contraceptive pill

[collette]

hi there

is it true that the pill can add to your depressive symptoms or give you depression? i read this on a website. when the gp put me on cipramil she did not have my notes to say i was on the pill.

i willmention to her but was unsure if this contributed? i was on this pill before pregnancy and was fine???

any thoughts?
collettexxx

[Veritee]

Hi Collette

What website did you read this?

If you can not remember - never mind.

But yes any hormones can certainly have an effect on your mood, and in fact some experts think that PNI is entirely hormone based. The combined pill did have a reputation of causing depression - but as far as I know this was only when much higher doses were given in the combined pill than they are now.

Have you read past posts about PNI an hormones?
Do a search for 'hormones' and 'progesterone'

You also have to consider that any artificial hormones are also being mixed with your natural hormones.

Therefore while the pill you were on may be finer before you had your child, it may now cause you problems because the balance of your natural hormones will have changed.

That having been said if you did not find the pill you were on before pregnancy affected your mood aversely - then their is less chance it will now.

Is it the combined or the progesterone only pill? This does make a difference. Some for instance believe the progesterone only pill may make you less likely to have PNI

Personally I would recommend you go back to your doctor as she does need to know you are on the pill. However I doubt she will change your medication because of this.

Just from experience I would suggest if at all possible to come off all hormone based products to give your body a chance to get over PNI.

But I realise that for most this is impractical as we need contraception and it might be that to get pregnant would be a real disaster for us.
So my advice is to go back to your doctor and tell them you are on the pill and take their advice on this.

If any GP etc is reading this I would be grateful for their input about the pill and depression

All the best

Veritee

[jennie]

i HAVEN'T READ TO vERITTEE'S REPLYbut when I was 19 I went to the gp'sand told him about my pms
,feeling |
I wanted to explode,crying,
so low,
he put me on the contrtrceptive pill for my pms and it helped....
I'm 36 so this might have been totally wrong then.

I only talk about my own experience.....
For me the contraceptive pill was given to stableise my mopad and it helped at the time....

[newwie not logged on]

Hi,
Just to give you my experiences i know when i was diagnosed i was told that i couldnt take the pill as would or could make my mood worse so i had to use alternative methods for contraception ie condom as injections couldnt have as again contained hormones in.
I just know that they said anything going into my body had to be monitered as could tilt the scales in either way.
Hope this helps

newwie

[annag]

Hi Collette

I was told exactly the same as newwie regarding the pill. However it is a bit of a no win situation whilst suffering with PNi after by second child I became pregnant with an unplanned child, a pregancy which ended in miscarriage. This obviously brought problems of it's own in addition to the PNi to be honest I am not sure if I would have continued with the pregnancy at that point in any case. Obviously you must consider all these things if you are considering not taking the pill especially what the arrival of another baby would mean to you.


Anna

[francoise]

yeah collette

i have heard the same thing to , my health visitor told me she would always ask the pni/d women she sees what contraception are they using as she is convinced the pill makes it worse ,affecting moods and like so i would for sure see ure doctor or consider maybe the non hormone coil if its ok for you ,even if its what ure doctor says that the pill is ok for pni i would still look for an alternative as some doctors may not agree but i think all the doctors dont always see it the same


love fran x

[banana]

Hey collette,

My doctor gave me the pill and I didnt take it cos I had heard this too. So I went back to him and said I wasnt happy and hadnt started to take it as I have heard it could slow down your recovery or alter your moods. When I said this he did that doctor look - you know the one where they think for a minute and get very serious - then said ' you could be right there '. What he advised is to take it anyway and if I find it is having adverse effects then to stop immediately as it would not mean for definate it would have a bad effect, it depends on the individual.

I'll let you know when I start taking it and see if I get any side effects.

In the meantime dont do anything you arent 100% comfortable with. If you dont want to risk it dont feel that you have to.

x

[collette]

hi there

thanks for info and advice. i am going to mention to the doctor and see what shesays. i am a bit loathe to stop taking pill because it is easiest form of contraception but we are not exactly having an active sex life at the moment due to me feeling low self esteem and always being busy.

love collettex