August 25th
2008
11:38 PM
I've had Mirena for about 14 months now. Yeah, I HATE it.
The day they put it in, I was in the category where it took forever to place. Like 3-4 tries to place it. Thank God I'd had experience in handling this type of pain, having 2 children w/out epidurals.
I bled for 6 weeks straight, so the day I went for my follow-up, I stopped bleeding. Figures. I'm looking at the brochures in the office for a different type of contraceptive. The doctor thinks I'm stupid, why would I want to do that? Um, because it pokes my husbands penis head and I can see the red poke marks on it. So the doc trims the tail and loses a piece of it somewhere inside me. CRAZY!
The following month, I really started having low back pain. Then I herniate my L-5. I'm not sure that any of that is related to the IUD. Just speculating. Also speculation, I battled with thrush the entire 13 months I nursed my son. That was never the case with my first child.
So I go about a year with out a period that I can really speak of. Maybe some spotting, but I haven't thought about the thing much. Although, I don't remember ever having a positive thought about it. I could feel it during sex. I can't explain that feeling, but, it's like I could feel it poking my husband at times.
Now, I am having some CRAZY stomach bloat and I'm extremely exhausted. My back is still constantly hurting me. I'm spotting ALL the time. Mostly brown blood, though. Does that mean it's old blood? Every time I have sex, I will spot within the 2nd day. I've held off going to get it removed simply because I don't have insurance and am not looking to get pregnant again. However, I know that it needs to be done. There is something wrong inside me. I never had the weight gain issues other women had. But I am up 5 pounds right now and my belly looks to me like I'm 4 months prego. Matter of fact, I'll probably take a home test tomorrow so I don't have to pay for one at the GYNO.
Anybody know much about getting pregnant with an IUD? And why are doctors so gung-ho for IUD's? Is it because they are like $2000?
-- By jmjschwarz | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
August 11th
2008
9:46 PM
Well I've had Mirena for about a month now and tomorrow I have a check up to make sure the Mirena is in place. when I first got the Mirena I had a little bit of bleeding but not like your normal monthly thing. but every time I went to wipe myself there would be blood and that lasted for two weeks. as well as headache's which I still get and I take Tylenol like it's candy.
Here lately I haven't been feeling well, im notions and a little dizzy, and as I am writing this im having a little bit of abdomen pain. so I have been reading everyone's blog and it scares me. because I don't know if im done having kids or not, and if I keep this any longer is it gonna cause a problem later for me, not to mention probably more pain and suffering. what to do, I can tell you I don't like feeling like this, and Im gonna think real hard wether or not to have it taken out.
August 11th
2008
5:06 PM
Hi Ive been on Femcon FE for one month now. I am 20, 5'1'' and weigh 100 lbs. I have not gained any weight at all, nor experienced any nausea. The first 2 weeks I felt like I had some mood swings, the third week I broke out in horrible acne... However, my period lasted about 4 days and was soo light I almost forgot that I had it. I never got any cramps either. Now, I am on my second month, first week, and my acne is starting to clear a little bit.. However, I have battled acne for a lil while and - as I have been told by doctors - it takes your body time to respond to all these hormones. If you are having problems with acne, just remember that usually things that are supposed to clear acne will break you out for about 2 months before it starts clearing you up. It's your body's response to the drastic change going on inside. I would suggest seeing a dermatologist and using some topical gel (Differin).. it has helped mine a little bit. I don't think I'll change BC because I would rather my body just get used to one type and just stay on it....
good luck ladies! Just remember, don't get too frightened by all these postings because every woman's body is different so not everyone will experience the same side effects.
August 8th
2008
2:49 PM
OMG! I thought I was losing it. Have had the Mirena since April and have gained weight (an entire dress size) for NO REASON, been foggy, moody, no sex drive, joint pains, cramps, etc.I thought I was alone, Did I mention EXHAUSTED all the time and acne on my face and back-sever enough to get antibiotics from the dermatologist?
I also suffer with PCOS--does anyoen else on the Mirena suffer with PCOS? Would be interested to see how it has affected you. Tried BC pills and after awhile they stopped working then switched to the YAZ--DO NOT GO THERE--the worst Pill ever--so not many options for those of us with PCOS. Just can't wait to go to the DR and get this thing out.
August 8th
2008
5:41 AM
Went on it for 1month and it was enough to make me stop (and turn off using any pill for awhile)!!
I'm 22y,o female, first time sexually active in a steady r/ship, so i was taking it as extra precautions so as to avoid getting pregnant.
After first 2 weeks i noticed that i was feeling REALLY lethargic without reason (no change in routine/exercise), weak (lacking energy), lacking mood and enthusiasm, PImples galore (never been this bad in my life), and i had this breakthrough bleeding the whole 1month (minute amounts first 3 weeks, and the 1 week break off the pill = get my full on period),, i felt like i was bleeding for a whole month!!
There were other factors, eg. it was the harshest and coldest month of winter therefore i was wanting to hibernate more, not go out into the cold, eat warmer richer foods, .. i didn't put on weight, just a little bit flabbier stomach ...BUT the pill 'whacked out' my body .. and i still feel like im recovering ..
-- By girlytroubles | Reply | Send Private Mail
July 29th
2008
10:18 PM
I'm 25, and I have never used bc. I was given this from my gyno. because my bf kept taking off his thingy. So the first day, the very first day my hair started to come out. I gave it two weeks, and threw it in the garbage. I had hair falling out everywhere, I had EVERY side effect listed. My vision was also screwed up. I didn't know what the hell was going on with me. My bf broke up with me, my moods were crazy, my boobs hurt, i had cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea, all i wanted to do was eat food, stomach pains, depression, anxiety, a headache, I was dizzy to the point were I just wanted to start crying, I even had the shits...This pill is a joke. I can deal with minor things like spotting, and I realize it takes 3 months for your body to adjust, but I couldn't even take it for 2 weeks. I did notice that if you take vitamins, the side effects were better.. but still my heart hurt so much I thought, holy crap, I'm going to have a mini-stroke at the age of 25. I am so thankful to god that I found this site and I could read other people's stories. I really think the idea of bc is wonderful, but until they make a pill that my body will accept- I'll stick with condoms, they have worked so far, I would even go on to say, I rather never have sex again then to go through the toll of this pill. This should have never been put on the market.
-- By cat24 | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
July 28th
2008
7:41 PM
I took Topamax for my migraines following a significant car accident. All I can say is this medication didn't help me at all. In fact, it made my migraines 10x WORSE! Before, when I had a migraine, they were debilitating and would last up to 48 hours. Once I was on Topamax I had a migraine that would not go away. It was almost a month of me being out of work so that I could be weened off this medication and feel better. Now I take something called Axert which you take at the first sign of a migraine. It is my miracle drug. It is not a narcotic like every other doctor seemed to want to give me and would make my migraine go away within an hour. However, I have noticed I have built up a little bit of a resistance to it!
-- By mcsac0613 | Reply | Send Private Mail
July 28th
2008
7:56 AM
I have been on Lipitor for about 4 years. Now I have an arthritic right knee and the left knee has a little bit of arthritis. My arthritis started getting really bad in both legs my left leg was just as bad as my right leg. Muscle pain was tremendous and getting up and down stairs. furniture, and the car. Then the day before Memorial Day I could hardly move, I thought I was losing both my legs. I could only walk a little bit. No energy. I too had blurred vision with this drug but the doctor said that it probably was just my diabetes. I hurt from the shoulders all the way down to the ankles..It felt like every muscle group was involved. Earlier this year the doctor put my Lipitor up to 40 mg from 20 mg even through my ldl was only 93. My last ldl was 67. The doctors say your cholesterol cannot go to low but I am wondering with all the side affedts I had. I took myself off Lipitor on Memorial Day this year and I feel better. The pain is gone except for the arithritic pain but it is not as bad as what it was on Lipitor. Soo I am done with statins I will lose weight and exercise.
-- By char0215 | Reply | (2) replies | Send Private Mail
July 26th
2008
6:09 PM
The first time I went on Wellbutrin, I had a really bad reaction to it. I had insomnia, horrible tremors, apathy, I felt like I was walking around in a cloud. I went on to try other medications. Now I'm taking a combination of Prozac and Wellbutrin and it seems to be working. My depression is under control. I don't have the apathy or zombie feeling anymore, but I do still have the tremors, though they aren't as bad. I get some mild insomnia, but taking it in the morning helped with that, and lately I've found that a little bit of coffee in the morning (not too much, don't need to be MORE shaky) helps with a lot of my side effects. I do have the confusion and concentration issues too. It hasn't caused any severe problems, it only seems to really happen in casual conversation, where I'll completely forget what I wanted to say. It's annoying, but way better than depression, and not severe enough for me to stop.
To those people who are telling others to stay away from this drug, or any drug for that matter, don't forget that there is a reason there are so many different kinds of anti-depressants. Everybody's body chemistry is different, so their gonna react in different ways. Also, the people who don't have issues with side effects rarely go looking for sites like this....
Just something to think about.
July 24th
2008
2:33 AM
I started NuvaRing just like the directions stated. I have never taken any birth control ever in my life. I am 30 yrs old and me & my husband have always used condoms. A few hours after inserting it, I had horrible cramps all night. I started feeling different emotionally and physically (bloated). I completely lost my usually high sex drive. I HATE NUVARING!!! I hung in there for the full three weeks, trying to give it a chance. I started having horrible headaches, and I became the biggest bitch in the world. My husband even begged me to take it out. After taking it out, I could tell w/in 24 hours that I was already getting back to the "old me". I am supposed to start my period now, but instead have some funky dark brown discharge and there doesn't seem to be any blood...could this really go on for weeks...any advice???? ~Very Concerned
-- By brandiblueyes | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
July 22th
2008
9:58 AM
I have been on .50mcg of Levoxyl for Hashimotos for three months now. I definitely have the dry eye issue and am going to my optometrist today to see if the steroid eye drops helped.
In the early weeks I had dizziness and even broke out in a light rash twice. The only thing that hasn't completely gone away yet is the morning sickness-like nausea that I wake up with. But that generally passes within that half hour period before I eat.
To you who have posted or will post, my suggestion is TALK to your endocrinologist. Your dosage may be a little bit off, which may cause some of these symptoms.
-- By herbwoman | Reply | Send Private Mail
July 14th
2008
11:12 AM
I have been on Fastin for 6 days now. Have not lost 1 lb. as yet. What it has done is stop my cravings for sweets, which is good. The thing I have noticed though is that twice now at night after eating something around 10pm on, I have thrown up. Very strange. Feel sick to my stomach, which is keeping me from eating.
Now, I've been on Phentermine in the past and lost weight. With Phentermine I also had dry mouth and lots of energy. I feel a little bit of a rush, but not much, and no dry mouth.
Has anyone had this experience of upset stomach?
July 12th
2008
11:47 PM
I'm sorry to hear all the bad side effects you all had with lamictal. I was on lamictal for depression for about a month and a half. I started low, 25mg. But when I got up to 100mg I started to itch! No rash, just itch, about a half hour after I took it! I was in denial, of course, because I had been feeling on top of the world! I had a loss of appetite, which I needed due to the fact my migraine meds had me gain 40 lbs over the last 2 yrs and NOTHING would take it off. My energy level had come back....something the Abilify had taken away a year ago....I'm getting off that very soon. I hate it. It takes away mania for bipolar disorder, so they say, but I'm slightly different....borderline bipolar II,so it takes away my personality, my get up and go, my motivation, you name it. I'm only on 5mg. When I was on 10mg, it knocked me out....I'd get the kids to school, come home and sleep, and be in and out like a drug addict all day til it wore off in the afternoon. Anyway.....lamictal.....I'm back on it.........starting at 12.5mg a day, then 12.5mg 2x a day, etc up to about 50 or 75mg, no more than that. It was a great help to me so I'm not going to let myself get those darn itches again. I did notice a little bit of intestinal irritation in the beginning last time, but that was only for a few days. I take Wellbutrin and also take Topamax 250mg.....and have a ton of hair falling out....and acne, so i feel for those of you with those symptoms. And yes, I still get migraines and still am depressed. But life goes on....I have kids to raise. I just cry in the shower and in the car. The best to all of you....good luck with your meds! Keep on trying!
-- By robin43 | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
July 8th
2008
8:04 PM
All I can say is that when I heard that CIPRO and if I understand correctly LEVAQUIN will now have the "Black Box" warning, I thought THANK GOD. .I wonder how many people are "the box" from the drug and/or from committing suicide from this horrific drug?
THANK YOU, FDA, for listening to those who contacted you via letters and emails. Also, who knows? Maybe this board made a little bit of difference.
Either way, a warning is not a ban. I can't understand how Bextra could be pulled off the market and LEVAQUIN "lives all" to do more damage to some.
Pray for this drug to be further scrutinized and researched!!!!!!!!!!!!
-- By jennifernikole | Reply | (3) replies | Send Private Mail
July 6th
2008
2:39 PM
I posted on here a few weeks ago complaining about my excessive hair loss to the point of seeing through my hair. I went to my obgyn after reading this forum. He said he is not surprised....that anything containing progestin causes hair loss. Also any traumatic experience....to expect hair loss to start from 3-6 months post trauma....I had a baby, a mirena, marital separation, and 2 d&c, along with a bad delivery and severe blood loss, ALL in a matter of 4 weeks. So, it could be all or one....either way he was not scoffing at my claim of the mirena being the culprit of the hair loss. We agreed to give it a few weeks and see if the loss slowed, if not I will return to have it removed......I also put on a quick 10+ ponds which I am not happy about, but my appetite is raging. I am still breastfeeding too, so I don't know which one is the cause. I also lost hair and gained weight last baby....so who knows. I will keep everyone posted.
Staci from SC
-- By palmettogirlbft | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
July 3th
2008
10:48 PM
Let me just say that like so many other women on this site I have been stressing over the predicament that Mirena has put us in. Yes, I was warned about having not had children that I am not a good candidate for it but I am in my early twenties and don't want children any time soon and I had been on Depo shots for as long as my Dr. would let me, so don't judge. The fact of the matter is that for the past two years since the insertion I have wondered what the hell is wrong with me!!! I have been extremely moody, depressed, and have had several strange symptoms including headaches, acne, weight gain, and the overall feeling of someone in the nineties instead of being 22. I have never been a lazy person or someone prone to acne. I have been to the doctor several times and she keeps saying it's not Mirena; I'm not convinced!!! I have not had a menstrual cycle since I started depo five years ago, you would think I would be a happy person but I'm not. I don't know what to do, I'm afraid to take it out and be wrong about it and get pregnant. But on the other hand I'm severely depressed about the weight gain and the more and more I exercise and diet doesn't matter. I have gained over 20 pounds and gone up 2 dress sizes, because of this I don't feel like having sex because I'm tired or I don't feel sexy. My marriage is suffering from my mood swings, lack of libido, and not wanting to do fun things people my age do. I've lost several friendships by not wanting to leave the house, I feel like it's starting to take over my entire life. I thought it was just me having these problems but the more I read other peoples posts the more I feel like I'm not alone. You don't have to be forty and have 3 kids to know what it feels like to have symptoms like this and be told over and over it's just in your head. Thanks to every one who wrote on this web site, it's comforting to know you're not the only one having problems. When I get it removed I will post again with how it has changed.
-- By burtongyrl | Reply | (3) replies | Send Private Mail
July 2th
2008
3:30 PM
I started question the effect 2-500mg twice daily was having on me after a stomach ache the last two days. Not putting two and two together until now, but isn't that over prescribing? I'm taking 2000mg a day all together! Well, today my lower abdomen starting with a shooting pain, I felt like I had gas and had to go to restroom. The pain got worse as I sat on toilet, not able to do anything. I soaked in hot tub as long as I could and went to lay on bed, trying not to move, after while I fell asleep. After I woke the pain in still there a little bit , but bearable. I noticed my left ovary in swollen and tender.
-- By wallistexas | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
July 1th
2008
7:11 AM
i am basically here for some help...i have been on the nuvaring since the 19th of june.things went fine for about two days.then i started bleeding heavy and having awful cramps.it has been like this EVERYDAY now.i am supposed to take is out on the july 3rd.did it do this to anyone else? or does anyone know why it is doing this? my menstrual bleeding has never been this heavy or have i ever had cramping this bad! and it most certainly hasn't lasted for almost three weeks! also i don't know if it has anything to do with the nuvaring or not but my knee's have been killing me! i have never had this problem before and i am a fairly active person and always have been.i also recently had a child.she is two months old now.i weighed 160 the day i went in to be induced,and i lost down to 125 within a matter of a month and a half.i was doing so good with my weight loss.i wasn't exercising or anything.i had just gotten into the groove of only eating one time a day and it was not bothering me or affecting my energy level.since being on the ring i am now up to 130 pounds and i am hungry ALL the time! after reading all of this i am seriously thinking about taking out my ring after i finish this post.i do need some form of birth control though...i am thinking an IUD???
-- By cyndiblease | Reply | (1) replies | Send Private Mail
June 29th
2008
2:33 PM
Just wanted to add another little bit of fun side effects for everyone.
Last month, I woke up with a pain in my right groin. Since no gymnastics were involved, I treated with ice and ignored it. After a few days, pain was worse, so went to the ER (My home away from home) where a bone density scan was ordered. 4 weeks later I find out that I have a stress fracture of the lesser trochanter (part of the femour just below the femoral head - English translation hip fracture).
Turns out that long term therapy on warfarin (ie. over 1 year) also increases your risk of fractures.
And what does one do for this? Nothing. Orthopedic guy said just go as usual and no physio required. Easy for him to say since he does not have groin pain, and associated thigh/Knee/calf pain associated with accommodating my gait. Needless to say, seeing a new orthopedic guy.
I have started iron infusions monthly as my iron and ferritin levels are low (but hemoglobin is fine).
Still wondering which came first - the insanity or the warfarin!
Fiona
-- By fiona | Reply | Send Private Mail
June 27th
2008
2:07 PM
Hi everyone:
I'm on 200g of Lamictal. It has stabilized my mood a little bit, but I've gained 10 pounds and can't lose it despite working out 2 hours a day jogging and rowing. Granted, I do eat chocolate and fried foods sometimes but otherwise my diet is really good. My hair has thinned a lot (but I started with very fine hair - so it's not that huge of a difference). I've got a bald patch on the back of my head - and I'm female. I'm going to try to get extensions to make it look better.
I want to go off this desperately. I weaned myself of Lithium and Seroquel and this one is the last to go. wish me luck - because I am still suicidal and If I have to stay on this for the rest of my life, I would rather die and just get it over with.
-- By goddess2244 | Reply | Send Private Mail
June 24th
2008
4:32 PM
Muscle weakness, pain, tingling
After taking levaquin, I still suffer from muscle weakness, pain, and tingling several years later. My doctor who is one of the top specialists in New York has seen what this drug has done to me and is doing research for an article in a medical journal to put the word out of the horrible side effects of this drug as well as increasing the knowledge to hopefully figure out how to counteract this.
If you are/have suffered similar results, please contact me at ****** and we can discuss how you can send your case information to my doctor for the study and medical journal article. We need more scientific studies and literature out there about this drug and the side effects.
-- By stoplevaquin | Reply | (7) replies | Send Private Mail
June 20th
2008
3:56 PM
i have been on loestrin for only 10 days and i have already gained 5 pounds. i used to be on Yaz, and i was always 115 on the dot no matter how much i did or didn't eat. Now i've gained this weight, plus i started bleeding today, not just a little bit but enough for a tampon! i switched from yaz because it made me cry a lot and gave me brown spotting, but i'll take that any day over the weight gain and bloating!
-- By burnsbright1 | Reply | Send Private Mail
June 3th
2008
11:47 AM
I was prescribed Lupron for my first IVF cycle. I have given myself 5 shots of 10 units so far. The last three nights I had night sweats and a little bit of insomnia but nothing that was unbearable. I just took the blankets off and went back to sleep. I think the people who take Lupron for endometriosis take a much higher dose. I don't think IVF candidates should be scared off by Lupron. So far so good!
-- By fairmount | Reply | Send Private Mail
June 2th
2008
8:27 AM
Had Mirena fitted 7th Feb 2008 and having it taken out on 12th June 2008. My stomach is huge despite eating sensibly and exercising. Also suffer from cramps on a daily basis, craved chocolate and have felt down in the dumps!! Can anyone tell me if having it taken out is as painful as insertion and will I bleed as much as when it was fitted. Am very nervous about the whole procedure.
Many thanks
-- By karens | Reply | (7) replies | Send Private Mail
Yasmin (46) Mirena (17) Singulair (15) Loestrin 24 Fe (15) NuvaRing (13) PredniSONE (7) Levaquin (7) Lamictal (5) Topamax (4) Advair HFA (4) Lupron (4) Femcon FE (4) Sulfamethoxazole (3) Ovcon (3) Effexor (3) Lisinopril (3) Doxycycline Hyclate (3) Neurontin (2) Warfarin Sodium (2) Levoxyl (2) Synthroid (2) Adderall XR (2) Omnicef (2) Aviane (2) Lipitor (2) Wellbutrin (2) Methylpred DP (2) Winstrol (1) Flomax (1) Toradol (1) Metoprolol Tartrate (1) MCD Antiseptic Hand (1) Ambien (1) Trazodone Hydrochloride (1) Lupron Depot (1) Amoxicillin (1) AllerTan (1) Macrobid (1) Aldactone (1) Toprol-XL (1) Fastin (1) Yaz (1) Lortab (1) Maxidex (1) Depo-Medrol (1) Kenalog (1) Guaifen-C (1) Omeprazole (1) Albuterol Sulfate HFA (1) Nicomide (1) Lo/Ovral-28 (1) Vi-Q-Tuss (1) Alcortin (1) Tri-Sprintec (1)
August 29th
2008
9:19 PM
I've been in different kinds of b/c pills. Femcon is my 6th b/c...and Femcon so far is working for me...i been taking it for 5 months now...it was rough on the first 3 months, breast pain and a little bit of acne on the 1st month, long periods on the 2nd and 3rd month, but on the 4th month it was totally OK...no nausea all the time...my ob-gyn gave me a nausea pill that works really good...i take Femcon at 8pm together with the nausea pill...give your body a little time to adjust on your b/c but if it's not changing then it's not the pill for you.
-- By maxsyko | Reply | Send Private Mail