DKGirl

Hey everyone,

I have been on every BCP out there. When I was 15, I had horrible hemorrhages. I had gotten my first period a year before and nothing after that until the hemorrhages. It took 3 months to get back to normal. My iron level was so low that I missed most of my sophomore year of high school. My GYN had at the time put me on Loestrin (I think that's the name) 3 times a day to get my hormones back to normal. It started that way... after that I tried all of them... ortho-tri, Diane 35, Yasmin, Yaz, etc. I tried all of them. I decided to switch to YAZ from Yasmin because of my mood before my period on Yasmin but now I have been on YAZ since august and I don't think YAZ is for me. I don't know what to do... switch to another BC, go back to Yasmin, try an alternative method, do nothing, etc. ? I don't know. With YAZ, I get really bad cystic acne the week before my period, I am bloated, my breats hurt, my legs hurt, etc. I don't think I can go on with this BCP. Horrible! My face was cleared most of the time with Yasmin but still not perfect. I wish I could go off BCP because I would love to not have to take the pill. I tried it once but this is when I started to get acne on my face around college time. My face was never the same after that time off the BCP. I am really confused and I don't know what to do anymore. My GYN says that some women just have unbalanced hormones and I am one of them so the BCP is my only option and the only time I will stop is when I will try to get pregnant. I don't know where to turn and what to do since every BCP I try, I get side effects. The only one that was good for me was Diane 35 but my GYN said that it is not a BCP that I can use all the time.

By the way, I do think I have some form of PCOS (without the cysts) but since my results are always near what is normal, nobody takes me seriously. I did the blood tests, the ultrasound which shows that I don't have cysts on my ovaries... I am overweight but very active and a good diet but I cannot seem to lose weight. My face got horrible when I stopped my BCP 10 years ago... now it seems that only the BCP can control my face but it brings other side effects that I hate.

I am kinda lost. When I went on YAZ, I thought that for sure it would be the right one but no... it makes me bloated, acne on my face for 2 weeks out of the month which make me depressed, breast hurting, etc.

I don't know what to do...

fluttercat

Were you tested while taking BCP's?? They will mask your symptoms and the test results won't be accurate. If you do have PCOS there are other options aside from BCP's. That is just an easy one to give especially if you aren't looking at having a baby right now. First thing I would do is find a new doctor and have all of the tests run again off of the pill. I know your symptoms will come back but it is necessary to get an actual diagnosis. Good luck!

DKGirl

I was tested on and off the BCP. On, my test were normal and off, they were at the limit of being abnormal. My testosterone level was higher off the pill. The endocrinologist I saw didn't think it mattered. It is very hard to get an endo here in Quebec city. The one I saw was rude with me. My family doctor and GYN do no want to try something else unless and endo says so but they are very rare and I don't think any of them know about PCOS.

fluttercat

I wish I had more advice for you. It really sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place if they aren't taking your tests seriously. I know I wish my doc had done something years ago when they just suspected I had PCOS instead of telling me if I wanted kids to get pregnant immediately. Maybe I wouldn't have had the health issues I have over the years that I wasn't treated. I hope someone else comes along soon and can tell you something. If nothing else, take a look at the alternative therapies board. There are tons of ideas there and there are women on here treating their PCOS naturally rather than medically. I hope you find answers soon.

DKGirl

It's OK... I know there is no easy answer for my question. I just wonder if I should start again with Yasmin tonight as I am supposed to start a new pack tonight (Not starting YAZ again for sure as my face is seriously a mess this month and it makes me more depressed than anything else)... Without the pill I don't know what would happen. I tried it a while back and it was OK at first but my hormones started to go crazy after 2-3 months. Maybe I should ask to meet with my GYN again so we could list all the pills I tried and what they did to me.

I remember Loestrin, YAZ, Yasmin, Ortho-tri, ortho-tri lo, Diane 35, Alesse and probably more. All of them did something to do and I feel I have to choose between all of them the one that has the less side effects on me.

I'll check the alternative methods forums also.