I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy and relieved to find this forum and know that I am not alone in my misery. Am 44 yrs old, and took Ortho Tri Cyclen for 10 yrs. Went off 6 weeks ago. These past 6 weks have been a living HELL! Racing/pounding heartbeat, severe INSOMNIA, fatigue, etc. Still have not gotten a period. My Dr wants me to take Prometrium(oral natural progesterone) to "jump start" my cycle. I really do not want any more hormones of any knd in my system other than my own. Anyone else out there tried this Prometrium? What about natural progesterone cream? >;) >;)
Thank god i found this site. Unfortunately, my side effects after the pill have been extremely severe. I was on Ortho-trycylin for 2 years and got off a month ago to try for baby #2. It started off ok..but I noticed I was extremely turned on. I started having thoughts about other men when I have never DREAMED of another man before. I am happily married and crazy about my husband. But about three weeks after taking the pill, I started questioning my marriage out of nowhere and kissed another man. Things that have been very important to me...now I dont seem to care about. (clean house, playing with my son, work, etc.) My mind feels like its in a fog and I am so confused. I feel trapped and like I'm constantly going to have an anxiety attack. Please understand..these things are not like me AT ALL. I just can't understand how my feelings and life can change so completely in so little of time!! I feel like im going insane. I have also noticed stomach problems, headaches, shaking, heat flashes, and many other side effects. I just want to be the wife and mother I was before this. I have been on anti-depressants in the past and may have to start again if this doesnt get better...though I dont want to. I dont want to lose my family..but I don't even feel like I know who I am right now!!
I have been reading "Ageless" by Susanne Somers and it seems we really might need to get get our hormones back to our most optimal levels. Naturally, of course...Please get this book and read it--it is full of incredible information about hormones and there are doctors in the back of the book in our area who specialize in hormones and hormone replacement.
Hello ladies,
I am currently living through this hormonal nightmare. I got of the pill in December after being on it for 2 1/2 years. I was fine until mid January. I then became very paranoid which led to anxiety and depression. I have never had depression. I am better..but I still don't have my zest for life. Will that ever come back? It doesn't help that I have an overly critical mother who has called me lazy, shameful, and told me that my husband is going to cheat on me just in the last week. The criticisms have been happening for years. But I always had a happy life..wonderful husband and kids so I just stopped caring about my mom's criticisms. But now, I don't know where that "zest" went. And my mother's comments don't help and seem to bother me now. I don't trust people. I have always been a little OCD (mainly germaphobic). After the pill, it seems to have been elevated. Any helpful comments would be appreciated.
Thanks
I am currently living through this hormonal nightmare. I got of the pill in December after being on it for 2 1/2 years. I was fine until mid January. I then became very paranoid which led to anxiety and depression. I have never had depression. I am better..but I still don't have my zest for life. Will that ever come back? It doesn't help that I have an overly critical mother who has called me lazy, shameful, and told me that my husband is going to cheat on me just in the last week. The criticisms have been happening for years. But I always had a happy life..wonderful husband and kids so I just stopped caring about my mom's criticisms. But now, I don't know where that "zest" went. And my mother's comments don't help and seem to bother me now. I don't trust people. I have always been a little OCD (mainly germaphobic). After the pill, it seems to have been elevated. Any helpful comments would be appreciated.
Thanks
So, last night I had a terrible night. I have had a major depressive episode when I was a teenager (16-17) and started to feel like maybe another one was coming. The past several weeks have been down right scary, I'm crying for no reason, can barely get out of bed, breaking out all over my face and back and have terrible back pain. But, I have been off of birth control for about 5 months now and things seem to be escalating. I just felt like I needed help so I googled "i feel depressed" then I don't know where it came from but I then googled "i feel depressed after stopping birth control" and that's how I found this site. I had no idea that it does actually affect people like this. I told my gyn when I decided to go off to start trying to concieve. He never said anything about side effects and mood swings and I really wish he would have just mentioned it. And honestly, I was starting to doubt if I should be trying to have a child if I am miserable all the time now. I still have anxiety about that, I don't feel like I'm getting any better and most people are saying 6 months. I'm almost there.
On the other hand, I didn't go on bcp until I was 17, and a few months later my depression slowly receded. I'm wondering if maybe it's ALL hormones? If my 'depression' wasn't mental but hormonal? Or maybe I am depressed and it has nothing to do with hormones. I am seeing a physcologist. My dr. told me that if I've ever had depression I should see one before trying to concieve because I am high risk for post-partum depression. He says so far I'm ok. If anyone has any experiances similar to mine, please let me know.
On the other hand, I didn't go on bcp until I was 17, and a few months later my depression slowly receded. I'm wondering if maybe it's ALL hormones? If my 'depression' wasn't mental but hormonal? Or maybe I am depressed and it has nothing to do with hormones. I am seeing a physcologist. My dr. told me that if I've ever had depression I should see one before trying to concieve because I am high risk for post-partum depression. He says so far I'm ok. If anyone has any experiances similar to mine, please let me know.
Hello All,
I will try to be short but wanted you all to know you are not alone with all of this and this rings very true to our experience. I am posting this for my wife as she needs to stay away from the internet : )
My wife went off BCP in December as we were planning to start a family. A couple of weeks later she started having aches and pains in her chest. This continued for about a month and started to get better. The next few months she experienced many of the same symptoms all of you have listed including the following. 1) Aches & Pains (Sore Muscles) 2) fuzzy cloudy feeling 3) Anxiety / Depression 4) Lack of sexual drive 5) Inner Vibrations / Shaking feeling 6) Tingling in mouth and tongue 7) Metallic Taste in mouth 8) Insomnia 9) She has had two menstrual cycles since going off the BCP 10) Paranoia of sickness
Her Dr. has continued the approach that she is just suffering from Anxiety/Depression and not hormonal which I think is the most frustrating part for her as she thinks she is going crazy. She also sees a Naturopath who has given her a chaste tree and promensil but her family Dr. continues to tell her not to take the herbs she has been given. She is so confused with conflicting information and just wants a answer as I am sure all of you do.
I hope some of you can give her some words of support as she is in a very dark place right now. I believe she has just gotten very tired over the past few months and is having trouble keeping her head above water. Please any of you that have had success keep posting and let others know they are not alone and not hopeless. Very glad to have found this site as it all rings so true and I was starting to question
I will try to be short but wanted you all to know you are not alone with all of this and this rings very true to our experience. I am posting this for my wife as she needs to stay away from the internet : )
My wife went off BCP in December as we were planning to start a family. A couple of weeks later she started having aches and pains in her chest. This continued for about a month and started to get better. The next few months she experienced many of the same symptoms all of you have listed including the following. 1) Aches & Pains (Sore Muscles) 2) fuzzy cloudy feeling 3) Anxiety / Depression 4) Lack of sexual drive 5) Inner Vibrations / Shaking feeling 6) Tingling in mouth and tongue 7) Metallic Taste in mouth 8) Insomnia 9) She has had two menstrual cycles since going off the BCP 10) Paranoia of sickness
Her Dr. has continued the approach that she is just suffering from Anxiety/Depression and not hormonal which I think is the most frustrating part for her as she thinks she is going crazy. She also sees a Naturopath who has given her a chaste tree and promensil but her family Dr. continues to tell her not to take the herbs she has been given. She is so confused with conflicting information and just wants a answer as I am sure all of you do.
I hope some of you can give her some words of support as she is in a very dark place right now. I believe she has just gotten very tired over the past few months and is having trouble keeping her head above water. Please any of you that have had success keep posting and let others know they are not alone and not hopeless. Very glad to have found this site as it all rings so true and I was starting to question
Hello, I am new to this forum. I took Birth Control pills for only 6 months and when I stopped began having hormonal migraines. I have been to a neurologist who said this is from the hormone imbalance. It has been four months now and I am much improved but not back to my normal self. I just feel off. I am going to acupuncture and drinking raspberry leaf tea which helps support female hormonal balance. I am drinking chamomile tea to help with the anxiety. The anxiety is mild and I would best describe it as a feeling of uneasiness but it is frustrating because I have never had this prior to stopping the birth control pills. I am told it will just take time so I am constantly talking myself through each day. Just wanted to offer some hope to those who are at an earlier stage than I am and say hang in there it truly does get better. You are okay. I know it is scarey but it is from hormonal imbalance. Find friends and family who will encourage you and things will improve.
Hi everyone,
I've been reading this, and I just wanted to give you some insight. I am 22 years old and was put on the pill at 13 for irregular periods. I was on Loestrin/Mircrogestin for 7 years then switched to Seasonale for 2 years. I never had a problem on Loestrin, but the Seasonale gave me joint pain. I tried to switch back to Mircrogestin, but had a severe reaction to it. I got severe headaches and numbness on the whole left side of my body. I thought I was having a stroke. MRI's said I was fine. At this point my doctor told me to quit the pill to see if things stopped. Nope, they got worse and I experienced all the same symptoms you guys did: anxiety/panic attacks, high heart rate, hot flashes, trouble focusing, minor depression, etc. All my doctors dismissed me and told me it could not be because of the pill. IT WAS! Because of all these symptoms, I thought I had hyperthyroidism. I finally went to an endocrinologist, and he told me I am experiencing the equivalent of "Postpartum Thyroiditis." This is a condition that happens in women who are pregnant. After they deliver the baby, the woman's body tries to fix its hormones and regulate itself again. During this time the thyroid can become temporarily overactive. You do not need to have a baby for this to happen! I have never been pregnant, but the endocrinologist told me that by being on birth control, you are tricking your body into thinking it is pregnant. Thus, when some women stop, they experience these symptoms that are similar to hyperthyroidism. There is nothing to do but wait it out. It can take up to 6 months from what I hear. Trust me, it does start to get better. I have been off the pill now for just over 2 months and I am already feeling a bit better. I can focus more than I could before and my anxiety has calmed down a little. I say go to an endocrinologist if you are experiencing these symptoms. They specialize in hormones and will not dismiss you like other doctors will. I have had others tell me it was all in my head, and I just needed heart pills and anxiety is common in young women. They were all wrong!!! I will never go back on the birth control pills again, especially after having stroke like symptoms. The doctor said that could be a dangerous warning sign. So just wait it out. You'll be glad you did. 8)
I've been reading this, and I just wanted to give you some insight. I am 22 years old and was put on the pill at 13 for irregular periods. I was on Loestrin/Mircrogestin for 7 years then switched to Seasonale for 2 years. I never had a problem on Loestrin, but the Seasonale gave me joint pain. I tried to switch back to Mircrogestin, but had a severe reaction to it. I got severe headaches and numbness on the whole left side of my body. I thought I was having a stroke. MRI's said I was fine. At this point my doctor told me to quit the pill to see if things stopped. Nope, they got worse and I experienced all the same symptoms you guys did: anxiety/panic attacks, high heart rate, hot flashes, trouble focusing, minor depression, etc. All my doctors dismissed me and told me it could not be because of the pill. IT WAS! Because of all these symptoms, I thought I had hyperthyroidism. I finally went to an endocrinologist, and he told me I am experiencing the equivalent of "Postpartum Thyroiditis." This is a condition that happens in women who are pregnant. After they deliver the baby, the woman's body tries to fix its hormones and regulate itself again. During this time the thyroid can become temporarily overactive. You do not need to have a baby for this to happen! I have never been pregnant, but the endocrinologist told me that by being on birth control, you are tricking your body into thinking it is pregnant. Thus, when some women stop, they experience these symptoms that are similar to hyperthyroidism. There is nothing to do but wait it out. It can take up to 6 months from what I hear. Trust me, it does start to get better. I have been off the pill now for just over 2 months and I am already feeling a bit better. I can focus more than I could before and my anxiety has calmed down a little. I say go to an endocrinologist if you are experiencing these symptoms. They specialize in hormones and will not dismiss you like other doctors will. I have had others tell me it was all in my head, and I just needed heart pills and anxiety is common in young women. They were all wrong!!! I will never go back on the birth control pills again, especially after having stroke like symptoms. The doctor said that could be a dangerous warning sign. So just wait it out. You'll be glad you did. 8)
Hi ladies, just wanted to check in and see how you are all doing? I hope with each month you are seeing improvement. I am almost to four months post BC pills. I had severe migraines which have stopped and anxiety which has calmed down. I still have days where I just feel "off" like I may get a migraine but then I don't. This has been such a challenging experience mentally and was very scary. Reading your posts encourages me. I hope you are all doing well. Post and give updates!
I have to say... going off the pill has been the best thing I've ever done, although, saying that, going ON the pill was the WORST thing I've ever done. Anyway, I thought I'd let anyone who's interested or anyone going through the same thing know how it's been since coming off the pill.
The first month (APRIL) was absolute hell! It was a roller coaster of emotion accompanied by major bloating, headaches, constant dizziness and night mares. I've never experienced this before and it was so difficult going through my first year of university and a break up whilst this was happening. Luckily I was at home for easter during the first month of post pill madness.
The second month (MAY) was better but still very emotional. I was back at university during exam time and my moods were up and down like crazy. Until my first real period which came at the end of the month. It was still very difficult but nowhere near as bad as being on the pill. I began a relationship with my now boyfriend and my hormonal craziness was taken out on him, luckily he understood when I explained.
The third month (JUNE) This month was better, I was gradually feeling more sane than ever but the mood swings still came in full fledge and put me on edge. It's the anxiety and depression that was taking over but lifting at the same time... it's hard to explain. I started enjoying things in life again and got some of my confidence back as my boobs went from a 30 G back to my natural 30 E and I didn't feel so fat anymore. I was still taking a lot of my hormonal craziness out on my boyfriend.
The forth month (JULY>>This month) I'm actually starting to feel myself again... I've started getting some of my stable ways of thinking back and don't have the impending doom feeling as much anymore. However, I did have an anxiety attack when having sex with my boyfriend, which as you can guess was highly embarrassing but he's understanding. It came out of no where, I'd been so relaxed all day. I do feel a lot better than I did 3 months ago. I can only compare it to a car engine struggling to start or a flickering light bulb trying to turn on and stay alight.
I've been taking vitamins everyday and trying to eat well. i don't feel completely myself still, I'd say there's still 20 % to go. I'm just excited to break free and feel completely at ease again and happy. I'm very angry about what's happened but I'm determined not to let it break me, I know I'll be myself again, just need train my natural hormones to take down the artificial one's and fire up my ovaries again :-) Hope this helps someone.
The first month (APRIL) was absolute hell! It was a roller coaster of emotion accompanied by major bloating, headaches, constant dizziness and night mares. I've never experienced this before and it was so difficult going through my first year of university and a break up whilst this was happening. Luckily I was at home for easter during the first month of post pill madness.
The second month (MAY) was better but still very emotional. I was back at university during exam time and my moods were up and down like crazy. Until my first real period which came at the end of the month. It was still very difficult but nowhere near as bad as being on the pill. I began a relationship with my now boyfriend and my hormonal craziness was taken out on him, luckily he understood when I explained.
The third month (JUNE) This month was better, I was gradually feeling more sane than ever but the mood swings still came in full fledge and put me on edge. It's the anxiety and depression that was taking over but lifting at the same time... it's hard to explain. I started enjoying things in life again and got some of my confidence back as my boobs went from a 30 G back to my natural 30 E and I didn't feel so fat anymore. I was still taking a lot of my hormonal craziness out on my boyfriend.
The forth month (JULY>>This month) I'm actually starting to feel myself again... I've started getting some of my stable ways of thinking back and don't have the impending doom feeling as much anymore. However, I did have an anxiety attack when having sex with my boyfriend, which as you can guess was highly embarrassing but he's understanding. It came out of no where, I'd been so relaxed all day. I do feel a lot better than I did 3 months ago. I can only compare it to a car engine struggling to start or a flickering light bulb trying to turn on and stay alight.
I've been taking vitamins everyday and trying to eat well. i don't feel completely myself still, I'd say there's still 20 % to go. I'm just excited to break free and feel completely at ease again and happy. I'm very angry about what's happened but I'm determined not to let it break me, I know I'll be myself again, just need train my natural hormones to take down the artificial one's and fire up my ovaries again :-) Hope this helps someone.
So ive been getting real bad depression and irritability while on the BCP. Im on Microgestin and ive been so depressed to the point that anything and everything is making me upset. Ive been on this BCP for about 2 1/2 years and im 24. i never really had a problem til just recently. Im thinking about getting off the BCP all together. Im hoping it will help. Cuz i just feel like im goin crazy like i have schizophrenia or something.I just wanna know if anyone else has had problems with depression starting while on BCP and if it helped to get off of it.
I am amazed to see that this post has been going on for years, and like everyone else, I'm so glad I found it. I went off birth control about three weeks ago after having been on some form or another for the last 13 years. For the last 6 years I've been on Mircette, its generic Kariva and then when Kariva was discontinued, Azurette. I noticed a difference on Azurette and felt like my periods were worse (which is why I got on BC in the first place), I was getting more headaches and I was/am tired of the darkening brown spots on my forehead, upper lips and cheeks. I know that this symptom is melasma and is a common side effect of birth control. Oh yeah, and I've had no sex drive in quite some time.
So my husband and I discussed it and agreed that I would go off, although we are not trying to get pregnant. The goals were 1) To lessen the melasma, 2) increase sex drive, 3) get BC out of my system for when we do start to try in the next year or two and 4) to lose the 5 or so pounds that I thought I'd been carrying around since I got on. I worried about going back to having horribly painful periods and increased acne (even though I'm nearly 30).
I went off about three weeks ago (which I notice seems to be quite common among posters) and what I've experienced so far is a weight gain of about six pounds(!), some feelings of lethargy and depression and a small but not terrible increase in acne (the kind that shows up during the day but is gone the next morning). I've also had mild cramps for the last two days and am excepting/hoping for my first non-pill period any day or minute now.
Over the last few years I've had several bouts of depression and although I've had many different anti-depressents prescribed, I have not found one that the positive effects outweigh the bad side effects. This last week or so I've been feeling a bit of a depression coming on and I'm pretty sure it is linked to discontinuing the BC...this makes me feel so much better if I can just remind myself that it's all this changing in my body and it will pass. I sent this link to my husband as well and he is a big support in getting through all this. I'm really looking forward to being free of all prescription medicines and having my body go back to normal AND losing the weight.
Finally, I want to urge everyone here to tell their doctors about this. It seems that the really bad feelings peek at 3 weeks - which is when people finally start googling to figure out what is going on! I asked my doctor what to expect when I went off and she basically said "I don't know, everyone is different." It also sounds like most docs dismiss the possibility of weight gain and lethargy from going off the pills. It would have been nice to be told that I might experience depression (especially with my history). Now I know and I'll take extra good care of myself.
Thanks for the opportunity to post...I feel better already. I'll check back in and post if anything changes. Take care!
So my husband and I discussed it and agreed that I would go off, although we are not trying to get pregnant. The goals were 1) To lessen the melasma, 2) increase sex drive, 3) get BC out of my system for when we do start to try in the next year or two and 4) to lose the 5 or so pounds that I thought I'd been carrying around since I got on. I worried about going back to having horribly painful periods and increased acne (even though I'm nearly 30).
I went off about three weeks ago (which I notice seems to be quite common among posters) and what I've experienced so far is a weight gain of about six pounds(!), some feelings of lethargy and depression and a small but not terrible increase in acne (the kind that shows up during the day but is gone the next morning). I've also had mild cramps for the last two days and am excepting/hoping for my first non-pill period any day or minute now.
Over the last few years I've had several bouts of depression and although I've had many different anti-depressents prescribed, I have not found one that the positive effects outweigh the bad side effects. This last week or so I've been feeling a bit of a depression coming on and I'm pretty sure it is linked to discontinuing the BC...this makes me feel so much better if I can just remind myself that it's all this changing in my body and it will pass. I sent this link to my husband as well and he is a big support in getting through all this. I'm really looking forward to being free of all prescription medicines and having my body go back to normal AND losing the weight.
Finally, I want to urge everyone here to tell their doctors about this. It seems that the really bad feelings peek at 3 weeks - which is when people finally start googling to figure out what is going on! I asked my doctor what to expect when I went off and she basically said "I don't know, everyone is different." It also sounds like most docs dismiss the possibility of weight gain and lethargy from going off the pills. It would have been nice to be told that I might experience depression (especially with my history). Now I know and I'll take extra good care of myself.
Thanks for the opportunity to post...I feel better already. I'll check back in and post if anything changes. Take care!
It's been a while since I stopped taking the pill and I thought about this site and how it helped me.
I was on the pill for 8 years and decided I wanted to stop pumping hormones into my body and go for something permanent. I stopped taking the pill right before I had my tubal and after 3 weeks noticed my mood changed drastically.
The symptoms lasted about 5 months and they were terrible. I thought the depression/anxiety/loss of appetite/lack of energy to do ANYTHING would never go away. But they all did. They faded and I'm still happy about my decision. I was tempted to get back on the pill after my surgery just to make all of those feelings STOP but I held on and didn't give in.
To those who read this site and wonder "when will it all go away??" Don't fret, it may su(k really really bad and seem to last forever but it DOES go away :-) My periods have been regular like clockwork and the cramps/pms aren't any different than when I was on the pill. Stay strong and know that it WILL get better! <3
I was on the pill for 8 years and decided I wanted to stop pumping hormones into my body and go for something permanent. I stopped taking the pill right before I had my tubal and after 3 weeks noticed my mood changed drastically.
The symptoms lasted about 5 months and they were terrible. I thought the depression/anxiety/loss of appetite/lack of energy to do ANYTHING would never go away. But they all did. They faded and I'm still happy about my decision. I was tempted to get back on the pill after my surgery just to make all of those feelings STOP but I held on and didn't give in.
To those who read this site and wonder "when will it all go away??" Don't fret, it may su(k really really bad and seem to last forever but it DOES go away :-) My periods have been regular like clockwork and the cramps/pms aren't any different than when I was on the pill. Stay strong and know that it WILL get better! <3
I can honestly say that this site has given me so much comfort today as I'm in the middle of a living hell. I was on Dianette as an acne treatment since the age of just thirteen; I had no idea how it worked, no one told me what the side effects could be, and when I started to complain about it by the age of around fifteen no one would help me. I'm now 18, and for the past few months I've completely changed as a person. I had been complaining of feeling tired on the pill for about a year, but suddenly one night out of nowhere I was lying in bed, totally relaxed and felt my heart beating like a hammer, later realising that I'd had a panick attack. These panick attacks came on with increasing intensity and frequency to the point where my mum would find me crying at the end of the day with exhaustion and confusion, but mostly complete fear. I actually went to A&E when one of my panick attacks got so bad I was going to do something silly to myself. EVEN at that stage no one questioned the medication I was on. I felt totally helpless (and still do to an extent, I just have to rely on time!) Anyway, after having panick attacks every day for about 8 weeks I stopped the pill completely through my own decision, out of curiosity - then, i googled Dianette and it's effect on the mind. I'm not saying this happens to everyone who takes it obviously, but MY GOD I couldn't believe how much I didn't know about the pill and how many people were in my situation. However, it's now been about 5 weeks since I quit the pill and I'm having different problems. In the first few days off it, I felt brilliant and thought perhaps I was returning to my normal happy bubbly self. The panick attacks stopped on their own, however they changed into anxiety attacks which were basically the same except my heart didn't palpitate and my breathing stayed steady...nevertheless these were much much worse because all you're left with is 5 minute episodes of thinking you've gone completely insane and your vision blurrs. These too are starting to subside, but now extreeeeeme fatigue has set in and I feel like a robot. I'm finding it hard to understand/respond to people, my memory is like that of someone 100 years older than me (short term memory that is) and I've got headaches which I've never had before. It's as if I've got the worst hangover imaginable but I've had a good night's sleep :S nausea and feeling like I'm about to be sick have been off and on as well. I'm sure this sounds like a load of made up paranoid c**p but it honestly isn't. I'm just wondering if I'm supposed to go uphill from here at some point?! I can wait a month, but not much longer. It's so destressing to think that I'm just 18 and already I feel like I've had enough - I know this isn't me but I can't do anything about it! I spent my big 18th birthday tucked up in bed with annadin. But the worst part is the fact I have nothing whatsoever going on that is actually DEPRESSING; no one has died, I'm not old enough to feel I've failed in life, I haven't got kids or responsibilites. In fact quite the contrary, but now I'm cutting out my friends because I don't even have the energy left to pick up the phone! Please someone tell me this gets better with time!!!!!! I hope that if anyone reading this is like me 3 years ago, you have the sense to stop the medication there and then, even if it's just making you feel very tired. No young girl should ever have to go through what I've been through without any help and I wish I'd found this website a lot sooner!
I just wanted to add here, after weeks on end of intensive research, that it's not just a lack of estrogen that is causing this....here is all the information i've found that could relate to a lot of your symptoms at the moment. Firstly just to explain that I was on Dianette, which contains Cyproterone Acetate, and the information below is about what happens when you suffer from immediate withdrawal from it:
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Withdrawal effects
Abrupt withdrawal of cyproterone acetate can be harmful, and the package insert from Schering AG recommends that the daily dose be reduced by no more than 50 mg, at intervals of several weeks. The primary concern is the manner in which cyproterone acetate affects the adrenal gland. Due to its glucocorticoid activity, high levels of cyproterone acetate may reduce ACTH, resulting in adrenal insufficiency if discontinued suddenly. In addition, although cyproterone acetate reduces androgen production in the gonads, it can increase adrenal androgen production, in some cases resulting in an overall rise in testosterone levels.[20] Thus the sudden withdrawal of cyproterone acetate may result in undesirable androgenic effects. This is a particular concern because androgens, especially DHT, suppress adrenal function, further reducing cortisol
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Now to put that more plainly, below are the side effects of adrenal insufficiency:
Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones (chemicals produced by the body that regulate organ function), primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production (a mineralcorticoid) which regulates sodium, potassium and water retention. Craving for salt or salty foods due to the urinary losses of sodium is common.
If not treated, adrenal insufficiency may result in severe abdominal pains, diarrhea, vomiting, profound muscle weakness and fatigue, depression, extremely low blood pressure (hypotension), weight loss, kidney failure, changes in mood and personality, and shock (adrenal crisis). An adrenal crisis often occurs if the body is subjected to stress, such as an accident, injury, surgery, or severe infection; death may quickly follow.
Adrenal insufficiency can also occur when the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, both located at the base of the skull, does not make adequate amounts of the hormones that assist in regulating adrenal function. This is called secondary adrenal insufficiency and is caused by lack of production of ACTH in the pituitary or lack of CRH in the hypothalamus.
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To clarify:
The person may show symptoms of hypoglycemia, dehydration, weight loss, and disorientation. He or she may experience weakness, tiredness, dizziness, low blood pressure that falls further when standing (orthostatic hypotension), muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These problems may develop gradually and insidiously. Addison's can present with tanning of the skin that may be patchy or even all over the body. In some cases a person with normally light skin may be mistaken for another race with darker pigmentation.
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So anyone that tells you its all a load of paranoia, or if your doctor insists that it's nothing to do with the pill (which has happened to me twice!) here is the evidence which seems to have been overlooked by the vast majority of healthcare professionals and institutions. It really is a disgrace! Good luck all.
[by the way all the information here is from wikipedia so look it up if you want to read on in more depth about the subject!]
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Withdrawal effects
Abrupt withdrawal of cyproterone acetate can be harmful, and the package insert from Schering AG recommends that the daily dose be reduced by no more than 50 mg, at intervals of several weeks. The primary concern is the manner in which cyproterone acetate affects the adrenal gland. Due to its glucocorticoid activity, high levels of cyproterone acetate may reduce ACTH, resulting in adrenal insufficiency if discontinued suddenly. In addition, although cyproterone acetate reduces androgen production in the gonads, it can increase adrenal androgen production, in some cases resulting in an overall rise in testosterone levels.[20] Thus the sudden withdrawal of cyproterone acetate may result in undesirable androgenic effects. This is a particular concern because androgens, especially DHT, suppress adrenal function, further reducing cortisol
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Now to put that more plainly, below are the side effects of adrenal insufficiency:
Adrenal insufficiency is a condition in which the adrenal glands, located above the kidneys, do not produce adequate amounts of steroid hormones (chemicals produced by the body that regulate organ function), primarily cortisol, but may also include impaired aldosterone production (a mineralcorticoid) which regulates sodium, potassium and water retention. Craving for salt or salty foods due to the urinary losses of sodium is common.
If not treated, adrenal insufficiency may result in severe abdominal pains, diarrhea, vomiting, profound muscle weakness and fatigue, depression, extremely low blood pressure (hypotension), weight loss, kidney failure, changes in mood and personality, and shock (adrenal crisis). An adrenal crisis often occurs if the body is subjected to stress, such as an accident, injury, surgery, or severe infection; death may quickly follow.
Adrenal insufficiency can also occur when the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland, both located at the base of the skull, does not make adequate amounts of the hormones that assist in regulating adrenal function. This is called secondary adrenal insufficiency and is caused by lack of production of ACTH in the pituitary or lack of CRH in the hypothalamus.
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To clarify:
The person may show symptoms of hypoglycemia, dehydration, weight loss, and disorientation. He or she may experience weakness, tiredness, dizziness, low blood pressure that falls further when standing (orthostatic hypotension), muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These problems may develop gradually and insidiously. Addison's can present with tanning of the skin that may be patchy or even all over the body. In some cases a person with normally light skin may be mistaken for another race with darker pigmentation.
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So anyone that tells you its all a load of paranoia, or if your doctor insists that it's nothing to do with the pill (which has happened to me twice!) here is the evidence which seems to have been overlooked by the vast majority of healthcare professionals and institutions. It really is a disgrace! Good luck all.
[by the way all the information here is from wikipedia so look it up if you want to read on in more depth about the subject!]