Oral Contraceptive and drop in libido

Rogueish

I am currently taking the oral contraceptive pill Cilest for the last two years. While it does ‘exactly what it says on the tin’ my problem is that my libido has gone through my boots and beyond. I have also put on about a stone in weight that does not want to shift (I prob needed to put on 7lbs of it). My weight has stabilised at 60kg it doesn’t shift one way or another. My weight isn’t something I’m overly worried about as I’m 5ft 3 and it’s not noticeable to anyone but myself.

I know that in general my lack of libido is not helped by the fact that I’m working crazy hours but even on my time off I have no interest. I am 25years old in good health, am fairly to moderately active, my diet is pretty good, I’m in a long term relationship (recently engaged and living with my partner) and the bottom line is that I find my sexual apathy disturbing – is it a sign of things to come???

Previously I was on Femodene, I didn’t have the same problem with my libido but I had serious premenstrual depression (crying at the drop of a hat over nothing) and my breasts grew at a serious rate (the change in pill didn’t make them smaller either!). After discussion with my GP we changed my prescription but it took a good 3-6mths for my hormones to adjust to the new pill.

I know that another change in my pill maybe the answer but I really feel like crap while my body is adjusting. Are there any other options worth trying? Dietary changes, a multi vitamin supplement, more exercise, more sleep or just back to my GP for more trial and error with regards to another pill????

This is something I really don’t want to let slide so any suggestions would be welcome.

Bamboozled

Did you lose your libido around the same time as changing pills or has it been recent and close to when your work hours increased?

Some pills dont agree with some people and you just have to change around until you find something that suits you.

Cilest never agreed with me and i was almost psycho in the week running up to the pill free week. So much that my father took me to the doctor :eek:

Even if you chose to go back on Femodene, the manufacturers have stopped making it so you would have to try something else.

If your weight, loss of libido and other stuff you mentioned co-incided with the change in your pill, why have you waited 2 years?!?

If it didnt, then something else in your life is affecting you.

Either way a chat with your GP would probably be best.

Rogueish

Bamboozled wrote:

why have you waited 2 years?!?

Many good points bamboozled. I'll try to explain.

The thing is try to move home, set up a business, then get it up and running while holding down another 2 jobs and have a grown up relationship and then decide which end of you is up or down (my partner is also my business partner so double it x2).

I'm now at the stage where everything is starting to settle down, the honeymoon period of the relationship has ended - we can now look at what may be considered normal for us, the business is now at a comfortable stage, financially I am more stable and can ease off for a bit.

While you look and say two years, why on earth have I left it so long.... it takes about 6mths for my body to get used to a new pill, that gives me eighteen months give or take a couple of times that I ran two packs together (then take another month after for my body to adjust again) and it is very easy to put things on the long finger.

What I have noticed is that on my pill free week that my interest in sex is much more heightened - my bf has even noticed. So this has led me to believe that the pill may have an influence on my libido.

As for my weight nobody - not even my doc listens to me whinge or pass comment on my weight cos even though I have put on a stone I am still fairly slim, toned and in proportion. As far as my doc is concerned so long as my BMI is within a normative range what worries do I have. Even though my body fat has risen from 19% to 23%(last time I checked).

So instead of putting my body and mind through another 6mths of adjustment - cos I really feel like s**t during that time - is there anything to do to balance what I assume are the side effects of my pill?

DublinWriter

Are you my gf posting on the sly?

Only kidding, she had the exact same problems.

There's a number of different variants of the pill that you can take.

The key is to find a sympathetic GP and google around a bit yourself.

Bamboozled

Either change GP or talk to him until he understands. Though your weight isnt an issue through size, it has still increased enough for you to notice so he should be taking you seriously, when you combine everything, rather than thinking its a silly girly issue.

I understand how it can take 2 years now. Its pretty easy when you consider it.

Pardon me here, but i presume the pill choice for you is for contraceptive reasons, and not for painful periods or skin problems? You dont have to answer of course, but there is also the option of coming off it completely if you dont need it.

If it is for contraceptive reasons, have you thought of the alternatives? Has your GP even suggested alternatives? Cilest is a combined pill - has your doctor suggested a mini-pill to you ever? Regular birth control pills have 2 female hormones: estrogen and progesterone (Cilest is one that contains 2). The mini-pill has only progesterone in it. Because this pill doesn't contain estrogen, it may not have as many side effects. There's also Bi-phasic and Tri-phasic pills available which have different coloured tablets and different strengths of the hormones. There's so many variations out there that you should be able to find one that suits you. Since you've tried 2 types of standard every day pills which are both the combined pill and neither suit, you need to talk to your GP really and discuss the issues as a whole and hopefully he will see its not just some general complaint thing.

There's also patches (you stick on a patch once a week and leave it on until you need to change it the folowing week - but it works similar to the pill), IUD (lasts 1-10 years), and injections (Every three months).

If its not for contraception, then a change mighht be the answer again, but again you will need to speak to your GP. If you're not comfortable with this GP and he/she's not listening to your concerns, then you can always change GP and your new GP will request your records - the new GP will know of your history then so there's really no big deal to changing GP's other than "loyalty" patients feel when they've been with one for years.

There are alternatives there for you, if you think you can take the period of adjustment now when things have settled a bit.

Remember, that while it takes time for the new pills to get into your system, it also takes time for the old one to get out of your system, so your adjustment period is going to take some time. Even if you came off it, your body would need to adjust to not having it and clearing it out of its system. It can take 6 months to a year or more (its taken me 14 months and i'm still not sure i'm back to normal).

Good luck with it, whichever you choose but it really is time to speak to a GP about all your options.