My doctor just put me on low dose Birth Control pills to help alleviate my perimenopause symptoms. I start on Sunday. Has anyone else tried this approach to alleviate symptoms ie. night sweats, fatigue, muscle aches, depression etc.?

My doctor just put me on low dose Birth Control pills to help alleviate my perimenopause symptoms. I start on Sunday. Has anyone else tried this approach to alleviate symptoms ie. night sweats, fatigue, muscle aches, depression etc.?

Yes, I'm also on a low dose bcp and have been for about 6 months. My dr. said that us peri women do better using a low dose bcp than what I was using before which was a hormone patch. The patch helped a little, but the mood swings from my continuously fluctuating hormones was horrible. I think the patch will work better once I'm in menopause.

I noticed improvement within a week using bcp. I have switched dose and brands in the last 6 months because all brands are not created equally :). I pray that I've now found the right brand.

Recently, 3 days now, my ob/gyn suggested that I also take Wellbutrin XL antidepressant to help with my mood, libido, and weight gain. Since I'm recovering from the flu I really can't report on how I'm feeling.

Please continue to post on how you are doing.

Thanks for your input. I tried Wellbutrin a few years ago for depression but it just gave me a headache and made me feel agitated. Good luck!

My doctor just put me on low dose Birth Control pills to help alleviate my perimenopause symptoms. I start on Sunday. Has anyone else tried this approach to alleviate symptoms ie. night sweats, fatigue, muscle aches, depression etc.?

Hi ..I just started low dose bc pills (Lo Ovral)...I am on the 2nd month and it has helped alot with all the symptoms...The anixiety, mood swings, depression, bloating, overall pain, night sweats, chills, and esp. the prolonged and heavy bleeding are all much better...For me they are working really well... :angel:

Hi, I'm going to the gynocologist tomorrow for two cysts on my left ovary. I have read that they sometimes prescribe low dose bc pills to shrink the cysts. From reading the replies you have received, I am hoping he will prescribe these for me. Wish me luck!

I use the birth control patch,since the pills make me nauseous,and I am on my 2nd month.The hot flashes are gone,I still occasionally get night sweats but not as badly.I am on a low dose paxil (only 10 mgs)and the anxiety is GONE.Overall,I am much better from where I was in October...I'd lost weight then and went to every kind of doctor there is to find out what was wrong with me!

Thanks ladies for posting about the advantages of BCP. When my doc said he thought I may be entering perimenopause because one of my levels was a little low, he said it was not something he'd want to address with hormones at this time.

I'm still adjusting to Paxil, having insomnia and anxiety but at least I'm not having the dreary, drag-my-butt-outta-bed-face-another-morning kinda days now. ;)

I go in again next week and am going to ask him about the low-dose BCP as a possibility for me.

Thanks again, & Happy New Year!

BeckyW.

How long did it take you to adjust to paxil, Moonrize. Did you experience insomnia, or fatigue?

Becky, how long have you been on paxil? I'm considering it, but discouraging experiences with lexapro{great for anxiety, but made me a zombie and more depressed} and zoloft {terrrible insomnia, dizziness and stomach problems, but did help my mood a bit}, have made me leary.

I,ve been taking low-dose allese, skipping placebo pills for three months, then having a period. So far {almost five months} no awful side effects, but lots of light breakthrough breathing, heavy, heavy bleeding my period month, and sometimes cramping. I'm not certain it's helping perimenopausal sympoms a great deal, but anything's better than my own hormones! I'm considering a change to mircette.

How long did it take you to adjust to paxil, Moonrize. Did you experience insomnia, or fatigue?

Becky, how long have you been on paxil? I'm considering it, but discouraging experiences with lexapro{great for anxiety, but made me a zombie and more depressed} and zoloft {terrrible insomnia, dizziness and stomach problems, but did help my mood a bit}, have made me leary.

I,ve been taking low-dose allese, skipping placebo pills for three months, then having a period. So far {almost five months} no awful side effects, but lots of light breakthrough breathing, heavy, heavy bleeding my period month, and sometimes cramping. I'm not certain it's helping perimenopausal sympoms a great deal, but anything's better than my own hormones! I'm considering a change to mircette.


I'm going on month 2 with Mircette and doing well. I'm still having some perimenopause symptoms, but I believe that the longer I use Mircette the better I will feel. My doctor has also added Wellbutrin XL to this mixture...it's also suppose to help with many of my peri symptoms. I wish you the best as you seek the right meds. :)

I had no problems with the paxil at all,felt no side effects.But,after about a week on it,I woke up with NO anxiety,which was great.I've been on it for almost 2 months now,and have noticed I deal with things much better.I am on a low dose,only 10 mgs,and its working quite nicely.I have the worlds WORST stomach,tried a few other ssris' and couldn't take them as they made me sick,but no problems at all with paxil.It also helps the hot flashes...

Moonrize and Hopefully, I am so encouraged that paxil and mircette, respectfully, is working for you! It amazes me how each person can have a widely different resonse to medictions.

Becky, have things gotten any better with you on the paxil? Hve ou decided on a low-dose bcp?