Pms symptoms and conditions

I'm 24 and I'm about to start my 3rd package of loestrin 24. I was on birth control several years earlier so it's been a while since I had taken the pill. I am having a lot of the same symptoms as everyone else.

Spotting, vomiting, severe migraines, my boobs are so sore that i almost cry when i touch them, moody, emotional, cry all the time for no reason, bitchy, i've gained 5lbs, i don't crave sex at all anymore, and at first my face was going crazy with break outs, but now it's evened out a little.

I also noticed that my hair is getting a little thinner, I can't sing as well (my throat feels more dry and hoarse), and I drank a few beers a couple of weeks ago and was completely out of it for like a week afterwards. By that i mean to the point that I was going to completely black out.

So here's the biggest question. If loestrin is chalked full of side-effects then what is the best pill to be on? I don't mind having full periods or a little pms. It's worth it to be on something that won't destroy my body. Besides I'm sure the less bitchy I am the more my boyfriend will appreciate the change lol.

I have had Mirena put in Feb 09, so it has been 8 months and for 7months I have had a yeast infection that wont go away. It gets really bad the week before my period and the week after its not too bad. I have used OTC drugs and prescriptions. I have never had a YI before I had the mirena. I do believe it is the reason I have one, so I am going to get it removed. I have also been very tired and foggy feeling and never made that connection until reading all these posts.

I am so relieved reading these messages. I thought I was going crazy alone by myself!!! I got my mirena in March 2009 and I was in love with it for a month. Shortly after around the end of April I started to feel crazy and go through these mood swings. I thought it was cause I have twin toddlers and im unemployed but the symptoms got progressively worse. Now its Oct my boyfriend is sick of me, the headaches and mood swings wont stop and I CANT sleep without Tylenol PMs. Im so excited that I have an answer now!!! Next step is trying to get it removed. Thank you ladies!!! Your voices have given me hope for mine and my family's future!!!

I have been on Yasmin now since around 2004-2005.

I just recently started experiencing really severe mood swings, I would go so far as to say that I have become enraged over things that are so insignificant and that would normally would not bother me even on a bad day. This anger that usually starts right before my period made me start thinking that it might be from my birth control, even though it has only been an issue over the past six months. I have never in my life suffered from PMS, so this was very out of the ordinary for me, but I just assumed I was over stressed and ignored it.

I started looking up side effects of Yasmin, and came across this site which sent me into absolute shock.

Everything listed here by other people, I have experienced over the past four or five years. It all makes sense to me now after reading about other woman's experiences while taking this medication.

I started seeing a GI doctor in 2005 because of extreme diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, dizziness. They ran multiple tests and scans, I had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy which showed irritation. I've been on multiple medications for what they assume is IBS. I was also diagnosed that same year with asthma because of extreme shortness of breath. I am on asthma medication and inhalers because I get very short of breath with exercise which was never an issue in the past. I was 110 pounds, and healthy and active in 2005. I then started to gain weight, and at my heaviest I reached almost 180 lbs (and I am only 5ft 2in tall).

I have since lost weight, but can't seem to get below 140 lbs no matter how much I try. In March of this year I started having extreme pain in my right upper abdomen, and was told I had gallstones and needed to have my gallbladder removed.

It is just makes me so angry to know that no one is doing anything about this and this medication is still being prescribed to women. It angers me that my doctor's knew that I was on this medication and never once questioned that it may be the birth control making me sick. I don't even think the doctor's are aware themselves.

I have been on birth control since I was sixteen to help regulate my periods, and I am now twenty-eight. I have always had difficulty with the pill and have tried many different types of birth control medications. My doctor recommended Yasmin to me because they though I might have poly-cystic ovarian syndrome even though the tests never confirmed it. I will take my chances because I am not taking birth control ever again!

How interesting that I find this information out now. I had my third child at 39 in 2005 and have always suffered from bad periods. I was talked into having a mirena inserted and thats where my story begins. I was told that I would have spot bleeding for about 3 months - after 9 months of continual periods I was well and truly over it as was my partner. I went to my gp who order an ultra sound. This showed it had moved and was sitting sideways and would have to be surgically removed. The side effects were herendous for me and still are after having it taken out two years ago. Not only did I have my periods for 10 months non stop, I had continual nausea, migraines (which I had suffered previously but not to the extent I was having them), massive weight gain, fluid retention, the worst pms which was constant and so so aggressive towards everyone I came in contact with. My sex drive went out the door and my relationship started to fail. My hair also started to fall out in handfuls and still does to this day and my skin was always so dry. I was also constantly tired and had very little energy. Two years ago I went in to to have the mirena surgically removed and at that time I also had an oblation and my tubes tied. The oblation worked for about 6 months but my periods are worse than they have ever been and thats because now Im told Im pre-menopausal!!! I still have the occasional migraine, my hair still falls out in handfuls and my skin is still really dry. My sex drive is starting to come back (thank god). I thought all these crazy symptoms would go away once this horrible mirena was taken out but it seems they're here to stay. I now see a psychologist every week trying to get my aggression back under control which is working well. I wish I had known about all these symptoms prior to having the mirena - I might still be with my partner instead of being single. My advise to anyone wanting permanent contraception - get your tubes tied and stay right away from mirena.

I've been on a lot of different birth control pills, and Yaz is by far the worst. The doctor that prescribed it to me told me that it would help me with my PMS, but it gave me PMS x10! I turned into the Incredible Hulk. I was a basket case. I punched things, slammed doors, threw tantrums and sobbed like a baby. I got the worst acne of my life. It was AWFUL. It turned me into a train wreck. I immediately got off of it, and these CRAZY symptoms went away. NEVER TRY YAZ. IT SUCKS!

I am 30 yrs old, have been taking YAZ for a little less than one year. Loved it at first, my PMDD seemed a lot better, my skin cleared up. (I had adult acne) The decreased sex drive was immediate and after a couple of months I noticed the stomach pains, headaches, and extreme hunger in the mornings as well as shortness of breath and occasional dizziness. I even went to my regular doctor for an inhaler due to the shortness of breath. Since I started this pill to now I've gained a lot of "solid" weight that seems very hard to lose. I've gone from a size 4 to an 8. The only benefit has been that my skin is a lot clearer but as soon as I take the last pink pill in the pack my face breaks out again. This past month I've had horrible mood swings. My anxiety is worse than ever and I overreact to the smallest things. I can't stand myself and feel like a crazy person. While the thought of having acne again makes me very sad, I will no longer take YAZ.

I stopped Yaz about a month ago after being on it for a year and a half and should have had my period a week ago. Freaking out, I took a pregnancy test but it came back negative and I couldn't think why I would be late.Even before I went on Yaz I always had very regular periods, always on time and always for the same length of time, Yaz did help with the severity of my periods and the length of them. My husband suggested that it may be something to do with me quitting Yaz...has anyone else who's quit taking it had these side effects??

So I am reading all of the posts and Like the woman who posted on the 28th , I had and mirena after my 3rd child and then just this May after my 4th child. My first Experience with the Mirena was a little painful going in had 1-2 periods after and then not a period until I had it taken out. I can not say that it was or wasn't affecting my mood as my life was VERY stressful for many reasons. It was Placed in FEB of 2004 and then I had it taken out in June of 2006 because I felt like my body was rejecting it and I was totally uncomfortable and as soon as it was out I got my period. I thought this was normal and all my periods seemed Normal after that. My husband and I used condoms for the next few months for fear that I may be very fertile and then went back to our original family planning method. ( I had Never been on BC prior to the Mirena except for two months as a teenager for cramps) After having our 4th child, who was planned (3rd child was not planned that is why we decided on the Mirena at all) we were not sure if he would be our last and my OB thought I was too young to decide so another Mirena seemed like a good solution. I had it placed this may during my period and it was fine. I thought it was going to be just like the last one, I WAS MISTAKEN. I have had my period almost every 20days they are heavy and last about a week. I feel like my insides are falling out and I just got my period this morning and I had it two weeks ago. I have been unbearable to everyone in my Family and Ended my vacation today by storming off for five hours alone trying to deal my suicidal thoughts!!!! I came on the computer to search for a reason why I would have my period within two weeks of each other and founds this site. So much of this makes sense that it scares me. I have had a both experiences and am still trying to take in that my actions tonight may have been induced by my Mirena. Never would I have thought I would feel like this after my first experience but now thinking back maybe my coping skills with what was happening in my life then would have been better. As far as the weight When I had the first one Out I went from a size 14 to a size 6 (that at one point were big) in almost 2 months.... This time I have lost weight but I was also put on antidepressants which there side affect is weight loss!!! I am sorry if this is all over the place but my thoughts are all jumbled as I am trying to make sense of this.... I really never thought it was the Mirena until I read these Blogs!!!

I'm 37 and have been taking Yaz for 3 weeks now and all I want to do is sleep and eat. This is the first time I have changed my birth control in 5 years. My doctor put me on Yaz because my PMS is so bad and my boyfriend is over the monthly break up. I feel just like you do....I always worked out at lest 5 days a week and I haven't gained weight since high school. Now I have been eating cookies every night and I'm not working out at all. I was telling my boyfriend that I just don't feel right. I don't even want to finish the pack of Yaz pills I have.... but I'm scared if I start taking my old pills for the rest of the month it's going to mess me up. I'm so happy that I'm not the only girl that feels this way. My boyfriend wants me to give it a chance because my PMS is sooooo bad. All I know is that Weight gain is one of the side effect and I'm not going to put weight on for any reason. If he think I'm a bitch for one week out of the month he doesn't want to see me gaining weight and miserable...TOTAL BITCH !!!
Thanks for your feed back it helped.
J.

i have been miserable taking these pills..first week of 2nd pack..couldn't figure out why my boobs were killing me in the first pack and then the debilitating fatigue (i am going to lose my job if this keeps up--i come home at lunch and can't do anything but sleep for an hour! in addition, as soon as i get home at 5 i have to rest again,.so not me and so NOT able to continue this way)..i also have had 2 weeks of major headaches with the first 2 characterized as the worst i can ever remember. I am not a person who has issues like this...I am 41 and never been on BC. I started because the older i get the worse the periods and pms are and longer...heavier, more intense moodiness and pain. I am convinced as of tonight that i think i rather have all that back. I can't do this. I left a message for my doctor after reading 2 days worth of blogs now i know its not a flu, pregnancy or the 'weather'. I was also having hard time breathing (felt like i couldn't get a deep breath so i had to really inhale and i looked like i was having an attack..i thought it was the humidity here in the NE...now i know thats from these damn pills). I also did not get my period the first brown pills till the Sunday i started my new pack and it lasted only a day.
If i didn't read this site, i was convinced something major was going on like a brain tumor or something. i need to get off these pills.

I have been taking the generic form of Alesse for just 5 days and I am ready to stop it. I have been experiencing Severe insomnia. I was up until after 5 a.m. yesterday and it is 3:30 a.m. as I am writing this, and I have to work tomorrow! Also, I've been experiencing mood swings and depression. I even told my doctor that my primary reason for going on the pill was to control my PMS better...this isn't doing the trick. I'd like to think that if I stayed on this a little longer things might get better, but this is not worth it. I have been on birth control in the past and never had problems like this. I don't think it's worth any woman putting herself through these and other symptoms just to take the Pill. Condoms suck, but it's better than putting yourself through emotional hell.

My 9 year old daughter got her first shot in Dec. 2008 and her second in Feb. and the last in June. We have have been to the doctor a lot of times due to headaches with the doctor's opinion being that it's "allergies". She is now on allergy shots with still no relief from the headaches. I listened to her pediatrician and got her the shots. I feel so bad now after reading all the problems others are having with this vaccine. She also has had a change in her attitude aggression,moodiness,cries often, and she says she's depressed. If anybody has any suggestions for us please let me know. I love my little girl and know I'm worried.

I'm 44 with 2 kids & started Loestrin 24 about 3 weeks ago. I just wanted to say that if you are experiencing any side effects, please keep in mind to give the pill AT LEAST 3 MONTHS for your body to get used to it. Your body has to adjust to the hormone level. I am already being treated for PMDD (extreme PMS resulting in major mood swings & depression) so I really don't want to mess with that situation since I have finally gotten that under control with a low dosage of Prozac. I feel fine now but started having long, heavy periods so I decided with my doctors guidance to try the Loestrin. If it doesn't work, I will consider ablation surgery since I don't want anymore kids. I have had some spotting & feelings of slightly more depression on the Loestrin but I will definitely give it 2 more months. Good luck to all and HANG IN THERE!! It sure sux being a woman sometimes!!!

I just started loestrin 24 fe this week and I have never had so much anxiety in my life. I'm 18 and this is my first experience with birth control. I was put on it to get rid of the depression I get with my PMS. I'm pretty sure I just had my very first panic attack. My breathing got heavy, I thought I was going to throw up but never did. I felt impending doom and I didn't know what to do to stop feeling that way. My mind has been racing constantly for the past 5 days about things that normally don't bother me. I'm worried about everything. This has been the worst week of my life. 4 day periods are not worth this.

I was on the ring for about 1 1/2 years and went off about 4 months ago. I had a normal period 2-3 days after going off it (as usual) and have NOT had a period since. In addition, I have gained 15 pounds since going off the ring 4 months ago! I feel like I have constant PMS and only ONE pair of my jeans fits me now... literally. This is absolutely ridiculous and my doctor just doesn't get it... I have NEVER had to watch what I eat and have always been thin. Now, I work out at least 5 times a week and monitor EVERY calorie that enters my mouth... still, no results. I went on to see my doc yesterday and felt like strangling her as she was telling me my issues were not related to the ring - she's an idiot. I know my body better than anyone and something is WRONG. She sent me to get all the bloodwork today (thyroid, etc) and we'll see how that turns out.
The ring was great, but going off it is hell

I can't believe that I finally found the solution to my problem! I didn't know what was happening to me its like I am a whole different person.
My side effects:
mood swings
weight gain
decreased sex drive dramatically
depression
not caring about anyone
feeling like i am the biggest loser in the world
i cry at everything
I take the pill at night and it seems like night time is the worst time. I cry to my boyfriend about how I want more attention from him when he gives me the most attention ever lately. I cry about the stupidest things and he even said somethings wrong with you emotionally.
It's effecting our relationship because I been on Yaz for years and up until the last 2 months i been a complete nut case. I am a freaking psycho and hate everyone. I am so glad I found out what it was and I am stopping this and changing my birth control or just stopping it completely for a little while because I want my life back before I ruin it all.

I just finished my first month on Loestrin 24 fe. I have to admit, after reading online I was scared to start taking these pills after seeing some side effects. However, you have to keep in mind everyone is different and will react differently. So I prepared myself for any kind of weird things and side effects I may have. However, I have LOVED this pill so far. The only side effect I have had is my boobs have grown (which isn't so bad- ha ha). I think I have actually felt better on this pill as far as moods has gone. I used to have TERRIBLE cramps along with vomiting and backache. I would spend at least a few days a month in bed. Not to mention the week of hell before my period with PMS. But this first month on the pill I experienced none of what I normally would. My period came on the second day of the brown pills and lasted three days--very light too! I had no cramps and no PMS! I LOVE IT!!!

Hi, I was on Singulair for two years and I had one additional side effect that I've not seen anyone else mention: allergy-like reactions to antibiotics. Prior to taking Singulair I had a bad reaction to only one antibiotic, doxycycline. I had elevated heart rate and blood pressure and ended up with what I was told is called intracranial hypertension or high blood pressure in the head which is the worst and most severe headache I've ever experienced.

While I was on Singulair I had the same reaction to every antibiotic that I was prescribed and they were all antibiotics that I had taken in the past without any problem. I stopped taking Singulair about a month ago and was able to take an antibiotic again without any problem. Every medical professional I've talked with about it said it was news to them and they've never heard of such a side effect.

This was, of course, in addition to many of the other mental and emotional side effects that other people have posted about: severe anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, inability to think coherently. The worst was just before periods. I figured it was wacky hormones after having my son but my periods since stopping stopping Singlulair have been WORLDS different. The first was within a few days of stopping and I had really heavy flow with lots of clots. (I know, TMI... sorry!) The most recent period came with mild PMS instead of the mental near-incapacitation accompanied by paralyzing anxiety and depression that I had been experiencing the past two years and the period has been relatively mild and manageable.

One more side effect I want to mention is intestinal cramping. I have been having increasingly frequent intestinal cramping and pain over the past year and had no idea what was causing it. I missed work and spent long periods of time in the bathroom expecting diarrhea that rarely came. Since stopping Singulair that has stopped as well.

All I can say is that Singulair was clearly not the drug for me. My entire life has been improved in just 3 - 4 weeks since I stopped taking Singulair. That's good considering my entire life was turned upside down over two years of taking it... at least the improvement has been faster than the degradation. Now if I can just get my asthma under control again (no, Singulair did not manage the asthma well to top it all off) I'll be doing beautifully!

I know this is long, but I could really use your help, so I would appreciate you taking the time to read through to the end. (thanks :-) )

First, I want to thank everyone posting. I needed to read this stuff because I'm absolutely terrified of what's happening to me. I'm on the second week of my very first pack of Loestrin- my very first birth control pill EVER. I didn't want to start, but my OBGYN encouraged me to, once I told her I had 8 day long episodes of clots, cramping, vomiting and just sheer misery once a month. She said this would help if I'm sure to take it as recommended.

So I took the first one the Sunday after my period started, at 8:45am and have taken it religiously since. I have not changed my diet or routine. I exercise and eat fairly well. And there are no particularly stressful factors in my life. I am also quitting smoking- just down to 2-3 a day instead of 10 or 15.

Now that I've been doing this for 2 weeks, I think I would rather suffer what I had before. At least it was predictable! I have been bleeding for 5 days now. And this is NOT my time to be on my period. I'm sad and tired. I have back pain and on-and-off cramps. I have nearly no sex-drive. My boyfriend and I had sex at least 4 times a week and I masturbated on the nights we didn't. And although he is INCREDIBLY supportive, I can tell he feels lost and helpless around me. I don't want him to touch me, hold me, or even breathe on me! Normally, we are very affectionate and I am active and fun. Now, I just want to be left alone. I feel fat, unwanted, dirty, depressed...the list goes on.

I feel as though there is something seriously wrong with my body, because I shouldn't look or the feel the way I do or bleed like I am. I called the doctor and she said that I should give it till the end of the month. But 1 month is a long time to live with a depressed quality of life. 1 month is a long time to cry yourself to sleep with alcohol and Motrin.

I feel angry that the best the medical society can do is give us something that is trial and error, fully aware that it may hurt us, though temporarily, and make the lives of the people around us miserable. I am concerned the even my doc is in the pocket of some pharmaceutical company to give me a drug that she said would help and has only hurt.

Or maybe I'm just paranoid...

Anyone have any encouraging reasons why I should continue this? My sister, who was on Ortho for a while and DIDN'T like it, suggests that I stick out a little longer and I trust her opinion, but would like more. I'm open to suggestions or comments. (Especially if you know a way to stop my period so I spend less days of the month on it than I am on...)
Thanks :-)

I am a 25 y/o mother of 5 boys, and my youngest is 8 months old now, and I had mirena inserted in Jan. 2009. I also I have lupus, so my hair falls out when I am pregnant or breastfeeding, but I delivered in Nov. 2008, and stopped breastfeeding in May 2009, and since I quit breastfeeding, my hair falling out has only gotten worse. The first 4 months that it was in, I had a heavy non-stop period. Now I get a 7-8 day period twice a month. In between my lengthy periods, I have a discharge that smells really weird. My partner tries to be understanding, but it's difficult for him I know. He says I have permanent PMS, and that I'm pushing him away. My mood swings from happy to sad to out right angry at the drop of a dime. It's kinda scary really, especially since I work around people and can't afford to have a break down out of nowhere. My partner also said he can feel the threads from the mirena sticking him when we have sex, and that it hurts him. On top of that, whenever we have sex, I always start bleeding for a couple of days (2-3) w/ real bad cramping. I have also had weight loss instead of gain, I get body chills, nausea, irritability, and the list could go on forever. I also had a bad experience w/ the depo shot, and I'm not good w/ pills, so I am looking for another form of birth control that isn't permanent because we would still like to try for a girl one day, just not now .... HELP ME!

WOW!!! I am SO GLAD I stumbled across this site. I have been on the ring for about 4 1/2 months. The first few months were fine, but these past few months I have been experiencing the exact same side effects that everyone is describing in their posts. I have no sex drive whatsoever, have been extremely moody and depressed, constantly eating & wanting to eat. My cycle may be a little off, definitely lighter (which is a major plus), I don't really get cramps anymore, which is great. But now after reading all these posts from everyone, I am convinced the reason I have been so depressed with no sex drive is because of the ring. I am also constantly tired and fatigued ALL THE TIME. Wow, am I glad I came across this site. Thank you so much to everyone for your posts. I believe it is the end of the ring for me :) Does anyone have any suggestions as to another form of the pill that may not have these crazy side effects? Thanks so much!

Wellbutrin makes my hair fall out and really really angry. I've been screaming and just very irritated. I worry about everything. It helps my pms and ocd thoughts but I don't know if that's worth all this irritability. I notice that I just want to give up all the time because I am so overwhelmed with everything. Lexapro is really good for me but I am overweight and need to lose weight and lexy wouldn't let me do that. My plan is to try and stick it out for a couple of months with wellbutrin and get this weight off and then go back to lex. Lex does not cause me to gain weight, just won't let me lose any weight. I hate my attitude and anxiety and I hate being overweight, I feel like I'm making the right choice at the moment and am eagerly anticipating the day I can drop wellbutrin. I do have to say that without wellbutrin I get crazy mad (ptsd) no sleep crying constantly just really freaked out so it does help a little. And the hairloss isn't too bad, no sexual side effects or headaches, no nausea bad dreams etc...just very angry and sweaty...Thanx for reading :) Lori

UPDATE - Day 11 post removal

Still have not bled.
Still having vertigo migraines.
Still have numbness in R foot.
Still moody/irritable.
Still bloated and GAINING water weight.
Still crying (though not as much).
Still have NO energy.
Still having severe memory issues and BRAIN FOG!!!

NEW ACNE ON ARMS!!! :-(

Taking B12, B6, magnesium, multivitamin.

I'm upset/disappointed. I thought taking it out would make me feel better right away and gradually get better and better. So far I'm the only one on here who didn't bleed right away and start feeling good. Maybe more of the progestin got into my system and it will take a bit longer for it to leave?

NEED ENCOURAGEMENT!

Sorry to post again, but NO ONE REPLIED TO MY POST!

I am 5 days post removal and need reassurance. Unlike everyone else, I have NOT felt better right away. I am just as tired (if not more), more irritable, and JUST GOT ACNE on my face and arms 2 days AFTER removal! I'm still dizzy and the brain fog is just as bad. Have not bled a drop at all.

I know everyone is different, but my removal experience has been completely different... don't feel better, no bleeding/clots, no immediate improvement. IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH ME??? Was it not the Mirena after all???