Mid section symptoms and conditions

I am 28 and have been on Loestrin since March 2009. I was freaking out because this is the second month I missed my period in a row. I keep taking pregnancy tests to make sure I am not. When I did have my period it has either been super light or very heavy. I feel like I put on a lot of weight in my mid-section and my moodiness hasn't changed. With this pill my sex drive has gone down as well. Sorry a lot of people are having the same problems, but glad I am not alone. I actually have been off it since Sunday and still no period!

Hello,
I just had my Mirena taken out two days ago after a week or so of pain that got so bad I went to the ER. The doctor in the ER checked for infection, did not find any but advised the removal. I had the device for nearly two years.
Funny that apparently the device was slowly descending after I had made up my mind to get rid of it. Why? I was slowly but surely loosing my sense of self: bad mood most of the time, libido almost extinct after nearly 2 years, gain weight in the mid-section, something that had never happened to me before. For sure you don't risk having any more babies since you don't have sex any more: no kidding, sex was becoming like my marital duty so that my husband would not feel too frustrated: but for me, no feelings whatsoever, hardly any sensation.
After removal, the awful pain disappeared almost instantly. I'm bleeding today, not sure it is my periods starting again (seems a bit fast) but it sure does feel good. My mood is dramatically improving, yesterday I was dancing and laughing so hard with my daughter, my husband is saying he's starting to see my old self again. No more Mirena for me, I'm not even sure I want to be on the pill again. I'm taking a few weeks without contraception, just to find myself again and to leave my body find its natural cycles again.

I have had my Mirena since May of 2007, at first it was wonderful then about 1 year in I started gaining weight, particularly in my mid section. My mood swings were out of control, anxiety, restlessness, joint pain, acne. I spoke to my doctor and told my stomach issues were probably IBS and acne was probably stress or hormones. I was put on lexapro for the mood swings and anxiety. I have been watching what I eat and working out and nothing has helped.Finally last week I decided to do some research on my own and googled "midsection weight" and articles linking this to mirena flooded my screen. I spent the rest of the day reading and called my doctor the next day. I have an appointment tomorrow to have it removed, I will keep you posted. Part of my is angry that these side effects were not listed in the pamphlet I received from the doctor but another part is so relieved to have found an answer to the madness.

Well, I've finally figured out how it is that Mirena works as birth control: if you're not having sex, you can't get pregnant. The first few weeks after having it inserted (about 2.5 months ago), I was fine - spotting pretty regularly, and having significant cramping, but nothing I couldn't handle. Then slowly I began having other side effects: dry, brittle hair that falls out in handfuls, dry skin, irritability, depression, fatigue, lack of motivation to do anything physical, extreme bloating through my mid-section (I am too terrified to get on the scale to see how much I've gained, but it's been about 4-6 dress sizes), swollen hands, migraines, and no sex drive. I mean, ZERO. My husband and I had a very active sex life which has now gone down to a couple times a month if I'm not too tired at night. I was a runner up until this summer (used to do 4-6 miles three or four times a week) and now I can't go more than a mile without becoming completely exhausted. I absolutely intend on getting it out, but ironically I'm so brain-dead tired all the time I can't seem to remember to make the phone call.

I did my research prior to getting Mirena, and read page after page of women who had extreme side effects from the hormone, but somehow assumed I would be one of the blessed few to escape them. That was big, fat, giant mistake. Bad pun intended.

How is everyone having such bad effects if it just came out 2 weeks ago? i always take ortho lo and they just handed me this new pill....im really concerned...

I am SO glad I ran across this site.I am not crazy! My Mirena was put in about 3 months ago after my gyno finally put it together that my birth control pills were causing menstrual migraines. I will say the Mirena helped with the headaches, but lately I have not felt like myself. I have gained 10 lbs. in 3 months (even though I have been eating well and exercising more to avoid this side effect), my hair is oily, I have little dry itchy patches on my skin, fatigue, joint pain, no interest in having sex (after we do have sex sometimes I get horrible cramps and pain, like when the Mirena was inserted) I am super moody, and have anxiety/depression/anxiety problems, bloated almost constantly, and I feel like I can't focus or concentrate on anything! I called my gyno this morning because I do not want to feel like this anymore, and told her about all my symptoms. The only thing that makes sense to me is that Mirena is causing all my problems, since I never had any of them until I got it put in. The gyno tells me its not Mirena, that it definitely does not cause all that, and to get my thyroid checked because that is my problem. However, after reading all these stories, I am convinced that it is Mirena, and I am definitely getting it out. There is no way so many women can only have Mirena in common and have the same problems, even if they are not listed as side effects on the Mirena brochure.
So I am definitely getting it taken out, but I am curious about experiences after having it removed. How long till you feel like yourself again? Do the side effects go away quickly? Does it hurt more or less than getting it put in? Does the weight come off easily?
Hopefully this post helps someone as much as the other posts helped me. Thank you all for taking the time to post.

I've been on Aviane for almost 3 years now. I decided to look up the pill for the first time today because I was frustrated with my unexpected weight gain. Of course I have had other symptoms on this pill such as irritability and depression but I never really related it to the pill. Other than that I have loved this pill and thought I was walking in the clouds compared to my other friends and their bad experiences with birth control!
My question to all of you is: could my unexpected weight gain be due to the pill or something else entirely? Since I've been taking it for so long I'm not sure it's possible that it could be the pill. Here are a few facts:
I am 23 years old (so I started the pill when I was 20). I have gained about 15 pounds since I've been on it. I eat very healthy and exercise 3 days a week. I have never had any problems with weight gain in my mid section until now and so I am looking for answers!

I am a 39 year old mother of two teenager daughters. I had my original Mirena inserted in July, 2002 due to extreme bleeding for many months. I would bleed for about 24 days out of every month and felt horrible. As I was only 32 years old at the time, my GYN did not want to perform a hysterectomy and suggested the Mirena. I bled for a couple of months after insertion, but shortly thereafter I had no bleeding and have had no period ever since. This is the side effect that is fantastic!

Shortly after having the Mirena inserted, my marriage fell apart and I was feeling very depressed, EXTREMELY EXHAUSTED and overall "crappy". I assumed that this was all due to my life circumstances. I gained significant weight in my mid-section, I had (and still have) constant headaches, I am always still very very tired, am dizzy, fuzzy-minded, blurred vision, achey, etc. etc. etc. I never once thought about the Mirena being the cause of any of these symptoms.

My doctor has checked my bloodwork numerous time to ensure my iron levels, etc. were okay as well as my thyroid - every time the results were normal so I thought it must all be in my head and all be due to me being somewhat depressed, etc. due to my marital breakdown.

I had my 2nd Mirena put in in December, 2009 as the first one was in for the full 5 years. It was a little painful getting it taken out and the new one put in, but for me the pain was worth it to continue to be period-free for another 5 years!

Recently I have been experiencing hot flashes and night sweats so I asked my doctor if I could be going through menopause. She ordered bloodwork to check my hormones and informed me last week that yes, in fact I am quite far into menopause!!! (remember, age 39)! Because I have not had a period in almost 6 years, I did have the early warning signs of menopause such as missed or irregular periods.

I wondered why I would be going through it so early so googled "Mirena and early menopause" which brought me to this site. When I started reading all the side effects, I wondered if it was maybe the Mirena that cause a lot my problems over the years and it wasn't in fact the dissolving of my marriage and change in life circumstances.

I now have to decide what to do. My doctor stated that I should (because of my young age) go on Hormone Replacement for quality of life. (I am close to my decision and believe that HRT is beneficial for me) - hopefully this will help with the terrible symptoms of menopause I have been having.

I am wondering if having the Mirena inserted had any part in accelerating my body into menopause. I am thinking of having it removed before starting HRT because even though the doctor told me that there is a very low hormone dosage in the Mirena, I don't want to over-do it with hormones as that could cause me even more problems. It would be amazing if I had it removed that I would feel the way I used to feel back 6 years ago (minus the husband)

FYI, before I had the Mirena inserted the first time I read and re-read the pamphlet which contained all the possible side effects, etc. But, as I stated above, my life changed dramatically very shortly after insertion so it never occurred to me that some of my problems may be related to the Mirena.

If this device does accelerate a woman's body into menopause, this should be well publicized as it would be tragic for young women who use this as a form of contraception early in their life to only find out later that they are no longer able to conceive due to their body going though "the change".

With my NuvaRing experience, at first it was all great! I was loving the convenience, it seemed perfect for me and then the side effects started. At first it was nausea. Then came the vomiting. NOW I am experiencing back pain, abdominal pain, severe fatigue, vaginal discharge, tingling in my finger tips and toes. I have only been on the Ring for 2 months but KNOW I have already gained weight. My mid-section is bloated and I FEEL pregnant but no that I am not. Mine is coming out tonight.

Tremendous weight gain almost instantly from age 7 to now at age 8-1/2 . When my grandson started this medication we noticed the weight gain. The doctor assured us it had nothing to do with the Singular. We looked on line for information, but could find nothing about weight gain as a side effect. At last it has surfaced that children taking the Singular are also having a weight gain problem. We intend to stop this medication immediately. This is intended for the health and well being of children.

So heres the deal ladies.... No matter what, ALL BIRTH CONTROL SUCKS........... But we're ALL in the same boat. They ALL have side effects, different to each person. My Nuvaring story goes like this... I have tried EVERY birth control only to have HORRIBLE MIGRAINES. So, after years in my 20's of constantly thinking I was pregnant, freaking out all the time which is what I think has psychologically screwed me up the most, I tried Nuvaring. I was 27 years old, 5'5, banging body w/ NO fat in the mid-section. I'm not even kidding that w/in 3 days I gains 10lbs. of fat(love handles) in the mid section. I work out 3-4x per week and have ALWAYS been a fitness fanatic. I have never been able to get this stomach fat off since. But here's the deal......... I could go on forever about how BC sucks as I had MANy other side effects, nausea being number one. But we don't have a God damn choice. I am now 31 years old and thats just the way it is. You know, heres even the more real deal. When I was in college I gave a speech on MALE contraception. Hello, it's out there. But they don't market it because it will be a waste of money because men are stupid and won't take it. Men assume that all women when we have sex are on BC and they could give a shit if we aren't. We need to stand up as women and make THEM take all precautions. For the most part, I wouldn't change being a woman for anything. I love it! But when it comes to birth control and constantly having to worry about pregnancy, it sucks................................ But we dont have an option, seriously!!!!!!! What's worse??????????? Losing your mind because of side effects or losing your mind constantly thinking your pregnant??????????????????????????????? After 31 years of age, I know it's just a no win situation........... J., Chicago......

I am 29 and mother of a 5yr old Angel and 5 mth old Ayden. I started the NuvaRing after I had my son. I liked it for the first month, but the second month was not good at all! See, I was hoping to skip periods to avoid the pain that comes from my endometriosis, and PMS which seems I have had all my life! And of course, it came highly recommended from my doctor's office as well. I started to loose weight pretty steadily in the 6 weeks that followed the birth of my son, but all of a sudden the seventh or eighth week my weight remind stagnant and I actually gained 10 pounds since having it out for only 4 weeks! I have been putting on weight in my mid section and tummy area. It has become difficult to loose any weight even with working out, but the worse part has been the drastic mood changes, irritability, problems concentrating, migraines I don't wish upon anybody, acne, leg cramps, bloating, and horrible post partum depression that I think-now that I have read all your side effects that it wasn't the overwhelming feeling of having the now 2 children and having to return to work even after having 12 weeks of maternity leave after my son was born. I am relieved, and happy that I never put in the 3rd months ring. I think the NuvaRing has a lot to do with it all. I have been off the NuvaRing now for about three and a half-going on four weeks and the side effects have only seemed to become worse. It has put a strain on my marriage because my husband doesn't understand whats going on with me and I have refused to take my Lexapro because I am scared of what it may do to me with my hormones and mind all out of wack...I am desperate to find something that will make this STOP. I am not sure what my doctor may recommend, or if I would even take anymore recommendations from them. They must know that this is happening, right? I guess thats a question we should ask our doctors.

I was on Nuvaring for one month and things were okay but not great - nausea and cramping. Then after taking it out for a week and putting it in for the second week I only made it 3 days before I thought I was going to die. I did the patch years ago, which admitting that raises eyebrows but that was a cakewalk compared to this! I feel like it's ruined me for good because I took it out two weeks ago and the symptoms aren't getting better - they're just changing. I feel pregnant and I know I'm not. I feel like I have cysts or something and I know I need to see a doctor. I'm so scared that using this for a grand total of 3 weeks 3 days has ruined me. I have heartburn, cramps, abdominal pain, swollen breasts, weight gain in the mid-section...this was THE worst idea ever!

I researched Mirena extensively prior to getting it a month ago. My doctor recommended it because I have Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Which can cause depression, abdominal cramps due to ovarian cysts, months without periods only to have a long period, weight gain especially in the mid section, hair loss on the head, extra hair everywhere else and difficulty getting pregnant. I had just had a period that lasted over 2 weeks.

The day I got the IUD fitted, the lining of my uterus was already thin. I spotted for 2 days and it was over. The pain was like nothing I had ever experienced. I have never had children, but my fiance and I want to hold off on having kids for a while. This month, I have noticed that my breasts are tender and my fiance noticed that they are bigger.

I already have issues with weight and after reading the blogs before I decided that I would join Weight Watchers. Because I'm keeping track of my food intake, I have lost weight, but I've noticed that my chocolate cravings are more frequent and more severe. I also decided that exercise would be in order. The first week, before I added the exercise, I didn't have a sex drive. Since I've been hitting the pavement running, I have been stressing my fiance out! I believe the exercise also helps with the mood swings and depression.

I know that I still have the ovarian cysts because I have the abdominal pains. Many women complain about this, but for women with PCOS, it's a way of life.

I came on to blog about my short experience with Mirena because it's been a month and I got my first Mirena period today. It feels like a normal, crampy, bloated, painful period. I just hope that it will be over soon.

I had the Mirena IUD inserted mid March 2008 after the birth of my daughter in January 2008. At the time, I had two sister-in-laws who had it as well, which is why I decided to get it. (One loves it and hasn't had one single problem with it and the other hated it because of side effects.) I also thought, "wow, perfect! Insurance covers insertion, no longer having to pay for BC every month, not having to worry about taking a pill every day, etc., etc." Insertion was painful. In fact, it felt just like contractions to me. But, I remember saying to the doc. that "5 min. of that was better than having another child since I don't want another right now." I cramped for a while after insertion and had very very light bleeding that day. Other than that, I never bled at all, or even spotted like they say most will for the first 6 months. I attributed it to breastfeeding and the mirena, but was never certain about it. I personally feel that not having a period at all is unnatural for me. Of course, I would prefer to never have one, but I noticed that I feel bloated most of the time if I don't. Anyways, about one month after insertion, I started noticing little acne bumps all over my arms. This was weird to me since I had never see that before, and I don't really ever get acne in general. I thought at the time, that it might be caused by the Mirena, but didn't really do anything about it. The next thing I started to notice was that I felt like I was gaining weight. I only gained 14lbs during my pregnancy (I was very lucky) and I ended up losing 38lbs within the first 2 weeks after birth (again, luck). I didn't gain any before having the IUD put it. Now, I don't know for sure if i gained weight during the 6 1/2 months I had it since I never weighed myself. But, my clothes just didn't feel right and I always felt so bloated in my mid section. Something just wasn't right. I asked my best friend, my mother, and my husband if I looked like I had gained and they all said, "no." But, I'm pretty sure I had. Shortly after noticing weight gain, I noticed a peach fuzz on my face that swear was never there before. I also thought that the fuzz above my lip looked darker. I asked my husband about it and he said he had never noticed before, but that he also couldn't really tell now anyways. I felt like I was going crazy! I was also having severe joint and muscle pain. I was having major leg and hip pain from the very beginning. I would always sit on the floor Indian style with my daughter to play with her and it hurt so bad. I had never had that issue before. About 5 months after insertion, my mood starting really going. 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. I was noticing that I was just not feeling myself mentally or emotionally and was crying easily. I would even yell at my husband about the stupidest things and it was like I was watching myself from the outside doing this and wondering why the heck I was yelling but I couldn't seem to make myself stop. I knew something was wrong. I was also very lethargic and fatigued all the time. I also felt that I couldn't ever seem to catch my breath. I finally started thinking that maybe mirena was causing my problems. I remembered that right after I had it inserted one of my sister -in-laws told me about reading about other women's experiences with it. So, I decided to do some research. What I came across was astonishing. I called that day to set up an appt. to have it removed. That was a Wed. and my appt. was set for the following Mon. I couldn't freaking wait! I had it removed at 9:30am on Sept. 22, 2008. When my doctor asked why I wanted it out, I told her about the issues I was having and I felt that the IUD could be the cause. She agreed with me and said, that everything I was mentioning were effects of progesterone. I was so happy to hear her say that since so many other women have said their docs. say there is no way that Mirena can cause these effects. Removal was so easy. It took less than a minute and was pain Less! I felt better immediately, but I know that was just knowing it was out of me.

By the way, I just want everyone who reads this to know that I found a lot of information on drugs.com about mirena. Information that every women needs to know. Info the makers of the IUD don't tell you. Just type in mirena in the search field. Scroll down...its the second one, the one that says...professional monographs (FDA). Please check it out! It talks about effects such as alopecia, eczema, abdominal distention, etc. If your doc. tells you that you are basically crazy for thinking mirena could be the reason for your problems, have him read this.

Ok, so I am not 9 days post removal (counting day 1 as the day of removal).

Day 1 - removal day
Painless to take out
Cramped a little on the ride home
Extremely fatigued rest of the day - could hardly keep my eyes open and care for my daughter
Went to bed around 9pm

Day 2
Woke up at 6:30 (normal time) feeling like total crap
My entire head and face hurt to whole day
Very fatigued

Day 3
Woke up feeling better but within 30 min. the pain set in my legs and hips. The same pain I started having after insertion of the IUD. Very painful. I ended up taking one of my Motrin that I was prescribed after birth. I think 600mg.
Started cramping around noon. Then bleeding started, which I was totally okay with since it had been so long. I was expecting a bunch of clotting since so many other women had them, but I didn't get that. I did finally feel like I could breath again though.
Started feeling better mentally and emotionally. By the end of the day, no more bleeding.

Day 4
Feeling good. No bleeding in early morning. Started cramping around 9am.
Having bad leg and hip pain again. Couldn't stand to keep legs still it hurt so bad. Took Motrin.
Bleeding started around 10am

Day 5, 6, and 7
Feeling even better each day

Day 8
Woke up around 3am with the worst pain in my head and felt very fatigued.
Tried to sleep the rest of the night, but struggled. In and Out of sleep.
Felt so bad in morning. Tired and in pain. Took Motrin.
Felt like crap all day long.

Today is Day 9 (Sept. 30th)
Feeling good.
Starting cramping and bleeding around noon.

I am now 3 weeks post Mirena. I have been feeling better and better as the days go by...physically, emotionally, and mentally. The bloating went away within a couple of days. The leg, hip, and joint pain I was having so severely, has completely vanished. I can finally sit on the floor with my 8 1/2 month old and not hurt.

I did finally get the courage to weigh myself 1 week post mirena and well, I had gained 20 lbs during the 6 1/2 months I had the IUD. CRAZY...i know. (remember, I lost 38lbs in 2 weeks after the birth of my daughter and hadn't gained a thing before the IUD). I weighed 2 days after that day and had lost 3 lbs. I haven't weighed myself in over a week, but I will soon to see if weight is coming off. My fingers are crossed.

The bleeding came and went, came and went, came and went for about days 3-9 post mirena. I haven't had any since. I am pretty sure I was ovulating the other day (cervical mucous looked like it), so I expect an actual period within the next 2 weeks.

I hope this helps all women out there wondering about Mirena! Thanks for reading!

I am not sure what to think now. I too have a Protein C deficiency and developed one clot per lung in Dec 2006. I lost about 20 lbs after leaving the hospital because I was under nourished and had messed up my metabolism over the years, so the consistence food intake and water was a good thing.

Now...I feel sluggish some times, and I feel like my mid-section is gaining weight. I have never been a small person, but I could always count on certain parts of me to look a certain way.

I have also noticed some elevated blood pressure...I was usually 110 over 60 now 120 over 70-75

Are you guys saying that exercise is futile?

Head aches everyday.

My boyfriend and I normally have sex 4-6 times a week and now it has gone down to once/twice a week.
I'm a pretty laid back yet fun person.I like to go out to drink and party but lately all i have been wanting to do is sleep and stay in. I feel like im 80 years old with no desire for life. I get irritable at all the wrong times. When my boyfriend tries to initiate, I reject instead of joining.

Ive been with my boyfriend 6 months! I mean its not like weve been together for 10 years!

I also feel faint and dizzy majority of the time. Ironically enough i feel better when im on my period because im not taking BC. Also, I have been getting a mid section. Its not drastic but its definitely noticeable.

I really don't think there is any BC that is absolutely side-effect free.

You just have to find whats right for you.

Ortho low is not for me.

Side effects for me include

Faint/dizziness
Tired
Loss of sex drive
Irritable
Slight weight gain in mid section

Hi ladies! Back again. This has been my 4th month now w/out the IUD. I feel incredibly better and am still as sure as ever that the Mirena was what was making me feel so out of sorts. I'm back up to working out for 1-2 hours a day and am finally seeing more results than I have so far with weight loss. I did gain a lot around my mid-section, but have managed to get most of it off. It's been a difficult road to recover all the damage, but it is so worth it and so much easier once it's out! :) Trust and listen to your body. You know yourself better than your doctors.

Was prescribed generic for Bactrim (10 days) for UTI and started to get headaches almost immediately. Along with neck discomfort, constipation, eyes sensitive to light, mild nausea, unusual dreaming and aches in the mid-section. Wanted to stop taking but the docs said to finish it all, but after seeing this site im stopping 3 days short.
Now I wish i would have treated it at home with natural and safe methods. I have come to not trust all of these medications. Please don't take it if it can be helped!

I had Mirena inserted on the September 2007. Friday I had it removed. I am 35 and a mother of 5 children and suffer from heavy periods and severe anemia so Mirena was supposes to be the cure. My husband kept complaining that he could feel it while we were having sex so I had it clipped shorter. He still complained about it. I felt more tired and my periods there were only a slight improvement(bleeding more days but not as heavy after the first two days). The cramping the week prior and during the first couple of days of my period was unbearable. I have gained 10pounds and had a mid section belly roll that I have never had before. I always felt bloated and woke up with swollen fingers(the only other times I can recall feeling this way was during pregnancy).
After a few days of having it removed, my mid section feels less bloated but I have had Flu like symptoms. Nausea, a little vomiting, constant headache and diarrhea.
I will keep you all posted. Best wishes everyone.

I am 37yrs old and have been on Advair for years, I use to weigh 110pds. now I weigh around 165, I have chest pains all the time,
pains in my legs and chronic back pain, also
pain in my leg's. I have mood swings and feel sluggish all the time. I have headaches a lot as well. I am still on the Advair, never realizing that the Advair was the cause.

In July of 2005, I was prescribed 14 doses of Levaquin 750 mg for a bad case of viral pneumonia and mononucleosis. After two days of insomnia, I developed extremely painful feet, especially the bottoms of my feet. Last month (Aug 2007) I was diagnosed with Avascular Necrosis of the Hip, and just had my right hip replaced (total). At age 45, I am fairly young to have developed such an ailment and other than July of 2005, have been healthy and active my entire life. In retrospect, I am beginning to wonder if Levaquin caused my avascular necrosis, as the doctors are at a loss.

I have been on Synthroid for about a year. I had high blood pressure and the doctor did a number of tests and found a thyroid deficiency. I started with 75 mcg and was moved up to 100 mcg.

I have gained weight in the last year - at least 15-20 lbs. It is all in the stomach. I look like I'm pregnant. It is very hard to get rid of! I am exercising my tail off, and giving up snacks, sweets, etc, and it's not going away.

I also never had problems sleeping but I do now. I'm glad I found this discussion group, because I see many others have had weight gain problems.

Last night I bought 2 new shirts, was completely disgusted with my stomach and mid section. I had went to the doctor about 2 weeks ago for a cold, and when I was weighed, I had gained about 10 lbs in a month. I am completely disgusted with my stomach. I had a pooch down there since having my baby, but she is 19 mos now and since I had it inserted in April, I feel like a growing marshmellow. Sometimes I cant stand to even have my husband see me change clothes. Im about 195 lbs now...almost my PREGNANCY weight and I hate to get it taken out now since I just had it put in - in April. Also I have NO SEX DRIVE. My husband complains about it constantly and Im so tired all the time, I'm always saying how I could fall asleep. I keep attributing it to having a 19 mo old and working full time, but she sleeps through the nights now and I'm always tired. I've also had several dizzy spells that I can not explain. I'm going to keep reading these comments and it seems like I may have found what my problem is! Thanks for the help. I should have done my research before I went through the pain of having it put in. That would have been smart right?