Just come back from the contraception clinic in tears...

[spinduchess]

I have really sensitive migraines, that are triggered by my hormones.Full aura, body numbness, blindness - the works. I had one every month without fail, and they would last around 4 days on average. Longest one was 10 days.

6 years ago, I was put on Cerazette and it changed my life. No periods, no side effects, no migraines. I am so pleased with it. Skin is clear, mindset is happy all month long, healthy migraine wise.

It has been liberating. There really was no point carrying on living the half-life I had before Cerazette.

I've just come back from the doctors, and they have switched me to Zelleta because its cheaper and didn't have any Cerazette to give me.

I am so upset. I don't know anything about this pill because it is no new - and I really wasn't hoping to change. I'd found something that worked and I was so happy, now I feel so let down.

Does anybody know anything about Zelleta? Am I going to have a period? Will my skin get bad or will I put on weight? Are my migraines going to come back?

I can't bear the thought of that life again. I'm sorry I'm being so dramatic, I'm just panicking - the nurse had no answers for me, just to 'see how it goes'.

I'm so scared.

[VelmaD]

be aware though, that if you do go for the "More expensive" pill, for reasons other than contraception, it may not come under "free" on the prescription and you may have to pay a charge for it. I havent been on the pill for years, am on the mirena now, but this happened to me a few years back when I needed a specific pill for my PCOS management. because it was classed as medication in some way instead of plain contraceptive pill I got charged the prescription rate a few times. was probably their way back then of covering extra costs!

OP, I do understand, my PCOS management has taken years and every time of contraceptive going. Thankfully I found an excellent gynea who made a world of difference. Good luck :-)

[spinduchess]

Oh good, thank you for looking!

[goodasitgets]

Bugger I just found three packs of it for you and it's out of date!

[spinduchess]

I will give them a chance cereal. This thread has done wonders to help me, and educate me. MN shouldn't be more informed than the professionals prescribing drugs!

[catsofa]

Yeah of course it was simplistic, it was a couple of sentences in the middle of a thread about what to do in this particular case, which I don't want to derail. Tories are ideologically opposed to the provision of good quality public services, and we should deal with that before we ask anyone to potentially compromise on the quality of care they receive. That's all.

[cerealqueen]

Op, get yourself a new GP, get some recommendations for somebody locally and go and tell them your medical history. Try these and see how you get on and then have a chat with new GP if they don't work out. But give them a chance.

[spinduchess]

I too can see this from both sides too scousadelic, and I agree with you. So genuinely, how to we improve the NHS?

Who do I need to be voting for in May?

[scousadelic]

I can see this from both sides. It is scary to change if you have had problems previously but how would you feel if you can't have cancer treatment or a hip replacement or something in the future because the NHS used more expensive brands when cheaper ones are available.

The contraceptive clinics supply medication and devices directly so buy centrally. They have all switched to these cheaper, but chemically equivalent branded generics. GPs can prescribe other brands if they choose

I have sympathy for your argument regarding potential effects on your health but the attitude that you are entitled to have the contraception you want free of any charge is part of the reason our NHS is likely to cease to exist fairly soon.

[spinduchess]

I agree temporary. Thank you.

[temporaryusername]

I understand your concern and I definitely think that your problem with migraines would make you a special case deserving of the pill that worked to prevent them, if the cheaper alternative didn't have that effect. I think it is worth trying the alternative though, as it may well be as good. You should be given the right information, and you should have advice from a GP who knows your history and can confirm she/he will prescribe your preferred medication if your symptoms return. The NHS has to make savings though, it is meaningless to say you are entitled to something without thinking about what else would have to be cut to make that possible. I don't think trying a different drug that may well be as good, with the option to return to the previous drug if need be, is as dire as some of the things people have to go through due to shortage of funding. However, you may find that a GP would have just kept you on the one you preferred given that you are using to treat migraines rather than just as contraception.

[spinduchess]

The lack of information about Zelleta online is frustrating though, and even more so that the professional had no idea about the drug she was prescribing.

[spinduchess]

From the reading I've been doing tonight, Zelleta seems much more similar to Cerazette than Cerelle, so that's a plus.

I suppose when the time comes, I will have to switch. I have also found somewhere that will sell Cerazette for £40 for a year, which isn't as steep as I thought it might be. I still think all contraception should be free, but needs must and I understand that.

I admit that I am scared about bad side effects, and won't be looking forward to changing from a drug I have had such a positive experience with.

[ouryve]

Glad you're sorted for a while. It hopefully gives you time to get sorted with a GP you feel comfortable with.

[GristletoeAndWhine]

Catsofa, that's a rather simplistic view. Governments always try to prevent tax evasion. The nhs budget has to be controlled. It can't just pay out for everything.

[spinduchess]

Thank you ouryve, that is a really helpful post.

I had 2 months left, but a friend has just given me 12 more - so the issue is on the back burner now, but I will have to come up against it at some point I suspect.

[ouryve]

hypromellose and PVA are both used in eye drops, by the way. They're pretty inert.

[pinkfrocks]

you need to get your facts right cats if you want to debate this; the current government has put more money into the NHS and employed more nurses than there was when they came into power. There have been no cut backs in the NHS - quite the opposite. If people looked after their health more then the money that is available could be spent on people who really need it- not the 70% who have chronic ill health through lifestyle choices.

Rant over.

[ouryve]

Cerzatte:

Desogestrel, colloidal anhydrous silica, all-rac-a-tocopherol, maize starch, povidone, stearic acid, hypromellose, macrogol 400, talc, titanium dioxide (E171), lactose monohydrate

Zelleta:

Desogestrel, lactose anhydrous, all-rac-a-tocopherol, povidone, potato starch, silica colloidal anhydrous, stearic acid

Tablet coat:
Poly[vinyl alcohol],
Titanium dioxide (E171),
Macrogol 3000,
Talc

-----------

Assuming I'm correct that the tablet coat you gave in your post is for the Zelleta, the only difference is that Zelleta has potato starch where Cezarette has corn starch and there is PVA in the zelleta coating in place of the hypromellose in the Cezarette.

The only difference in the lactose is the water associated with it.

How quickly can you get signed up with a GP and sorted out with a prescription before you run out of your current supply of cezarette? If you're likely to run out, in which case you'll have a truly horrible migraine, anyhow, then you have nothing to lose by giving the new tablets a chance.

[spinduchess]

Seems that a lack of explanation and education is a huge problem in the contraceptive services.

Feel very sorry for this lady:

juliesnotebook.co.uk/when-penny-saving-is-bad/

[catsofa]

In fact end of life care is where a really massive amount of the NHS budget goes. Perhaps we should reduce the deficit by just letting people die when they get too expensive?

[catsofa]

Does the deficit kill people the way the NHS cutbacks do? Point is that privatisation and tax evasion cost far far more and should be our priorities rather than reducing the quality of our healthcare.

[pinkfrocks]

The NHS is bust because 70% of illness is lifestyle related- ie obesity and 40% of cancers. Putting money in is like trying to fill the bath with no plug in it. People bleat about lack of resources but have no personal responsibility when it comes to their own health.

[pinkfrocks]

oh FGS! The Tories are trying to correct the deficit left by Labour.
There is not enough money for cancer drugs- people are dying- so I can't be bothered to listen to people bleating about having no choice of the Pill or the 'wrong' type of condoms provided free.
Get real.

[catsofa]

Condoms have to conform to very high safety standards, so even the cheaper ones should still be 98% effective or whatever it is. The only real difference is likely to be what price the NHS in your area has managed to buy them in bulk for.

I'm pretty sure that "Extra safe" just means thicker than normal, which some people prefer and some refuse to use as they reduce sensitivity. They are usually given out to men who have sex with men as anal sex is more likely to rip a condom, but if you ask for the extra thick ones they probably have them in stock to give to you. They should also have lube sachets, which protect against STDs and condom breakage especially with anal sex.

All sorts of services have suffered terribly under the tories, it is disgusting. People actually die because of those selfish bastards, and the selfish bastards who vote for them.

[spinduchess]

catsofa Contraceptive services have really suffered under the Tories imo. My local clinic shut down, lots of all-ages clinics became under 19s only places too.

Even the little things like condoms have been affected. 5 years ago, the NHS only gave out Durex extra safe - a condom I trusted as a teenager.

The free condoms I got given today are Pasante ribbed.