Estrostep FE....Know Anything About It?

Generally speaking, they want you to take it within minutes of the same time every day. How realistic is that? Not very. My best friend takes hers sometimes 5-6 hours different...and she uses condoms...and hasn't gotten pregnant but that means little considering you may be incredibally fertile and she might not be. The 99.9% effectivness rate is based on perfect use....the actual number is around 96-97% effective. I would assume taking the pill at different times each day contribues some to this difference.

Anyway, why don't you just take it at the same time each day? I can get my time down to about 30 minutes either way.

how important is the time you take the pill?
hi all,

i am starting week 2 of estrostep fe today. i was on the pill twice, but it was many moons ago now, so i forget a lot of the common wisdom-- my question is: during this first week of estrostep i have been taking the pill around the same time every day, but within a three hour window. how bad is this? i haven't yet had sex without a back-up method, but i'm just wondering. The nurse at my doctor's office said that with estrostep a two hour window is harmless, but three may be pushing it. This makes sense, but now I'm getting nervous about even a two hour window, or hour, etc. Any thoughts? (an earlier post referring to a "pill baby" stopped me cold in my tracks...)

estrostep fe - weight gain
hi! just started taking estrostep fe after not using bc for about 3 years. I'm in week 3. I have experienced reasonably high levels of stress (although hard to say if this is not life-related). I have gained about 8 lbs... again, not sure if this is life/stress/i-hate-my-job related or bc related. I am 37 and pretty small, so weight gain not major issue from health standpoint but 5 pounds on a small frame (5'1", usually about 107 lbs.. now 116 lbs!!) is noticable and maybe noteworthy? Anyone?

Estrostep FE
I agree with you.........what to do?

I have to say - I am going into my third month on E - FE and I know I have gained at least 6lbs so far on a 5'2 frame. I am unhappy!!! My breasts have grown quite a bit - which sounds like it might be a good thing, but they are very very painful - to an aggravating point. I am also continuously lethargic, sometimes where I am about to fall asleep in front of people. Not good - especially with a career that requires you to be at your best wit, all of the time. I am almost 34.

I really don't want to go onto the 3rd month. I noticed myself getting stomach cramps recently...and numbness. Not sure where this is coming from. So I am freaking out.

Estrostep
Does anyone have any estrostep FE that they are no longer taking? It went up to $39! at the pharmacy, and I am looking for it cheaper. My insurance wont cover it! Can you believe they will cover viagra and not my pills!

Yes, sadly.

this is for the girl saying she is starting the 3rd month, with painful breasts, weight gain, tiredness and cramping. I have all of those symptoms as well. I actually bought a bigger, softer bra yesterday. I called my doctor today about another issue while I was at it I asked about the symptoms. She said that it was normal for the first three months. Thats how long it can take for the body to become accustomed to the pill. She said they often went away after 3 months along with other symptoms and spotting. So I think I'm going to ride it out for 3 or 4 months. I go back to my doctor after 3 months and I'll let him know if the symptoms are still there. Hope that helps.

I guess I am amazed at all these symptoms from what I gather is a very low level set of hormones. Millions of us took much higher doses for years and years. Not that none of us were cranky, but I am blinking at the plethora of symptoms from apparently borderline amounts of hormone.

I don't really understand it, and am just reading along.

Re: Estrostep


Call your doctor and see if you can get some samples. My doctor just gave me two months worth of samples!

She doesnt have any. She is on the same thing. Thanks anyway.

did anyone get terrible headaches during the first few days of their period? i am trying to decide if the completely debilatating (sp?) headache i had yesterday was from my allergies, which are terrible, or a side effect from the estrostep. i couldn't even get out of bed. and if anyone has had these, have they subsided after the first three months? i am just starting my third month. Thanks!

You might be getting migrane headaches which can happen around your period and from bc pills. Ask your doc because they may or may not go away.

HI all! im new to the forum i was doing a google search on estrostep fe and came across this topic... anyways i was using the "ring" before my doctor switched me to the pill b/c my insurance didn't cover it anymore. but so far its been good my periods are always on time and light and usually only last like three days!! so far so good i just have to get used to taking them at the SAME TIME every freaking day. but i have a question for everyone has anyone not had there period on time like it came a couple of days late? i ve been on the pill for three months now and this last month i was three days late(talk about bn freaked out) was just wondering if this has happened to anyone else??

My last period was a little late and very light. My period for this month never showed. I took two tests, both negative, and called my doctor. She told me that it was normal to skip periods on Estrostep. I'm thinking about switching brands. I don't think I could take the stress every month!

I have been on Estrostep Fe for 4 years, and it is common to not get your period at all. I have noticed that this happens most when you miss a couple of pills, and have to "double up". It is stressful! They should give out pregnancy tests with the pills!

I am in my third month too and I got headaches during my period. Last night, (this is the end of it) it was so bad I couldn't even see straight. Literally, I was dizzy. I do hope this subsides because I don't know if I can take that every month!!

I saw this on several websites...

This medication may cause dizziness, headache, lightheadedness, stomach upset, bloating, or nausea. If these effects persist or worsen, contact your doctor.

Notify your doctor if you experience: severe depression, pain in groin or calf, sudden severe headache, chest pain, shortness of breath, lumps in the breast, weakness or tingling in the arms or legs, yellowing of the eyes or skin. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

Hey, another question...Is anyone else starving?

I eat and eat and eat and eat until I feel like I am going burst and then an hour later I eat again. I am like a machine. And I don't have any specific cravings....I eat fruit, candy, chips, regular food.....whatever is available. I feel like I am eating my body weight in food every day. Is this just me or does this pill do this to anyone else?

I'm so happy to have found this forum.

I am 25 and have never taken oral contraceptives before. I have just started taking Estrostep a week ago (started my second week today). So far, the only thing I've noticed is that my face seems to have broken out in tiny whiteheads all over. I thought this was supposed to clear up acne? I'm wondering if anyone else had this happen. My doc suggested this pill partially because I already have mild-moderate cystic acne. But I had never broken out like this before. Other than that, I don't think I'm experiencing any other side-effects.

The headache thing scares me though. I have never experienced a migrane, nor do i want to! I usually don't tend to ever get headaches though (unless I'm REALLY hungry/tired/stressed), and even then it goes away within an hour or so on it's own. I will keep posting of my progress.

Thanks Bella for starting this thread.

First Month Misery
I am in the third week of my first month on Estrostep FE and I know the side effects are worse the first month but how frustrating to be experiencing almost every unwanted side effect...I am so bloated that I feel like I did the first trimester of my pregnancies and I have had breakthrough bleeding every morning for a full week. Anyone with encouraging words or similar experiences? I am so tempted to just quit but I have read over and over that the side effects may lessen and/or go away after a few months.
Sorry for being such a complainer but i hate feeling this fed up with my body..