![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Maxime on June 18, 2003, at 16:03:48
I've been reading some of the post re. the pill and mood swings.
I have been on the pill for years now because without it I don't menstruate (anorexia). But now I wonder if I should get off the damn thing. Since I have so much trouble with mixed states, maybe this would help.
Has anyone gone off the pill and noticed an improvement in their mood and brand name were you using?
I take the Alesse contraceptive pill which is one of those "mini-pills. It has low EE and low Progestin. Although for reasons that I don't need to get into here, I am suppose to start Tricyclen next month - a tri-phasic pill. And now frankly I am worried.
maxime
Posted by noa on June 18, 2003, at 16:22:39
In reply to Conceptive pill and moods - help!, posted by Maxime on June 18, 2003, at 16:03:48
I find Alesse smooths out the monthly variation in moods somewhat. I now take the generic because of the expense, but am finding the generic uneven both in how it affects my mood but also my menstrual cycle. In a few weeks, I start a new insurance plan which has a whole different list of formulary drugs. Alesse is not on it, but I'm going to check with the gyno about the others to see if she recommends any of them.
Posted by nmk on June 18, 2003, at 17:24:39
In reply to Conceptive pill and moods - help!, posted by Maxime on June 18, 2003, at 16:03:48
I would be cautious about taking a tri-phasic oral contraceptive due to the fluctuations in hormone levels throughout the month. From what I have read, monophasic, low-dose BC's are preferred in women with mood disorders. Unfortunately, I could not even tolerate a low-dose BC (Yasmin). After a week, I dove into a horrible depression that subsided within a few days of discontinuation.
You may want to try going off BC for a few months to see if your mood improves. If it doesn't, there are other low-dose, monophasic options such as OrthoEvra (patch), Nuva Ring (others may not want to know the details on this one), or Yasmin. If your mood improves, then you need to tell your significant other to get the snip.
Also, there is a great book out there that addresses how female hormones affect the mood which I highly recommend. It is called Women's Moods by Deborah Sichel, M.D. and here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0380728524/drbobsvirte00-20
Good luck and let us know how you are doing.
Nicole
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.