Levlen symptoms and conditions

I got the Mirena inserted when I was 19, had no children, but had had awful experiences on the Pill... I had tried a number of Pills, including Yasmin (became depressed and moody), Loette (spotting), Levlen ED (Crazy moods and insanely tender breasts)... etc etc.
When I am not on the Pill I am a fun loving, easy going girl with my head-screwed on, but when on the Pill I become so unreasonable and emotional.
After having Mirena inserted (so painful as I hadn't had children), I had bleeding for 3 months, cramping and bloating etc... BUT - I felt WONDERFUL for the 4 years following. NO moods, no cramps, my periods stopped completely after about 6 months, no other side effects at all.
I had to have it removed recently as I developed an Ovarian Cyst the size of a lemon and got a UTI that developed into pelvic inflammation.
I had a month with no hormonal contraception, then tried the NuvaRing (Moody and incredibly sore breasts), had another month off contraception and now im trying Yaz. It is indicated for PMDD, but I feel crazy, emotional, irrational and unreasonable on it.
I have no idea where to go from here. Mirena really suited me, but I cant have another one inserted because iv had the Inflammation. I cant stay on the Pill... I hate myself, I am a different person on the Pill.

I cannot contribute - in the same way as other posters, I can add a side effect of getting of all birth control pills-- health. The pill seems to act by mimicking the first trimester symptoms of pregnancy in many ways - explains many of the symptoms. Can you imagine being 1st trimester-pregnant for years? I cannot understand why women will use un-natural, non-organic foreign substances in their bodies with possibly deadly side effects - yet swear by organic soy milk, veggies what have you -seems a bit schizophrenic. Better to wait for the man who would love you fully and not ask you to hurt yourself so he can use you for sex. We become just like the men here, this is so sad to me. Instead of being "liberated" we, (not the men) become slave to the pill. And then we don't get he freedom or the man. Try organic sex, in the ways God intended, much healthier.

Ive been on Yasmin for 3 months by which time it shouldve already absorbed in my system. Im 17 and the other day after 3 months of feeling ok but being diagnosed with mild depression and a hormonal imbalance; feeling ok but a little skirmish and over the past week, I got into the shower and nearly passed out twice. This was unusual for me because ive never fainted before and Ive never been dizzy. I got half dressed on the ground opened up the bathroom door and yelled out to mum. If you've ever seen a corpse's face, that's what mine looked like. I wanted to cry coz i was so scared but no tears came out. My legs felt weak and i wanted to throw up and i had a huge headache that lasted probably two-three days; i had severe abdominal/period pain and I thought I was going to die. On top of that I had to miss the day off school and mum had to take me to the doctors. The doctor told me that it was all just to do with Yasmin so she put me on a new pill called Levlen ED. I was so scared and i wouldn't wish this on anyone. If it happens again to me i may have to see a gynecologist. Please if there is anyone out there that has had the similar thing can you please let me know? xx L.

DO NOT TAKE AS A BIRTH CONTROL PILL!!! THE DOSE IS NOT ENOUGH TO PREVENT PREGNANCY. WORST SIDE EFFECTS OF ANY PILL I,VE BEEN ON. IT IS NOT A GENERIC OF ANY OTHER PILL. NOR IS IT MEANT TO BE A BCP. IF YOU WERE SWITCHED TO THIS BY YOUR PHARMACY (IN MY CASE WALGREENS) GO TO YOUR DOCTOR ASAP TO SWITCH TO SOMETHING ELSE. AND REPORT THE PHARMACY. MY DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT THIS PILL IS BASICALLY AN "OLD LADY HORMONE PILL". IT IS AGAINST THE LAW FOR A PHARMACY TO SWITCH YOUR MEDICINE EVEN MORE SO WHEN IT IS SWITCHED TO SOMETHING OTHER THAN WHAT YOU WERE TAKING IT FOR.

I experience restless leg syndrome with Levlen. In the past I have experienced this only as a result of anemia caused by heavy periods. Taking iron eliminated the sensations in the past.

Hi, I was searching on the internet for potential emotional and hormonal side effects to Yasmin because I started taking it 2 weeks and 2 days ago, noticing immediate changes in my physiological and emotional state. The advice nurse of my OBGYN stated that my side effects seemed extreme in comparison to the stated side effects the company warns against. I am so glad to have found other women experiencing similar things.

From the beginning I have experienced nausea daily. I developed severe cystic acne within the first week. My appetite shrunk considerably. I began feeling some shortness of breath and have consistent sleep disturbance. I feel as if there is some type of electric current running through my legs. I guess we could call that anxiety. My body temperature has shifted drastically and out of nowhere I have hot flashes but am only 29 years old. My emotional state is in constant flux. I can be laughing one moment and crying the next.

At the start of the 2nd week I woke up in the middle of the night, looked at my fiance, and decided I wasn't in love with him. In fact, I wanted him to get away from me completely. It was at that point I realized that the only change in my routine had been the addition of Yasmin. I am highly irritable and headaches come on daily towards the end of the day.

I was advised to at least finish this first month cycle if not a full three months. I have just this week to get through before the placebo pills kick in. I will be switching back to Levlen which was good to me for 14 years. I only switched because I had been on the same pill for so long but I am convinced now that if your hormonal balance is right, one should not mess with that. I hope I will not have much transition time before feeling normal again. In addition, I hope that some of these drug companies start disclosing the potential emotional and physiological side effects to changing one's hormonal balance.

I have been on Desogen for 6 months now, and I love it. I'm on it because I normally have really bad cramps, but on this pill, they are like 10 times better. Also, every month I'm on Desogen, my period has been getting shorter, which is great. I haven't had any of the mood swings or acne that some people have mentioned. I was on Seasonale and Levlen before this, and I was like binge-eating while taking those. That has stopped with the Desogen. So, while it seems a lot of women here have had bad experiences, you never know, it might work for you like it did for me.

I am in tears...I don't know why I started looking into this just today...but my thoughts were "I just can't take it anymore!". There was something wrong, but what???
I am a healthcare professional, and I have prescribed this same medicine for my patients. I know everyone responds differently to a medication, especially OCPs, but for those of you who are angry at your providers for suggesting this...understand that we are not notified of these frequent side effects in the literature. They are all mentioned as "rarely....".
I started taking Yasmin about 2 years ago after Levlen caused my hair to fall out, loss of 20lbs (sick), heart palpitations, migraine, etc.
SO, switch to Yasmin...felt ok, lost some weight...
I have always had some depression/pms, etc. but nothing like the way I am now...it's as if all these things have crept up over the 2 years! After reading all these posts...I wonder...
I am happily engaged...but NO SEX DRIVE at all...NONE! That must be how it works...you can't get prego if you don't have sex right? My mood has been SO flat. Flat and down I should correct it to be! Tearfulness, hoplessness, and unbelievable irritability. I've turned from "the nicest person he's even known" into a "crazy B@#$". And I know it! And I hate it! I sometimes feel like I don't have control of myself...I can't stop myself from saying something I know I shouldn't. Headaches...yep...severe neck pain (actually that's probably due to a herniated disc I just found out), bloating, fat hips/thighs that were never there. As others have said, I am 28 years old and I feel like I'm 70!
I work, I come home, I fall asleep...I wake up with insomnia and anxiety, chest pains, shortness of breath, leg cramps, tingling in my arms, blurry vision (just got glasses only 2 years after having Lasik), and a spaced out feeling. My cramps are better, but the periods, just as long and heavy. I feel like an alien!! How can this be ME? AND THIS IS A PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL! We're just as far in the dark as you all! Now THAT is unnerving!
I am at the end of my pack, and will never take another Yasmin. I am considering the ortho-cyclen since it has a lower level of progestin...anyone have experience with that one? I had been on most of the others in the past.
Thank you all for your honesty. I will be contacting my patients to follow up with them to make sure they are doing ok, and to change their meds if need be.

I have been on Yasmin for two months. I was on Levlite which I had to go off of, because I was having long unending spottings midmonth, then Levlen which caused me great ill and panic attacks, trouble breathing, headaches, severe fatigue. My doctor put me on Yasmin after this.....My breasts have grown larger in size (and they are already Ds. They are constantly tender and feel like they are severely bruised when touched. I have begun to gain weight; seven pounds in eight weeks, no matter how much I try not to eat a lot and go to the gym. My appetite has SOARED. Tripled in amount since I've gone on it, I'm a vegan, and before had eaten very mildly and lite, I crave water, my urine is very concentrated no matter how I drink, and crave sugar and carbonation. I have trouble sleeping because of very vivid and severe dreams and nightmares. (I take my pill at night before bed.) Always tired during the day, large pimples that last two to three days (cystic), then disappear. Pop up anywhere and everywhere on my face, and I've NEVER EVER had pimples or acne before in my life up till this last year with the birth control pills. It is embarrassing. I am having stomach pain with the Yasmin, feels like ulcers, but happens at any time during the day, like I've got a soft stomach and cant eat like I used to, coffees, etc. are unbearable, mostly in the morning when I wake, and in the middle of the night. I eat lots of tums to counteract it. Going to the gym is the only thing that makes me feel better, and then an hour later, I'm right back at being in attack mode. My boyfriend thinks I am insane. Things I say don't make sense, pieces of rationale are missing from arguments, I fly off the handle at any little thing, or difference I may have with someone. I am angry spitting fire, and then sad the next moment and in tears, ESPECIALLY FOUR DAYS BEFORE PERIOD UNTIL about three days into it. I am going to give this one more month, since I have endometriosis and am trying to do a continuous dose though the Yasmin isn't stopping my period from coming while I am continuous dosing, and I have been on four other pills in my lifetime, knowing changing pills is difficult and doesn't always come out with good results I am frightened to try something else, worried that the Levlen effects, which were the worst for me so far, with breathing difficulty and chest pain, will happen with another pill. I'm thinking that the severe mood swings, breast tenderness, and acne is worth it, as long as I can function without panic attacks caused by hormones. I am also having trouble with vaginal odor, a more pungent fishy smell that I've NEVER EVER had problems with before and only started with the Levlen, and now continues with the Yasmin, which is very disconcerting when in sexual circumstances; perhaps a vaginitis problem that hormones can cause since I am very monogamous. I'm unsure. I hope this helps someone else, or makes someone feel like they aren't insane or alone in this search for bcp.

My endometriosis, warrants me to stay on a bcp until I have children and/or a hysterectomy. I've had two laparoscopies for ovarian cysts in the last year. For people like me, bcp is the only fruitful option. If I didn't need bcp for this, say I just was using it as a birth control method solely, FORGET IT, I wouldn't touch this hormone stuff for all the money in the world. It is a horrible horrible thing to do to your body, and your outlook, your experience of the world, it takes your life over and makes things more difficult than any man or woman without gynecological problems could ever realize. Hormone supplementation or replacement is a curse. And I feel sorry everyday for women who have these problems to deal with in addition to the normal difficulties of daily life. I feel like the test of every decision daily are a constant drain on me, knowing at any moment I could fly into a rage or cry at the drop of a hat because of this and other hormone.

Good luck with your search ladies.