Endometriosis symptoms and conditions

I have been on yasmin for about 5 years. I loved it to begin with but just recently I have been having horrible side effects that i just realized could be related. I just thought i was a 21 yr old with problems. i am having heart palpitations, hair loss, insomnia, anxiety, vision problems, UTI's, lightheadedness and blackouts, and CHRONIC migraines. I am having about 3 migraines a week! they are disrupting my life. it is weird that i was fine on the meds for so long and they are just now resulting in this. I am stopping the pill as of today and i am going to talk to my doctor about other options. i am thinking about ortho tri cyclin lo. i have to be on a birth control because i have had endometriosis and my doctor said it is less possible to come back if i am on a birth control. she mentioned the shot but i have heard bad stories about that too and i don't think i want to go there.

I was given lupron depot 5 years ago (2004) for endometriosis & adenomyosis . I researched the side effects and upon learning them I didn't want to take the shot. I suffer from multiple back problems, and the bone loss scared me. I voiced my concerns with my doctor at that time. He told me he knew better (he didn't want to perform a hysterectomy) and that he was giving me the shot. It has been a nightmare since. The side effects were terrible, the worst was the severe mood swings. Lupron depot changed who I was. I no longer was the happy carefree person I was. I was constantly angry and because of this drug I developed high blood pressure. This has not improved in 5 years. (I also gained weight from the shot and it took me 4 years after the last shot to finally lose all that weight.) I do not recommend any woman to take this shot. Do not let your doctor talk you or bully you into it. They only care about the money not you!!!!!!!

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.

It is amazing to read about all of the side effects of Mirena and yet it can still be on the market. I don't understand.
I have all of these side effects. I had it inserted in April and am now getting it removed. However - went to have it removed and they can't find it (as they cut the strings to close) so I have to go back in for an Ultrasound so they can remove it??? GRRRRR!!! I have to wait until next Tuesday to get it removed.
I have put on 15 lbs in 3 months (I eat healthy and exercise daily), my back is killing me, my breasts are the size of watermelons.
I am so angry and movited to get this device taken off the market. I can't wait to get my life back. If you are considering it DO NOT DO IT!!!!!!!

I got my Mirena o June 18th, 2009. It is now November 17th and I have an appointment to have it removed this Friday. It started with unexplained hives and rashes constantly. The bottom of my feet, my palms, my knees, upper arms, throat and stomach. I was on constant high doses of Prednisone and anytime I started lowering my doses, the hives returned. I went to the ER three times for swelling and hives so bad I could barely see and could barely breathe. seemingly caused by NSAIDS, which I had never had a problem with before.Next was severe lower abdominal pain accompanied by groin pain so bad I could barely walk. Friends said it sounded like cysts, but, when I had an internal ultrasound done, nothing was found. After that I had severe breast pain and swelling. The final straw was the constant all over muscle aches and joint pain in my knees. I feel like I am 100 years old! I am tired all the time no matter how much sleep I get. I went to a dermatologist and I mentioned the Mirena, as I had to my OB, his response was "middle age". I thought I at first has Lupus, but, the rash did not fit that description. I changed detergents, blamed it on a foster dog, anything I could think of. Finally after reading so many posts and finally finding a connection with the rashes and hives, it can be nothing other than the Mirena. I even noticed that this device had the second most posts on this site. I can not wait to have the Mirena removed.

I suffer from severe endometriosis, and occasionally, if something goes awry, I have terrible cramping. The pain is extremely intense and has caused me to pass out. I have tried several medications, some narcotic, some non, and some naturopathic. I would say that Dilaudid is the best I've tried. Not only does it do a wonderful job of getting rid of pain, it also seems to be easier on the stomach than other opiates in its class, and causes less side effects. Of course, highly addictive such as other narcotics, but if taken only when needed it is a lifesaver.

I had the Mirena Coil fitted 4 months ago and since then I have suffered 2 infections. I suffer with severe endometriosis and had a liter of blood removed from my last ovarian cyst, which, I've been told is growing back again. I thought this coil was supposed to improve things, but alas, sadly, that's not the case...It feels like I can actually physically feel it inside of my uterus. I am 36 and don't have kids, therefore had to be put under general anesthetic when the damn thing was inserted, had horrific headaches and abdominal pain since and I'm told this is the best protection I have for my condition!?! I don't know what it is that's making my system dislike it so much, scans show it's not displaced, it's just, for some reason, not agreeing with me, maybe I need a little more time to adjust, but it feels like I have an alien device sitting inside of me and it's hurting instead of helping...any advice on the subject would be greatly appreciated!!!

I am a 27 year old female and I have stage 4 endo and have had lots of rupturing ovarian cysts. The laporoscopy was pretty ineffective for me and I tried birth control and had severe vaginal bleeding during intercourse. So my doctor wanted to do 3 months of Lupron Depot and add back therapy with Premarin.
I have only had one shot of Lupron and that was on 10/16/09. I noticed side effects with in 24 hours. I had severe joint pain especially noticed in the right hip ( I was injected in my right side) severe migraines, awful mood swings, short term memory loss and that was all in my first week on the shot. I started feeling better like 10 days after the shot, but that was only short lived. Now even after three weeks into the shot, I am in so much pain in my joints, it is difficult to take care of my two toddler boys and my home. I now have a crazy rash on my butt, and still have so much pain in my body as well as feeling numb in my toes, left arm, and fingers. This drug appears to be more ineffective than effective and I feel like women need to explore other options before going down this unknown path. I found out through research on the internet that the Premarin that I was taking as an add-back is made from PREGNANT HORSE URINE and that the horses are treated like crap so everyone can get rich off them. There has to be other options for people that have already gone through the nightmare of endometriosis. I would take endo over these side effects any day.

ok, so I am 28yrs old just had my lap for endo on October 1 and my doctor has recommended lupron, and am going to be getting the med in a week to 2weeks,but after reading this I am soooooooooo scared to even get near this med. Its like you either take this with the hope of saving fertility and no pain..or not and have endo ravage your body and you will live with unbearable pain!!! I have no idea what to do,and i am so scared after reading this. Is there anyone that did not have weight gain, headaches etc...anyone that can testify that lupron actually worked for them? did any one have a baby after doing this. my bigs thing is being able to have a baby. Cause right now its my health on the line, my ability to have children, my ability to have a normal life free of endo pain or these crazy, horrible side effects...please help me!!!

Well, I was doing some research because my pain from my endometriosis is returning and I'm actually considering asking my doctor for another round of Lupron. I was on lupron over 2 years ago and experienced minimal side effects. I had the hot flashes, no hair loos just hair growth in unwanted places like my face, and just a few bouts of tearfulness. i actually lost weight on lupron and consider it to be the most sane time of my life. The women in my family over produce estrogen so i'm not sure if maybe my experience was different in that my estorgen level was not depleted to nothingness but to a more normal level. I am saddened to hear so many women suffering with what I considered my wonder drug!

Looking back at a post, it was 8 months ago when i first posted re long periods. and I'd had 3 two week ones then. So 11 months of bleeding...I've been to the docs, taken more hormones, different hormones, tried not having sex, tried having lots, but still bleeding and bleeding. Mirena used to be great. Have had it for over 3 years..... but it just stopped working. The acne has got worse.. the mood swings are worse, the dizzy spells before the "period" pain.....

I feel so guilty for recommending it to so many people as the answer... but it just isn't right for me anymore. Got an appointment to have it removed - scared of the removal pain and possible Crash... always struggled to keep hormones in check!

Thanks to all for their posts ... nice to know we are not alone. Would be nice to hear from anyone who has used Mirena to control Endometriosis.... or is thinking of it.... think it's pretty good... but hard to tell as it was inserted when I had my lapaoscapy and removed the adhesions. All Mirena side affects confused with endo.... but still think Mirena is the big cause.... enough is enough. Three years is a long time. (and a period constantly for nearly a year is insane!!) Good luck.....xx

My story is long and somewhat depressing. I have had horrible periods my entire life. I have tried birth control pills which caused migraines. I have tried birth control shots which caused 6 months of non-stop bleeding and endometriosis. Finally, I am told that I should try Mirena. I was hoping this would be the answer but it has been just another problem. I have had cysts every single month since insertion. The cyst always develops on the side that is ovulating and then ruptures a couple of days before the period begins (yes I still have periods). Sometimes cysts develop between ovulation and rupture quickly as well. Then the first couple of days of the period are hell because of horrible cramping pain. Yes, the bleeding during the period is lighter, but the periods are lasting anywhere from 9 to 12 days. I have been on prescription pain medication for this now for 6 months. I have no sex life because the pain is there every day. My hair is falling out and I am on the verge of tears all the time. I can not continue like this and have an appointment set up for later this month to beg the doctor to perform an ablation or simply give me the hysterectomy that I have been asking for over the last 15 years. My children are grown and I have no plans to have any more. Why do I need to endure this hell?

I am 19 yrs old. I started NuvaRing about 12 days ago. I was hesitant to start with but my OB/GYN said it was the last thing to try to suppress my endometriosis. He assured me that the side effects were minimal and I'd feel like I did on the pill without having to pop a pill every day. After being on Depo Lupron for 6 months that sounded pretty good.
The first couple of days were fine, I just was a little tired but I thought that was from the surgery I had a week before. Then on the 5th or 6th day I started getting down for what seemed like no reason. Then I got this debilitating sharp pain in my lower left side. Not to mention heavy pressure. By the 7th day my depression was worse than it had been in about 6 months. My boyfriend told me that I seemed very much on edge and down. That upset me and I seem to be getting worse instead of better.. I started crying when a friend just said hi. I've only been on it for about two weeks now and I really don't think I can continue to be on NR.

I have/had severe endometriosis and began using BCPs therapeutically after having my left ovary and fallopian tube removed due to a large endometrioma. I used Yasmin for over two years and loved it: It calmed my PMS mood swings, did not produce acne, no weight gain, and no between-period spotting. I switched to Yaz for three months, but my periods became irregular and I had spotting issues, so I went back on Yasmin. I never stuck with a BCP before because all others produced the aforementioned side effects.

Unfortunately, with Yasmin, my blood pressure went from the 120/70 range to the 180/90 range in two years. My OB GYN was so alarmed by the increase that she actually made me lay down for half an hour so she could retest me. The second reading (after resting) was even worse than the first.

The doctor took me off Yasmin immediately and now I'm on the blood pressure medication "Prinzide" which is causing horrible side effects.

I wish I'd never taken Yasmin.

hI was diagnosed with severe endometriosis at 20 years old had my first laparoscopy at 21 (September 2003) and my second at 23 (January 2005). After my first laparoscopy I was placed on Yasmin by my GYN who said it was a great drug and would help with my pain and clotting. I had just started dating my now husband and didn’t seem to have any side effects of from it. If I recall correctly at one point after my second surgery I stopped taking Yasmin, but after a lot after clotting went right back on it. I will be 27 Saturday so have been on Yasmin for the last 6 years.
My husband was a paramedic/EMT (so knows a little about this type of thing) before he joined the military 2 years ago and prior to that I lived close enough to home to keep the same doctors (even while at college). Now that we are a military family we have to jump through hoops to see a doctor, but would visit home every few months so I continued to see my same doctors. We recently had to move across the country so I am not able to do that and now have to see the military doctors or wait for approval to go off post. This week for the first time I ran out of my prescription so my husband and I decided I would just get off of it for a little while.
Sorry for the novel, but I am getting somewhere with this I promise! I caught a 24 stomach bug last week and can’t seem to recover from the nausea and dizziness so bad I barely stand up. Saturday would have been my last day on the pack, but since I was sick the last pill I took was Thursday. My husband thinks I am dehydrated, though can’t understand why after plenty of rehydrating including military rehydration packets. Something told me maybe I am having withdrawals from Yasmin (though I have never heard of withdrawals from birth control) and decided to look it up. After reading many forums which ultimately led me to medications.com I am thinking the following symptoms I have been experience the last year that doctors just can’t seem to figure out could be related to the Yasmin. My symptoms are:
• Low blood pressure (daily for the last 4 months and periodically over the last 6 years or so, going as low as 79/47 and consistently in the low 80’s over low 50’s in recent months)
• Excessive weight gain -25 lbs over the last year I started at 130 (still a little high for me, but have always had a slow metabolism) and had been that for at least 8 months prior. In September of 2008 the first 5 lbs came on, it’s starts with a fluctuation between 130-135 for a month or so than one day I am 135 and can’t go below that no matter what I do including exercise and eating right than fluctuation between 135-140 than 140-145, 145-150 and same thing up until now where I am 150-155 and seeming close to hitting the 155 mark. I have never been over 140 max and was only that as a kid after my parents divorce which I lost was never more than 128 tops. Oh this week when I was sick I threw up for a day and half and didn’t eat for 4 days and still gained 4 pounds, how is that?!?!?
• Extreme Fatigue
• Thirst ( which I can’t seem to quench no matter how much I drink)
• Dizziness
• Problems breathing (like I can’t catch my breath)
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Frequent urination
• Heart palpations
• Depression/Moodiness/Crying for no reason
• Breast pain
• Cellulite I never had before
• Ears hurt a lot (but checked out with no problem)
• And the last one I wouldn’t have mentioned but I too have the pain/numbness in my right arm going from my neck down to my leg and lots of pain with it. I was in a car accident a few years ago and have a back and neck injury as well as nerve damage on my right side which I thought was the pain I have been feeling but it has been getting worse and am only mentioning it because it’s someone else’s symptoms as well.
Now until yesterday I thought my low blood pressure and weight gain were signs of an underlying problem and the rest were symptoms related to those things (I am on wait-list to see an Endocrinologist), but now I am thinking it could all be from my birth control. Do you think I am reaching here, or considering what is being learned about the drug is it a possibility? I greatly appreciate anyone’s comments/suggestions. Thanks so much for listening.
S.

Well, I am so glad I found this website. I am 39 yrs old and my husband is fixed....so I have no reason or desire to take any form of hormonal birth control. I never liked the idea of inserting a ring or taking hormones after the many female issues I have endure. I only agreed to this because I have painful ovarian cysts chronically, at least 6/year and 3 or 4/year that take me into my OB/GYN for a scan. I have previously had a tubal pregnancy (tube was saved because my OB/GYNs also specialize in fertility) and have had endometriosis. I have had 3 laperoscopic surgeries and 3 miscarriages. First for the tubal, second for follow-up endometriosis and third to remove a GOLF ball sized ovarian cyst to prevent ovarian torsion. Finally, I agreed for the 4th time to take birth control (previous attempts were thwarted by side affect from oral products. I used the nuvaring for 3 weeks and removed it today. Five days into the use I started cramping and bleeding AGAIN (10th day of my cycle). I have been bleeding, heavily for 11 days now, suffered dizziness intermittantly, have had a headache for the last 6 days and been more anxious, moody and tearful. I removed the ring today! I see my gyno on Tuesday. My cycle was predictable before, albeit painful and with ovarian cyst. Just want to say to all who took the time to share. Now I know it isn't in my head.

Thanks ya'll,
~ Texas Pharmacist

i also have been having pains in my back, i just cant wait for the day to end, some days i feel like i worked out all day. The things that i used to i don't do anymore like dancing,exercising and being more energetic. I haven't had trouble with the sex drive actually i want sex more and i don't have drywall either. I really have a sexual drive the week i take out the ring. this past two months have been the worst the for me, i taking to my doctor soon but every time i tell my doctor and i get checked for the problem the results are always the same that nothing is wrong. so what can i do

Well this is my second go around with Lupron. In 2004 I was on it for 7 months for the treatment of Fibroids, at the time I was 25 and I was told the only other choice was a hysterectomy. Well my doctor at the time said the side effects would not be bad and so did not give me anything for the mood swings and hot flashes. This almost caused a divorce, I guess I was pretty bad! Well it did the job, but I did gain 30lbs. Five years later, I was diagnosed with endometriosis. I was informed that I needed another go of Lupron. Well in those 5 years I had lost 100lbs and was feeling good. I started the Lupron in Feb. of 2009 and have gained almost half of that weight back and still no period. I have not had any children and it is looking like the next step for me is a hysterectomy. My depression that I thought I had under control worsened considerably and now am on 2 different depression medications. The only positive thing I would have to say is that the pain is gone for now and this time they gave me something for hotflashes and mood swings.

I believe that the biggest key to success with loestrin 24 is to wait it out! you have to give it at the very least 3 months to get in your system and really regulate and for your body to adjust!! i say this only because i have been on it going on 9 months and i love it! the first 6 weeks were horrible! headaches, spotting, back aches, chest pains, swollen feet, acid reflex, my face broke out, dry skin, i even found more hair in the shower than normal for about the first 3 weeks, but you name it, and its a proven side effect, i had it! i have a fever for about 11 days of between 101-103!!! but my obygn just kept telling me this was the pill for me and i though the had lost his ****** mind!! but i did stick it out! all the side effects started to disappear around the beginning of the 3rd month. and so did all the spotting and my period completely!! wow! im 21 and no mood swings, no average side effects of a periods, nothing.. nadda!! its amazing! this is the only bcp i have been on! and i wouldn't change it for anything! but let me remind you, im not on the pill to prevent me from getting pregnant, i have endometriosis!! this is extremely common in white females!! my obgyn said i developed it between the age of 11-14 ( i started my periods when i was 10! and it went totally undetected for 11years! now, my mom always thought i was just a totally baby! but the pain and the blood clots i would pass when i was that young was so scary. but i never went to a obgyn til i was 20 and i had insurance, lived on my own and could afford to go. so now im so happy on the pill! there were times when i was younger that i would give anything to be punched in the lower back cause the pain was so bad! i couldn't stand, i would be walking and just fall to my knees cause the cramps would just take over. this happened at school a lot, but the day it happened at work i knew i had to do something! so they did a few months of blood test, 6 peps smears in about 2 months.. and a few other test and determined it had to be endometriosis!!! if you ever feel like your insides are tearing appart.. you need to ask your obgyn about testing you for endometriosis!!! *google it!!** anyways, back to the bcp, after the fifth month i was happy again, no pain, no more side effects, no moody-ness or random out breaks of tears!!! its amazing. i dating this one guy! and not having a cycle is sooooo wonderful. he loves that i don't have a cycle!! which means no "time of the month" crap to deal with!!! lol!!! i cant tell you how much i love being on this pill. OHHH i almost forget! you can now get your script with or with out insurance for just 24$ a month!!! no matter what! just to buy the pills like like 80 a month, with full coverage insurance ( which i have ) its still 60 a month. well i found this website and i called, answered a few questions and now i get it for just 24 a month!!! ask your obgyn for the info!!! amazing!!

I have had Mirena for 2 1/2 months and aside from spotting and some bleeding, I have no side effects, I forget that it's even there..I got it b/c of my endometriosis..

I’m 25 and I’m from the UK
I have been suffering from the Gynae condition Endometriosis for the past 14 years. I have tried virtually every contraceptive Pill / Injections/ Coil / Hormone tablets/ Patches / Implants going, I’ve had various surgeries and none of these have made the slightest improvement in my condition. I can experience anything from 2 – 6 periods in a 4week period and the pain is there on a daily basis, interfering in my everyday life
On recommendation from my Gynae consultant he suggested that I give the Mirena Coil another go, I had one first fitted when I was 17years old for the same condition and to be honest after the initial first few weeks of bleeding and slight pain I found it made a huge improvement, It completely stopped my periods and I was no longer in any pain and for once was seeing some normality in my life...that is until 2years into having it the Mirena decided to dislodge itself and imbed itself into the surrounding tissue and I had to have it surgically removed. So this time around when my consultant suggested that I give it another go I was a little skeptical after what happened last time but the fact that I have tried virtually everything going to try to help and nothing has worked I decided to give it another go, after all it did improve my condition last time, even though it did make me very ill at the end when it moved.
So I had the Mirena fitted just under a month ago now and I seriously wish I had not bothered, I am in more pain that I was with just the endometriosis pain, I’ve been bleeding really heavily ever since it was inserted, I am extremely moody and temperamental, My appetite has virtually disappeared yet I seem to be gaining weight around the mid drift area, I keep suffering from headaches which I rarely usually get and sickness and I’ve been experiencing these fluttering like sensations which remind me very much like the feelings I had when I was pregnant with my son but a pregnancy test showed negative so I don’t have a clue what that is. My skin and hair are also suffering as they seem to become increasingly greasy much quicker than usual and I’ve started to get patches of acne which I never even suffered from when I was growing up as a teenager.
Reading through all of your posts and the similarities in side effects I’m very much convinced that its the coil causing all of them and I am seriously considering getting it removed

I am 19 years old and I have depression. I had a Laparoscopy done in January to remove a rather large cyst... during the surgery they found that I have endometriosis mainly on my right side. After about two months of horrible pain (after the surgery) my doctor decided to put me through the 6 months of Depo Lupron. After a week the nausea was horrible and I actually vomited at work. The hot flashes have been horrible and my body hurts all over all the time. About a month or so into the treatment, my depression intensified to the point that I didn't want to live any more. I would sit up at night just thinking about how I could make it all stop. Crazily enough I stopped taking the depression medicine while one the shots and I felt a little better. I still have some bad days but it is better. The night sweats have gotten worse the past two months. I have a consult in a couple of weeks to figure out where to go from here in my treatment. I've read several "testimonials" and it seems that I'm not alone in the way I feel. My friends and family haven't exactly been understanding about it either. It's nice to hear that other people can sympathize with me.

My doctor switched me from Ortho cyclen to Ogestrel 28 for suspected endometriosis. I've only been taking it for four days. The most annoying side effects thus far have been the bloated, nauseous feeling, which is similar to what I experienced when I started on Ortho cyclen 12 years ago, though I can't recall if it was quite as intense as what I've been experiencing with Orgestrel.

I am so glad that I found this website I thought I was loosing my mind. Maybe I have, I used to be really quick on decisions, I was able to remember things and concentrate since I have been on lupron I cannot remember things at all. I feel like a complete idiot when before I used to feel kind of smart. On top of that I have had massive hot flashes for about a year.
I had laparoscopic surgery in May 2008 for endometriosis, held of on taking lupron for a few months than finally gave into my doctors advice to take lupron in July 2008. I had my last lupron shot in February 2009 and still am having hot flashes, memory loss, depression, weight gain, and still no period. Which after all of this is the scariest part of the whole thing. I went to my doctor today and she told me that I should have started my period already and I may have now gone into menopause permanently.
Wow what a great way to start the day sorry you cannot have kids because you could be in menopause. HAS ANYONE HAD THERE PERIOD RETURN AFTER NOT HAVING ONE FROM LUPRON AFTER 6.5 MONTHS? I am really worried that my chance to have a child is no more after having surgery to prevent this very thing from happening. HELP.

Keflex was not as bad as I thought it would be since I had recently been on Doxycycline which was torture.

I was put on Keflex for a UTI. I took 500mg 4 x a day for 12 days.

I experienced ringing in my ears which was tolerable because it was intermittent.

I had a continuous low-grade headache. When the headache would get worse I would take Advil, which would reduce it to low-grade again - it hardly ever went away completely until I was done the Keflex.

I also had diarrhea which is common with antibiotics. This too was tolerable.

I was nauseous pretty much the whole time but did not vomit.

The thing that bothered me the most is the way my body would feel like it was buzzing. My head would feel weird. And sounds such as running water in the sink, vacuum cleaner, rain on the windshield, etc, felt so loud and like a horrible rushing in my head.

It is a little hard for me to distinguish what was caused by the Keflex, or what was caused by the UTI, or the Endometriosis I might have, as well as the Doxycycline I had been on left some lasting effects.