Birth Control Pill and Menopausal Symptoms

I am 39 years old.  Have been on Ortho Novum 777 tri-phasal birth control pill for over 10 years.  For the last two years I have been taking Allegra for allergies.  My mother is 58 and starting going through menopause early at the age of 38.  In the last year I have started to get night sweats and later in the day an overwhelming rise in my body heat for short bursts of time (usually when I'm on the week of the green pills in the 777).  The last few months, these symptoms are coming when I'm halfway through the week before I start taking the green pills in 777.   My question is, could I be experiencing some menopausal symptoms when I reach the lower hormone levels of the pill and if so, what can I do?

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Yes, you could, but the only way to know is to monitor your blood level and to see a endocrine or gynecological specialist who can read and interpret all of the necessary tests.