Clear skin symptoms and conditions

I have a 15-yr old. She's been taking singulair since she was 7. These are a few of the things that I have noticed over the last year but ignored because I too, as many of you have, thought it was because she a teenager.

1. Stomachache .. she complained all the time. Thought it was nerves because it was usually before she went to a training session or game.
2. Restlessness.
3. Headaches.
4. Moodiness.
5. Tired. Fatigue. Weak. Even after she gets hours and hours of sleep. Figured it was because her schedule is whacked. We've had fights over her not going to bed at a certain time.
6. Menstrual cycle changed last fall followed by acne when as before she was perfectly normal with clear skin. Recently put her on BC because of her hormonal change. Blood tests showed she was normal. We tried it anyway to regulate her periods. Took her off of it after she had her period for 3 weeks straight. Probably won't put her back on BC since taking Singulair might be the problem.
7. Tired all the time. Falls asleep in class.
8. Lost interest in her favorite sport which she rocks at. Thought it was because of a 2-month down time due to an injury.
9. Several times, have seen signs of depression but when confronted she says no she's fine. Depression is probably from being unhappy with her appearance. Being on the pill made this worse.
10. Doesn't want to go to school. Whereas before not a big deal. Most kids don't like school, but lately, she talks about how much she hates it. Usually excited to start the new school year, this year not so much, more like dreading it and her attitude hasn't change about it.
11. We argued last week and it was the first time she screamed at me and told me she hated me. She's never done this before. Her thoughts and moods have been horrible but they come in spurts.

After reading everyone's experiences, I am taking her off Singulair. I know it's not an overnight cure and will take some time, but I just want my little girl back. I find it strange that this all occurred within the last year even though she's been taking Singulair since 7. Do you suppose it's in teenagers and puberty?

I am 22 and was on ortho tri cyclen off and on for 5 years. I really had no issues with that, and only started taking yaz because my doctor gave me some free sample packs. I was interested in shorter periods. Now after taking yaz I am desperate to start taking my old pills again. My symptoms include:
weight gain
extreme mood swings (to my husband, I'm sorry)
extreme depression
feelings of worthlessness
extremely strange cravings (I will eat maple syrup right from the bottle or eat half a pizza)
tiredness
headaches
absolutely no sex drive

The good news is that my face is very clear. But personally clear skin is not worth being so mean to everyone in my life. I really do not forsee myself continuing use of yaz.

I'm 21 years old, this is my 3rd brand of birth control pills. I've never had a problem with the pills I've had in the past, but I've moved frequently and my insurance changed. So my different doctors prescribed different pills. I started taking Loestrin 24 Fe two Sundays ago and since have had constant nausea and occasional vomiting. I've not only had mood swings but also extreme depression. I am usually a very upbeat and "happy-go-lucky" person but lately and very randomly do I find myself with thoughts of worthlessness and unprovoked guilt. I attend college and have even missed a couple of classes because I didn't feel worthy of going. I usually have clear skin with occasional small breakouts before I menstruate but currently found my face to be broken out all along my chin area and am not due for another period for another couple of weeks. My reasons for taking birth control have changed and I believe I am going to discontinue my use and notify my doctor.

I am 18 years old and this is my first experience with BC. Loestrin FE 24 has ruined my entire view of BC. I have suffered many side effects of this pill, I am currently on my third pack of Loestrin. The side effect I have experienced are:
1. Moodiness/ Depression: I experienced this side effect during the first pack of Loestrin. Extreme depression was prominent at the beginning, I would randomly cry and I constantly down. Let alone my mood swings. My boyfriend would agree that I could be up and down within min.
2. Headaches: I have had horrible headaches daily with Loestrin. I started with my third pack of the pills. The headaches are terrible, it seems like I can only numb them with ibprofen but I can never fully get rid of it.
3. Spotting: How annoying is spotting? This side effect also started with my third pack of pills. I shouldn't even see any sort of menstruation for at least another 5-6 days. But yet here I am.
4. Massive acne before menstruation: I have always had really clear skin. Let it be before, during or after my period. But with Loestrin I am constantly breaking out. ESPECIALLY before my period.
5. Bloating/Constipation: I constantly feel bloated and feel like I am always constipated. I don't know what to do besides switch pills. I can't take it any longer.
P.S. This pill makes you feel that you are always pregnant. I see the signs but they are identical to the symptoms of the pill. So beware. I highly recommend NOT taking Loestrin FE 24

I am 27 and I started birth control at age 21. I always had an irregular period with terrible cramping. I also had a very high sex drive.

The first pill I tried was Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and I stopped taking it after 2 months because I felt depressed and I totally lost my sex drive. I always had perfectly clear skin and about a week after I discontinued this pill I broke out on my face and my back. I had a rash on my forehead. I also noticed a few dark hairs on my chin.

The next birth control I tried was the NuvaRing. This also made me depressed and moody.

I have now been on Loestrin 24 Fe for more than 2 years and this is the one that has worked best for me. The first few months I had my period and spotting. The first year on Loestrin I got my period once every 3 months and the period maybe lasted a couple of days and was very light. I must have taken more than 5 pregnancy tests. I asked my doctor about it and he told me that there was nothing to worry about not having periods. The second year my periods got even further apart. I went 5 months without a period then almost a whole month having a period (very light and a lot of cramping).

Besides having my period coming and going as it pleases, I feel great. My sex drive is still alive and I haven't experienced any mood swings. I do still break out on my face, usually around the end of my pack. I have not had a problem with breaking out on my back with this pill. I have gained a little weight, but after I hit 25 my metabolism really slowed down, so I cannot completely blame weight gain on the pills. I believe you have to work twice as hard to maintain a healthy weight when you get older.

With that said, I wish everyone the best on their BC journey!

Hi my name is Emily. I am getting my Mirena removed tomorrow after having it in for three years. Loved the carefree feeling of it, hate the side effects. I have been a gym rat hard core for three years...and haven't been able to loose any weight at all! i am 110 lbs and five feet tall...and completely uncomfortable with these 8lbs that refuse to leave my body! i never thought my iud was to blame. I feel bloated all the time....i haven't had a period for three years, and yet i feel like I'm on it every week.my husband is so confused!! I'm bloated, my emotions are insane and i keep thinking "what is wrong why am i so sad?" The most recent thing has been headaches in the evening....every night. And I am not that "person" i never had constant headaches in the past ever. I get zits on my throat and usually have very clear skin. I am happy to get this thing out, and actually looking forward to having a period and just having my body do what it was designed to do on its own.a little scared of pregnancy,but more scared of infertility.

Hi been off Yasmin for 2 days now, I had 7 days left in my pack but I thought there was no time like the present..... boobs not as tender, I have talked about coming off the pill to my husband, showed him other postings all had the same symptoms as me....he understands the low sex drive thing and hopefully knows i was not making excuses that there really has been a problem....he is glad as he wants his old wife back! Feeling confident that if being off the pill works out I can come off the antidepressants and I really really really hope my sex drive comes back!!! Will keep you informed. Still have the sore stiff neck and the tiredness not sure if it is a symptom that Yasmin has created. I will let you know if this improves. DO NOT TAKE YASMIN - THIS IS MY ADVICE.

I was 23 (the recommended age range is anything past your teens) and took Accutane for 6 months. I was closely monitored by a good doctor and had no ill effects. I did have painfully dry lips (used Aquaphor, as many here did) and dry skin. I had to drink lots of water, but I do that anyway. My results were amazing, after 6 years on another antibiotic with a doctor who refused to prescribe Accutane. As long as you have a good doctor and loving family and friends who will watch out for any emotional side effects, don't be afraid to take Accutane if nothing else is working for you. Acne does NOT "just go away" for many people. I suffered from age 12 to 23, getting worse every year. I am 28 now and still have clear skin.

I'm 22 years old and have been on YAZ for 1.5 years. I was originally on Yasmin and was fine but my Gyno suggested that for my body type and slight anemia I was taking more estrogen than necessary, so I agreed to try YAZ. I was excited at first, hoping it would help with my mood swings (which were not as severe as experienced with those who have PMDD). Everything was fine (clear skin, light periods, etc) until I noticed that in the past few months I was getting severely emotional (which is the complete opposite from the kind of person I am). For a while I thought it was just a phase and something that would pass but it has gotten progressively worse, to a point where I have become overly sensitive, crying with out reason and was experiencing anxiety. All out of the ordinary and very scary. Since I am an active healthy individual with no other medical concerns or on any other meds I realized that I may have been suffering side effects from the YAZ. The mood swings were particularly worse on days leading to the placebo pills and into the first week. I have been off of it for the past three days and will talk to my Gyno on Monday to either go back to Yasmin or try something new. Of course it will take up to a month for the YAZ to be processed out of my body.

Honestly it was a scary experience and it was good to know that my sudden bouts of sadness and anxiety wasn't all in my head. While YAZ may not be for me I know people who have not experienced any side effects while on YAZ. So if you are considering it I would suggest giving it a try but keep track of any changes in mood or side effects.

I have also noticed that people who were actually suffering from PMDD have like their experience with YAZ and women without PMDD have seemed to experience it while on YAZ, of course this is simply an observation and nothing else.

I had the Mirena inserted 4.5 years ago. I had lost over 100 pounds and thought it would be a better option than taking the pill. I had few problems with spotting. I quickly gained back 80 pounds of the weight in the next six months with no variation in diet or exercise. I haven't been able to lose it. Five months ago my perfectly clear skin began to turn into an acne nightmare. I have lower abdominal pain and as of late a incredibly sensitive breasts. Have never experienced the amount of uncontrolled rage and anger that I have been going through. I have one child, I am 41 years old, and I plan to have it removed and do not plan to replace it. I too was very intimidated by my doctor. I hope she'll listen this time and help me. Some of us tend to be too submissive when we put our trust in medical professionals. Thank you for the voice of women who have had this experience. My friend has had no problems with it, inserted six months ago, and I hope she doesn't.

I have been taking Yaz for six months now, and I'm stopping after I finish this pack. I've been on it this long because I thought at first the side effects caused by it were just the beginnings of aging for me (I'm 25), but the acceleration of my problems has been so noticeable that I can't be in denial any more! Basically, here's what I have:

-thinner hair that comes out more easily and doesn't grow back as fast (it would be nice if this were restricted to "unwanted" hair, but this actually includes my eyelashes, eyebrows and head hair, which have all gotten noticeably lighter and thinner)

-CELLULITE, which I never had before...not only on my thighs but on my bum and CALVES, I didn't even realize it was possible to get cellulite there!

-spider veins on my upper thighs, again, never had this before

-very decreased sex drive

-thinner skin with less elasticity

-memory problems

-much increased vaginal discharge

Now, it's not all losses...my boobs are bigger when I actively take the pills, and my skin has become less acne prone...but is all that other stuff really worth it??? I think not.

Known Side Effects of Doxycycline: (source: drugs.com)

•severe headache, dizziness, blurred vision;
•fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
•severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;
•urinating less than usual or not at all;
•pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;
•severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, fast heart rate;
•loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or
•easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness.

Less serious side effects may include:
•swollen tongue, trouble swallowing;
•mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach upset;
•white patches or sores inside your mouth or on your lips;
•sores or swelling in your rectal or genital area; or
•vaginal itching or discharge.

Comparative Research Results:
SOURCE: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3684731 -- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550

“Results from both monitoring methods consistently indicated at least a 3-fold higher frequency of nausea or vomiting with doxycycline relative to the other antibiotics. Complaints of skin rash also were at least 4 times more frequent with doxycycline, depending on the particular sample.”

More: ******

There are all sorts of verified reported side effects, most of which were on the packing slip that came with my prescription. However, not all side effects are listed on the insert. I’ve come across depression and anxiety listed as side effects on other drug profiles for Doxycycline, so if they are among the symptoms you're experiencing, they very well may be due to the drug. My experience has served as a greaet reminder to research any pharmaceutical I put in my body so that I may make informed decisions.

Like many of you, apart from my current breakout from Doxy, I too experienced stomach upset, and, to a lesser degree, cranial pressure.

Be well. Cheers.

Wow! I can't believe what I'm reading. I started YAZ three years ago at the age of 21. My gyn prescribed it for me for mild acne and pretty bad cramps. I was super excited about having clear skin. This is my only positive experience I have with YAZ and almost to no periods. In the beginning, I was a healthy 21 year old female who was active, was in a stable relationship and loved life. All of that changed. I turned into a miserable person, someone I couldn't even stand. I would yell at anyone; it didn't matter if I didn't even know you. If you looked at me wrong I made a comment, so my doctor put me on Prozac for depression and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). One of the side effects of Prozac and Yaz is fatigue, headaches and decreased sex drive. I began experiencing horrible migraines to the point where I would throw up, have unbearable pain behind my right eye and photophobia. So, my doctor put my on Topamax as well. One of the side effects of this is tingling in the extremities. So now on a daily basis I have: nausea (I throw up every morning from YAZ), I sleep all the time ( I go to bed around 6 pm), zero sex drive (my fiancee thinks I'm not attracted to him anymore. I tell him that the hottest man in the world could walk in and I wouldn't care), mood swings, tingling in my arms and feet (like they're asleep). I was HEALTHY UNTIL I STARTED YAZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, I was also rushed to the ER 2 summers ago to rule out a PE in my lungs (severe chest pain with a heart rate in the 130's). The doctors diagnosed me with low potassium (another side effect of Yaz).

I had my Mirena IUD inserted back in August and for the last 7 months I have had the period from HELL! its been on and off literally for the last 7 months, I am tired all the time and when I say all the time I mean it! I am usually in bed by 8:30pm...so between the periods and the sleeping you can kiss any sex life I could have had good bye. My moods are out of this world I can cry at the drop of a hat and then be completely pissed the next second. I haven't experienced any weight gain but I can't loose any weight either. I also feel hungry all the time as many of you have mentioned...its a never ending cycle!!!! I am going in tomorrow and just getting it removed cause I can't take this any more I am sure I'm super anemic now...and to have clear skin again would be nice! Thanks for all your input...it has made my decision that much easier.

So, I had my Mirena removed almost 2 weeks ago now and immediately started taking Yaz. I will miss the fact that I haven't had a period in about a year and the ease of not having to remember to take anything but the acne got too much to bear. My reflection caused me to cry and I couldn't seem to shake 8lbs, and I workout all the time, we're talking 3 times a day, 3-4 days a week, so it wasn't due to my lack of effort. And my diet is phenomenal, it was all very disheartening. I even made peace, finally, with my larger self but my acne was just unreal! After reading the other experiences on here I was simply reaffirmed about my personal suspicions and had a scheduled pap so I told my gyno to remove it. She completely agreed with me, saying that she's seen an increase in these types of cases over the last year, (one resulted in a 40lb weight gain and after removal 20 lbs dropped over several weeks!). She is a wonderful doctor. She said that IUDs have been relatively unused in the states until recently so we simply lack the data for longer termed effects and that since she's come across so many of them lately that she makes sure to inform all of her potentials of them. Mirena works for a lot of women, I have friends on it that swear by it, beautifully clear skin, but they have also seemed to gain that 5-8lbs that's unshakable, but I'm sure they don't associate it with the IUD, like I didn't at first either, but it was irremovable! Anyways, my doctor said it best, Mirena works for a lot of women, but not one thing will work the same on everyone, just as my side effects were pretty common but some of the effects on here were WAY different than my own experiences. All I can say is that I'm glad I didn't have a nightmare of a doctor like some of the other ladies here. If you are referencing this site and are wondering if your effects will go away, I had my Mirena in from Oct.07 to Feb.09. About Jan.08 I started breaking out, not that I ever had phenomenal skin, but these were cystic almost, different than normal acne, but my weight was unchanged. About July08 I noticed a little weight gain but had been on a couple vacations and was about to take a sabbatical, all likely reasons, but I can drop any holiday 5-10lb weight gain within 2 weeks due to effort, but not the 8lbs I gained then, as of Feb09 the acne had persisted and increased, new ones popping up everyday around my chin area and jawline ( not ever before), some on my back (also not ever before) which, after further research, found that those areas around the chin break out usually due to hormonal effects, and then I just finally couldn't take it. I looked in the mirror one day after work and just started crying. My reflection was horrible, my self esteem was diminishing and no amount of my wonderful boyfriend's admiration could make me look any better :( I can say I'm seeing a difference in my skin now on Yaz and am simply hoping there are no nasty side effects waiting in the works for me there! I hope this helps someone out there like so many other testimonies helped me!

I know that the Mirena is causing my acne. I have always had clear skin, and it's just like everyone describes, its not just regular acne, its cystic deeply scarring acne. I never used to have to worry about acne, I cannot believe how bad it has gotten. I read all about Accutane being able to help, and I have been taking just Vitamin A (that you can buy at walmart), these seems to have helped the cystic acne a little, it's not as bad as it was, I just have to take about 20 Vitamin A pills a day, but its worth it. A Dr. just prescribed me some Clindamycin Phosphate, and I will be sure to let you ladies know if it helps me get rid of the rest of the acne. If it doesn't I will go ahead and get off the Mirena, it is just a shame because it's a contraceptive that I don't have to think about taking every day, and I paid 700 dollars out of pocket. but having my face scarred for life and having acne ruin my life isn't worth it either. I guess I should mention that my hormones have been kind of crazy, and I've been more irritable than ever. I have gained weight, but I think it may be to my eating habits more than anything...we will see.

i am a healthy 21 year old and i really have not had any major problems, as someone said in one of their posts the good outweighs the bad, at least for me. My fiance and I are very sexually active and thanks to Nuvaring we are even more because we don't have to worry about condoms, or any other Birth control. One things i have noticed is that when i am suppose to get my period i get extremely moody and lash out at anything. i know that it happens because of the NR, but i also know when it's coming and how to try to normalize my mood. I was also instructed to use NR differently than most by my gyno. I'm not suppose to take it out until the 1st of the month and right after taking it out i out another in. the reason for this is so that i never get my period. this is done because of my really bad menstrual cycles to the point where i can not get out of bed for a whole week. i have been through a lot worse with my period so to me the NR is a walk in the park. For the first week i had it on i started to feel all the symptoms of a pregnancy (nausea, ovary pain, tiered, moody, emotional, crying) but i was told that is normal and it happens with all birth control. it did go away after about 1 month. with any medication there are side effects and sometimes the side effects are worth the pain and sometimes they aren't. i have not had anything close to some of the things i have read on here. i have never had a UTI with the NR even though that was a mina concern of mine. i have been getting those since i was 4 years old and i'm extremely susceptible to them. as far as acne i have never had such clear skin. not one pimple for a whole year. it's great.... i believe all this great fortune i have had is because of the way that i was instructed to use...

i still love it and hope that i don't get any other side effects now because i have been using it for a year only. hope everyone who is on it stays safe also.

I am nineteen years old and I have been on Femcon for about a year and think it's pretty great, actually. I honestly think that bad reactions to birth control happen on an individual basis. The medication will do different things to different people. I wanted to gain some weight (especially in my chest), which influenced my decision to go on birth control, but femcon did not make me gain any weight at all. So, my boobs aren't any bigger, but at least I'm not going to get pregnant!

I've always had fairly clear skin, so I couldn't say if that has been affected.

The only difference that I've noticed is that my sex drive is lower. I went off of femcon for a month to see what would happen to my body and my sex drive went through the roof. My mind was on sex all of the time; every guy was attractive. I'm not flat lined sexually when on the pill by any means, it's just under more control---I suppose this could be a good or bad thing depending on how you look at it.

I think that in a few months I am going to switch to a different pill because while femcon was convenient when I couldn't swallow pills last year, now I can swallow pills and the mint taste of femcon makes me nauseous sometimes to the point of not wanting to take it at the right time.

I hope this helps!

I am also on lamictal, at the moment only 75 mg. My whole life I have had clear skin, and suddenly and getting these underlining bumps all over my face and chest. I am also processing information very slowly, have trouble finding the right words, and forgeting things constantly, and making mistake like crazy.
When I was first perscribed lamictal i felt great I felt like I was able to access my whole brain, and I had mental clarity. That lasted about 3 days and now I have had months of feeling like an idiot.. Let me tell you, this does not going over well in my job!

Well, I'm kind of nervous reading these postings now. I just got the Mirena put in today and I had my first child in September. It didn't hurt at all when he put it in, because he used a local anesthetic, but I started having a little cramping after he finished up. Now I'm home and I've noticed that the cramping is a little bit worse than before. I was already on my period (because they said you have to get it put in during your period or immediately after it stops), but it was almost over. Now i'm bleeding a little more, and I'm feeling aching pain in my pelvic area and back. I can't afford those major side effects that have been discussed here. Should I keep it in and wait and see if I am different, or get it out now? I'm worried!

Im 35 have 2 children and had mirena fitted in Feb of 2008. It was the most painful thing i have ever experienced. There was a med student in the room when he did it and she said after it was over that was the most brutal thing shes ever seen. After it was inserted i bled for about two weeks but it did let up. In the months that followed I experienced the acne,(i have always had clear skin), the weight gain, the fatigue, the headaches, the fogginess, and the worst to me was a major personality change. I was miserable. Depressed and extremely on edge all the time. I blamed my constant crankiness on the fact that I could no longer fit into any of my clothes, and the 15lbs that i had gained. In August my mom asked me if i was pregnant cuz she said I looked like i was. The day after my mom said that I went to weight watchers and did manage to lose 10 of those lbs. Which isnt that great considering i lost 42 lbs in 4mths when i went on it after i had my 2nd daughter and it took me 3 1/2 mths to lose 10! Anyway, 2 weeks ago i started with this dizziness and the tingling feeling in my arms and legs. Went to the doc and she said I had an inner ear infection. Took the meds she gave me and still felt crappy. Then last Monday i had a total breakdown. I couldn't get out of bed, the left side of my face was feeling like it was numb. My cousin came to see me and asked me what was wrong and I simply said "I think im losing my mind!" She said well u haven't been yourself since you had "that thing put in". So her and i got on the computer and googled mirena side effects and WOW!! I could not believe what I was reading. I could relate to every woman's story. I called my doc and had to fight with the idiots at the front desk but I got an appointment tues the 25th to have it removed. The doc looked at me like I was crazy when I told her what was going on. She said theres no way mirena was causing that and i should go see a neurologist but shed take it out for me anyway just to ease my mind.
Well let me tell you how I feel today 5 days post mirena. I feel WONDERFUL!!! I actually felt better within an hour after she removed it. The tingling and numbness stopped and that foggy feeling was gone, and my insides no longer felt like they were being squeezed together. I started heavy bleeding on Friday (at walmart on black Friday, to give you a laugh). Im going through a tampon every two hours but i have to say it feels wonderful. I just feel great I don't care about the bleeding at all thats how good I feel. My stomach is flat again, and when i weighed myself this morning i was 7lbs down from Monday, and i haven't been dieting at all, ate like a cow on thanksgiving. I even look different in the mirror. I swear my skin had a grayish tint to it when i had the mirena and today im all pink and rosy again. When i think about how i felt and the mths of my life that i lost, i cant believe a form of birth control caused that. They really need to educated people more on this device. Yea the thought of not having a period is cool but at what expense? Ill take my period over feeling like that any day!

For me having the Mirena removed just last Thursday was the right decision. I was not using it for birth control but as hormone therapy for heavy, crampy periods. I had it inserted in July 2008 and bled every single day for the entire time, I had it removed last week and now I am bleeding very heavily but hopefully that will stop once all those hormones are out of my body.
While on Mirena I lost all sex drive, I became severely anemic and with that fatigued terribly, and moody, crying at nothing and screaming at my kids or husband for stupid reasons, I felt bloated and gassy and didn't have those problems before.
I am 42 years old and I hate my heavy bleeding in fact I want a hysterectomy, but not sure now what I will do.

For those of you who had the Mirena removed, how long did it take to stop bleeding afterwards? This is draining every last ounce of energy for me and I am taking iron supplements.

What sucks is the cost of this, Even with insurance I ended up paying a lot out of pocket to get this thing and then all the Dr. visits due to bleeding and side affects in the 4 months it was in and now the removal of it. I am wondering if there is any way that we can get a Class action lawsuit against Bayer for this horrible thing they are trying to sell to women.
I know there are some out there who have not suffered all these horrible side effects at least not yet or that they are aware of, but I truly believe that there is nothing good about this IUD and those of us and there are a lot of us who have suffered with this should be reimbursed or compensated for the pain and loss of parts of our lives and expenses with this. Does anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Well I think that I have been the most dramatic person posting on this website.I have had the mirena since May 2007 and overall thought that it was the best thing in the world until I started putting two and two together. I have had bouts of major depression, hair loss with every combing, acne galore (Im 30 years old and have always been complimented on my clear skin), headaches,moodiness, been a recluse, no sex drive, when i did have sex it hurt my ex so bad that we just decided not to, and not to mention the weight.I work out twice a day on my bike, do weight lifting 5 days a week and do stomach exercises twice a day.All of this was done to my dismay because I have not loss a daggone pound. The straw that broke the camels back was when I went to see my doctor and he told me that I had to get a rx filled for bacterial vaginosis. (I don't have sex and haven't had sex in 6 months) so it couldn't have come from new or many sex partners(Im not that type of chick). He said that the hormone that the mirena delivers can make the normal bacteria in your body grow in excess. Well I just about lost it. I was so upset that I asked him to remove it. He told me that in order for them to do it I would have to wait until after the holidays. Well that wasn't good enough for me so I marched out of his office, drove home in a rage, and marched upstairs and snatched it out myself. I thought it was going to be painful but it actually didn't hurt at all. I haven't started bleeding as of yet but am prepared for it. The only good thing that I can say I will miss about the mirena is the absence of my period. I went the whole time without one. The thought of not having a period scared me as well. Regardless, this is my story and I know I went to drastic measures but i was extremely unhappy.

Loestrin is the first birth control pills i've ever tried and seriously its gotten me to a point that i'm too sad to even pick up the phone and make a doc appointment to change it. I hate it. I've clear skin one week the next i look like a pizza, sex is out of the question and its uncomfortable, i'm tired all the time, i gained weight and some days i literally want my husband to disappear cuz my mood swings are so bad... i get such bad migraines that makes me throw up. i got my period last month and this month i haven't gotten it.

i'm feeling more then depressed i want to cry all the time, i don't want to do anything, and i just don't wanna deal with it anymore, Loestrin is not the pill for me

I had Mirena inserted in August 2008. I enjoy the fact that I hardly have any periods at all now, but am not feeling well at all. I am 41 years old and I have always had clear skin. Since Mirena, I have had very bad acne that has abscessed on my chin twice and now I have several painful pimples under my left axilla. I have no energy and feel very fatigued. I do also feel very bloated and have gained weight. I have a history of migraines and have had an increase since I had the Mirena inserted. I have never had children and the whole insertion process was very painful. I called my OB/GYN and
he felt I should see a dermatologist to treat the acne. The heck with that, I
am going to have the Mirena removed. I want to feel better. 4 months of this
torture is too many. I wish I would have found this site before I had the IUC
placed. I don't know what other options I can try, but the Mirena is not for
me.