10: Hormones Pt. 2-Jagged little pill

Further to my last post, it is interesting to reflect on my hormone treatment up to my early twenties.

As I said in my earlier post I began taking oestrogen when I was about 13 and 15 when I began taking progesterone. After a certain point I was put on the contraceptive pill (marvelon to be exact)

Now what may you ask was someone who is infertile doing taking 'the pill'?

Well for a kick off, the contraceptive pill is used not just as contraception but also to help women with painful/irregular periods and other gynaecological conditions.

Secondly the contraceptive pill is free whereas ordinary HRT involves paying not just one but TWO prescriptions (something about the oestrogen and progesterone tablets being two separate treatments). An MP tried to alter this in a private bill a few years ago and was unsuccessful.

I did feel somewhat self conscious going to the chemist to get 'the pill'.

However the main issue with the contraceptive pill as a HRT treatment is that is not the most effective treatment. It only gives you 3 weeks hormones in every month, when proper HRT gives you four months.This has significant implications, not least for issues such as preventing osteoporosis.


I had been taken of 'the pill' and placed on HRT in the early 1990's when I agreed to go on a research project run under a private clinic. This was done by the doctor running the project, not my consultant.

Several years later at a TS international a speaker said that HRT was better than the pill. Many of the women were on the pill and promptly got themselves on HRT!