Nausea on combined pill teen daughter

[CrazyBatLady66]

Hi everyone,I need some advice please, my daughter who is 18 started the combined pill at Christmas (was on microgynon) for painful periods and has suffered with bad nausea since then. After about 2 and a half months she spoke to the doctor and the doctor wasn’t that supportive and said she needed to wait longer before she changed pills, but my daughter pushed her and she agreed to change her pill over. She’s now on a different one, Lucerne but still feeling very sick. It’s stopping her from eating at times and she’s lost a bit of weight, she’s slim anyway. She told me the doctor said to wait 6 months for side effects to go! I’m in my 50s and stopped taking the pill about 30 years ago so I can’t remember! Is this usual ? I understand that it’s the oestrogen that causes nausea. Has anyone tried contraceptive patches? Are these any better, or does nausea get better with time ?

[Rufus27]

I’m older and took the combined pill in my early 40s. I definitely remember having nausea and the GP saying it was due to the estrogen. I eventually switched to a progesterone only pill. I wonder if it’s worth your DD trying this?

[CrazyBatLady66]

Thank you. I took progesterone only pill myself after combined pill wasn’t right for me, but it gave me terrible acne in my late 20s. Am I right in thinking though that it’s not as good at preventing pregnancy? My daughter has a BF but not sleeping with him yet(hadn’t had a chance with lockdown) but guess it’s only a matter of time.

[CrazyBatLady66]

Also meant to mention, I remember having irregular periods on it and main reason she’s gone on pill is period pain. I’m really hoping it settles down for her as I remember all the horrendous things like spermicide/ cap etc when I couldn’t take the pill, I’m guessing implant would be a problem as well for her but don’t know enough about it

[TroysMammy]

I remember feeling nauseous when I took the first few pills after the 7 day break. I was on Trinovum, white, pale peach and dark peach pills, around 35 years ago. I would also feel extremely tired finishing the last pill before the 7 day break. Luckily it was on a Saturday and Sunday and not a work day as I used to sleep for hours.

[NaturalBlondeYeahRight]

My DD 20 now has tried many over the last 4 years for painful/erratic periods. Lots give her nausea. She’s single atm so not on anything but I have a feeling she’s not going to be good with the pill and might have to try other routes. I didn’t have any nausea with the two types I used to take.

[ChristinaYang10]

I struggled with nausea with any pills I took, even progesterone only. But progesterone only probably is worth trying because they do generally tend to cause less nausea. I don’t think they’re less effective either - you can probably google that though, I wouldn’t want to give wrong info but I think when I looked it up it was similar efficacy.

[MoreRainbowsPlease]

I tried taking the combined pill several times in my late teens and early 20's, all the ones I tried made me feel sick or actually vomit. The Dr's I saw kept saying it couldn't be that bad and in the end I gave up. During both my pregnancies I had hyperemesis and I think my body just doesn't cope well with estrogen.

I think if your DD doesn't stop feeling sick a month or so after starting to take a brand then she probably won't do.

I did take the progesteron only pill for a bit in my mid 20's. I got on fine with that from the nausea point of view, but after 6 months it caused constant bleeding so abandoned that as well and have used condoms as contraception ever since. My understanding is that the progesteron only pill is as effective as the combined pill, but you have a smaller window to take it in everyday, so you have to be pretty good at taking it at the same time everyday.

[yikesanotherbooboo]

She should try a progesterone only pill.
If she is lucky, her periods might stop . It is true that bleeding is usually irregular with the pop but it is likely to be light and can stop completely.
As far as efficacy is concerned it isn't quite as effective as the combined pill but she should use condoms as well at her age and the combination of both should provide more than adequate contraception.

[CrazyBatLady66]

Thank you everyone, it’s really helpful to know all this before she speaks to doctor. I definitely didn’t feel nausea myself but had all sorts of other side effects with combined pill like migraine and severe breast pain. It’s awful how doctors don’t seem to take it seriously, I get the impression they think because she is young and female she’s exaggerating. I do remember you only have a short space of time to take the mini pill. I gave up in the end in mid 20s but was in a steady relationship and we used condoms for years until I had my daughter and then I had an IUS which has been brilliant. Contraception is often a nightmare for women, I’m sure if it was men who had to take it or would all be taken more seriously, in fact I read that they stopped developing the male pill because if side effects ffs !

[Pearl97]

Omg the pill used to make me feel so pregnant!!! The nausea was awful. Definitely try mini pill. Really hope she can find something that suits her.
I’m glad she told you. I remember telling the doctor and thinking they would think I was mad!

[MiniJellyBeans]

Hi CrazyBatLady

Sorry your daughter is having such a struggle finding a suitable pill. Just to confirm, as others have said, modern progestogen-only pills (containing desogestrel 75mcg) are no less effective than combined pills if used correctly. Old style POPs are rarely used now. The desogestrel pill has a 12 hour missed pill window, whereas the old style ones used to have a 3 hour window, so it's now much easier to avoid missed pills - also, 48 hours after resuming it after a missed pill, contraceptive cover is restored, unlike combined pills where you need 7 days of pill taking to restore cover after missed pills. Brand names for desogestrel pills would be: Cerazette, Cerelle, Zelleta, Feanolla.

Another option could be a 20 mcg combined pill which may cause less nausea than the standard 30mcg ones, but would still be likely to give good cycle control. And if it's not possible to find a suitable oral contraceptive, there are still other options - even an IUS like you have (probably the smaller Kyleena or Jaydess, rather than Mirena). Feel free to message me if you want more info.

[Pawprints2017]

, i tried the patch and it was worse than the pill nausea wise. It's a higher dose and rather than one does a day its constant. I'm on a low dose oestrogen pill now and the nausea is annoying for like the first month but then settles.
If nausea is the main issue I definitely wouldn't go for the patch though. It also kept peeling off by the end of the week and I found I really worried about effectiveness.