Ammenorhea after taking progesterone only birth control - Trying to Conceive (TTC) Message Board

ovi27 · 02-11-2009, 07:56 PM

I am 32, married, and wanting to get pregnant. I took a progesterone only birth control pill for 7 years and got off this past June. Since then I have had about 3 periods. My last true period was in October, and I had a very light one in Dec. Nothing since then.

I was SUPER stressed out since getting off the pill. I was exercising a ton, not eating much. I lost about 7 pounds in 4 months. (I was not overweight. I am NOT underweight now, though, still in a healthy range.) I moved in November to start a new job. My stress is just calming down this past week or two, and I stopped my over exercising for about 2 months.

I had a full work up by a reproductive endocrinologist last week. She said that I have PCOS, and wants to put me on metformin, BUT, I am not insulin resistant, not overweight. She did not measure testosterone. I cannot remember what she said about my ovaries. I think it was borderline, i.e. could go either way, but I have read that micronor is associated with cysts in the ovaries. I am going back tomorrow for a follow up and am getting a second opinion from another reproductive endocrinologist next week.

My questions are:
1) Has anyone experienced amenorrhea and/or irregular periods after getting off micronor, nor-qd, or camilla - the progesterone only pills?

2) Has anyone gotten PCOS from taking that pill?

3) How long has it taken people around my age (32) to get pregnant?

4) How do you think stress affects your menstrual cylces and ovulation?

Thanks!

TDCB · 02-11-2009, 09:15 PM

Boy do I have an opinion on BCP's! In my very biased opinion the pill is the worst thing ever, and yes definitely can screw with your cycles. It took me almost a year to get back on track, and even now, I'm still not preggo

. With that said, I honestly believe stress and poor eating habits can be equally responsible for fertility problems. Your age is fine, so I don't think that's an issue. As far as the PCOS goes, to my knowledge BCP's don't give you PCOS, and you've probably had it a long time. Progestin only pills can predispose you to ovarian cysts, but PCOS has a specific pattern of cysts I believe. A few other symptoms associated with PCOS is excessive hair growth, balding/thinning hair, and visibility of multiple cysts on ultrasound. Weight gain and insulin insensitivity are also possibilities, but they're not absolutes.
Now that you've seen a doc and have a diagnosis, you should be on the right track to conceiving. Especially now that you've made some life changes and decreased your stress. So hang in there. There's no guarantee on when you will conceive, but they say most couples do within a year of trying. I'd also recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it's a great book.

ovi27 · 02-16-2009, 07:56 AM

Thanks so much for the reply and the information.

The thing is that I don't have any of the classic PCOS symptoms besides amenhorea and some cysts in my ovaries. I don't have insulin resistance, I have had weight loss, no thinning hair/balding, and I don't have the excessive hair.

I went back for my follow up and the dr. said that I don't have classic PCOS, and there may be a few things going on, and she was ok w/just treating me with estrogen for now and seeing if my periods come back on their own. One of the treatments could be metforim, but my husband does not want me to use it since I am not insulin resistant.

It is just very hard to focus on not being stressed out when all of this is stressing me out.

Does anyone have any information about stress and menstruation or experience w/over exercising causing loss of periods?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDCB

Boy do I have an opinion on BCP's! In my very biased opinion the pill is the worst thing ever, and yes definitely can screw with your cycles. It took me almost a year to get back on track, and even now, I'm still not preggo

. With that said, I honestly believe stress and poor eating habits can be equally responsible for fertility problems. Your age is fine, so I don't think that's an issue. As far as the PCOS goes, to my knowledge BCP's don't give you PCOS, and you've probably had it a long time. Progestin only pills can predispose you to ovarian cysts, but PCOS has a specific pattern of cysts I believe. A few other symptoms associated with PCOS is excessive hair growth, balding/thinning hair, and visibility of multiple cysts on ultrasound. Weight gain and insulin insensitivity are also possibilities, but they're not absolutes.
Now that you've seen a doc and have a diagnosis, you should be on the right track to conceiving. Especially now that you've made some life changes and decreased your stress. So hang in there. There's no guarantee on when you will conceive, but they say most couples do within a year of trying. I'd also recommend Taking Charge of Your Fertility, it's a great book.

wannabump · 02-20-2009, 03:38 PM

hi Ovi27,
i think you and i are similar on this... i came off micronor early november. i had just the one period mid jan and now nothing since. was i thinking it'd all be ok from there?

we were planning on trying by now-i've been using OPK's but to no luck.

i was on Micronor for a year and had just two periods. Now all i can do is think about how long it'll take to get some kind of regular cycle. sometimes i feel like im about to start and go to the bathroom but nothing there (sorry if TMI)

The UK doctors are different here. Im 27 next month and have been told not to panic or think about infertility until 12months of trying. so frustrating.

My husband says give it a few more weeks then book a dr appointment.

As for stress, we just bought our first home today! but don't think it's that stressfull to cause a missed period. This is causing more stress than anything else!
of course now my mind is thinking PCOS etc but i really dont feel i have anyone to turn to. Let me know how your 2nd opinion goes!

Good luck.