Alesse symptoms and conditions

Reading this has made me feel so much better. I have been off and on birth control since the age of 17- Loestrin, Alesse, Ortho Tri, Ortho Evra. With almost all of those, my body acclimated and I would start spotting. If I missed a pill by like an hour, I would spot. It was incredibly annoying. I wanted to try the NuvaRing because it sounded so convenient.

I have also experienced the increased anxiety, mood-swings, and the yeast infection feeling. I have had increased itching in that area, so bad that I have scratched myself. In order to keep my cycle normal, I'm keeping it in for a few more days, but I'm not going to use it again.

I am sooo glad that I found this website!!! I have had so many of these symptoms, unfortunately for a lot longer than some of you other women. I've been on Aviane for about a year. The pharmacy automatically gave it to me instead of Alesse. I have a very stressful job as a 911 dispatcher so I though most of the side effects were from stress. I read an article in a magazine about how birth control effects your sex drive and started doing some research..... come to find out its not from stress!!!! I called and made an appointment with my doctor immediately!!! Although she told me that the symptoms that I had aren't normally caused by birth control, she switched me to Ortho Tricyclen Lo. It has already made such a difference!!! The mood swings are gone, Im not overly emotional or angry or erratic. I don't explode at the drop of a hat, I feel soooo much more mellow and in control. My sex drive has come back in full force!! My husband and I have had more sex in the last month since I've switched pills than we've had in the past like 6 months. He too has noticed a lot of changes and definitely agrees with me that it is worth it to pay the extra money each month to have a good pill and have me feeling better. I wish I would have thought about switching birth controls sooner. Aviane is terrible!!! It will make you into a craaazzy person!!

I started birth control a couple months before I got married. I was on alesse and it made me rapidly gain weight. I went to the gyn and she ranted and raved about NuvaRing. I was excited to get off alesse and that I didn't have to remember to take a pill everyday.
The first month was great. I didn't feel the ring and some weight was starting to come off from the previous bc. I have been on it a total of three months and will no longer continue. I cry at the drop of a dime; I am bloated in my midsection as well as even more weight gain; I have zero sex-drive; When my husband and I do have sex, I am crying because it hurts so bad; I have terrible mood-swings; acne; bad cramps (I never have had cramps before); and not to mention, horrible headaches and even my first migrane!
I thought I was becoming a crazy person and have felt like my husband deserves better than me. Come to find out, that person he married is in there still, but hiding under drugs.
What other birth control has anyone gone on that works since the NuvaRing??

I have been on the NR for about two weeks nows. Since I started the ring I have noticed much nauseousness and stomach pain.. I like most other women have been extra tired and have experience a loss in sex drive, and much back pain. My ovaries feel like they were in a fight and lost. I was on pill BC ( alesse) because i used to experience a lot of discharge and he low hormones cleared it up almost completely, after three years on that I started having breakthrough bleeding and my doctor thought I should try the ring because she thought it was so good.. but the increase of discharge has been so heavy i have to wear a liner everyday. The past three days i have also been having mild headaches. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow.. Its good to know its not just in my head.. Good luck to everyone who has had bad luck with the NuvaRing

started Yasmin almost 3 years ago. my doctor gave me samples for a bit over a year because I didn't want my mom to know I was on it so I couldn't use our insurance and didn't have money (i was just barely 16). Everything was great. I didn't notice any weight gain, it didn't give me any acne, and I thought I noticed my breasts get a little bigger. When he ran out of samples, I went to a free sex health clinic because they sell packs for $5. They didn't have Yasmin so I took Alesse. just after a week of being on it, I started feeling really bloated and got a crazy amount of acne (I had never had acne before) and so at the end of the month I stopped being on it and took a break from birth control for 3 months. Then, desperate, I got Yasmin with my family's insurance and the bloated feeling went away and the acne got a little better. although, the acne is still there now, nearly a year later. i have been on Yasmin for the past 9 or 10 months (im guessing) and i still have some acne. it is not horrible, but really annoying because i am sure i would have never had it if i hadn't switched to alesse. also, since i tried alesse, my hair and face gets greasy really fast and constantly have to wash it. i think i may stop taking Yasmin at the end of this cycle and take a break for a half a year or so to try to get my body back to normal. any suggestions?

Yeah I don't know why physicians just put us on this Aviane because its "cheaper" than Alysse. Mine told me it was basically the same thing but it's obviously not because I've been breaking out in zits like crazy ever since I went on it. I also got harsh mood swings, intense fits of anger (broken furniture can attest to this) and it comes completely randomly; one tiny thing can set me into a fit of rage. I had previously been using Alysse since I was 16 (I'm now 22) and it worked perfectly - didn't have harsh breakouts, my moods were normal, didn't gain weight. I've been taking Aviane for more than six months now and the zits (which are often huge and painful) haven't gone away :( I wash my face day and night, haven't changed my diet at all... So I can only assume it's because of hormonal changes - which only leaves Aviane.

I'm definitely switching back to Alysse - hell I'll pay the extra five dollars if it means a clear complexion and my/my boyfriend's sanity!!!

I was really happy that a little light went off in my head and I decided to research Aviane and Alesse. I have suffered from depression in the past and that is why my family physician had prescribed this low dose birth control. As I am approaching menopause years this was intended to level out hormones as I was beginning to experience increased troubling and symptomatic times of the month. I am only half way through my second packet and I have just experienced the worst week I have had in a long time. I didn't want to get out of bed, I am desperately sad, anxious about the future, crying uncontrollably, and have had an outbreak of pimples the likes of which I have never had in my life. Oh, did I mention hot flashes? I thought the tightening waistband was the depression and inertia, and I thought the depression was due to the regular suspects this time of year; lessening daylight hours, ANOTHER birthday on the way, dysfunctional Christmas to mention a few. This was no regular bout of seasonal depression I realized while crying last night for Will Farrell's hard luck in Taledega Nights.

I've just returned from the pharmacy and the pharmacist agrees with my decision to stop taking the pill immediately and contact my doctor first thing tomorrow. I hope there is an alternative pill, but after the week I just had I think I can put up with a day or two or bitchy rather than an entire month of being a fat, cranky, pimply, curled up ball of useless.

Thanks for having the information available, it seems like there are more stories than not about what I have experienced.

I just found this website tonight and I cannot even tell you how much relief I am feeling right now. I was on Alesse for over 2 years with zero side effects. A few months ago my pharmacist told me it switched to Aviane but that it was basically the same thing. Here is what I have been experiencing since I started taking Aviane: weight gain, COMPLETE loss of sex drive, headaches, brown blotches on my face, mood changes, changes in my sleep patterns and hair loss. I was seriously concerned something major was wrong with me, especially because I was on Alesse (the "same drug") for years with no problems.

Thank you to all the women who posted on here. You are definitely helping out so many women who aren't sure what's wrong with them.

My pills are now in the garbage and I am phoning every girl I know who was on Alesse to warn them about Aviane. I'm so angry that I was misinformed, and I honestly thought I was losing my mind, or severely ill.

Now that I've read all these postings, I feel like a million pound weight lifted off my chest. I am so excited about my mind and body returning to normal!

Thank you so much for your post. I as well, was switched to Aviane (as it's cheaper) and have noticed a HUGE lack of sex drive. I'm in my "sexual prime" and couldn't understand what was going on. My fiance actually thought I was cheating on him because I'm just never in the mood. I haven't noticed a bitchy side to myself but as well have been bloated and couldn't figure it out as I've been eating better. Just the other day I told my fiance that I'd go on the net to see what I could find out about Aviane and man am I shocked. I only wanted to see what the different ingredients were in Aviane as opposed to Alesse. I just got a 3 month refill but will no longer be taking these after this package is done. Thank you all and hopefully many more women will see our posts and realize that they aren't going crazy...it's their birth control pills that are changing their lives.

I am so happy that I found out what was going on with me... I've been on NR on and off for 2 years. Last year I decided to go off of it for a few months. The symptoms I was getting were:
- No sex drive
- Headaches
- Mood swings
- Uncontrollable anger surges
- Cramping
- INCREASED breast size
- Pain and burning after intercourse
I stopped for 3 months.
the first month, I was ok, got my period at the right time but then, it took 2 months for me to get another period and I was PMS-ing for about 3 weeks.
I then decided to go back on NR just to get a regular cycle. All symptoms came back. Plus now, I end up with MONTHLY vaginitis just before my period. I took a test with the gyno yesterday and she found out abnormal levels of Fungi in my secretions and prescribed fluconazole to get rid of those.
I am thinking of going off it again but NR has the lowest hormones count on the marketand I have a history of not reacting well to other birth control pills (Cyclen, Yasmin, Alesse).
thanks everyone for sharing.

Sorry to repeat this post, but I wanted to make sure people know about it. I replied to a 19 yo who sounded perfectly ok with being on this pill, and it made me shudder. Here's what I told her:

I was looking for information about class action suits against the makers of Aviane, and I ran across this web page. When I saw your post, I just had to respond. Who knows, it might save your life.

My 17 year old daughter was on Alesse, then Aviane ( the latter for over a year) for a total of about 2 1/2 years, for acne. On Nov. 19, 2007, she was alone at home, and did jump roping for exercise. After jumping for about 5 minutes, she collapsed. Over 2 hours later, her brother came home, found her barely responsive outside, and called 911. She had had a stroke. She was in the hospital for 1 month, in rehab for a month, and then came home. It's been a horrendous nightmare. She couldn't say more than 1 or 2 words for a few weeks, and spent about 3 weeks in a wheelchair. Gradually, she learned to walk again. Now she walks pretty well, but she still has almost no use of her right hand. She can't move her fingers at all except for a weak grip. For you medical folks, it was a left MCA stroke. Her cognitive function was massively affected. She is relearning speech,math skills, writing, etc. All of her friends left her, except for one who was very negative, and an alcoholic. Finally, we encouraged her to let that one go, and make room in her life for some quality friends.

There's much more to the terrifying journey that this has been. We feel fortunate that she continues to recover. I wish someone had warned me about the pill. I thought only fat, old, chain-smoking people got strokes. Now I know better.

If any of you find out about a class action suit against this company, please let me know.

Thanks,

WH
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I have been on Aviane for about 6 months now, and hating it! I took Alesse for four years with not one problem. Same case as everyone else, I got switched to Aviane as it was "the same" and cheaper. I thought I was turning into a crazy person the last few months! I am very easily irritated, and snap at stupid things(never the case for me) I have TOTALLY lost my sex drive and have gained weight. My poor boyfriend has had no idea what to do with me and my irrational behavior and lack of desire. I am seeing my Dr. next week and asking to be put specifically back onto Alesse. Aviane is NOT the same as Alesse as is obvious by all these comments! Stick with what you know and don't let them switch you to generic versions of birth control!

i started aviane because of horrible cramping, i would miss class because i would be constantly crying, not sleeping, and uncomfortable bloating. also the protection of pregnancy benefits. ive never been on a pill before.
i am in the middle of my 3rd week of aviane, alesse's generic. i only see my boyfriend during the weekends bc of distance, and -before- i started i had great sex drive, and never had a problem getting in the mood.
since beginning aviane, i have had cramping, like during a period for the majority of being on it. i have no sex drive whatsoever and cant even get wet after hours of foreplay, and that's never been a problem.
i take my pill at 8:15, and ive only been about an hour off twice.
im also a lot more easily angered and stressed, crying over stress and crying when getting yelled at which i usually don't do so easily, not being able to stop crying
i cant exactly call my gyn. because im not planning on going back to her, we didn't get along, and i don't know what to do..
i also think im beginning to get a yeast infection, and i haven't had sex at all since beginning the pill so i do not think it could be anything else.

Hi, I have been on Yasmin for 2 years now. I didn't like what it was doing to me and so went off it. I didn't get back on it for 7 months, my reason for getting back on it, my PERIODS STOPPED for the whole 7 months I didn't take the pill. I really don't know what to do. If I get off it my period stops, if I don't Im cranky, irritable, low and hardly have any sex drive. The doctors just say its normal. I don't even want to see the doctor anymore sice they don't do anything about it. Ive had it

Hi Ladies- I promised I would post to let you know how I am doing WITHOUT Aviene. I posted the Sept. 10 comment entitled Thanks ladies because I felt your posts have helped me.

I stopped taking the Aviene on a Thursday and all side effects stopped and no new ones occurred. All is well, I enjoy life without being a freak show.

In a DAY AND A HALF WITHOUT AVIANE MY HEALTH RESTORED.

I mentioned the 20 pound weight gain within a few weeks, by the following Tuesday I lost 9 pounds and today is the 26th and I lost 15 pounds. No anxiety, no irritation, no face issues (in a week it cleared up), no mood or energy issues, no excessive thirst, burning of eyes, chills, fever, rashes, itchy -nothing. I was allergic to it and my body wasn't breaking down the coloring agents etc whatever the hell is in there b/c it's not like you get a box or product descriptions. This isn't personal comments, I spoke with pharmacists, doctors, doctor friends, nurses etc. I work at a hospital I have great resources to share with you.

Whatever your side effects are, let's do this. Let's listen to our bodies, listen to experiences and draw your own conclusions.

I know my body, I know myself, and I know my life changes, mood changes, physical changes were due to this pill.

Please consider when being worried about what will happen if you quickly go off it that the consequences of staying on it are more severe. For me, and for many of us, the side effects didn't stop but kept adding and if you are reading this and are just curious or feel something is off with you do not take it any further. I am sharing that I am not a sensitive person and do not experience side effects... and I completely broke down physically and mentally from the amount of side effects and had to self defend.

Many of your comments helped and let's face it if you read that some ladies lost their hair... come on... obviously something is wrong with this pill.

Take care ladies, my sincere hope is that my post will help you, as you have helped me.

So you know, I went back on Alesse and all is well. My drug company didn't cover Alesse but ALESSE HAS A PATIENT CARD FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE AND FOR THOSE WHO DO BUT THE COMPANY DOESN'T COVER ALESSE RATHER THE GENERIC AVIANE. Your patient Alesse card you get will cover the difference that your insurance company may not. I paid $ 2.89 for my monthly prescription which is less than if the insurance company covered it. Check with your pharmacy location site if they participate in the program and it is not hard to find one that does.

You may not like Alesse, I can only share my experience with Aviane that did make my life a living hell. Happy to be OFF it!

Please take care and self defend your situation and reach out to those around you.

I have been on Aviane since January. I started taking it for extremely painful cramps that induced vomiting and dizziness. I wasn't taking it for birth control, acne control, or anything else. It worked wonders for my cramps. I had a regular period, no spotting, and no excruciating pain. That being said, the rest of my life was awful. I break out like crazy, put on a little bit of wait (nothing to really complain over), and worst of all, I have been in a hazy slump since I started taking it. I wouldn't say its been depression, but it is definitely a fatigue that I can't shake. I don't care about my friends or boyfriend or family until something or someone makes me aware of my blatant rudeness and apathy and then I burst into tears and cry for a whole day. Its awful, and I plan to not start the new pack on Sunday. I'm cutting birth control entirely and hoping it will change things. Has anyone else done this? I'm kind of scared of the side effects of stopping...

Ladies! I think it is wonderful that we are sharing our experiences here and helping one another. I felt it is necessary I share my experience as well. Thank You to all you ladies who have posted. You have helped me.

Got Aviene from my pharmacist saying 'it's same as Alesse, it's cheaper and the drug company covers this versus Alesse.' How dumb of me not to research this despite the fact this came without a box and instructions.Where is this made? Read up on it etc... things one would do BEFORE trying something. I did not do this and this has cost me.

I noticed changes as you all say you did as well. I have been taking the pill for 3 months. I work out as much as I can so about at least 3 times a week, I had a energy loss, I felt in an unexplainable way, just tired and irritated by the day. No, this is not normal for me. I got a great deal on a scale and stood on it and couldn't believe a 20 pound weight gain. This was not exactly a surprise since my clothes don't fit well and I am very uncomfortable. However, this still didn't make sense b/c I have breakfast and it's not junk, toast coffee or eggs with it or serial. For the last 3 months I made healthy lunches, I cooked ahead so took fish, chicken, rice, whole wheat sandwiches, orange juice, water, milk to work. No junk, no pop, no over eating. Had fruits and veggies. I was glad I was keeping up with this but to gain weight from it? I have a full time and a part time job keeping me busy and this life style, what I did for the last 3 months always included weight LOSS not GAIN. I am pretty pissed about this. (Of course, I am on Aviane, we are all pissed off, haha but not really haha right?) I have major issues with my face, considering I am using the same wash... no change...Anyway.. you're all seeing something doesn't' make sense. I have actually had bloating. Major bloating. 3 weeks. Never had this before. I took over the counter aid, that did help. I am 30 I never took over the counter aid.. let's not mention what I took but it helped.

Listen everyone, get off this pill. I will never take this pill again. I have 4 left this month and forget it I'd rather get my period tonight and anticipate change to occur.

On my way home, as usual of late, I tried to figure out WHAT is wrong with me. In conversation with a cooworker I mentioned the 20 pound weight gain and all and she said 'so much in such little time?' I was thinking about it on my drive home... I am at 2 new jobs and have stress but... to gain this much... and it dawned on me. I CHANGED MY B.C. It HAS TO HAVE something to do with it. I came home and goodled. You can't find anything on Aviane but negative comments. You go on Alesse... oh! a company website at least shows up.

Thank you Ladies... I believe I am having the same reaction as all of you did and I do sincerely Thank everyone for taking time out to post. You have helped me and I do think this B.C. is the reason for my current state.

I'll post in a week or two and then after a month to provide an update.

Take care Ladies!

I started dating my now husband over a year 1/2 ago & started taking Alesse for 6 months. I had no bad side effects & everything was great those 6 months but I didn't renew the prescription because remembering the pill everyday is a hassle... Dumb mistake! I got a 3 month trial of that new NuvaRing thinking it would be great not to worry about the pill. Wrong again, I had the worst breakouts. mood swings, numbness in my face/arms & total lack of sex drive brought on by constant pain during intercourse with painful tenderness lasting days after.... So I asked to be prescribed Alesse again but the pharmacy ended up giving me this Aviane since my coverage is for generic. I don't know how to explain it really, don't know if it's just the switch but I my period lasted about one day. First it was dark (nearly black) hardly blood at all but congealed! Than later that night I had some cramping & a flow of blood. That was it. The next morning I woke up to find my labia majora was painfully red and swollen. (Now I have never been sexually active before my husband and a few months after we started having intercourse I asked him to get checked with me & both came back clear so as far as I know there is nothing unknown that can be causing this!) I am going to call my doctors office today & hopefully speak with a nurse... In the meantime I refilled my prescription for Alesse & will dish out the extra money..

My birth control journey (including Nuvaring) has been horrendous. I was on Alesse for several years when I moved to a different country where it wasn't available. I went on Yasmin for 3 months and proceeded to gain 15 lbs. of weight I had worked really hard to lose only a few months before. I was depressed, moody, and nauseous all the time. My doctor then put me on a different pill which made me so nauseous I would sometimes vomit in the first week of the pack, then when the nausea subsided the PMS and moodiness started. Again I researched birth control options and heard about Nuvaring. I asked him if the lower dose of hormones would help and he said I should try it. 4 months later, during a routine medical exam I was told I had EXTREMELY high blood pressure. I had never had high BP before. I couldn't figure it out, I had my kidneys tested and they were fine, my diet was healthy, I just didn't understand until I took it into my own hands and googled it. It clicked that it was the Nuvaring. I took it out and have never felt better. I feel less bloated, my mood is amazing. I am having my BP tested again in 2 weeks and only hope that it's gone back to normal. I am NEVER returning to hormonal birth control methods.

I only just started taking it (Avaine) yesterday, and everything is fine so far; nothing out of the ordinary is going on. I'm 19 years old, healthy, have mild acne around my period and usually terrible cramps and mood swings, I don't know if this will benefit me in those areas or not yet. We'll see though, from what I've been reading this might not turn out so well but I think I will keep an update going on here when any side effects or benefits arise.

I was on Alesse for a couple of years and didn't realize how much side effects I had. Terrible mood swings, extremely irritable, anger, headache, some days just felt I was completely drain even tough I didn't do much. Just way too much emotional. I nerver tough it could be the bc pill. Just tough I was plain coucou until my pharmacist got me on Aviane.Wow, I mentally stable again!

i have been on aviane now for two months almost, i am experiencing acne breakouts again..... i have always had acne and been taking medication to help control acne.. i also was on alesse acne not to bad had been on it for almost 2 yrs... then pharmacy switched me to aviane and my skin is always blemished with pimples never clear, i don't like this bc pill at all.... anyone experiencing frequent breakouts since making the switch to aviane? also not to mention that my legs feel heavy most days the calf prt anyone ?

I was switched from Alesse to Aviane in February due to my drug plan's preference for generic drugs. I have experienced serious bowel problems specifically inflammation and extreme pain. It is interesting to note the issues that others have had with sex drive as I have suspected for some time that Alesse (and I continue with Aviane) that it was affecting mine. I have also noticed a that I am much quicker to irritation and anger in recent months.

I used Aviane for a month and a half now and I see nothing wrong with it. It did not make me sick, I THINK I did notice a swing on my mood while I was on my period not a serious one but I was more emotional when Im usually not - hopefully it was just a bad week but other than that this pill did not affect my emotions towards more positive or negative. I did take Alesse for the two first weeks and they made me sick the first week where I felt like puking up and just sleeping all day - I was worried to go on the pill again, but Im glad I picked this one its a close form of "Alesse" but this one did not make me sick or feel any weird up and downs towards my emotions. Also my period came right on the 2nd non-active pill and stopped 1-2 before I had to start the active ones again. It doesn't mess up the cycle which I was also happy about! Anyway try it out I think it work great for me!

I was on Yasmin for 3 years, and just got off it a week ago. I tried 3 different birth control pills before Yasmin, but I cannot recommend any of them. The side effects of the first pill (three-phase pill) were more visible in a short period of time - weight gain, moodiness like crying or feeling edgy for no reason, BV, and decreased sex drive. Because it was not tolerable, after 3 months of this pill (I cannot remember the name), I switched to Min-Ovral. It was better in regards to weight and moods, but I had no sex drive. Also I had several yeast infections (following the initial episode after use of antibiotics to treat BV) after I had sex. After about 6 month of this, pill I tried Alesse but nothing changed. After 6 month of Alesse, I changed to Yasmin. The side effects include
(1) zero sex drive (affected relationship with my husband)
(2) yeast infections and bladder infections (never had either before)
(3) migraine (2-3 times a month, sometimes with nausea)
(4) anxiety (not severe)
(5) fatigue or low energy
Migraine was so bad that I was wasting my time just suffering from pain 2-3 times a month, 1-2 days each time, my husband suggested I should go off the pill. Now I've been off Yasmin for a week (2 weeks including a week between packs) and I've seen 'side effects' getting off the pill.
(1) feel like my head is going to explode - feel pressure in my head
(2) fatigue and sleepiness - can't concentrate
(3) weight gain 6 lb in a week!! while my diet or exercise did not change
(4) bloating especially on my lower stomach
I found this web site and had to post my experience, although it is still too early to tell. I think I will see a doctor if these side effects persist for a month, and will update the post here.
Thanks for reading, and I hope we will find a good solution somehow.