Loestrin symptoms and conditions

I'm 19 years old and I developed a DVT in my left leg, a blood clot. After some tests, I found out I had a genetic disorder, Factor Five (which is completely undetectable, unless tested). Loestrin increases your chances alone, it multiplies however your risk if you have this disorder known in Caucasions. If your family (even extended) has had a stroke, heart attack, blood clot, of if you want to be extra careful, please get tested before taking this pill. It is the estrogen in birth control pills that increases your risk.

I have been on Loestrin for about 6+ months now. I have a lot of the same symptoms as everyone else. The only thing that is different is that I'm not feeling psycho anymore...because I had my doctor put me on another medication to help with that. The name of it is Lexapro. It is AMAZING! I could tell a huge difference within the first week. I have never felt so rational, level headed, and normal before in my life. My husband loves it! We used to fight all the time. Now, it's only once in a blue moon. Lexapro works wonders, hand in hand with loestrin. As far as the extreme fatigue, weight gain, acne, etc. that I have, I don't know what to do. I haven't had a period in 3 months.

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 have been taking Loestrin 24 fe for over a year now. A week before my last period, I had a day or two of spotting. I wasn't worried about it until the day or two before I was due for my period, I ended up having more spotting. I started a new pack two days ago and I still have heavy spotting. I am just wondering if anyone whose been on the pill for a long time has experienced this or something similar. Every month or so, my period is either very light or moderate. I know this pill can cause whacky periods, but I am curious as whether or not this is just the pill or if I have something else to worry about. Any input will be helpful and appreciated!

I used loestrin for a little over a year. The first 6 months of taking this pill were great. I had a 1-2 day period which was wonderful. After 6 months I started with this abnormal discharge that was itchy. The itching turned into burning and everything down there would get swollen and red. I was tested for every STD there is and everything was negative. The doctor did find yeast a microscopic exam every time I was there. All these symptoms started in the second week of pills each month. I am now using the nuvaring and praying that the same thing does not happen with this. Did/Does anyone else have this problem?

Im 25 and i started taking the Loestrin after my surgery for Endometriosis in Oct. At first, didn't have too many problems, but it seems when I got closer to the bottom of the pack, I got sick and moody. Just though since I was about to start, adn after the surgery could be the after affects. Well, after reading everyones great information, I know now its from the pills. I never took any until all of this (endo). I took lybrel (which don't take that either, i bleed for two weeks) my husband and I live apart right now due to me finishing school, and you would think when I got to see him, I would be all over him... WRONG. now i know why. And lately, ive gained weight, (even though i started working back out) im crazy tired, i mean falling asleep at work and cant control it, and it doesn't seem to help if I get an energy drink. I get plenty of sleep. More then what I would be getting if I was up all night doing homework and was fine then. Just called my doctor and waiting for a call back. I talked to my husband, and since I have never really taken birth control now bec of the endo, we are going to ask if I can get off of it. Just havent had any good luck with birth control. Not worth the craziness. I really havent had the depression side of it, but again like others said, everyone is different, and Ive only been on it for 2 months. Ive tried the ring (horrible, kept falling out) and i have done the patch (which i loved until the news went around saying people were dieing from it, so i got off of it in 06, and haven't been on anything until now) so ill keep yall updated, good luck everyone on finding the right one, i think im going back to the old days, and say screw birth control....

ok so i have not noticed if the Loestrin has made me depressed or moody cuz I had that problem to begin with.I have been on the pill for almost 2 months. I started my period 2 weeks later and it was not that bad.Then i missed 2 pills and ever since i have had breast tenderness and even seems like i am lactating!not like producing milk but its there just the same its clear like it is in early pregnancy.I have been reading all these posts and everyone agrees on the tenderness but none has said anything about actually getting something out of their breasts. I have taken lots of preg. tests and all are neg.I assumed i would start my period last week but have not yet and I do not understand.My doc said my periods would be normal so why is everyone else saying their's are crazy?I am scared.Has anyone else had clear fluid from their breasts???

I am not too happy w/ Loestrin --- at first it was great, very light periods for 4 days, and I knew when they were coming, but in the last three months, like soo many of you, I haven't felt like myself --- I've had yeast infections that are crazy, and I've had chest pains, and now, abdominal pain --- my gyno thinks it might be either fibroids or an ovarian cyst --- 6 months ago, I was experiencing none of these things! I know it the pill --- I made a decision to take myself of it b/c I know my body better than anyone else, and get this, I just had my period last week, my second day off the pill, I am bleeding again.
I'm going to just use condoms and be diligent about it.

Hello I've been on loestrin since my abortion in may. I've been getting my period every month! October comes around and I didn't get my period @ all! So now I'm on the brown pills for this month and I'm waiting to get my period. I have until Sunday to see something! Haven't taken a pregnancy test yet but it doesn't feel like I'm pregnant! Had this same problem last year around this time and took 3 pregnancy test and all of them were negative. Hope my period comes asap. Other than that I haven't had all of the other problems associated with the pill.

so happy to have found this site! I have been taking loestrin 24 since mid July, making it almost five months on this medicine. IT IS HORRIBLE. to say the least. for almost a year and a half I was on NuvaRing, which surprisingly I liked, aside from the almost 20 lb weight gain and virtually no sex drive. Who needs birth control if you don't have a sex drive? So anyway, I switched to loestrin 24 in July. BIG MISTAKE. for the first few weeks of this pill I lost all appetite and hardly ate a thing. In the past few months I have been experiencing incredible anxiety, uncontrollable thoughts, and depression. This pill is messing with my head! It almost cost me and my boyfriend of two years our relationship because of the way it makes me crazy. I experience increased heart rate, especially when I wake up and strange leg cramps. I have always been funny, outgoing, and upbeat about life until this pill. This past weekend I was a social recluse and just felt like being alone. I cry over the littlest things and am so irritable when someone says the slightest things. I have been overly mean to my mom, sister and boyfriend over the simplest things. Something is not right with this pill. I thought I was just losing my mind until I read all these other posts. Thank goodness I'm not alone. I had an appt. with my OBGYN today, told her all my symptoms, and she gave me a trial pack of Femcon FE. I am very wary to start them because I have read it has very similar side effects to Loestrin. Has anyone found a good birth control that actually makes them a happy, normal person?! Jeeze, I am ready to swear off hormonal birth control for good! Please let me know if anyone has any experience with switching from Loestrin to Femcon? I just want to be my old, happy self again!

I have been on loestrin for two months and this is my last pack and I'm going back to ortho cyclen. This pill gave me headaches, acne, and depression. I went on it to lighten my period and it gave me my period every week and a half. It also lowered my sex drive and since I've been on the pill sex is sometimes painful. So ortho cyclen here I come

I'm writing in behalf of my 15 year old daughter who is trying loestrin24fe to get some relief from her back pain and migraine headaches (which she inherited from me). She had a full period after just 10 days and has had a non-stop headache since starting this pill that won't stop even with her migraine medicine. I know it takes time for bodies to adjust, each is different and the doctor says give it 3 months- but she is considering just stopping because her headaches are so bad. I'm just not sure she can hold out for 2 and a half more months to give it a good try. Her acne is a lot worse too. Moody- yes, this was another thing we were hoping the pill would help with but hasn't. I'm sure this site is biased for people having problems since if it's working okay- why look up information on it? In any case, 30 years ago the lowest dose pill made me depressed, I barely made the 3 month mark before I stopped and I thought it would be different now. I have spent years before and after having kids using an IUD, and for me, that has always been the greatest birth control!

I started Loestrin over one month and a half ago. I was put on Loestrin as a way to regulate my hormones and hopefully get rid of a cyst on my ovary. I hate these pills. I have two weeks left to go but have decided to stop the pills. My period was regular before I started the pills 6 weeks ago, but in 6 weeks I have had periodic bleeding at least once a week. My cycle was late and lasted 8 days compared to the 4 it usually lasts. Last week when I had an episode of bleeding (lasted one day) my back was spasming and cramping like crazy. I have never had back spasms or cramps in my back before these pills. I also have lymphedema in my lower legs and it has been acting up like crazy. I am having headaches that last for days. My emotions are also being affected. I will never take these pills again and I will think twice before taking any other pills. I am hoping that after a couple of weeks my body will return to normal.

I haven't actually started it yet but am seriously considering it. I been using normal pill BC and I have used the ortho evra patch before I got off BC to have a child. here is my story of why I want to try and for those who are still considering it.

First off, I usually get sick every month with the pill when I start a new pack, not all BC pill did it as I am on Loestrin now and on Yaz before that and they didn't make me sick, but they are lower doses. However, I loved ortho evra, it was great except for the sticky ring where lint get stuck on you from around the edges, but that was just a small negative for me. However, I got off it before all the controversy about how it has three times theh rate of blood clots forming than BC pills, so I am a little worried about going back on it and my docs don't really prescribe it either, and suggested the nuvaring.

Well I went on Yaz post birth and couldn't understand why I was so tired all the time, every one kept saying it is because you have a new baby but i don't believe it was that because my child is a really easy child who sleeps through the night and took her naps. i just wanted to sleep all the time and still feel this way even after switching to loestrin which is similar to Yaz. I wasn't tired like this on Ortho evra and my doc told me that the ring is similar in like the patch.

so I am sorry for all those of you who have had bad experiences and the only thing I think I can do is try it for myself cause, when something bad or negative happens everyone hears about it but that is not the case when something is good. Everyone's body is different and reacts differently to medication. So I am going to go ahead and try I think to see how it affects me cause I don't think I can get any worse and I am not ready to have another child yet. I am currently on an antidepressant for about 5 weeks now and still am having my constant tired wanting to sleep feeling, this is why I think it is the BC. Hopefully i won't have too many side effects but I am willing to give it a try as I do know women who have used it and said that they liked it.

Ok. I am really not sure what is going on. I am fairly new to birth control and Loestrin. I am taking birth control for my fibroids. I have been taking it at the same time every night (Except for last night...I forgot to take them) and I noticed earlier today that I am about to start my period, but I am still in 3rd week of the white pills. This is really crazy and I am not sure why I am getting my period in the 3rd week and I never know how long this will last. This is my second month on Loestrin and I thought that I would get my period during the brown pill days. Can anyone please explain... I have no clue what is going on with my period right now.

Wow and I thought i was the only one having issues. I've been on loestrin now 4 months. 1st month regular period, 2nd month had it twice in the same month not heavy very light spotty. Am not accustomed to not having a period my periods consist of heavy 10-14 days flow I would go thru a pack of overnights in about 3-4 days. Now this is month 4 and I was due to have my period 2 days ago and no sign. I've had leg cramps and spasm in my back the last couple of night didn't know where that came from. Mood swings my husband is having trouble with doesn't know if it's post parturm depression or from the pill. Am gonna give it 2 more months if it doesn't regulate itself I think it's not for me. Oh and I had hair loss the first 3 months. It started growing back recently. No migraines thank god. And my sex drive is like a yoyo one moment I want to rip my cloths off the next I don't want my husband anywhere near me??

I've been on Loestrin for almost 5 months now, but I'm still not so sure how I feel about it. Before I took the pill, I had 7 day long, heavy periods, headaches, cramps, vomiting- the whole nine yards. The first month I took the pill, I got my period as usual, but for about 5 days ( the 5 days I happened to be on vacation, fun). The next month, my period lasted about 4 days, the next month three days, and this past month I didn't get it at all. I have to admit, I was quite relieved when I read some of other comments with women also having missed periods, or no periods altogether, as I'm not ready for a mini-me quite yet. The only major problems I've had with this pill so far are severe mood swings, which my boyfriend doesn't appreciate very much, and the last few days I've had severe pain in my lower abdomen, which, if it persists, will force me to visit my gyno. Overall, I do like this pill, it's really toned down my migraines, which I've had for years, and seems to be quite effective at lessening my heavy blood flow and severe cramps.

I have been on Loestrin for a month now. I had breakthrough bleeding the 2nd week in for four days, wasn't bad at all. Then i had three more white pills to go until I went to the iron and i started spotting so i am guessing i got my period? I went on Loestrin bc i still had bad cramps and my period for seven straight days and headaches. I have had a headache for the past three days straight and ive been crampy and have had back pain. I will give this pill some more time. it was nice having just spotting as a period. To make sure I took a pregnancy test and it was negative. But i hope my migraines stop :[

I have read a lot of these responses and here and have noticed a common thread among all responses. This may or may not help.

You need to give any new pill a full 3 months before judging it. Your body needs to stabilize with the new hormones that you are giving it. It generally takes about 3 cycles to do so. ANY pill, whether it is Femcon, Loestrin, Yaz, Yasmin, or any other will have the same side effects. So, for that matter, will Nuvaring or other hormonal based birth control methods.

I had problems with Femcon during the first month as well, just like I did with Yasmin. The solution to the problem is giving it a full three months before making your decision. Anything else, and you are simply not making an education decision. Good luck ladies!

Tomorrow will be my last day of the first pack of Loestrin, but during my 3rd week I got a period. Is this NORMAL? I am not used to taking a daily medication and I forget to take it at the same time everyday, even though I normally try to take it when I wake up in the morning. I wear a panty liner because I have been spotting for the past few days, even after the "regular" period was over

I get very sick when I get my period, they are long and heavy, and I have digestion problems and intense stomach pains for at least 1-2 weeks before and the week of. These symptoms disappeared for a while when I was on Apri (desogen) but after a few months, they came back, and on top of it, I became severely depressed and had such bad stomach pains, I went to the emergency room (and you pretty much have to drag me to hospitals).

This last period was so bad though that I finally decided to take the sample pack of Loestrin that my doctor gave me a month or two ago. Just a day after I started taking it, my period ended and the pain and bloating was gone. This is day 6 and I'm fine so far. On Ortho Tri-Cyclen (my first pill) I had bad side effects the first few days and gained ten pounds in two weeks.

I'm glad these forums exist, because they helped me realize that all of the depression (including suicidal thoughts), stomach pain, hair loss, etc. etc. were side effects of desogen. All of those things that contributed to the worst summer of my life disappeared as soon as I stopped taking it.

On the other hand, I have to point out that there is no "good" pill or "bad" pill. The side effects will be different for everyone. Some women need more estrogen, some need less. Some need fluctuating amounts of hormones and some need the same dosage all month. Unfortunately the only way to figure out what is right for you is to try them, note your reactions, and research the differences between pills. I realized quickly that I needed a low, stable dose of estrogen, which led me to try Loestrin. Not saying things can't go wrong from here, but now I am aware that if I fall into some depression, anxiety, weight gain, or other weird side effects, it *may* be caused by the pill I'm taking.

Is the pill worth it? Again, answers will vary depending on your lifestyle. Are your periods manageable or do they cause you not to be able to get out of bed in the morning? Are they consistent or are you praying you're no pregnant every month? Are condoms working for you or aren't they, and is the 2% chance of still becoming pregnant worth the risk?

While I've had bad experiences with some pills, I'm just grateful for this BC option in general. Until they figure out how to make birth control pills for men (pshh.. that'll be the day) then it's up to us to research and maek the best decisions for ourselves.

Hey everyone, well things change in two days lol

Quick recap, i had been on orthocyclen for like three years and i finally went to a gyno and he said to try Loestrin bc i was still getting really bad 7 days periods. this is now day 7 of loestrin. I was doing fine till last night.

my roommates and I were having a few drinks, went to the bathroom and noticed that i was spotting. it wasn't heavy or anything. so when i woke up this morning i checked it. I just hope that it does this for the month.

I also made the mistake of having sex last night too so i am hoping nothing comes from it

I posted about four months ago with all my side effects from Loestrin. I was having terrible depression, anxiety attacks, horrible chest pain, tingling and numbness in my left arm, etc etc. All the same side effects that a lot of women are having with this pill. I switched to an older bc called desogen. I used to be on this one when I was in high school and had no side effects. I have been on the desogen for three months now. My issue is most of the emotional side effects have gone away, but I'm still having terrible chest pain and tingling and numbness in my left arm especially at night when I'm laying down. Does anyone have this problem? Any suggestions? My doctor said it would take a while for the Loestrin to get out of my system. But I'm worried it may have caused a more serious problem. Any comments would be helpful. We all need to show this site to our doctors. They aren't listening.

Hi everyone, I am 27 years old and tring to find a pill that works for me. I have fibroids and are prone to cysts... so if you read this, and I will try to keep it short and sweet, please any advise will be a great help.

I was on Yaz from January until June and had to switch because it actually gave me PMDD. I literally lost my mind. My doctor and I decided to try Loestrin. I have been on Loestrin for 3 months and two weeks ago I started having the worst cramps of my life. That friday I slept for 17 hours and woke up feeling terribly ill. Every and all symptoms you could think of, I have experienced it for two weeks now. The heavy bleeding (and Im a week early), the constant leg, back and stomach cramps, and fatigue are impacting my life. Im taking off work and won't leave the house.

Please, if there is any advice out there, Im listening because my doctor is not. Thank you.

I'm 23 and have been on Loestrin 24 for about a year and a half now. For the 1st month I was on it I was feeling really sick as if I was pregnant having morning sickness so I called my doctor and she said its takes about a month to get in your system so I should continue taking them, well after that month went by everything was great I got my periods on time every month they were longer than normal but I was fine with that, the pill even made my hair grow but about 2 months ago my period came but I was spotting for a day or two then last month I didn't have a period at all and I took a pregnancy test and of course it was negative but now i'm starting to get scared because since I started my period at the age 12 it has been normal and now all of a sudden it's gone and I know i'm to young to not have one at all, can anyone let me know if there going thru the same thing and what I should do. Oh yea I'm also experiencing the lack of sex drive my fiance thought I was cheating on him and was more interested in the other person (That doesn't even exists) LOL