Hair loss symptoms and conditions

hi everybody. i started using Yasmin about 3 months ago as i was told i had cysts. but since a month into taking it i am having really sharp headaches chest pains and mood swings. i am also experiencing hair loss. i am only 20 so i cant think what else could be wrong.can anybody help me out here as im getting really paranoid and getting about 4 hours sleep every night with pain and worry!!!! thanks x x x

I went on the mirena a month ago, had a light period ever since, but nothing could stop me . i haven't had any of the symptoms that every one describes, guess it doesn't work well with everyone. I did have light cramps after i had it put in but since i been fine. I have no problem with hair loss, sex drive or anything else. so i would say my experience so far has been good.

Hi I am 21 years old and have been on the Nuvaring for about a year now. I have experienced many of the symptoms you have all spoken about. Hair loss, decreased sex drive( which scares me because i am so young and i am in a serious relationship in which my boyfriend has a high sex drive ( he 22) and he noticed my sex drive dwindling and wanted to know what changed. It has been a huge problem in our relationship.) I have not experienced weight gain that i have noticed. But i experience extreme pain/burning during and after sex. One of the side effects of the nuvaring is vaginitis which has pain n burning as its side effects. I have been to several doctors for the pain as it is disrupting my sex life and making sex unbearable at times. However they all dismissed the nuvaring as the cause and suggested that it may just be a mindset and i need to get into sex more. Which i think is bull im 21 and very much in love with my boyfriend and have a healthy sexual relationship so having a negative mental state word that seems ludacris to me. I have had std sti blood tests and been tested for yeast and blatter infections. Nothing seems to be wrong with me but i know i have never experienced this before and the nuvaring has been a constant through the pain. If anyone has experienced anything like this please let me know.

I started taking nuvaring because it worked well for my sister and my husband and I are not ready for kids. I've only been on it for 6 months but i've had all sorts of issues, like chest pain, feeling very negative and just sad for no reason. Hair loss (i wouldn't have even thought to put that on if it weren't for this site) weight gain which i thought was because im a newlywed.... and no sex drive (which has been devastating as newlyweds are supposed to really enjoy themselves) I already didn't like or trust medication and this has just made it worse. My sister has had hers out for 5-6 months and has been rendered infertile because of nuvaring, shes very healthy too! and she wants another baby! I took it out about a week ago (for good) but it was earlier than i should have according to the calender and I've been a wreck. I've always had bad cramps (runs in the family) like the type that you literally cant stand from, but today its been so bad i felt like i was gonna throw up and had to go home from work. This is ridiculous for my body to react to negatively!! My sister is now trying a natural birth control method that is more scientific than the normal chart that tells you when your fertile and when your not. Im waiting for the book to show up, its called "Taking Control of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler" Which involves taking your temperature every morning and charting yourself every day, checking your cervix, as it moves up and down based on weather or not your fertile. Then you know when you should use a condom (since im not fond of them all the time) and when you are infertile. Its not for everyone since it isn't easy, but im not willing to mess my body up anymore, i want my energy back, my body back, and my sex drive and if i have to sacrifice 5 minutes a day to do it I WILL!!

I've been on Yasmin for the past 2 years and the first 6-8 months were like hell for me. I've experienced hair loss, depression, lack of motivation, terrible migraines which wouldn't go away with one dose of paracetamol. All these symptoms have abated by time but the symptom which is constant is: lack of libido, I feel that I've been robbed and don't know when and if I'll ever get it back!

I had my Mirena IUD placed in on July 08, I've had a period every month since then; waiting to see when im actually not going to menstruate. It is not as heavy as it was before the mirena, it has been a light flow that lasts about 3-6 days. I have awful mood swings, Wanting to take everything out on my husband.. Very horrible migraines , so horrible I can't even function. I break out from time to time, and i have NEVER had acne! I have been experiencing tremendous hair loss. Thinking I just had a baby so that may be the reason why my hair is falling out..Im always tired and depressed! Now im hearing some doctors cant even find the thing!!.... Never again... Id rather have another baby

My experience with Mirena has been awful. I had it inserted a little over a year ago (2 months after the birth of my younger son). Since then I had cramping ALL the time, significant hair loss, periods every three weeks, then every two, then every week and a half. They only last three days on average, but I go through a heavy tampon an hour. I lost a lot of weight while on Mirena, but I don't know if that can be attributed to it-just diet and exercise. I had severe bloating, depression and mood swings, complete lack of sex drive (very much unlike me), here's the kicker. When I went to get it out (last week), they couldn't find it. So after 3 ultrasounds, 2 xrays, and a CT scan, they found it. It's perforated my uterus and is floating around in my abdomen. The evil thing has gone rogue!!! I'm scheduled for a laproscopic surgery next week to find the damn thing, followed by a more in-depth surgery to remove the evil.

If you're thinking about getting it---DON'T!!!

I had my mirena put in about 3 months ago. About a month later I started noticing hair loss; not to mention lower back pain, acne (mostly on my back, nose), abdominal pain, feeling tired, headaches, & depression. I have been dieting and exercising (extensively) for about 4 months now and have not lost a pound. The hair loss has really gotten out of control so I decided to check with a pharmacist and she suggested that I take Biotin 1000 and Womens One a Day every day. That same night I started googleing "Hair Loss", "Hair Loss Vitamins" and then I thought why not google "Mirena-Hair Loss". I am so happy that I was directed to this website. I was shocked to see how many woman are having the same symptoms I have. What I find most upsetting is that none of these side effects are mentioned on their website nor by the doctor. I already made an appointment to get this "horrible" thing out. Does anyone know if it hurts when it's removed?

I am experiencing severe hair loss - I was on Wellbutrin XL for a year and a half with no side effects, then changed doctors and we prescribed the generic, bupropion. That is when my marked hair loss began. I then switched to Lexapro, but felt like a zombie, and so went back to the bupropion hoping that it was a vitamin deficiency that was causing my hair loss and not the med. But, with all sorts of supplements, my hair continues to thin - I used to have thick, healthy shiny hair, and now cannot bear to touch my head because it is so upsetting to have lost so much hair.
Has anyone else experienced NOT losing hair on the brand name Wellbutrin, then switching to the generic and losing hair? I don't want to give up the med because it has worked so well for my depression, but I don't want to loose my hair either. HELP!!
Thanks!

OMG!! I can't believe it. I had it since 06 and I thought i was going crazy. I been moody, agitated, weight gain 45lbs, NO SEX DRIVE, lack of energy, hair loss, night sweats, hot flashes( thought i was going through menopause at 30, nausea, headaches like crazy, etc... I cant wait until Monday to schedule to get this out. I need my life back.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 in a half months. I had started a period in the middle of my first set and they said that it would just take time..well i haven't had a period since. I have had UTI and pregnancy test and they were both negative. The doctors thought i was crazy and I felt helpless and thought it was because i hadn't taken them regularly enough. My symps were nausea/vomiting, yeast infection,sore/tender boobs, dry skin, cold sores, chapped lips, excess sweating (so much to where id wake up with wet hair), dizziness, rash,hair loss, depression, joint pain, horrible abdominal pain(like bad cramps),back pain, no appetite which i lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks, headaches, and i hadn't had a period in two months. All these symptoms happened in about a two week span. I was freaking out about it because the doctors told me it was just stress but i was sure that something was wrong..i was talking to my mom because i was really scared and upset & she asked what birth control i was on and i told her. She looked at the package and saw it was Loestrin -->FE<--(iron)..no one in my family can take iron and it makes them very very sick. Im going to the doctor tom again to tell them that and im almost positive that this is the reason. I will let you know when i find out.

I had Mirena inserted in February 2009. Since that time I've had mild weight gain and acne. These were fairly tolerable, however, in the past 2 months I have had hair loss (I pull out 10 or more strands every time I run my fingers through my hair). I've scheduled an appt. to have it removed.

Please be sure to report the side effects of this drug at:
1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch

I am a 48 year old woman, 5'1" (now 145 pounds). I had Mirena inserted almost exactly 5 years ago, and am scheduled to have it removed in 2 weeks. I gained 25 pounds over the course of the last three years; prior to that, my maximum weight for my whole (non pregnant) life was 123 (I was at 120 when Mirena was inserted, four years after the birth of my second child). I have always been very healthy, never abnormal blood tests except during my two pregnancies was tested as pre-gestational diabetic and had to watch my carbs.

I never put it together with Mirena until just recently, when I started doing research on hypothyroidism after a friend told me that my symptoms could be due to that problem. Depression, hair loss, acne on my back, and the terrible weight gain. I went to see my G.P. who referred me for blood work. I hoped to see evidence of low thyroid function (actual TSH value, 3.12 -- I was told this is normal on a range of .4 to 4.5). I also discovered that I now have high cholesterol (269 triglycerides, 251 total cholesterol, 46 HDL, and 151 LDL). My fasting (14 hours) glucose # is 99 (I was told this is normal on a range of 65-99 mg/dL), and my vitamin D, 25-OH is 21 (also was told this is still normal but low on a range of 20-100 ng/mL). I tried to give blood six months ago, and was turned down because of anemia, so I've been eating a lot of spinach, greens, and more red meat than I normally would, so I was interested to see if I am still anemic -- the red blood cell count is 3.8 (told it was normal on a range of 3.8-5.1 mill/uL). I mention these specific results because although I was told they were normal (except for cholesterol), when I physically went to the doctor's office and requested a copy of the results and did some research online I see that my thyroid IS actually low-functioning -- according to guidelines revised six years ago, anything over 3.0 is considered hypothyroid and should be treated. Plus, isn't a fasting glucose of 99 pretty high? Yet my doctor's only suggestion: diet and exercise. Good grief, I've been on a diet since I had my first child, 13 years ago. True, I don't exercise regularly (I'm a teacher and mom of 2; I never seem to have the me time.) I guess I have an excuse to get a gym membership now.

Also, for the last year I've had increasing pain in my shoulder (I couldn't lay on my side, for example, and lately I can't reach behind me or over my head). An x-ray turned up mild bone degeneration, but not enough to cause the pain I've been having. I was referred to an orthopedist, who today diagnosed a shoulder rotator cuff injury (I've had no injury; he says it is a common degenerative complaint in the over-40 crowd). He gave me a cortisone injection and I'll be on PT for a while to see if the pain goes away. If not, I'll have to have an MRI and surgery to correct the tear.

I'm posting all of this in case it might be useful to someone out there who might be going through the same thing. I had a thyroid test done about six years ago at my OB/GYN, and it was normal then (though I don't have the number; I'll get it in 2 weeks at the OB/GYN). It will be interesting to learn whether my thyroid level has gone up since Mirena. Also, although my research suggests that the effects of these synthetic hormones do not wear off for some time, possibly even years, I will finally feel like there may be hope if my symptoms improve over the next few months when Mirena is gone. If so, I will share it with you.

If you are reading this, perhaps you have a similar story. I wish I had been more aggressive about checking out the possible causes of my many symptoms, but I let them go for years because, I guess, I just figured I'm a healthy woman who is no longer young. (Oh, one more thing: for the first year or even two years that I had Mirena, I had incredibly heavy periods. The blood flow was similar to that during the day or two after the vaginal births of my daughters. Don't know if that's significant, but it took a couple of years for my periods to get fairly normal on Mirena.)

Has anyone had side effects pop up after 3 years? Yes, you heard me. Three years. Hair falling out. Joint pain. "Foggy headedness." Chest discomfort. Gotta be that. Please share.

I've posted earlier (June 21). I had mine inserted in March 09 and it has been a nightmare. Prior to its insertion my gynecologist wrote down the word Mirena on a post-it note and suggested that if I had questions I could look for more information on the Internet, but that I should only consult "official" sites (drug companies, National Health Service, and the like).That's exactly what I did. The implication was that the various forums (like this) were full of rantings from lunatic, hysterical women who claim there are side effects when, in fact, there are none.

So my subsequent depression, weight gain, no libido, pain, hair loss, erratic bleeding, etc., are a complete coincidence!

I wish I had instead researched sites (like this) overflowing with the rantings of those "lunatic, hysterical women" (which I did after getting all of those "coincidental" side effects). Had I done that I would have read the truth instead of drug company rhetoric and not had the thing put in.

Im 22 yrs. old and have two little boys. My husband says he hopes to one day have a girl so i figured 5 years should be enough time to decide. I got the Mirena last year and the only side effect i had was hair loss,BUT i'm not quite sure if it was the mirena or from just having another baby. But other than that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I have been reading all these reviews and they were almost all negative I was wondering if something was wrong with me. Since I got the Mirena last year I lost weight, no more cramps, lightened periods, and a better sex drive(probably cause I don't have to worry if im going to get pregnant, I feel safe). So would I recommended the Mirena , YES but it clearly seems that every woman's body is different so it might be great for one person and not so great for the other.

I have been experiencing A LOT of hair loss, headaches, discharge and extended periods and I just got mine inserted at the beginning of May. I also have been very testy and short with my husband and kids. I am already fed up and I am having it removed before anything gets worse.

extreme hair loss

I've had my thyroid removed in 2006 and since then I've been on medication, i was ok first and i thought i was ok until now. i had leg pains that woke me up from my sleep and i went to doctor and couldn't figure out why i was having this pain, i thought i had restless leg syndrome or sciatic but doctor said no. now i'm reading all your side effects and I'm in shock, i had no idea that it can cause to leg pain. also I've change my medication to generic (because of insurance issues) since then i guess my itching started. i thought i had allergic reaction to food or bugs or something and i went to allergist of course nothing came out. now I'm reading the side effects of this medication, it can cause hives, rashes, itching and even urticaria which i have right now. i went crazy to find anything in my house to find a bed bug, spider, flea or anything that can make me itch like this. the other side effects that I'm having are hair loss, red/hot face. i can not believe all these symptoms are actually side effects to a medication supposed to make me feel better. whoever says that's they find it weird that this medication has this many side effects, we are not crazy. this effects are real and so many of us has them.

Im taking lamictal since 2004. So far so good no seizures. As far as the side effects, well, I have VERY vivid dreams! Always bizarre! Sometimes really bad, but most the time just strange. Every once in awhile I will get the night sweats but not on a regular basis. My short term memory is shot, I've developed anxiety and also ocd even though that hasn't been diagnosed yet. Im on Zoloft for the anxiety which has brought on its own separate list of side effects! I also have dealt with hair loss, Im not balding or anything but have def. noticed a gradual increase in the hair loss. Cant grow my hair out anymore. Ive gained tons of weight! This has also been gradual. I wonder how long I can deal with this. I started out on carbatrol (is that how you spell it?) That was a nightmare! For two weeks I walked around in a dream, a haze! So when the doc switched me to the lamictal I was glad I didn't feel so terrible. Now Im terrified of switching meds. Im half tempted to get off of both of them all together. Does anyone have any suggestions? Im a 30 year old mother and newlywed and dont want to let my life pass me by while I struggle with these side effects! Help!!!!

Well I am like all of you I am a proud parent of almost 4 year old twins. I have had every problem in the book to even have children. Endometriosis, BAD PERIODS or NO PERIODS, NO OVULATING NOTHING. LEVELS OF ESTROGEN & PROGESTERONE IN MY BODY WAS UNREAL! THEY STATED MY BODY WAS PRODUCING TESTOSTERONE ABOUT THE LEVELS OF A MATURE BOY IN PUBERTY.... GROSS

WHAT HURTS MORE THEN ANYTHING IS WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR ALMOST 14 YEARS & OUR LOVE IS STILL STRONG BUT I HAVE NO DRIVE TO BE CLOSE TO HIM, I KNOW THIS BOTHERS HIM DEEPLY! MY KIDS ALSO ARE SUFFERING FROM THIS AS WELL. WE TRIED FOR SO LONG TO HAVE CHILDREN & THEN WAS POINTED INTO A GREAT DIRECTION FOR A AWESOME DOCTOR & HE MADE IT HAPPEN - AND WITH TWINS.

I HAD MY MIRENA PLACED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER THE BIRTH OF MY TWINS, LOVED IT FOR ABOUT THE FIRST 3 MONTHS THEN I HAVE HAD SYMPTOMS I DO NOT LIKE. HAIR LOSS WEIGHT GAIN ALMOST 50 POUNDS IN A 2 YEAR SPAM MY PC DOCTOR STAYS ON ME ALL THE TIME ABOUT THE WEIGHT I HARDLY EVER EAT & CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY I AM NOT LOSING WEIGHT. BEEN ON THE ALL WATER DIET ONLY AND NADA THEN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WHITE DIET NOTHING THERE EITHER. I HAVE THE SEVERE CRAMPS AFTER ME & MY HUSBAND HAVE INTIMATE ENCOUNTERS IF THERE IS ANY. HE IS LEFT OUT & I AM ALWAYS TIRED & NOT IN THE MOOD I HAVE NO DRIVE! I HAVE WENT THRU THE DEPRESSION MOODS & NOW I FEEL LIKE I AM CONSTANTLY ON A EDGE WAITING TO FALL FOR TEARS OR BREAKING SOMETHING. I FEEL LIKE I BREAK AT A BLINK OF AN EYE YELLING AT MY KIDS OR MY HUSBAND, I USED TO BE THE MOST PATIENT SELF KICK BACK PERSON YOU COULD EVER MEET & NOW I FEEL LIKE I AM A MONSTER IN MY OWN BODY!

MY APPOINTMENT IS NOT TILL JULY BUT AM COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS TILL THEN…..

I WANT TO BE MYSELF AGAIN!

I been taking zyrtec in tha last 2 months since I ran out my benadryl and singular prescriptions. Doc so far away i grab counter stuff till i can get to the doctor.. I to been having funny things going on with rhythm of heart.>LIke a lurching feeling ! Not often.. But like a fluttering slow to fast, then the lurch .. Then it quits? Hard to dechifer all my meds.. I narrowed to nsaid naproxen, advair I started most recent, albuterol I started last year.. The hair loss I started getting faster and faster.. Got me to searching med side affects.. and ran across this site !

I have had the Mirena for about 2 1/2 years. I had it inserted about 3 months after I had my daughter. Initially I thought it was great, but in the past 12-18 months I have noticed so many negative side effects that I believe must be related to the hormones in the Mirena. My PCP ignored my complaints but I have experienced the following since having the Mirena inserted:
sore/tender breasts, pretty serious weight gain(I diet and exercise a lot and don't lose a pound), severe acne on the chin and jaw line, coarse/dark facial hairs on the jaw line, migraines in the right side of my head, lower back pain in the left side(almost like a sciatica) fatigue. low sex drive, some mood swings, and the expected spotting. Although my PCP dismisses my concerns I have made an appt. with a new gynecologist to discuss my concerns and possible removal of the Mirena. Although the prevention of pregnancy is great the side effects are becoming unbearable and seem to increase over time. I would think twice about opting for this method of birth control.

Just want to survey everyone and ask for responses for the following 3 questions:

1. how long did you keep your Mirena and if you no longer have it, why did you have it removed?

2. how many of you had your thyroid checked? who's came back abnormal? what were the levels?

(I'm a medical student doing research on this one since I believe the levonorgestrel affects our thyroid hormone. My TSH was elevated to 5.2 which is considered "subclinical HYPOthyroidism". This was mid cycle when my natural progesterone AND synthetic progestin were cumulatively high. When I had it rechecked 6 weeks later (around my period when any natural progesterone level is gone) it was normalized at 1.5. So I think that the P+P screws up our thyroid and can throw us into a high TSH and "hypothyroid state". The opposite effect may be true during menstruation and we can become HYPERthyroid for a few days... hence the really bad anxiety?!)

3. where is everyone from? perhaps we can have support group meetings?

Significant hair loss has caused thinning around my face & entire hair line. Within weeks of taking Ambien CR... Woke up daily with headaches, mood changes, depression.....

I am a licensed NYS Cosmetologist. I know what is normal hair loss & what is not. It started with itching on my whole scalp, there was a lot of white greasy almost dandruff substance on my scalp. It didn't flake off like normal dandruff though. Then I noticed my hairline was not what it would normally be. Each time I brushed my hair the brush was filled with more hair daily... I stopped taking the Ambien CR, the itch went away almost immediately & so did the hair loss. I thought I'd give it one more try & took 1 pill one night. The next day the itch came back, so did the white greasy substance on my scalp & my hair started to fall out again.......... Went to my Dr told her what was going on & she didn't even blink, just asked if I wanted something else for sleep. I said no thank you not after this experience. Went back on Advil PM, not sleeping as well as I was, but at least my hair isn't falling out any more. Just keep hoping it will grow back in, has anyone had their hair grow back???