depression and the pill

[eirinn14]

Hi, just looking for some advice really.
About a year ago I was put on the contraceptive pill Yasmin. After a couple of months I became aware that I was suffering from bouts of depression and severe mood swings/apathy/lethargy so went back to my GP, who switched me onto Cerazette as it contains hardly any hormone dose. However, I think I might be noticing some of the symptoms creeping back - I've cried every night for the last 3 nights and find myself reading a lot into what people are doing, and always ending up upset about it. I get tired really quickly and find it much harder to motivate myself.
My question is - has anyone else noticed depression with cerazette, or do you think I'm a) imagining it because of a bad experience with Yasmin or b) just averagely stressed?

Thanks x

[eirinn14]

bump

[BooBooGlass]

I think it's quite common to get a bit depressed on the pill. It's certainly been my experience on it. I had to come off Cilest as it made me very down. I've been on Yasmin for 6 months and am noticing the same symptoms creepign up on me again. I know I'm not actually depressed, I'm in CBT and feel better than I have in years, but the last month or so I have been incredibly snappy and down. It makes me feel weird too. I felt very nauseaous when I first went on it, but stuck with it til the ymptoms passed. But now, it seems to have reversed and I get those symptoms on my pill free days instead, so who knows what it's doing to me.
I have been considering non hormonal contraception, but my friend just had a horrendous time with infection after getting a coil fitted. Several other people I know had bad bad reactions to the implant. I think it's a case of trial and error, which is incredibly frustrating. But it's not worth being depressed if you have the change to change your pill. Your GP will be understanding I should think, it's a known side effect.

[eirinn14]

I just worry that I'm imagining it really, but there's no way to tell. I kind of hope I am because until now Cerazette was great - I had no periods, and virtually none of the other side effects other than headaches which passed after about a month. Like you say though, I'm not depressed because of anything - nothing has changed in my life for a while, and I'm pretty happy.

I've also been considering long-lasting contraceptives, but I worry about the injection because once it's in, it's in no matter what symptoms you get and like you say I've heard horror stories about the implant/IUDs. I also can't take combined pills as I get migraines - my GP told me I should never have been on Yasmin in the first place. Don't suppose you know if there's one with a reputation for not screwing with your mind?!

[breadandhoney]

I was put on cerazette while i was breastfeeding. I took it for 4 days and realsied that my mood had changed dramatically. I was crying evey day and, like you say, reading a lot into things and letting silly things get me down. I have never hasd problems with depression or the pill before (I had taken dianette for years before getting pg - started it as a teenager for acne then just kept taking it for contraception)

my doc mentioned that it could be that i was having a reaction to the progesterone in cerazette. is there any reason why you have to be on the mini-pill. could you switch to the combined pill, like dianette or microgynon? maybe it woulnd't have the same effect.

please note i have NO medical expertise :)

[breadandhoney]

wow - sorry about all the typos!

[eirinn14]

Yeah...with me I went on cerazette almost straight after coming off Yasmin and at that point I was euphoric that I wasn't depressed anymore iykwim, but I've been on it since December and just have a sneaky feeling that the symptoms are coming back. I convince myself that my relationship is failing just because my fiance says he can't see me one day and stuff like that - I know its not like me, I used to be really understanding and happy-go-lucky. I also feel really bad almost straightaway if I say something or make a fuss so I know I'm not genuinely feeling like that.

I can't take COCs because I get migraines and oestrogen can cause strokes/clots/high bp in migraine sufferers. My GP thought that might have been the reason I was depressed on Yasmin, because of high bp.
If its possible to get a bad reaction to progesterone then that might explain it - I didn't know that.
Never heard of dianette - is that a COC or mini-pill? I'm trying to decide whether its worth trying another pill or just give up haha.

[Pixielovescake]

I found it hard to tell. Ive had several pills and felt like shit on all of them. But i do have depression also whether or not the pill made was dismissed by my doctor. However i no loner take any kind of hormonal contraceptive and i never will again as im sure there was a link.

[breadandhoney]

Dianette is combined pill i'm afraid. It is mainly used for treating acne but is a contraceptive pill too. If it is a reaction to progesterone (not really sure if that is what it was in my case - just a suggestion from gp) then your options are quite limited - implant and IUD work with progesterone as far as i know.

But I have to say I think if you are feeling like you say you are then you should come off pill right away and see how that affects your state of mind. It is not worth going through depression, questioning your relationship, etc. You will find something that works for you. Is your GP helpful? Have a chat with him/her and hopefully you'll find a method that works for you.

Contraception is not worth compromising your mental health over. There are always condoms to fall back on (yuk, I know, but it's something!)

[eirinn14]

Yeah, think I'm going to come off it. I'll ask my GP if it could be a reaction to progesterone - the last time she seemed to think it was high blood pressure causing the depression/irritability rather than hormonal but I suppose you can never tell.

Thanks for the advice :)

[fiddlydee]

I can't take any pill with Northisterone in it as it makes me hugely depressed. It is worth looking at the ingredients in your pill and discussing this with a good GP

[owenz3]

i have recently been put on microgynon and it has only just dawned on me that the only other difference in my life is this dam pill. i've turned into a nut job. i'm getting depressed about everything, i was even crying because someone in work ate all the biscuits. its an awful pill but my husbands on the waiting list for a vasectomy so does this mean i'm going to be a lune until then?

[fiddlydee]

Hiya, I couldn't take any pill with Northisterone in it. It made me incredibly depressed. It is worth doing an ingredients check and chatting it through with your GP.