Loestrin fe symptoms and conditions

I have been sick for 7 months! I got the mirena in June of 2008 because I was still breastfeeding and wanted something that wouldnt interfere with that. While on it I bled every single day. I kept reading that it was normal to have spotting for a few months so I stuck with it. I did have vaginal dryness and pain with intercourse. In February 2009, the pain with intercourse got worse and then i could no longer feel the strings. I went to a new GYN and she said she could only see the tiny end of one string and did i want it removed? YES! I was relieved that it wasnt lost inside me! I saw it and it looked intact. I went back to Nuvaring which I had used before I had my 2nd daughter and liked it. March was ok. When I put the new ring in in April I immediately started having vaginal itching. It got progressively worse to where i could not stand it! Went to the GYN and she said it was "the worst yeast infection shes seem". Put me on 2 pills of diflucan. The next day started abdominal pain, fever, and severe itching! She said to take benadryl. By Monday I was VERY ill and went to my family dr. He said I had "clue cells" and diagnosed as Vaginosis but said he thought the nuvaring might be causing toxic shock syndrome. He removed it. I went on Flagyl, Bactrim, and had a rocephin shot. He tested me for every STD. Everything was normal except my elevated WBCs and sed rate. I slowly got better. Then 3 weeks later decided i needed birth control and started loestrin FE. Had sores in my mouth, abdominal pain, nausea, fatigue, hair loss, irregular vaginal bleeding. After 1 month switched to Ortho tricylcin Lo. Had continued abdominal pain and terrible headaches. But also had 9 days of bleeding midcycle and then started having rectal bleeding, bleeding when i brushed my teeth, skin tears around my fingernails. Then a cervical laceration from very regular intercourse. Quit birth control! I was sure it was making me sick. I had a pelvic ultrasound because of the bleeding. They found my uterus is the size of a 12 week pregnancy but dont know why and that I had a functional ovarian cyst. Then started having pelvic pain so bad it hurt to walk or sit down. Went to a new GYN (mine was on maternity leave). She diagnosed PID. Rocephin shot, Azithromax. The pain got better. But dr. called when everything came back negative and wanted a followup. Then she said there wasnt anything wrong except a yeast infection and why wasnt i on birth control? They dont listen!!!! Also said it sounds like something wrong with my immune system so I went to my GP and had a physical. Everything is normal. He thinks all my problems are coming from the GYN stuff but didnt run any labs to check my immune system. 2 weeks later I got a lump in my armpit and they put me on Bactrim. The next week I got a cold and had to use my inhaler 10 times a day and I usually never ever need it. They put me on nebulizer, oral steroids and antibiotics. 2 days later I began having horrible itching, rash on my perineum, and discharge, with the pelvic pain and low grade fevers. Went to my old GYN and she was very concerned. Put me on flagyl and 7 days of diflucan. Then 2 days later went to the er with pelvic pain. CT showed ovarian cyst, went home with vicodin. Next day the pain was so bad i couldnt drive myself to the dr! They scheduled emergency laparoscopy. My right ovary was twice the size of the left and full of blood. I thought that had been the culprit all along. 1 week later i got huge painful lumps with pus exudate on my labia. Dr said it was a skin infection, put me on Bactrim. 1 week later the pelvic pain returned worse than ever before! Worse than the post op pain! Dr said it does present as PID but i have no cause. Put me on 2 weeks of Levaquin and Flagyl and scheduled a biopsy to test for endometritis (chronic inflammation of the endometrium). She said she thought the Mirena IUD might have started all of this. Slowly got better. Biopsy was very painful. Got the results today. Negative. I am again having pelvic pain, itching, discharge, rash on my perineum. I found a specialist at the Houston Medical Center and miraculously got an appointment for next week! Another GYN I talked to said she thought i was having an immune response to the Mirena IUD or an allergy to something in it. I am still very ill! The Dr.s have mentioned a hysterectomy. I cant believe that I am going to lose my uterus and the possibility of any more children at age 28!!!! And I feel like i am slowly dying! I have spent thousands of dollars at this point on tests and copays and medications. Please help me!

I felt I should share my story, even though it is quite lengthy, since it is similar, and every story helps those who are still unsure.

I went on birth control at the age of 15. I tried several kinds, but all of them made me nauseous. I was on Mircette the longest, and seemed to be doing fine. Then around '03/'04 I started seeing a new ob-gyn, who told me that my problem was that I had a low tolerance for estrogen, and that was what was making me feel so nauseous. She said there was a new type of pill specifically for women like me called Yasmin that had very low doses of hormones. I was excited about starting the new pill, and did right away.

I continued taking Yasmin until about a year ago, when I switched to the generic of Yasmin, Ocella, due to the fact that my insurance didn't cover Yasmin and it was becoming expensive. On the Ocella, which I took for two months, I felt bloated like I had a basketball in my stomach, constipation, and other issues. I was told by the pharmacist that I was probably allergic to the additives that are sometimes in generic pills. So I decided to find out which birth control was covered under my prescription plan, call my gyno, and switch.

My gyno called in Loestrin Fe, but they filled it with the generic, Microgestin. I took this for approximately 3-4 months, and felt absolutely terrible, with panic attacks, crying, sleeping problems- the whole bit. So I thought that I should go back on Yasmin, no matter what the cost, and attempt to regulate again.

I went back on Yasmin six months ago, and though some of my symptoms have improved over how I felt on Microgestin, I am still a mess at times. I have moments when I am anxious and moments when I am absolutely joyful. I get really angry over little stuff, irritable and snappy. Then I get weepy and feel terrible about being snappy. Then I'm happy again. It's an emotional rollercoaster. I was never like this before- my moods were even, and I handled stress well. And I was always pretty happy-go-lucky.

Physically, I have ear fluttering/clogging/pressure/popping/pain. I'm getting fairly frequent migraines, which I never had before more than once a year. I, too, have numbness on the right side of my face in which it feels like my eyelid is swelling, neck stiffness and pain, and numbness of fingers and arm. I went to the ER a while back because I thought something was severely wrong due to symptoms of dizziness (vertigo) and right-sided numbness. I have severe TMJ and jaw pain, which I didn't have before, and allergies, which I also never had before. I have heart palipitations and sometimes random chest pain under or to the side of my breast. All of these symptoms have started to occur in the last six months after going back on Yasmin.

I went to an internist, who did blood tests, checking for thyroid issues and checking hormone levels. My thyroid was temporarily hyper, but my hormones were, according to the test, normal. But when the blood test was done, I wasn't experiencing any symptoms, so I'm not sure if it's accurate.

My yearly exam with my gyno is coming up in November, and I'm going to discuss these things with her, but I'm afraid she'll look at me strange for thinking that these symptoms are related to Yasmin...

Ironically, the only time it seems that I'm feeling pretty good is when I have my period! Which I guess would be when I have no hormones in me whatsoever! I feel happier and my sex drive goes back up, and my moods even out.

I am now considering, after reading these posts with all of you that were kind enough to share your stories, going off of Yasmin for good. I'm not sure what, if anything, my gyno is going to recommend, but I was considering trying an IUD instead...

I have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 in a half months. I had started a period in the middle of my first set and they said that it would just take time..well i haven't had a period since. I have had UTI and pregnancy test and they were both negative. The doctors thought i was crazy and I felt helpless and thought it was because i hadn't taken them regularly enough. My symps were nausea/vomiting, yeast infection,sore/tender boobs, dry skin, cold sores, chapped lips, excess sweating (so much to where id wake up with wet hair), dizziness, rash,hair loss, depression, joint pain, horrible abdominal pain(like bad cramps),back pain, no appetite which i lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks, headaches, and i hadn't had a period in two months. All these symptoms happened in about a two week span. I was freaking out about it because the doctors told me it was just stress but i was sure that something was wrong..i was talking to my mom because i was really scared and upset & she asked what birth control i was on and i told her. She looked at the package and saw it was Loestrin -->FE<--(iron)..no one in my family can take iron and it makes them very very sick. Im going to the doctor tom again to tell them that and im almost positive that this is the reason. I will let you know when i find out.

Do NOT take this pill! I have never had a worse experience in my entire life. At the time, I was engaged to my now-husband, and this pill seriously almost ruined our relationship. I was so depressed and had the worst anxiety attacks. I constantly thought he was going to leave me, and every time he left my house I would just cry. I couldn't figure out what was wrong with me, to the point that I just wanted to give up on life. I was so nervous and terrified that my family members were going to die or suffer from something traumatic. It was so so strange. I was not myself. Other than, um, insanity, I had no other side effects. However, my mom got on this pill and starting losing vision in one of her eyes and having constant cramps all month long.

I'm on Loestrin Fe right now, and so far it's been a great pill (though it's really expensive if you don't have good insurance to cover it).

i hope you can help me. my daughter is almost 17 and started on yaz for severe cramps, heavy bleeding, and pmdd. within 2 weeks, the boyfriend that she hated to be apart from, annoyed her. he was all she thought about before.
about a week later, she said that everyone was bothering her and she needed a break from everyone. she stayed in her room in the evenings-not like her. she even broke up with her boyfriend. she said she wasn't upset with him, just not interested. she got back with him 2 days later. her gyn switched her to loestrin. after 2 days, she seemed to be doing better, but only for 3 days. i don't know if it's the hormones or if she's going through something. she is normally an upbeat, optimistic person. i don't know what to do. she was very serious and happy with this boy 3 weeks ago. i don't know if she could be depressed because she doesn't feel the same about him or she doesn't feel the same about him because of the pills. any opinions or suggestions?

I've been taken femcon for about 2 months and i've started to get this red spots that hurt not itch and the 2nd one turned into a blister and I had to get a byopsty done to see what was wrong, and i got a 3rd one on my leg so i stopped taken Femcon. in addition to the breakouts i gained a lot of week and my periods were not usual, i left a message fot my gyn, but i still have to wait for the results of my byopsty. Overall i prefer loestrin fe but i had to may breakthrough bleeding episodes because of stress.

So, after my boyfriend and i used condoms and it ruptured due to the fact we used a warming lubracant that wasn't water soluble.
I got pregnant and we aborted. this was 2 weeks ago
I started the nuvaring that planned parenthood gave me.

well, i've been feeling tired, depressed and not hungry.
i barely eat any food these days
and i fear my weight is slipping, i used to be 112 lbs, and i;ve been exercising for lean muscle gain (since i had very little) and now i'm up to 118.
I'm scared i'm going to lose all that lean muscle i worked hard to put on.
i haven't been working out for 2 weeks since the abortion and all.

but anyway, ive been feeling very depressed lately.
i feel ugly and unworthy and i know that neither of those are true.
i feel like i'm a terrible person, i feel sad all them, i cry so easily (like i'm doing right now)
the other night i had a breakdown when felt horribly down on my self, i felt like i'm worthless and i felt ashamed because i feel like i always want sex from my boyfriend and i feared that i i don't love him, i feared that my sex drive is out of control, and then i felt like because he doesn't want to have sex with me everyday, i felt like i must not be worthy or that i'm ugly, stupid, a pain, and that he doesn't love me and then i thought things like 'well would you want to have sex with you? who could blame him?"

today i started feeling those feelings for no reason again, this time i started feeling like i hate my life and wondering why i'm alive

when i had thought perhaps i was suffering from early adult bipolar (im 24 btw)
i had an epiphany and realized, WAIT, it probably ISN'T bipolar, if all this just happened RECENTLY
and before the ring i was really happy. AND my boyfriend never does anything to make me feel unloved or unworthy.
he always takes his time and he's very sweet to me all the time.
he treats me to almost everything and he's so patient and loving.

I realized that my sudden mood changes MUST be because of the damn Nuvaring!

i have a follow up from planned parenthood tomorrow, so i'm going to tell them everything i've felt and i'm only going to continue this damn ring until nov 24th.
i get my prenup for my tubes to be tied.

my boyfriend and i don't want kids ever, (if the recent abortion is ANY proof to that one)

anyway, i would NOT recommend this ring to ANYONE
i know everyone is different, but still.

and i do realize that i COULD be having early adult bipolar or some other sort of depression/anxiety issues that i might just THINK are ring related.
I will continue to monitor my health and if i ever feel like this again i will seek help

ive been on birth control for almost 6 years now and i just started on nuvaring 3 1/2 weeks ago and it wasn't until the 4th ring free week that my bf said that i was not being me, which i proceeded to cry about. I DONT CRY about anything so im glad to know that im not crazy and that other people have had emotional issues. I will just go back to my loestrin fe. i was fine with that. like everyone else has said, COMFORT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN CONVENIENCE.

i've been on loestrin fe since march 08 and it has had its ups and downs, mostly downs, i've gained an increased appetite, weight gain, horrible period cramps, unexpected bleeding and spotting still it was supposed to have regulated after 3 months and it didn't it also increased my breast size i don't know if i can stay on this any longer

I'm 25, on birth control for the first time and I am just finishing up my first month on Loestrin Fe (I was on Yaz for one month before that). I am a bit concerned that I'm set to start a new pack tomorrow and have not had a period, not even spotting. I haven't really had any of the side effects some are describing of weight gain, chest pain, or hair loss. Maybe a bit more acne than usual, but I had expected that since this is only my second month on The Pill.

However reading your experiences I'm beginning to wonder about the mood swings. I have been EXTREMELY pissed off this month, anxious, and stressed, and in general a horrible person to be around. It's like I'm 15 again going through "that stage." It's awful, and I'm quite embarrassed by my childish behavior though I can't seem to help it. I've attributed it to other factors (which, who knows?) but reading your experiences makes me wonder if this pill isn't contributing. I'm definitely going to pay attention; if this continues for another month I'm going to change to another pill. Ugh.

I'm also wondering if I'm going to get my period back? I began taking birth control to control my normally heavy bleeding and severe cramps. Not to eliminate my period entirely!

I am on my 3rd NuvaRing, and my last NuvaRing. This thing has cause me more pain and problems than anything I have ever used! The first time around the only problem I had was an increase in UTI's and extreme discomfort in my vagina and urethra, especially during and days after sex. I was told these side effects would go away within the next trial of the NuvaRing. Boy, were they wrong. After Taking out my second NuvaRing my period lasted from JULY 5TH to JULY 18TH! I also had to face the heaviest period of my life. I would go through a super plus absorbency tampon and panty liner in less than an hour. How embarrassing, inconvenient, and uncomfortable! I have had two ultrasounds, and 3 pelvic exams since starting the NuvaRing just 3 months ago. I have also had to face headaches, stomach pains, MOOD SWINGS, IRRITABILITY, and depression. This thing has put a damper on my sex drive and my relationship with everyone around me including my boyfriend of 3 1/2 years. I would not recommend the NuvaRing to anyone!!!!!!!!

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 2 years!! And I am finally getting off... and so happy to find this site! I have had to be put on Topamax because my migraines became so bad, which helped my weight gain (that I attributed to my own depression that I thought was my own fault!) I didn't even realize bc could cause depression but it all makes sense! I came on here to find out if Loestrin has been the cause of my SEVERE HAIR LOSS over the past year and a half! When I started taking it, I was also going through a stressful situation and thought that was the cause, but have now realized that my life is back to normal that something else must be causing it. I tried to get my Dr. to take me off of Loestrin about a year ago due to the EXTREME nausea, dizziness, headaches and fatigue that it was causing and he decided that I should just be put on Topamax because I was just a Migraine sufferer! What a nightmare. I can't wait to switch tomorrow!!

i am 100 lbs and i have a moderate appetite and cant gain weight im just really petite. I have been on YAZ ,Yasmin, and also Ortho Tri Cyclin lo, i have no sex drive on that so i have to stop it. i have never really gained weight on any of them but Yaz made me moody and have bad periods.. i am switching to Loestrin24 but After reading all these posts im so scared to start this pill! does anyone have similar body type or reactions that could help me out before taking this pill on Sunday?!?

Good to know. I started on Loestrin fe 2 months before my wedding. When the wedding day arrived my dress was a little snug. I had noticed that my breasts were getting larger, but nothing that seemed too out of control. I snipped out the cups the seamstress had sewn in to "fill me out" and away we went. However, I am now finishing up my 3rd pack and I have now put on 20 lbs in the 3 weeks since the wedding. At first I was thinking my eating might have gotten a little out of control (we stayed at an all inclusive for the honeymoon) but since returning my eating habits have returned to normal. Now, none of my clothes fit. I had to buy new bras because I have gone up two cup sizes. I am now a 36 DD, was a 36 C. The weight gain is particularly troublesome to me because I lost about 80 lbs 3 years ago and don't want any of it back!!! I am also experiencing fine bumps on my forehead and I haven't experienced acne since I was a teenager. I have also had difficulty with spotting...and it is so annoying. I will spot for several days, stop and then repeat the cycle over again. I was bleeding so much on my wedding day that I had to use a tampon, and I was on week 2 of the pack! I have not had a proper "period" yet. Luckily I have an appointment with my GYN in 3 weeks.
The last birth control pill I was taking, over a year ago, was Yasmin. But I noticed after about 2 months on that I was starting to experience symptoms of depression. I had just started a new job and didn't like it, and thought that that was the issue. After crying on the way to work everyday for 3 weeks for no reason it occurred to me that it might be the pill. I stopped taking it and nearly immediately noticed the tearfulness disappeared. Perhaps I am just one of those who can't tolerate the pill.

wow after reading your posts i feel much better!!! i thought i was losing my mind...i have terrible periods, full seven days terrible painful cramps, just periods from hell come to find out i have endometriosis and an ovary thats stuck to the vaginal wall my doctor put me on loestrin 24 and its been the pill from hell im constantly bleeding on and off, my right leg goes numb, i had healthy clear skin and now its really dry with fine bumps, my mood swings are crazy im happy then i want to cry, depressed most definitely, constant headaches and nausea after taking it and this is only my first month taking it, i also noticed that im always cold!!! i would rather put up with my painful period then this crap

This is my 3rd month taking Loestrin FE 24 and so far I hate it! I am 25 years old and I've been taking othro-tricyclen for about 5 years and switched to loestrin to have a lighter period. So far I have gained weight, gotten headaches, and skipped 2 periods. The first month I was on it, my period was very light, more like a brown discharge, and lasted about 8 or 9 days. Then I didn't have any periods or spotting for the next 2 months, so I've been taking pregnancy tests, which all come out negative. I have also been having headaches around the time I'm supposed to get my period. It is a terrible feeling to skip a period and think you are pregnant, and this pill makes you have that feeling 24-7! My doctor said that side effects like this are common for the first 3 months, and then they should lessen after that. I will stay on it for another month or so to see if the side effects go away, but if not then I'm definitely switching back!

I'm freaking out!!!!!!!!! SOMEBODY WITH THE SAME SIDE EFFECT PLEASE HELP ME....I was on YAZ since the summer and it sucked cuz I'd get my PD every 2 weeks....i finished my last pack on November, took December off and towards the end of the month i had unprotected sex so i had to take the PLAN B pills and three days later i got my pd. so everything seemed O.K.....theeeen i started on this jump off LOESTRIN PILL. I was supposed to have "protected" sex for the first month but towards the end of the month (when i was NOT supposed to be ovulating) i had unprotected sex and i haven't had my PD. for 2 months now....Last month i did a pregnancy test and it came out negative....I don't really have any "early pregnancy" signs....i feel fine but CAN ANYONE LET ME KNOW IF MISSING A PERIOD IS NORMAL? I'm just thinking that switching from a different birth control pill and taking the plan B pills might have messed up my cycle. Thanx.

Hi everyone, I have been on Loestrin fe for 8 months and I am 45 years old - taking the pill again after a four year absence. I have found that all of the posted side effects are true - but are greatly minimized by taking the pill EXACTLY at the same time every day.... if you are off by even a half hour you WILL have breakthrough bleeding - sometimes with clots and with drawl-like headaches... my gyn says no way - but I actually tested my own theory this month - much to my regret - I am right... I am ready to quit as I am at the end of my rope. Fortunately for me my blood count has come back into the normal range after the last two years of horrific bleeding every 11-26 days without a break.

I am going to go off next month - and I may have RESET MY SYSTEM so to speak - if no I will take a hysterectomy please... straight up with a tummy tuck to match!!!!!!!!!!!! Please email me if you ever want to discuss - I am a nurse anesthetist and have a great deal of sympathy for all of you out there. I am not sure if this drug is a bad one - but I think it is so low dose that timing must be precise for it to work properly. I have stayed on it only to reduce the bleeding (perimenopausal/estrogen dominant I am sure) twice a month periods that last 7-8 days. It has worked for me in that regard - but the first 7 months were plagued by horrific (and I mean really bad) right sided headaches that scared me. I had relief from NSaids (Motrin) so I almost overdosed on that stuff. Not good. My next strategy is to do saliva testing for cyclic hormones OFF the pill to see what kind of hormonal swings I really am having - and to adapt a more natural approach - possible progesterone cream to alleviate the misery of it all....
Much Love, Ellen M

I am 26 y.o. This is my first package of Loestrin Fe, and the very first "pill" that I take. During my third week on the pill I have been suffering sharp signs of depression. It's not required a lot to make me cry and cannot stop for hours. Obviously this interfere with the way I feel about things and people. I am afraid it will damage professional relations, since I have seen already effects in the personal ones. There is a breast cancer history in my family, so I don't want to play with hormones and will remain on this pill as much as I can bare it. But if I see the psychological side effects don't go away, it'll mean bye-bye to the pill.
Thanks for all your testimonies -really helpful-

I am 17 and was put on birth control to straighten out my long, heavy irregular periods. I started on Loestrin Fe and began to break out and have even heavier periods along with dizziness and hot flashes. My doctor then put me on Femcon Fe because he said I wasn't getting enough hormones and I've been on it for almost a month in a half with severe nausea, leg pains, mood swings, crying spells, headache, bloating, and abdominal pain. My periods used to be pretty bad, but this is much worse then before i started birth control. I know I should wait the three months to let my body adjust, but after all the reviews I've read, I don't think this one is really worth it. My periods are also so light that I don't think I need a pad at all. This is much better than the heavy bleeding I had, but all the side effects have kind of canceled out that one benefit. I really would not recommend this to anyone, and am thinking of asking for a change before the 3 months. If anyone has any suggestions about a good brand for my problem, PLEASE let me know.

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 on Loestrin 24 for about 8 months. I decided to stop taking it because I could not sleep well, I was not getting a period at all, and I was gaining a lot of weight for no reason. I stopped the pills three weeks ago and still no period. It has been 3 moths since I have had any bleeding and I am scared I could be pregnant. I have taken 3 pregnancy tests and all are negative. I have no symptoms of early pregnancy (i.e. sore breasts, nausea, etc.) I have had cramps that feel like I will start my period, but they have been on and off for 2 weeks and still no period! Has this happened to anyone that has gone off of Loestrin 24? If you did stop taking the pill how long did it take for you to get a period?

I'm concerned that shorter period means no period. Has anyone been experiencing "missed" periods instead of shorter, lighter periods instead since taking Loestrin 24 Fe? I haven't had a period since I started taking the Loestrin 24 Fe, but I am not pregnant and my Dr. says it's normal. Has anyone else heard it's normal?

I just started my 4th pack a week ago. I missed my period and I have had severe nausea and I have been having panic attacks for almost 2 weeks. I thought it was stress, but nausea doesn't last this long and I haven't had a problem with anxiety before. I feel like I am going crazy - I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I have always had my period every month and I knew my cycle very well - it always started on a Tuesday. My mood swings and eating are out of control and my anxiety is keeping me from going in stores, restaurants and I have been having trouble going to work. I'm glad that I found this website and I can see that there are other people experiencing the same symptoms. I didn't know if I was pregnant or going through menopause. I have called my doctor and I am going to see him tomorrow...a shorter period is not worth all this hassle. I will say that when I was on the generic Loestrin Fe (not the 24 or the actual Loestrin) I did not have these issues.

My gyn switched me to Loestrin FE from Mircette. I stuck it out for 1 pack but had to stop and will be switching back soon. The headaches on this pill were the worst I ever experienced. I was in the ER twice and lived on Vicodin for pain relief for the entire month. I had slight breast tenderness but nothing major and it took nearly 3 weeks for my period to restart.

I'm 37 and have been on OCPs for most of my adult life. I've never had side effects as bad as this before.