure' for PMS, which in me is pretty horrific.

I am wondering about this hormone, I can't remember the name, but a friend who lives abroad had it prescribed for her PMT and swears by it. Dr. said it was not always effective, but what the hell I cannot be weepy 23 hours a day for much longer.

Any positives experiences out there of people doing fine on it the 2nd time?

[CatsRule]

I was on microgynon too prior to having high bp and I found it really good too.

I will stick with it I think, I haven't had any symptoms that are all that bad and it has been better this time...maybe becausr I've had a baby to look after and no time to think about me?!

After having ds everyone seemed to want to push the coil but it's something that I really didn't fancy it. Is that something you could consider? I never fancied the implant or injection either...my reasoning was that if a pill didn't agree with you then at least it could be stopped immediately.

[stickygotstuck]

Hi CatsRule, no, I'm not that keen on the coil either. I need to be able to stop fast if we (ever) decide to try for a new DC - and I am cutting it a bit fine with my age , which is why dr. didn't think it was any good either.

Good luck with the Cerazette, that's one positive experience.

Any others?

[VerityPushpram]

I was put on it by my new GP after moving to a new area, I've been on it 4 weeks and spotting/bleeding constantly for the last two. I'm also starving, but trying to control it since the FP clinic I went to first changed my prescription to a different combined pill (I was originally on Mercilon, which was fine but apparently too expensive) and I put on 20 pounds.

This is how it works - if your self esteem isn't too low from putting on weight, maybe the constant bleeding will put you off sex. If all else fails, maybe you'll feel sufficiently dead inside, and you won't want to do it.

Don't I sound really grumpy! I'm just put out that my wishes have been completely ignored twice, and I'm on a pill that I specifically said I didn't want.

[VerityPushpram]

Oh and, I'm angry all the time - hence the grumpy post!

[honey86]

ive been on it a few months now. ive been bleeding for like a month so far cycles so messed up x

[notcitrus]

I was fine on it first time round, but got horrendous PND second time round.

Why do you think you have what you admit is irrational fear of antidepressants? Or to look at it the other way, would it be so bad to take a coloured pill rather than a small white (contraceptive) pill every day? Especially if it worked?

But situation with PMS sounds severe enough I'd get referred to an endocrinologist who will know more about PMS than a GP. Good luck.