Dienogest and depression; anyone relates to this?
Hi everyone,
I wanted to share my experience and also ask if anyone's been through something similar, because I'm at a bit of a crossroads and feel alone in this struggle.
I have endo&adeno, and have been through 5 different hormonal contraceptives over the past couple of years trying to manage the pain. Every single one has caused the same pattern: severe anhedonia (losing interest in things I normally love — hobbies, music, studying, even just enjoying my own company/friends' company), a complete drop in libido, emotional numbness/detachment, and low mood that gets progressively worse instead of better the longer I stay on it.
In March, after about 3 months on Slynd, I hit a really dark point — unable to get out of bed, crying constantly, no interest in anything. I'm currently on Dienogest and I'm noticing the exact same pattern repeating itself all over again, just a bit less than month in.
My OBGYN has been supportive and we've agreed that if things don't improve within a month, we'll try something else. The next option suggested was Ryeqo (Myfembree), but honestly, after this many rounds of the same experience, I'm hesitant to jump straight into another 6-month hormonal treatment without addressing the mood side effects first.
The tricky part is that every time I've come off a pill, my periods have come back significantly more painful than before, and ibuprofen alone barely touches it. I have a trip planned in September and need to be able to function — get out of bed, move around — even on a bad pain day/flareup.
So I guess my questions are:
- Has anyone else noticed this kind of mood pattern repeat across *multiple different* pills, not just one?
- What has helped you manage endo pain during periods when you're off hormonal treatment or between treatments? I've already changed my diet and do acupuncture regularly, but those are slow, long-term things that don't help instantly.
- Has anyone looked into more targeted pain relief options, or medical cannabis, for flare days?
Really appreciate any input — this has been a rough few months and it helps to know I'm not the only one dealing with this.
Sending positive thoughts <3
I haven't had exactly the same experience, but if five different hormonal treatments have all affected your mood in a very similar way, I don't think I'd be so quick to assume the next one will be different. I'd probably want to take a step back with my doctor and weigh up whether the benefits are actually outweighing the impact on my quality of life. I really hope you find something that gives you pain relief without making you feel like you've lost yourself. I'd also be interested to hear if anyone has found good non hormonal options for managing flare days because this is such a difficult balance.
Thank you so much for your reply and your kind words!
It’s funny how you’re more understanding than any of the doctors I’ve seen so far. Surely now, after 5 failed (very awfully) attempts at hormone therapy, I can say that I def can’t tolerate it, and I don’t see why I should keep torturing myself. Of course, the pain is terrible (and so are the heavy periods), but I’d rather look for a solution to that than just suppress the symptoms and suffer devastating side effects. Every time I’m on hormone therapy, I feel so awful I just want to crawl out of my own skin. I don’t recognize myself at all. And in the long run, it can have terrible repercussions on my mental health.As for non-hormonal solutions, I can tell you that for now, acupuncture is really saving me (and it can help with mood, too). I’m also taking a supplement recommended by my acupuncturist, and it’s the only supplement that’s ever worked for my pain, even though I still need painkillers (less, though). I also know that the right diet(s) might help!
Sending you positive thoughts 🤍
Ive had that same horrible situation where the treatment is helping one part of the problem but making me feel like a completely different person. After a few different hormones doing basically the same thing to my mood, I stopped feeling like I should just keep pushing through and hoping the next one would be different. And I totally get why youre worried about coming off too, especially when you already know how bad the pain can get. Have you ever been offered anything specifically for the flare days rather than another daily hormonal treatment? That was something I found much easier to talk about because I didnt feel like I was choosing between being in pain and feeling emotionally numb.
Thank you for sharing your experience — it really helps to hear from someone who’s been through something similar. That feeling of being helped physically but completely changed emotionally is exactly what I’ve been and am still struggling with, and knowing I’m not the only one makes me feel a little less alone. I completely relate to what you said about pushing through different hormones and hoping the next one would be better. It’s exhausting, and it’s reassuring to hear that you eventually stopped feeling like you had to “tolerate” it just because it was the standard treatment (that, in some cases, obviously doesn't work).
The fear of stopping is real, especially when you already know how bad the pain can get.
And yes, actually, very recently I was finally referred to a pain specialist (after months of insisting and after five failed hormonal treatments). My doctors seem to have realized that hormones just aren’t a good option for me, especially considering how badly they’ve affected my mental health each time.I’m really hoping that working with a pain specialist will give me some alternatives for managing flare days without having to go back on daily hormones.
Thank you again for taking the time to reply. It means a lot <33
