Contraceptive pill misery - I just want one that works

[riversofblood]

I used to take Microgynon and had no problems with it. My male GP at the time who was horrible for so many reasons decided to shift me onto Cezarette, which I didn't stay on for long, because it gave me terrible mood swings to the point where I genuinely feared I'd kill someone if I kept taking it.

He wouldn't prescribe me Microgynon anymore (even though I had no risk factors at that time) and I just stopped having sex.

Fast forward many years later, and I'd like to have some sort of sex life. I've been prescribed Norgeston, been on it for a few months, and it feels like I can't stop bleeding. The periods are medium rather than heavy, but they last forever. My normal periods were about seven days with Microgynon, five days with nothing, but right now I've passed the two-week mark. This is not normal!

I'm so tired - a combination of not sleeping well from the heat, and possibly from bleeding for two weeks. And from being warmer than usual, because my body temperature goes up when I'm on my period, and with the weather being what it is, those extra few degrees are tipping me over the edge.

Do I just accept that no doctor is ever going to give me a hormonal contraceptive I get on with, now that I'm older and fatter?

I would also add that I had no issues with weight gain whilst on Microgynon, but I've put on weight with Norgeston. So I feel fat and unattractive, so I guess that sorts out the contraceptive point, because I won't be having sex anytime soon feeling like this...

Possibly incoherent; just generally miserable and looking for support from other women who have managed to get a pill that works a bit later in life.

Can’t you see another GP and explain how these other contraceptives affect you

There seems to be a blanket rule that once you're 30, you're only allowed the mini pill. And I don't think the mini pill works for me!

I saw a prescribing pharmacist rather than a GP to get the Norgeston prescribed. Do you think I could/should insist on speaking to a GP to try to get onto something else? Is there even anything else?

I'm hopeful someone here has been prescribed a ghastly mini pill and managed to get put onto something that actually works. I am sick of bleeding all the time!

I gave up with the GP and now get my pill via Superdrug online. Yes I have to pay for it, but at least I get some choice

Would sexual health clinics be any better with this?

Pay for it and get it online. I spent ages finding the right pill that didn't give me cystic acne/morning sickness/horrendous bloating and every time I saw a GP they wanted to put me back on a cheaper one. Now I just check my own blood pressure twice a year at the machine in our pharmacy and buy online.

(Sorry if that's not an option for you financially, just relating my own experience.)

I don't think that's true as I'm 39 and I take the combined pill (lucette), and I've been told I can take it until I'm 50. I do have my blood pressure checked every year though.

I agree with pp. Maybe try a sexual health clinic instead or see if there is anyone at your GP practice that specialises in sexual health/contraception.

Have you considered a coil?
I faffed about for ages with different pills after they told me I couldn't have Cilest any more. Had a scare after a condom broke and got a copper coil fitted and haven't looked back. No hormones (other than my own, which are a bit shit to be fair) to worry about at all.

I also buy Microgynon from Superdrug online

If you can afford it then I’d use Boots or Superdrug online doctor rather than the GP. So much easier and you can get exactly what you want including the combined pill as long as you meet the criteria like normal blood pressure and non smoker. 6 months of Microgynon is £25.

Try a different form of contraception? Implant..coil...?

I'm a GP and as a pp has said there's no rule against combined pills over 30. It's hard to know why they want you to have a progesterone-only pill - Norgeston is a really old-fashioned option that suggests they want you on prog-only but you can't tolerate the Cerazette.

I'd be amazed if they wouldn't give you Microgynon without a good clinical reason. It's an old pill that's cheap as chips and with no prescribing restrictions other than those relating to safety. There's an even cheaper version called Rigevidon (same hormones, different name) that is widely used as an alternative.

I think you need a proper discussion with your GP/nurse practitioner/pharmacist about this. Obviously we can't say without your medical record, but problems with migraines, weight, blood pressure or blood clots are the main reasons we don't prescribe a combined pill. As you get older (but closer to 40 rather than 30) your risks also increase if you're a smoker. Over the age of 40 we wouldn't recommend combined contraception for smokers as the risks go up quite a lot at that point.

I don't think you're wrong to think there's a better option for you, but without knowing why they've changed your prescription it's hard to advise. Hope you get something sorted though.

This is really useful to hear, thank you. I wondered if there was some cost reason behind it. Apparently not!

The original GP who took me off Microgynon when I was still young and thin said that there had been a push to take people off Microgyon if they'd been on it for a few years, but honestly, that man said all sorts of rubbish, so I don't know if that was even true. It's just really frustrating because it definitely worked for me!

Having tried to get a new prescription for something many years later, I've been told that over 30s now go on the mini pill as standard. Again, I don't know if that's true, but it's making me fairly miserable.

Thanks so much for your post - I at least feel justified in making an appointment to discuss my medication now.

I'm terrified of not getting on with either and not being able to take them out. Have read some real horror stories about the coil and bodily autonomy.

At least with this pill, if I reach breaking point, I can stop taking it.

I'd consider sterilisation, but I doubt a doctor will agree to that given my age.

I was the same op! Got pushed off microg cos it was getting discontinued apparently. So I went on injection and bled a bit so they gave me microg to stop the bleeding. Baffling.

as an aside now the injection is fully in my system it is and absolute god send. I have endo so it’s helped with that too!

I've been referred and accepted for sterilisation. I have my pe op next week. I don't like taking contraception because not many agree with me and make me feel sluggish or give me side effects. I'm 39

What's your BMI? It's nonsense that you have to stop the COC at 30, but it sounds like the contraindication might be weight (and therefore blood clot) related.

@riversofblood there was a bit of a push some years ago to stop using microgynon - it was felt that many (especially male, old) GPs only prescribed that and that actually many women would do better on something different - either a different pill or e.g. coil or implant - but it was never discussed because consultations basically went "I'd like to start the pill" "here's some microgynon". So maybe your GP was slightly on the ball but having got the wrong end of the stick. There's no need to change women who are actually happy with their contraception, just we should be broadening our field of vision.

You definitely are not unreasonable to want to discuss this. Good luck!

Just be aware that sterilisation has a failure rate of 0.5% per year on average. Ask your surgeon what his/her individual failure rate is and if you're ever late with a period and have pelvic pain then do a test, as if it does fail then ectopic is much more likely. It's the main reason we don't do it so much now, as LARCs have a failure rate 10% of that. hope all goes well.

Thank you. I only had 3 periods per year when I wasnt on contraception. So I'd never know if I was late!

A pregnancy test every few months might be sensible and certainly if you have any pelvic pain

Just an update to say that I (finally) got to speak to a female GP.

(I was waiting and waiting until I could get a female doctor.)

I felt listened to for the first time in a long time. She's taken me off that dreadful pill, referred me for additional testing to make sure there's nothing more sinister going on, and is organising some support to lose the weight that the minipill has made me put on, so she can then put me back on the pill that I actually want to take.

Honesty, I could cry.

I'm never going to speak to a male doctor about anything hormonal ever again. I explained what was wrong, and she said, "I get it." And she genuinely did. It was a huge relief to feel understood.

I've spent my whole life accepting I should speak to the doctor I'm given, even if that's a man who dismisses everything I say. No more. Actually, forget 'I could cry'; I'm actually crying with relief.

That sounds awful OP I'm sorry. I was on Microgynon for years and it was fine, and the new one Selina feels exactly the same. Maybe that's worth a try? I suppose our hormones changing as we age might have changed hoe our bodies respond, too? If you Google alternate names for Microgynon there are loads of brand names for essentially the same product so might be worth a look, and is it possible to go to a family planning clinic instead of your GP?

By the way I think it's weird and maybe lack of expertise that made the GP give you the mini pill. There's some out of date info that women over a certain age should only have the mini pill but it's very flawed, and actually a low dose combined pill is often way, way better which supports you still using microgynon or the same product under a different brand name. I've started taking a Microgynon alternative largely for peri and so far I fell great. I think that's possiboe for you too...

I’m really glad you’ve been listened to, OP. It’s a shame you’ve encountered horror stories about the coil. I know it doesn’t agree with everyone but I have found the Mirena to be life-changing.

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