If any one of my esteemed DBrs has any input, I would be grateful. If not, this will be simply cathartic.

I have never had a problem with my weight. I have been between 125-130 lbs. (5'5") since I was in high school (1990-1994). I am a moderately active lacto-ovo vegetarian and try to exercise (run, yoga, free weights) and walk or bike to work (5 miles) about 2-3 times a week when I'm not um...having "girl problems."

After many years of having "girl problems" getting increasingly worse (meaning I'm in debilitating pain and mildly psychotic for two weeks each month), I finally went to a doctor, who changed my birth control from ortho cyclen (which I had been on for about 12 years) to Ogestrel for pelvic pain and 'suspected' endometriosis.

Well, I've gained 15 lbs in the past three weeks, with no noticeable change in the severity or frequency of 'suspected' endometriosis symptoms.

While this unseemly weight gain is rather upsetting, for the first time in my life, I am having difficultly with my 2.5 mile morning run. I have to stop several times, and I feel like I am not getting enough oxygen, which in turn makes me feel like I could vomit. Additionally, I feel like my heart is about to pound its way through my rib cage.

I dunno...I understand edema/weight gain is one of the possible side effects of Ogestrel...but is this cardiovascular sensation normal? Are these symptoms indicative of being "hypertensive"? My blood pressure used to hover around 112/75.

I know you're supposed to give your body a couple of months to adjust to new oral contraceptives, but I think I'd rather thin and in pain than fat, bloated and dead of a major cardiovascular event at 33...That and I can't afford a whole new wardrobe right now.

Comments, questions, suggestions and/or commiseration is welcome.

I got my hormones test results.

Apparently, I have total estrogen counts that are "100 points higher than a woman receiving fertility treatments"...somewhere in the 600s...whatever that means...Though it does explain the hypertension, weight gain, etc...

This result seems very strange to me considering I've spent most of my life trying to make myself infertile by taking birth control pills.

Being a girl kinda sucks sometimes.

The best way (I have found) to negate excess estrogen is to take progesterone.

Everyone is different. I take 1/2 of a progesterone based minipill a day as a full pill was too much and gave me SEs. But 1/2 works fine. I take some testosterone too.

Sounds like you should stop taking Ogestrel as that is a bc pill that is estrogen-based.

Thanks, Meonlyits. I am looking into just a progesterone-only pill.

Kinda freaked out to take any kind of hormones now since those estrogen levels were taken BEFORE I started on Ogestrel, and at the beginning of my cycle.

A girl that sucks sometimes is better than a girl who doesn't suck at all.

Nice.

I'll take that as a compliment from you, nephro.

And I always thought they had a more sophisticated sense of humor on the other side of the pond...

To set the record straight, I try not to suck too much, as it often results in marriage proposals.

What on earth gave you that idea?!

A teenaged obsession with Monty Python.

On second thought, perhaps surreptitiously perverse droll absurdist humor is more accurate...

"...nudge nudge, wink wink...know what I mean?"

You're a good sport, nephro.

You should have seen Benny Hill.

Ohhhhhhhh love me some Benny Hill


ummmm not that way...

BBB

I remember that show coming on late at night when I was 8 or 9 years old...someone told me that is considered vaudevillian-type humor. If that's so, vaudeville is ridiculous...but not the kind of ridiculous at which I would laugh out loud.

I am rather amused that a thread started about a problem with the female reproductive/hormonal system has devolved into a mutual appreciation of dirty old-man humor.

You guys need to get out more.

murbella

Don't worry; it isn't the first thread I've reduced to mere smut in a matter of seconds with no effort. It just seems to come naturally.

Hey nephro!

I just wanted to thank you. I've been cogitating on the wisdom of Benny Hill for the past few days, and it is probably true...despite my earlier protestations and a hasty reprimand...that a good toss is likely the best cure for all that ails ya.

Sounds like a reasonable, inexpensive treatment plan to me!

murbella