Free birth control symptoms and conditions

I am a healthy 20 year old. I have been on Yasmin for a little over 2 years. When i began taking Yasmin, i immediately gained over 10 pounds. I Felt very nauseous every time i started a new pack. But the nausea only lasted 1 day, & the rest of the month was fine. After a year on Yasmin I became use to it ( I'm guessing) & The nausea went away. Now, 2 years into taking it, it has no negative side effects on me.

I recently went to my Gynecologist for a pap & my prescription refill. She handed me YAZ. Though i was grateful for free birth control, i cant help but feel that taking YAZ for the last week was a bad idea. I'm VERY moody, sick to my stomach (even as I'm writing this, I'm choking it down), tired & bloated. I HATE YAZ!!! If all these effects are coming on now ( 1 week into taking it) i cant imagine ho much WORSE its gonna be next week.

I will be calling my gynecologist tonight, to ask if its okay to just switch back to Yasmin, in the middle of the YAZ pack. (hopefully she says yes)

I will never go off YASMIN again.
:(

I had the IUD put in 8 months ago because I started getting serious with this boy and I wanted a stress free birth control. When they first put it in I felt the WORST period cramp I have ever experienced, I took three Vicodin from my roommate and they only made it a little better. I was on my back for two days. Every time I have a 'period' (I spot for about a day, the only good thing) I get stabbing pains in my uterus and lower abdomen. It's made me extremely paranoid, to the point of seeing people follow me at night who aren't really there and trying to end my relationship based on fears of him controlling me and wanting to leave. I have lost about a centimeter in diameter from my ponytail. I had really thick beautiful hair and now it's just average. I rarely want to have sex and when we do have sex, I never am into it enough to have an orgasm. In some positions it starts to hurt really badly, he said on numerous occasions the strings have poked him. I bleed after sex about 75% of the time. I've felt like I've had the flu for the past six months, I thought I might've gotten pregnant even with the birth control because I was experiencing morning sickness-like nausea. I have had a sore throat and trouble breathing through my nose for at least five months. I get depressed over nothing, I get irritated at the stupidest little things. I thought the cause of this was my relationship because I haven't felt like myself since we started dating. I never want to get up and do anything anymore, I always feel tired. I forget what it feels like to have energy. I haven't been able to take a normal shit this entire time, it either won't happen or is diarrhea. I'm freaking 18. I shouldn't be exhausted after sleeping 9 hours a night. I should be able to want and enjoy sex! My vision gets blurry and I get sinus headaches and migraines. I thought all that was a result of me breaking my glasses and not buying replacements. I only needed glasses for seeing far away at night, now I can barely see the computer screen as I type these words. I know Mirena is different for everyone and that a lot of women enjoy it, but I'm getting this thing taken out tomorrow.

Oh, forgot to add -- the few times I have actually had sex while on the NuvaRing I had this intense burning sensation to the point where I was almost in tears and I had to ask him to stop!! Has anyone else experienced this??

Hello everyone. Like most of you, I have been glad to have found this site and realized that there are so many other women experiencing the same symptoms as me and I am therefore justified to come to the conclusion it may be my Mirena causing these problems.
I had mine inserted in September 2005 for contraception. I am divorced and my ex-husband had had a vasectomy after our third child arrived in 1998. I had never been any good at remembering to take the pill and having always fallen pregnant very easily, I was after a reliable fuss-free birth control. I was a single mum dating a fellow on and off and couldn't afford the risk of an unwanted pregnancy.
Everything was just fine after the inital settling in period of about six months as suggested by the Gyno who put it in. Several of my friends had had them and we all seemed to have pretty much the same feed back. Lighter periods, breasts that we had never had before (I went from a lifetime of being an A cup to being a C cup almost over night and am now a D cup!). I had always suffered from really bad PMS - cramps, mood swings, etc. One great effect of the Mirena was I didn't have these mood swings and things were great with the kids not having to duck for cover every three weeks and lay low! I have suffered depression over the years, post-natally and after my marriage break down. I was more positive and started to enjoy life. I slowly went off anti-depressants and coped quite fine.
I am now 41 and have had the Mirena on board for almost 3.5 years. I remarried last year but also in the past twelve months symptoms have started the same as most of you have described. I am back on anti-depressants - only a low dose but my GP believed I needed it just to keep me "stable" - that is working. But the worst thing for me is the weight gain. I have always been reasonably slim, never had any problem losing weight after each of my three children. I am active and eat well. In the last year I have cut out so much fat and sugar in my diet, I walk 4 days/wk, swim once a week and was (until recently) going to the gym several days a week also, yet I just keep putting on weight. I feel bloated all the time, have fluid retention in my ankles and feet and I have this horrible gut - I have never had a gut! I've always had this lovely flat tummy. I know you put on weight once you hit your 40's but this is ridiculous. It is now starting to get me really down.
I am so glad to have come across all these postings because I know I'm not the only one. The other thing I have noticed is that my old pre-mirena premenstrual symptoms have returned - cramps, bad moods, dragon-like behavior, lower back ache, etc. All these went initially with Mirena - and I sang its praises to everyone and convinced several of my friends to consider one - now I think I better warn them of what they could be in for and to visit this site for themselves.
A lot of my other symptoms I have related to my under-active thyroid and have been considering returning to my GP for blood tests (although they were normal 6 months ago). I get dizzy, like a feeling of low blood sugar, get the shakes, heart palpitations (all normal hypothyroidism symptoms). I read with interest though about the thrist issues - I get really thirsty, especially during the night and now suffer really bad breath, mainly in the morning. And the comments about changes in eye sight I can also relate to. And forgetful!! I just thought it was motherhood, teenagers and age! I have also had a decline in libido - and I'm a newly wed - that can't be healthy! And I get pins and needles a lot - especially in my arms and feet - they often wake me at night.
Maybe Mirena has other things to answer for! That's why I am booked in next week to have it removed. This sight has convinced me its the right decision. I will re-post in a month or two and update you. Lots of girls ask for feedback on how long it takes to get back to normal - I will try to remember to leave some feedback.
Thank you to you all who have taken the time to share their experiences.

My boyfriend's mom who is an OBGYN gave me 12 samples of this pill (a year's worth) after I ran out of my Ortho Lo. So I said "Sweet! Free birth control!" Not so sweet.... I have been on this pill for only 2 months and I have experience a huge change in my personality. I feel like a zombie, I don't feel like myself at all! The most severe uncontrollable mood swings ever. I go from very happy and loving to a total train wreck! It's really sad... My boyfriend cannot handle me. I am usually always calm and mellow and this has made me feel like I am going insane. I have weird thoughts in my head, weird dreams, night sweats. I cry over anything petty! I do have lighter periods and they only last for 2 or 3 days but it is definitely not worth my mental health and happiness. It is the worst pill, I cannot discredit this pill enough! Avoid this at all costs, unless you want to be moody and depressed all the time.

I am so relieved to come across this forum. I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. After reading several postings here to my husband, we were both horrified to hear that I wasn't the only one having strange issues without a clear cause. I too have had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, inability to concentrate at work or deal with normal work stress, back pain, trouble falling asleep, low sex drive, and most recently, horrible depression. I have been to psychiatrists, allergists, chiropractors and physical therapy - all to try to find the cause. I have just gone off the pill, and have noticed improvement so far, and am very excited to see it hopefully improve. Hopefully I will be able to find a hormone-free birth control, instead of dealing with this. I can't believe doctors do not discuss these possible symptoms with their patients. I never would have thought bc pills would cause anxiety, depression, etc. A huge thanks to all of you for your candid comments... and helping me find an answer to my life-altering side affects!!!

My Mirena Removal....
So i posted here a few weeks ago after I found this site. I had EVERY side effect listed and was so freaked out that i immediately made an appointment for removal.
For those of you reading and wondering what the removal is like..
Well, NOTHING like the insertion. I was so so nervous and it was over before we actually started. The DR was surprised that i was back in his office to have this removed. He then proceeded to do an ultrasound to be sure it was placed properly before removal. And yes, all was OK on the position of it. I explained to him my reasons and he looked at me like he had never heard this before. I honestly can not imagine with all the women he sees that NONE of them have complained. But...as I was getting dressed afterwards, I took a good look in his office. There was Mirena literature ALL over the place. In fact, that was the ONLY thing he was advertising. Not to mention...they made me pay up front with the insertion back in Nivember...billed my insurance and I still have yet to receive my reimbursement. Oh yeah, and that...they charge more than the actual Mirena costs, then they bill your insurance for the price they know they will pay and the DR then makes about $150 profit. Nice.
Ok, back to my side effects post Mirena. The removal was not painful at all. I did spot for about a week- nothing too heavy but it was clotty and def there.
A couple of days after the removal it felt like I was coming out of my skin something terrible. I figured this was my body adjusting to the lack of hormones. I also had some headaches.
It has now been 2 weeks and the spotting has disappeared. I also can see the bloating of my stomach is starting to go away. It looked like I was about 4 mos preggo while I was on it. I also have an increased sex drive. And sleep-- well let me tell you, I have not slept this good in a very long time. I am actually sleeping more than 6 hours now and the night sweats have also discontinued.
I can't believe EVERY time I come to this site and look up Mirena ALL the people that have posted their experience as being negative. Yet, the DR looks at me like I am crazy! I have been seeing him for years and I have never complained about something like this. I really am so happy that I have it out and wish I would have done my research on this prior to insertion (which was one of the most painful things ever!)
So..for those of you out there that are either contemplating having it inserted...I say NO WAY. And for those of you out there that are nervous about the removal or not sure..I SAY YES, DO IT! For our bodies to be reacting this way, it is clear to me that it should not be inside of us. Listen to your bodies...they really do speak to you and let you know when something is not right. Forget about the DR saying it is safe or he has not heard of any of these side effects...YOU be the judge.
Good luck! And I promise it gets better once you get that lil' demon out!
Mona

I have had Mirena since July. I went through a lot of life stress this past fall (moving to a new city after 10 years, being separated from my bf during this time for two months, etc) but I really think Mirena is not right for me.

I am bloated all the time, my periods are erratic, I am more moody than usual and I have NO sex drive. Worst of all, I think I'm pregnant ALL THE TIME. I just don't trust this thing and I literally drive my man nuts worrying about being pregnant. I also have developed some pimples (like on my back, upper arms, etc) that I never had a problem with before! I have gained a few pounds as well.

I feel like a putz spending all this money but I really want it out. I feel like I should "give it more time" but really, what is the point?

I have been on NR for several years. I wanted a hassle free birth control. The first side effect I experienced was breakthrough bleeding. I never linked my mood swings, emotions, tiredness to the NR because it releases a low dosage of estrogen. After reading these blogs it completely dawned on me. My boyfriend of four years gets overly frustrated w/ me each month. Sometimes sex would be extremely painful and my body would not work properly. I did not re-insert the NR because I thought that my body needed a break. It has been about two weeks now and my nipples are extremely sore. It hurts to wear a bra and the shower water just kills them. Hopefully my body, my relationship, my sexlife and myself will get back to normal soon. The only thing great about the NR was you did not need to worry about it for three weeks.