Loestrin 24 Fe and yaz

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 am so happy I googled this! I am one of those people that just takes the pill and does very little research. I was on yaz and told my doc that I wanted something cheaper since we don't have insurance at the moment. She prescribed me Loestrin 24 fe and when I went to get three months it was no cheaper. Not only that, I am so depressed!!! It's Christmas and I should be happy. I am moody, miserable about everything. I try to snap out of it with my boys, but I just get overwhelmed. I know my life was hectic before, and can't say I never got depressed. This is REALLY BAD. I am happy to see I am not alone. I also have not had my period since I started this, 2 months ago. I have had nausea and cramping. YUK I even took a prego test because it's all the symptoms of when I was pregnant. This med is simply not for me.

I had been on Yaz for one year and loved it for the most part. I didn't gain weight, my adult acne cleared, and my periods were very light. However, right the week before my period I would become depressed. My gyno found a very large cyst on one of my ovaries and told me that I should not have one that large while being on birth control. She told me Yaz was not right for me and I could not longer take it. I begged her to prescribe me Yasmin, she said NO. She thought Loestrin would be the best, so she put me on Loestrin 24 for 6 weeks to see if it shrinks, if it doesn't she will remove it. I have only been on Loestrin for 5 days and it has completely turned my world upside down! I have no sex drive, dryness down there, my face is breaking out, and I have been super down. I hate it!!!!! I hope that when I go back for a re-check that my cyst is still there so she can see that Loestrin is not right for me! I hate being on birth control and would love to stop taking any form of it, but it looks like my body cant regulate it's self, I just hope I can find a birth control that is right for me. Good luck everyone with Loestrin and if you find a birth control that works let me know! Take care.

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 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....?

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

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

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

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 was on Yaz for a year, but had some side effects (tingling in the arms and legs, swelling) so my doctor put me on LoE24. I have been on it a month and my world has turned upside down. Just a few days after I started LoE24, I got Bell's Palsy, which is a condition where half your face goes paralyzed. I've had it before, so I thought nothing about it having to do with my bc. Well...2 and a half weeks later I broke out, like I was 14 again (im 21). Its all over my face and neck. I am going to the neurologist tomorrow, but I have been very irritable, TIRED, and anxious. I switch back to Yaz in a couple days....

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 have been on Loestrin24 for about 4 months now, i am ending my pack today. Ive found that i have become very emotional towards my boyfriend and parents, i was on Yaz previous to this and i thought the yaz was not working for me but then i discovered when i went onto loestrin the yaz was fine, i found that with this pill i have extreme break outs on my face that i never had before besides the occasional ones around my period now i feel like they come all the time. My breast were randomly sore in the middle of the month and i was worried that i was pregnant. After reading all of these side effects from everyone else i have decided to go back on the Yaz.

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'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 was on yaz for about 8 months and loved it. I didn't break out at all and I even lost weight. It helped a lot with PMDD. I was very satisfied. Then, after my 4th month, I started experiencing long periods that lasted about 9 days and breakthrough bleeding that lasted all month. My GYN switched me to Loestrin 24 Fe. My period is now very light and about 4-5 days. My only complaint is that I have horrible acne! I have only been on Loestrin 24 Fe for a month and a half so I wonder if I should just wait it out and see if the acne improves. I am very pleased that my period is so short, but the acne looks terrible!!

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 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!

I am 19 and was on Loestrin 24 for about a year and just switched to YAZ 3 days ago! I went on birth control because my periods were so awful..i was having a period every 2&1/2 weeks. So, I was hoping that going on this pill would make me regular. Well, from the very beginning it was like I wasn't on anything at all. They say it takes a while for your cycle to become regular, so i waited a few months and my period stayed messed up! Throughout the year I was spotting so much..I can't tell you how much money I spent on tampons. Not only was the spotting and 5-6 day period annoying, I just was not myself. About a month after starting them I was a wreck. I couldn't eat, little things upset me and made me feel depressed. I would cry uncontrollably, and I blame a lot of it on the pill. I really don't think it was right for my body. The month before I switched, I had three periods. I'm not talking about spotting, I mean 5 day long periods. I got cramps, headaches and even backaches. I felt awful. This pill may be good for some, but i sure HATED it and am happy to be trying something new.

First off, the side effects listed are not the norm....the "no periods" or very short periods, are the concept of Loestrin 24. Very short, very light periods. The moodiness are often side effects of the YAZ, the other 24 day pill. This is because the progestin dominance of YAZ. Loestrin 24 is known for the very short, very light periods, less side effects due to the shortened time off the pill. The side effects you read are unfortunate (make sure your pharmacist is not switching to a generic - even though there is no generic equivalent) but for the most part, these side effects are RARE!

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.

I've been a pill taker for twenty years (maybe more). I switched to loestrin FE in November. I realize that any bc takes the body some time to adjust but this has been pretty brutal. I gained 12 lbs and I cannot get it off no matter how much I work out and/or don't eat. I'm depressed too yet I have a beautiful life. My doctor says you sometimes need a year for your body to adjust to a new pill... I don't know if I can wait that long. My kids think I have lost my mind because I cry so much. I too think irrationally a lot more than in prior years. I will ask my doctor about this next week. It seems like this pill might have serious effects on the thyroid? Most of the symptoms described are also associated with hypothyroidism.

Ok im really really REALLY glad i found this site cuz i was starting to freak out a little bit. i've been on lo24 for 2 months and im about to start my 3rd pack and my boobs are huge, i have random cramping, and my period isn't normal (which was the problem in the first place, a.k.a. what lo24 was supposed to fix). i started freaking out cuz i thought at first i could be pregnant, which would not make sense since im obviously on bc. but if these are normal side effects to the pill, im definitely a lot more calm now. im still getting a test done just in case, but im a little less worried thanks to you guys. and yea ive been gaining weight too, about 10 pounds already, and it sucks big time...if anyone knows of any other pill that might be better pretty please let us kno... :D thanks.

HI EVERYONE I HAVE BEEN TAKING L24 FOR 3 MONTHS NOW AND I HAVEN'T HAD ANY SIDE EFFECTS UNTIL RECENTLY I SWEAT VERY BADLY AT NIGHT IS THEIR ANYONE ELSE LIKE THIS. BUT OVER ALL I LIKE THE PILL AND IT'S VERY HELPFUL

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 an experience with Loestrin 24 Fe that caused me to have to stop taking it. I'm 43, in good health, non-smoker, no weight issues, no blood pressure issues. My longtime OB/GYN said that there were 2 types of BC pills for women "of my age", Yaz and Loestrin 24 Fe. He mentioned that more women have reported to him that they had sex drive issues with Yaz but that more were reporting skin (acne) issues with the Loestrin....figuring it was counter to the point if I had low sex drive issues, I opted for the Loestrin. Started on it in March of last year...spotted pretty much every day for 6 weeks...then moderate spotting with light "periods". At about month 3, I started having moderate headaches. At month 5, I was in a movie theater seeing a movie with my boyfriend and all of a sudden, I felt what was like a wave of heat start at my toes and radiated up to my head....and then I felt paralyzed....couldn't move and felt like the room was spinning. An hour later when the movie was over, I was having trouble walking straight and remained shaky and dizzy. The next day, I had a migraine for only the 2nd time in my life, the first one having been 4 years earlier. Went to my regular doctor the next week and she gave me some migraine meds and told me that my blood pressure was up and my blood sugar was off the charts. She advised me that if I stopped taking the pill, it could make my symptoms worse. At this point, I was at my 4 days with the brown iron pills. To test the theory, once my 4 days were done, I took the first white pill of a new pack. Within 30 minutes, it felt like someone had hit me in the back of the head with a 2 x 4! That was all I needed to know. Later that week, I went in to give blood for a cholesterol test and to do a glucose tolerance test (never had any issues with this in my life to this point). The glucose tolerance test results were normal but my cholesterol was 239. That was July. Called my OB/GYN and he said no more pill...we could try the Mirena IUD once I had my next cycle. Went to see him in Sept to have it installed but ended up having it removed the first week of Feb of this year because I was dizzy, bloated, had acne, had severe headaches again, was extremely fatigued and my sex drive was in the toilet. The day it was removed, my stomach flattened back out and my fogginess lifted. Sex drive is back, skin is clear...feel like a real person again...AND my cholesterol was down to 196 without any real changes. My research tells me that the estrogen has an effect on your blood lipids so for me it impacted my cholesterol. The progestins in both the Loestrin and in the Mirena are what gave me the headaches.....I just can't take that drug. Good luck to all of you....I just don't think most of us "of a certain age" can take hormonal birth control.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 for about 7 months. I originally started taking it to clear up acne and regulate my periods. I was on Yaz for three months before that, but it didn't help with my acne. However, I usually don't have an actual period on the pill. I usually just have light spotting for 4 or 5 days when I should have a period. Then, last month I didn't have a period at all, which kind of worries me. I'm not sexually active, so I know that I can't be pregnant, but not having a period seems worrisome to me. Also, I have gained about 20 lbs since I started taking the pill, and I've had a lot bloating/gas every month. This I'm also having a very sore lower abdomen. Has anyone else experienced these side effects? The pill has cleared up my skin, so I hate to stop taking it, but I'm worried about the additional side effects.

oh my god my gyn want me to start Loestrin 24 Fe this Sunday but after hearing you ladies I'm so scare now.I used to be on yaz but i couldn't take the way i felt i was so depressed and emotional My poor boyfriend had to deal with the mood swings the crying and didn't know what to do. Here is my question what birth control work best without these side effect. I mean if the pill makes me feel this way there is no way i will try the Ring or patch. Please if anyone have any advice please share with me and the other ladies that i know want to know.

Hey everyone! My names Janelle and I'm 20 years old. I went on Loestrin about three months ago and am going to quite taking it. I have experienced just about every side effect mentioned above. From depression, breast tenderness, severe mood swings, increased fatigue, and increased weight gain. I am a very healthy eater and exercise almost six times a week. The exercise has helped with the mood swings a bit but has not helped with any of the other side effects. My plan is to stay away from birth control, exercise frequently and remain abstinent until marriage! I know this won't work for some of us so I would recommend taking another pill. I have also tried YAZ and that was MUCH WORSE. Probably the worst birth control pill out there!!!

I'm freaking out!!!!!!!!! SOMEBODY WITH THE SAME SIDE EFFECT PLEASE HELP ME....I was on YAZ since the summer and it sucked cuz I'd get my PD every 2 weeks....i finished my last pack on November, took December off and towards the end of the month i had unprotected sex so i had to take the PLAN B pills and three days later i got my pd. so everything seemed O.K.....theeeen i started on this jump off LOESTRIN PILL. I was supposed to have "protected" sex for the first month but towards the end of the month (when i was NOT supposed to be ovulating) i had unprotected sex and i haven't had my PD. for 2 months now....Last month i did a pregnancy test and it came out negative....I don't really have any "early pregnancy" signs....i feel fine but CAN ANYONE LET ME KNOW IF MISSING A PERIOD IS NORMAL? I'm just thinking that switching from a different birth control pill and taking the plan B pills might have messed up my cycle. Thanx.

It looks like I am going to be on Loestrin 24 one more month or so and
after reading everybody's experience with Yaz I have decided not to take Yaz which is what they switched me to and I was supposed to start on Sunday because I did not want to be on Loestrin 24 ,but I am going to stay on it until I go see my Doctor because I do not want to talk to a nurse by phone . I just had this feeling like I should not take the Yaz ,like something is telling me no, and I have to go with my gut feeling and not take it, I hope that they are not going to be mad at me after I called and got them to take me off Loestrin 24 and then they gave me 3 packs of Yaz, I just cannot take it after reading about all of the side effects, I just could not get peace over it so no Yaz for me, and so I still have two packs of Loestrin 24 and a RX too, but I am going to ask to be put back on ortho tri cyclen because it is what I know and my periods were regular on it. This week is supposed to be my period, and my last Loestrin pill was Tuesday and I still have not started, I am having headaches, cramps, leg aches, and I am having some nausea every now and then and this is not how I want to feel.

My periods were regular on ortho tri cyclen but the reason my doc took me off of it was because the last week (which was before my period) I was having headaches and having nausea but I would rather feel like that a week then feel the way I feel. I would go ahead and call the nurse but I am afraid she would tell me to try the Yaz because I have not even tried it yet and because she just called me on Monday and my husband picked up the Yaz on Tuesday, I just do not want to seem crazy or something, my body is just really weird about having reactions. Good luck to anyone else and I will let you all know how it goes, please be praying that this month goes well on Loestrin 24!!!! I just hope my period next month is not hell to pay cause I have not had one this month. Good night!
Jennifer

My 20 yr. old daughter was on Loestrin 24 Fe for almost a year with seemingly few side effects (except larger breasts). When her Rx ran out, the doc would not prescribe more until she had an exam. She ended up going off the pill for a couple of months, which was okay because there was no boyfriend or sexual contact during that time. She then got a prescription refill and went back on it. Within about 3 weeks she started experiencing random panic attacks including, headaches, nausea, rapid heart beat, sweaty hands and dizziness. At first she wrote it off as stress, but now they are happening ALL the time and are interfering with her life. She is a college student and is becoming paralyzed by the anxiety and the fear of a panic attack. She can't go to class, can't drive and is worried all the time. This is soooo unlike my happy-go-lucky daughter. She feels like she is going crazy. I talked to the GYN and she thought that the pill could definitely be enhancing these symptoms, but didn't feel they were the main cause. I now have a completely different opinion from her since reading all the posts on here describing the exact same symptoms while on this pill. My daughter has now stopped taking them (it's been about a week) and the doctor said it could take a couple of cycles for the drug to be completely out of her system. I'm praying that these symptoms go away after the hormones are flushed out....anyone have any experience with the anxiety going away after going off the pill??????

I started Loestrin 24 Fe Dec. 2007. The first 2 weeks okay..then I started cramping..not normal cramps..childbirth like cramps magnified 3 times..I thought it was something I ate. After 3 days the pain went away...2 weeks later the same cramps, but more painful then the first time...by this time I was already taking Advil, but no relief. I finally was rushed to the ER room and found out it was the pill...needless to say I am no longer on this pill since Jan. 15th and now I am stuck with a tremendous hospital bill all because I began this pill to stop the heavy bleeding. I have a doctor appt. on 2/4/2008 with a GYN so I can see if there are any other solutions..by the way I am 40 years old..if any one has any other solutions or suggestions let me know. I was on Yaz, but caused me to have serious mood swings.

What can I say, Breakthrough Bleeding, Breakthrough Bleeding, Breakthrough Bleeding!!!!!!! I have been on this pill for about 3 weeks and have only experienced two side effects, a little nausea and as you can guess breakthrough bleeding. The doctor warned me that I may spot a little but this is ridiculous. I have ruined about 12 pairs of underwear and 2 sets of sheets. I am going to give it a little longer but if the bleeding doesn't stop soon I am going to switch pills.

Okay so I really need advice.
I'm taking a test tomorrow because I've been feeling HORRIBLE the past month. I'm SUPER nauseated, sort of having stomach pains, and always hungry..but it's a weird hunger.. the type where you feel kind of full but like you're really hungry all at the same time. I'm on my 2nd pack now and was on Yaz for 8 months before I started Loestrin. Is it bad that I've been sexually active w/o a condom but using the "pull out" method? I'm supposed to start tomorrow..haven't had cramps or anything so far. But I don't want to freak myself out so bad that I miss my period, so I guess that's another reason why I'm taking a test tomorrow.

I am 28 and this is my first time taking BC pills. Loestrin 24 FE has been okay for me. My side effects include slight nausea (which went away after the first few packs), bloating, occasional breast tenderness, and light headed/anxious at times. I also have had some breakthrough bleeding for a few days during the middle of the packs (which is to be expected for the first few months), but am going to try one more pack before switching to something else. Cramps have definitely been much less, and my periods have lasted for a mere 3 days. I take the pill at night before I go to bed, so perhaps that is why the nausea wasn't so bad.

For those people who don't like this pill -remember that not all pills work for everyone. (I tried Yaz once for 2 days and thought I was going to die!) We all have different body chemistry -so give this one a chance. If it doesn't work for you then try something else. My doctor gave me a sample of Femcon to try after my next pack of Loestrin. She thinks that Femcon will stop my breakthrough bleeding...guess I will find out soon...

Good Luck!

Hey everyone,
I stopped taking the pill now and have been off it for about 2 1/2 weeks (I was on it for about 2 1/2 months). I did try to stick it out like my MD suggested but I couldn't the weight gain was probably the worst. I wasn't even really eating, but gained about 5 pounds (or more) but the worse part was that it was all in my tummy and breasts (the breasts I didn't mind so much). It really looked as if I was pregnant (which luckily I knew I wasn't). Nothing was fitting my tummy. Well, anyway, I already posted about all of that. I am posting now to say that since I have been off the pill, things are getting back to normal. My weight is going back down, although I still have 3lbs or so to loose. But even though I still have some weight, my tummy is shrinking back to normal size. My breakouts have stopped; I am still dealing with what I got from the pill but no new breakouts. And the moodyness/ sadness has seemd to have diminished. I actually have not started any other pill yet. THis is the first time in about 14 years I have not been on any pill! I didn't want to go back to something right away in fear I would have more side effects. So I wanted to let you all know that the symptoms do go away after you stop (at least for me). And since I have not started another pill and have not changed anything except going off the pill, I can pretty certainly say the side effects were from the pill (agian for me at least). Just wanted to make you all aware. I am feeling SOOOO much better since being off the pill. This is the first time I have ever had major issues like this with a pill. I hope people who are trying the BC pill for the first time (any pill that is) and have side effects do not get turned off on the pill in general. I think you just have to find the right one for you. I am glad to see that some people also also writing that they are having good experiences with this pill too, so that people know it really depends on the person. I hope everyone who is having problems get better soon! I am glad this website is here for everyone to share!

I JUST started Loestrin 24 Fe (day one) and have been reading many articles and websites (anything from the literature in the research journals to the Mayo Clinic posts). I have just read through this entire site and took in all the feedback from the women who have shared the side effects. I have NEVER taken BC until now. I am trying it to keep monthly bleeding and mood swings to a minimum. BUT, I see some serious side effects (depression, acne, weight gain) - these seem worse than just dealing with the monthly symptoms and taking some pain relievers.

Should I STOP? Any advice from veteran birth control users?
Michele

The first b.c pill my doctor put me on was Yaz and that was a complete nightmare for three months. I felt nautious everyday and my mood went psycho. I cant tell you how many times I flipped out on my family and boyfriend. I also was beginning to feel symptoms of anxiety attacks and it was then that I asked my doctor to switch me to another pill. Well, she switched me to Loestrin 24 and I've been on it for a week. I know that it is too early to tell how it will work out for me but after reading all of the responses I'm beginning to freak out. Yaz was horrible for me and I am hoping that Loestrin 24 will be better, especially since I told my doctor the anxiety and moodiness I had with Yaz. So far I have only experienced a bit more acne than usual and my stomach is upset sometimes. I also have been spotting a bit and had cramps which felt like menstraul cramps to me...which is weird considering I definitly won't be getting my period for another few weeks. My boobs are sore, but not too bad- i wish i had the growth side effects others are getting haha! Well, hope everything works out well and I'll keep updating.

I'm on my 3rd pack, actually i'm on the 4 day break of my third pack so i have my period now. The first month of the pill was horrible, i got breakthrough bleeding the first day of the second week and it lasted for TWO WEEKS. it was just heavy enough to be a complete NUISANCE!!! i had to wear pads and tampons for two weeks and my poor boyfriend was deprived!!! then i got a week break and right into pmsing and my normal period. The normal alloted period is fine, it's short and relatively painless. The 2nd month i had no breakthrough bleeding except for like 3 days (NOT 2 WEEKS!)...and the 3rd month was just a repeat of the 1st month... i had two weeks of breakthrough bleeding...my poor boyfriend i swear. Now i'm about to start taking the 4th pack and my 21st birthday is this month and i will be SOO EXTREMELY UPSET if i get the 2week breakthrough bleeding this month. My boobs have been tender probably the whole time, but it's like they are getting bigger (WHICH I DONT MIND!!)...not so bad mood swings, not so bad headaches. but i get nightmares alot more than i used to. I've actually noticed that my hunger is raging at nighttime and not so much during the day like it used to. My body also kind of feels like it's womaning out... like my stomach is gettting tighter and my hips bigger and my boobs bigger, i'm going to give it this month to see if i get the breakthrough bleeding. if i do, i'm going to switch to yaz and give that a try. I can't afford all the ruined underwear and i cant please the deprived boyfriend :(

I am just finishing my 2nd month of this pill. I have been on numerous BC’s since the age 17. I have had some good ones and some bad ones but usually the side effects that caused me to go off the pills was cramping and/or spotting. Recently I had been on Yasmin (not Yaz) for about 4 years. In the past year I had gotten over 10 yeast infections due to the Yasmin. Prior to this past year though, Yasmin was great. Anyway, my GYN switched me to this and I am on my second month. The first month it was like I had my period everyday for the month. I truly don’t know when I actually had my period. My poor husband, I kept telling him “I think I have my period again.” Then when I thought it was gone b/c nothing for a few days, it would come back. But I decided to stick it out. I called my GYN and the nurse said “try to stick it out for three months, it usually gets better.” So I am. And this month, its starting again. I am suppose to get my period in a week but 3 days ago I started bleeding again. But I also have been feeling very lethargic, depressed and I have gained weight. I actually did not even think it was because of the change in the pill until I came across this website today. But I truly have many of the same symptoms you all are talking about. Mostly, the tiredness, weight gain and depressed feeling. But I have others. I have NEVER been over 135lbs in my life now I am at 140 and I haven’t changed a thing. I certainly could exercise more, but that hasn’t changed. In fact, I have been trying to eat LESS to lose this weight but I keep going up. Now I am thinking it may be due to this pill. I am glad I came across this website. I am going to go to my GYN before the next month and say I want off. The one good thing is… I haven’t had a yeast infection since being on this pill! I was getting two a month at times! I am truly glad I came across this website or else I would have never known. Thank you all for sharing your comments about your experiences (both positive and negative).

I'm into my 8th pack of Loestrin 24 Fe and I'm ready to get off of them. Major issue is no sex drive and spotting right before period is supposed to start. So its like I have a really long period anyways. I've been on these pills for more than half of a year and there has been no change in my periods (no shorter periods or lighter periods) :-( And the website says "shorter periods less than 3 days by cycle 6". So its like I'm paying $50 for a "regular pill"anyways. Oh and my boobs hurt like all the time!!! I'm thru with it!!! Does anyone have a recommendation of a pill I can ask my doctor about next month??

i have been on this pill now for about 4 months, and i finally know why i am gaining so much weight. It seems to be getting worse everyday! also, i have been having extreme mood swings. everyone notices and it is even interfearing with my boyfriend of over a year. i dont reccoment this birth control to anyone. (unless you are trying to gain some weight!) :D

I was on Loestrin for about 6 months. Main side effects were I was hungry ALL the time, no matter if I had dinner 5 hours ago or five mintues ago. I also had weird cravings. I gained about 10lbs on this pill and my breasts were a full cup size bigger and soar almost all of the time. I can say that moodswings were not an issue, which is the one of the only reasons why I liked this pill. My period completely stopped the third month, which was a plus, but I was more bloating while taking the pill than those short 4 days of the brown iron placebos. I am currently on my the beginning of my second week on aviane, the generic form of alesse and I am pretty sure I am experiencing severe moodswings because of it, but I am leary to think so because it is too early...has anyone else taken this pill?