Hormonal methods symptoms and conditions

Thank God I'm not alone. I have been on NuvaRing for ten days and life is aweful, I'm exhausted all the time, which I thought was due to having an 18month old. I wake up in the middle of the night with my heart racing, but so tired I can't fall back asleep, I want to nap during the day but my body wants to keep going but I'm so tired, plus I have severe mood swings. I yell at my son and take it out on my husband life in my house is terrible right, now and after I scream and yell, I cry. I had severe depression in life before and this is what it felt like, I never wanted to be in this state again, and here I am with a family like this and my poor family is taking it all. I called my doctor to see what to do and they told me this is actually supposed to have reverse effects because its low hormone and to stick to it for another month. I'm just scared that the depression will get worse or I will lose control.

Thanks to all of you for sharing your experiences- I should have done a search on Nuvaring long ago. I have been using it for almost a year. At first I loved it but now the bouts of itching have become unbearable and embarrassing. No one wants to be caught scratching herself! I have also had lots of watery discharge- my underwear always feels damp. Not comfortable and certainly not helping the itch. I also often have thick white discharge (but smooth and without odor and so not exactly like I understand a yeast infection to be). I say "understand" because I have never had anything remotely like a yeast infection up til now (34), which is another reason that I suspect the ring. My sex drive is also nonexistent, a problem I have had with oral contraceptives too- I feel bad for my husband. I didn't connect it all at first because the itching is external, but then I noticed that I felt better when I took it out for my period and even better still when I stopped using it for three months due to other health issues. I hate to admit it because I loved the convenience of the ring but I took it out an hour ago and think I already feel better. Now I'm wondering if it was the cause of any of my other health issues but will have to wait and see. Can anyone recommend any non hormonal methods of birth control (other than condoms) or at least any oral contraceptives with less sexual side effects?

Oh my goodness, you'd think this stuff was evil in a pill. ALL birth control pills, and hormonal methods of birth control (and medication for that matter) has side effects. Everyone's body is different. I have severe migraines, but taking a pill with a higher estrogen level makes it much worse. Not to mention Yasmin was my fourth try before I was comfortable on the pill again after a long time BCP free. I suffered through break-through bleeding, constant bleeding, turning into satan, constant PMS symptoms, infections, migraines, you name it. Finally, I found Yasmin and I lost a little weight and my periods remained the same (sometimes too long, sometimes too painful, but that never changed with any of them -- and I hear the same thing with the new "miracle" pill Yaz), and I was fine. I have spent time off of Yasmin, simply because I was ill and on antibiotics so I didn't fill a couple of months worth, and I noticed no difference in the before and after (other than having to use condoms in the meantime).

I've been on Yasmin for three years, absent two months. Everyone's body is different, everyone reacts differently, and this site is NOT this place to get the information you need to make a decision about medication. A starting point maybe, then go off the pill, see how you fill (talk to your doctor first). What's not being taken into consideration is other medications these users are on, ages, individual physical illnesses or situations, or other things that could be reasons or interferences with the pill. Good luck ladies. :)

Oh, and an acne tip... rather than putting more chemicals into your bodies, try Proactive. I had AWFUL skin in areas that nothing worked for, from cheapest to most expensive to prescribed. I started using it in 1996 or so and my skin is perfect. I use it now because it keeps my face clear and makes it radiant, and I don't even have to use it every day. I don't have to wear ANY make up on my skin at all. Something to think about instead of putting worrying about trying to find a BCP that works for you and for your skin. :]

Guest 37262-

The swelling of the breast is due to adding an un-natural hormone to your body. It is an increase to the existing progesterone and estrogen naturally occuring in your body. We all have progesterone and estrogen receptors in our breasts-that is often why many women's breasts grow when taking hormones. Its not really a healthy thing although many women think its great, I think its actually what's causing breast cancer as there are so many women and the #'s growing. My own personal experience is that it doesn't go away until you go off of all hormones.

On the gaining weight, it sounds like you are one of the unusual women to gain/rather than lose weight on Yasmin. Watch that, discuss with your OBGYN and pay special attention to every other symptom that may develop.

Yasmin is really not a good birth control pill. There are so many women on this site and the new one in the UK who have suffered horribly with serious symptoms. so my recommendation would be to get off it and practice natural protection/non-hormonal methods.

I've been on Nuva Ring for 4 months and after the first month I got a terrible vaginal infection: bacterial vaginitis. It was horrible. I had to take a strong prescription creme to cure it. I've gained about 5 pounds, but the most troubling side effect is the fatigue and bouts of moodiness or the blues. If given the chance, I'll sleep all weekend and I feel slightly depressed. My family has issues with depression, so this scares me. My sister had issues with that birth control device that was inserted under the skin. She is bi-polar, can't take any hormonal methods. Furthermore, it kills my sex drive and gives me headaches. I feel my best towards the end of my period, when the device is out of my body. My doctor told me to give it a few more months. If I don't start feeling right soon, I'll be getting rid of the the device as well.

I stopped Yasmin 16 days ago because of visual disturbances - blind spots, severe light/ glare sensitivity, headache, some aura...I'd been using it for 2.5 months. Last 10 days later, my blood pressure shot up to 144/104...I've always had blood pressure well within the normal range. Now, I'm having tingling sensations all over my body - kind of like drug withdrawal...has anyone else experienced this? I've also seen an eye specialist who said they've found some bc pills to cause migraines that have lasting effects on the eyes! Does anyone else know what more I can expect after coming off this pill and for how long??? My docs have suggested non-hormonal methods from here on.

I would like to start off saying that I have been on Yasmin for almost a month. I know it isn't very long, but I have seen women posting who have symptoms after only days of being on it. When I first started them a few weeks ago, I did have some nausea, and mild cramping, but it seemed to subside after about the first week. Other than that I haven't had any side effects. I think this just goes to show that everyone is different, and these pills interact differently within each person's system. I was prescribed Yasmin for birth control and debilitating PMS symptoms, and I hope they continue to work well with my system. I was hesitant at first about using any hormonal methods of treatment, but my OB/GYN explained to me that most women who have bad PMS have a hormonal imbalance, and BCP are a good option because they override your bodies natural hormone production, by supplying a constant amount at regular intervals. (So you posters who say you don't want to put extra hormones into your bodies, you really aren't, because your body stops producing it's normal amout to compensate for the pills.) So if you are having a horrible experience using these pills, then I agree you should seek an alternate brand or birth control method, but for all potential users of this brand, it isn't fair to say it is a horrible, awful, dangerous pill for everyone, because it may just be right for some of us. Try to keep an open mind.