Can I insist I go back on the pill even though I am 43?

[MyFirstName]

I am back to bleeding, spotting and urghhness again arghhhh...

To cut a long story short I have had about 4 years of really heavy periods. Tried lots of things which did not work. Mirena. Mini pill. Various combined pills. Had MRI/internals/endoscopy thing. No root cause...just hormonal/age. Zero success on stopping the almost continual spotting....till...Cilest. Loved it. No pmt. No spotting. 7 day periods/bleeding not too heavy..though still heavy...dealable with iykwim. No flooding.

For the last 16 months have also been stabilising treatment for under active thyroid..finally on the right dose. Wonderfully an extra benefit...heaviness of periods abated..now just normal.

Changed GP. Now my thyroid sorted she says I have to change pill. Am too old to be pn Vilest. No choice. The ideal is minipill. I kind of argue against it...but hope that the thyroid being sorted means maybe it will be OK.

It is not. 6 weeks of it and I have had alternate weeks on/off bleeding. Some like a erpiod. Some of old blood....like my old spotting. I could cry. Why? Cilest worked.

I am slim BMI 24/ size 10. I exercise 4 or 5 times a week. Do not smoke.

Really, really cannot I not go back on the pill that just works . How big/ what is my actual risk?

Am really hoping for some ammunition here before I go back to GP. Surely the risk should just be explained to me...and I can make the decision rather than her. Please help....

the Cilest website says:

Women who are healthy, don't smoke and have no other medical problems can continue to take the Pill right up until menopause. Women who have not reached menopause by the age of 50 may be advised to consider other methods, rather than remaining on the Pill. You should keep talking to your Pill prescriber on a regular basis since changes in your health status with the passing of years may affect your suitability to continue taking the Pill.

www.womens-health-concern.org/help/factsheets/fs_contraceptionolder.html - also says you can continue until 50

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/contraception-guide/Pages/menopause-contraceptive-pill.aspx - nhs site states The combined pill can be taken until the menopause if you are healthy and a non-smoker. However, it shouldn't be taken if you are 35 or over and smoke

Keep taking it. It's fine.

she needs to get a gp to prescribe it first though

Bugger..sorry about typos/autocorrect ..on phone, on holiday with dodgy WiFi.

This could be good ammo, thank you. Anyone else on it at my age?

I can't take the combined pill because of migraines.

I'm on the mini pill instead. It's great. Even though I had spotting all the time while on the depo jab (which I also can't have now because of the migraines) I don't have any probs with the mini pill. No periods (excellent), no spotting, no problems. I'm 40.

I am sure the mini pill is great for some but it is crap for me! My GP said minipill fine for over 40s...I am trying to find out if/how to tell her this is bunkum.. And get her to give me what, after 4 years of trying, actually worked!

It's all I've got left to take. Not at all tempted by an implant or an IUD. (Sulks! - I liked the combined, but apparently the risk is too high to keep taking it).

DH would rather I came off hormonal methods altogther. But that would mean having periods again! Stuff that!

Why not go to your local Family Planning Clinic instead of your GP- they are more knowledgeable and likely to do what you want?

I'm 40 next year and my GP has told me I can stay on the combined pill until I reach the menopause - I was dreading that they'd take me off of it as it took so long for me to find a pill that agreed with me. I was briefly changed to the mini pill but ended up a hormonal wreck with stomach pains so was put back on Loestrin 30.

At the risk of sounding stupid, as I currently take cerazette,
which has completely eliminated my periods since starting it about 8 years ago, how would I know if I have reached the menopause, as isn't the main indicator your periods stopping?! Have always wondered about this, I have no desire to have kids or periods so happy to keep taking it!

I am 47 and about to go back on Cilest after complete nightmare with Mirena coil. GP said while not ideal, I'm low risk as not overweight, don't smoke, am fit etc (like you basically) so willing to prescribe until 50.

My doc says it's fine to take until menopause.

Went to GPs today...saw a different (younger one, not sure if that helps as not so patronising). She actually went through the printed report/list with me of the risk factors/no-way-could-she-prescribe the combined pill indicators. My only risk was the age. As long as do not go over bmi of 30, cholesterol high or start smoking I should be OK as family history and my current medical history are all OK. My age does increase the risks of thrombosis... But from about 5 in 100,000 to 40 in 100,000. A risk still sooooo small I am happy to live with that (much preferable to constant bleeding).

It was lovely to be treated like an intelligent woman rather than a thing to be "medicated". We discussed the risks. I have been given 6 months worth of Cilest. Hurrah. Feels like I have been given my life back (OK a bit dramatic, but bleeding for 5 out of the last 8 weeks has been really pants...it does bring you a bit down..not massively down...but low grade blurghh.

Thanks to all with advice. [Flowers]

Glad you're sorted. It really does depend on which GP you see. As I said upthread my GP is happy for me to stay on the pill whereas another one wouldn't prescribe it to me as I had high blood pressure even though it's on my notes that it's only high in the surgery!

I was taken off the pill at 49, because the doctor I had to see suddenly decided that having ever had a migraine in my life was suddenly a risk factor for stroke that was too great for the one year I had left to take it.

Mirena was suggested (if I had wanted that, I would have had it years before) and I was given cerazette which caused no end of problems (along with all the other pops I tried). I thought about trying Mirena, but the next doctor I saw said it was probably a bit extreme for my time of life, and I have given up and now used condoms, (which have a bad history of not being a form of contraception in my family). I am hoping I am 'past it'

Funnily enough, I can go and ask for hrt and get it with no fuss other that a 'statutory warning' that they will only let me have it for five years or I will die of breast cancer.

I would have preferred a better managed transition, to be honest and some help with sorting out the menopausal/transition symptoms with coming off with someone who knows what they are doing. When I originally decided to stay on the pill, I was told I could stay on it until 50 and go on to hrt and would probably live longer. I wish they would be more transparent about what is expected.

I am hoping that the NICE guidelines on menopause will be a bit more considered, when they come out (next year?) and not lead to more 'tick box' decisions.