Loestrin 24 Fe and weight gain

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 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!

hey, this is my first time taking the pill ever!!!! i was on theshot almost 2 yrs ago after i had my daughter for about 2 yrs that was cool no weight gain nothing:) but then my doc told me she had 2 take me off because the hormone makes u lose bone mass(yikes!!!) so 2 yrs later i back at it with loestrin so far so good. my period is ramdon i spot here and there no acne thank goodness. i always had depressing moments i don't if i'm having more or this is jus regular ol me crying, lol, but anyway i sorta like it im stick it out until i can't take it anymore. i think it may just b how ur body reacts to certain types of bc, bcuz i kno that my best friend had major issues with her body when it comes to bc but me 4 the most part i'm cool so i goona stick 2 it until then!!! peace

I have been on this pill for about 3 months now and I absolutely love it. Have had no mood problems, a VERY light period lasting about 2 days each month and no weight gain. My face is actually looking better where as I had acne before and no issues with sex drive either. Maybe it's not just the pill itself but it depends on your body as well, and what you're more susceptible to. Just a thought.

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!

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 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 have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 months now and I haven't really had any problems per se. I had my first period after starting the pill for only 3-4 days and it was very light. I started taking it in the middle of the month since my ob/gyn told me not to wait until my next period since we didn't know when that would come considering I just had a baby in June. So far I've only had one day of spotting at an unusual time, no cramps at all, my face a cleared up considerably, no facial hair and just a tad bit of weight gain (like 5lbs.) which I don't think is from the pill. Although I am concerned considering I'm about 10 days late for my period and I've taken a pregnancy test and it was negative. I also have noticed an EXTREME decline in my sex drive. I guess I'll stick with it and hope it gets a little better.

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.

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've been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for a year now. It took about 3 months to get used to. The good things for me is that my skin cleared up, my hair was not as oily, lighter periods and no weight gain! The bad things were HEADACHES, feelings of anxiety, rapid heartbeats, moodiness, and dryness. I want to come off the pill but I am kinda fearful of what other methods to take...I guess I should talk to my OBGYN.

First off, i think its important to remember that all bcp have these side-effects. its not that one pill is better or worse than another, its that everyone's body reacts differently and sometimes you will experience these side effects and sometimes you wont. all these horrible things women are listing about Loestrin, other women have said about other pills.

for example, when i first started taking a bcp, i was on ortho-lo. this one seemed fine at first (outside the three month adjustment time) then one breast started to swell and ache while the other was fine. it was just my body reacting to the combination of hormones in that particular pill. i know other women who have taken ortho-lo for years and have been fine with it. But i wasn't.

eventually i decided to try a new pill and a friend recommended i research Yasmin. i found many sights just like this one with women going on and on about how evil it was. for every good review, i read ten bad. but my doctor decided to try me on it anyway thinking i needed i higher level of hormones and the five months i was on it were horrible. severe weight gain, cramps (i never had them before), spotting, migraines, NO sex drive, etc. i went back to my doctor and she was surprised because both Yasmin and ortho-lo are supposed to be good drugs. bottom line is, they weren't good for me. she decided to switch me again, this time to a lower level of hormones, but with more active pills, trying to find the right balance for me.

now i read everyone saying horrible things about Loestrin but I have to tell you, i've been on it for a few months now and have never felt better. i didn't even have the months of 'adjusting' to a new pill. i think i may have finally found a combo pill that works for me.

all bcp pills have side effects and you can read horror stories everywhere about ALL kinds of pills. it DOESN'T mean the pill is horrible, or awful, or evil or the worst kind ever. it just means, that for whatever reason, its not right for you.

so if you are out there, reading comments like this on all these pills, please don't take all these comments to heart. read them, take heed, but don't dismiss a pill because it gets bad reviews. i've done my research and they ALL have bad reviews. You have to know that all pills have some side effects BUT each woman's body is different and just because some women experienced bad things on this pill, doesn't mean you will. we are all different after all. you can judge how you will react to something based on someone else's experience.

if you're looking to start taking bcp or looking to switch, be sure you know your own body, communicate with your doctor and know that somewhere you may be able to find a bcp that works for you. i'm lucky i found one in Loestrin.

Much Luck.

I was on Loestrin for 4 years, and though I've been on depo, pop, yaz, and ortho-tri lo since, Loestrin was far and away the best pill. All the others caused depression, mood swings, weight gain (depo was the worst for all of these. stay away) and loss of libido, which were serious problems for me. I'm either done with pills altogether, or going back on Loestrin.

Yaz made me vomit, the pop gave me acne, ortho made me so bloated I gained 4 lbs in a week (and I'm an athlete--it was water weight that came off days after I stopped the pill). I don't know how anyone stays on those things. Maybe you can handle them if you don't miss your sex drive.

Loestrin has gotten terrible reviews, but it *can* be a good choice, so don't discount it entirely.

i've been on loestrin fe since march 08 and it has had its ups and downs, mostly downs, i've gained an increased appetite, weight gain, horrible period cramps, unexpected bleeding and spotting still it was supposed to have regulated after 3 months and it didn't it also increased my breast size i don't know if i can stay on this any longer

I'm 25, on birth control for the first time and I am just finishing up my first month on Loestrin Fe (I was on Yaz for one month before that). I am a bit concerned that I'm set to start a new pack tomorrow and have not had a period, not even spotting. I haven't really had any of the side effects some are describing of weight gain, chest pain, or hair loss. Maybe a bit more acne than usual, but I had expected that since this is only my second month on The Pill.

However reading your experiences I'm beginning to wonder about the mood swings. I have been EXTREMELY pissed off this month, anxious, and stressed, and in general a horrible person to be around. It's like I'm 15 again going through "that stage." It's awful, and I'm quite embarrassed by my childish behavior though I can't seem to help it. I've attributed it to other factors (which, who knows?) but reading your experiences makes me wonder if this pill isn't contributing. I'm definitely going to pay attention; if this continues for another month I'm going to change to another pill. Ugh.

I'm also wondering if I'm going to get my period back? I began taking birth control to control my normally heavy bleeding and severe cramps. Not to eliminate my period entirely!

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 just started taking Loestrin, and so far it's made me sick to my stomach, cramp and generally feel like I'm on my period.
I started taking it right after a normal period and so far it's been ok except for the symptoms mentioned above. Surprise surprise, I started what seems to be like my normal period when it's the last two days (mostly brown rust color). I know that it might take a while for the hormones to regulate in my body, but I feel that this shouldn't be happening... Any suggestions? I'm planning to call my doctor tomorrow.

I was really liking this BC, I was on Mircette before and it made me crazy, constant crying, weight gain (I'm on the collegiate rowing team, and we work out for 2+hrs/ day) No reason fro gaining 6 pounds in 7 days. Everything was going fine with Loestrin 24 Fe, but now i've been bleeding for the past week, before the brown pills started... but i guess we'll see what happens in the next few days.

For the people who experienced bloating, I did also on the first day, but if you take a B6 vitamin then it goes away, (I heard that from another gynecologist)

I've been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about a year, my periods were never only 3 days and they were barely periods. They were very weird and painful!

I became a royal bitch and my skin was ok but I have always had great skin so when I got a blemish or two I felt that it was because of the pill. To top it all off I gained weight on it so I started restricting my diet and working out harder. My weight didn't go down at all, but I didn't gain. As soon as I stopped taking the pill my working out and eating little helped me dropped 5 pounds (it has been 2 weeks). I'm thinking the pill didn't allow me to lose weight.

I also had a diminished libido which sucks because I like sex. It was only the last week on hormones, I was crazy for sex but only then.

I decided to get off the pill because I was hating myself on it and now I see the beginning of bad acne. I haven't had my first period off the pill yet but I have a feeling it won't be pleasant.

I was on Loestrin 24 for a year and was having issues with mild acne, which I have never experienced in my whole life. I was also having major issues with my contacts. My eyes were always red and really bothersome. Now I have been off of Loestrin for a few weeks and back on Yaz and feeling great! I love Loestrin since I would never get my period, except 2x in the whole year and it was barely there. But now on Yaz, I don't have acne or trouble with my contacts. Plus I had gained weight on Loe and now losing a couple of pounds. The difficult thing is that the doctors tell you that you shouldn't experience side effects from these pills, such as weight gain, since they are such low hormones, but I think it's definitely possible. Anyways, if you are on Loe and reading a bunch of this stuff and nervous, it's fine, it's a great pill and you never get your period! How great is that! And in the beginning there may be breakthrough bleeding and spotting, which is normal while your body adjusts. But if you have other issues, later on, you just have to decide if you prefer side effects or your period?? It's your choice! lol! I am loving Yaz though!

I have been on Loestrin for about 7 months. I have had similar symptoms as everyone else has posted, but my main concern is the irregular period. I get it twice sometimes like in the middle of the pack and then when on the blank pills. Sometimes they're painful too. There was a two month span where I didn't get it at all, I took home pregnancy tests religiously for 2 weeks to ensure I wasn't preg. I'm getting nervous, I was on ortho tricyclen before but it made me so emotional and I gained a whole lot of weight. I haven't had any massive moodiness, I gained some weight but I also quit smoking, Has anyone had anything similar to this, how long is it going to take to get my periods normal? Should i switch brands?

Wow, I don't feel so crazy after reading everyone's comments. I was on BC for 6 years, and stopped for a year and a half. I myself started this pill 4 days ago, and already I have noticed increase anxiety, paranoia, headaches, and irritability. I called my doctor and told them to write me a prescript for what I used to take -- Ortho Tri Cyclen. For some reason I allowed my doctor to talk me into taking this crap.
Yeah.. the 'lo' dose stuff isn't always the best stuff.

Hello Ladies...There are so many comments that I could not get through them all. I am in my 3rd month on Loestrin 24 Fe. The first month I thought that I just had to be pregnant too based on all the symptoms I was having. My period has yet to start when it is suppose to start or finish when it is suppose to finish. The second month I thought that I actually was having a 3 day period but about a week later I started bleeding again for about a week. My cramping has been a lot worse as well. I know that you are suppose to give your body time to adjust to it, but I am not sure I can wait it out with this pill.

My doctor told me before I even started taking this pill that no birth control pill is perfect and that they pretty much will all give you some type of negative side effect from nausea to weight gain to dryness to lack of sex drive. I appreciated her honesty. My thought is that when picking a birth control pill its like picking THE LESSER OF THE EVILS. My fiance and I would rather not get pregnant right now, but I feel like a different person and I miss me.

*****

Well i have been on loestrin 24 for a yr and 1mnth now and when i 1st started i had the btb and then it went away and no other real problems with it...its work the way it should no real bad mood swings/acne/weight gain and lighter periods..but now all of a sudden i have btb again but so much worse..it last about 2 weeks and i get the worst cramps. i don't understand why now that its been a year ( & my body should be use to it) how i have this annoying btb. i just need to know if i should wait it out or just swith bc?? anyone feel my pain??

Well it is day 4 and all i have to report is some breast tenderness.. but I am a big girl up top so we will see. Also I have been having some bad lower back pain it is really bad after a good night sleep and upon waking in the morning. I have started to do stretching exercises to see it that will help. My appetite has seemed like it has decreased. But I usually have that happen when I get my period I actually don't crave. I have no horrible pinching like i usually have on my left side this time of month and not much bloating but I am drinking tons of water too. Very scared of weight gain...
Will keep ya posted

HEY..WELL HERE IS MY EXPERIENCE...I STARTED LOESTRIN 24 ALMOST 3 MONTHS AGO..I HAVEN'T GOTTEN ONE PERIOD YET...I SPOTTED THE FIRST WEEK I WAS ON IT, BUT OTHER THEN THAT IT NOTHING. I TOOK 2 PREGO TESTS BOTH SAY NEGATIVE...I AM SO MOODY, MY POOR HUSBAND DOESN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ME..THE HEADACHES ARE SO UNBEARABLE I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I AM ACTUALLY GOING TO MY DOCTOR ON WEDNESDAY TO BE SWITCHED AND HE ALSO WANTS TO MAKE SURE I AM NOT PREGNANT. NO HAIR LOSS FOR ME OR WEIGHT GAIN YET, BUT I GUESS ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN IF I STAY ON IT, I JUST CAN NOT STAND WONDERING IF I AM PREGNANT EVERY MONTH. I AM SO HAPPY I FOUND THIS SIGHT, I AM GOING TO ASK MY DOCTOR A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT LOESTRIN AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HE HAS HAD COME IN WITH PROBLEMS WITH THIS PILL..DOES ANYONE HAVE SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT PILL TO ACTUALLY SWITCH TO?

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!!

i have been on loestrin for only 10 days and i have already gained 5 pounds. i used to be on Yaz, and i was always 115 on the dot no matter how much i did or didn't eat. Now i've gained this weight, plus i started bleeding today, not just a little bit but enough for a tampon! i switched from yaz because it made me cry a lot and gave me brown spotting, but i'll take that any day over the weight gain and bloating!

WEIGHT GAIN!! Holy Cow!... I've weighed 115 lbs for the last 4 years of my life. I started on this new pill last week and in the past WEEK that I have i gained 6 lbs!!! It's not like I changed my lifestyle or decided to become a fast food junkie either. All factors are constant. I went to the gym today and I when I stepped on the scale I almost had a heart attack. I noticed I was bloated and everything was fitting tighter ( I just thought my fiance did laundry again and shrunk everything ). Has anyone else had weight gain from this pill? I have been on other pills, Yasmin, Alese, etc in the past and this never ever happened. Will this go away after the first month??

Hey all! I've been on Loestrin 24 for an entire month (just finished my pack today) and things have been smooth. No tender breasts, no weight gain, no depression, nothing! ***EXCEPT I still haven't got my period! I'm almost completely positive I'm not pregnant.. my boyfriend and I are extremely careful. What's weird is that I keep expecting to get my period because I'm getting the usual signs I get right before my period..

**Has anyone else experienced no period on this birth control???

I switched from Yaz to Loestrin 2 weeks ago, On day 11 I experienced spotting, now its full on breakthrough bleeding like a normal period. It is now day 15/ At night it tends to get light and then mid day its very heavy w/ lots of cramping. In the morning I don't want to get up cause the cramps hurt. I never experienced problems on Yaz. No weight gain, I only would get cramps and do to the increased level of potassium yaz causes my doctor didn't like me taking too much midol,etc on Yaz. So I switch to Loestrin. I was coming on here to see how long the breakthrough bleeding generally lasted....looks like it ranges. Hopefully I'll luck out and it will stop soon!!!! But some positives...I was experiencing some nausea daily before the switch to this pill, that has now stopped, and I haven't experienced any weight gain or moodiness as others have described.

Wow, I finally found a website that can explain everything. Like many of you others, I have had many side effects. I have been on Loestrin 24 FE for over a year now. I am constantly having breast tendernous, am on an emotional rollercoaster(so much that my husband is ready to leave me), problems wearing my contacts, severe headaches, and weight gain. I talked with my doctor about all of the issues I was having and was told that it couldn't possible be the bc that I was more than likely bipolar. After reading all of the other posts now, I am going back to the doctor and demanding to have my bc changed. Thanks ladies for looking out for all the rest of us.

Strange but for me as well....(I am on my fourth pack...just finished it yesterday) Four weeks ago almost (May 2nd) I got pain in my back around my kidney as well....I am calling the doctor this morning because this weekend I was barely able to move my back hurt so bad! I don't have any other side effects of a kidney infection so then I started to think.....maybe it is my birth control and wah la....apparently....I have also had the other symptoms such as my breast enlarging (wasn't going to complain about that!) but the tenderness is miserable and I also have had the weight gain ( i got a trainer for Christmas and started working out with him right when I started these pills and kept gaining weight! I still am...It is very frustrating but at least I know why now!) and I am very moody and tired! Thank god for postings! Good luck girls and hope everyone finds a pill that works for them! I sure hope I can!!

I am almost through my first pack of Loestrin 24 Fe and so far not a fan of it. I have tried many pills in the past and they had all made me gain weight. After not being on a pill for a year (and not having a period), my new OBGYN put me on this one to try because she said it didn't have the weight gain affect I had experienced on the other ones. On my second week of this pill, my breasts were very tender, I had cramping and started to spot daily. I also noticed that I am having trouble with my contacts and eyes and I am getting sun spots on my face. I am not sure if those last two are related to the pill or not. Has anyone else had any of these symptoms? Since I started spotting it has increasingly gotten heavier to where I have to wear a tampon daily and I am supposed to get my actual period on Wed/Thurs. of this week. So right now I feel like I have been on my period for a week and a half already. Is anyone else experiencing this? Please email me and let me know ******

I've been on Lo24 for a few weeks now and don't like it at all. This is my first experience with bc and was put on it as a hormone therapy. I had a tubal ligation 11yrs ago and am a cancer survivor most likely starting perimenopause. Since my tubal my periods have only lasted 3 days, well let me tell you, with this pill it seems like i've had my period everyday since starting it. I have the tender breasts, bloating, weight gain, painful intercourse,and stomach hurts to the touch like so many others have described. I have stopped taking the pill a few days ago and I'm still bleeding. How long will it take for all these side effects to go away? I'm especially looking forward to the bleeding and weight gain to go away. I worked hard in the last year to lose 50 pounds and am very upset now that my pants are snug because of this damn pill. My gyno said there would be no weight gain, minimal spotting for a few days...nice to know they like to bullshit us. I wish I never started on this, lesson learned.

I have experienced many of the same issues with Loestrin, bloating, random spotting, weight gain, moodiness, and loss of sex drive. However the side effect that I haven't heard but one person mention is what happens when you drink alcohol while on this pill. I have a low tolerance to begin with, yet now that I am on this pill I will get a hangover after 1 or 2 glasses of wine. It really has varied but at one point I only had two drinks and the following morning proceeded to throw up three times. I am changing to Yasmin because of insurance reasons but am happy to try something new as this pill has only greatly complicated my life.

Good to know. I started on Loestrin fe 2 months before my wedding. When the wedding day arrived my dress was a little snug. I had noticed that my breasts were getting larger, but nothing that seemed too out of control. I snipped out the cups the seamstress had sewn in to "fill me out" and away we went. However, I am now finishing up my 3rd pack and I have now put on 20 lbs in the 3 weeks since the wedding. At first I was thinking my eating might have gotten a little out of control (we stayed at an all inclusive for the honeymoon) but since returning my eating habits have returned to normal. Now, none of my clothes fit. I had to buy new bras because I have gone up two cup sizes. I am now a 36 DD, was a 36 C. The weight gain is particularly troublesome to me because I lost about 80 lbs 3 years ago and don't want any of it back!!! I am also experiencing fine bumps on my forehead and I haven't experienced acne since I was a teenager. I have also had difficulty with spotting...and it is so annoying. I will spot for several days, stop and then repeat the cycle over again. I was bleeding so much on my wedding day that I had to use a tampon, and I was on week 2 of the pack! I have not had a proper "period" yet. Luckily I have an appointment with my GYN in 3 weeks.
The last birth control pill I was taking, over a year ago, was Yasmin. But I noticed after about 2 months on that I was starting to experience symptoms of depression. I had just started a new job and didn't like it, and thought that that was the issue. After crying on the way to work everyday for 3 weeks for no reason it occurred to me that it might be the pill. I stopped taking it and nearly immediately noticed the tearfulness disappeared. Perhaps I am just one of those who can't tolerate the pill.

wow after reading your posts i feel much better!!! i thought i was losing my mind...i have terrible periods, full seven days terrible painful cramps, just periods from hell come to find out i have endometriosis and an ovary thats stuck to the vaginal wall my doctor put me on loestrin 24 and its been the pill from hell im constantly bleeding on and off, my right leg goes numb, i had healthy clear skin and now its really dry with fine bumps, my mood swings are crazy im happy then i want to cry, depressed most definitely, constant headaches and nausea after taking it and this is only my first month taking it, i also noticed that im always cold!!! i would rather put up with my painful period then this crap

I just started taking this 4 days ago and my chin has 5 spots of acne. I have never had acne on my chin before. Can any one tell me if there is a product that will take away the acne. Additionally, I am 43 and watch my weight very carefully and I am afraid of what I have been reading about this pill causing weight gain and acne!

ok, so i've been on loestrin 24 for a week or so, and i know it hasnt been long but i feel like a ticking time bomb! I feel shaky and jittery and moooooody! My teacher told me th other day to go find something to do...alone...so i could chill out b/c my temper was showing it's ugly face. I've been on ortho before and my blood pressure shot up, the moodiness and stuff was better but I haven't had any kind of problem like these. I don't know if i should wait it out some more or what. I'm not quite sure if my classmates or my family can take much more...OH...and the weight gain, I've noticed some bloating and i'm not a small girl and i already have DDD boobs....have a lot of you had breast size increase? let me know if you have any advise.....kurtney_monster@yahoo.com

Hi, I know this section is for posting side effects but I was wondering if someone could please help me and provide me with some information. I am very athletic and active so any type of spotting/bleeding is NOT FOR ME. I am trying to eliminate my monthly period. I was on Depo Provera for several years and loved it. No periods everything fine except for a low sex drive. Then I ran into some problems and had to stop that. Plus my doctor said it causes osteoporosis.
Then I tried Seasonique which was awful as I had instant weight gain and breast tenderness like crazy. Was only on that for a few weeks!!!
Then I heard about Lybrel which is supposed to stop your periods after some time so I started that at the end of December last year (2007). I had spotting and some bleeding EVERY DAY and a few days ago had a lot of bleeding but I also played with the dosage per doctor's request. So I saw my doctor today and I said enough is enough what else can I try? So she gave me the Loestrin 24 Fe and I will start that Sunday. She said many people stop having periods after a few months of use. HOWEVER, after reading these posts, I am thinking NO BC is right for me now. If anyone can help me on my goal of eliminating the curse or convince me that this pill is OKAY after 3 months I would appreciate it. Please email me at escarle1@hotmail.com. Thank and I hope to hear back soon!

Mircette always helped me with hormonal acne but recently i had breakthrough bleeding and my gyno switched me to loestirn 24. First month was fine and my recent breakthrough bleeding stopped. Second month i have severe headaches, nausea, cramps, and acne is worse than ever. No bloating, bleeding (period) or weight gain. My dermatologist saw me last week and said loestrin 24 is not one she would recommend to treat acne. She is putting me on YAZ which has ingredients to treat acne. I start in four days after the loestrin 24 is finished.

I had a normal period at the end of my first pack and I missed my period at the end of the second pack and only gained 4 pounds. But i am overweight and have yo-yo ed with my weight for a long while now so i blame the weight gain on my eating habits. I have not experienced any of the other side effects. I am going to continue with the pill. I talked with my company's Phamacy Consultant and she stated every ones body is differrent and side effects vary. She suggested I take a pregnancy test to rule out pregancy so that I am not suppressing the estrogen hormone in case i am pregnant. but above all she said to continue taking the pill and she said as long as i have been following directions i should be okay and that even if I missed a day and took two the next day to make up for it, that I have enough of the med in my system where it should not make a difference. ( i never missed taking a pill ) so we will see as time goes on. what scares e is that i and my husband are very sexually active so I will also take her advice and take an at home pregancy test.

Well ladies, after reading all the reviews, I quit taking loestrin 24 fe today. I am 53 and needed something for the anger and heavy periods related to peri-menapause. I have taken it for one month and have had 3 killer headaches, weight gain like crazy, bloating and NO sex drive. So, after going home sick from work yesterday with headache and nausea, I quit today. Guess I will look for more natural ways to deal with life changes..good luck and thanks for all of this input that helped make my decision to quit.

I had taken Loestrin for almost a year until about two months ago when I decided to quit. I suspected that this birth control had something to do with my intense headaches, weight gain (I was a size 4 now I wear a 10), and a non-existent period. I also have eczema now and I think it might be related as well. Let me know if anyone else has encountered this problem. Since I have quit, I have noticed my eczema has improved and my face is not as puffy. I hope it will improve even more with time off from this drug.

Im 22 and started Loestrin 24 Fe a month and a half ago after not using birth control pills for about 2 years. I don't remember my body ever responding so severely to birth control. I have never had skin problems at all, I don't think I've had a single breakout since I was like 15. Then last week I noticed my entire forehead had completely broken out, I wanted to cry. I thought it was maybe from using a bad sunscreen but this morning I realized my chest and back are broken out too.

The second problem is weight gain and bloating. I'm 5'2 and normally weight around 120 and am very active. I'd say I've gained at least 5-7 pounds. I've also been far more emotional than I usually am.

I made a Dr. appointment for tomorrow because there's no way I'm sticking with this. After doing research it seems like Yasmin and the Otho-Evra patch might be other option. I'm mostly worried about weight gain when it comes to birth control, does anybody have any suggestions? I'd appreciate it.

I just finished my 2nd pack of Loestrin 24, before that I had been on Enpresse (generic i believe) for about 3 years. A week after I started taking this pill I had spotting for a few days...and now I haven't gotten my period at all, not at the end of either pack. I called my gyno yesterday and he asked if I felt anything abnormal and when I said no he said that if I don't get it at the end of this new pack to call him back. I took a pregnancy test after the first month of not getting my period and it came out negative (twice). I'm debating whether I should take another one since I didn't get it yet again...has anyone else stopped getting their period?

I just started using le24 @ the end of Feb.2008. i was 19 but turned 20 this March. I started taking this pill bc i had very bad cramps & mild acne. i have not had any weight gain, my skin is so...... clear even the dark spots. so far so good with this pill. i think this pill is better for teens to young adults 15-22. bc i have read the other blogs & it seems the younger girls has less side effects.