Contraceptive Pill and Anxiety/Panic

[precious78]

Hi there

I was wondering if anyone has suffered with panic since they started on the pill? Namely the mini pill aka progesterone only.

I have recently been thinking that the pill that I have been put on has increased my anxiety and panic attacks.

Back in November time I was prescribed the mini pill and from december I started having panic attacks. At the time the Dr put it down to stress as we were burgled and there were a couple of other things going off. I believed them of course. Time went on and I started feeling desperate. I was so tired and breathless and my heart would race all the time. The Dr again said they were all symptoms of panic.

In March I came off it and switched to the combined pill. Strangely my mood lifted but at the time I thought it was because some of my anxieties had dissapeared. Then in May I had to take the mini pill again because I had started to get headaches.

The past four weeks or so have been a living hell. I have been feeling desperate again. Waking up and crying all the time. I have last week switched to a different mini pill to see if it makes a difference but I'm feeling the same still and wonder if it is the progesterone that is making me feel so awful and tired all the time.

Sorry this has been a long one but has anyone else suffered like this whilst on the pill and linked the two together?

[Cathy V]

I also reacted to Progesterone in the same way. Some years ago when i was starting with the peri-menopause and my periods were very heavy and prolonged, the doc gave me Norethisterone tablets (progersterone) and they were a nightmare for me with same symptoms as you describe plus a 'spaced out' feeling too.

I was eventually taken off them but the heavy bleeding returned so i had the mirena coil fitted, again progesterone, but they said because it was being released directly into my womb and not through my stomach and bloodstream i wouldnt feel the effects...wrong! Same symptoms and spaced out feelings, so at my own request it was removed after 18 months, but it really did reduce the bleeding so i was very nervous about the heavy periods coming back.

This time the doc gave me some pills called Tranxenamic Acid, which are normally pescribed for haemophilliacs to help the blood to clot and reduce bleeding, and they contain no hormones whatsoever. They were really good and no side effects which just proved that progesterone was definately the problem for me.

Obviously at this time in my life i didnt have to take anything for contraception as you do, but if you think the pill will always be a problem for you with the hormones, could you not discuss alternatives with your doc?

Hope this helps a little anyway
Take care
Cathy xxx