Cerazette

[Surfhunny]

Not really sure where to post this but I need as many ladies to reply as possible.

A couple of months ago I was put on Cerazette after the nurse got a high blood pressure reading from me, no ifs or buts just switched from mycrogynon to Cerazette. I understand why but have never suffered from high blood pressure in the past and as a 24 hour blood pressure monitor revealed, I still don't.

I don't really have a problem with bring switched to the mini pill but the side effects have been awful!! And this is why I want as many ladies to reply as possible. Since I started taking it I've felt constantly angry, like permanent pmt, but not tearful, just short tempered and angry. My boobs have grown a cup size, and I have gained weight (while not been on CD during this time not eaten badly to account for weight gain).

I felt like I could put up with all of this as I hadn't had a period for 6 weeks while taking it. But for almost two weeks now I've been on my period and it shows no sign of going away I know the mini pill can interfere with your periods and make them irregular but is a permanent period part of that? I only know two people who take Cerazette and neither of them have periods.

I'm giving it until the end of the pack to see if anything changes and then I'm going to have to go back and try and switch back to microgynon which suited me fine. I have a feeling I'm going to have a fight on my hands as the nurse totally freaked about my blood pressure but it was one result and not my norm.

Is this experience normal for Cerazette?

 

[Rosebud]

Hiya

I've been on the mini pill for nearly 8 months and I only just stopped having a period this month. For the past 7months my periods have been irregular and have lasted over a week, sometimes 9 days. I think your body does need a while to get use to it. As for other symptoms I can't say that it has made me more angry or made me put on weight. If its making you so unhappy maybe you should try something else.

Xx

 

[X_lisa_X]

hi I thought I'd share my story on this pill

ive been on it for 2 years I have not blead the whole time which is bliss but I have just been taken off it as over that last 2 years I have suffered manic depression and been very aggressive too the point I have to be tested for bi polar because of the mood swings, the doctors think it is linked the this pill so I stopped taking it about 2 weeks ago I can't say I've noticed much difference in myself yet but maybe it will take a bit longer for it to be out of my system completely

i hope this helps x x

 

[sportsgirl]

Hiya, my experience of cerazette has been awful. I had a mirena coil fitted, which wasn't settling (almost constant bleeding) so my GP suggested also taking cerazette for 3 months as apparently it can help with the coil. I took it for 5 weeks and realised that I had become incredibly bad tempered, my poor children had a monster for a mother, I had started spotting again (the very thing we were hoping to stop), and then some weird things like my contact lenses became really uncomfortable and I'd get odd pains in my leg, I also had sore boobs and felt beyond tired. I didn't even consult my GP, I stopped taking it straight away and all of my symptoms have stopped within 2-3 weeks of coming off it.

I honestly feel that this pill should come with a serious health warning, I started looking through the Internet and there are loads of similar stories out there. I know some people will suit it and others won't but my own experience has been horrific. In your shoes, I would go to a GP that you like and talk through your situation as they can prescribe your old pill. Good luck, and get off it quick!! Xx

 

[Lily]

I have no mini pill experience to share, but like you, got taken off the pill courtesy of one higher than usual blood pressure reading a few years ago - so I can sympathise with that bit. It didn't seem to matter one jot to the nurse that I was undergoing rather a lot of stress at the time (my mother had just died, my other half had just had major surgery, etc., etc). Rather than fight, I just came off the pill altogether at that time. I didn't really need to be on it, it was just convenient to know when I was due on and be able to have some control over that sometimes.

But sportsgirl is right - there do seem to be hundreds of horror stories out there on the Internet about side effects. From what I can gather, it's because in the early days of taking progesterone (and by early, that means anything from weeks to six months apparently), the progesterone stimulates oestrogen receptors to produce more oestrogen causing a condition known as oestrogen dominance. And if you Google 'oestrogen dominance', you'll see that one of the things that does is suppress the function of the thyroid gland which in turn may lead to weight gain (and feeling horribly tired among other things). And the excess oestrogen causes acne and horrendous mood swings, etc. Eventually, the oestrogen receptors will stop over-reacting to the progesterone and things get back to normal, but the six months that takes is usually too much for most of us to bear!

Unfortunately, oestrogen dominance is one of those things that most GPs don't really believe to be a real condition - that's if they've even heard of it. And Cerazette is supposed to be one of the brands with the least amount of side effects, so it really doesn't bode well for the other brands, does it?

It's got to be worth asking whether you can go back on a combined pill, particularly if you know your BP's fine now.

 

[fabulous_clara]

Hey surfhunny,

I was put in cerazette 3 years ago and it played havoc with my moods. I only stayed on it for a couple of months as it made me so depressed. There were genuinely times in this short period where i felt so low that I considered ending things... And for no good reason. I was paranoid, irritable, stressed, tearful. Within a couple of weeks of coming off I was back to normal.

The while experience freaked me out so badly that I will not take hormonal contraceptives any more. Incidentally I have a copper coil and have found it fantastic for my purposes!
Get off this monstrous pill, I have heard so many similar horror stories about it x

 

[harassed_mother]

Hi I have Been on cerazette for about 2 years and have had no problems with it although I'm always tired but put tht down to my weight :-( sounds like u really need to speak to doctor hope u get it sorted though

Nothing tastes as good as Slim feels

 

[Starlight]

I've been on cerazette for about 6 months. Jo side effects and my periods are regular as clockwork and generally last about 2 days. I'm living in hope they just stop though.

I guess for every horror story you read there'll be positive ones too though

 

[Kingy19]

Just to add, another one that had an horrific time on cerazette. Regarding the bleeding though, I bled LITERALLY constantly from starting it. At my 3 month check up, the nurse said to me sometimes if you start it and catch a wrong point of your cycle, the bleeding simply won't get any better. She suggested I come off it until I stopped bleeding, and then try again straight away. I thought it was a load of rubbish but she was right. From memory I think it took about 5 days to stop bleeding, u started it the day after and then I only had spotting.

But for me, the rest if the side effects were no good. It caused me to be massively paranoid, anxious and depressed. I got hallucinations on it, I couldn't sleep and I also had thoughts about ending it all. They came out of nowhere Nd scared the hell out of me so I came off it.

I'm now on nori day (which I had to fight to get on) and its brilliant, doesn't effect my moods at all. I do think most pills increase your hunger though, so in my opinion weight gain will always be an issue with hormonal contraceptive.

Kingy x

Sent from my iPhone using MiniMins

 

[tee2911]

Hi Surfhunny,
i have been on cerezette for 3 years & its worked great for me no side affects whatsoever................till now i started this diet 3 weeks ago & i have had 2 periods in that time after not having one in 3 years, dont think it has affected my WI though but we will see xx

 

[harassed_mother]

Hi Surfhunny,
i have been on cerezette for 3 years & its worked great for me no side affects whatsoever................till now i started this diet 3 weeks ago & i have had 2 periods in that time after not having one in 3 years, dont think it has affected my WI though but we will see xx

I had 3 periods early on but back to having none again now and still on cerazette

Nothing tastes as good as Slim feels

 

[tee2911]

oh so they hopefully will stop then? thats good then xx

 

[Surfhunny]

Thanks for your replies ladies, it's helpful to know that I'm not the only one this blasted pill isn't working for. I talked to mum about it tonight and she agreed with the oestrogen theory and the fact that I've been quite horrible recently.

I'm actually starting to become a danger to myself, yesterday I yelled "Use your fcuking blinkers" out of my open car window at the car in front, causing lots of people to stare. At work it's worked out in my favour a few times because I've said what I think rather than letting things go. But I can it getting me into trouble soon. This anger is actually quite scary I literally see red and can't keep my mouth shut!! Plus it's like a truth serum and people don't necessarily want to hear it.

On the plus side (touch wood) this prolonged period seems to be coming to an end yay!! I'm still not sure what to do. I might keep a check on the rage if it gets too bad I'll just have to stop taking it altogether. But as soon as its time to see the nurse I'm going to make sure I get an appointment with the nice nurse and beg to go back on my old pill.

 

[juju_doll]

I was an absolute monster on it! Came off it and feel so much better, no horrific moods, depression, headaches and for the first time in years I'm going hormone free. I feel a million times better!

 

[Spookess]

Hi. I too was switched from microgynon to cerrazatte but mine was because I am over 30 and a smoker

I had a very very light period for about two weeks at the start but nothing since ( ) and have been on it for over a year.

I haven't had any of the side effects you mentioned but the nurse told me that they give cerrazatte to people who want the implant as they are basically the same thing. This is to see how they react because its easier to change pill than take the implant out. Some people don't have any periods and some (sorry if this scares anyone) bleed the WHOLE TIME! (The example she gave me was that she was fine With the implant so recommended it to her boss who bled for 3 months solid - not what you want when Its your boss!) That's why they use it before the implant is put in.

If you think this is you then I would speak to your nurse again and see if they can switch you over to something else.

Hope you get sorted soon.

Karen

 

[Surfhunny]

Two weeks into this period and I'm just starting to wonder if it is ever going to stop. Sorry if this is tmi but its not actually that much blood not nearly enough to use tampons so I'm actually starting to get sore from the pads. I've got 10 pills left in this pack and I'm not able to get to the drs before then anyway so I think I'll persevere with it until then.

My blood pressure is normal and I don't smoke so there's no reason to still be on this so I'm going to beg for my microgynon back. I'm going to lay it on really thick about how it's affecting me.

Trouble is I worry about what will happen when I can't take the combined pill anymore if the mini pill and implant don't suit me..... I've never had kids so really don't want the coil.

 

[Spookess]

My period at the start was exactly the same. Think it lasted about 3 weeks actually thinking about it. Think it was because I used to join my packs of microgynon up and got the last pack confused with the backup one that I had some left in. As a result I think I either took a pack and a bit or not quite a full pack when switched to cerrazatte.
Sounds like you have no reason to stay on that one so plead with them to swap you back.

Good luck
X

 

[sophiem123]

I HATE Cerazette, I gained weight on it (and/or did not lose when dieting HARD), got acne for the first time in years, got cramps, and got all the symptoms of pregnancy - sore boobs, morning sickness, increased hunger/cravings etc as well as two week long periods. When I came off it, my first period was clotty. Not impressed.

 

[Surfhunny]

The more I hear the more I'm convinced its not for me, I'm starting to get spotty too which is something I've never had either. Get me off this demon pill!!!

 

[MissJx]

I had this before the implant and had lots of acne cried all the time (cried watching things like deal or no deal ) and bled for around 6 weeks in 8. They told me to stick with it for 3 months to settle it so I did and it was no different and I gained around 3st on it! Even though I was eating no diff and exercizing

I went back and was advised to have the implant as my BMI was to high for the Microg whatever pill. So thats what I ended up with.

When my implant comes to an end though I am hoping to get that pill because everyone I know who is on it gets a regular lady time, no spots and they havent got fat!!

I would deffo go in stamping your feet over one reading that is really rude to mess with your hormones like that I think. x