Loestrin 24 Fe and pills

hey...ok so this is my STORY!....
MY FIRST BC PILL WAS ORTHO TRYCYLEN LO. IT WAS GOOd but i started to notice that i was feeling like a rollercoaster.. so i decided to go to my gyno...she changed me to YAZ(HORRIBLE PILL) IT MESSED UP MY HEAR VALVE..I WAS TO ANXIOUS AND GOING CRAZY NOW I HAVE A MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE..WHICH IS COMMON BUT I HAVE ALL THE BAD SYMPTOMS ....I ENDED UP GOING TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BECAUSE IT WAS TO EXPENSIVE( NO INSURANCE) THE CARDIOLOGIST GOT ME OF OF YAZ AND SEND ME TO A GYNOO... WELL THEY ENDED UP PUTTING ME THE IUD (COPPER)..HAD TO GET DILATED AND IN TO SURGERY (I WAS TO SCARED) THE FIRST MONTH I WENT CRAZY STARTED VOMITING IT WAS HORRIBLE THE SECOND MONTH I BLED FOR THE WHOLE MONTH.....GOT TIRED OF IT AND WENT TO A GYNO N GOT IT OF IT WASN'T TOLERATING MY BODY....GOT ON LOESTRIN 24 ON MY THIRD WEEK OF IT I MISSED A PILL TOOK IT IN THE MORNING HOURS PASSED AND STARTED BLEEDING TOOK THE SECOND PILL RIGHT AFTER THAT...I STARTED BLEEDING WITH FOR PILLS LEFT..NOW II DIDN'T TAKE THE IRON PILLS AND STARTED THE NEW PACK THINKING IT WOULD STOP IT...BUT NO! TODAY IS MY SEVEN DAY BLEEDING WITH HEAVY CLOTS.. HEAVY BLEEDING... AND LOTS OF CRAMPZZZ ...I NEED HELP ....I THINK IM JUST GOING STOP ..TAKING BC! I BEEN THROUGH HELL THE PAST MONTHS!

I'm 18 years old. I am only sexually active with one boy whom I have been with for 3 years. I had some spotting before my my brown pills, but I never started my period. I am now on another pack and still haven't started. I am usually late. Does anyone else have this problem?

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 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....

Hello everyone.
I started taking this pill in September...for the first month I was a nut case. I had terrible mood swings, crying and getting mad for no reason at all and severe depression. Everyone around me hated me...I hated myself.I knew this was not me. My symptoms were so bad my boyfriend didn't want to be around me and eventually broke up with me because he couldn't handle what the pills were doing to me. 3 months later (now) I a feeling wonderful and back to who I know I am...feeling normal again. If anyone feels like these pills are making them crazy...stick it out if you can. Periods are short...sometimes even 2 days for me. My face is clearer than ever and hardly have any cramps before of during my period. But remember...everyones body is different and responds to new hormones differently. Things will get better if you are weary about it.

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

My OBGYN put me on this pill to regulate my period. I have had prolonged period lasting 2 to 2 1/2 weeks in the last four months which caused me to be anemic. I am 32 and this is the first time i have used a bc pills. I am on my first trial pack and on my second week of using the pills. So far, no extreme side effects for me. The only thing that concerned me is that I am experiencing breakthrough bleeding, which from reading some of the posts here, is quite normal. 2 days after taking the pill, my period did stop. Then on the 3rd or 4th day, I had light spotting and now i seem to have a light period. I did feel cramps as well but nothing too painful. What bugged me the most is the gassy, constipation feeling. But other than that, no extreme emotional symptoms. Other than the breakthrough bleeding, I still have to give my bc pills a chance to see if it really is working.

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???

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!

Wow this page has helped me so much! I really thought I had lost my mind! I started these pills 2 months ago. I'm not sexually active but have very severe periods due to an ovarian disease. My OBGYN thought birth control would be the best choice. At first everything was great the cramps(which lasted 3 weeks out of the month for me) were gone! my mood did change. I've always been a very happy person and all at once I was this mean crazed person! I couldn't think about anything without feeling mad or angry or just wanting to cry. Then last week I got my first period after taking the pill I was in shock because I didn't even know it was coming. 4 days long I was so happy. I was off my period Wednesday and awoke Thanksgiving morning with the worst pain I've ever felt in my entire life. I went to the ER and they thought it was my gallbladder I've been having tests done all week. Well Sunday I got my period again!!! It's so much more intense then I've ever had in my entire life! It's now day 5 of my second period in 2 weeks and I was talking with my grandmother when she suggested maybe the whole problem was my BC. I read the little info pack the pills come with and was in complete shock. I decided to look up side effects and am so glad I did. I'm calling my doctor first thing tomorrow so maybe finally something can be done. Since I started this pill I've lost my appetite and been tired and bitchy nonstop! But with not eating I've gained weight! It's horrible!! SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE! Good luck to everyone else whose coming off of the pill or just started it!

Hey so its me again. I talked to my mom a few days after making my last post on this site. We decided I should stop taking this pill because even my mother began to notice the change in me. Its been a few days and I'm still feeling the symptoms.

Anyone who had a negative experience and stopped taking the pill, how long did it take for things to turn normal again?

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.

forget it! don't let it pass your lips! i am 38yrs old and going through a very stressful time in my life. my periods have always been regular and short. a couple of months ago i started experiencing 2 periods per month with the most recent one lasting 20 days. ugh! gross! my doc put me on this pill to regulate and stop the bleeding. started taking it right away and my period stopped almost immediately. a few days later i would start again with heavy bleeding that would last for about 6 hours and then be completely gone. a few days later, the same thing. this went on for 3 weeks. now i have started a full blown period and have another week and half until my brown pills. as mentioned i am going through a very stressful time in my life, but i am not a person to suffer from depression or be emotional. i always see the silver lining and can make the most of any situation. i eat healthy, i take care of myself. my sex drive has always been through the roof. i am in the prime of my life! now? i am tired. i am gloomy. i could care less about social engagements. i am negative. i have weird discomforts in my calves and abdominal area, i cry over spilt milk. sex? seriously? who cares about that?! if i could lay in bed all day, eat chips and dip, drink wine, cry and watch mindless tv ... life would be grand. this is not me! also, i get pimples in places i never thought possible -- my arms and legs! ew! my doctor wanted me to take this pill for 3 months. not a freaking chance. my other option is to get an ablation. i've known several people who have gotten this done and have never heard nor read anything negative about this procedure. bent over today with heavy (non due) bleeding and cramps, i just called my doc and said, "screw your pill, ablate me."

Hi everyone,
I started taking these pills about a month ago and am just about done with my first pack in a couple of days. Like many of you, I felt MISERABLE when I first started taking these. For the first 10-12 days, I had head aches everyday, along with mood swings, and really bad cramps. I almost stopped taking them. I even called my Doctor and she gave me the same old thing about my body needing time to adjust to them and that she wanted me to continue taking them for another 2 months. ( Total 3 months) before she considered switching me...
Well, after about the 12th day on the first pack I started feeling A LOT better! I was so relieved! Everything is back to "normal" for me and I have not had any more problems. I just hope that it STAYS! All I can say for everyone out there, is that I guess everyone is different. If you have only been on this for a few days/weeks and want to give up, just try to stick it out a little longer and maybe things will get better for you too! I know it is hard, but I am now glad that I did. I would have hated to get on another brand and have the same thing happen to me on that one!
I hope that if this is not the pill for you all, that you find something soon to relieve all your symptoms!
Good Luck!

I am 17 years old. I started taking this pill on October 13th, 2008. I had just finished my cycle and went to the OBGYN to do a check up because my last sexual encounter had left me bruised and hurt. I also wanted to start taking birth control again. She put me on this pill and by the next day I was bleeding again. The blood wasn't heavy, and it was dark and tissue. My mother and I didn't think anything serious of it because I had just gotten off my period so it wasn't weird that old blood would still be flowing from me. The next weekend, I was hanging out with the guy I was seeing and some friends. We went to our friends apartment to watch a movie. The boy and I were sitting outside and he began to ask me questions. I got really paranoid and protective and almost completely shut myself off from everyone. Even though the questions were simple and friendly, they made me moody and depressive. for the rest of the night I was upset. I could tell that the boy was unhappy with my mood change so I tried to be happy. But almost immediately, I began to feel depressed again. My mood was so different that the boy ended up leaving me for another girl because "he realized it would never work out between us."

I bled for the remainder of my first month pack. I had severe mood swings similar to the ones I get right before my period, all month. After I took the four brown pills, my bleeding stopped and I thought that would be the end of the mood swings too. And for a while, it was. I started my second pack. I am currently in the second week. I missed my pill yesterday, and when I woke up this morning, I was bleeding again. I took my Monday and Tuesday pill together and I hope that will stop the bleeding.

I have no way of knowing if the mood swings are from the pill or if I am depressed from the break-up. I haven't had a loss of sex drive (although there is no way for me to really test that considering I haven't tried to have sex since I have been on the pill) but I have had a change in appetite. Because this is my senior year, I am usually able to sleep from 10:00 pm until 7:00 am but lately, my fatigue hasn't change but I have been unable to sleep soundly through the night. This could all be due to my recent relationship mishap but I can't help but feel that I am handling this differently.

The depression comes and goes. For the most part, coping has been easy. I have been a lot more relaxed about the relationship situation than I would normally. But I do get sad. And when I get sad....its unbearable. I considered suicide and almost made an attempt. It was an out-of-body experience unlike any I have ever felt. I don't want to wait for the sadness to come again.

I want to stop taking this pill but the doctor says that by the third month the symptoms should even out. I hope so

I know I just posted a really long post but I also have a question. Warning the question is kinda nasty and personal. To any reading that is willing to answer: When I get my period now (since I've started the pill) I don't bleed regularly. The only way I can describe it now is the blood looks like Old blood and to me it is just disgusting. I was wondering if anyone else had had this issue....?

This is my first month on these pills. So far I think they are great. My cramps before were so bad I had a prescription for vicodin, now they have disappeared. I haven't had any break outs, and I use to be able to tell when my period would start because I would break out. My moods have been better than ever!! No swings or depression. I started these pills from microgestin to control my fibroid. I'll right back in 2 months, but this pill works for me.

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. :(

I started the pill about 2 months ago..and wow do i regret it..when i first started it i had migraines that lasted for hours..i mean before i used to get them but it was when i was stressed out or something but they would go away..i barely ever got acne on my face and now i have huge red pimples that last for days on random places on my face..i have gotten my period like 3 times already and it sticks around for so long..lately i been feeling like everything in my life is wrong like no matter what i do it just gets worse..i don't even go out on the weekends anymore because im so tired..i sleep about 12 hours a night and im still tired..i go to the doctor and they tell me im fine that my immune system is fine and theirs nothing wrong with me..so i came to my conclusion that its the pill..its caused for me to be so moody that my relationship with my boyfriend has hit the worst..and now to top it off i started getting some weird rash type of marks on my body that tend to look like hickeys fading away..i got the last 4 pills to go and im done with them...i took them for 2 months and thats it im going to to try a different method..depression and anxiety and fatigue are not worth it..
so for most girls reading this blog think twice about it before taking this pill and if right off the bat you start struggling with these type of symptoms i recommend you stop taking them.

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 just want to thank all of you on this blog and other blogs. I was going to start this pill for pms and pmdd. I feel like I have the flu when I have my period. I am so exhausted. Bleeding is not so bad, cramps could kill me but thank god for alive and Advil. I started to get headaches about 2 years ago during my period or a few days before and sometimes the aleve and Advil don't help it even though they help my cramps. I am a group fitness instructor and don't want to feel sick or be unable to teach my classes. But after reading the side affects that could happen forget it. About 20 years ago( i was 18 then) I was on pills and had severe panic attacks and was hospitalized for a week. They couldn't directly pin it on the pill but trying it a year later and having it happen again I never took them again. I was assured by my gyn that pills have changed and that I would be fine on loestrin24 but I just can't chance it. I would say to the people who have severe bleeding and prolonged bleeding, fibroids or other problems, find a pill that can maybe help you. But for those of you who just need it for birth control and are having these problems, find another method. It is not worth it if you loose you sex drive, have mood swings and depression or any other of the horrible things I read can happen. And if you are predisposed to panic and depression, I wouldn't take it after reading all these complaints. The bad is outweighing the good on all the blogs I have read. Thanks again and good luck ladies!!

Oh yes not to mention that the faint leg pain has become chronic. I've even had to do an EMG and still no results on what's wrong with my leg. I'm very scared because my body is acting in ways I can't even understand. It seems the only way to get my period started again is with these pills. My OBGYN thinks it's just from stress but i don't know...

I didn't have a good experience with it. I was taking it to get my period started because it suddenly stopped. And then I got a really strange discoloration on my thigh that came after my calf hurt. I have had an ultra sound done to test for blood clots and have found none. I have been to up to 4 different doctors. ALL have said they 'don't know what it is'. Besides that, some have said it's hormones. Others have said its a skin problem. One said it's circulation problems. My OBGYN didn't really say anything. When I stopped the medicine, I was able to have my own periods, but then at that same time I developed multi-nodular goiter. And then my periods stopped again. My OBGYN told me to start on the pills again but I am scared because I don't know what's going to happen and my OBGYN just told me to start it again like everything was okay. I'm thinking of going to a different OBGYN. I just wanted to share my experience..

Wow- yes, I have been on this pill for about 10 days and can really agree with most of you! I am a pretty emotional/passionate person but since I started these pills, I feel absolutely neutral about everything. I am getting married in a couple weeks to the man of my dreams and I just don't feel anything about it. My period is also late which is freaking me out. I love this site. I have been working out like crazy and was losing weight until I started these pills, now I'm back where I started.

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.

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?

Oh my - I'm so glad, for once, that I googled something. I have just taken my 17th Loestrin pill and it will be my last. I could NOT understand why I felt the way I did. It started with nausea, progressed to acne and dry patches (in the same place!), then extreme fatigue, then I just couldn't do anything but sleep or mope around. Gradually I had an increasing feeling of extreme anxiety. I dreaded the future but I couldn't understand why. Then the depression kicked in on day 11 and I felt as though I was grieving very deeply... but for what? Nothing had happened! I began to think of my husband leaving me and how it would be for the best. And I felt like walking out on my children and climbing a mountain and just sitting there. I was like a zombie and passed over many social events because I just couldn't bear to talk to anyone. I began to look half dead and stopped taking care of myself. Eventually I had thoughts of quitting my job and was very close to making a phone call and saying some very final things to my bosses! Thank GOD I didn't - I stopped the pills first. THen I googled the brand name. Then I saw all these comments and may more on another site and it was such a huge relief. Now I just feel angry that my damn stooped bloody GP had no idea about how wildly varied people's experiences on this pill are - and therefore didn't warn me.

I absolutely HATE this pill. Since I've been on it I have had.... Horrible mood swings, acne on face AND back!!, break through two weeks before my real period so I basically have two periods a month, I've gained 20lbs since being on it can't seem to lose the weight, I wake up every morning feeling bloated and crampy, I have no energy and basically just feel like crap ALL THE TIME. I'm about to drive my family crazy!! I have one more week left and then I'm getting off these pills for good!! It's crazy how one little pill can affect you in SO many different ways. I'm so glad I found this site because I thought I was going nuts or something. Glad to know where all these symptoms are coming from!

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 was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for not even a month before I had problems. bled, literally, 14 days straight before I stopped taking it. My OB-GYN prescribed Loestrin 24 Fe, and for the first few months it was okay. I am now on my last day of my 6 month on it and I cannot even handle it. My period comes twice a month, or so it seems with spotting. I do NOT get my period when I take the brown pills, as I supposed to. I feel moody, sick, tired yet I cannot sleep, I go to the bathroom several times a day, I throw up, feel short of breath, I get headaches, TERRIBLE stomach pains and I don't feel like going to work or school ever. It's hell. Maybe my body is not right for birth control, but I am DONE with this pill. It's been HELL.

My boyfriend's mom who is an OBGYN gave me 12 samples of this pill (a year's worth) after I ran out of my Ortho Lo. So I said "Sweet! Free birth control!" Not so sweet.... I have been on this pill for only 2 months and I have experience a huge change in my personality. I feel like a zombie, I don't feel like myself at all! The most severe uncontrollable mood swings ever. I go from very happy and loving to a total train wreck! It's really sad... My boyfriend cannot handle me. I am usually always calm and mellow and this has made me feel like I am going insane. I have weird thoughts in my head, weird dreams, night sweats. I cry over anything petty! I do have lighter periods and they only last for 2 or 3 days but it is definitely not worth my mental health and happiness. It is the worst pill, I cannot discredit this pill enough! Avoid this at all costs, unless you want to be moody and depressed all the time.

I took loestrin for 3 weeks and of all the pills i have ever been on this one is the worst. I have had acne, weight gain, headaches, cramps, no sex drive, anxiety, rapid heart rate, my breast were extremely sore, and depression. I didn't even finish the pack because I was severely paranoid that I was going to have a heart attack. Once I stopped I got my period within 2 days and all of those side effects went away. My only issue now is I haven't had my period since that time. It has only been a month and a pregnancy test came out negative adding to the fact that I don't feel like I did when I was pregnant. It is still frightening though.

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. I had been on Loestrin 24 for an entire year before I realized that It was in fact the pill that was giving me terrible migraines, so emotional over the littlest things, and I was getting immediate headaches after any type of alcoholic beverage which had never happened to me before. My periods with Loestrin would last about 3 days. I recently asked my doctor if I could change my pill bc it was altering my normal life. She switched me to the generic of Yaz called Ocella. I took my last pill of Loestrin on Wed 9/17, my period usually comes a couple days following but this time it never came, not even any spotting. I started my new pill that Sunday 9/20/08 so it was awful timing bc now Im worrying about being pregnant but also my body taking to a new pill. I always take my pills on time and haven't missed any. I took a pregnancy test on Sunday 9/20 and it was negative and I took another this morning 9/25 which was also negative. Im worried bc I have never missed a period while being on Loestrin and trying to figure out if after being on Loestrin for so long if my periods were just going to stop coming and if this is all a big coincidence.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 FE for the past five days and i am doing pretty good, it actually stopped my period because i still had it when i started the pack which was awesome. Its hard to tell because i have a sinus infection if i am not feeling well from the pill or from the infection. I really think its just me being sick.

everyone needs to realize that this isnt the pill from hell, it just wasn't for you body, everyone is different, ill update you guys in like two weeks, see if im still saying the same thing

Well, I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about a year now and let me tell you, the person who said their side effects increased with time is exactly right! I have been miserable lately. I have been beyond moody, I have no appetite, my husband hates me because I have ZERO sex drive...I mean ZERO. We'll go a month at a time without having sex. My attitude is miserable. I feel like the most depressed person on the planet and I have never ever experienced depression symptoms until being on this pill. Recently, I missed 5 of my pills while I was on vacation, and magically, my sex drive reappeared and I wanted to eat everything in sight. Seems to me, the pill is causing me grief now. Within the last 2 months, I've had crazy pregnancy symptoms too. I'm SO beyond over this pill, I'm finishing the pack and then it's back to condoms for us. I was on Yaz for a while too before Loe, and let me just say I was the biggest bitch on the face of the earth. I'm just guessing these pills aren't right for me. The only thing that DID work was a minipill that I was on when I was breastfeeding my daughter. My ob-gyn took me off because she said that the hormone levels weren't high enough when I stopped breastfeeding to prevent pregnancy. Gosh, I miss that pill. Oh well. It's nice to know I'm not the only one with these problems.

I've been on LoE 24 for about a month. Luckily, i haven't had any bad side effects, just maybe a little stomach ache. I have acne n i was hoping that the pills would help me with that: NOT! But on the other hand, i got my period while i was still on the white pills and i just got on the brown pills now. I finished my period last week but i still am spotting a little bit which is kinda weird. My mom was telling me maybe my body just needs to adjust to the pills and then my period will adjust.

I just started my fourth month on Loe. The first two were awful, I bled for at least half of each month. At the end of the third month I did not even get my period. Just very, very light spotting for a day. I have also been having trouble with acne, something that has not been a problem for me since my early teens. (I am almost 19). I have been extremely emotional and easily upset over petty things for no apparent reason. It was not until reading these reviews that it occurred to me that Loe may be the cause. Nothing is for sure, but it does seem to be a strong coincidence that many of us are having the same exact side effects from this pill. I cannot decide if I should continue taking it and see what happens, or stop for a little while and see if the symptoms subside. If they do, I will know Loe is causing these problems and perhaps I can switch pills.

First off, your OBGYN is a moron if they told you it only takes a month to adjust to the pill. It is more common for the body to regulate to the pill at a minimum of 2 months and 3 months is not uncommon. So it can easily take 3 months for your body to adjust to your pill. And sometimes longer if you were on another pill and switched to another OC.

Amenorrhea(no Period) can happen on Loestrin 24. Notice the first for letters of amenorrea are AMEN. Is that a bad thing? To put this in the most basic lay terms....Birth Control tricks your body into thinking its pregnant. Thats it!!! Do pregnant women have periods? ..Of course not.

Regarding your lack of sex drive comment...that is ridiculous. The progestin in Loestrin 24 is norethindrone acetate. That is androgenic...it is one of the few pills that increases your sex drive.

I suggest if you want a pill that lowers your sex drive try yaz or Yasmin. It is anti-androgenic and lowers sex drive. It also is the ONLY pill that has extra warnings by the FDA for hyperkalimia. ...basically extra dangers if you take it my Advil, Tylenol or ANY NSAID. REMEMBER THIS PILL HAS only been around for 10 years and has been tied to several deaths in Europe. Google search yaz or Yasmin +death.

Loestrin has been around for 45 years. tried and true.

ALSO if anyone is a smoker and takes birth control you are guaranteed to have Bleeding and spotting.

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

I have been on Yaz since I was 18 and I'm 22 now and I had to switch to Loesterin 24 Fe because my cramps were getting bad, almost as bad as they were before I was on birth control. I switched about mid-July and ever since then I thought I was going CRAZY. I have been so depressed, my mood swings are insane, I am constantly nauseated, and I've been bleeding for about 2 weeks straight. I thought I was pregnant even though my take home test was negative so I went to my obgyn. She switched me off Loestrin 24 fe because she thinks that is what is making me so anxious and depressed and completely uninterested in having sex with my boyfriend My poor boyfriend has had to deal with me during this, I think I broke up with him twice and week and then cry and beg him to take me back, which he did, every time, while shaking his head and wonder where his old girlfriend went. So hopefully getting off Loestrin will fix this!

I just posted a few days ago but need to update. I just started the 4th pack. I Had normal period(slightly longer than when I'm off birth control. on the brown pills third pack and no break through bleed or spotting. But my breast are extremely tender which didn't end with the end of my period. I'm extremely fatigued but have sleepless restless nights. i've developed rashes in the creases of my breast. Not fun. My sex drive has gone down and so has any feeling during sex. My poor husband doesn't understand. I'm moody. I have no appetite but am slowly gaining weight. Crappy pill. I just keep sticking it out because although my husband and I would someday like to have kids, today is not the day as we are both still students. I'll give it till the end of the month and then maybe I'll switch to a new pill.

This site really helped me out.. I think I'm stopping all of this nonsense. It might just be me, but I was on Tri-Sprintec for 2 months when I first started birth control all together, and it made everything worse. I bled way heavier and my cramps were something from hell, TRUST me.

Then my insurance company pretty much screwed me over and didn't give me my birth control for a month.. so my doctor told me that I should just switch since I'm off it anyways.

So.. I get this Loestrin24fe. I take it the first day of my period because my doctor told me that it was the safest way as to not get pregnant. And then I bleed for over 2 weeks... which is NOT NORMAL for me at all. My periods last normally a few days, not 2 weeks! So then I wake up one night throwing up, and I'm a complete bitch to everyone and I'm constantly moody and depressed and my boyfriend is a saint for putting up with me. Not to mention the fact that only a week after my period ended, I was spotting the nastiest brown blood all week. It was terrible and just UGH. And it hasn't stopped..

And then one day I was feeling extremely sick, my head felt like it was 10000 degrees and my stomach felt like something was punching it, and that was the night that my boyfriend said that he hoped I wasn't pregnant. So of course, being 18, I ran out, bought a pregnancy test, and it came out negative. Then I started the brown pills and the spotting I have been getting for almost 2 weeks now just got kinda heavier. No change in the weird brown color, just a bit heavier. And cramps from HELL again.

So coming onto this site made me feel better. I'm not the only person feeling like this is the worst idea of all time.

I have one more pack of this, and I'm going to the doctor soon. I don't want to give this bc a chance if this is whats going to happen to me the whole time. Not having a period? Are you kidding me? Some people put that, I would FREAK OUT!

Something better change in this new pack or me and Loestrin, we're so over.

I started this pill 3 weeks ago, i am suppost to have my period with the last three brown pills, and I am spoting since I start the third week. Now in the last week, the bleeding is even heavy. It's the worse bcp I have ever use in my live. This is not the first time I'm on bcp, but is the first time I have this problem. Also cause me nauseas, I'm very moody all the time, I call my doctor and she gave me some advices, but this stupid pill, is a crap. Ladies you are not alone. I will never use it again. Iris,PA

Yes, I do agree that everyone reacts differently to bcp, and should decide for themselves once taken the pills, their own opinions. However, even though many women on this website have negative comments about Loestrin, believe it or not, it has helped me. The comments have not persuaded my decision to start or stop the pill, but has let me know that what I'm experiencing is NORMAL! I was freaking out and my doctor was of NO help! The extreme moodiness, pregnancy symptoms, back pain, fatigue, and worst of all(no one posted but makes sense now) was after intimacy I would immediately have severe cramps, leg pain, and back pain that lasted about 30min. I felt as if I was in labor, and I know that feeling. So yes, decide which pill is right for you, but Loestrin is NOT the pill for me!!! Thank you to all the comments posted because it made me realize I am not alone, and helped me figure out why I was experiencing these symptoms when my doctor couldn't.
Tahira, N.Y.

So far i've been on it for 2 months. I can't really say much on it. The first month i took it, i didn't have a period. Which can be a lil scary if that happens when you're switching pills. But I did brown a lil on the last day of the reminder pills. This month hasn't been too bad no weight gain at all, but the only thing is my period came 10 days early, but its not really heavy and the cramps are really light. I'm just happy there aren't crazy psycho lady mood swings like when i was on ortho-tri cyclen lo. Nonetheless i don't have anything bad too say about this pill.

I hate this pill. Im nauseated, cramping, bloated, angry, have high axiety, cry at the drop of a hat, leg pain, headaches, bubbles in my stomach. and it even gave me an infection canadisis (like a yeast infection of the skin). which I found out was actually a symptom of this pill! I want to switch so bad. But i have been on and off this freaking pill three times this year. Im worried that if i switch to a different birth control I'll just experience new horrible symptoms. Luckily no weight gain though. but horrible break outs as well.

I am on my 5th pack of Loestrin 24. This is my first time on birth control. I was worried about weight gain b/c a lot of my friends on various pill have gained a bit. But I, however, have lost about 10 pounds since starting Loestrin. I have been very sick to my stomach and have had no appetite. My periods have been very irregular and have yet to have a period on the brown pills. I notice that I have been fatigued and moody. I went to the doctor and asked if this was normal. He gave the typical response..."there is no normal. Everyone reacts differently" speech. So he scheduled me for a ultrasound and blood-work to see if there is an underlying problem before we decide to go pill hopping. This isn't fun, but the other option ( ie an unwanted pregnancy ) is really not fun.

I have been on loestrin for 2 months now. For the past month I have been an emotional wreck, and for the passed week I have had anxiety, heartburn and stomach cramps just below my ribcage. My lower back is killing me and my stomach is spasming. I just took my last birth control pill this morning and start the reminder pills tomorrow. I totally don't feel myself. I haven't got my period since i've been on it. My doctor put me on it because I was bleeding abnormally heavy for me two weeks after my period. I really want to not start a new pack, but i'm nervous that i will bleed heavily again. the anxiety is causing me no to sleep.................I hate this pill