Lo lo - making my symptoms worse

[Anonymous]

I’m soon to be 43 and started taking Lo loestrin fe about 2.5 months ago in an attempt to help my perimenopause symptoms (night sweats, brain fog, irritability, etc). However, since taking it, I feel like it’s making my symptoms even worse! I’m having night sweats every night (as opposed to just around my period), more irritable and tired, and I’ve gained a few pounds because I’m hungrier and eating more. I’ve also started getting random headaches. And I haven’t had a period or any breakthrough bleeding since starting (although I’m only in month 3).

Has this happened to anyone else (worse symptoms)? Has anyone switched to higher dose BCPs like Yaz and had it help? That’s what my OBGYN originally prescribed until I specifically requested Lo loestrin instead. I’m thinking I’ll stop taking it tomorrow and find a practitioner who will prescribe me HRT (my OBGYN would not because I’m still getting periods, 😩).

[Anonymous]

Bumping. Anyone?

[Anonymous]

Talk to your doctor. I took Junel and it helped a lot. But that is low dose too.

[Anonymous]

The LO Lo version is not high enough to suppress your own ovarian function, so you are getting more erratic ups/downs. The point of the OCP in peri is to suppress your body's own ovarian function so you are left only with the hormones provided by the pill, which are steady. Your body needs a higher dose pill.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Lo Lo made me sick to my stomach.
Talk to your OB.

[Anonymous]

Keep in mind that HRT is lower dose, although it can be chemically identical to the hormones your body makes. No BC is chemically identical to the hormones your body makes. BCPs are all synthetic “close enough” formulations meant to suppress ovulation.

I didn’t like being on lo lo bc it made me bleed a low amount all the time but it did help my sleep and night sweats. I’m on HRT now.

[Anonymous]

I'm on Junel - I think that's the same? - and I love it. I went on at age 46 and it controlled all my symptoms, plus I'm taking it continuously, so no more erratic periods. Sorry it's not working for you!

[Anonymous]

Get a mirena.

[Anonymous]

BCP always make me feel worse even lose dose ones like that. I've given up. With that said the night sweats feel like they're killing me slowly.

[Anonymous]

2.5 months is long enough. Call you doctor and get on something else. I was on two other bcps and Lolo was what finally worked for me.
We are all different-

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:2.5 months is long enough. Call you doctor and get on something else. I was on two other bcps and Lolo was what finally worked for me.
We are all different-

Agree and want to add that, not only are we different, but we are changing during peri, so the drugs and doses that help can change over time too.

[Anonymous]

Op here. So last night, instead of taking Lo Lo, I took the generic Yaz my OB originally prescribed. (I had never started it because I immediately requested Lo Lo after reading about how Yaz isn’t typically prescribed to women in their 40s. Anyway, last night I didn’t have night sweats! I did however, randomly wake up at 3 am which the Lo lo was helping with. Just took Yaz again tonight to see how it works. I’ll give my a doctor a call/message, which I’m dreading doing because she’s useless, and then (or instead of) I’ll reach out to Midi. Thanks for all of your comments. Keep em’ coming!