Orthotricyclen symptoms and conditions

I am feeling such relief right now- I'm not alone. After having EKGs and Cardio-pulmonary stress tests, CAT scans of my lungs and chest, an abdominal ultra sound, and stress echocardiograms (all of these were normal or negative, mind you), not to mention months of anxiety, I finally started talking with a cardiologist to see if I had done/started anything around the time my symptoms started. I realized I had switched from an oral (orthotricyclen) to nuvaring birth control about two months before I started my symptoms of no sex drive, difficulty breathing, exhaustion, and severe anxiety. To elaborate- I was a national champion soccer player, I've always been in great shape, and I couldn't walk up a flight of stairs without being exhausted. I couldn't hold a five minute conversation without chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Everyone kept saying I was stressed (new job, new house), but I know I wasn't doing anything that unusually stressful. I love my job, and my house, and while I realize they may cause some stress, I shouldn't CONSTANTLY feel like this.

The most pressing issue, of course, was the breathing stuff. The doctor suggested, even though he wasn't familiar with the nuvaring side effects, that I take it out to see if there was any change. After reading what all of you have written, and after being off it for two weeks, and beginning to feel a change, I'm pretty damn sure it was Nuvaring. I already remember that my husband is sexy, and I'm able to go on dog walks without getting winded. I also am happier, and feel more awake, than I have in a year.

THANK YOU ALL for posting. I'm going to warn my girlfriends of this stuff- I wish my doctor (who is no longer my doctor) had said more than "there really aren't any side effects except some discharge- nothing different than the usual pill side effects".

Reading this page made my entire night because I suddenly know I'm not crazy!! I came on here to do research because lately I have been 100% psychotic and could not figure out why- everything people are describing on here! Anxiety, panic attacks, nightmares, irritability, horrible mood swings, crying at EVERYTHING... and I've never been like that before. I switched from Orthotricyclen to Yaz around a year ago and these symptoms have been getting worse and worse. Like so many others here I blamed it on other problems- bad roommates, bad jobs, men, money, etc. But I've dealt with those problems all my life and never had this amount of emotional distress. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow for a new prescription!!

I just put the NuvaRing in last night and today I just don't feel right. I had a slight headache this morning which I didn't attribute to the ring because I was already on my cycle but I have been on an emotional rollercoaster this morning. After reading the side effects I got scared. I started having shortness of breath, which is one of the signs they tell you to look out for and call the doctor immediately. However, I am not sure if the shortness of breath is from the ring or me having a panic attack which I do have occasionally when I get nervous and/or scared. So needless to say I have called my doctor and asked her to call the pharmacy and refill my RX for the OrthoTricyclen that I was previously on which I will probably start to take tonight after removing this thing. All of this and it hasn't even been 24 hours.

I changed to Femcon Fe from orthotricyclen after some break-through bleeding. Within the first few days I had nausea, vomiting, and cramping. But the worst side effect was the mood swings. I became very angry and restless. I felt like a totally different person, and the people around said so too. Bottom line is I switched back to orthotricyclen before my first pack of femcon fe was even finished...I would rather have breakthrough bleeding than feel like my blood is boiling with rage.

I've been on Femcon for about a month now, and so far so good. I started out on OrthoTriCyclen which made me vomit several times a week, so, strike one. Then went to Yasmin, which was okay, but decided to switch to Seasonique (sp?) for the convenience of a few periods a year, but it made the skin peel off my face at an alarming rate. I was then switched to Yaz, that was great except for one thing: It stole away any sex drive I may have had--no good. Because of this, my doctor switched me to Errin-a progesterone based mini pill-which did give me back my sex drive, but also made my acne horrific, the skin on my scalp peel off, and my breasts painful. Needless to say, it has been a long and difficult struggle with the world of oral contraceptives, so here's hoping that Femcon works out for me!

I'm not sure; I don't feel like myself on this pill, but I've just been told that that is what a birth control pill will do to you. Do I just try to wait it out for a while or switch pills? All I know is that I'm tired of feeling like this, but if all pills are the same, then should I even bother switching?

I am a 30 year old, been on L24Fe since beginning of Aug 06 due to breakthrough bleeding for several months on Ortho TriCyclen which I had been on since 1994, with no problems. Once I started it, my breakthrough bleeding stopped-in fact I never had a period again.

However, after a month, I started experiencing shortness of breath, and my heart was racing, I went to the Dr, they did an EKG, chest xray, pulmonary function tests, allergy tests. You name it. Dry mouth, dry eyes, vaginal dryness, hot flashes, insomnia, acne and wheezing and coughing followed. I was seen by several top specialists. They decided that I had Vocal Cord Dysfunction and it was caused by either something called Sjorgren’s syndrome or Acid Reflux. They decided it must be Acid Reflux-even though I didn’t feel like I had indigestion. They started me on protonix, that didn’t work, then switched me to prevacid, then when that didn’t work, they decided to put me on prilosec, then doubled the dosage, then tripled the dosage. By that time, I was doubled over in pain and was going to the bathroom every ½ hour. My stomach was swollen so bad, I looked very pregnant. I am a petite, thin person. I gained about six lbs over this time and I’ve been the same weight since I was 18, and I worked hard to keep it just at six lbs. (working out 2xs a day-seriously became a huge gym rat). I couldn’t wear my wedding rings b/c my hands were so swollen-when I complained-they said they weren’t “that swollen” and I just needed to buy bigger rings. I finally had an endoscope in Nov 07 and they ruled out acid reflux (which I knew bc I had no symptoms).

They then decided it must be the Sjorgrens-a very serious auto-immune disease-which causes-dryness everywhere, and they were guessing the dryness was causing my vocal cords to spasm-so they tested me-with a blood test-it was negative. They said sometimes the blood test is negative-so they then did a lip biopsy-also negative. The doctors all finally said, we don’t know what’s causing this, we’re stumped. You’re just going to have to live with the Vocal Cord Dysfunction-here’s some anti-depressants. I didn’t want to take them so I didn’t. I was stressed b/c I wanted to start a family-but how-I had no sexual desire, and I wasn’t an emotional wreck-not ideal conditions for starting a family-right?

Throughout all of this, I kept asking each dr. could it be my pill? No, it’s not the pill and I believed them b/c I had never had any problems with Ortho. I decided that I would go over my huge medical file 5 weeks ago. I spent two days and then got online and found this website and spent about 6 hours reading everyone’s comments. I was at the end of my package. I threw all of them away. It has been a month, I’ve never felt better. Suddenly, I’m able breath, my mouth isn’t dry, and I’m sleeping at night. I’m still periodically having hot flashes (but I’m not sure if its just the weather) and I’ve noticed that the vaginal dryness is getting better, but not fully. I have been getting a little dizzy, but I’m told that this pill has iron in it, and I’m likely just noticing the reduction in iron. I have started taking an iron supplement and it helped. Also, I got my period after 4 weeks, it wasn’t terrible-it lasted 5 days and it was light. I was massively bloated though. I just weighed myself after 2 days finishing my period-I haven’t weighed myself since about 2 weeks before I stopped the pill and I’ve lost 3 lbs.

If you think about everything. The signs I had ARE THE SAME AS MENOPAUSE. This pill mimics menopause. I’m 30, I’m not ready for that. I am paranoid that I’m never going to be able to have children. Oh yea, and my face has been clear.

All the doctors think I’m crazy, even my gynecologist. I’m considering contacting the FDA to force them to review our complaints so no one else has to go through all of these problems. Please contact me at this email address if you are interested.
I also found this website that we can report complaints to the FDA.

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/

i am 25 years old and have been on orthotricyclen for years. i quit taking the pill about a year ago when i became single. three months ago i met the most wonderful man ever so i decided to get back on birth control. my doctor suggested the NuvaRing. sounded interesting so i decided to give it a try. she suggested that i leave it in for a month at a time, (taking it out and immediately inserting a new one at the first of every month) i find it hugely strange that so many women on these posts have been recommended to leave it in for such different time intervals. some for three weeks, some for a month...and some for three months at a time!!

for the first month i had extreme lower back pain, awful headaches, an eye twitch or two, and just had a nosebleed the other day for the first time in like 10 years!

for the year that i was off of birth control, i was so happy. i was on the pill for almost 9 years! since starting the NuvaRing, i think i cry hysterically like 4 times a week, when before it was almost never (once a month). my boyfriend is starting to think I'm crazy. i can't even have a simple adult discussion with him without losing it. i have also yelled a a few people at work recently.....not like me at all!

i took the ring out a week ago and do not plan on using it anymore. the symptoms have not stopped yet, but I'm hoping i will be back to normal soon.

i also had my period for three weeks when i wasn't supposed to and now is the "off" week and i have nothing but spotting. definitely do not feel like the NuvaRing is good for me at all!

Thank you Ladies! I was up in the middle of the night last night researching YAZ because I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I woke up shaky, heart racing, sweating. It just wouldn't go away. Almost got my daughter and husband up to take me to ER. Then I read all the entries in this blog and was convinced it was the BCP. I got into see a doc in the am. She wasn't my normal doctor, so all I wanted was an overall check. She did EKG, blood and just an overall check -Normal. However, I did have a high pulse. That fluctuates throughout the day anyway, but again it was fast even at rest into the next day. I asked her if YAZ was the cause for this and she said probably not because I was only on it for 1 week. I had switched from being on OrthoTriCyclen. I switched because of depression, long periods, bloating, cramping... I might as well had been on no BCP than OTC. The strange thing was I had been on OTC for 5 years prior to having my first child (3 years ago) and loved it! Which makes me think your body chemistry is always changing. Anyway, my first week on Yaz was MISERABLE! I had constipation, dry mouth, exessive urnation, deydrated eventhough drinking 8 glasses of H2O a day, shaky muscles, muscle fatigue, muscle cramping, low libido, sweating, hot at night, loss of appetite, feeling cloudy in the head- like I hadn't slept for a couple of days, but not tired and then finally the heart issue. I went off of it and I slept like a champ last night. I think I still must have some residual hormones in my body but am convinced it will go away in the next week or so. I wanted to mention at the doc's office when I asked her about the potassium increase that could happen with YAZ, she had no idea that was a side effect. So, she wanted to find out more and had a little book, like a mini phone book, full of all the drugs and their side effects. She got to the page and was astounded by the number of side effects for a BCP. It took up a whole page of the book. She told me she had not seen so many side effects for a BCP ever! I got my potassium checked and it turned out fine. But, if you do have muscle issues go get that checked, b/c potassium is a big component to muscle health. What is odd is sister is on YASMIN and loves it! as well as many of her friends. She told me I would have really sore breasts the first couple of months, but that was about it.

My daughter was on Yasmin for approx 3 years for painful periods. Over the past year she has become severely depressed, angry and just a horrible person to live with. I noticed that on the final week of the pills, the placebo week, she was her old self and put two and two together and made her stop taking Yasmin. She is now back to her happy self, no longer depressed and looking forward to her life. She had informed her doctor of the depression but she never attributed it to the Yasmin and instead referred her to a psychologist, which she never followed through with. Doctors don't know or care to really look into side effects properly. Do not take this drug...it almost killed my daughter!!

I have recently started taking the Orthotricyclen pill. I have had nothing but trouble. I have diabetes, and therefore it has completely screwed up my bloodsugar. This is fine. I have finally found a way to control them. But, I am having some other adverse effects. I am nausiated, EXTREMELY moody, very weird dreams, tired most of the time, etc. But I do have a question. I have slight crampiness in my lower abdomen. It is the same type of cramping (or uneasy feeling) that I get the day before my period. I do not know if this is normal. It does have me a bit concerned. I was told by my doctor that it is better if you do not have sexual intercourse after taking it, up to two weeks after. I was dumb however and did anyways. I am worried that the symptoms that I am having may be that I got pregnant even though I am taking the pill. (I had all of these symptoms when I was pregnant before) If these are normal symptoms, please let me know. (I haven't read anything about other people cramping...only uneasiness, not full on cramp)

I gained so much weight on this pill! I've only been on it for 3wks and gained like 10 pounds Im miserable! my breast have been sore for 2 wks and I have been crampy. I was just switched to this one from Orthotricyclen & did not have any of these problems with that pill

I have been on Yasmin now for nearly 1month. I haven't started the white pills yet, still on the yellow. At first I was completely impressed as I had been having problems with OrthoTriCyclen (after taking it for three years). I still have breakouts on my chin, (majorly annoying) and lately within this week I have had two major anxiety-like attacks. My heart will start racing as if I have been running, I feel like I want to climb out of my skin, my body shakes and trembles as if I am cold, (but I am not) and my skin hurts to the touch. After my most recent attack, I have decided to see my internal medicine doctor to run some tests. Goodness..I had no idea hormones could cause such horror.

Well, I just happend to stumble along this site. I am 30 in 3 weeks, I have been on Yasmin for approx 3-4 mos. I am in my 4th month of the pill now. I have been on bc pills before. I was on Orthotricyclen for 6 years, went off because I was not in a relationship, then tried that again, ended up putting on weight, then being switched to Mircette which I also put weight on with and now, I am on Yasmin. I heard Yasmin was supposed to be this great new bc pill (not too much weight gain). Let me tell you, out of all the pills i have been on in the past, this one takes the cake. My breasts have gotten sooo big. I was already a 32dd, I am a now full 32F. Had to go buy new bras 2/$90. I have absolutely no sexual desire, not even by myself. Then, I feel like a cow. I feel like the weight gain is going to be neverending. I always want to eat (especially sweets). I am obsessing about my weight. Also, I have major mood swings when I am at work, no patience for anyone. (That could be related to me going off Wellbutrin XL).

Also, I do not know if you girls out there know this but, due to the fact that Yasmin has a different progesterone in it, do you know that in the pamphelet that comes with the pak of pills says to go for a blood test after the 1st month to get your potassium level checked for your kidneys. My doctor never told me that. I have a boyfriend with Kidney failure who is on dialysis so I am very up on all this. To me, that just does not sound good. Time for me to make a switch. I am going to try Ortho Tricyclen Lo. We will see how that works out. Well, my advice, I do not like this pill, especially b/c of the kidney affect it has raising potassium levels. One day I hope to donate my kidney to my boyfriend, not lose function of my own. Good luck to whoever comes to this site for advice and making their own decision.

I've been on Yasmin for a month and a half. Everyone else seems to have horrible side effects, but I think since I NEVER get sick, mine haven't been so bad. The only thing is that I have to urinate at least 3 times each night and I have had a few headaches. Other than that, my period only 3 days long and very light. I didn't get any cramps. And this pill makes me a lot less moddy than Orthotricyclen.