Alternative birth symptoms and conditions

i have been on Loette for almost a year now. I have not felt 'right' the whole time. I've been excessively emotional, had a lot more headaches, night sweats, swollen and/or tender breasts, decreased sex drive and difficulty having an orgasm, to the point where i was wondering what the hell was wrong with me. Also had moments of insane anger followed by depression. I had been off the pill for about 3 years, having previously been on Diane since I was a teenager for acne. I didn't realize how much I liked being off the pill until I went back on it! Now looking into alternative birth control options.

I had my Mirena IUD removed on Monday, May 5, 2008. I had it inserted on November 10, 2005. I was having major side effects from the birth control, and every doc I went to said that there is no way that Mirena would cause the side effects I was having because the "progesterone amounts are too low to cause these side effects". I have had the following side effects:
WEIGHT GAIN
JOINT PAIN
LUMPS IN BREASTS
BREAST TENDERNESS
HUNGER (as if i were pregnant)
DEPRESSION
LOSS OF SEX DRIVE
HAIR LOSS
SWOLLEN ABDOMEN (BLOATED?)
HEADACHES
GROUCHY/ON EDGE
ACNE
CYST (had a couple weeks ago... i was on vacation in Vegas and had a cyst burst.. never had these issues... this was the last straw)
STABBING PAINS IN ABDOMEN AND IN AREA OF OVARIES
PMS SYMPTOMS EVERY OTHER WEEK FOR TWO YEARS
BREAST GROWTH D TO DD
VAGINAL BLEEDING AFTER INTERCOURSE
FATIGUE
TENDERNESS OF ABDOMEN
BACK PAIN
HIP PAIN

As of today, Friday, May 9, 2008 (4 days after Mirena has been removed) I have lost 9 pounds. I am sure this is probably water weight? I am feeling a little better every day. The night I got home from having it removed, I had major mood swings... would be happy one minute and crying my eyes out the next!!! I would not recommend this IUD to ANYONE.. not even on my worst enemy (if I had one). This needs to be taken off the market. It is not safe! I have spent thousands of dollars on ultrasounds on my breasts (thinking i could have cancer because the lumps i had in my breast) and on other doctors bills to figure out what was wrong with me.. only to find out that "Mirena is not the cause"!!!!

I have been using Yasmin for over 3 years now. I did suffer from tiredness and nausea with everything else that I have tried before Yasmin. However, after reading several comments on this forum, I have to say that I too suffer from anxiety and depression. Although I wouldn't call it severe, its enough to take its toll on me. It makes me extremely paranoid in the sense that I worry over the silliest things and elaborate on every little problem thinking that everything is going to be worse. Basically my mind races over problems all day and I have been feeling like I am losing my rationalization. I did seek help from my psychiatrist and was put on a mild antidepressants and although they provide immediate relief and give my mind a little rest, I didn't benefit from any long term solution that he said the medicine would provide.
I have been quite annoyed at myself really for not being in control of my feelings because the person I know I am, has done an okay job at it before. Something is definitely screwing up my emotions and that could very well be Yasmin since I have tried every other solution. So I am going to give Yasminelle a go as of today and see if the lower dose improves things and if not I will definitely be looking at alternative birth control methods because I am honestly fed up of feeling like I have no control over my own emotions.

I've been on Yasmin for 3 weeks and have to stop taking it due to severe nausea & lightheadedness, and moderate breakthrough bleeding. Alternative birth control is a much better option than dealing with the side effects!