Loestrin 24 Fe and medication

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.

I am 18 years old and have been on Loestrin 24 fe for over a year to regulate periods. I had not done much research before taking this and I wish I would've. At first everything was well besides the weight gain. My periods were short and I had no cramps. After a few months of being on this bc i was extremely moody and depressed. I was never like this before. I now find myself to be tired and exhausted even after a good nights rest. When I get to the brown pills in the end of the pack I get some type of period but not enough to call a flow or even to need a tampon. This is simply not the right bc for me. I'm glad i came across this site to see a lot of other people are experiencing the same side effects. I will be getting off of this nightmare in a pack just as soon as I get to an obgyn. Do the research before you start taking any type of bc.

i have been taking Loestrin for about 12months after swapping and changing due to un wanted side effects from others. At first it was ok besides a weight gain and a few spots, but over the last few months i have started experiencing chest pain, sometimes light headedness and anxiety attacks and i also have been getting frequent yeast infections! all of which ive never experienced before, i didn't even consider that the contraceptive could have been the route but its the only regular medication that i take. i have now stopped taking it and hope that it won't take long for me to get back to normal!

I have been on the pill for about four months and last month i missed one day of the pill and immediately got my period the next day, i continued to take my pills in the pack and only had very light spotting on the days of the brown pills, i am nervous that the medication may not work as well because i missed that one day and my period came early

well i have been on this medication for about four months and i did not start having problems until a month ago. I had my period on the right days but i started having a period every week. My mood changed, my sex drive just went away. I just don't know what to do because all of the other bc's i have tried just made me sick. what should i do?

Has anyone experienced hair loss on this medication? Since I started taking this medication, whenever i shower, instead of just a few hairs falling out like normal, there is at least 50 or more that get tangled in my fingers while shampooing...yes I have counted...not counting the ones that just wash away unseen...Im sure that this medication is the cause of it...Im just curious to see if anyone has had this happen???

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 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.

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 was on Loestrin 24 Fe for a year (after a year of Yasmin) and I just wanted to post this to be helpful to other women considering Loestrin because this medication obviously does not work well with everyone. But, I loved it. I did not have any side effects at all (clear skin, tiny amounts of cramping around PMS time, no mood swings, light periods, very predictable periods, no headaches, no pregnancy, one month of break-through bleeding). I am trying an IUD instead at the moment because I could not always remember to take the pill every day at the same time, but if the IUD does not work, I am going back to Loestrin (however I am going to ask for the generic because it is less expensive!).

I have posted earlier this summer my side effects with LoE 24. I began taking this bc pill in May 2007. I noticed that I was quite tired for the first few months but seemed to get past that. Several months after I began taking the pill I went into a depression. No one told me that it could possibly be the birth control. I was on anti-depressants for a while and finally was able to come off of them. This past summer I began to experience fatigue and was beginning to get very sad again and unable to sleep at night. These are symptoms of depression my family doctor told me. I decided to check this medicine out on the internet and came across this site. I'm amazed at the number of people who are suffering while on the medication. I asked my gyn. to give me another pill, which she did. I did not have a period with the LoE which was great, but the side effects I had were terrible. With the pill I'm on now I just have a light three-day period and have my energy and general feeling of well-being back. There are many choices out there. Don't get stuck with something that makes you miserable!

I have previously posted on this site about my experience with Loestrin 24 Fe, and decided I still need more insite and advice about this birth control medication. I have been bleeding for eleven days. Now it is very, very light and heavy in mucus. Is this a normal thing for the pill to cause? I began to take this B.C. because I needed to stop bleeding!

I am glad to find this site. For some reason today, I began to wonder if my weight gain (20lbs in 6months) may be due to this bc. I don't believe this to be a vanity issue. Many health conditions are associated with being overweight. As I began to read these postings, I began to realize that the anxiety,depression, lack of sex drive I've had may be related to this medication. No sure what I'll do now, but I think it's time for a change before I gain 20 more pounds.

I wanted to know if anyone got their period twice a month? I have a two and half month old. I didn't know if it was a side effect from the birth control or if this was normal after giving birth.

hi i have just started taking the pill and had a few questions that i cant find answers to. i started taking the pill about 2 months ago now (in the last week of june) and i was wondering how does it work with having sex. should i still be using a condom during the first 7 days of my period or what? i cant find this answer anywhere and i don't know. the loestrin website only tells you about your first month but not the following. also i got my period twice during the first month about a week apart, is that normal?

I am 25 and had never taken BC before in my life. Due to my love/hate relationship with condoms, I decided to give it a shot. My doctor prescribed me Lo24 because of the low amounts of estrogen. I started taking the pills 8 days ago. The first few days weren't too bad other than constant cramps, nausea, and super sore boobs. The last four were unbelievably unbearable. I was an emotional wreck and I cried hysterically a handful of times for no apparent reason. I was also really b*tchy (which I never ever am) and almost broke up with my amazing boyfriend whom I absolutely adore over petty nonsense. Worst of all experienced flu-like symptoms (hot sweats and chills), I felt terrible. I just couldn't understand how such a tiny little pill could have such a huge impact over my physical and emotional well-being. I literally looked in the mirror and asked myself aloud, "Who are you?" I couldn't understand why I felt and acted the way I did, it was like I was a completely different person at times, and I seriously missed "me." I decided I would rather abstain from sex altogether than subject myself and my love ones to another day of my emotional and physical rollercoaster ride. I had one of the most trying weeks ever because of those pills. I realize that everyone reacts differently to medication. My body personally completely rejected the drug, and my overall opinion of BC is severely tainted now. I just hope that now that I stopped taking them (today) that everything will return to "normal" again. Good luck ladies, and listen to your bodies, if it feels wrong, it probably is.

I recently began taking Loestrin 24 Fe because I actually stopped having my period. I have lost 80 pounds over the last 2 1/2 years. The Doctor explained that the weight loss had affected my hormone levels and advised me to take this pill. However, she also assured me that I would not gain weight. I have been taking the pill for two weeks, and I have already gained 4 pounds. I am a faithful Weight Watcher member and looking back over what I ate the past 14 days and how much I worked out - the weight gain does not seem possible.

Doing some independent research, this pill has the lowest levels of estrogen, supposedly meaning that it shouldn't cause weight gain like other oral contraceptives with higher estrogen levels. However, the scale shows different results and I also feel like I am retaining water. I don't want to appear "vain," but I have worked very hard for a very long time to lose 80 pounds. I do not want to see it creep back on because of medication, especially when I am only using it for regulation, not pregnancy prevention.

From reading earlier postings, I know some other people have had similar experiences. Did your Doctor change the type of birth control? Did you simply stop taking the pill and lose the weight? Does anyone have any advice? I really appreciate the help!

If you are just starting BC,

YOU MUST GIVE IT AT LEAST THREE MONTHS TIME.

BC is a medication. It's a man-made drug. Of course you will have side-effects and probably bad ones while you are just starting it. I really can't say that enough.

When I started Loestrin 24 Fe, it was my first time on BC and I had all the terrible side effects previous posters have had, especially breast tenderness. I had to wear a sports bra at all times, it hurt that badly!

But after that three month mark, everything improved. I stopped retaining water, and actually LOST weight. This pill has helped to regulate my appetite. My acne that I'd had for 7 years disappeared. My periods stopped being weeks long and now last only 3 days at most.

So, until we can create a BC Pill/Injection for men (wouldn't that be more practical anyway to begin with? Get someone on this right away!), we ladies have to endure Short-term side effects associated with the Pill.

I have been on loestrin 24 fe now for 6 months. it is the only birth control I have ever tried. For the first 2 months, I had a continual period. Once the bleeding stopped I noticed that I had UTI's weekly which have declined but I still have regular uti's. In the 4th month of taking the pill I started to notice the mood swings that have been with me since. Crying for absolutely no reason. The feeling of being unable to control my emotions. DEPRESSION! which I have never experienced in my life. Anxiety and wanting to be alone and yet sad because I am lonely....Inability to concentrate and reason with myself. Inability to be my normal positive self. Needless to say I am getting off this pill. I have already spoken with my doctor and received a new prescription today. All I can say is that if this is what birth control is like........ Forget it! I will try this one other pill, but if I still have symptoms like these, I am switching to condoms.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 2 years!! And I am finally getting off... and so happy to find this site! I have had to be put on Topamax because my migraines became so bad, which helped my weight gain (that I attributed to my own depression that I thought was my own fault!) I didn't even realize bc could cause depression but it all makes sense! I came on here to find out if Loestrin has been the cause of my SEVERE HAIR LOSS over the past year and a half! When I started taking it, I was also going through a stressful situation and thought that was the cause, but have now realized that my life is back to normal that something else must be causing it. I tried to get my Dr. to take me off of Loestrin about a year ago due to the EXTREME nausea, dizziness, headaches and fatigue that it was causing and he decided that I should just be put on Topamax because I was just a Migraine sufferer! What a nightmare. I can't wait to switch tomorrow!!

OMG. I'm 25 and I have been on this pill for a lil over three weeks due to heavy bleeding from fibroids, and irregular periods. I hemorrhaged when I was 15 and had to have 2 blood transfusions. So my OB/GYN put me on Lo24 to stop my periods altogether. In this short amount of time that I have been on this medication I have experienced heavy bleeding w/ severe clotting since the second day of taking the pill from hell with extreme cramping comparable to that of a miscarriage :( and the mood swings are terrible I cry for absolutely no reason, am extremely sensitive and irritable most of the time, can’t sleep through the night, breast are swollen and sore, and have already gained about 15 pads in this short amount of time. I was going to try and stay on it for three months for my body to regulate it's self but after reading many of your post I am not sure what to do. PLEASE ADVISE. Sad to say I feel worse now than ever before

When I first started taking bc I was 20 and just lost my right ovary and tube due to a cyst. I was on them for about 4 months to regulate myself before I started to not feel normal, so I stopped taking them. Then a little over a year ago I was on them again and the same thing happened, I stopped immediately. Now, I have been on Loestrin 24 for almost 6 months now and DO NOT like it. The only reason I was taking it was because I became sexually active and thought it necessary. The first couple of months were fine but the past two months have been terrible. I don't feel like myself. I feel depressed and anxious, I have shortness of breath walking up the stairs in my house; I'm 23 and healthy, I should not feel this way. I just had my annual visit and asked my doctor if bc can cause depression and she said ABSOLUTELY. You always need to be careful when taking any type of medication and if you feel like something is wrong, you’re probably right. You know your body better than anyone and will know when something is not right.

I am 34 and started taking loestrin 24 at the advice of my doctor cause I have really heavy periods and a lot of breakthrough bleeding mostly due to fibroids which has made me quite anemic. I was hoping this would help. I started Loestrin 24 about 16 days ago. On the ninth day I started breakthrough bleeding and it hasn't stopped! I feel like it's become a full fledged period! I just hope the bleeding stops soon. I have pretty bad cramps and backaches. I've been popping many advil. Also, my breasts are tender and they're definitely bigger (I liked my boobs the way they were!). As far as mood, the first week was fine, but I was pretty lethargic and depressed the second week. Starting the third week yesterday, my mood has been much better. It sounds like people have had success after the 3 month waiting. Me, I'm willing to duke it out for another month for the almost-nothing periods. But 2 more months of this I don't think I can handle. I'll let you know what happens

Does anyone suffer from interstitial cystitis? I've been on Loestrin 24Fe for exactly 12 days and have felt perpetual PMS symptoms, horrible mood swings, cramps, depression and bloating/weight gain. I swear my IC has flared up, but my doctor swears none of the symptoms I have could be a cause of it.

Hello!!
I'm 16 years old and Ive only been on Loestrin for 2 weeks but (like the girl before me) have been having this brown discharge. Does it ever stop??

I have been taking Loestrin for almost 4 months, the first month was filled with abnormal bleeding and then my acne had a turn for the WORSE. I got medication from my dermatologist and now thats under control, but as for regulated period- no, it just doesn't come or ill have a little spotting for a DAY and thats about it, it scares me because I don't want to think I'm pregnant since I don' t actually get a real period

PICAPEACH - I'm a little confused...you can have sex with as many guys as you want and you're not a slut if they wear a condom? How dumb are you? Make sure you sign up for some sex ed classes at Harvard...oh, and if you want to start debates over trying to prove how much cooler and smarter you are then everyone, they have other places for that. They're called chat rooms. Not medication discussion boards where people are trying to get help and advice. Seeing how ignorant you are it's my guess you slept your way to the top for that scholarship, its OK though, I am sure you made them all wear condoms.
Have a fabulous day!

The ups and downs. I have been on Loestrin 24 for 4 months now and it's been a real experience. To give a quick background so you understand what has brought me to this I will begin with my medical history (at least a brief bit of it)
I am on this particular medication due to severe endometriosis. Six years ago I had the Laparoscopic Surgery and two years ago they did a DNC and Balloon Ablation at the same time. According to my Doc this last treatment had been 100% effective for his patients and he was convinced it would for me as well. One full year after my DNC and Balloon Ablation I was still bleeding very heavily at least 25 days out of each month. For those of you who have or are suffering like this you will join me in saying that anything is worth a shot.
My last visit they did all the typical testing and ultrasounds to make sure everything was as it should be internally. They did another biopsy and everything came back normal. The Doctor then started to push a hysterectomy. I am not completely against that option but I am 32 years old and want to prolong something that definite as long as I possibly can.
So, on to the meds. After my first week on Loestrin I had suffered the following symptoms: bloating, severe mood swings, enlarged breasts, breast pain, anxiety, and the bleeding had not let up at all. I called my Doctor and begged him to get me a different medication and he asked me to give this at least three months to get in my system and that I may see changes if I could hang in there. I stayed on the meds and for the first full 3 months I wanted to toss them in the trash! The feelings of anxiety and depression were consuming me and to top that off I was suffering from insomnia as well.
I did finish the pills and started on month 4 and almost immediately I saw a change. ALL the side effects subsided almost like I had never had any. The only remaining problem I currently have is a very small weight gain. Approx. 5 lbs. But for someone who has struggled with endometriosis since I was 20, been to Dr. after Dr. and gotten the same doom and gloom story of what lies ahead for me and my poor reproductive system.... Well, this has honestly been the best result yet. I can and will live with the weight gain and I will happily take my 2 day period each month. I LOVE this pill. Honestly I would do it all over again to get to the point I am now. I can live a normal, happy, productive life and I have Loestrin 24 to thank for that!

Wow - so many of you with the same symptoms and side-effects I'm experiencing. I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen years ago with minimal side effects beyond slight weight gain during the first few months. With this pill, I feel like I've become a monster. I'm bloated and I've been bleeding for 9 days now (I started the pills the day my period ended, on the advice of my doctor. I began bleeding a week later and have not stopped.). I'm normally a very happy person, but in the 2.5 weeks I've been on this medication, my moods change faster than the weather - I go from happy to despondent over the smallest, most insignificant things and cannot be cheered up. I have constant anxiety. I've cried more in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last year. I get angry over nothing, and I feel lazy all the time. My normally above-average libido is in the toilet. Fortunately, my boyfriend is incredibly understanding and knows that the changes I'm experiencing are due to this new medication changing my body chemistry.

I don't want to be like this, though. I don't want to be angry, sad, anxious, lazy, or uninterested in sex. I don't want a month-long period for 3 months while my body adjusts. I'm not in the physical condition to be able to shrug off an extra 10 pound due to bloating, and I'm tired of popping Advil to deal with my cramps. Before I found this site, I thought maybe the symptoms would go away in the next week or so, but I've now decided I'm not waiting this one out - I'm calling my doctor and finding a different alternative. This is simply unacceptable.

Also, I know it has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the medication, but their website disgusts me. "Cammie's Story"? If they spent half that advertising budget on research to eliminate the horrible side effects of their product, perhaps the pill would sell itself.

Daughter 19 was treated for depression with 10mg of Lexapro for 4 months and developed every horrible side effect- seritonin toxic reactiom- stomach, headaches, insomnia, lethargy, nightmares, appetite, etc.. Weaning off slowly with increased side effects. Finally clear after two weeks of hell and Mono. Slept 10 hours a day, could not swallow, depressed by recent events but managed to go abroad for 6 weeks a month later and seemed much better. Just before she left she began taking Loestrin24 FE and has been on it for 4 months. She has been having a variety of abdominal symptoms, headaches, insomnia, cramps, lethargy, weight gain, nausea.mood swings. Of course she is having stess about her furure and her horrific recent experiences and is very sensitive to medication. A half of a 5mg. Lunesta knocks her out. The only medication she is taking is Loestrin24 FE. Tonight I decided to look up the side effects of this pill that she seemed to tolerate well (no breakthrough bleeding, shorter periods) and could this be the cause of her problems? She is going to a doctor very soon but now is off our health care plan (magic-19 and she left college) so we cannot run from one specialist to another. Anyone have any advice or similar experience?

First of all i am not allowing guys to do that, if ur not married an ur takin bc so that guys can go in u without a condomn, ur a slut,,, also
if what i said ofened anyone sry but, deal with it, i posted what i did because when i was researching the pill most of the comments were negative, and quite frankly a lil oversensitve and secondly do not talk to me like i am a child, i have a condition where i pass out 8-10 times a day and i have been phsyically abused soince i was 8, so ya i have a right to tell u to quite bitching and if u looke an the website most people who have bad side effects are fat smokers who are over sensitive im just sayiiin g state uur simtoms thats fine but dont complain cuz it could scare other people , and secondly whpo made u the post police

I think everyone here has to realize that they just had bad luck with the pill. every medication generally acts differently with everyone on the planet. i've been on loestrin for about a year now and ive had positive and negative side effects. i lost weight and my boobs grew. it had no effect on my cramps or amount of blood. it just changed the color of the blood to a brownish, and my boobs are sore sometimes. so im just going to go to my doctor and tell her. i think everyone here needs to realize you should just be able to talk to your doctor over the phone when something happens that you feel is not normal. ive called my gyno several times about side effects i was having. i see people on here posting about having these symptoms for over a year...so why not switch? come on people your doctor is there for a reason.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 since January. At first I was having my period for 2 weeks at a time. They were not heavy but still it was for 2 weeks. Then after a couple a months of taking the pill my periods began getting lighter and lighter until this month. I have not had a period this month at all. For one day I felt like I was going to start and I didn`t. I have really not experienced any mood swings or any other complications. I think like any other medication that you have to take everyday, your body has to get use to it. Also woman have to understand that no two bodies are the same. Everyone may experience a different symptom.

This is the worse pill ever. I suffer from anxiety depression constant mood swings and nervousness. The doctor is telling me that bc does not cause this that there is something else going on. I have a thyroid issue but all is well with that. He recomended I see a therapist so I did I honestly feel I am losing my mind on these pills the therapist told me to go back to my gyn, I and so tired of being bounced back and fourth I just want off of these pills everything was fine before I started them. does anyone else have this issue. These doctors are so quick to pass you on to other people

I hate this medication. I have been taking it for two months now and it has been torment. I do not recommend it at ALL. I don't even want my boyfriend to look at me, much less touch me. I have severe vaginal dryness since using Loestrin 24. I'm miserable. All I can say is I am very glad that I have a OBGYN appointment later this month so I can come off of it ASAP.