Just Kate Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I am almost 47 and starting to notice changes in my period. I haven’t taken any birth control pills since before becoming pregnant with my oldest about 19 years ago. My gyn doctor suggested starting a low-dose birth control pill now. Thoughts? Does it help with erratic periods and getting through this stage of life? Of course I’m worried about negative side effects too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 FWIW I had a Mirena until after my hormone levels were fully menopausal. I had no periods throughout. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReader Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Mine just started me on them. It's too soon yet to know if it helps with the erratic cycles; I can report back in a few weeks. So far, no negative side effects, but again, it's early yet. We talked about various options and landed on this as the best thing to try first. He has me on one that has only 2 non-active pills in the pack, so that would be lovely if it works out that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Yes!! It's fantastic! My first cycle after being on them was long (because I hadn't had a cycle in forever), and you had to be precise on taking them at the same time every day during those first few months, but I've been on them for years now, and it's great! I am sad that I can only take them through age 55. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 It’s too soon to know about me yet, but it helped my mom stop having symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisoncooks Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Following. My cycles are all over the place. I’m all for fixing that, but I’ve not take bc in 20+ years. It’s a bit of a scary thought to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sassenach Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I've just been considering this. I'm 42 and my cycles have started to be as short as 21 days. I hate it. But I also have not been on bc in 19 years and am not excited about adding hormones into my life. IDK. I need to make an appointment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I’m on them. My cycles were dreadful. Flooding, migraines, horrendous cramps…It’s made them manageable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 4 hours ago, Laura Corin said: FWIW I had a Mirena until after my hormone levels were fully menopausal. I had no periods throughout. I did the same and it was wonderful. By the time I had it removed, I had reached menopause. Having that sure did help me get through it. I did experience weight gain while using it. I had not related the two together until it was removed and I started losing weight without even trying. It may have been a coincidence but I really don't think it was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OH_Homeschooler Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) I started on LoLoestrin in my early 40s because I was having very bad PMDD symptoms. I don't know if that was a part of perimenopause or not. But I actually take the pill continuously so I don't get a period at all. I remember about 2 months of spotting and acne when I first started, but since then, I'm like the same person every day. It's amazing. And I had been on BC at various times in my life, and it always made me crazy. I was skeptical at the idea of using any kind of BC to help, but the low dose really works. Edited September 16, 2022 by OH_Homeschooler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Kate Posted September 16, 2022 Author Share Posted September 16, 2022 3 hours ago, alisoncooks said: Following. My cycles are all over the place. I’m all for fixing that, but I’ve not take bc in 20+ years. It’s a bit of a scary thought to me. This is exactly how I feel! I think I’ve decided to give them a try though. I will update! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoeless Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 (edited) I started them recently. I skip the placebo week and start a new pack, so no more periods for me. I am SO happy I did this. My cycles were anywhere from 3 days to 8 days long, and coming every 18 days. Edited September 16, 2022 by MissLemon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatieJ Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 Just a caution here…my son’s MIL started on them when she started going into menopause. She was very healthy, going to,the gym, etc. and had been on them when she was younger. She ended up developing Pulmonary Embolisms . Caution is, if you become short of breath, get it checked out! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I love and adore being on the birth control pill. I have been taking a low dose continuously for 15 years. I am 47 and overall it's been great. I don't get a period and while I do experience perimenopausal symptoms, I think the pill makes them less severe. I will say I had a massive break through bleeding episode that lasted 6 weeks about 3 years ago. I couldn't find a doctor who could explain it. I don't necessarily think it had to do with being on the pill. I say if your doctor is all for it, to give it a try. As someone else said, the key is to take it at the same time, every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ting Tang Posted September 16, 2022 Share Posted September 16, 2022 I am 41 and have been in this phase. Sometimes my cycles are three week apart, but my periods last forever---not heavy forever---but they start VERRRY slow and end VERRRY slow. I don't really talk to anyone about this, but it is very inconvenient. 😞 I did always think it wasn't the safest to be on birth control later in life, but maybe your doctor has better information and statistics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 18 hours ago, fairfarmhand said: I’m on them. My cycles were dreadful. Flooding, migraines, horrendous cramps…It’s made them manageable. Did your dr discuss an ablation with you? Totally solved the cramps, flooding, etc for me. Now I just spot for a couple days, if that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSera Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 15 hours ago, Ting Tang said: I did always think it wasn't the safest to be on birth control later in life, but maybe your doctor has better information and statistics. I always thought that too, but have read studies lately indicating it’s not the problem it was thought to be. I’m still nervous about blood clot risk, but the research really does sound like overall, hormone treatment during menopause (which isn’t exactly the same thing as bcp, because there are other options besides that) leads to lower risk of adverse health outcomes (heart disease and Alzheimer’s especially) than not supplementing hormones during menopause. It feels counterintuitive to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 (edited) About 8 yrs ago, my periods got so heavy, it was challenging to leave the house, because we live 15min from anywhere. I felt like I was chained to the bathroom. Also, by the time evening rolled around, I could barely stand up because I had hemorrhaged so much throughout the day. My OB-GYN put me on bc, estrogen + progesterone. As the statistics say, I was diagnosed with breast cancer four years later - to the month. But it did help a lot with my periods. I regained 2-3 days a month of my life back. I asked my dr. if you can indeed bleed to death that way, and she said she'd seen transfusions for it. So....bleeding to death or breast cancer......I guess I'll take cancer. Maybe you can ask about progesterone only pills? I had to switch to those because the others started giving me migraines. They seemed to work for controlling the bleeding, not quite as well as the estrogen ones, but good enough. Edited September 17, 2022 by knitgrl 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairfarmhand Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 6 hours ago, Hilltopmom said: Did your dr discuss an ablation with you? Totally solved the cramps, flooding, etc for me. Now I just spot for a couple days, if that. The first step was pills and I have low risk for any of the side effects. Since the pills work I’m comfortable with this solution. Which is fine because I have a fear of other kinds of procedures. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltopmom Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 58 minutes ago, knitgrl said: About 8 yrs ago, my periods got so heavy, it was challenging to leave the house, because we live 15min from anywhere. I felt like I was chained to the bathroom. Also, by the time evening rolled around, I could barely stand up because I had hemorrhaged so much throughout the day. My OB-GYN put me on bc, estrogen + progesterone. As the statistics say, I was diagnosed with breast cancer four years later - to the month. But it did help a lot with my periods. I regained 2-3 days a month of my life back. I asked my dr. if you can indeed bleed to death that way, and she said she'd seen transfusions for it. So....bleeding to death or breast cancer......I guess I'll take cancer. Maybe you can ask about progesterone only pills? I had to switch to those because the others started giving me migraines. They seemed to work for controlling the bleeding, not quite as well as the estrogen ones, but good enough. Again- I’m surprised your dr didn’t recommend ablation. It’s an out patient procedure and pretty much ends periods. so there is an alternative to bleeding to death vs pills. Unless one wants more children, then you can’t get an ablation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busymama7 Posted September 17, 2022 Share Posted September 17, 2022 I am happier with bioidentical progesterone. Synthetic hormones are associated with more risks. It doesn't function as contraceptive though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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