the pill...cerazette

[Angelfire]

Hi guys
I have been on Cerazette for about 3 years now and have to say until recently I have been really happy with it. No bleeds, no mood swings and my boobs grew from an A to a D cup-no bad thing imho! I have put on weight-probably about a stone and my skin isn't great, but in all honesty, both those could be due to stress and diet at the moment. However, I want to come off the pill now as we want to try for a family but I'm worried about how long it will take to get back to normal, when i should expect to get a period (I get married in 4 weeks) and also if I will lose the weight! I am planning for Wed to be the last pill as I see my doc then for advice...or maybe I won't take one tom or wed! Is it a bad idea to stop before the wedding as I don't want to come on just before the wedding or on honeymoon and also don't want my skin to be a mess...though to be fair it isn't great just now anyway. Any advice gratefully received!
Thanks x

[Quincy1uk]

Hi, newbie so be gentle! I have been fascinated reading all the posts on cerazette. I should have realised it would be different for everyone, especially as I used to work in genetics but hey ho.

Anyway, here is my tale of woe……….

I have taken cerazette for nearly 4 years as I had problems with microg and all the others and GP wanted me to try something different.

I thought I was doing ok, put a little weight on (or so I thought) huge boobs followed 36B to 40DD with crippling back pain, lots of spots when I always had crystal clear skin, hair loss (although I thought it was something stress related) and unbeknown to me, a terrible personality, everyone close said I was out of character but I didn’t notice.

I have had no periods for 3 and ½ years, which I have to admit, I have enjoyed although I always had stress free periods, no pain, no trauma, just came and went normally. I had to go to the family planning clinic every 6 months for a check up and every time they asked about a period, I said no, they never said anything except “happens sometimes”.

Anyway, these last 4 months have been the worst of my life. I don’t know what has suddenly triggered this sudden downward spiral, and neither does my GP but the following has all started happening…………. (prepare yourself)……

· increased thirst and need to urinate
· paranoia
· fatty deposits on the back of the neck and shoulders
· skin becomes thinner and bruises easily
· sweating heavily
· bruises, cuts, scratches take a long time to heal
· bad stretch marks on the thighs, stomach
· spots on the face, chest or shoulder
· headaches and back pain
· muscle weakness in the hips, shoulders, arms and legs,
· really bad water retention in the legs
· excessive facial and body hair (shaving daily!)
· really high blood pressure
· anxiety and panic attacks
· depression and suicidal thoughts
· aggression, anger
· crying ALL the time over absolutely nothing

I would hasten to add, I have NEVER suffered these before. I knew something was wrong so I went to my GP straight away. That was 12 weeks ago and I have been submitted to every test under the sun. So far he thoutgh I had early menopause, Cushings syndrome, polysystic ovaries, bladder problem, kidney problem, thyroid problem, sleep apnaea, diabetes, hormonal unbalance and even a brain tumour. All tests were negative luckily.

After the ultrasound to check my ovaries, the GP finally said, lets get you off the cerazette and see what happens. This happened about 6 weeks ago and the GP is also worried about my weight, I put on 4 stone in the end and am way over my healthy BMI.

GP has now put me on these fancy fat tablets that will “apparently” make me lose the weight that cerazette put on me. I have not had a bleed yet but I am starting to feel a bit more like I used to all those years ago and can only hope it all comes back soon. I just want my life back to what it was, I’m only 27.

Luckily my friends, family and my bosses have been superb, don’t know how they have put up with me at all, I wouldn’t have put up with myself.

If this sounds familiar to ANY of you, please, please go back to your GP and have a very open and very frank conversation with them, do not let it ruin your life.

[Quincy1uk]

Hi, newbie so be gentle! I have been fascinated reading all the posts on cerazette. I should have realised it would be different for everyone, especially as I used to work in genetics but hey ho.

Have registered now! lol

[pineapplegirl]

Hi there, have been reading all the posts and it's comfprting to know that I'm not the only one who has experienced some problems! In general I have thought that Cerazette has been great, going from heavy periods to no periods at all etc - however, I've been on it for 10 months now and have only had breakthrough bleeding for about the first month and then nothing at all after that.. I was a bit worried about that so I talked to my GP who has sent me for a thyroid screen/prolactin. I've also put on weight since I started taking it, though I suspect that also due a new relationship at the same time - I have started to lose the weight reasonable easily so that doesn't bother me too much.. Has anyone else has to have a thyroid screen?

[pulling out my hair]

I just threw my Cerazette packs into the trash after only three weeks. I have been on combinatin pills for the past 10 years and while I had the usual mood swings I only stopped them because I was developing melasma on my face which can happen after taking them for so long. So onto Cerazette. It took about 10 days for the effects to hit me full force. Awful bloating, stomach pains, abnominal pains, moody as hell and constantly on the verge of nausea. The only way I knew I was not pregnant was the constant spotting. I stopped taking the pills five days ago and go figure, realized that I had neglected to see the hair loss (I am talking hand fulls) until now. Hopefully that will stop soon. I have never had any horrible side effects like this before, so I am thinking this pill is not for me. My doctor did not mention it, but it seems these pop pills do have more side effects maybe?

[Angelfire]

Yikes....I'm a little unsure what to expect now but I will keep you posted, I took my last pill yesterday and swapped it for folic acid instead today! My GP was really positive about the likelihood of NOT having any side effects coming off Cerazette, but I shall wait and see. Anyone know how quickly the weight is likely to come off?
I have to say I thibnk Cerazette worked well for me, I just hope it doesn't have any effect on my fertility returning to normal quite quickly.

[worriedmumof1]

I have read samples of what everyone has written about this pill. I have been on Cerazette for around 6 months, all was going fine until 2 days before a family wedding in August, I suddenly started
- feeling very sick
- had some stomach cramps
- Hot flashes
- Cold flashes

Occassionally it backed of and would give me a reprieve but would always come back with a vengance. I have stopped haing sex with my partner for fear that the nausea is acctually a stomach bug.

In the last few weeks

- I have noticed my hair is falling out,
- I am loosing weight,
- my joints ache,
- I feel emotionally and physically drained,
- constant nagging in my back
- repulsion at the thought of food, (I do think this may be linked with feeling sick)
- with a mix of diorreah and constipation thrown in there.

I have been talking this through with my doctor who is arranging a rediculous amout of tests, but he never seems to mention the Cerazette?
Could this POP pill be the root of all my troubles?

I would apreciate anyone who has had similar experiences to get in touch with me, and how they went about discussing this with their doctor.

[Rowana]

I took Cerazette for 18 months quite happily, having regular but really light periods, until this summer when I developed really bad acne in my armpits. After trying different razors/deodorants/showering 3 times a day the main remaining suspect was this pill. I also put on about a stone in the time I was on it, but I was aware my eating habits weren't as good as they could be so not sure it was anyones fault but my own.
Stopped taking it early July; it took until the end of September for my normal cycle to get reestablished - and I've always been a heavy bleeder so there was no mistaking it - and am now waiting to do a pregnancy test at the end of this month after much determined trying to conceive. My armpits are not yet completely back to normal as I'm still getting the odd spot, but the painful red eruptions have gone and I'm left with some scars.

[hazelnut]

I have been on cerazette for nearly 4 years and on the whole have been happy with how it works. I went on it as doctor had concerns as I am overweight and possible risk of deep vein thrombosis. I do get bad skin, and my liabido is less than it used to be, but never have had periods which suits me. That is until the lastr week. I had a severe case od gastritus, was sick and had bad diarrohea, but continued to take pill throughout. Had stopped being sick, and diarrohea stopped, around same time I had spotting. This has been on and off for about 6 days, with yesterday being the heaviest yet, but not enough to need a pad or tampon. I had nothing by the evening, and had sex. Nothing after sex either.
Has anyone else every experienced anything like this, as been on pill for so long? Also, do you think the bleeding is a sign iis stopped working? concerned as had sex last night but it has been 6days sice had any diarrohea/sickness, and have taken it religiously same time everyday...HELP!

[clairabell]

i have been taking it for months now...no periods...high sex drive ...but now in alot of pain with breasts and womb????? anyone eles having same probs??

[hazelnut]

well, made my mind up after researching cerazette throughly, and seeing my GP. Have decided to stop cerazette, and go back to a combined pill (ovranette). My GP said that really with my family history, and current state ofhealth I don't need to be on a progesterone only pill. On a combined pill there are less of the bad side effects, and fertility is supposed to return to normal if trying to conceive once you stop it. Only down side is gonna start having periods again!! However at least I won't have the niggly worry I always had that I might be pregnant!
For anyone wanting advice on this pill, I have to say from my experience (4yrs on cerazette), the minuses outweighed the benefits for me.
PRO'S: No periods, 12hr window to take.
CONS: acne, weight gain, mood swings, depression, low sex drive, no periods = no clear way of knowing if possible pregnancy, sensative to the touch breasts!!
Hope this helps anyone out there, as I was very concerned reading other peoples experiences. If fertility is an issue, doctor agreed can take longer to conceive after coming off cerazette, so in my opinion unless you have to be on cerazette for medical reasons, stick to combined pill, or barrier methods (Cap, condoms) or the coil. I know periods are inconvenient, and I'm sure having them again will be unpleasant but in some ways I think its better to know what your body is doing, which cerazette masks.

[nursey nurse]

i have been taking this pill now for nearly 3 months and had no problems until this last week or so. I recently went on holiday and got an upset stomach. I took an extra pill incase it hadne been absorbed and carried on taking the pills at the same time every day. As soon as i got bk off holiday i did a pregnancy test as i am such a worry wart and luckily it was negative. However this last wk 4weeks later, i have had horrible stomach cramps- feels like i am going to have a period but i dont.
I hate worrying that i may be pregnant and it was too early to show on the other test. Bring back my periods. I see my GP in a few wks for a pill review. Has anyone else had these cramps front and back?

[smeged]

Hi all, been on this pill for over two years, had no problems or periods since taking it, gained over a stone thou and asked planning nurse about the weight and she said that the pill will give you a better appetite. Not that I am eating anymore than usual, been to weight loss club but couldn't shift it. Only last month got really bad period pains through the night and thought this can't be right so, stopped taking it now for over a week just to see what happens. Feeling really fat so I hope that goes but I will have to put up with heavy periods instead.

[Amylouise]

Hello everyone,

I am quite shocked over the horror stories i have read so far, I just want to share my expereince with this pill. I have been on it for about 3 years after trying many others before, with cerazette i have had no periods what so ever which has been great but i know my sex drive has decreased. what worries me is that everytime i go into the family planning clinic the nurses are always shocked i am on this pill? any ideas why? Also i have been scared as the nurse said i can only smoke 5 cigs a day because this pill thickens the blood so puts me in danger of having a stroke (i am 26). I am thinking of just going au naturel again.

[hazelnut]

in response to Amylouise, I know that from being on combined pill and cerazette (POP) the risks of a blood clot or deep vein thrombosis are higher on both if you are a smoker. I'm not a smoker, but my sisters are. One has just been prescribed cerazette as her blood pressure was high and she was previously on microgynon 30. I don't think she has been told any restrictions of her smoking, although they recommended she stop, obviously! Maybe your nurse is trying to scare you into quitting!