Conference turris::womannotes-v2

    I would make a doctor's appointment - Missing your last period while
    on the pill is not normal. If you became pregnant while being
    on the pill there could be problems with the pregnancy, so the sooner
    you see a doctor the better.  Just my opinion though.
    Hope everythings OK - I know it must be a bummer wanting to be free
    of all the pill symptoms and having them just get worse!

	RE: .0  When I decided to take a break from using the Pill,
	my face started to break out too.  During adolescence I was
	lucky enough to not have that problem, so it's very frustrating
	to have it now.  I also gained weight, but I don't know if that's
	related (I might have started to eat more).  You can miss a period
	while on the pill (usually indicative of time to change the dosage).
	To be sure, you can get a pregnancy test.

	...Karen

    I didn't experience this, but my college roommate did when she
    went off the pill to have kids.  She found that a lot of the
    weight was water and that reducing her salt intake for a few
    months helped. 

    Going off the pill did change your hormone balance, and it will
    take your body a while to get over its dependency on the hormones
    you supplied in the pill and establish its own cycle once again.
    The length of time this takes and what you can do about it will
    vary depending on the kind of pill you were taking and on your own
    individual body chemistry. 

    You may want to see a doctor not because there's anything wrong
    but to get a good explanation of your body's changes. The doctor
    might also be able to suggest some things to make you feel better. 
    
    --bonnie
    
    p.s. At 34, I can't remember a time when I didn't have acne . . .
    sigh.  

    Martha,
    
    About nine years ago, I went off, on and off the pill at three month
    intervals. Each change was extremely hard on my body. But in each
    case, I eventually felt "normal". 
    
    Do you have a copy of "The new Our Bodies Ourselves"? I find that
    it's a good resource because it explains what sorts of physical
    and emotional changes to expect at different times in our lives.
    And it provides a good mix of "clinical" discussion and first-hand
    accounts.
    
    Hope this helps a little and good luck.
    Liz

    I'm in a similar situation, but my symptoms are different. Overall,
    my body feels "cleaner" but my emotions are off the wall. (Lots
    of other stuff is going on, so I'm not sure if the feelings are
    a result of hormonal changes or something else. Realistically, it's
    probably a combination.) I also find myself gaining a little weight,
    but I'm not sure the about cause of that either. 
    
    Friends who have gone through this have said that it will take some
    time for my body to adjust to the changes, maybe several months.
    I'm trying to be patient with myself. Someone also recommended
    acupuncture, which I hope to try soon. 
    
    Since I'm also in the process of changing physicians, the earliest
    appointment I was able to get was in October. But I would recommend
    seeing a doctor, especially if you'll be trying to get pregnant
    in the near future, just for your own peace of mind. 
                        
    Cheers,
    
    Jenny

    Ce que je sais des effets exterieurs de la pilule, c'est effectivement
    une amelioration de la peau, un grossissement des seins, une humeur
    plus egale.
    
    Lorsque ma mere a du arreter la pilule, a cause d'une trombose au
    cerveau qui lui a mis l'ouie droite hors d'usage (la pilule Diane,
    tres a la mode, est une vraie cochonnerie), elle a mis plusieurs
    annees avant de voir ses regles revenir normalement. Elle a eu (et
    a encore un peu) de l'acnee, et ses regles sont devenues a nouveau
    plus fortes et douloureuses. Elle s'est apercu plusieurs annees
    apres qu'elle avait un fibrome, non-cancereux, du sans doute a la
    pilule.
    
    Patience ! Tout redeviendra normal, petit a petit. Dis-toi que les
    symptomes desagreables dont tu souffres sont autant dus au fait
    d'avoir pris la pilule plusieurs annees, qu'au fait d'avoir arrete
    de la prendre.
    
    
    Zoziau
    
    

    re: 49.6  I'm afraid my HS French is a little rusty - could the
    author or someone translate for me?  I'd really like to be able
    to read (and understand) the reply!
    
    Thanks,
    Martha

                       Loss of hair -- oh yes
    
    I too remember losing my hair after being on birth control pills
    when  in college.  Went to the dermatologist and was told that was
    a very common side effect.  Not to fear, the hair will grow back
    but while it is happening, it can be very scary.  I lost quite a
    bit.  
    
    

    
    What I know about the visible effects of the pill is essentially that
    your skin gets better, your breasts enlarge and your disposition gets 
    a little more "even". 
    
    After my mother had to stop the pill because of a blood clot [?]
    in her brain which made her right eye stop working (the fashionable
    Diane pill is a real travesty), she had to wait several years before
    her periods became normal again. She had (and still has a little)
    acne, and her periods became much harder to take. Several years
    afterwards, she had a non-cancerous fibroid, which she believes
    is no doubt due to the pill.
    
    Have patience! You will become normal again, little by little. Remind
    yourself that these unpleasant symptoms that you suffer from are as
    much from having taken the pill for several years as they are from
    having stopped. 
    
    Zoziau

    Thanks Zoziau! - Martha

    I mean, Liz!

    Will all you people with acne please see a dermatologist?  They
    can do wonders.  meanwhile, take a look at your makeup.  Many cases
    of adult acne are caused by moisturizers, makeup bases, or blushers.
    Go looking for stuff that's labelled "non-comedogenic".  I think
    Clinique and Neutrogenia have a lot of products like this.  It will
    take a while for the effects of changing makeup to be seen, like
    maybe a month.  Watch out for cleansing creams, etc. also.
                                                             

    Karen, my skin was not the issue until after going off the pill
    - therefore, I don't see how a change in makeup will help as I am
    doing nothing differently to my skin before the pill versus after
    the pill - just noticing that it is breaking out more.  I'm an old
    pro when it comes to dermatologists - have seen MANY in my life
    time!  Thanks for the advice anyways. . .

    re: .13
    
    The point is that since your body has changed, the way your
    skin reacts to certain chemicals may have changed, also.
    Something that your skin used to tolerate without difficulty
    may now cause a reaction.  
    
    --bonnie     

    Actually the reply I posted about skin was in response to seeing
    some replies mentioning skin problems unconnected with going off
    the pill.
    

    I went off the pill after 6 years and I didn't have a period for
    6 months.  I went to the Dr and found out I wasn't ovulating and
    yes, I did gain weight.  After about 6 or 7 months my body went
    back to normal and I've been okay since.  Make an appointment with
    your Dr just to make sure.
    
    Pam 

    re: 49.16
    
    Pam, I did just that . . . My doctor wants me to wait until what
    should be my 4th period.  If after that time, I still haven't had
    a period, she will prescribe medication to cause me to ovulate.
    
    I'm thinking that this weight gain I've been seeing is just due
    to the major recoup my body is going thru after being on the pill
    that long - i.e., water weight, etc.  I'm starting to feel a little
    more like myself now (after about 6 weeks) and will "weigh in" again
    at lunch - after aerobics, of course! - to see where I am compared
    to the same time last week.  I just started to panic - I couldn't
    believe it after being a steady weight for so long without much
    thought to food!
    
    Thanks for your response,
    Martha

	I would recomend you look at the Pill as a stress
factor, and diagnose your condition accordingly.  After I
went off 3 years of it, I had a terrible time with feeling
normal - big emotional rollercoasters as my system took over
hormone adjustment.  The physical effects after the Pill include
metabolizing differently, oxidizing wastes and toxins, and
getting your adrenaline and cortisone and other hormone-related
substances back in line.

	Consider treating the stress with B-complex vitamins,
the muscles with E, skin condition with Vitamin A and/or herbs.
I advise you to refer to Adelle Davis' books "Let's Get Well"  
and "Let's Eat Right to Keep Fit" for an in-depth, witty, and 
useful discussion of the various effects of medicine, food,
and vitamins and minerals.  You have been feeding your body
a strange potion, no matter how clinically your doctor treated
it, and now you must overcome the effects.

    When I was about 16 I became pregnant, had an abortion, and went
    on the pill.  I stayed on it for 6 years, until I was about 22.
    At 22, I went off of it to 'cleanse' my body and did not have a
    period.  I was told it was normal and that some women do not 
    menstruate for up to a year after going off the pill.  I went 
    to a dr. after 6 months of no period. He prescribed Provera 
    (a hormone ) for 5 days which caused me to have a chemically
    induced period.  I think he hoped it would force me back 'into
    synch'.  It didn't, and I went to see another dr. in the same practice.
    He said, "if you aren't sexually active and don't want to have 
    children now, then why do you want to menstruate?"  I couldn't believe
    it, I just wanted to 'function' normally, and was concerned that
    the abortion at age 16 had somehow messed me up.   He assured me
    my period would return sooner or later.  It didn't, but after about
    2 1/2 years of no period (and not caring a whole lot because I don't
    really like having a period every month), I decided to go back on 
    the pill because I was sexually active and didn't want to risk 
    getting pregnant.  I stayed on the pill for a total of 3 years, 
    had regular pill-induced periods, and felt just fine. I've 
    always gotten along good while on the pill.  Then I got married
    and after 6 months decided to go off the pill again to see
    if I could get myself functioning naturally again, plus I was concerned
    about how the pill was affecting my performance while running and do
    other cardiovascular activities (i love aerobics).  I didn't have
    a period for 2 months, thinking it was perfectly normal since
    I didn't menstruate the previous time I went off of the pill.  My breasts
    became very sore, but that was normal too because I had fybro-cystic
    breasts every month while on the pill which made them very
    sore.  I had made an appt. to be fitted for the diapraghm, had to
    cancel once and consequently it was at least 2 months before I had
    a visit back to my dr.  Much to my surprise, I was 7 weeks pregnant!
    And I had only felt like I was ready for a period....geesh, I can't
    believe how naive I was!  Now, I'm 30, my son is a year and a half,
    (who, incidently, was delivered by the same dr. who asked me that stupid
    question years before - he was on call that night, not my regular
    dr.) and after breast feeding for nearly a year, which also caused
    me not to menstruate, I am finally having a somewhat normal period
    - every 28 to 30 days, 5 or 6 days in duration!  I also have problems
    with mild acne, which I control by seeing an aesthician (sp?) every
    month, who gives me wonderful facials and has me on a complete natural
    skin care program.  I weigh less now than ever - while not
    menstruating - like you - I had a tendency to gain.  I strongly 
    recommend you check with your doctor too.  I - who thought I 
    was being careful - who thought I knew my body, etc., etc., - felt 
    so sure I was doing the right thing too!
                 
    Cathy
    
    

    Hi, I'm a new user and would like to ask if anyone out there
    has tried the estrogen patch.  It will be a year in Jan
    since I started using it.  I am 57 and my last period was
    in Sept but the last one before that was last January.
    I would appreciate any input anyone has - thanks,
    Bonnie
    

    Yes, I have been using it and there is more continuity in terms
    of how the body reacts.  Now instead of 3 weeks on and 1 off I am
    just on.  This way the liver is not involved.  The only downside
    is that they are not as waterproof as one would think.
    
    Since my hysterectomy I do not have the same profile as you do.
    They did leave one ovary and it took 3 years to start the change
    of life.  In terms of emotional reactions, it is impossible to 
    gauge the effect because so much else is going on in my life at the
    moment.
    
    All in all I am satisfied.
    
    Cathy
    

    I have used the patch also, and had no problems with it at all.  The
    only reason I stopped using it was because I needed to go to a higher
    level of estrogen, and the patch did not have it available, otherwise I
    would have stayed with it.
    
    deb

    I used the patch briefly, but had such a skin reaction to it that I had
    to quit!  It created raised, very itchy, spots.  Dr. said that was
    unusual.  I also felt it was a nuisance.  However, I must agree that
    the estrogen/progesin pill cycle *does* create emotional-and-fatigue
    swings!
    

    A friend   of  mine  had  problems  with  a  skin  reaction  to  a
    Scopalamine  patch  (used to prevent sea sickness). She found that
    she  was  alergic  to  the adhesive on the bandage, and not to the
    drug. She now cuts off the bandage, and uses a bandaid to hold the
    patch  on,  and  hasn't had any more trouble. I don't know if this
    would work for other drugs supplied in patches.

--David

    I am allergic to a lot of adhesives -- I buy special bandages that I am
    not allergic to.  I don't know if I am allergic to the adhesive on the
    scopalamine patches since I have never had to use one (I don't get
    seasick very easily; my husband uses the things), but it wouldn't
    surprise me that someone could be.  Enough people are allergic to
    bandage adhesive that the hypoallergenic bandages are real easy to find
    in normal stores.
    
    /Charlotte

    What brand, Charlotte?  I've never seen them and as my skin rots like
    hell from the usual adhesive I'd be awfully glad of a reprieve.
    
                                        	=maggie

    Curity curad hypo-allergenic sheer bandages.  My grocery store sells
    them!  The new formulation of Johnson and Johnson adhesive they started
    using about ten years ago makes the top layer of my skin peel off! - I
    discovered that when I had a benign tumor removed from my breast - a
    few hours later, after an emergency call to the doctor at home, I had
    the nurses here at DEC (actually I worked in MRO those days)
    manufacture a supply of "butterfly bandages" out of non-J&J tape that I
    could use until the stitches came out - it was real "exciting" (you
    might say).  It turns out a lot of people are allergic to whatever
    chemical it is that makes the new adhesive sticker than the old,
    although I never noticed that the hypoallergenic bandages have any
    problem sticking to me.
    
    J&J also makes a hypoallergenic bandage tape, which your drug store
    might call "paper tape", called "dermicel" - that's what the butterfly
    bandages were cut from.  It looks sort of like crepe paper, and is
    somewhat less sticky that the stuff that destroys my skin, but it works
    OK.  I have to get that stuff in a drug store, though.
    
    
    /Charlotte

	I think I've seen the dermicel tape at grocery stores; maybe not.
	Anyway, they also make dermical in fabric and plastic; I like the
	fabric best because it breathes like the paper, but sticks better.

	Beverly