Do you have an easier menopause if you never took the pill?

[GreenRaven]

Trying to find a reason why some women have an easy menopause and some women have a difficult one. I had a delightful menopause. There is nothing particularly unusual about me other than maybe it is unusual that I never took the contraceptive pill? I am not even sure that it is that unusual, to be honest.

So straw poll- did you ever take the pill, and did you suffer during your menopause or sail through? Or did you have an experience not so easily categorised?

If we keep doing polls like this, any that occur to you and make you wonder, really- in the end we might actually stumble across some sort of answer to why some women have it so hard, and maybe even a way of stopping it happening!?

there is some research that women in Asian countries have easier menopause due to the extra soya in their diets.

It doesn't prevent ovulation. It makes the environment uninhabitable for implantation

Hormones may be the same for each person, but women's sensitivity to hormones is unique. This is the reason you see some get terrible sickness in pregnancy or can't tolerate the symptoms of the pill which make them bleed constantly. There are also certain cancers which are sensitive to hormones

OP I like the straw poll, but I think you'll find that we are all so different it won't show a correlation!

Took the pill from 16 - 22, then had problems conceiving and many miscarriages until age 32, so 7sed condoms. Infertile after that and single so didn't need anything. Condoms again when met DH to start with.

Menopause started at 46, all over by 50 and apart from some hot flushes which were treated with prozac ( DGD & DM both died from breast cancer so no HRT) I found it easy.

I had awful problems in puberty though. Periods started at 9. Pain when I ovulate and was put on the pill at 16 to try and control my periods. When I came iff the pill, periods could be from 2 weeks to 2 months between, and always heavy.

I think what would be interesting is to ask who did or didn’t take the pill and then did or didn’t feel they needed HRT .

I never took the pill and no HRT . I did struggle a bit with peri , especially sleep . I wouldn’t describe it as suffering . Now I’m through peri I feel fairly ok . Older but ok .

You can add another 2 of my family to have taken the pill and not suffered either. Also 1 who didn’t take the pill and sailed through it also. I think it’s genetics! Given the women at my work on HRT it seems like they are postponing the inevitable.

That sounds sensible - set up a poll like that!

Taking the combined pill reduces menopausal symptoms significantly because it contains oestrogen. The same hormone used in HRT.

There are loads of research papers online which look at common factors of women suffering significant issues with menopause.

I don’t think a mumsnet poll brings anything useful to the debate , sorry.

Isn't that just using the pill as HRT?

Yes taking the combined pill during early or peri menopause can mask symptoms; sometimes completely.

If you’ve taken the pill at any time before menopause why would you think that would contribute or worsen symptoms?

The artificial hormones contained in the pill leave your system rapidly after you stop taking it.

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The paper above might explain it better than I have.

It is possible that women stopping the combined pill at around 50 suddenly notice the symptoms of menopause that were previously masked. The symptoms aren’t worse- just suddenly very noticeable.

The effect of hormones often last far longer than the hormones, though, don't they? Your article doesn't say anything about other hormones that are going to be impacted. FSH and LH for example. Progesterone inhibits LH and Oestrogen stimulates it, so if you are taking the pill, the pituitary gland is going to be both stimulated and inhibited to produce LH at the same time for years. How does it respond? Does it over compensate as other hormone producing glands do if disrupted? Then what happens when the stimulation and inhibition are both stopped?

I have no idea, and I have no axe to grind either way. I am simply asking. I was asked on another thread what I had done to have such and easy menopause, and couldn't think of anything unusual about myself, except possibly that I never took the pill, and I wondered if that was why, that is all. Since then, I have asked a couple of other friends, not a scientific survey by any means, just a few friends I had a meal with yesterday. Two had taken the pill and had a rough menopause, and myself and one other had not and were "sailers". I knew that about their menopauses anyway, as we are close - but I didn't know those two had taken the pill, and the other had not.

But the really nice encouraging thing to see in the poll, is how many people really are "sailers" in real life - I sometimes feel I am the only one on Mumsnet! and almost am afraid to mention it 😂

There are currently long term research studies all over the world into the menopause, early menopause and the use of synthetic hormones; Several taking place in uk university hospitals.

Whats lacking is easily available and accurate advice and information on symptoms and treatments for your average woman.

Online medical research papers aren’t particularly helpful to a woman who hasn’t the time or inclination to make sense of all the lengthy medical analysis.

Many women are getting their information (or misinformation) from family, friends or social media instead. I think that needs to change and HCPs (in general) need to take women’s obstetric/ gynae issues more seriously.

I don’t usually mention my fairly problem free menopause on mumsnet.

A while ago I attempted to put forward the idea that women shouldn’t feel terrified about an impending menopause based on anecdotal accounts from other women online and it did NOT go down well at all.

Lots of posters thought I was minimising their experiences or boasting. 😳

The combined pill does prevent ovulation

I’m 56 and I think my periods have just suddenly stopped. Odd night sweat ( I’ve had five in total)
I’m hoping that’s it!!
I feel so well!!

Maybe you’re pregnant.😂

But jokes aside, your experience is not uncommon. I hope you continue to feel well x

I took the pill. I started getting menopause hot flushes, then had a three week period. The GP gave me that drug that stops your periods. I then started normal periods for a while then sailed through the meno apart from thinner hair.

Can you IMAGINE!!!!!

Can you get pregnant by sharing a bathroom? 😂🤣

Haha I think you’re safe? 🤣

I took the pill from the age of 18 to around the age of 23.

I'm 50 now and am currently going through menopause. I have very minor symptoms.

Not for me. Couldn't tolerate the pill, awful perimenopause. There may be a link there, however.

The combined contraceptive Pill prevents ovulation.

The POP (progesterone only) can create conditions where it's harder for fertilisation implantation and some of the newer POPs also inhibit ovulation.

I've been told that a woman's menopause resembles that of her mother. My mother died when she was 45 (I was 10) so I have no clue what it's meant to be.

I took the pill for only one year when I was 25. I'm 53 now and still have periods and for the past 10 years, the peri-menopause has taken over my life. I've cut out drinking alcohol and caffeine completely, I exercise daily, I've changed my diet to incorporate more vegetables and whole grains. But none of it has really helped.

My older sister was on birth control on and off for 20 years. She was post-menopausal at age 57 but she told me that she's never had a hot flash, flooding, anxiety, weight gain or any symptom. She just stopped menstruating one day and that was it.

I suppose that it's just a crapshoot.