Birthcontrol symptoms and conditions

ive been on mirena since march 2008. at first i thought this was the best birth control product out there. however for over two years i have been riddled with allergies, sinus infections, upper respiratory tract infections, tiredness, headaches, joint pains, muscle aches, gastric and bowel problems, cyst like acne, mood swings tachycardia (rapid heart rate), anxiety. at first i thought all these were related to getting older (im 29) and work related stress so i wrote it off. but being a person who has never been sick in my life to all of a sudden being sick once a month is crazy. this has been the only thing i could think of that i could think the problem is. i hate to remove the iud because it is so convenient but i am sick of being sick. the doctors dont tell you of the not so obvious side effects like these. i just hope that no permanent damage has occurred.

I have been on Mirena for a year and I just spent three days in the hospital taking care of an ectopic pregnancy with surgery. what a painful experience. I I know birth control is not 100% but now what do I do? i don't want anymore children but I don't want to have my tubes tied yet either.

Wow, I'm speechless I came across this website! I just had to share my experience! I had my Mirena removed yesterday. I'm 29 years old, I had it put in 5 years ago under General Anaesthetic whilst having a laporoscopy for Endomentriosis, I was advised by my doctor to give Mirena a go - at that stage I was desperate for a bit of relief from such heavy bleeding and cramps. Reading everyone elses side effects, has made me realize, I have suffered a bit over the last 5 years! I gained 25kgs, and could never understand how I could not shift the weight, I'm really active, play a lot of sport, and eat healthy, I was diagnosed with depression also, and have been taking anti-depressants for 4 of the the last 5 years, I've at times been very short fused, angry, and anxious. Now I've had the Mirena removed, I can't wait to see if I can shift my extra weight with ease! Having it removed was absolutely horrific! The pain was so bad, all I can describe it like, is someone giving your cervix a Chinese burn! OUCH!! I have been bleeding quite heavily, but have been told this is normal????? Is it??? My husband and I hope to start a family soon, so fingers crossed all goes well! I know for some woman out there, the Mirena is great! But for those of us who suffered... I feel your pain... literally!

okay so i have been on Loestrin 24 fe since July and since i've started it i have not had a period, just light spotting. And in October i didn't even have any spotting. My acne is worse as it's ever been since taking this pill, i have mood swings, i've noticed that i find myself feeling depressed sometimes. And worst of all about two weeks ago while i was doing a routine breast exam on myself i noticed a lump. Since i've noticed it, the lump has gotten bigger, it's tender to the touch, and my boob has gotten bigger, but just the one. And i've never had any problems with lumps, or anything else. When i went to the gyno in july she gave me a breast exam and said everything was fine, this was the day she prescribed me loestrin 24fe. I also experience headaches, i feel sick to my stomach a lot, and i find myself blacking out. I'm not going to take this birth control anymore.

making the appointment for my lump tomorrow hopefully everything goes good.

I am happy that I have come across this website. My son was born in July 2nd, 2009 and I had the Mirena IUD inserted on August 24th, 2009. The insertion wasn't all that painful, but the cramps that followed were. It lasted for approximately 2 weeks following and I had some spotting here and there. I have had serious cramping on my right side and after sexual intercourse, I always bleed and cramp on my right side. I have complained about my right wrist hurting bad and my thumb seemingly being dislocated. After reading these post I see that I could possibly have joint pain as a side effect. I can honestly say that the joint pain didn't start until after the Mirena insertion but I never associated it with that.

I thought that I'd love the Mirena because I wouldn't have to worry with pills or having to remember to take birth control, but the side effects are not worth it. I have also had some weight gain. Serious mood swings. Depressed moods and very emotional. Ive been short tempered about just minor things and I haven't been motivated to do much of anything around the house.

I'm debating on whether or not I should have the Mirena removed. I'd hate for any of my symptoms to get worse.

Hi everyone. I am so glad i found this website. I am 26 years old and i got my mirena put in October of 2007. A few months after getting it put in i noticed my hair was starting to fall out, i was real moody, hot flashes. So i went to my obgyn and he said it was my hormones so put me on birth control on top of the mirena, don't know what point of that was. But me and my husband were debating whether or not to get it taken out, because i am really bad at taking the pill but after reading everyone's stories on here yall have made up my mind for me. I'd rather get it taken out and see if my symptoms stop. The hair loss has bothered me the most. I went from having a head full of thick hair to having real thin hair, my husband was amazed at how much hair i have lost. When i wash my hair at night it just falls out like nothing, i have a big ball of hair in the tub. I even went and seen a dermatologist and he didn't know what was wrong! Calling my doctor tomorrow to make an appt. to get this taken out!

I started NuvaRing 10/25, I wanted a birth control that could regulate my periods and was something I wouldn't forget to take. The first two days were fine, even though I didn't have much of an appetite.Then by the third day I woke up with horrible pains in my bladder/anal area.Keep in mind through out all of this I was getting chest pains (which just may have been from stress) and was not sleeping well at all. So last night I couldn't fall asleep until 2am, woke up every hour with nausea and chest pains and my left arm ache. I took the ring out around 5am and by 8am I puked. If my symptoms don't in prove I will call my Gyno. NuvaRing: great idea, rough side effects, and not for me.

My name is Amanda, I'm 21 yrs old, engaged and having some problems:
I had mirena put in December, 2008 and had a horrible first night. My cramps were terrible for at least 5 hrs. After that I had no problems other than really odd cycles (on for 10 days, off for 3 months, on for 4 days, etc)
I hadn't thought my other problems were due to this iud but now think otherwise and am seriously wanting it removed. I've been very irritable, bloated, exhausted, can't sleep at all at night until 6 am then finally sleep till 1 pm... I have absolutely NO SEX DRIVE (odd because my fiancé were very happy with our sex lives , now it's maybe once if that).
My fiancé says this is a very good form of B.C. Because we never have sex... Hahaha. I don't have any cramps but do get unusual headaches (right temple, extremely sharp pain) ...
If i knew for sure that these symptoms weren't from mirena, I'd keep it... But now am going to get it removed and get back on the shot...
Let me know if anyone has anything to help me out with the sex drive thing!!!

Does it hurt to get mirena removed?

Will my sex drive return?????
I'm only 21 and am getting married in sept 2010 (hopefully ... Haha) ...
Thanks, A.

I'm a nursing mom so my birth control options were limited. I had mine inserted 2 weeks ago which was quite painful. I'm nursing so I haven't had a menstrual cycle. I kept wondering the importance of having it inserted during your cycle. Well I learned that the reason it hurt so much is I had be dilated first. I'm still having cramping and now discharged. A quick culture showed negative results of infection and a vaginal ultra sound that the IUD expelled itself. So why the discharge and cramping is beyond me. I do not recommend this IUD. The experience has been very bad. I'm glad others like and have had a positive outcome.

Well I have been on Aviane-28 for hormonal and period uses. Note that I'm 14 years old and I'm not sexuality active. I have been on Aviane for exactly 1 month 1 week and 4 days, and I HATE IT. I got this med to even me out my period pains and lately I have been feeling like crap, seriously. For the first month, my period lasted for that WHOLE MONTH. All I was interested in, I now hated, for no exact reason. In the same month, I was crying all the time and it made me so depressed. I told my mom about it and she said I should stay on it, but I really don't know what I should do. I have been eating like CRAZY and become so nauseated afterword. And for those of you who are just like me and have a panic disorder, it makes it that much WORSE with the episodes. I have noticed that my hair was been falling out a bit, and didn't realize it was the med itself from the comments has said above and below my comment. Honestly I thought it was from my hair dye that I did 2 months, but that doesn't seem right to judge that. Another thing was, I woke up at least 4 times last night and I really don't know why. Oh and a question for those of you who have tried out this birth control, had you ever had a weird dream of being pregnant? Just asking.

Oddly enough, I am bawling crying while I am typing this blog. I am just off my period and I am still depressed and not thinking very clear. I even had to leave work the other day because I could not stop crying. I hate birth control.......it is so hard to find any birth control that side effects are not so outrageous. I feel better now reading these blogs. I thought something was really wrong with me.
This is my second month, and I don't think I will be using it again.

Now I am personally freaking out. I went to see my gyn this morning because I have had terrible anxiety and depression (I suffer from anxiety and depression anyway). I was hoping that it was due to a hormonal imbalance. Well..we didn't do any tests. She put me on the nuvaring to balance out any hormones...to give me a constant flow of hormones.
I am freaking out. I don't feel bad right now. I want this to help not hinder me.
Does anyone have anything good to say about it? I can't take any more anxiety or depression.

If you read my prior posts I have suffered with almost every and more.
I finally called my Dr that put the IUD in about my lower back and all my other symptoms of course she said that it was not related.
Anyhow, she suggested to get a steroid/cortisone shot in buttocks . so that is was I got from my family doctor. I was in more pain for 1 1/2 weeks and then I asked for a mild muscle relaxer which she prescribed that was Flexal. I took one for 3 nights in a row and honestly I have felt extremely better!!! Although, from prior visits I'm still also taking a low dose of a fluid pill every morning for my swelling/fluid in my muscles and hip pain and I also take a good Vitamin B complex every morning for my nervous system.
I 'm in a position waiting for my husband to have a bysectomy?(sp) therefore I have no other birth control. So maybe those of you that are i the same boat as me I thought maybe what i had done may help you all too.
Let me!! Although, I'm fine right now as soon as I can i will have mine removed. I don't know if my effects will come back but I never want them again. I am spotting a little bit which I'm glad because I feel that you have to have some kind of release at sometime. I just think that is not healthy and puts your hormones in turmoil and that is why we have so many side effects.

I put in the Nuvaring about 2 hours ago for the first time. Within ten minutes I experienced dizziness, "floatyness", anxiety, jitters, and about an hour later my skin started itching(back, legs, etc). I feel like I'm high? I called ask-a-nurse since it is Memorial Day and my OB is closed and she said those weren't typical side effects, though she doesn't THINK they are dangerous. Did anyone else have any immediate side effects? Thanks..

OMG! Thought it was due to my age. Thought I was going crazy! Everyone of these issues I have.
Headaches, fatigue, fuzzy head, incredible appetite, quick weight gain. I also have lost a lot of hair and have hair damage (very dry and breaking off).
My doctor actually suggested this product to help with my PMDD. Did not help me just created another set of issues. I do not need birth control I need the hormones but not that bad.

Has anyone else had problems with their hair?

I had the Mirena put in 6 months ago. Since that time I have experienced waves of nausea, heart palpitations, excessive weight gain, depression, moody, foggy thinking, no sex drive, continual bleeding and more aches and pains than I can shake a stick at.
I spent 5 hrs in the hospital yesterday after having heart palpitations and thinking I was going to die. I have a heart time breathing as well.
I asked my ob/gyn to remove it but she talked me out of it. I finally had enough and don't care about those with "well meaning" advice. I'm getting it taken out tomorrow and tell every women I know stay as far from the Mirena as possible.
I'm so glad there are these sites to share experiences with other women, it makes you feel as those you aren't alone. The pharmaceutical companies should be held accountable for what the Mirena has done to women.

Wow... After reading some of these posts, I don't know what to do. I recently asked my gyno to prescribe bcp. I'm a regular irregular but it drives me crazy when I think it is coming and ends up being late. I've tried Ortho-Tri Cyclen and Ortho Evra (which I loved! Despite the weight gain, I didn't have to remember to take a pill every day) I've been off birth control for about 6 years now and my gyno said that due to the high risk of blood clots with Ortho Evra he didn't recommend it. He handed me a few samples of Loestrin 24fe but after reading almost all of your posts... I don't know what to think, especially because I've been experiencing almost all the same symptoms as most of without being on birth control. From the random headaches, weight gain, breast tenderness, severe cramping (like someone stabbing my lower abdomen), random spotting and even hairloss (the top of my head is clearly visible. It's so bad that I lose at least 5 strands just by running my fingers through my hair.) Part of me wants to try it out but I'm VERY scared that it will only worsen my symptoms... Help!Btw, nightmares? Really? Is that really a side effect? That's pretty nerve racking. Last thing anyone needs is to be afraid of going to bed after a long day of work...

I HAD MIRENA INSERTED AFTER MY BABY WAS BORN IN SEPT 07. IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS I HAVE BEEN HAVING NAUSEA ON AND OFF ALMOST EVERYDAY. I HAVE MADE SPOTTING AND MILD CRAMPING. I HAVE HAD MOOD SWINGS AND I TOO FEEL LIKE I AM GOING NUTS. I AM DEPRESSED AND AN EMOTIONAL WRECK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO THINK BECAUSE ALL THIS JUST STARTED BUT THIS THING HAS GOT TO COME OUT. MY BOYFRIEND TOOK THE LAST ONE OUT AND I GOT PREGNANT. MY GOD FATHER IS MY OB/GYN AND HE DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE IT OUT, PLUS I WORK FOR HIM. IM JUST REALLY TIRED OF THIS. AND NOT TO MENTION I DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE RIGHT NOW SO I CAN'T GO ANYWHERE ELSE.

I had the mirena put in after the birth of my son in March of 2008. Well, he was born in March, the mirena was put in the beginning of May 2008. From the very moment it was put it I have had constant spotting almost every single day, not heavy bleeding, just the brownish spotting stuff...but when someone asks when my last period was my response is "don't know, but if you want to know the last day I DIDN"T see any blood..." It's been completely ridiculous...it's the only side effect I have experienced...a constant period... NOT my kinda holiday!!! lol Anyway, I just recently had it removed...immediately, I felt relief, like a sort of weight had been lifted from my uterus ( I know, weird for some, but that's the feeling I had)...I had absolutely NO bleeding for one week... and then, all of a sudden I'm bleeding again everyday!? This time, very bright red, and about every 3rd or 4th day, very large clots, cramping... IS THIS NORMAL? At first, I'm blowing it off to just not having a "real cycle" for almost a year, but now I'm getting concerned...Any advice???? Anyone in a similar situation???

I just started my second pack of Femcon FE a couple days ago. I switched over from Yaz because my GYN said underweight girls need higher dosage pills because they lack estrogen producing pills. The yaz made me incredibly depressed and i started getting panic attacks so i decided to try it out. So far i have not had mood swings or panic attacks. YAY!! And i have been quite horny ^_^. Unfortunately i think i am starting to break-out. I have always had acne problems but when i first switched to Femcon FE my really large blemishes (cystic acne?) disappeared in a couple of days. Now i am getting a bunch of little tiny red bumps which i have never had before. Like i said it is my second month on femcon so i am not sure if that is what is causing it but i am going to keep an eye on it because i was given birth control to clear up acne, not make it worse. Also, i just washed my face with the same cleanser i always do and it is burning now...odd. Hopefully this clears up because i am definitely enjoying Femcon more than my previous pill.

I was on the pill for about five or six months (mircette). I quit taking it for about a month and was told to start the nuvaring after my febuary period. I had my period off birth control starting the 8th. Usually they're very short but this one was long and endd about the 13th. I put my first nuvaring in Saturday about 1145pm on the 14th. I couldn't get it situated or comfortable and it was burning. I left it in and after two days I took it out Monday and decided it wasn't for me. That the the 16th. I took a pregnancy test the day two days before I started my period and it was negative. But since taking the nuvaring out after only TWO DAYS I've had horrible headaches, dizziness, I'm tired and moody. I woke up this morning with bleeding. Only two weeks after my period. I called my gyno and she acted like i was silly for calling and asking and said its probably only breakthrough bleeding. Is this normal? has anyone ever experienced this, because I'm panicing?

I was on the pill, Mircette, for about five months. I decided to stop taking it and try nuvaring because I had a roommate who loved it. I'm on birth control because I had mood swings with pms that noone would stay around me. I had my period off of birth control two weeks ago. Started Sunday the 8th. Usually they were three days at the most. This one went all the way to the 13th. I put my first nuvaring in Saturday night around 12am on the 14th. For some reason I couldn't get situated. It burned and I could feel it and just wasn't comfortable. I dealt with it til about Monday morning when I took it out and decided it wasn't right for me. I've been kinda dizzy, cry a lot, I'm shaky and tired. My boyfriend and I haven't had sex in about seven weeks and I took a pregnancy test the day before I started my actual period two weeks ago and it was negative. But I woke up today, the 23rd and I had lite bleeding and backaches. I know its normal coming off of birth control, but seeing as how I didn't have it in very long is this still normal? Has anyone else experienced this? I called my gyno and she said it was probably just breathrough bleeding but I'm worried.

I've taken the infamous Quasense and experience constant flow of lite bleeding often red and brown. I will say that my attitude has been impacted, totally irritable and unapologetic about being a B----. I've had cramps all day with bleeding beyond my normal period. I am very frustrated with this and have stop taking immediately!!!! I was hoping that once I start the pack after my period it would be smooth sailing....NOT...So soon as I noticed that the bleeding and cramps were lite steady and constant...I felt I should stop taking this stuff. I need to check and see if my insurance covers the on brand stuff. Because I rather deal with my period for a defined period of time, then wonder when it will be leaving or mysteriously showing up unannounced. My bf is understanding for now but that will soon stop!!! I will try the on brand stuff or see about other non-bleeding side effect birth control!!! I'm taking the birth control to stop the bleeding not cause it!!!! Being Fertile is not my problem...the f----- monthly pains of being in prison in your body...

I'm writing back to tell you ladies that I got the Mirena taken out yesterday. I can't say I feel better yet, because it's only been 15 hrs..I also got my teeth fixed right after that so I feel like crap but it is because of my mouth hurting. I did notice that my acne isn't so red and isn't sore right now. I had the worst Acne and although it's not gone I feel it looks different already. I'm mainly writing to tell you all about my experience with the doctor. I'm sooooo mad because I explained why I wanted to get it removed ( Acne, weight gain, back pain, bloating, migraines, mood swings, no sex drive..etc ) This fool told me that it has nothing to do the Mirena because the it has no Hormones and my body is reacting to my normal cycle.... I was shocked because I thought it had progesterone?of course I never had ACNE at all and that was before I started any birth control. I've only been on the NuvaRing and Mirena for the last 3 yrs. I didn't start getting Acne until 3 months after starting the Mirena and I know that's what it is from. He blamed all my other side effects on getting old..LOL I'm only 28 yrs old and never had problems like this before. I told him they need to do more Research on the Mirena before they put in women, and that fool was like....WHO? ME? I said Yes, YOU AND EVERY DOCTOR WHO THINKS THIS IS A MIRACLE BIRTH CONTROL.. He was upset but so was I. I shouldn't have had to go thru that. I'm still mad about it! It would have been better off telling him I want it out so I can have 12 more kids and then I wouldn't have heard anything from him. They are all in denial and that's scary.

I also wrote a complaint with the FDA and hopefully if everyone does the same we can get this crapp off the market. I want a refund and won't stop until I get it because it didn't last 5 yrs for me and a lot of you out there. I will be writing you all back after a couple months to tell you how I feel then.
There is all kinds of websites about Mirena, mostly bad ones. Look up " Post Mirena side effects" that was a good one to. Women were talking about what vitamins we should take afterwards so we don't have the crash the happen between day 4 thru 10 afterwards. 5htp, B6 and primrose are good for that.

I have been on the NuvaRing for 4 months. And I have to say, Ladies beware!! My story is basically this... I had two children during the age of 25 years old, so my midwife wouldn't release me from the hospital unless I had a birth control plan because if I have another child again so soon it will put my health and life at risk (2 c-sections with back to back children is apparently a bad thing no time to recover!).... I had problems with having anger with other forms of hormonal birth control so I was very nervous about taking the pill or trying the depo shot again. So she suggested the NuvaRing and warned me that because it is hormonal that I may have the same problems with this that I had with the others. She told me that it would take being on the NuvaRing for at least 2-3 months before my hormones would regulate and we would know for sure how my body would handle it and I would react to it. These have been my side effects so far:
Explosive Anger: Every other day my husband and I are fighting in which I over react blow everything WAY out of proportion and threatening to leave.... And I have no right to do this because I literally am treated like a princess.
Depression: Generally after feeling the anger I hit an extreme low.
Sleeplessness: Feeling horrible about myself for acting the way I have, small issues bother me that shouldn't and I'll stay up all night thinking about them not being able to sleep, always feeling like my mind is racing.
Loss of Libido: I have sex because he wants to and it's a rarity at that. When before we were having sex 3-4 times a week, now, it's been about once a month.
Unable to reach orgasm: He knows how to get me there, and I know how to get me there and all of a sudden, neither one of us can get me there no matter how hard we've tried.
Vaginal Itching: Mostly external to the point where it's red, swollen, sore to the touch.
More Discharge: (which is probably causing the above problem)
Headaches: Almost daily and completely out of no where.
Chills and freezing: I live in Sunny Arizona in the South West corner where the average coldest temp is around 70 degrees out and I'm constantly freezing when every one around me is completely fine or way too hot.

All of these side effects started with in 1-2 weeks after I started the NuvaRing. I gave it 4 months to see if my body would regulate and change, and some of these issues would go away and they haven't, if anything they are getting worse. So with that said, we're going to good ol' fashioned condoms!! No more NuvaRing for me.

I hope this helps someone else who might be questioning to stay on it or not... I know you guys helped me! Thanks to all these responses!