Combined pill

[Ostara212]

Is it possible to get an idiot's guide to the combined pill?

The reason I'm asking

I've seen a lot of media about Davina's show on the menopause and mum's been talkimg about it
I've heard that the combined Pill completely replaces all your hormones and that HRT adds to what you have?

I don't want to ask the doctor as they are busy enough and I will look like an idiot. But how is that possible? Surely the Pill is an addition to what you have, it can't extract the hormones from your body and then replace them?

I am on the pill since I was 17 but no longer with my boyfriend. I had a really hard tome getting used to the pill and it has helped my periods a lot so I don't want to come off it as I have met someone and will likely need to go back on anyway.

But yes, basically the statement about the Pill kind of taking over all your hormone production baffled me.

Have I misunderstood? Some of mum's friends are on a low dose pill instead of HRT which confused me even more. I am on Mercilon and the doctor said it was the lowest dose one.

Thanks.

Bump

I don’t know but there is a best selling book Period Power by Maisie Hill that could be worth buying or ordering from a library? She’s brilliant on what actually happens when taking medication

@Newgirls

I don’t know but there is a best selling book Period Power by Maisie Hill that could be worth buying or ordering from a library? She’s brilliant on what actually happens when taking medication

Thank you.

I think you have misunderstood and I don't really know what your question is :)

You can't take the Pill and HRT at the same time.

The Pill has high levels of synthetic (artificial hormones) to override ovulation.

HRT is Replacement hormones to top up your own natural hormones when they fall in menopause. Most modern HRT is body-identical meaning the actual products are the same as your own hormones.

Is this what you were querying?

Hi OP I think you’re asking how HRT and the pill work differently on the body

Both of them boost hormone levels, however HRT only supplements the hormones that our body is already producing, while the contraceptive pill completely suppresses the production of hormones and replaces them altogether. HRT cannot be used for contraception (although the Mirena coil can be used for both)

The pill can also be used during perimenopause if fluctuating hormones are causing problems. At this point it can be a better option than HRT because our body can still be producing high amounts of estrogen and progesterone.

HTH.

Over50 "Both of them boost hormone levels, however HRT only supplements the hormones that our body is already producing, while the contraceptive pill completely suppresses the production of hormones and replaces them altogether"

This is what I was getting at. So there's a fair chance that coming off the Pill would be quite a grim experience? My body would literally have to start re making hormones?

I think I'll just stay on it while there's a propsective bloke in the pipeline.

"The pill can also be used during perimenopause if fluctuating hormones are causing problems. At this point it can be a better option than HRT because our body can still be producing high amounts of estrogen and progesterone."

So how would a woman in her 40s know if she should switch from the Pill to HRT? One auntie had a surprise - okay, helluva shock - baby at 48.

@Ostara212

Over50 "Both of them boost hormone levels, however HRT only supplements the hormones that our body is already producing, while the contraceptive pill completely suppresses the production of hormones and replaces them altogether"

This is what I was getting at. So there's a fair chance that coming off the Pill would be quite a grim experience? My body would literally have to start re making hormones?

I think I'll just stay on it while there's a propsective bloke in the pipeline.

No, your own body is producing hormones all the time. The Pill increases the levels to a higher level, to pretend to your body that it is pregnant, so it doesn't ovulate. That' s how the Pill works- to prevent ovulation, mainly.

Your aunt should have used contraception along with HRT (not the Pill- condoms, the coil or something else) until she was at least 54 unless she came off the Pill for some time and found her periods had stopped for 2 years (under 50) or 1 years (over 50.)

There is no way of knowing if you are fertile still if you switch from the Pill to HRT and don't give your natural periods time to show up.

Jingling, my aunt was using a barrier method, no HRT.

Sorry, I was thinking ahead to how I'd manage contraception in a couple of decades!

But the main thing is, I won't come off the Pill I think. It's great not to have horrendous periods. I've had them since I was 13. I wish the doctor had made suggestions earlier but now I see that female health isn't taken seriously.