Desogen symptoms and conditions

I just started my first pack of Loestrin today, so we'll see what happens... But it can't be worse than my previous 2 BC's - Yaz and Desogen. The desogen gor worse and worse over a period of 8 years or so... I began having mood swings, depression issues, severe anxiety... it was starting to affect my relationship... Not ok. So i talked to my doc and she switched me to Yaz.... the first 2 months were ok.... the next 3.... NIGHTMARES. I was exhausted all the time, sad all the time, depressed 3 weeks out of the month, bloated, gaining weight, breaking out with acne on my chin and jaw... I never even had acne as a teenager. It was awful. I'd cry over nothing. I felt like I was losing my mind... So the Loestrin was the next option. Time will tell... but it can't be any worse than it was on Yaz!

Honestly... Don't be afraid to try a new pill because of reading one of these sites. If you read up on any of the major BC's: Yaz, Loestrin, Ortho Tri Cyclin Lo, Yasmin, etc. They all the say the same thing for the most part, and everyone is experiencing all the side effects from this site on those as well.. Everyone reacts differently to the pill, so don't let it deter you from making a decision to try something new.

Hello All,
I would like to Thank everyone so much! I thought I was really losing my mind. I started NuvaRing on Sept.27th. The nurse told me I could leave it in for four weeks if i wanted abd not have my cycle. And I did. The doc put me on NR due to the PH in my vagina off. He said it would help. While i think i has helped the PH it has caused: vagina dryness, headaches, nervousness, burning feeling, tiredness, depression, angry Bitchy attitude, low sex drive, paranoid, scared feelings, don't want anyone to talk to me, don't want to party or kick it with my friends, and a weird discharge thats kinda nasty. I also have freaked out on all my male friends. I feel like im somebody else. Some crazy woman. Im 34 years old. And i don't know who I am right now or what I want. I thought about taking this thing out tonight and throwing it in the trash compactor but i have one week to go till my cycle. I was on Desogen pill before and switched for the convince only. Darn NR. Well Thanks ladies this is it for me. And my OBGYN doctor will be having a serious talk next week. Shame on me for not doing more research before switching. And i have a pain in my side and very loose bowels. Run from NR ladies RUN!!!! ******

Reading all these messages makes me reflect on my symptoms. I have been on Yaz for less than 1 year. I switched from Desogen for no major reasons than wanting shorter, lighter periods. Wrong choice! A few days ago I began having issues breathing fully throughout the night. I had been experiencing a bit of heartburn and thought it was something I ate or ate too late. However, reading all of this makes me very concerned over the control Yaz has on your body. I have also experienced moodiness which I never had before with Desogen. I realize every pill is different but not being able to take a full deep breathe is not okay. I nearly had an anxiety attack last night. Not to mention, I thought I was having some asthmatic issue but never had asthma a day in my life before! I am a healthy 27 year old. I work out and eat right with no family history of heart issues. I am discontinuing Yaz this evening and hopefully these crazy symptoms will go back to the way they were....gone! I think if we write more about these experiences, the FDA needs to step in and study this!

To everyone who is taking Desogen....STOP immediately!! I had a DVT in my leg because of this junk!!! NO birth control pill is worth your life!! I am now in the middle of being diagnosed with a possible benign liver tumor which could also be caused by the pill. I always knew there was a risk of blood clots with any bc pill but NO ONE ever told me that desogen almost TRIPLES your risk of blood clots!!!

My doctor prescribed Loestrin24 to me after three failed attempts at other birth controls. I was on the Depo shot for about 9 months, and had my period for 4 months which is why we decided to switch. My period went away within 4 days of taking loestrin which was great. I haven't noticed any side-effects until now. I have been taking this pill for 1 month and 1 week, and for about 5 days I have been extremely rude and moody. I am having horrible stomach cramps that make me feel very depressed. I don't want to leave my bed, and I don't want to eat. I have lost 7 lbs in a little more than a week. My sex drive has increased, which is great, but the stomach pain and mood changes are too much for me. I just feel like giving up on birth control because nothing seems to work for me. If you have any suggestions for a better birth control pill I would appreciate it very much.

Hi I have been on Loestrin for one month and I think I am going to stop them. I am 44. I was on Desogen for 8 years and did well,but as I got older, I noticed that during my period, I felt like I was falling off a cliff. The hormone high down to my probably low hormone self.
I had no trouble during my month on loestrin, except, I have had no period. NONE. It is weird. I am a heavy bleeder and nothing. Just a few drops. I also have had a massive headache for the last four days. I am not sure what this pill is all about. I have read all of your comments and so now I know that not getting a period is rather normal for this pill, but I think it is strange. I wouldn't mind a short one for a few days, but none? Not sure what to do or how going off pills completely will effect my hormones?

I started Loestrin 24 on 12/23/08 that was may last period. I just started my 3 pack (I have 6 more) and after reading all these entries and seeing what you all are experiencing and comparing it to me. I am wondering what I should do. My story is comparable to some of yours. I am a SAHM to 2 children (2 yr and 9m) I was previously on BC before that, I started again after 3 yrs. I explained to my Doc that with previous pills, I hated mood swings, lack of sex drive, and being temper mental. He said that Loestrin 24 had the least about of chances for this to happen. So I agreed. I started it and since then I have had only 6 days of spotting (light only 1 "sighting" of blood per day). 3 of the days were a week after I started the pill. The other 3 were mid Jan. I called my doctor and the nurse did not seem to be bothered by it. "Its normal not to have a period on the pill". Based on what I have read "shorter and lighter period" are normal not missing one +. Now reading all these other stories, moody swings, not feeling like yourself, snapping at people for no reason, cry fits, temper mental, and lack of sex drive. It made me start thinking about my last 3 months. I will have to agree that it all seems to fit my situation and what has been going on with me. So here I am thinking, WHAT DO I DO? Do I continue and see what happens or do I stop? I know thats for me to decide, but reading "your" stories is very unnerving. Has anyone missed/skipped periods while being on Loestrin 24?

I was on birth control in high school for about two years because of problems with my period. Right before my senior year I asked my mom if I could stop taking it because it made me gain weight. Since then it's been about a year since I've taken birth control and I starting taking Loestrin 24. I instantly gained about ten pounds and my mild acne got worse!!!! My boyfriend noticed mood swings I would have randomly and the change in my sex drive. I try to fight my unexpected sadness and loss of interest in other things but I can't. I just get very sad and depressed for no reason and I snap at everyone! I want to stop taking birth control but at the same time a family is not in my plans. UGHH is there a birth control out there that works without so many side effects????

This is the second time I have switched birth control in the last year and looked for side effects online. I started the nuvaring 6 days ago and yesterday felt sick all day, had abdominal cramping, and was so moody and irritable. I haven't been sleeping well either for the past few nights. Today at the gym, I was getting dizzy and tired during my workout when it was only a Zumba class and not very strenuous (I work out everyday). I also just have that overall "weird" and tired feeling. I had these exact same side effects when I tried Yaz earlier this year. If you switch back to the pill, I suggest Desogen, which I will start taking again since I just took the ring out after reading similar stories - I have never had any side effects or problems with it and can't find websites that have bad experiences like this one and the one I found for Yaz earlier this year.

I started Nuvaring in June of 2008 and it hasn't been that so far but I have had severe depression where I can't get out of the bed I just cry and cry and I'm very moody. Sometimes during sex I have cramps that won't go away until maybe the next day if I'm lucky. I've also gained at least 20 to 30 pounds since I've started. I noticed that I could eat and still feel like I never ate a bite.The only plus is that my period is regulated and my cramps aren't that bad but is it really worth it?

I get very sick when I get my period, they are long and heavy, and I have digestion problems and intense stomach pains for at least 1-2 weeks before and the week of. These symptoms disappeared for a while when I was on Apri (desogen) but after a few months, they came back, and on top of it, I became severely depressed and had such bad stomach pains, I went to the emergency room (and you pretty much have to drag me to hospitals).

This last period was so bad though that I finally decided to take the sample pack of Loestrin that my doctor gave me a month or two ago. Just a day after I started taking it, my period ended and the pain and bloating was gone. This is day 6 and I'm fine so far. On Ortho Tri-Cyclen (my first pill) I had bad side effects the first few days and gained ten pounds in two weeks.

I'm glad these forums exist, because they helped me realize that all of the depression (including suicidal thoughts), stomach pain, hair loss, etc. etc. were side effects of desogen. All of those things that contributed to the worst summer of my life disappeared as soon as I stopped taking it.

On the other hand, I have to point out that there is no "good" pill or "bad" pill. The side effects will be different for everyone. Some women need more estrogen, some need less. Some need fluctuating amounts of hormones and some need the same dosage all month. Unfortunately the only way to figure out what is right for you is to try them, note your reactions, and research the differences between pills. I realized quickly that I needed a low, stable dose of estrogen, which led me to try Loestrin. Not saying things can't go wrong from here, but now I am aware that if I fall into some depression, anxiety, weight gain, or other weird side effects, it *may* be caused by the pill I'm taking.

Is the pill worth it? Again, answers will vary depending on your lifestyle. Are your periods manageable or do they cause you not to be able to get out of bed in the morning? Are they consistent or are you praying you're no pregnant every month? Are condoms working for you or aren't they, and is the 2% chance of still becoming pregnant worth the risk?

While I've had bad experiences with some pills, I'm just grateful for this BC option in general. Until they figure out how to make birth control pills for men (pshh.. that'll be the day) then it's up to us to research and maek the best decisions for ourselves.

I posted about four months ago with all my side effects from Loestrin. I was having terrible depression, anxiety attacks, horrible chest pain, tingling and numbness in my left arm, etc etc. All the same side effects that a lot of women are having with this pill. I switched to an older bc called desogen. I used to be on this one when I was in high school and had no side effects. I have been on the desogen for three months now. My issue is most of the emotional side effects have gone away, but I'm still having terrible chest pain and tingling and numbness in my left arm especially at night when I'm laying down. Does anyone have this problem? Any suggestions? My doctor said it would take a while for the Loestrin to get out of my system. But I'm worried it may have caused a more serious problem. Any comments would be helpful. We all need to show this site to our doctors. They aren't listening.

I began taking Yasmin in July 2006. I had been on bcp for about 10 years at the time, mostly due to bad cramps and pms symptoms. Yasmin worked out well, but there was just one side effect, I would become extremely emotional right before my period. In October 2007 I went for my yearly check-up and mentioned this to my doctor. He switched me to Apri (Desogen) saying that this would be a better pill for that side effect. I began taking it that next month. Right away I had feelings of nausea and breast tenderness. Even though I felt like this I gave Apri a chance. In January 2008 I couldn't take feeling like this anymore and stopped taking it. In February I noticed my hair began falling out. I hadn't gotten a period this month either. I went to the doctor in March and she ran many blood tests. My estrogen came back extremely low (at a level of a menopausal woman). Instead of exploring any other options as to what to do, the doctor put me right back onto Yasmin, since now I went two months without a period. I figured that I would have to learn to live with a little moodiness before my period that Yasmin gave me. The doctor also made me believe that this would put an end to my hair loss...Nothing could have been further from the truth!!! I went back on Yasmin in March 2008 and what a HUGE difference than from the first time I was on it. Not only was I emotional now ALL the time, but I physically felt much worse. I had constant breast tenderness, acne (which even as an adolescent I never had), oily skin, and my hair was constantly falling out. Emotionally I was a wreck! I was constantly crying and very depressed! I began going from doctor to doctor, which is unlike me. I hate doctors and would only go for a serious illness. Now I was hoping that one of these doctors could give me an answer. But 6 months later and NO ANSWERS. The only thing that a few doctors said was that Yasmin was good for those with hair loss. So after reading many of the entries on this website and after much soul-searching...I am going off birth control for good!!! I have lost well over half of my hair, have practically pushed everyone that means anything to me away, and have personally hated myself! I have literally lost the past 6 months of my life! It is now time to see what my body is capable of on its own. I'm done putting this poison into my body and would tell anyone else to do the same. I always knew that there were side effects associated with any kind of medicine, but I could not have ever imagined that all of these side effects could have and would have happened to me. I felt like I had to write this after reading all of the other entries. Many of those entries gave me the courage to quit and I would be happy if this could help or inform even just 1 person! I would appreciate if there were anyone out there that had a similar experience to either post it or reply. Thank you.

Hey guys, quick update from my last post, I went to my doctor yesterday and she said that although the spotting between periods is normal, I shouldn't be spotting all the time. She said I need a BC with a higher dosage, and now she's putting me on Desogen, which is a generic version of Ortho-Cept. If anyone has been on this, please let me know your thoughts.

I'm 24 years old and I've been on Aviane for about 2 years. My sex drive is GONE. I live with my boyfriend and we have a great relationship. He is my best friend. We have sex MAYBE once or twice a month and I still don't even want to do it then, but I feel bad for him so I do. I also snap at everything, and I always feel like I'm going to explode. I snap at him and my cat and my family at least once a day. I can hardly do my laundry or drive my car without feeling like I want to punch a wall. I've always been such a laid back person so I definitely think it's the birth control. I didn't gain any weight on this pill. I actually lost weight so I'm terrified to switch to anything else, but I think I'm going to have to because it's ruining my life.

I was on Alesse for about 10 months, which was great, I had no problems with it, but I wasn't having a period. I wanted to have one for reassurance, so my doctor switched me to Desogen. The Desogen was fine for about 10 months, then I started with breakthrough bleeding. So, the doctor is trying me on Femcon for a few months. The first month was okay, but I've noticed I've been more edgy. It's gotten worse and worse with the second month, and now I've been experiencing major anxiety. I'll just sit at my desk at work and my chest feels tight all day. Also, I was dieting and that has come to a complete halt and I've gained back 5 pounds. I think when I'm done with this pack I'm going back on the Desogen and will see what happens.

Thank all of you so very much for voicing everything that you all have gone through while taking FEMCON FE. I went to see my doctor and told her I wanted to take Desogen, (which I had been on a the first and only other time I had used bc). She advised me that it was no longer available due to the blood clots it had been known to cause. (Just so happens I am discussing this with a fellow co-worker who advised me that she in fact is currently taking desogen..) Therefore my doctor was mistaken. My Doctor also told me FEMCON FE was very similar and that I would like it. I decided to do a little research prior to taking it ( I was gonna start on Sunday).I am so thankful that I am extremely leary of trying new things. Although my doctor recommended it I was still nervous about taking it which lead to me finding this website. I thank God I did find it because I am DEFINITELY NOT TAKING FEMCON FE!!!

I was switched from desogen to yaz and i absolutely love it. I am no longer moody, or tired. I haven't noticed any side effects yet and I am going into my second month.

I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for a couple of weeks now and just had a baby 7 weeks ago. The beginning of this week, I had severe nausea and was unable to eat without becoming nauseous. I believe it is due to the pill and not the food I am eating. Today, I have had breakthrough bleeding that is heavy like a period and severe stomach pains in my lower left abdomen. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow if they don't subside. It is really disturbing that before I had the baby, I had a yeast infection on my skin while on Desogen, so I quit birth control all together. I was hoping that after having the baby, taking a low dose birth control would be okay...but I am a bit worried about the stomach pains. I am not so worried about the break through bleeding because I know it is normal. I have also started to get acne on my upper arms and not my face...totally weird spot for me. I have had dry, itchy skin also... especially on my face. Please respond if you are having similar pains in your stomach.

I've been on the Loestrin 24 for about 9 months now. For awhile, I didn't have any concerns, but the past 3-4 months my periods have gotten lighter and lighter. And this month I didn't get my period at all. My mood swings are terrible, the cramps are unbearable at times, I've lost quite a bit of my sex drive. I never had these problems on Desogen. So, I talked to my OB and she told me to take a pregnancy test for "peace of mind" and they will give me a new prescription for the pills that I used to be on before. These pills just don't seem worth it at all.

I am 17 and have been on ortho tri-cyclen lo for 2 years now I never really notice until I started having sex I wanted to do it for about the 1st 4 times than after that I never wanted sex, me and my bf had gone without sex for like 2months and every time he wants to do it I say I don't want to he says I never want to than it starts a huge fight, so we basically fight all the time. We have been together 11months yesterday. I don't know what to do I am really thinking its because of the pills, I get WAY moody, and I cry a lot. I'm always cranky and tired. I'm only 17!! I should want to have sex lots of sex not have no sex at all what is wrong with me? could if be the pills ? I have been on them for a long time now but I never really thought that it would be birth control to cause all of this.someone please reply.

I used Yasmin for almost 3 years between 2004 - 2007. I loved it....my periods were regular, I had little acne, and I hardly had any PMS. Then I got pregnant (after stopping the Yasmin!) with twins and delivered them in late November 2007. I was so happy to know that I just knew which type of birth control I wanted to use, I had a great experience while on Yasmin so of course I would go back to it!

BAD IDEA! 4 weeks after the babies were born I started the pills. Mind you, I had a great pregnancy and lots of help at home...no post-partum or baby blues here. I started the pills on 12/23/07 and by 12/25/07 (Christmas Day) I was feeling majorally depressed, having emotional outbursts, having irrational thoughts....I felt alone and as if no one cared about me. I secluded myself and had suicidal thoughts. I thought about leaving my family and living in a hotel. I would get so mad at the littlest things....I almost threw a chair at my husband and tried to punch a hole in the wall. I cussed family members out. I was so irrational. I felt like a crazy, psychotic woman and all in less than a week. This was NOT me.

I quit the pill after the first week, realizing that this pill was causing all these side-effects. I called my OB and spoke with the nurse who told me what I was experiencing couldn't be from the Yasmin - those weren't common side-effects. I told her that I was 1 day Yasmin free and felt like a completely different person...I was myself again. She tried to tell me that maybe I was experiencing post-partum depression and I decided then to just make an appointment to talk to my OB (about Yasmin & his nurse!).

I have an appointment next week and am curious as to what he will say. I know it was the Yasmin and I am glad that I found this website & that I am not alone!

I just got switched from desongen which I had been on for over a year to Apri and was told they are the same that one is the generic of the other,. I had never had any noticeable effects from desogen, my sex drive was down but definitely existent. But I found that this month I've been really moody and anxious, has anyone had a similar experience or am I going crazy? Is it even possible if the pills are chemically identical?

Dear reader I write this as a warning and as a way to seek help. I was put on Desogen when I was 23 years old. I was on this drug to control my periods. I suffered all of the side-effects. During my first year on this pill I fractured my foot.

Why mention my foot, because hormones effect our bones as well as everything else. During my second year I lose the hair on the right side on my head. Told this to my Gyn doctor and I was enored. All the while I suffering depression, insomnia, mood swings, weight gaine, and scalp hair loss.

Buy the fourth year on Desogen I changed my doctor. Who later put me on Loestrin. This wasn't any better I was now suffering night sweats along with everything else. While on all these hormones I was also taking high blood pressure medications which only made matters worse.

All in told I have been on hormones for six years. How I stopped was by accident. Meantime I was also taking pain killers for my foot which now had been broken for five years.

After coming off all these hormones my body when though an over haul. First thing was the lost off sexual function, then there was the loss of pubic hair, the shrinkage of my right breast and right buttocks, I had surgary on my left breast to remove a precanerous lump, and now just recently I have notice the shrinkage of my righ arm.

There's alot more to tell. If any doctor comes accross this article please reply. I need all the help I can get.

I'm about to start this in 7 days. I am switching off of Desogen (taken for 10 years for endometriosis - though I was off for 2 years while conceiving and pregnant 3 years ago). I'm 41 and suspect peri-menopause (hard to tell when on BCPs). My CURRENT complaints are v. dryness, weight gain and low drive... I'm hoping the lower progesterone in Loestrin will help. Any one else had expereience going from Desogen to Loestrin?