Perimenopause & LUPUS

[Vifi]

Hi all, I wonder if anyone can shed come light on this...

I have been recently diagnosed with LUPUS and I currently take the contraceptive pill (Ovranette) to help ease my premenopausal symptoms. I have also been prescribed HCQ since April.

The question is, does the pill cause LUPUS flare ups and is it better for me to stop the pill? The peri menopausal symptoms I was having were anxiety and night sweats, which looking back, was probably more to do with undiagnosed LUPUS at the time. Is it safe to continue with the pill? I know there is contradicting advice out there.

I’m happy to come off the pill bit and conscious of the anxiety returning.

Does HRT / pill help or worsen LUPUS symptoms?

Many thanks in advance

[Pickzie]

Hi there. There are oestrogen based and progesterone based contraceptive pills and I think the former is contradicted if you have high antiphospholipids (APS) alongside your lupus. My GP and rheumatologist would not prescribe HRT for me during the menopause with my lupus and APS. I would ask the question of your GP or rheumatologist to be sure for you.

[miccika1]

If the pill is mostly progesterone and only tiny bit estrogen, the risk is minimal according to my rheumatologist. However higher doses of estrogen are not recommended and could flare up lupus from what i understand

[puffyface]

I find that hormones...which seem to be all over the place right now (am 50 and I think in peri menopause) make all of my autoimmune symptoms much worse!

[Jumper99]

This is a combined pill so has oestrogen in it. Should not be taken if you have any history of blood clots and the patient info leaflet says do not take if you have SLE. Can you check your leaflet?

All my health conditions became worse when I got to being peri menopausal, it’s when I got diagnosed.