Pound weight gain symptoms and conditions

I have been on quasense for 2 months, starting my 3rd month when I started to talk to my aunt about different birth controls. She told me her aunt was on Seasonale and my aunt was taking Seasonale (sp?) and they both hated it! My aunt started to tell me about the horrible 3 week periods and my sister has had the 3 week period of weird dark brown not blood but more of a solid clump? I haven't started to take the pills to help me with my period but after reading all of these comments I'm getting nervous to start taking them! I have noticed about a 5-7 pound weight gain (went to the doctors because of a yeast infection, which I have never had before), I get migraines about 7-8 times a year for about a week at a time, but after starting this new birth-control, I cannot get rid of my migraines no matter how much medication I take for it (and that medication makes the birth-control effectiveness go down :(...) and I have become quite irritable/bitchy with my boyfriend lately. I thought this was due to me starting college a couple weeks ago (the freshman 15, being stressed etc...) but now I'm not too sure. If anyone could PLEASE give me some idea as to what they think I should do as in keep taking quasense or switch to a new birth-control.

Okay, here is my story.
I went on Ovcon when I was 19 (in 2000 I think) and took it nonstop for about 8 years. I finally went off of it this past April 2009. When I first started I did get all the normal side effects (5 pound weight gain, breast tenderness, etc) but after 3 mos it resolved. When they switched to Balziva I noticed those same mild symptoms that also resolved. I finally made the decision to go off of it when I broke up with my boyfriend, since I had been wanting to for a long time. I noticed over the last 4 years my hair had been getting progressively thinner and thinner. I can't believe how much thinner my hair looks now compared to when I started, looking at pictures from when I started was always a shock. I know there is no real evidence for this but BC has been loosely connected with gum recession, ligament laxity, etc which I have also been experiencing. Don't know if that can be attributed to BC or not, but it just contributed to my concerns with being on the pill for so long. After 8 years, I barely got a period, it was more like a day or two of clumpy brown crap, I'm sorry I know that is gross, or no period at all. Honestly the period part of it was a plus since it is never fun to be on your period.
So, I was very worried about what would happen, especially with my hair when I stopped taking the pill. Let me tell ya, it wasn't pretty. Starting a few weeks after I finished my last pack of Balziva, (I didn't stop mid pack in order to keep things as normal as possible) my hair started falling out in handfuls in the shower. I actually sat and counted 300 hairs in the hair catcher after one shower. This went on for about two months. I bought Nioxin #1, and it didn't make much difference with the amount of hair falling out. I told myself I would not seek medical advice until my periods regulated again. In my mind this would mean I was back to normal and on a normal hormone cycle. Yikes my hair got thin, but with the Nioxin, did start to grow back. It took about 4 months to get my normal period back, or what I think is a normal period, its been so long since I had one. I was happy about this because my nurse practitioner said it could take up to a year to get your period back. I'm not completely regular now (September) but it seems to be approximately every 5 weeks. But it wasn't really regular before I went on the pill if I remember correctly. Anyway, even though my hair still looks very thin, I am noticing short, growing hairs all over my head. Which is such a relief! I really didn't want to have to go on any more synthetic hormones to take care of my hair problem. I will probably get my hair cut short so it doesn't look so bad till the new hairs grown in. The Nioxin I bought ran out about a month and a half ago and I am back on normal (cheaper) shampoo and the hair that falls out is much less. Although I do still notice my hair all over the place, its not as extreme as it was. We shall see if it ever gets back to pre birth control thickness again. Just a note, I did use the three step Nioxin package, cleanser, conditioner and the spray that is supposed to stimulate hair growth. But again I only bought it once to give me a boost.
Hopefully this is informative for anyone worried about going off the pill. I just really wanted to be all natural again. And condoms aren't so bad :) once you get used to them.
Oh and I have been trying to maintain a healthy diet including lots of greens like kale and spinach, less meat, and lots of fruits and veggies!

So this is an update. I had Mirena taken out 6 weeks ago. Almost immediately my sex drive has returned-yay! My mood is better too, more interest & hope in life. I lost 4 pounds belly looks flatter BUT still am struggling to lose despite exercise and diet (which I have been doing the whole 4 years with Mirena in!). I only hope that I can return close to the weight I was before Mirena. 30+ pound weight gain is not insignificant!!! I think the hormones mess up the body for 6 months to a year. At least thats how long it takes the avg person to get pregnant after removal (and then they are prone to miscarriages). Mirena is a total NIGHTMARE. Ladies, please, dont do it!

I am so happy I came across this site! I have been experiencing all these symptoms as well. I am 22 years old and I have been on the ring about a year. I have noticed that I gained weight in the past year, but just attributed it to getting older. I have always been a petite woman, and so are all the women in my family, so the 8 pound weight gain in the first couple months was a huge shock. I have tried working out, and eating right, but the weight always comes back and my cravings are unlike anything I have ever experienced. I have also noticed extreme irritability and I seem to cry a lot more than I used to, over simple, stupid things. I am in the best relationship I have ever, I have a great job and school is going great, but I seem to get extremely sad and irritated sometimes, especially the week before I take it out and the week after I put it in. I have never been like this crazy, emotional person I seem to be now. I also seem to have no energy and being active is at times a lot harder than it should be, especially for me, as an active, on the go type of person. I also have noticed my leg is always numb, my doctor recommended a massage therapist, which helped, but it always comes back. After reading symptoms of leg pains, due to blood clots, I am even more skeptical.
I have read up on side effects on other websites, but like other readers, it says some women experience these signs. Maybe a lot of women are like me, and have never posted anything. I have not put the ring back in after my last period and I am not going to. I dread it every time I put it in, but until now I thought it was just in my head. I am not getting back on the ring, lets see if I can get rid of these horrible, hormonal symptoms.

I'm only 18 and I've been using nuvaring off and on for a while.
I took it out the first time because it was making me gain weight, decrease in sex drive, anxiety attacks, painful sex and i had been crying for no reason. I feel so bad for my boyfriend because I'm just now realizing that my lack of sex drive and painful sex is most likely related to the nuvaring. We've both been confused for so long and he's been feeling so bad about himself thinking its his fault :(.

This is the 2nd week I've had it in since the first time i took it out months ago and I've gotten what seems to be a yeast infection...but like someone mentioned earlier, my yeast infection tests come back negative...as do std and sti tests.
This is my second time with yeast infection symptoms and im only 18...
so, already that seems a little fishy (no pun intended).
Ive also been tested twice for all stds and sti's both times negative.

My doctor and mother don't believe any of this has anything to do with the nuvaring and tell me that i shouldn't believe what i read on the internet because most of what im reading is "rare"..but i believe it and i believe its happening to me.

im taking it out right now.
This website has been very helpful!

I just started the NuvaRing, and Everything seems to be going okay with an exception for the extreme breast tenderness. I put it in the day I started my period and, like clockwork, my period was gone, but still with some of the period pain such as ovary pain and breast swelling. I asked to be put on the ring because of my extremely painful periods and cramping and plus obviously I don't want to get pregnant. After being on it for something like..a week and a half, I've only noticed mood swings once, and that was last week during what should have been my period, and I think it's because my body is still working out the period symptoms that I should have been experiencing. I'm really worried about weight gain though. I'm not really that hungry unusually or anything.. just kind of normal but I've only been on this for a short time so I am fearful of increase in appetite and weight gain in the near future.. Has anyone had weight gain issues??

Has anyone experienced weight gain after being on Metoprolol? I have always fluctuated with my weight a bit. But this is the heaviest I have ever been without being pregnant. After having my last child I hovered between 160-175lbs.
A few months before being put on Metoprolol I had lost a bit of weight due to stress and got down to about 145lbs. Within less than 2 yrs I am up to 215 lbs. I don't eat as much as one would think I do. I don't drink soda or juices. What I eat is probably less than I did when I maintained 160-175lbs.
Anyone else dealing with weight gain after the Metoprolol? I had one Dr tell me that it can be a contributing factor because the Metoprolol slows down your metabolism and another Doctor told me that a few pound weight gain is sometimes expected but not this excessive.

It amazes me to read all of these posts. I have been on Birth Control for just over 10 years, and in early November, due to a change in health insurance (SURPRISE, SURPRISE), I had to switch to $7 Tri Sprintec, I have been tracking the incredibly obvious side effects and today is my final straw. In 10 years I have never had any of the issues I have been having. I occasionally have mild to moderate headaches, since November, I have had intense migraines every couple of weeks, I was actually in bed tonight at 6pm, because I was feeling so awful. About 2 weeks in, I also become a raging hormonal maniac, I cry, get angry, and I mean angry (in a scary way) and am unreasonable. My sex drive is gone, and I know this is taking a toll on my relationship of over 2 years. With all of that great crap is the 5 pound weight gain and the early periods. In the past I got my period on a Wednesday and it was gone by Saturday, now 2 weeks???
Anyway, I am going to contact my ob/gyn in the a.m., I hope there is something better out there. This drug is just awful.

I have been taking Tri-Sprintec for 3 months. I switched because my insurance does not cover birth control and I was paying $50 a month compared to $9. But it is not worth saving the money. Since taking Tri-Spritec I have had a 7 pound weight gain, I have terrible mood swings and have feelings of depression. There are days when I can't even stand myself. I get angry at everything and everyone. I also have no sex drive and have days where I just want to be alone. I am going to stop taking these pills they are not worth it.
K. T.

My now 17 year old daughter was prescribed Yaz back on 7/12/07. Since then she has had an extreme problem with constipation. She has been to the doctors several times, and is now seeing a gastrointestinal specialist because she can only have a bowel movement if she takes a laxative. The pediatric doctor had her on miralax from April to October trying to get this problem under control. It has not worked. We are seeing the specialist and they are running her through a battery of tests, which will now possible include a colonoscopy (at 17 !!!!). She has been extremely moody and aggravated - which I attributed to her age of course. She is no longer extremely athletic, she doesn't really do a lot. She is not the same person, definitely is a homebody now - never going out hardly with friends,etc. She has also had a 20 pound weight gain and for a tiny girl, this has had a huge effect on her. I have watched all of this, and never really thought about the yaz connection until today when a friend sent me this email with a link to this site:
******

that is when I got scared thinking maybe her problems were all caused by yaz. of course her acne cleared up, but her periods are still irregular and spotty. has anyone else experienced the bowel problems???

Hi Ladies- I promised I would post to let you know how I am doing WITHOUT Aviene. I posted the Sept. 10 comment entitled Thanks ladies because I felt your posts have helped me.

I stopped taking the Aviene on a Thursday and all side effects stopped and no new ones occurred. All is well, I enjoy life without being a freak show.

In a DAY AND A HALF WITHOUT AVIANE MY HEALTH RESTORED.

I mentioned the 20 pound weight gain within a few weeks, by the following Tuesday I lost 9 pounds and today is the 26th and I lost 15 pounds. No anxiety, no irritation, no face issues (in a week it cleared up), no mood or energy issues, no excessive thirst, burning of eyes, chills, fever, rashes, itchy -nothing. I was allergic to it and my body wasn't breaking down the coloring agents etc whatever the hell is in there b/c it's not like you get a box or product descriptions. This isn't personal comments, I spoke with pharmacists, doctors, doctor friends, nurses etc. I work at a hospital I have great resources to share with you.

Whatever your side effects are, let's do this. Let's listen to our bodies, listen to experiences and draw your own conclusions.

I know my body, I know myself, and I know my life changes, mood changes, physical changes were due to this pill.

Please consider when being worried about what will happen if you quickly go off it that the consequences of staying on it are more severe. For me, and for many of us, the side effects didn't stop but kept adding and if you are reading this and are just curious or feel something is off with you do not take it any further. I am sharing that I am not a sensitive person and do not experience side effects... and I completely broke down physically and mentally from the amount of side effects and had to self defend.

Many of your comments helped and let's face it if you read that some ladies lost their hair... come on... obviously something is wrong with this pill.

Take care ladies, my sincere hope is that my post will help you, as you have helped me.

So you know, I went back on Alesse and all is well. My drug company didn't cover Alesse but ALESSE HAS A PATIENT CARD FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT HAVE INSURANCE AND FOR THOSE WHO DO BUT THE COMPANY DOESN'T COVER ALESSE RATHER THE GENERIC AVIANE. Your patient Alesse card you get will cover the difference that your insurance company may not. I paid $ 2.89 for my monthly prescription which is less than if the insurance company covered it. Check with your pharmacy location site if they participate in the program and it is not hard to find one that does.

You may not like Alesse, I can only share my experience with Aviane that did make my life a living hell. Happy to be OFF it!

Please take care and self defend your situation and reach out to those around you.

How interesting to find this site! I, too, was diagnosed with temporal arteritis on February 29 (no more leap years for me!). Because I was already blind in one eye (had no idea) and losing sight in the other eye, I was put on 100 mg daily of prednisone. I had no idea of what I was in for. Since that time I have been able to taper down to 42.5 mg daily, but I don't think I've missed a single side effect. Horrific headaches. A 25-pound weight gain so rapidly it was unbelievable, moon face like I've never seen, was thrown into diabetes right away. My blood pressure went haywire, my cholesterol went haywire (had never had problems with either of them). I think I agree that the most debilitating has been the muscle weakness and leg cramps. I have no balance, have had 3 serious falls. The latest is my skin is breaking down and I'm losing my hair. What hair I have is like somebody held a match to it and frizzed it. I'm short of breath, keep trying to exercise and it's like climbing a high-altitude mountain. Swelling of my feet to where I can wear NO shoes except for Crocs in about three sizes bigger than I ever wore in my life. Now I have a liver problem, am being sent to an "ultra-specialist" for this. The good news is that my remaining eyesight has been stable, and I am very thankful for that. I have been assured by multiple specialists that I would have been blind by now if not for the prednisone. Although it is very difficult for me to read by the time night arrives, and that was my chief "hobby." The other part of this whole sad saga (ha) is how much money my husband and I have been out this year -- unbelievable. Lab tests or doctors every single week and sometimes every single day. I am now under the care of 5 different specialists (ophthalmology, rheumatology, cardiology, hepatology and internal medicine), and it has been so incredibly expensive. This is even with fairly decent insurance. I have been told that I have at least six more months to go on this treatment, and then possibly another year on methotrexate. Thank God I have NOT experienced the depression that seems to be a common thread here. I am trusting in Him to get me through this itme and to come out on the other side completely cured. But it does get difficult in the meantime.

Ladies! I think it is wonderful that we are sharing our experiences here and helping one another. I felt it is necessary I share my experience as well. Thank You to all you ladies who have posted. You have helped me.

Got Aviene from my pharmacist saying 'it's same as Alesse, it's cheaper and the drug company covers this versus Alesse.' How dumb of me not to research this despite the fact this came without a box and instructions.Where is this made? Read up on it etc... things one would do BEFORE trying something. I did not do this and this has cost me.

I noticed changes as you all say you did as well. I have been taking the pill for 3 months. I work out as much as I can so about at least 3 times a week, I had a energy loss, I felt in an unexplainable way, just tired and irritated by the day. No, this is not normal for me. I got a great deal on a scale and stood on it and couldn't believe a 20 pound weight gain. This was not exactly a surprise since my clothes don't fit well and I am very uncomfortable. However, this still didn't make sense b/c I have breakfast and it's not junk, toast coffee or eggs with it or serial. For the last 3 months I made healthy lunches, I cooked ahead so took fish, chicken, rice, whole wheat sandwiches, orange juice, water, milk to work. No junk, no pop, no over eating. Had fruits and veggies. I was glad I was keeping up with this but to gain weight from it? I have a full time and a part time job keeping me busy and this life style, what I did for the last 3 months always included weight LOSS not GAIN. I am pretty pissed about this. (Of course, I am on Aviane, we are all pissed off, haha but not really haha right?) I have major issues with my face, considering I am using the same wash... no change...Anyway.. you're all seeing something doesn't' make sense. I have actually had bloating. Major bloating. 3 weeks. Never had this before. I took over the counter aid, that did help. I am 30 I never took over the counter aid.. let's not mention what I took but it helped.

Listen everyone, get off this pill. I will never take this pill again. I have 4 left this month and forget it I'd rather get my period tonight and anticipate change to occur.

On my way home, as usual of late, I tried to figure out WHAT is wrong with me. In conversation with a cooworker I mentioned the 20 pound weight gain and all and she said 'so much in such little time?' I was thinking about it on my drive home... I am at 2 new jobs and have stress but... to gain this much... and it dawned on me. I CHANGED MY B.C. It HAS TO HAVE something to do with it. I came home and goodled. You can't find anything on Aviane but negative comments. You go on Alesse... oh! a company website at least shows up.

Thank you Ladies... I believe I am having the same reaction as all of you did and I do sincerely Thank everyone for taking time out to post. You have helped me and I do think this B.C. is the reason for my current state.

I'll post in a week or two and then after a month to provide an update.

Take care Ladies!

I found this website today and couldn't believe my eyes. Over the last month my daughter has been hospitalized twice, seen her OB, a gasterointerologist, had a CAT scan, vagina ultrasound, full blood work up and colonoscopy. No one found anything wrong with her. I never thought anything about the new pill she had been put on last month to better regulate her cycles. She has had severe abdominal cramping, breakthrough bleeding which we were told was normal till she got used to the new pill, nausea but still feels hungry, migraines, dizziness, blurred vision, 20 pound weight gain, acne which she never had before, red bumps which we thought was an allergic reaction to something and extreme fatigue. She had been feeling a bit better the last two weeks and we figured maybe she had had a bout of the flu. I dropped her off at college last Saturday and crossed my fingers. She called me today to tell me that it was starting again. I asked about her cycle thinking it might be PMS and she said that she had just started a new pack of pills. I did some searching and here was this website. I couldn't believe what I was reading. I immediately called the college infirmary and told her to stop taking Femcom immediately. I have forwarded this website to her so she can see that she wasn't crazy after all which was what all those doctors were starting to tell her. I wouldn't wish what my daughter went through this past month on anyone. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG!!!!!

I exercise and eat well and I have experienced a 14 pound weight gain from Lotrel 10/20 generic.

Read my symptoms first; at the bottom it will tell you how long I had the IUD and the time line of the symptoms.

constant pelvic discomfort
(sometimes to the point where Advil usage doesn't even help)
("zaps" or "pings" of pain...light lightening bolts)
almost constant bleeding
(sometimes with clots - in differing sizes)
(coloring can be bright red to burgundy and brown)
(odor from the bleeding is very noticeable)
immediate weight gain
(this includes severe abdominal protrusion)
(I belly dance, & the costume I had just worn 2 weeks prior to insertion no longer fit)
severe swelling of the extremities
(hands usually do swell in hot weather, however, I've never had my feet and lower legs swell up like this - I had elephant feet/legs)
immediate acne issues
(my skin is always clear except for a few during my period)
moodiness
brain fog
(I'm a bookkeeper, & I noticed an immediate problem with my making stupid mistakes or taking longer than normal to resolve usual issues in this regard)
clumsiness
(could be attributed to the brain fog)
breast tenderness
(feels like someone's constantly squeezing/poking them)
movement of the IUD
(I could feel that it was out of position; it was more on my right side and caused ALOT of discomfort)

Here's the kicker, ladies. This was all within 1 WEEK of USE.

I demanded removal of this nasty thing & the GYN office refused.
After two more weeks of hell, I insisted, & they finally removed it.

This is what I experienced AFTER the removal:
Immediate relief in my pelvic area, BUT, still having pelvic pain.
INTENSE bleeding & clotting. To the point where I bled through my clothing at work (yes, I was using tampons & heavy pads).
The GYN's office didn't seem concerned; they said this was my body's "normal" reaction. (yeah, right). I finally stopped bleeding a good 5+ days later.
Even more breast tenderness.
Weight gain/bloat has not gone away. (I'm quite active)
Still experiencing brain fog.
Acne is starting to dissipate.

I have a ****** Group set up to shout to the world about this horrid device; look for: mirenajustsayno

Report your experience directly to Mirena; they have a contact # to report an "Adverse Reaction". From there, file a report with the varying health organizations.

On another note, I also had several ultrasounds done at the GYN's office prior to the insertion. The DR stated I had no ovarian cysts, no fibroids, BUT, my uterus was overly large. I sounded at a 10 as opposed to the usual 8. I was told it didn't matter, that I was a good candidate. He also stated that I had "a little endo".
(The reason for my use was to control the heavy bleeding during my period, along with the severe cramps.)

Well, I had some ultrasounds done at the hospital late last week, about 10 days after the removal of the Mirena. This is the result:
irregular complex cyst on my left ovary
unusually thickened uterine wall (no other explanation other than it was thicker than average)
It was noted that the series needs to be repeated.
(I'm assuming they want to look deeper)
Note that I have not resolved whether or not there was any perforation from the IUD moving out of place; the GYN never ran an ultrasound to verify it - they just did a regular exam & told me "it was still in my uterus". (that exam initiated severe bleeding for several days as well)

Good luck and let me know how you're doing!

And, yes, I do have several friends that LOVE their Mirena.

20 pound weight gain in 4 years-ok maybe not all due to Mirena, but I am active and eat right. My mood swings were terrible since day one, but I thought it was just the stresses of life. Constant migraines-that no pain reliever cured-CAT scans discovered NADA. Anxiety and depression that I never experienced prior to insertion. Low energy and fatigue. Recurring BV-this is what helped me to decide to remove it. I loved the fact that I had no period-although it just isn't natural. Sex drive was ok, but no where near what it was.

I have visited this site frequently after going through my own mirena hell. I had it removed today and thought I would finally chime in so as to help others.
37 years old, 2nd child born 12/22/07, 6 week postpartum checkup I was 12 lbs lighter than before I got pregnant, had mirena put in, in the past 5 months I've had: 15 pound weight gain, bloated stomach, insatiable appetite, acne on neck, face, and back, ovary pain, constant spotting/bleeding, extreme moodiness (quick to anger, no patience). I had reported these increasing symptoms 2 times to my ob who said the first time to give it a little longer, and the 2nd time to try Necon birth control pills for a month. The pill only exacerbated my problems. She was understanding when I had it removed today. Strangely enough, she said of the hundreds she's inserted hardly anyone has it removed due to symptoms. She said it would probably take 3-4 weeks for me to feel better and possibly 3 months for my periods to become regular. Someone posted earlier about it tricking your body into thinking it's pregnant. When I read that I totally related as two times as well these past months I've taken a pregnancy test because that's how I felt.

Back to report for those interested in post removal stories/experiences - 3 months post removal here. The first 2 months were so much better - I was back to my normal self, running each morning, working and then having enough energy for my kids and husband. Periods were normal 5-6 days like before and 25-28 day cycles. This month period was much heavier, with many more clots. I had to change tampons every 2 hours just to be sure that overflow didn't happen. It actually caught me off guard since the previous months were so normal. Weight is slowly coming off which confirms to me that Mirena was cause since I'm not doing anything any differently exercise/food wise. Will continue to update as life goes on......

i had my mirena for a year and i got it removed 3 days ago. the first 8 months was fine and i had no periods and no side effects apart from about a 10 pound weight gain. in the last 4 months i have been losing weight successfully and ive lost about 22 pounds so i couldn't really complain!! but about 5 months ago my hair started falling out and i had really bad acne. the worst thing was the pain in my abdomen. it was like the worst period pain you could imagine.
i had to get up in the middle of the night to take painkillers and sex was too painful. i was tested for infection and given 2 lots of antibiotics. this gave me approx 5 pain free days before it all started up worse than before. i had an ultrasound scan and they discovered a rotting lump attached to either my uterus or my ovary. this they attributed to the hormones from the coil but what was more worrying was the fact it was in the wrong place!!!
3 days ago i was very ill with severe pain, fever, going hot and cold and shaking and vomiting. my doctor removed the coil straight away and it was rotten with infection. i am again on 2 lots of antibiotics.
i feel a lot better, my acne already clearing up and my stomach is flatter. ive lost 4 pounds already but my abdominal pain is still there. i have started bleeding but it is quite light and i hope it doesn't last too long.
even though im not out of the woods yet i feel like a weight has been lifted from me and i hope im back to normal soon.
im thinking of making a complaint to someone as i think a lot of my problems stem from the fact it was fitted in the wrong place.
good luck to you all. many of my friends have a mirena coil and have no problems! i think they are the minority though!!

i just stopped taking Loestrin 24 after about a year of taking it
i think it has been a little less than a week and i already notice myself feeling less moody and having less anxiety issues
before i started this pill my acne was pretty bad, it took two packs and my face was completely clear
of course i kept taking it because my skin was so beautiful, but my periods were NEVER normal and i had cramping and i think the pill was causing me to be slightly depressed
i also had some weight gain while taking it and always felt hungry i gain about 10 pounds on it
so its been a week now since i stopped taking it and my face has a slight breakout, but nothing too bad
i was wondering how long it is going to take for the weight to come off and if my face is going to get really bad again

obviously i have come to the conclusion that clearing my acne wasn't worth a 10 pound weight gain, irregular periods, and depression

I've been taking medication for hypothyroid since 1987 with some changes of dosages and brands based on lab tests and, I suppose, doctor preferences. Until 2 days ago I was taking 112mcg Levoxyl, with no side effects, I thought. Recently, my pharmacy ran out of the usual brand and substituted another brand with 7 pills until their shipment came in. No problem. Without medication my throat and tongue starts to swell within 3 days and in 10 days I'm sitting around trying to see how little I can breath. Even that wasn't so bad but the heart beat slowing and then quickening gives an unsettling adrenaline type feeling. OK back to the switch. I retrieve my usual brand when it came in and was 5 days into that when BAM!. intense chest pain woke me up 2:30 in the morning. I took aspirin and TUMS, thinking I covered everything. The pain radiated from the center of my chest to my back, continued tingle sensation down the undersides of my arms, and achy ears. It even hurt to breathe. 30 Minutes later, and after unsuccessfully trying to minimize symptoms using WebMD, I decided to go to the ER. Lots of test later that rule out heart they said I was taking way too much Levoxyl and wrote a prescript for .75mcg. Since researching I've notice other symptoms I attributed to age (am 52) painful joints especially hands, wrist, feet, ankles, and knees that I've been popping Tylenol for 2 years. Stiffness. I'd like to blame the 20 pound weight gain in 8 months on it too but seems like I should have lost weight.
Since I can't go without medication it seems like I'm but to the hunt and peck method of finding the right dosage and brand. Any recommendations on which direction to take?

Hi All,
Just wanted to share a positive Lupron experience. I began Lupron in Dec 2005 and ended in Jan 2007. I took monthly Lupron shots for a year straight. However, my Dr. prescribed an add back drug called Norethindrone which I took once daily the entire time I was on Lupron. The only side effect I had was about a 10 pound weight gain. When I asked my doctor if this was from the Lupron he said maybe 3 or 4 pounds of it. I was eating right and exercising during this time period but was still gaining weight. About a month after I came off Lupron I began losing weight and was able to fit into my old clothes a few months later. I am sure it was the Lupron that caused me to gain weight.
If you are taking Lupron without any add back drug, this seems when all of the other horrible side effects come into play. Just wondering if anyone had a really bad experience even while taking the add back drug.

I had the Mirena inserted 11 days ago. Since then, I experienced a 4 pound weight gain, increased joint pain, depression, and sore breasts. After reading this message board, I decided I didn't want to wait another day to get it removed. I already have a diagnosed mood disorder and I lost 50 lbs a year ago, which I have successfully been able to keep off through diet and exercise. I didn't want to risk gaining weight and becoming more depressed. I made an appointment to get it removed this afternoon and the appointment was with a male doctor I had never seen before (he was the only one in the practice with a last minute opening). Luckily, my female doctor checked in with me for a minute before my appointment to find out why I wanted it removed. I told her and she said she completely understood. The male doctor later came in and said he couldn't understand why I was having the side effects because the hormones were only in my uterine area and not in my bloodstream. What a jerk! He went ahead and removed it anyway. I am so relieved I found this board and I had the darn thing removed.

um... i think the mood swings are just bitchiness... i dont think its the medicine making u like this... no one I know has had this problem... this pill is awsome and no matter the side effects, it gets the job done... personally, I havent had any side effects... i went on this site before I started taking this pill and it made me so upset... i was so scared to take it but I had to at least give it a try... I'm glad I did... It's awsome and saying negative things like this just scares girls who are researching pills... maybe you should see a psychologist if you have mood swings... be greatful that you have something like this... its better than being pregnant...