Menstrual cycle symptoms and conditions

Hi everyone ~ I am so glad I have found all of you. I have an appt today to have the Mirena placed. I highly considering canceling the appt now. I have read probably 98% bad and only 2% good. can anyone help me decide what I should do? I was having it placed for my heavy, painful menses, the birth control is/was a bonus feature. really? I shouldn't do this eh? someone please respond.

I have a 15-yr old. She's been taking singulair since she was 7. These are a few of the things that I have noticed over the last year but ignored because I too, as many of you have, thought it was because she a teenager.

1. Stomachache .. she complained all the time. Thought it was nerves because it was usually before she went to a training session or game.
2. Restlessness.
3. Headaches.
4. Moodiness.
5. Tired. Fatigue. Weak. Even after she gets hours and hours of sleep. Figured it was because her schedule is whacked. We've had fights over her not going to bed at a certain time.
6. Menstrual cycle changed last fall followed by acne when as before she was perfectly normal with clear skin. Recently put her on BC because of her hormonal change. Blood tests showed she was normal. We tried it anyway to regulate her periods. Took her off of it after she had her period for 3 weeks straight. Probably won't put her back on BC since taking Singulair might be the problem.
7. Tired all the time. Falls asleep in class.
8. Lost interest in her favorite sport which she rocks at. Thought it was because of a 2-month down time due to an injury.
9. Several times, have seen signs of depression but when confronted she says no she's fine. Depression is probably from being unhappy with her appearance. Being on the pill made this worse.
10. Doesn't want to go to school. Whereas before not a big deal. Most kids don't like school, but lately, she talks about how much she hates it. Usually excited to start the new school year, this year not so much, more like dreading it and her attitude hasn't change about it.
11. We argued last week and it was the first time she screamed at me and told me she hated me. She's never done this before. Her thoughts and moods have been horrible but they come in spurts.

After reading everyone's experiences, I am taking her off Singulair. I know it's not an overnight cure and will take some time, but I just want my little girl back. I find it strange that this all occurred within the last year even though she's been taking Singulair since 7. Do you suppose it's in teenagers and puberty?

I took Topamax 50 mg for about 2 months and experienced a change in menstrual bleeding. I wonder if Topamax effects progesterone levels. I had light spotting 5 days before period due for both months. This medication also made me very depressed and angry. I quit taking it about 5 days ago and felt the depression lift on the 2nd day after stopping the medication. This was my 2nd round for Topamax. My first time taking it I worked up to 100mg and lost 15 lbs in just a few weeks. I had no appetite. I also go very sick with a respiratory infection and dry coughing. I had menstrual problems with the first round too but didn't figure out if may be the Topamax until my 2nd round. It did help my migraines significantly. But I'm uncertain how if potentially messes up menstrual cycle. The warnings for the medication says "menstrual problems" but doesn't go into detail. Anyone else have menstrual problems.

Wow, what a relief!
I am 24 years old and am almost finished my 4th month with the NUVARING. I WILL NOT be putting another one back in! I have had such horrible depression that I find myself crying ALL of the time. I am a full time mom of two beautiful children (6 and 2) and I find that they are bearing the brunt of my depression. I also have a very LOW sex drive which is making my husband feel slightly inadequate since we usually have a very good sex life.
Also, I used to have a very regular menstrual cycle and having a plastic ring determine my cycle is wreaking havoc on my body. I know one week in advance that my cycle is going to start because I am in such pain for the week before, and the week of that I can barely get out of bed. I am completely exhausted and have also gained 15 lbs in the 4 months alone. Which makes the depression and sex drive worse. It keeps a very vicious cycle going and I can't take it anymore. I would not recommend this to anyone... it is painful during sex, when I can actually force myself to engage in it. It is a little ring of HORROR!

I have had the Mirena IUD in since September of 2004 (after the birth of my second son). It is due to come out today. I am looking forward to this so very much. After having the IUD put in, my periods stopped completely. I have not had a period for five years. Yesterday I started bleeding, I guess due to the fact that the IUD is expired. I have also had some severe nausea (not sure if this is due to the IUD). I was doing really well before I had the IUD put in. I was not an angry, sad, or depressed person. However, I did notice that after the IUD was inserted I started to feel really down and out. I began to experience anxiety and was diagnosed with clinical depression. I have battled this for five years now and it has been really tough. I have tried different anti-depressants and just can't seem to get a hold on it. I asked more than one doctor if the Mirena IUD could contribute to depression and all of them told me NO. I am not convinced. Although I have had other personal issues to deal with, I really feel like the IUD has had a major impact on me. I kept the IUD in and delt with all of this because I have two children and I am not looking to have more anytime soon. I may not have more children altogether....I am currently in school and looking at maybe a degree in Nursing. I did not need to be pregnant while trying to finish school. However, the more I have thought about it, I too wish I would have researched this little device a little better and found out more information. Our bodies, as women, were created to have a menstrual cycle each month to naturally cleanse the vagina and uterus. By having the IUD, and my period stopping completely, I interrupted this natural cycle (which helps to cleans my body). This can't be a good thing. I would advise anyone who is considering this as a birth control method to talk to your doctor and ask MANY, MANY questions. Get a second, or third, or fourth opinion if you have to. All of our bodies are different and what doesn't work for one may work for another. Just get the facts, be careful and good luck to everyone else out there.
-faithprincess7

I'm a 46 year old, Caucasian female, average weight. I was on Lisinopril 10mg once a day for 3 months. I'm in relatively good health (except for a slight increase in B/P).
During that time I experienced:
gagging cough (especially at night)
depression
anxiety (mild)
no menstrual cycle (it came back 4 days after stopping the drug)
dry nasal passage (including polyps)--this seems to be clearing up with Fluticasone.
feeling of an irregular heartbeat

I did go to my doctor and he said that the side effects are common; however, he said that this medication shouldn't effect my menstrual cycle... well, it did. He did put me on another B/P medication and told me to stop the Lisinopril.

I'm posting this because it's been hard to find anything out about a lack of cycle for women who were taking this drug. I wanted to share my experience to let you know that you're not alone. Always follow your instinct with medications you're taking. You know your body best!

I am 22 years old and I have never had any children. I do not understand what made the doctor think that this horrible device would fit in my uterus. When I had the Simply Mirena inserted in March 2008, I almost passed out, (since he inserted it wrong once, he had to pull it out right after and do it again). I think of myself as a pretty strong person, but I literally cried out, and I almost fainted while paying my co-pay at the receptionist's desk. My husband had to come pick me up from the doctor's office because I couldn't even walk to my car, but I wish that was the worst of it.

Within one month, I started feeling VERY depressed so my doctor put me on Effexor XR (which started a whole bunch of other problems), but now that I have been off of the Efffexor for a while and I am noticing problems that I had been blaming on the Effexor.

Here are some of my symptoms...

- Weight Gain
- Feeling tired, weak, and depressed.
(To the point that I will sleep for 18 hours if givin the opportunity.)
- Chronicly Dry skin
- Constipation and Diarrhea
(I haven't had a normal BM since I had it inserted.)
- Memory problems
- Cannot concentrate
- ABSOLUTELY NO SEX DRIVE!
(And when I do have it, It hurts for days afterwards.)
- Lower back pain
- Stabbing pains in the uterus
- No menstrual cycle
(I would spot for the first few months, but now it is completely gone.)
- Massive mood swings
- Nausea

Well of course my doctor thought for sure that this was my thyroid, so (without medical insurance), I went and got all my blood work done thinking that I would finally have an answer to my health issues... NOPE!
I received the results today and found out that my thyroid was perfectly fine, no anemia, good blood counts... Nothing.
Now not to say that I am not happy that my thyroid is okay, but I just wanted an explanation for all of this. SO my doctor sends me to see my NEW Ob-Gyn, to have this "Thing" aka Simply Mirena, taken out of my body. After reading all of the problems that the other women have been having, I am CERTAIN that this is the cause of all of these problems.

I would like to thank all of you for opening my eyes to something that was so obvious. I have an appointment to have mine removed next Friday (I'm not as brave as some of you ladies to take it out myself). I will keep you all posted on my progress.

Hi All, we definitely need a lawsuit. I am finally my old self again after 2 years of hell. My nose shut down after moving into my new house 2 years ago. Went to a local clinic here. My Dr. gave me the Kenalog shot for "inflammation", she did not tell that it was a steroid. I am allergic to steroids. I was suicidal, depressed, had a breakdown, lost 10 lbs. in one week from not eating. Menstrual cycle went from 3 days for 35+# years to every other week for 7 days. OMG, I went thru 2 years of sheer hell. Finally had to have a partial hysterectomy this past May I AM SO ME AGAIN! WE NEED A LAWSUIT against Bristol Meyers. Thank God my husband was beside me, or we would have divorced. Poor Guy.

I started taking YAZ for PMDD two months ago and it has helped so much. It has seemed to mess with my menstrual cycle, though. The first month I took it my period started on the second day of the white pills, I had light spotting a couple of days before that and now I am on my 2nd month and I am on my third day of white pills and no period and no spotting.. no sign of period so far. I seems to be messing up my cycle... ugh!

Any thoughts anyone?!

I have been on the NuvaRing for my 3rd month now. I seriously just went into the bathroom and took it out! I have been having some intense anxiety, and I swear my hair has been thinning out, and feeling depressed. Not to mention I've been gaining weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I looked at the NuvaRing website and seriously I have experienced almost every single symptom. I have not felt like my normal happy go lucky self the past 3 months and was wondering if it was just me. Now I know it's just the nuvaring. I also experienced extreme extreme headaches. My head feels like it will explode, for hours on end. The only way to get rid of those headaches is to sleep. Also I have never been so chubby in my life, I've always had a nice stomach and now it's getting flabby.... like seriously.... this is not even worth it. I'm so glad that I read this website and that everyone is experiencing the same problems with this as I am. I think I'm going to just stick to condoms bcuz that's going to be so much healthier for me! Too bad if my hubby doesn't like it.... I just can't take all these crazy changes... or else I'm going to go crazy! I've also been kind of crazy like totally filled with anxiety or feelings or resentment. Sex kills with the nuvaring! It hurts so bad. I'm not sure why, but it burns like heck. I've also felt fluid retention, big time! And my legs are super achey. Does anyone else have achey legs? And oh my gosh, my boobs hurt so much from the hormones NR injects into me. I feel like their getting like too big. Also over the past three months I haven't had any appetite, which would make you think that you would loose weight... right? WRONG! I have actually been gaining weight! So dumb! Take my advice and don't go on the NuvaRing, it's a waste of your time... and your life. Your life will change when you go on it, and you won't recognize it at first... but believe me, it will. I've also experienced the brown discharge for the first month, and changes in my menstrual cycle. & on my honeymoon I got a yeast infection bcuz the NuvaRing!!!!!!!!! That was pretty much the worst!

I had my Mirena put in in 10/08. It was such a painful process, I was screaming and crying on the table and the Dr. asked me if I wanted her to stop?! I said no just finish the process. I cried the whole way home. I have had cramps and spotting EVERYDAY since then. I have gained 15 lbs. I have never gained weight in my life except being pregnant. I have also been extremely tired, I feel very withdrawn. I do not feel like the same person I used to be. I am getting my Mirena out today and will post again when I notice a change. I am pretty sure there will be one!

hello ladies, i'd like to start off by thanking you all for your posts, i read before i started my first pack of loestrin 24 fe so i could see what i might be expecting with starting the pill. i went to the gyno for the first time back in june, i went due to other health problems. for my whole sophomore year i was sick, all of the time, i'm 16 years old, and school is a very important part of my life right now, but with being sick all the time, i was absent a lot. i was absent on each period, as well. my doctor knew something was up so he ordered a blood test, the test came back and my hemoglobin was very low, he had me take 2 iron pills a day for a month then sent me back for another blood test, after the second blood test my hemoglobin was back up, but my iron was still very low. he asked me questions about my menstrual cycle and i answered, they've always been very bad, really heavy bleeding and clotting for the 5-8 days i was on it, very bad cramping as well, and i was very tired, and dragged out while i was on my period, always ended up getting sick while i was on it as well, so he came to the conclusion that i was anemic because of my menstrual cycles, so he sent me to the gyno. mind you, this was my first time being there and i was terrified! haha, she gave me a pap & pelvic exam, then an ultra sound on my ovaries and uterus to make sure everything was normal before putting me on the pills, she put me on them because of the iron that they have in them and to slow my periods down. i'm starting my third week on my first pack of the pills tomorrow, and i for the last 2 weeks i've been very very irritable, the smallest things make me very angry at any time. and have had some crazy mood swings, one minute i'm laughing and happy, then the next i'm crying because i dropped something. i get bad headaches, and i always feel like i'm going to vomit. i don't have much of an appetite, and when i do try to eat, or after i eat i feel like i'm going to vomit. i've also had some cramping and a couple days of spotting, i've had some hot flashes as well, and my sex drive has slightly increased. i feel awkward saying that, haha. but, i'm not taking them for sexual reasons, just health reasons. and i hope that the pills end up working out for me and those health issues. & i hope they work out for all of you, too. :)

I started on the NuvaRing just this past Thursday. It was fine for the first couple of days; no noticeable side effects. I was instructed to put the ring in on the first day of my menstrual cycle, which I thought was odd, but I did it anyway. I usually have cramps before my period and on the first day and then they are pretty much nonexistent, but with this period I had them into the third day. I still didn't think anything of it until today when I realized that I have been extremely irritable and emotional lately. You would think those symptoms would be chalked up to the period, but I am like clockwork every month. I start having PMS symptoms two weeks out from my period and through the 1st day of my cycle. After that, they are gone (besides the actual period itself). I rarely get frustrated with my dogs and lately they have been getting on my nerves easier. I have had a couple weird fights with my husband in the past few days, both totally due to my craziness, which is also not the norm for me. While lying in bed a few moments ago, I decided it must be the ring so I researched it and this is the website I found. I am glad I found it when I did. I am taking the ring out tonight and hopefully everything will go back to normal. My only worry is that I will start my period and it will last for 3 months like a couple of the stories I read on this website. I am going on my belated honeymoon in two weeks to the Bahamas and would hate to be on my period then. I have never had a good feeling about anything not natural going into my body, which is why I have never consistently taken bc. The only reason I started on the ring is because I had some samples from my gyno and had a pregnancy scare recently, which made me (and my husband) realize we are NOT ready for kids and scared me into starting on the ring.

A word of encouragement to all those that suffer from anxiety and depression:

You are not alone. I suffered from an episode of anxiety coupled with panic attacks a few years ago. I thought it would never go away, but I was able to work through it on my own and I am fine now. I still have occasional anxiety, but it seems to be for an actual reason rather than out of nowhere. Do not lose hope; you CAN overcome these conditions and live a normal life. Surround yourself with caring individuals and others who understand what you are going through. What I learned from my experience: trust yourself, have confidence in yourself (because everyone is amazing in their own way) and learn to let go of your past mistakes (everyone makes them). Don't let the word "mental illness" scare you into thinking you are crazy. Think of it this way... you are going through a difficult time in your life that you have to work through. "This too shall pass" as my mother has always told me in difficult times. It helps when you know there IS light at the end of the tunnel.

I just went in for my second shot of Lupron (out of a series of 6) for treatment of stage IV endometriosis. The most noticeable side effect I experienced was during my first menstrual cycle after my first dose of Lupron. I had never experienced menstrual pain or cramping (even though I had advanced endometriosis) until after Lupron. I have a fairly high pain tolerance and yet the cramping for the first 2 days of my period were almost debilitating. I had extremely heavy bleeding and have had spotting daily ever since (app.18 days). I have gained about 3 pounds because I have no energy at all. I'm usually active and work out 4-5 times a week but by the time I get off work, I'm too fatigued to do so (hence the weight gain I guess). I have hot flashes and night sweats all the time. The most recent side effect is high blood pressure. I have never had high blood pressure in my life (I'm a healthy 25-year-old woman) and when I went in for my 2nd Lupron shot today, they told me I all of a sudden do. I don't seem to have mood swings but do feel depressed and sometimes more anxious than normal. I have experienced a decreased interest in sex as well.

I had the Mirena inserted Nov 2008. The Dr. was unable to get it inserted the first time so I had to go back and they had to stretch my uterus because it is S shaped and then use an ultrasound to get it in place. The pain was unbelievable for a couple days. After that it was ok until my menstrual cycle. I was placed on Vicodin because the pain was so bad. It is now 6 months later and I am still have some pain around my menstrual cycle every month. I have not gained any weight I have actually lost 10lbs. The thing that bothers me the most is the acne. Its very severe. I finally got it mostly under control. I think my menstrual cycle is almost completely gone. Everything seems to be getting better.

I am a 41 year old woman who had an epidural injection using Kenalog in my lower back (for stenosis, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, etc.). My first injection was on 4/1/09. About two weeks after the injection, my period started a week early. I had light to moderate spotting, not quite like my normal period. I also noticed that I broke out with major acne, had bad mood swings, constant urination and increased hunger. I had a second injection in my back on 429/09. I told my pain management Dr. what I had been experiencing, and he said that it was the side affect of the drug, Kenalog.

I just saw my GYN for my yearly pap smear and told him what I had been experiencing. He said he had never hear of anything like what I was going through as it related to an epidural injection, though he also admitted it wasn't his area of expertise. Due to my age, my GYN commented that the spotting I was having could be due to my body changing and getting ready for menopause. He said that spotting was very common in women my age. He gave me a prescription for Progesterone 100mg to start taking for 15 days to see if that stopped my spotting (and hopefully return my cycle back to normal). He also did a uterine biopsy to rule out any other causes. My uterine biopsy came back normal. I'm currently taking the progesterone and my period seems to be tapering off, but it still hasn't stopped. It went from spotting to more heavy bleeding to spotting again. I'm due to stop the progesterone on Tuesday 5/26/09 so we'll see what happens there. It's officially been six weeks of having a period.

I'm very frustrated that I've had a menstrual cycle this long. I canceled my other future epidural injections as right now, by back in doing much better (the injections did help, though the side affects are the pitts!). If my back flares up, I will seek other solutions as I will NEVER have any Kenalog again.

For those women who've had the same issue with their menstrual cycle, did your cycle ever return to normal? If so, when???

I Just started NR a week ago on the 1st day of my period, I have already gained 5lbs, have constant cramping (not severe but noticeable) my boobs hurt, and I have constant lethargy. Went for a walk today with my BF and could hardly stand it. Just wanted to lie down...

We then got in a huge fight because I was freaking out about every little thing. I was crying and screaming at him, and we almost broke up. I am normally not like this. So I just took it out. Im sure my OBGYN would say to give my body a chance to adjust but I can't take another day! So Im probably messing up my Menstrual cycle but I'll take that chance especially after reading all the experiences of you other poor ladies.

I had tried to get an IUD after many of my friends recommended it. I chose Mirena although I am usually anti hormone, but my doctor says that the hormones in Mirena do not go into your blood stream but stay locally in your uterus. My friends who have Mirena love it, less periods, no cramping, no side effects. My one friend who had the non hormone one had terrible heavy bleeding, severe cramps etc. So after TWO TERRIBLY painful attempts at inserting the Mirena, ( I had to come back a second time on Valium, Vicodin, and a pill to dilate my cervix) I was told I am not a candidate because my uterus is TOO SMALL! The U.S only has two IUD's. Europe, Canada, even Mexico has smaller sizes available.

Sooooooo, long story short, I either have to fly to one of these countries, (England is farthest but will do it for free) or find another option. My friend just told me about a promising sounding option called Lea's shield- ****** which is like an updated, easy to use, strangely shaped diaphragm. Its available from Planned Parenthood, and due to its unique design is one size fits all so you don't have to get it fitted and can order it online. Hope this helps. Thanks everyone for your frank sharing, hope I have helped someone too!

I am a 43 year old female, I got a couple of clots in my left leg, caused by taking birth control. I was taking the bc to control my menstrual cycle, I took it against my better judgment, even though my dr. said it was not a high risk since I didn't smoke. Well that wasn't true.
The side effects are extreme dizziness, I went to walk down a set of stairs recently and almost fell down them, That would have been tragic, Thank god my friend grabbed my arm. I know for a fact that it is a side effect from the coumadin because prior to this dvt I had no dizziness, as a matter of fact I was very healthy, I exercised 4 times a week, boxing, weight lifting ect. I was "NORMAL" I can't wait until the doctor says ok, stop taking the blood thinner. I want my life back. I just want to get back to the way I was before my dvt.

I was looking through these Mirena side effects to make sure I was experiencing the same effects as anyone else using Mirena. I have used other birth control options before, but I chose to switch Mirena because I can be forgetful about taking the pill and my fiance and I aren't planning on having kids anytime soon, plus I loved the thought that my periods would be shorter and lighter after using Mirena for a while. I had Mirena placed in January of this year and my very next period was extremely light and only lasted two days, and my following cycle was even lighter. I thought this was too good to be true (I thought Mirena had to be used for several months to start seeing these results), so I thought I'd check to see what other ladies had to say about their effects from Mirena. Now I don't doubt any of these horror stories one bit, but I want women to know that not all results are not exactly horrifying. For any product out there you can find all the negative effects, but it's rare to hear the good results because nobody takes the time to post them. I do have to say that it was quite painful to have Mirena placed, but the cramping ceased within a couple of days. The cramps were like any normal menstrual cycle. The only other side effect I have had was some more than normal acne, which has already cleared. Like I said, my periods are already very light and I've had no weight gain, no mood swings, and my sex drive has stayed up! Mirena is everything I have expected and I would recommend it to other women too!

I have been on Birth Control since May 29, 2007. I was first put on Errin Tab .35mg, which went well, but was very depressed and angry. I had very few symptoms, but very severe headaches, and mood swings with this birth control. Then on August 4, 2008 I had the Mirena IUD inserted.
About 1 ½ months after insertion of the Mirena IUD, my mood starting really getting severe and bad. Now, this was the biggest issue for me because I have always been a person to lets things roll off my back. I have never once in my life felt the least bit depressed. Other than PPD with the birth of my daughter. I am noticing that I am just not feeling myself mentally or emotionally and I am crying very easily. I even yell at my husband and my daughter about the stupidest things and it’s like I am watching myself from the outside doing this and wondering why the heck am I yelling, but I can’t seem to make myself stop. I know something is wrong. I am also very lethargic and fatigued all the time. I also feel that I can’t ever seem to catch my breath. This still continues today, and is very distressing to me. My PCP has diagnosed me in the past week with Asthma, with no conclusive proof that Asthma is the issue. I haven’t had allergies since I was about 12 years old.( I am 35 now) I can only catch my breath when I lay on my left side. I constantly struggle for air, which cause’s panic, heart palpitations, and anxiety.
I have severe depression due to this situation and have been put on 5 different anti-depressants and sleeping aids as well, however it seems like I am a basket case, over anxious and often times a nervous wreck. There are days when I have uncontrollable crying episodes, off the handle severe mood swings. I have no patience with anyone or anything. This is usually around when my menstrual cycle will begin, then at the time it begins, I have horrible persistent bleeding, pain, cramping, coffee ground blood clots the size of a quarter. I will bleed for about 10 days and then stop and start again in about 8 more days. I have persistent abdominal pain, occasional fever, and unusual vaginal discharge, itching, and odor. It makes it very difficult to have sexual relations with my husband. It is very painful to have sex, and I just don’t have the libido for it as well. Sex drive is completely gone.
Since the insertion of the Mirena IUD, August 4, 2008, I have had horrible constipation, that will last for about 1 to 1 ½ weeks, and then for 2 days, I will have horrible and severe diarrhea, and then have no BM’s for the next 1 to 1 ½ weeks again. I also have severe headaches, that hit at anytime. I have lost a lot of my hair, it used to be very thick and strong. I break out in hives, rashes. I also have swelling of my face, hands, tongue, throat, and ankles. Not to mention again the not being able to breathe.
I also have a horrible time eating, I will eat, and then feel like vomiting for the next couple of hours. Sometime’s I do have to vomit, so I try not to eat at all, cause I just hate feeling that way. It just isn’t worth the discomfort for me.
I am withdrawn, and scared to socialize with friends, which that is not me at all. I am always depressed, have anxiety, severe acne, NO sex drive, angry all the time, very easily angered, and I have basically become a totally different person. I used to be a confident women and now I am a total train wreck.

In conclusion I am incredibly concerned about is the emotional side effects that I have experienced! I have slowly become a basket-case. I have at different times experienced the following side-effects : anxiety, minor paranoia, racing heartbeat, MOOD SWINGS! unexplained crying episodes, foggy thinking, and panicky feelings.

I had Mirena inserted in 2007 due to a lack of tolerance to birth control pills. The experience was very painful for me. However, the doctor explained that the initial insertion process is different for every woman as we are not all designed the same. My cervix/uterus is oddly positioned. According to the doctor they are "crooked". As a result, the doctor had a difficult time properly inserting the mirena, which in turn resulted in major pain! But, this was just my personal experience. Not every woman will encounter this difficulty. However, I would recommend taking at least 2 ibuprofen before the procedure. Throughout the past 2 years, I have experienced a range of symptoms. Major depression, severe mood swings, acne, lack of energy, excruciating lower back pain which mocked mild labor pains, and the overall inability to function normally. I begged the Doctor to remove the Mirena 6 months ago, but she convinced me otherwise considering I cannot tolerate birth control pills either. Nevertheless, I am 35 years old, have one child already, and do not plan on having more. Well, last week, I was basically confined to my bed due to excruciating lower back pain, and severe bleeding. I called the Doctor, and they finally saw me today. I insisted on having the Mirena removed once and for all, and already feel 100% better just 12 hours later! The purpose of my message is not to discourage anyone, as we all have different levels of tolerance when it comes to pain, medications, etc.....Yet, I felt compelled to share my personal experience as it was not a positive one for me! The only "positive" symptom I obtained from the Mirena was a lack of periods. Unfortunately, there was a downfall to that as well. Due to a lack of a regular menstrual cycle, I felt extremely bloated, and had difficulty losing weight despite working out 5 days a week, and eating a proper diet. I sympathize with each and every one of you, and appreciate your efforts in sharing your experiences. Upon stumbling upon this website a few days ago, I finally found the courage to have this thing removed so I can once again "feel normal!" Good luck to all of you!

anyone experience anormal menstrual cycle?

anyone experience abnormal menstrual cycle?
I stopped getting my period for 2 months and now am off the med for about 6 days, anyone know how long it can take to be out of your system?

I was put on NuvaRing in April 2008 because my DHEA Sulfate (our male androgen hormone) was way high. My doctor told me that the only way to get that hormone down was to use birth control. I had actually used NuvaRing before April 2008 but it was only for about 3 months. I asked my doctor to put me back on the NuvaRing because it was the easiest and I hadn't had problems with it before. Now that I have been on it for almost a year, I have noticed that I will just cry for no reason and that I get irritable quite often. I continue to have these depressed episodes, I am tired all the time and since the first of the year, I have had diarrhea. It has to be the NuvaRing as I am not taking any other medication. Has anyone else experienced diarrhea after long term use? I also got a yeast infection about 2 months ago. I am 34 years old and I have NEVER had a yeast infection until now. Also, I have gained a little over 20 lbs since I have been on it and I hardly ever eat. I can't seem to lose that weight either. When I am off the NuvaRing during my 7 days, I loose about 5 lbs but then gain it right back when I put the NuvaRing back in. Not mention, I have not had a menstrual cycle the entire time that I have been on NuvaRing. If you ask me, that's against mother nature.

I have been on Lamictal now for almost 3 months for bipolar. I'm still not sure if it is helping or not. My husband says I seem better, but I feel almost the same as before if not worse. Has anyone noticed any major changes in their menstrual cycle? I'm on the pill and it would usually last 4-5 days with moderate bleeding. Now I get more annoying cramps than before but my period only lasted 2 days and it was more like spotting than a period. This makes me nervous, but my doctor said that it is more likely the risperdal that I had taken for a month when I also started taking the lamictal, but I don't agree. I recently went up to 200mg (1 morning, 1night). The morning one knocks me out but the night one has been keeping up!? I also feel less coordinated (hard to balance, knocking stuff down, klutzy). Also, it has been hard to put words together and recall correct information. Now I have to say" I think I heard or I think I remember". If I really need to remember something I have repeat it or really concentrate on the information. I used to not have to do that. Another thing I've noticed lately is hand and knee pain. Makes it difficult exercise to lose the 20 lbs I've gained. I don't know, personally I think I will give it one more month and if I still feel the same, I'm going off of it and looking into natural alternatives.