Normal sex symptoms and conditions

I have been on Femcon for around 4 years. My sex drive was very intense before taking this pill. I have had no sex drive since starting the pill. We have struggled to figure out what the problem is to no avail. I just decided to look up side effects of Femcon, and noticed all the symptoms are the same. I saw only a few with diminished sex drives. Is everybody experience diminished sex drive as a result??

I am 26 yrs old and have had my period since August 30, I am currently still bleeding, I went to my doctor who told me to start taking Femcon Fe. I started today took my first one in the morning and I was fine, mind you my doctor told me to take 1 pill 3x a day. So here I am with a horrible headache, nausea and I just feel so tired. I took Yasmin before and it made me sick as well. I am tired of taking these pills from hell that make you sick and not have a normal life. I still don't have a normal sex life being that I have bleed for so long me and my husband don't have that intimate relationship and I don't know what to do anymore, I feel so lost and confused. Please any advice.

I am a 55 year male and my doctor started me on 20mg of Simvastatin in Sept 2006 and has subsequently increased it to 40mg. I try to keep very fit through lots of exercise. Fortunately I have not experienced any major side effects mentioned here and my cholesterol has decreased from 6.8 to 4.5. However, I am constantly tired to the extent that I often doze off at my desk at work. In addition, I am having extreme difficulty in getting erections. My doctor claims these are not side effects and has prescribed Viagra but even that is not working now. At Easter, whilst on holiday, I stopped the medication for a week, my libido recovered after a few days, and I was able to have normal sex again for about a month. During the summer, I stopped it again and within 72 hours my libido started to pick up. My wife says it is psychological but I am convinced that it is the Simvastatin. I am going to see if I can get a second opinion.

I have been off of it for 2 months now. I think that I am back to normal-at least mood and libido wise. I had a long very light period last week tho-it lasted 6 days, but after that-I've been able to actually enjoy sex.

On a dif note--from a different comment, while on Loestrin had 3 yeast infections in 5 weeks. I would have sex, get one, then have to take the med which was 30 bucks w/insurance-ridiculous. Then when it was safe to have sex again-it came back. I had to finally use the cream longer and prescription pills and my husband had to get checked-which he was less than thrilled for-but he was fine, it was all me. I think it was from the dryness and all the different lubricants I was using to attempt a normal sex life.

I am 26, last December i was diagnosed with endometriosis. I was on yaz and doing pretty well for 7 months, no mood swings, normal sex drive, no weight gain. Then all of a sudden month 8 my period came 2 weeks late and didn't stop for 4 months! With in those 4 months i was given a ton of birth control to try and stop my bleeding. Yasmin was the last one. It took about a month but then my periods stopped and was normal after that. It has been a lot lighter. That has been the only good part. I still get severe menstrual cramps and every month i get more and more depressed. I have no desire to be with friends go to work or anything i love. I get the worst mood swings, sometimes i feel like i am going to walk away from my marriage, my great marriage! Literally i tur so dark and loose desire to work, clean , work-out...anything. Im very concerned this is because of this pill.

I am going to call my doctor tomorrow to schedule an appointment to get this removed. I got Mirena after the birth of my son in Nov 07. My period came on two weeks later and did not end until mid February. I called my doctor she assured me that this was normal to have "spotting" in the first six months. I went in for an appointment in January and she said that everything was fine. My cycle still continued for another three weeks. Not spotting but a full blown period. The benefits of this birth control made it worth trying to ride it out, so I did. Since then my waist has increased by 1 in, I have been depressed, it has been a struggle for me to loose weight. My sex life is almost non-existent. The reason I decided on this method of birth control is so we can continue with our normal sex-life without having to worry about an unexpected pregnancy. Now all every week or so I hear my husband ask how come I don't want him anymore. This drug is not worth the side effects. It has changed me into a different person and it is ruining my marriage. I was using seasonal before we decided to have a baby. I think I will be going back to that this week.
Don't worry, I've relocated since January and have gotten another GYN. I wish I would have found this site sooner. I see people writing about having a 14 and 18 day period. If I would have read this I would have requested that this be removed months ago. I went 78 days of bleeding.

--By meeshes617

Ok, I am glad I found this site! I have been having constant breast pain. on only my right side on top of my breast and on the side near my arm pit. It is only the right breast/right side. I think it is my Mirena too, but I have had the thing over a year. I am so afraid of having/getting Breast Cancer. I am a 26 yr old mommy of two little boys 5 and 1, plus a 12 yr old stepson who lives with me and my hubby. I called the Dr. today to make an appointment to have my breast checked.

I didn't read every single post, but **Is anyone else having breast pain like I explained? Mine started about two months ago...(right after my last pap/physical). I am so nervous. I have gained so much weight. I am bigger now than right after I delivered my 17 month old. Its all in my stomach. I have no sex drive and my BOOB hurts!!!!!

please let me know if any one else is experiencing this.
thanks!!!

I had miren inserted in August 2007....It was easy with no pain. I wasn't gaining weight..I had a flat stomach. I've noticed the entire time that it is painfull, or very sensitive to be on top during sex..I can't do it most of the time because of the pain. If my husband goes to deep or hard, normal sex, nothing crazy..it hurts in my adoman like never before. I've noticed I get the gas, painful cramps that travel through my thighs like I'm having contractions for real. I never know when my period will come, if at all. My abdomen swells like never before whenever it's around some time for a period. I am starting to have acne...I never blamed it on Mirena until I read this. I found this site because I had sex with my husband......afterwards I was having severe abdominal pain and pressure in my bottom as well. My butt was hurting and full of pressure..does anyone have that??? I got scared so I was looking up stuff on the internet. It hurts when I cough and there was just pain and pressure all over. It was hard for me to pee. I have noticed these symptoms before, but they seem to be getting worse or more noticeable like it's a problem. Sorry to get so graphic, but I would like to see if anyone else had or has the same problems. I used to really enjoy being on top and going deep and having my husband deep and having hard sex sometimes. Since I've had the IUD it is not pleasant and I can't do it, it hurts too much. I have always had a flat stomach and now mine is like swollen...I get the gas and I hate it. I switched to Mirena because I was having terrible mood swings on the pill and know I'm thinking I'll take the mood swings. I think I will have the IUD removed....I'm scared my husband will poke it into my stomach during sex. Whenever I have a flare up of pain it usually goes away. This time it took an hour for the pain to go away. That was the worst pain I've had yet that's why I'm on the computer making sure I don't have internal bleeding or something. Scarey.

Wow, I find it so upsetting that ALL of the potential side effects are not listed by the Mirena makers, or explained by the inserting doctor. The doctor who inserted mine said there would be some symptoms similar to the pill but way less since the hormone was localized. My symptoms have been way stronger than when I was on the pill.

I got my IUD in August 2006. I have 3 children and at the time my oldest was almost 3 and my twins were almost 1. I had a pregnancy scare, a test that was positive and then a few days later my period (most likely early miscarriage), and we decided it was time to get a semi permanent birth control. I know I want at least one more baby, but was still breastfeeding the twins and my milk supply had serious issues with any pill. I get pregnant easily, and had been pregnant a total of 4 times, with one 1st trimester miscarriage, the very early miscarriage, and the 3 kiddos, and we were not ready for another baby. Even now, with my side effects I am hesitant to have it removed as I am still not ready for another baby.

The insertion was no big deal. Very slight cramps at insertion, and mild for a couple of days afterwards. At first I felt great physically, a little weird mentally, like really aware there was something inside me. I got used to that. The first month I had a normal sex drive, the next month less and after that nothing at all.

And then the worst part, within a few months I became very very very irritable, like constant PMS, only I never really had bad PMS before, and this was really really bad. And then when I was actually at that part of my cycle I was even worse. It nearly destroyed my marriage, and I was horrible to my kids. I had no patience, was very easily annoyed. I would miss my hubby all day, and then when he would finally get home I would be so mean, blame everything on him, and just feel hate towards him. I flew off the handle at minor things and screamed at my whole family everyday. I do have a temper, but this was irrational, I couldn't control it. There were times when I would sob because I knew I was being so irrational and mean, and I would feel like ripping the IUD out of me right then and there. But then that would make me cry even more because I knew we couldn't handle another baby at that time, and I know I would get pregnant if it was out. Hubby and I have tried condoms, timing, and I get pregnant. The pill makes me moody too and I don't want those side effects or the constant having to remember a pill with 3 little ones to take care of.

I had a non stop period for at least a month, maybe 2, but that went away and I now have very very minor spotting for a day. The moodiness has gotten better, I would say it was the worst from about 2 months in to about 6 or 8 months to the point where I was a horrible horrible bitch. I know it is still there a bit. It really makes me sad to think that i am not as nice and happy as I used to be. These are the most special year of my kids lives and their mommy is irritable. I know my fuse is shorter and I yell and over react a lot, but it is not as bad as it was at first, and i keep thinking in a few months to a year we will be ready for another baby, I can get this thing removed, have a baby and hubby can get fixed.

Since about October (after having the IUD for 15 months) i have had nausea. It was enough at first that I thought I must be pregnant, and actually took a few pregnancy tests at seperate times. Because I don't have my normal monthy period, it is hard to tell what part of my cycle I am in. The nausea is still there, and after a couple of months I decided it must be a side effect too.

And I have not been able to lose the rest of my pregnancy weight. After child number one, I lost 1/2 the weight, then when she was a toddler and stopped nursing the rest of the weight just dropped off. My body retains weight when i am nursing due to a slow metabolism After the twins I lost half of the weight, and expected to lose the rest when they quit nursing, but got the IUD and I have gained weight. I know I have a slow metabolism due to not eating regularity (3 kids in 2 years), but i do think that the IUD has contributed to the weight issue. I have also always had a very small wast and middle, and now my belly is much larger.

I also feel that i may have some ovarian cysts, or get them when I am ovulating, and I have a lot of pain right around where my ovaries are when i am due to ovulate. I have always felt when I ovulate but this is much more painful.

I have also been tired, and have little energy, but whether this is due to the IUD or the 3 little ones I don't know.

My oldest is 4 now and my twins are 2 1/2, so we will probably be ready to try for another baby sometime in the next year. I have to feel 110% ready because we have an increased chance of having twins again, and my twins now would have to be old enough that I could handle twins again, so I guess I am choosing to suffer the side effects. They did get better for me, or maybe we as a family just got used the them. I ask myself so often, like a poster at the top of this page "Is the Mirena worth it?" All I know is I do not want a baby right now, and it has prevented me from getting pregnant for 1 1/2 years, which is the longest point in my married life that I have gone without getting pregnant, but at the same time hubby and I never have sex anymore since I have no sex drive I never want to and because I am such a bitch he never wants to, so again the Mirena has prevented me from getting pregnant in that way! haha really not funny but gotta laugh to not cry. I will not be getting mi IUD out for a while now, so i guess it is worth is sadly enough. I wish we had more options.
Marcie

just wanted to share my experience with the NuvaRing. i was on it for about a year and stopped taking it about two months ago when my boyfriend and i broke up.

pros:
easy to use, although it took about a month to get totally used to it and not feel it at all anymore. and although my boyfriend said he could feel it, it never bothered him.

bigger boobs! waaaay bigger. :-)

cons:
abdominal cramping. not severe, but not fun.

decreased sex drive. on a scale of 1 - 10, 10 being my normal sex drive, it went down to a 6.

i attributed my weight gain over the past year to lifestyle changes, but in the few months i have been off the ring those ten pounds i have been trying so hard to get rid of just dropped off effortlessly. while on the ring i was heavier than i have EVER weighed in my life but didn't make the connection to the hormones until i stopped using it.

overall, not a terrible experience, but for me the weight gain is a deal breaker. oddly enough, i am one of the only women i know who did not gain weight while using depo provera, so i was surprised that this bc had that effect. when i was on Yasmin i had SEVERE nausea, so quickly stopped taking that.

i have several friends that love the ring, which is actually why i started it, but it's not for me. time to try another pill or talk to my doctor about the long term effects of depo. :-(

I was taking Femcon for 6 months. During this time, my sex drive was terrible. I was unable to have normal sex due to dryness in my vaginal area. I've never had this problem before in my life. My fiance noticed a difference in my body during sexual intercourse while I was taking the pills. We knew that this was something unusual, because we have been together for 4 years now. I contacted my doctor and she advised that I come off the pill and try Sprintec. This is my first month on Sprintec so I hope that it is a whole lot better than Femcon. After all, I don't need a problem with satisfying my fiance' or my own personal needs.

I have been on Yasmin for exactly a year now; I switched to it from my last BC because I was having periods for 2 to 3 weeks at time. Yasmin has fixed my period regularity but since then I have had ABSOLUTELY NO SEX DRIVE. That is really really weird for me... so naturally I was freaking out and thinking that maybe something was wrong with me or with my relationship with my bf, until one of my friends told me that she started having the same problem when she started taking Yasmin. Now, after reading this site I feel even better about what's going on with me. I am afraid to switch pills again, though because I had so many problems before. I just want my normal sex drive back!!
Also, has anyone else experienced chest pain?? I have sharp pains in the right side of my chest and in my right arm. It has only recently started and I thought, at first, that it might have something to do with my acid reflux but after reading everyone's comments it sounds like it might have something to do with Yasmin. I would appreciate any comments or advice!

26 years old/on YASMIN for one year.

I'm sorry you've all experienced so many negative side effects on YASMIN. Everybody is different and it's important to find the pill that's right for you. Ten years ago I tried the BC that comes in the form of a shot in the behind once every three months, and it made to throw-up and gain weight after just one dose. I never took another dose, but it was a year before my body went back to normal. So i know what it's like to have your body disagree with BC.

After ten years I decided to go on the pill again, and I was extremely nervous. I even had a couple different prescriptions filled and then backed out of taking them. Finally, one year ago, I started taking YASMIN. I experienced ZERO NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS. And I immediately felt better than I had in years. I have always had severe anxiety and have been hospitalized for panic attacks and heart palpitations. My last panic attack was on the second day of taking YASMIN, and I have been anxiety free for a year. Okay, well.. I do get anxious sometimes; life can be stressful. But i don't feel like my hearts going to explode, and I don't get dizzy, shaky, nauseous, or any of those other terrible sensations.

I have had many other positive effects:
My periods are lighter. I only have cramps every couple of cycles which are very mild (before I needed a hot pad and some pain meds). But the biggest change for me has been my mood. I am finally happy. I feel like a normal person for the first time, and EVERYONE notices a difference in the way I look and behave.

I'm not telling anyone to take YASMIN. And if i had even one of the terrible side effects some of you have mentioned I would have stopped the pill before finishing the first pack. I just thought you might like to know that if you do find a pill that's right for you, it can greatly improve your life and overall happiness. Be smart, do research, and most importantly- LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!
.

I have been on the Nuvaring for 8 months, and I finally got to the end of my rope tonight and removed it forever.

The biggest problem for me was the loss of sex drive. I didn't realy attribute it to the ring at first, but I now have almost no sex drive whatsoever. I almost loathe having sex with my boyfriend - I feel like it's a chore. When I do feel like I'm in th emood, my body sort of betrays me; I can't lubricate myself very well, and once we get started, I don't really feel "into it."

The other problems I hadn't really even considered were side effects of the ring, but here are some other things that have been bothering my life within the past 8 months: swollen breasts, intense lower back pain, total loss of energy. Much like the woman who posted before me, I used to be very physically active - I was running 15-20 miles a week, and since I started the ring, I have felt very lethargic. Running and exercise used to be a huge part of my life, and now I get to the gym once a week if at all and then I'm there, I don't feel the same energy I once had...

The lower back pain was indescribable. It was so terrible at one point that I had to take off work for two days because it kept me awake at night crying in pain. I practically lived with a heating pad on my back for two weeks because it was so terrible. When I went to the doctor, he found it strange that I couldn't attribute the pain to a particiular incident... I wonder now if it was a result of the ring.

But, as I said, I threw the towel in, so to speak, on the ring, mainly so my boyfriend and I can get back to a normal sex life. I will update in a few weeks when the hormones have worn off.

I have been on Yasmin for 5 months. I'm 19, and decided to start taking the pill for both contraception and my bad acne, which I've had my entire teenage life. Throughout my 5 months I have suffered with a variety of side effects, including nausea, migraines (which I'd never had in my life before), leg and feet cramping, crying a lot - depression, tender and swollen breasts, vaginal dryness and worst of all a decreased sex drive. Has anyone else suffered from this? It's been so bad that Yasmin has been a contraceptive in a way I never expected. And this took me a while to realise, because being only 19 and very sexually inexperienced, I wasn't really sure what my normal sex drive should be.
I have therefore decided, to stop taking Yasmin, and allow my body to get back to normal. I was also wondering how long it would take? And if there is any kind of detox diet I could do, to get this awful chemical out my body.
The only positive thing Yasmin has done, is it's cleared up my acne and regulated my previously irregular period.
But, I'd rather have spotty skin and a sex drive any day. Yasmin is an awful pill, I just can't believe how glorified drs seem to make it seem. Someone needs to do something, people need to know, what risk they are really putting their bodies at when they take this thing.
Please reply.
Binx

I wanted to give you an update. I wrote on this forum about a year ago. I have been off yasmine for 15 months, it has taken this long to be just about totally back to normal. I am 48 years old, still menstruating, but yasmine had hit me in a particuarly bad way.

In that, I mean, after two years of being on the pill it triggered Inflammatory bowel disease, IBS, terrible GI problems, and worst of all panic attacks and anxiety. At first, getting off of yasmine made it all worse, for about 3 months, but then gradually it began to get better each month.

But it has taken all of these 15 months for me to finally report a very normal menstrual cycle, normal PMS, bad periods (but that is welcome, it tells me everything is like it as before), a normal sex drive, and normal gastro intestinal function. The only thing that still lingers is anxiety in the couple of days preceeding ovulation and a few days preceeding my period. This anxiety is worse than it was in my pre-yasmine days, but nothing compared to how it was when I was on the pill.

All I can say, is for those of you that have stopped taking it, be patient. Eventually you too will feel back to your old selves. For those of you who are still taking it, be wary of any odd symptoms, especially anxiety and GI symptoms. I have filed a report with the FDA, as I believe this is a very dangerous drug that was approved too soon, and all of us have been guinea pigs for the pharmaceutical industry. Good luck to all the other recovering victims. If you are off it, you will eventally be OK>

Hi there,

I have been suffering for about 1 1/2 years from the same symthoms. I thought for sure that I was the only one... I was told by my Dr. that YASMIN was "so" safe and very mild, and that i shouldn't suffer from any side effects at all. Yeah right, so much for that! I have not been able to have "NORMAL" sex with my husband for months now, keep in mind I am only 26 and I should have a healthy sex drive. I too have experianced the migrains and the o so horrible bloating. I feel some times that I am not normal and then the crying begains. my poor honey thinks I'm nuts :0( i want my life back!!!! I used to work out 5 days a week, can you believe I am lucky if I can force myself to go once a month. I have NO energy, I mean if it weren't for my husband pushing me I would be on the couch asleep right now! I am afraid to quit the pill, cause my Dr. said, you need to take these in order to prevent your cyst from getting larger. I don't want to have surgery!!!! but, I do have to say i feel more pain every month when ovulating than before the YASMIN. Well, I am sorry that all you girls are suffering, but i do have to say thank god I'm not alone! I feel your pain literally...

Lotsa luv,

Jess

My doctor got me on this about 4 years ago for elevated sholesterol. What he DIDN'T tell me was that it would ruin my sex life. Between being too weak to pursue it and then not able to achieve release, I was getting pretty depressed. Doctor then suggested anti-depressants! Sheesh! What a merry go round! I gave up the Lipitor, and the interest started coming back, but it was still physically difficult, almost like there were nerves in certain sensitive spots that were numb (nerve damage???). Recently, another doctor tried to put me on statins again. I told him we'd compromise, and demanded a prescription for a treadmill. I'm be doubling my dose of garlic and vitamin C, and hopefully getting back to a normal sex life, too.

Picked up a prescription for Lisinopril today. 20MG tablets for High Blood pressure. 57 yo male, smoker, beer drinker, chronic bronchitis. (Yeh, I know)
Was on beta blockers before (Tenormin) At night cramps in feet and calf mucles, cough, diareah, lethargic, fatigue, cough and most importantly IMPOTENT, Viagra is not all its cracked up to be.
So, as far as side effects, looks like they about simular, but I sure hope the impotency problem will be solved.
I'll take the stuff stuff tomorrow, but thanks to this site, I'm warned. Thanks to all. I asked my doctor to switch me to an ACE inhibitor. I want a normal sex life back, as I did before the Beta blockers, then I think I can live with some of the side effects.
I'll report back in a month.

I take 50 mg of Toprol, and find it necessary to take 20 mg of Cialis to maintain my sex drive. It is absolutely critical to take the Cialis in order to enjoy my normal sex drive. Similarly, I will back off taking Toprol some days in order for the Cialis to have the maximum effect.