Birth control pill symptoms and conditions

Hi Everyone, I am so happy i found this site. I feel just a little better that maybe this Femcon Fe is prob working the right way. Doctor had told me I has polycystic cysts on my left and right ovary so he put me on Femcon Fe. I am 30 years old and I was never on any type of birth control pill in my life (this would be the first time). I have been on this pill for almost a month now. A month ago when i went tomy GYN he had said that the pill would help stop the bleeding (prior to this I had been bleeding for maybe a month). A few days later I did stop bleeding but a few days before dec 26 I had been spotting (on and off). On Dec 27th I started bleeding (my period i guess), its Jan 5th now and I am still bleeding...and cramping (been cramping everyday). I feel as if I am bleeding a lot, been changing my pad a lot. I don't know if this is because I just started this pill and it may change later or what? I panic so much about things like this...is anyone having these same effects or had?

I am very happy that I found this forum because the extreme indigestion, cravings, and bloated feeling that I have experienced from Yas has been crazy. I have only been on this birth control pill for 1 week, but I have already begun to experience the side affects. I was on Ortho - Tri for 10 years but decided to switch when I developed fibroids. My doctor felt that it may help them remain stable. I am not sure that it is worth it. I am not taking any additional pills and will be calling my doctor first thing Monday morning.

Thanks to all for posting your stories.

I am a 31 year old mother of a beautiful 13 month old daughter. From the age of 15 to age 23 I was on a birth control pill (I do not remember which one...I think it was Ortho Tri-Cyclen.). When I decided to stop taking the pill at age 23, I noticed a HUGE change in my personality. I felt much better/happier and had an increased sex drive. Going forward, I decided not to take hormones if I could help it.

Prior to the birth of my daughter, we tried the diaphram with spermicide and I had a reaction to the spermicide. My boyfriend would lose his erection any time we tried condoms. I did try the NuvaRing (hormones) and HATED that; it made me feel like my head was going to explode. I ended up pregnant, had my daughter and, after the birth of my daughter, tried the copper IUD. My body rejected that and it was a bad experience. I felt like I had no other choice, but to try the birth control pill again. I approached it with a positive attitude and was hopeful.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH LOESTRIN 24:

Dear women and concerned spouses,

Today is the sixth day I have been on Loestrin 24. I started taking YAZ and had diarrhea so bad that I had to switch after day two of taking the YAZ product. On day three, I started Loestrin 24 and (like I said previously) have been on it for almost a week. I went from being energetic, happy and sensual to the polar opposite.

The signs of depression and anxiety were almost immediate, but I was trying to give it a chance. It is not worth it to me any longer, as I have been upset with my boyfriend and crying almost every day. You might think it is coincidence, but it is not. I know my body and my mind; this behavior is not me. I have not been reacting rationally and I have been extremely emotional. I am an emotional person to some degree, but this is REDICULOUS. I have a constant feeling of irrational fear in our relationship and severe anxiety. I am aware enough to recognize that these feelings are not natural and that something is wrong and the problem is NOT with me.

The first day I took Loestrin 24, I had the shakes and felt very cold. Anxiety accomodated these physical effects. The second day of taking the YAZ product, I noticed a cramp in my right leg. By the time I was into my second day of Loestrin 24, I felt an aching in both my legs and lower back pain...both of which have NOT gone away. My periond stopped by the second day on YAZ, but started again with the first pill of Loestrin 24. This may be due to a change in pills, but it has not stopped since.

If you or someone you know is experiencing sadness and unusual behavior, or even a relapse in depression, the birth control pill may have something to do with it. I have been doing quite a bit of research on all birth control pills and the effects of depression that they have on women. I am speaking from experience and, so far, Loestrin 24 has been the worst at causing me symptoms of fear, depression, anxiety and just an overall helpless feeling. These leg cramps have me fearing blood clots, as well. Some of the other women on here have noted these leg and back pains, as well.

If I could find a non-hormonal solution to birth control (other than abstinence) I would use it.

Some women do fine on the pill and, obviously, some do not. I say, "Give it a try!", but listen to your body and that little voice in your head telling you that something might be wrong...it is usually right.

Um I started taking Yasmin a month before I went to college, so I've been on it for about 2ish years now. I would say I have a lower sex drive, but I don't know if it's birth control or just me getting a little older. Other than that no problems, but I also started getting horrible hangovers when I started college too, which didn't ever happen before. I was wondering if anyone had notice that Yasmin and alcohol may cause severe stomach issues or if it just means as I got older my hangovers got WAYYYYY worse. I mean it's not just a normal hangover, my stomach hurts so bad I can't get out of bed. And it's not because I started drinking more in college, I would say I easily drink less now and no matter if I have 2 drinks or 10 I feel the exact same.

headache,nauseous,leg cramps, pain in my left breast, around heart...now, around each period my breasts hurt, and i have terrible stomach ache, like cramps, which i never had before..i also started having acne on my back and shoulders...but the worst thing is, my room-mate, she was using Yasmin for 9months, died a week ago. she wasn't sick at all.she actually did have a few headaches, and weird stomach ache, but we didn't seem to connect the two...

OH BOY... ok so i have been on Loestrin 24fe for a little over a year. haha. for the first 6 months.. everything was fabulous!! no mood swings.. no bloating .. weight LOSS... no acne.. it was the happy pill! also.. i had absolutely NO periods at all!! no spotting.. bleeding.. cramps. nothing! it was great. then.. just recently.. in the past 4-5 months.. i have been tired all of the time! it seems like no amount of sleep will satisfy!! i could sleep all day and still be tired! sex drive has definitely taken a nose dive.. and the bad part about that is my bf and i have a long distance relationship.. we only see each other every few months!! so when i am w/ him.. what do you think i wanna do?! but the sex drive just isn't there! recently.. i have started to have random spotty periods even on the white pills. and that makes me crazy paranoid that i am pregnant or something else is wrong.. even though i have taken my pill by alarm daily! mood swings.. OH man.. depression up and down. one day i seem fine and motivated to live.. the next.. i hate my life.. i am confused and all i want to do is lay alone in bed and eat chocolate. it sucks. i was so weird out and thought i was all alone in this.. but in reading this website.. i am so glad that i am NOT the only one in HELL with this whole birth control pill crap!

OH BOY... ok so i have been on Loestrin 24fe for a little over a year. haha. for the first 6 months.. everything was fabulous!! no mood swings.. no bloating .. weight LOSS... no acne.. it was the happy pill! also.. i had absolutely NO periods at all!! no spotting.. bleeding.. cramps. nothing! it was great. then.. just recently.. in the past 4-5 months.. i have been tired all of the time! it seems like no amount of sleep will satisfy!! i could sleep all day and still be tired! sex drive has definitely taken a nose dive.. and the bad part about that is my bf and i have a long distance relationship.. we only see each other every few months!! so when i am w/ him.. what do you think i wanna do?! but the sex drive just isn't there! recently.. i have started to have random spotty periods even on the white pills. and that makes me crazy paranoid that i am pregnant or something else is wrong.. even though i have taken my pill by alarm daily! mood swings.. OH man.. depression up and down. one day i seem fine and motivated to live.. the next.. i hate my life.. i am confused and all i want to do is lay alone in bed and eat chocolate. it sucks. i was so weird out and thought i was all alone in this.. but in reading this website.. i am so glad that i am NOT the only one in HELL with this whole birth control pill crap!

For me having the Mirena removed just last Thursday was the right decision. I was not using it for birth control but as hormone therapy for heavy, crampy periods. I had it inserted in July 2008 and bled every single day for the entire time, I had it removed last week and now I am bleeding very heavily but hopefully that will stop once all those hormones are out of my body.
While on Mirena I lost all sex drive, I became severely anemic and with that fatigued terribly, and moody, crying at nothing and screaming at my kids or husband for stupid reasons, I felt bloated and gassy and didn't have those problems before.
I am 42 years old and I hate my heavy bleeding in fact I want a hysterectomy, but not sure now what I will do.

For those of you who had the Mirena removed, how long did it take to stop bleeding afterwards? This is draining every last ounce of energy for me and I am taking iron supplements.

What sucks is the cost of this, Even with insurance I ended up paying a lot out of pocket to get this thing and then all the Dr. visits due to bleeding and side affects in the 4 months it was in and now the removal of it. I am wondering if there is any way that we can get a Class action lawsuit against Bayer for this horrible thing they are trying to sell to women.
I know there are some out there who have not suffered all these horrible side effects at least not yet or that they are aware of, but I truly believe that there is nothing good about this IUD and those of us and there are a lot of us who have suffered with this should be reimbursed or compensated for the pain and loss of parts of our lives and expenses with this. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

I was so amazed to see so many people having the same side effects as I am. I thought I was just stressed out from working full time, being a full tine student in college and a single mother of a 3 year old. I have not had this much acne on my face since I was in high school and I am 28 years old. I have gained so much weight that most of my old clothes don't fit anymore and I don't have the money to buy new clothes. My mirena was inserted in May 2008. After reading these blogs, I think I will get it taken out, but I would hate to get back on the birth control pill and I had a bad experience with Nuvaring too. I read in a magazine that what Mirena does is make the uterus uninhabitable for the fertilized egg to grow, so this means we are pregnant every month and pass the fertilized egg out with our menstrual cycles.

I had the Mirena inserted in December 2006. Within the first week I developed Bacterial Vaginosis that lasted until September 2008. I went to several doctors and each time I was given antibiotics or creams that only worked for 2-3 months then that disgusting smell would come back! I was totally depressed about this and wanted to take it out but I was enjoying the comfort of not having to take a birth control pill every night and decided to work at finding a solution. I did independent research and found a study where patients were treated with peroxide (3%) and it worked!

Now my only complaint major with Mirena is the length of my period. Though my period has a very low flow (pantyshields can be used only), it lasts for two weeks each time! I can't stand it!

I'm more emotional now, I cry at the drop of a dime but I can deal with that...I just wish my periods won't last this long! I've also noticed that PMS is more severe now, but I'm not sure if this is as a result of the Mirena or age - I'm 33. At least a week before my period I feel extremely emotional, angry, overwhelmed, exhausted and my thoughts are very chaotic. Wish there was something that I can use that didn't have all of these side effects and offered the comfort of not having to worry about taking a pill every night...

First few months on this pill went fine. On the 4th month I started with the spotting. By the time the 5th or 6th month rolled around I would have my period it would stop for a few days and then start again at mid cycle. I was getting two periods per month. This month I started spotting on day 15 and now 9 days later I'm still bleeding. I need to be on some form of birth control pill to control extremely heavy periods. Ok so I don't have the extreme bleeding anymore but I have my period all the time. I could live with spotting but this is full on break through bleeding. My doctor wants to try something new but I feel like a guinea pig. I just wish there was some pill that came with a guarantee. :(

My experience with Yasmin was very similar to the one posted by "vpompon19" on October 26th 2007.

I took Yasmin for only a month. The day after I started, I had those symptoms:

- Nausea that last day and night
- Complete loss of appetite.
- Extreme fatigue
- Sleeping over 8 hours and still feeling tired
- Brain fog - inability to concentrate on anything
- Irritability
- Hypersensibility - I would cry for nothing...
- Feeling extremely nervous and nauseous when I had only half a green tea!
- Heartburn (I suffer from acid reflux but it was almost gone until I started Yasmin)
- Depression

When i stopped, I had the most painful period I've had for at least 8 years.
Plus I immediately started an urinary tract infection (which I never had before).

Two weeks later I experienced unbearable back pain. The doctor told me I had a herniated disk but I didn't force or had any trauma so I was sceptical. It turned out to be mononucleosis!

So thank you not Yasmin for having wasting at least 2 months of my life (so far), not mentioning the fear I had a more serious disease... No more birth control pill for me ever. I took another brand (Marvelon) for 7 years, then I stopped one year and my Irritable Bowel Syndrome disappeared. But my acne came back (even though I took Accutane when I was 15 - which I'm sure is the cause of my uncontrollable acid reflux).

I found out there are natural, safer and cheaper contraceptive methods. Don't wait until your doctor or the education system tell you about them because you'll be dead already.

M.

I have been taking Yasmin for two months and have severe chest pain, a pain under my breast, diarrhea, and feel lazy.

I have been on Yaz now for a little over a year. I'm only 18 and I'm always exhausted and sore. My whole body aches almost all the time. Like most others on Yaz, I've been having really bad headaches on and off. I just found out today that the maker of Yaz is actually being sued because Yaz is such a dangerous drug. Exact words from the article: "ATTENTION: YAZ YASMIN PRESCRIPTION DRUG NEWS, On October 3, 2008, the United States government ordered the manufacturer of YAZ/YASMIN, a powerful birth control pill, to stop advertising that misleads the public regarding the value and safety of this drug. If you or a loved one has suffered a heart attack, stroke, blood clot, or death after using YAZ/YASMIN, please call right now. SERIOUS INJURY LAWYERS"

That's an article from Phillips and associates...Apparently this isn't such a safe BC.

I am not currently using nuvaring anymore because of a side effect I haven't really found anyone else experiencing. I would like to share my story and if anyone has had the same or similar symptoms please let me know because I am totally bewildered about it. I started using nuvaring after the birth of my daughter in December. I was on the ring for about one to two weeks. At first everything was fine but I started to experience very unique chest pains. The best way I can describe them is they felt like they were in the tissue and flesh in between my skin and my rib cage, and it felt like the area was being squished in a vice, and then my back would start to hurt alot. They first started about once every other day, but then got more frequent to the point when I stopped they were constant. I could not sleep because the only comfortable position was to sit down hunched over with a pillow on my stomach, with my back up against my headboard. My husband brought up the point that it could be the ring, and at that point I was willing to consider anything. I quit using the ring, and the pain stopped, for a little while. But it is still ongoing to this day. Although it only happens about once or twice a month, the pain is no less severe. I am sure it was the nuvaring or the ingredients in it that has triggered this because I have never had this problem before using it. Please if anyone has any advice or ideas, your help would be very much appreciated.

Not Good!!! I had nausea, depression, leg cramps all the way down to my calfs, gastro problems and bleeding for the first three weeks! Bleeding everyday and tired with bouts of depression. I felt like I was ready to start my
period everyday!! My concern was the leg cramps because I was worried about a blood clot forming as one of the side effects of the Birth Control Pill.
My right leg feels like pins and needles and somewhat numb. They scheduled me for a Ultra Sound and found no blood clot. I just finished my pack and im not sure if I want to continue. My Doctor says it takes 3 months to fully get into your system...she wants me to continue? I have used Camella & NuvaRing and those too gave me problems! This pill seems to be the worst of the three!!! I am 42 and never had a problem with BC in my twenties and thirties? Hmmm? I may have to go off totally! It's not a good pill for me and I feel that a lot of you have the same feelings...

L. Clearwater, FL

I am 40 years old and November coming will make it one year since i am on this pill, I had to take it due to the fact that when I have my period I would lose a lot of blood and that made me very anemic where my doctor wanted to give me a blood transfusion, so my OBGYN thought that I should take birth control to minimize the flow of blood which it did, but the cramps are unbearable and i keep spotting I also have anxiety attacks and I am wondering if the pill has anything to do with it.

I just started taking this birth control pill a month ago. I was on the depo for 14 years and found out it is not good for bones ( i little late for that ). I have not had a period in 14 years and now i'm just waiting to start my period. So now I don't know when i should have sex with my man and it be safe with condom. i have noticed that i have ance more,and headaches,ohhh a lot of stomach pain is thie normal?

I'm not sure; I don't feel like myself on this pill, but I've just been told that that is what a birth control pill will do to you. Do I just try to wait it out for a while or switch pills? All I know is that I'm tired of feeling like this, but if all pills are the same, then should I even bother switching?

Ive been on Yasmin for 3 months by which time it shouldve already absorbed in my system. Im 17 and the other day after 3 months of feeling ok but being diagnosed with mild depression and a hormonal imbalance; feeling ok but a little skirmish and over the past week, I got into the shower and nearly passed out twice. This was unusual for me because ive never fainted before and Ive never been dizzy. I got half dressed on the ground opened up the bathroom door and yelled out to mum. If you've ever seen a corpse's face, that's what mine looked like. I wanted to cry coz i was so scared but no tears came out. My legs felt weak and i wanted to throw up and i had a huge headache that lasted probably two-three days; i had severe abdominal/period pain and I thought I was going to die. On top of that I had to miss the day off school and mum had to take me to the doctors. The doctor told me that it was all just to do with Yasmin so she put me on a new pill called Levlen ED. I was so scared and i wouldn't wish this on anyone. If it happens again to me i may have to see a gynecologist. Please if there is anyone out there that has had the similar thing can you please let me know? xx L.

I have been on Yasmin for over a year, I have had no negative side affects. I really like it. I think that every drug affects people differently and I don't think a website like this should scare anyone from taking Yasmin. Take it, try it and if you like it then stay on it. Every birth control pill/IUD/ring or whatever out there has a website like that but there are tons of people who really like it and because they like it they aren't angry enough to get online and blog about it. Don't let these side effects scare you, make your own decision.

I was wondering if anyone knows if there is a class action lawsuit against Yasmin.

I started taking Yasmin last October and the first three months I was on it, I was bleeding every day. It was the first time I ever got on a birth control pill. I stayed on the pill for a total of 6 months until one night I suddenly had severe abdominal pain along with nausea. It went bad from worse and I was rushed into emergency room later that day.

My diagnosis was acute pancreatitis due to high level of triglycerides. The doctors ran a series of tests, blood, ultrasound, CAT scan, and X-ray, etc. Their conclusion was Yasmin caused the dramatic increase of my triglycerides, and ultimately caused my acute pancreatitis.

My triglycerides level was below 200 before I started taking Yasmin and by May this year when I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, my triglycerides was over 4,300!

After spending 3 weeks in hospital for pain control and being off food and water for a total of 2 weeks, I was able to go home and get on with my life. My doctor told me I should never take any form of birth control pills nor any kind of hormone. I stopped taking Yasmin since the day I was admitted.

If anyone knows of a lawsuit or a lawyer that is working on a case against Yasmin, please let me know.

Okay, I don't have any side effects, but I do want to know something important!
I'm 16 years old and i REAALLLY want someone (who knows about the Yasmin pill!) to help me out with this one. Tomorrow i am going to the doctor with my mom. I have irregular menstruation. Like 2 or one week before it's supposed to come. I also get cramps, which are just enough to hold out...But the thing is, i just want to get the Yasmin pill. I heard that it clears your skin (although i don't have acne or anything) and it can make your breast bigger.. I have like a A-cup and bigger breast are nicer.
But now I read these bad experiences and I'm just scared to start it.. But still i wanna try it, 'cause I can stop right after it starts to become bad, right??
Please give me a good and useful answer!

Thanx!
A confused girl

I have been on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for 9 months. I went through a major depression last spring. I was diagnosed with MAJOR DEPRESSION and went on anti depressants and on sick leave from work. Now looking back it seems there could be a link with the birth control pill. Around the same time I started taking it, I started having such bad MOOD SWINGS, ANGER control problems, ANXIETY and fatigue. I was always getting angry at my boyfriend and picked fights. No more sex drive either. I spoke to my GP, to a psychiatrist and to my pharmacist. I asked them "should there be a link with the pill?". Each and everyone said "no", "highly unlikely". Nobody suggested I try stopping the pill BEFORE starting anti depressants. I got a second opinion from a other doctor. THIS is what he said to me:" you'll be very depressed if you get an unplanned pregnancy." the thing is ladies, they DON'T WANT YOU OFF THE PILL BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT UNPLANNED PREGNANCY. THEY DON'T WANT YOU OFF THE PILL BECAUSE IT PAYS A LOT MORE TO PUSH PILLS THAN TO RECOMMEND OTHER METHODS (pharmaceutical companies giv big incentives and gifts to doctors). THEY DON'T ENCOURAGE YOU TO LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
I'm going off the pill at the end of my pack and am giving myself a couple months to see if I feel better. then I am going off the anti depressants.

I suffered from major depression last spring. The worse in my life ever, with a lot of anxiety.
I have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for 6 months. My main problems are :
LOW SEX DRIVE 9could also be from the birth control pill), SHORT TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS (a bad one), DIZZINESS.
My doctor felt that i needed to increase to 150mg because she thought i still had problems (like lack of motivation and negative thoughts): we started by adding 37.5mg extra. By day 2 or 3 of this increase, I was waking up constantly during the night, and felt extremely agitated. Like I would crawl right out of my skin. I couldn't lie still and moved about a lot in my bed, especially my legs. By day 6 of this increase, my anxiety was SO BAD, I was back to nearly the same anxiety I had in the spring before starting treatment. BE CAREFUL about increasing your dosage. TELL SOMEONE to watch if your mood changes and to take you to the ER if necessary. thank goodness I didn't need to go.
I now take fish oil (omega 3) and within a couple months of that, I noticed that my anger/impulsive and concentration seemed better. I am also going off the birth control pill this month 9ortho tri cyclen lo). I brought it up to my GP, to a psychiatrist and to my opharmacist that I was depressed and could there be a link with the birth control pills and they all said "I don't think so."; "no", "very unlikely". Well my major depression, MAJOR MOOD FLUCTUATIONS, anxiety and ANGER control problems all started with the beginning of the birth control pill.