Levlite symptoms and conditions

I had the Mirena IUD inserted on April 7th after 13 yrs of being on the pill, the last 3 of which was continuous use and only 4 periods a year. I had been dealing with chronic daily headaches since Aug 2007 and had finally found a wonderful headache specialist that of instead of prescribing more and ore meds and upping doses did lots of bloodwork and tests and found that my hormone levels were messed up, specifically I had nonexistent testosterone levels caused by all the estrogen in my pill. So he took me off the bcp and I choose the IUD thinking that that would be the best birth control since I am married with 2 kids, but sure that my family is not done yet, but not ready for that 3rd child just yet.I wanted the paraguard because I was hesitant of the progestin in the Mirena, as it is the same in the Levlite bcp and had caused me to have severe anger mood swings about 9 yrs and I had to go off of it, but the gyn that I had been seeing had gone on a leave of absence so I consulted with her partner and was told that yes, this would be the best IUD for me because of my history of anemia and that side effects of the Mirena would be localized and I would not experience any mood swings or headaches. So against my better judgement I went with it.
The insertion went fine, had some bad cramping for about 4 hrs later, spotted about 3 days. Then cramped on and off for about 2 weeks. During this time frame I was actually HEADACHE FREE!!! For the 1st time in almost 2 years. Going off the bcp had worked, you cannot imagine my excitement and my whole families, they thought I was going to be me again! Then I started getting mood swings, yelling at them for no reason, getting angry and knowing that what I was doing was wrong and way out in left field but I couldn't stop---- it was reminiscent of my Levlite experience and my hubby freaked out. Said it had to be the IUD. I wasn't sure, but thought maybe so. Then I started getting acne on my chin and jaw and had never in my life, even as a teenager had acne. I also gained 6 lbs. I then started my period, VERY light spotting that lasted 20 days and with came a migraine!! A migraine that won't go away. It started April 26th and I still have it today! I knew then that it was the Mirena. By that time I had found my old gyn-instead of going on leave of absence as they had told her patients, she had actually left to start her own practice, but of course confidentiality agreements wouldn't let her say anything. Luckily I work in a hospital and ran into her in labor in delivery, so I made an appt with her on May 11th for my pap and to have my iud checked and while I was there I told her every side effect I was having and she totally agreed that it was the Mirena and she said that in more than half of women the Mirena hormone is localized, but the rest it causes a full body systemic reaction and I was one of the lucky ones!! She said with my history of migraines and my history with the Levlite that I should have have NEVER, EVER have been advised to get the Mirena. She said to go ahead and do the pap and then reschedule to have it removed since she was busy that day and needed to get to the hospital. So I rescheduled and had it removed on May 20th- 6 weeks, 1 day after having it put in. I am so glad it is gone. The cramping is gone, I am not having mood swings, no new acne flare-ups just trying to deal with getting rid of the ones I had! The headache I still have, but I think it is because my period started 2 days after removal....28 day cycle like clockwork! Maybe when my period ends, the headache will go away. Unless I just have to wait for the Mirena to completely clear out of my system?? Anybody know how long that can take??? Those 2 weeks that were headache free were a godsend and I can't wait till it happens again! In my opinion the Mirena is HELL! For those of you that have gone through similar issues I am sorry and glad that you can understand what I have gone through. For those of you who have one and have had no side effects, you have no idea how lucky you are!!!

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 took my second pill of Aviane today. I was on Levlite for several years, but my discount RX program, Smart Woman, stopped carrying it. So about 4 hours ago I felt nausea in the extreme and had to lay down for the past 3 hours. Now I feel very weak. As soon as I could get up I started doing research and found this site. This may cause me to go off of birth control all together.

I had been on Levlite for years and this was the first time my insurance switched me to a generic. I thought nothing of it until about 8 days in, when I developed serious breast tenderness, bleeding gums from 2 different inflammations (and I have great oral health), headaches and depression -- stayed on for another two weeks while negotiating with my insurance, and added weight-gain to the list of joys associated with Sronyx. I switched back to Levlite until it went off the market, and I've been using Lutera for the last three weeks -- no side-effects yet...

oh yea and I had a huge decrease in my sex drive. How could I forget that little gem. My fiance is lucky to get it twice a month and I'm only 22. grr!

hi everyone-

i feel very bad for all of you who are having such bad experiences with yasmin. i have been on it for 5 months now and have also experienced problems, though very different than what you have described here. in general i am very skeptical of sites like this since it is obvious few people are experts in medicine, endocrinology or other clinically relevant topics, but i will share my experience in the hope that others have found solutions.

to preface i will say that i have been through nearly half a dozen bcps (levlite, alessa, lessina, etc.) and have not been happy with any of them. my main complaint however has been spotting, which is only annoying. the first thing i noticed on yasmin is that my periods became much lighter, shorter (1-2 days!) and my spotting stopped completely. but within a few months i also developed pretty severe acne, increased body/facial hair, gross spider veins in my legs, fatigue, and have recently been experiencing severe cramping during or after intercourse. i'm 26, workout 5-6 days/wk, run marathons, eat very healthfully and drink 2-3 liters h20/day. i don't deserve this!

i hadn't tied these symptoms to the yasmin until i remembered i had symptoms like this the very first time i went on bcp, 9 yrs ago!! then i was on orthocyclin. the main similarities between the 2 problem pills have been the higher estrogen dosage and similar progesterone dosages. ironically, both of these pills were supposed to HELP acne, and even though i have never had it in my life it got worse!

fed up with bcps i went to my ob/gyn and she recommended mirena, the newest iud. upon reading about it i'm concerned the progestins may be what is causing my acne and hair growth, and that is what is in the iud, though in smaller doses. i really want to stop estrogen b/c the spider veins bother me most of all, but i'm afraid of upsetting my hormonal balances yet again! anyone out there with similar symptoms?

thanks,
reads too much

Ok I just found the name for Miranova..it is called "LEVLITE" in the U.S. Does anyone know if it is any better than Yasmine?

Hi -- I've been posting on this site for awhile, but I had to switch my user name for some reason, it used to be HoovieDoo. Anyway, I am so frustrated with this pill! It's been almost 7 months (next week) that I've been taking it. And the last period that I had was so horrible I thought I was really going to pass out. Right now I'm supposed to be on my period but it's not here! And, I've had a vaginal infection all month, thanks to Yasmin, so I haven't had intercourse = not pregnant.

What really irritates me is that my mom went to her Gyno, and her gyno's nurse practioner is who I see -- but she went to her Gyno with some questions and concerns I had, all he did was tell her all of my side effects were stress related and gave her another, DIFFERENT kind of pill to 'try' for me. I am so frustrated by this it's not even cool. I've tried to have a positive attitude this whole time because I don't want this pill to get the best of me. I'm not sure what to do because my body is, unfortunately, used to Yasmin now, and I don't particularly want to change again. Her gyno also told her he doesn't advise IUD's for women who haven't had children :( hmm... I'm just frustrated.

As for the ladies that are dealing with weight gain after getting off the pill -- I am afraid of the same thing happening to me, as I did not gain, but lose weight while taking Yasmin, I'm not losing anymore, it has leveled off. However, as words of encouragement, it is probably just the change in horomones or it could be water weight, remember that it is a diretic, so now you're body is retaining the water that was once lost -- which will cause 5-10lb weight gain on some days. I don't know, but I know what its like to gain weight quickly and in unwanted places! This happened with me and Alesse & Levlite & Aviane.

Sorry for all the complaining. I needed to get it off my chest and I know my boyfriend, friends, and mom are tired of hearing me complain about how frustrated I am :) I guess it doesn't seem as bad typing. Feel free to email me and we'll chat about all of this crazy mess {******}

Have a good one ~ Aaron

I'm 21 and I started taking Yasmin today, after reading this site I am outrightly terrified of this pill. I had taken Levlite and Alesse before and they both gave me major side effects, much like the ones I've read about Yasmin. If there is anyone out there that has anything positive to say, let me know. I don't want to go through what I went through before, I need to be able to function daily.

dry heaves, nausea; weight gain 8 lbs. in 2 weeks, headache, tired, tearful esp. day 20 and 21, leg cramps at night, pain in legs.
Am switching to Levlite, hope that works better.

June 21st will be my last dose of yasmine... after reading through these side effects - I have confirmed that I am not going crazy or just experienceing unrelated symptoms. I have gained about 15 lbs since I started this BCP (in JAN) - and I have not changed my eating habits that much, drink tons of H2O and started working out- yet am not losing any weight... also, my breasts/hips have gotten huge... I have also tried estrostep, ortho-cyclen, ortho-tricyclen and levlite (allesse)- none have had positive effects and all have made me depressed, and also given me sore/large breasts and just made me feel ughhh overall! I have been sad , depressed, anxious, irrational, quick tempered etc. Normally, I used to be a happy, positive, optimistic person, now I am just miserable. I think back now and I realize that my blurry vision, high heart rate, numb arms and feet are prob realte dto yasmine also.

I must comment that Yasmine works by causing your partner to avoid you as it turns you into a *itch! Lucky for me, my boyfriend (thus far) has been understanding and supportive and is pushing for an end to this madness too!

The only good result I have experienced is no more acne. But I would rather have acne tahn be miserable.

SO, I have decided that after a year and 3 months of trying BCPS - I am quitting... and let me tell you, I am looking fwd to June 21st and my last pill of the pack!

Has anyone on this list researched natural methods or alternative methods of BC. I would appreciate any info!

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.