Kariva symptoms and conditions

I am 21 years old and I have been on Loestrin 24 since June 2nd. I'm about half-way through my second pack. I used to take Kariva which had a lot of negative side effects (headaches, weight gain, couldn't wear contacts, longer periods). Fortunately, I haven't had many of the bad side effects with Loestrin 24 that most women have been describing. My first period on Loestrin 24 came a little late but when it eventually came it was quite light and only lasted about 3 days. I also haven't experienced ANY spotting which is good. I have been a little nauseous and I threw up once which I can only assume was from the pill. I've had some trouble sleeping and some weird dreams but I usually do anyway so its not too bothersome. My only major issue is acne. It seems like in the last couple weeks it has gotten a lot worse, even worse than when I wasn't on any type of pill. I noticed a lot of women saying that their acne got worse. I was just wondering if it will eventually get better? I may have to talk to my doctor because it’s getting bad (I notice at least 1 new pimple a day). I've always struggled with acne so if it continues to get worse I'm totally going to stop taking this pill. Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I'm so glad to read about everyone's experiences. I've been on ortho tri-cyclen lo for about 3 or 4 years, after trying Seasonale (which was awful.) I thought I was just prone to being depressed and nauseous all the time, but now I realize that these symptoms are likely related to my birth control. While on Ortho Lo, I would get nauseous several times a day, I've gained about 10 pounds, my hair is thinner, and my sex drive is frequently nonexistent (which really stinks since I'm newly married.) I am now switching to Kariva, the generic Mircette, which has a lower dose of hormone, and I'm hoping that helps alleviate some of my problems. Best of luck to you ladies!

My experience and a question...

Hello all,
I had mine placed 6 days ago. First 2 days were a little painful. But I was able to go to school and work (in my final year of college and am having a hard enough time in Calculus without missing a day). I have been on many different kinds of birth control (patch, pill, and shot). My problem is I suffer from severe migraines. At the worst point in my life, they were 3-5 times a week. The patch worked the best for me. I lost weight, periods didn't change at all, migraines went to 2-4 a month and I (still to this day) have never really experienced cramps. However, because of the cost and my financial situation at the time, I couldn't afford it. The shot was the worst. Gained 10 pounds every 3 months, very emotional and depressed all the time, and the migraines slowly became more frequent. Changed to the pill (Kariva) and took it so that I only had a period every 3 months. My migraines almost went away completely but I had a lot of lower abdomen pain. Had every test under the sun and they found nothing wrong. My doctor suggested changing my birth control so here I am. My question is are there any signs of complications from the placement of Mirena? About once a day or more I get a sharp pain in my lower left side. Not sure if this is just the same pains I had from the pill (didn't take anything for birth control for 2 months and all the pain stopped. didn't start up again till placement) or if others have experienced this when something was wrong. I am scared they may be something wrong but being a broke college student, don't really have $100 to spend at the doctor to have the usually *shrug*. Thanks! email ******

My birth control problems have been an ongoing problem. . I am a 26 year old nurse. I had been on birth control since about age 16.I was on Ortho tricyclen up until about two and a half years ago. I was noticing that I got nauseated each day around 5 pm when supposedly my hormone level dropped. I would eat and then I would feel better. Now that I think of it, I may have been just a little hypoglycemic. I told my GYN about this and he had me switch to the NuvaRing. I was on that for about 5-6 months when I started to have problems with it. When I had to put it back in after the week out, I would vomit for about 12 hours until my hormone level evened out. After deciding that I was not getting food poisoning each month, and it truly was the ring, I went back to my GYN. He then said that it was too much estrogen for me and prescribed Loestrin 24. I was on that for about 5 months when I started to notice problems. I felt extremely tired all the time. My breasts hurt like hell, and my mood was changing significantly. I was watching TV one night when all of the sudden it felt like someone was just murdered in front of me. I had no idea what was wrong. My husband told me he thought I was having a panic attack. I have never had any problems with anxiety or depression. This happened twice in one week. I had never had any problems with acne, and I looked like I had chicken pox on my back. I was also getting abnormal hair growth. I would cry, and not know why. I then decided that I needed to stop my pills. I called the GYN, and of course they were of no help to me. I then spent about 4-5 months off of BCP's all together. I would still get anxiety the week before my period and then after I started it would get better. I then saw a new GYN who decided it would be good for me to go on Seasonique. I was on that for 5 weeks and all of my symptoms came back. I now have been put on Zoloft to help with my panic attacks. I fight them on a daily basis, and they are more constant than ever before. I truly feel like my hormones are so fucked right now. I have all of these strange thoughts and feel half crazy. I have been to every specialist possible and they all agree that my hormones are out of whack. I am small anyway and have lost about 10 pounds. I only weigh about 98, which is also alarming to me. Okay, well how the hell do you fix all of this without going on another damb pill? I was fitted for a diaphragm and am using that for the time being. I am a smart enough person to know that something is not right. I am seeing a homeopathic specialist this week to try a new approach. I have been to a therapist, and have been tested for everything under the sun. Most frightening was the fact that I was almost put on a beta-blocker. I had a 24 holter monitor for my heart. My median heart rate was in the high 90's. I also had a heart rate that went from 51 to 145 bpm in my sleep. My normal heart rate is in the hig 60's to low 70's. Overall, the Zoloft is starting to help, but I am so angry. I really do feel like we are screwing up our natural chemistry by putting all of these females on hormones. In 20 years or so, we will truly see the effects of what hormone therapy has done to women. It is very scary. I just hope I can get myself evened out. Does anyone have a similar story or any suggestions? Please reply or email me. Any support I can get from other women will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Nurse Billie

I have been taking it for three years and I am starting to experience more side effects. I am going to quit taking it.

How BCP affect your blood pressure: I have NOT encountered a single one that does not warn about raising your blood pressure. That's why BCP's are not recommended to women with high bp to begin with.

Mircette (and Kariva) I have not tried personally, but a close friend has been taking it for a while. She hasn't had any problems besides heart palpitations, but not sure if the pill caused it or not. She's now switching to Nuvaring (less hassle, and I highly recommended it, as well as a gyno friend she has).

Nuvaring-I am on the second cycle. I never ever think about it, except when I have to insert and remove it, and they have a convenient computer program you can download to remind you, as well as a tiny timer you can carry around in your purse (can get it for free from their website). No headaches, no nightmares, no panic attacks. In fact, I don't even notice I'm on birth control, it's great.

Hi Guest 20121,

I too am looking into other BC options and after the Yasmin hell I went through, I am very weary of bcp. However, after hearing about all of my awful side effects from Yasmin, my gyn suggested I take Mircette (Kariva is generic version). Apparently it has less estrogen and, of course, does not contain a diuretic like Yasmin.

Has anyone heard anything (positive or negative) about Mircette/Kariva?

Thanks to everyone for your posts and encouragement. This website has truly been a lifesaver for me!

Gina

Hello everyone,

I am so glad to have found this website. This has been the BEST therapy ever... to know that I'm not alone in this. I started taking Yasmin on Jan 1, 2006. To give you some background, I am 27 years old and have always been very healthy. This was the 1st bcp I had ever taken... and what a nightmare it has turned out to be. Within weeks of taking the first pill, my heart would race a mile a minute, I had some shortness of breath, a complete lack of appetite, I was dizzy and sometimes felt like I was in a fog... in short, I was a shadow of myself. I think i gradually got depressed b/c I was so frustrated from feeling like total crap. Finally, i couldn't take it anymore and quit taking the pill (mid-pack) about 6 weeks after I started. I immediately began to feel better. However, a week or so after quitting cold turkey, I started to have some headaches (nothing major) and still feel dizzy and experience shortness of breath from time to time. I still don't feel 100%... I've been off Yasmin for 3 weeks now.

How long did it take you all to feel normal again? I was only on this awful pill for 6 weeks and I feel like it's completely wrecked my hormonal balance. Suffice it to say, I will NEVER recommend Yasmin to anyone!!!! They need to take it off the market. My OB has recommended I use Mircette/Kariva, which has a lower dose of estrogen. I'm not going to take it until my body is back to normal...

Any thoughts would be much appreciated! Thank you, girls, for your support. We WILL get through this!!

Well, it's good to know I, as well, am not going crazy on these pills. My gyno has me on pills for what he thinks (and I just know...) is endometriosis. This is pill #4 in about 8 months, and thank goodness I'm going on something different starting Sunday. The first ones I was on, Cryselle (generic) made me into a hysterical disaster, Orthocyclene landed me in counseling I became such a basketcase and was completely out of control, Apri caused me to develop a real bad heart murmur and severe chest problems. At first I thought Yasmin was alright, then I had a 12 day long period, my boobs feel like they weigh about 32 pounds, everything I wear is tight, even though I work out more than ever, and my sex drive is below zero. My poor boyfriend just returned to our college from studying abroad for four months, and he came home to this! I have absolutely no sex drive whatsoever, and it's very frustrating. I'm really glad I found this website, because this pill has been starting to take a serious toll on me. I, too, am starting to wonder if there are any good pills out there. On Sunday I start taking Kariva...if anyone knows anything about this please let me know! Good luck ladies!