Extreme depression symptoms and conditions

I am 18 years old and I have just begun using NuvaRing after switching from the pill. My OBGYN claimed the side effects of NR would be milder than other forms of birth control because the dosage of hormones is so low. However, after a week and a half of using the NR I have been experiencing extreme depression. I stopped being able to do work normally and feel completely unmotivated.I spend all day in bed and it is so much effort getting the energy even to shower or get food. I also have gotten angry at my friends and my boyfriend and pushed them away. I've experienced feelings of hopelessness and started feeling like a burden to other people, so I began to completely self-isolate. I also have an increased appetite, have stopped working out and thus begun gaining weight, and have no sex drive whatsoever. I feel bipolar! But I'm so glad I found this website so I know this has actually all been a result of the NR, and I'm not going completely crazy!! Do not use this if you are emotionally sensitive to hormones like I am! Or at least be very careful. The minute I found this site I immediately stopped the NR. I don't want anything to do with it.

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 was first prescribed 2 a day for seven days for a knot on my arm
Days 1 &2 ok
3rd night heaviness and tingling in arms legs,hot flashes uncontrollable shaking,hot one minute then cold the next,severe panic attack(it lasted 4 hrs.,nausea,rapid pulse hands and feet cold and blue
4th thru 6th days shaky weak feeling,fatigue, extreme depression ,VERY JITTERY,STARTLED EASY,my penis got extremely sensitive and turned purple
7th day chest pain,shoulder pain, back pain,tightness in chest, difficulty breathing, it got so bad i went to the ER they found nothing but my pulse ox was low
I started feeling normal again 6 days after I finished the round
I then went back to the doctor for the knot again, they drained the knot and he put me on Sulf. again only this time 4 a day for ten days
I got 2 doses in (4 pills) and noticed a lot of the same symptoms returning . I have not nor will not take this drug again.

I am so happy to have found that many others are experiencing the same things...I have gone CRAZY!!!! I almost started anti-depressants and was scheduled to see a psychiatrist next week because I have totally changed emotionally and sexually. I had a great sex drive and was always happy go lucky....after some thought I starting researching this Mirena...and I think this may be the root of my unhappiness. Plus all these other side effects!....

~Tired all the time
~ Depression
~ Hungry all the time
~ leg cramps
~ hair loss
~ oily skin and bad breakouts
~ No period ..ever
~ Mood swings (huge...yelling fits at my husband and the kids)
~ light stomach & back cramps for weeks at a time

Best of Luck to all of you~I am getting this thing taken out ASAP!

I am using Yasmin for 1 month now and 2days after today I will wait for my very first breakthrough bleeding.
--I always feel paranoid that I might be pregnant but we never had sex without the pill and condoms (both methods used in the right way;never forget to take a pill; waited for 7days after taking the first pill)
--extreme depression
--breast pain!!!
--dryness in skin
--migraine
(but now gone)
--stomach cramps
--going to the bathroom more often
--breathlessness at times
--nausea
--my heart feels like it wants to get out of my chest after walking and several hours after taking Yasmin
--and now slight hair loss

--NO spotting

could i be pregnant?
OMG,
I am getting paranoid again. I don't know why I am asking this question every time, even though I know that we used condoms and pills correctly...Depressed!!!!

I had my Mirena IUD inserted at the first of the month of November 2008. My life was normal until then when I started getting so angry to the point of uncontrollable rage. By the end of the month, I was so angry with my boyfriend of 2 years (poor thing didn't do anything wrong) that I had an affair to seal the deal and told him to move out. He stuck by me. Not long after the rage started, I developed extremely oily skin and hair (my skin had always been dry before) and started to gain weight. Then the anxiety attacks started. Then extreme depression, lack of energy and libido. By December when we couldn't explain my attacks of rage, my boyfriend decided to take me to the ER when I was having one of my episodes. They diagnosed me as bipolar and prescribed me some heavy-duty medications (which caused me to gain more weight and possibly decreased my libido even more). By spring '09 I had gained 25 pounds, and my mental issues still plagued me despite the medications and continued therapy. A friend found out I had an IUD and told me that she had the exact same symptoms and had had hers removed. I had no idea the symptoms could even be related since no one had ever said anything about these possible side effects. I made an appointment to have the Mirena removed (the dr of course tried to talk me out of it), and I have been IUD free for 4 weeks now. My head does seems clearer most days and my abdomen has deceased in size (I had someone think I was pregnant before!) I hope to be back to normal someday, and urge other women to consider the side effects before getting the Mirena. I would NEVER had got it if I had know there was even a chance of these terrible side effects.

When I first started taking Alesse I did have nausea for about one week. That was the least of my problems.
I became such a basket case! I cried at everything (both happy and sad movies) and wanted to hurt anyone around me (including myself). I actually felt suicidal at times, even though I'd never ever seriously consider it. This was extreme depression, despite being happier than ever with my boyfriend. It was so confusing. I would burst into tears randomly...and on the last day of taking the pill, (only two days ago!) I burst into tears in public. It was very embarrassing!
I gained ~10lbs during the first month. My appetite had no end to it. I pretty much had all the symptoms of pregnancy, minus breast tenderness. My Dr. scared me and told me I needed a pregnancy test. Luckily, I'm not pregnant.
I developed these painful, red bumps on my shins. At first it looked like bruises, now the Dr. says it's from the pill (but he wouldn't tell me what it was). Now I'm worried about blood clots and the like. I've heard of other women having these symptoms. So, it's not just me.
Finally, I had a lot of trouble sleeping at night. I'd wake up randomly, feeling as though I was high on caffeine, and not be able to relax for ~30mins afterwards. By the time the alarm went off, I was exhausted. I just had mono this past year, and losing sleep weakens me even more now.
Not only is Alesse totally wrong for me, but I'm changing doctors. If you know your symptoms are from the pill, find another one. It's NOT worth ruining your life. Thankfully my boyfriend is understanding!

I did a lot of research before having Mirena put in. I'm amazed at how many of these women are complaining about Mirena. First off I read up on different types of birth control. I decided to get Mirena because it seems the most effective. I met with 3 different doctors to make sure I was a good candidate for Mirena. I have never had kids which they said would make the insertion painful. When I had it put in it felt like a bad cramp, but it quickly went away. I had light cramps the 1st week, but knew it was normal.
I have read many of these posts and all the negative ones seem to be complaints for absurd reasons. First off, if your doctor does not know anything about mirena, they should not be putting it in. After insertion, you shouldn't have sex for at LEAST a week. The doctors in the U.S. are REQUIRED to tell you both the benefits and the side effects of Mirena. If you are experiencing any abnormalities such as loss of appetite or extreme depression you should be making an appointment to see your doctor not waiting YEARS to finally decide you need help.
Although this is not a side effect of Mirena I thought this post might be useful to others.

I began taking birth control pills at 16 to help control excruciating cramps that have now been diagnosed as endometriosis. Every pill I have taken has regulated my period but seems to have some other side effect. Aviane however, is most definitely the worst I have tried. I was taking Allesse, but had to switch to Aviane because of mild anxiety problems. It turns out, since taking Aviane (approx. 5 months) my anxiety has gotten worse, I suffer from nightmares, as well as extreme irritability. I become furious over the smallest things and I am typically a laid back person. I spend 3 days in bed during my period vomiting and with severe cramps, but this is due more to the endometriosis than anything. PMS starts about 2 weeks before I get my period, and I am extremely irritable for about a week after, this has not happened on any other pill. I go through periods of extreme depression, hopelessness, and am extremely tired. Also, since switching to Aviane I have battled with severe acne which I have never experienced before. I have gained a huge amount of weight. I am just waiting to see my doctor to get me off this horrible pill.

I don't know what is wrong with you people but its like you can't handle anything. I had the mirena put in November last year and yeah ok i had cramping for the first month or so and yeah i had spotting. But unlike some of you fools i knew what the side effects were i read what came in the package which means i knew what to expect before i got it put in. And yeah there are loads of possible side effects but if you read everything and know what could happen you shouldn't complain if something does happen. Not everyone who has the mirena has these things and for people who are considering it i would recommend trying it and after 3 months if it doesn't feel good then get it removed. That especially goes to people that have just had a baby... i mean really in the first 3 months after having a baby who is really seriously interested in sex right away. The reason i am here was to see if there was more information about them now because UNFORTUNATELY i had to have mine removed for an operation. I had a cyst on my fallopian tube which was not mirena related. In fact almost all women get them when they are menstruating but they go away. Unfortunately with me they don't go away and this is the 2nd cyst to be removed in 3 years. I am planning on getting a second mirena inserted next week. Because frankly i find it ideal. And yeah i may have had mood swings on occasion while i had it but come on think about it what woman doesn't have mood swings. So sure you can blame everything on the Mirena but for the most part besides then for the people where the mirena got stuck or moved during the time you had it... its all in your head. And like i said before i would recommend the mirena and if after 3 or 4 months it doesn't suit you then go for something else... but don't dismiss it because some people have too much time on their hands and like to spend it whining over everything on the net. Remember with the Mirena you have a 50/50 chance of having symptoms or not. Take that risk before taking the risk of going on the pill and forgetting to take it or going on depo provera and putting on 20 pounds.

For about eight months or so I have been experiencing pretty intense anxiety. Thus, I was prescribed the generic Clonopin (Clonozepam). After building a tolerance to the increasing dosages I was prescribed, I found myself needing to take up to 10 mg daily. I became as many people told me, "a zombie". I developed extreme depression and constant bad thoughts. After talking to my doctor i was prescribed Paxil. I did not like this whatsoever so about two months ago I stopped taking the Clonopin abruptly. I experienced pretty severe withdrawals, or what i thought to be withdrawals (shaking, sweating, very irritable, constant pain, and anxiety). It was absolute torture. After talking to my doctor i was then prescribed Xanax, which i am currently on. My depression seems to have stayed constant. It was suggested to me to take Wellbutrin rather than Paxil, which of course i would have to wean off from my 100mg a day. Two weeks ago, or so, i started taking the Wellbutrin at 150mg once a day in the morning. After the first week or so i felt "up" more or less, in comparison to how i had been feeling. I began to research about possible side effects. I didn't really find many except mildy vivid dreams and anxiety, which threw me for a loop since i was trying to fight that, right? Well, after the first week i had been lowered on the Paxil to 50mg daily and raised to 300mg of Wellbutrin, once a day in the morning around 7am. I am now on my second week of the anti-depressant, but ironically i feel as if i am more depressed, just in other ways. I feel very lethargic, and i feel as if i am to be very "spacey". I'm not quite sure if it is the mixture of the medications or one in particular. But the most noticeable side effects of the Wellbutrin have been IRRITABILITY!!, veryyyyy indecisive, and ridiculously vivid dreams with little to no meaning. They seem to last for weeks on end at times, and i often find it hard to differentiate what is a dream and what is reality. By no means am i trying to say that this medication will not work for you. Anything to make someone feel better. Whatever works for you is great and you should persue it! Any suggestions or comments to this would be great. And is anyone feeling the same side effects??

Cameron

Im 20 yrs old and started taking Yasmin last fall. i was on it for 7 months and finally stopped due to 15lbs weight gain, extreme depression, and nausea. i have been off it for 6 months and haven't had my period since. i have also had extreme loss of metabolism, ive never had this much difficulty losing weight, after all the cleansing diets and working out every day! i would love to know when this crap will finally be out of my system so i can get back to having a normal, healthy life. if anyone has useful input about thins let me know!

Hi all,
I have spent the last 2 days on the Internet reading about Mirena; as a matter of fact, I had mine removed 2 days ago. For the last 10 months, my life has been horrible. I had the Mirena inserted in November of 2007, I was also coming out of a divorce, so I (and my doctor) was attributing my extreme depression, anxiety attacks to it. I started noticing that my hair was falling out and it just kept getting worse and worse. I went to see my doctor again and she said I had anemia (I was having very heavy periods and bleeding through my periods). Doctor said anemia causes hair loss. I went through different tests, saw a dermatologist, I always mentioned I had the Mirena, but no one seem to relate that to anything. I actually went on the Mirena site a couple of times, but the side effects listed there were very mild so I discarded the thought that the Mirena was causing my depression and my hair loss. There is no mention whatsoever about hair loss. Months went by, I kept seeing different doctors since my hair loss was getting worse and worse, my once beautiful, thick hair had become extremely thin, I have two holes on my scalp. I continued to bleed heavy and my ob/gyn said to give it some more time. My life was a complete mess, going to work was a struggle, dealing with my kids was a struggle, some days I would just lay in bed and cried for hours, I started to believe that my life had no purpose or reason. I was truly in agony, I am sure those of you who have gone through this know exactly what I mean. Anyway, I can't believe in all this months it never occurred to me to google mirena and hair loss....or mirena and suicidal thoughts, etc., etc. I thank you all for sharing your stories and I hope we can figure out a way to let all of those mirena users out there suffering that the answer to their agony is simply to have the Mirena removed. I look forward to my new life, new hair. It has been 2 days and I don't know if it is a state of mind, but I feel so much better already.
Thx
Jessica M.

I am so glad I found this web site I just wish I had found it BEFORE I took my Singulair this evening. I am a 54 year old mother of 12 year old twin boys and I only just begun taking Singulair 9 days ago for lingering asthma problems I could not shake. My difficulties with Singulair started right away with headaches (though I didn't realize what was going on till I found this site) and by day three I was starting to have the dreadful nightmares that everyone is describing. Now it is also obvious that an extreme depression has settled over me and seems to be getting worse every day. I feel like I am living in the shell of myself and almost as a third party observe the awful way I have been treating my family. It makes me feel so miserable all I want to do is to be by myself, shut down and sleep. I read in the other letters about body/back aches but not about what I have been experiencing. Just a few days ago - terrible leg pains/cramps began pulsate along the back of my upper legs and sometimes the lower back. I am stiff and uncomfortable during the day but at night it is terrible. Each night it has gotten worse. The pain in my legs is nearly unbearable even as I write this and is what propelled me to get back out of bed at midnight and to the computer and to this site. Thank goodness and thank everyone who has written - it is obvious you have saved me much pain and grief - hopefully my letter will help someone else. But for right now this six month supply of Singulair is going in the trash immediately!
Lauri

Just an update about the class action suit discussed previously, and Aamaya had provided us with the Florida attorney, Justin Wikin: I got a letter in the mail yesterday stating that they would not be pursuing suit against them. They said that they deal mainly with wrongful death cases and it does not mean that the case does not have merit, just that it is not their specialty. I will be doing some research here locally in Ohio to see if I can locate a practice to pursue this. If anyone comes up with something, please let us all know.

AVIANE IS A TERRIBLE PILL!!!!

I know that it sounds silly, but it isn't a joke. I was on put on Aviane when I was 17 for extreme cramps and so my period would become regular, I'm now 19, and recently switched to Yaz.
The Aviane had begun to make me very very ANGRY! I was always on edge and the smallest thing would set me off. I had signs of extreme depression as well, and I am usually a happy peppy person. I never wanted to go out and do anything anymore. I was either really sad or really irritable.
I had fits of rage and violence, screaming, throwing things, I wanted to hit anyone that came near me. Then ten minutes later I would want my boyfriend to come snuggle me and hold my hand! I saw a counselor because I didn't suspect the Aviane...I had been on it for so long. But she said that I wasn't like that for no reason and needed to see my GYN, who told me my hormones were off the wall and I needed to stop the Aviane right away.
When I was on this pill I wasn't the same person. I was mean, angry, sad, irritable, I felt like I was going crazy. Now I know it wasn't me, It was my pill. My mom wants to start a class action. We will see.

I was so excited to start a birth control that was only once a month - until I started having side effects. I was on NuvaRing for a couple of months during which time I became an emotional basket case. I have a history of GAD and panic attacks, however I experienced extreme depression and anxiety like I have never felt before. I have lost 15 lbs in a month because I am so worked up I can't eat or sleep. I took out the ring and started taking an antidepressant. This was 2 weeks ago and I still don't feel that much better. I can't blame all of this on the NuvaRing for sure - but it is very coincidental that all this happened within a few weeks of starting the ring. Anyone know how long it takes to feel better?

I was on NuvaRing from February 2007 to August 2007. The first 3 months I experienced spotting and brown discharge after sex. I almost always experienced vaginal burning during, and after intercourse (as many of you mentioned), and had about 6 different diagnosed yeast infections (which I have never had before in my entire life), but I felt like they were constant than 6 and they never went away even after mega doses of expensive medications.. I took Acidophilus supplements, bought cremes from the store, took tons of rounds of Diflucan, but I was never feeling good and healthy down there the whole time I used it. Sex was usually painful and uncomfortable afterwards, and for the next few days afterwards even not having sex.

I also experienced extreme depression and lack of confidence, whether that was chemical, or due to how the was the ring made me feel physically (unattractive and incapable of acting as a sexual being).

I tried to tell my doctor I knew that the NuvaRing had caused these side effects, but she said that "There are no studies that suggest NuvaRing causes yeast infections or creates similar symptoms." This was very shocking to me. It felt like she had said it many times before to other women, but when I researched I couldn't find any information on negative side effects until now.

Thank you all so much for sharing, I'm glad I wasn't the only one who went through this.

Metoprolol did lower my bp BUT I was so weak I couldn't do anything. I had numbness, palpulations , extreme depression and all the other things that every bp drug does. They should be taken off the market.

EVERYBODY REPLY TO THIS Let's see exactly how many women have had negative side affects from Yasmin. Just reply with the sideaffects. I see lots of posts and was wondering how many women are out there sharing similar problems. So me.... migraines, extremely horrible mood swings all from taking yasmin for 8-9 days next..........? lol

I very recently started having something like anxiety attacks, I was doing things that were totally out of character for me (mood swings, anger, saying mean things for no reason, ending valuable friendships, getting badly depressed for no reason, withdrawing from my usual activities, not keeping up with things as I normally do, isolating from people, finding that I was beginning to hate the entire human race though I have always loved people and my entire career was devoted to working with people, being forgetful though I usually am not, etc.) and I became very concerned that something had happened. I kept thinking, “This is not like me. I am not myself. Its totally out of character for me to neglect things like this or to do some of the things I am doing. Something has gone wrong.” I started wondering if I was becoming senile though I’ve never seen that happen with any family member, sometimes wondered if maybe I was developing a brain tumor. I had pulled my health plan brochure and looked at mental health benefits available to me. Vytorin apparently caused much of the mental and emotional issues that I was experiencing so stopped taking it. I stopped taking it just a couple of days ago but am already finding all of the mental and emotional problems I was experiencing have gone away.

So what does work? I've had depression, yeast infections, no sex drive, and I need to get this thing out. Has anyone with these same problems with the NuvaRing had luck with another form of birth control?

I am a 50 year old post menopausal woman with osteoporosis. I had 3 injections over a 3 month period for degenerative disc disease (cervical). Last injection was done 1/12/07. I was not warned about increasing osteoporosis as a side effect of this medicine even though they knew I had it and was taking medication for it.
I experienced the following side effects:
extreme sweating around head, neck, and torso
extreme mood swings where I actually became violent (I'm really a passive person), hitting loved ones, throwing and breaking things (completely out of character for me, in fact I've never behaved in this manner)
extreme depression where I tried but failed to commit suicide (I was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility for 9 days)
huge face
huge hump on my back
I now have extremely high blood pressure (was normal before)
I experience confusion and memory loss (sometimes I'm in the middle of a sentence and forget what I'm talking about and I am normally a pretty sharp person.)
I now have adrenal insufficiency and am currently scheduled for an MRI of my pituitary gland next week so they can figure out why my adrenal glands are no longer producing natural cortisol.

Went to see the doctor who gave me the injections about these side effects (before the suicide attempt) and was told these side effect would go away in 3 or 4 days! He gave me a prescription for 5mg valium and told me not to eat so much!

After my stay at the psych facility I again called the doctor who gave me the injections to try to find out if the injections had caused all of this. This doctor would not order any tests but thankfully his nurse (behind the doctor's back) told me to call my primary doctor and explain the situation and ask for a cortisol level test. My cortisol level was so low that I got an appointment with the best endrocrinologist in town the next day.

I am currently on a prednisone taper to try to stimulate my adrenals to produce the correct amount of cortisol.

Has anything like this happened to anyone else? I am so angry with the doctor I want to sue him but I'm sure I signed something protecting him.