Mini pill with oestrogel and utrogestan - experiences?

[CrabCactus]

I’ve been on three pumps oestrogel and cyclical utrogestan for two years now. It’s helped a lot with depression and anxiety, and I’m also restarting citalopram to help keep me a bit steadier.

I’d like to have better contraception, but have tried both coils and they just freaked me out, plus copper came with very heavy bleeding.

I’ve got the mini pill but am scared to take it in case it triggers more depression or makes me put on weight. I’m hoping the citalopram might protect me a bit from progesterone triggered depression. Is anyone else on that combination (oestrogen, utrogestan and mini pill)? How do you find it?

Hi @CrabCactus I’ve been on this combination. It didn’t cause weight gain or depression. However I’ve stopped now as I’m the last year I have had a few months of bad back pain, pelvic pain and heavy prolonged bleeding. I was strongly of the belief that, because the minipill was stopping my periods, my uterus lining was getting too thick and causing the symptoms. This might not be true, (nobody has diagnosed it being true) but since stopping the minipill my health has been much better.
I was on the minipill before HRT without issue, but I think the combination of oestrogel & minipill was maybe too much for the Utrogestan to counteract.

The other problem with minipill is it’s negative affect on libido. When I reported this to my gynecologist she said that was common.

Thanks @iamyourequal that’s really useful to know. I came off the combined pill in my 20s because my libido had flatlined so I don’t want that again. I guess as it’s out of your system in two days it’s fairly easy to stop isn’t it?

Hi @CrabCactus I don’t know how long it stays in system but it’s easy to stop taking it, yes. Might not be relevant to you, but I was also on Sertraline for a few months and gained weight on it. It stopped me worrying about things a bit, but had the effect of me not getting bothered as much and consequently lowering my standards on things. Basically I ended up eating & drinking too much and my house was messy, but it changed my thinking so that I just didn’t care! Be warned in case citalopram is the same. (As you said you didn’t want weight gain).