Pregnancy prevention symptoms and conditions

cannot believe how many stories I have read about mirena and hair loss etc..etc.. etc.. I have experienced many of the side effects that everyone is mentioning.. I actually feel I could live with most of them if it weren't for the hair loss. I have had ( copying from other post.. ridiculous right?)Tired all the time
~ Depression
~ Hungry all the time
~ leg cramps
~ HAIR LOSS TO THE POINT OF BALDING IN SEVERAL AREAS
~ oily skin and bad breakouts
~ Mood swings (huge...yelling fits at my husband and the kids)
~ fluttering in uterus
~Sore breasts..

I have medium thick hair that is about 10 inches. I noticed a bald spot in June and now have discovered 4-5 others starting. I just had the iud removed today and my OB pretty much tried to convince me that there is no way that the IUD is causing my issues. I have never had any of these issues before. I got the Mirena on 4/30 of 08 and noticed slowly but surely all of the side effects mentioned. My OB told me that the progesterone could not be causing my issues because it is such a small dosage that it would be comparable to spitting in the ocean as far as the amount that is in my blood stream. She said because I am black and 35 that I may have an autoimmune disorder and that I should stop reading blogs. I told her that all of my research wasn't from a blog and that ALOPECIA is a side effect just not mentioned in my pamphlet that I can find. I understand what she is saying and that she is the one that is the doctor, but nobody knows my body better than I do.. I am in it!! I have never had any problems and have been healthy my entire life. There is no history of autoimmune disease in my family. I am going to my primary care doctor.. to have some blood tests done. I think that the mirena has caused an autoimmune response in my body.. it may not necessarily be the progesterone..although I don't rule it out no matter what she says . the progesterone is synthetic and has an androgynous like activity that is similar to testosterone the main thing that causes male pattern baldness. also Mirena is made out of Silicone.. perhaps those of us that are having hair loss are having it due to our body trying to fight off the foreign invader of the IUD itself. I was going to go and have the Paragard inserted.. because i was thinking it may just be the progesterone.. nope... I read that many women are complaining of ACNE and HAIRLOSS even with that because its made out of copper. So with that being said.. not sure what to do.. may have to go back on Yasmin.. didn't seem to have any problems with that.. I really just don't want to risk putting another hormone in my body.. We all need to get together and look into a class action suit because I am tired of being made to feel crazy by doctors.. sometimes what seems to not be possible is .. especially when there are so many women having the same problem. Feel free to e-mail me re: a class action suit.. if they took depo off Mirena needs to come of too. It seems like it has really screwed a lot of peoples system up.. Hopefully I won't find out I know have a thyroid problem etc.. etc.. ******e-mail me with Mirena in the subject line!!

I'm 21 and I have never been on any kind of birth control method. I decided to get on the Nuvaring because I had a pregnancy scare. My boyfriend and I have only ever used condoms, but one broke and that was enough for me. I've been on the Nuvaring for about 2 weeks. I normally get my period every 35 days and the only cramping I ever experience is the first and second day of my period. After the first week I noticed I had some light cramping and thought nothing of it, but as time went on the cramping only seemed to be getting worse. I told my doctor about it and she advised me that it was probably my body trying to get used to the ring. Never having used birth control before, I tried not to worry. Then, I noticed some other changes that concerned me since it wasn't like me to feel that way. Aside from the cramping, I had been feeling very depressed about my life and where I was headed for some reason, and my sex drive was depreciating. My boyfriend noticed of course and I had no idea why I was feeling that way. It wasn't until I came across this website that everything started to make sense. I thought I was the only one experiencing these changes. I'm definitely going to change birth control methods. I just don't know what is the best out there. Can anyone help me?

I am a 25 year old female who at 24 had never had any experience with birth control other than a quick prescription to a generic hormone to take care of a long period at 16 (due to stress.) Only a few pills were taken and I was fine. Now, at 25 I have been on YAZ for a year. I began taking it because I became sexually active at 24. Why? Well, I was mature both mentally and physically. I have had friends who became sexually active at a young age and who started birth control young. The side effects were pretty dramatic. I had seen a slim friend gain a whole lot of water weight. She even said it was the patch and later monthly injection causing the problem but the side effect was well worth the pregnancy prevention. I was against the use of birth control due to my preconceived notion of horrible side effects. However, once the monogamous sexual activity began I knew that I needed to take something. I had heard about YAZ and knew that it was something new and different. A different hormone used for prevention. I researched the pill and looked into any side effects. The posts I found seemed a little too ridiculous. I decided to find actual accounts and spoke to a co-worker who had been using YAZ for awhile. In fact, the majority of females I know use the product with no problem. Thus, after my yearly checkup I requested YAZ. My gyno welcomed the suggestion and even gave me several packs for free. It’s been a year without a problem. However, this morning I was hounded by my mother because there is a warning and lawsuit against YAZ and YASMIN (seen by a commercial-lawsuit.) This is due to severe side effects and death associated with blood-clots (when presented with heart disease, diabetes, etc.) I am a healthy 25 year old that frequents the gym weekly. I do not smoke. I drink every now and then. NO SIDE EFFECTS. My period starts after the 3rd pill is taken. It is quick and simple. I enjoy being able to plan things around my period. Cramps are light compared to what I use to go through. I can take one Ibuprofen the day of the third non-active pill and not feel a thing. I use to have horrible leg cramps and now I have no problem. My pre-menstrual mood has improved and I think it is because my period is no longer a strong factor in my life. I use to dread it and now I welcome it. I do not have any skin issues, no bloating, and no weight gain. Heartburn occurrence which is slim to none is similar to what I would have had before YAZ. I was appalled to find this site and to discover that people are having problems. I do not understand why people are so quick to blame this pill on everything. It seems like a lot of users who are posting on this site are extremely young. The body is still growing and maturing at 18 and even into the early 20’s. In my late teens, I was extremely moody and stressed due to college, etc. Any hormonal regulation then would have probably put me overboard! I am going for my yearly check up next month and will discuss this lawsuit with my gyno. I am concerned about this lawsuit. More importantly, I am concerned that this pill will be taken off the market. Call me a statistic but I like YAZ and would recommend it.

i have mirena right now and i feel the same at all of u girls i m sick of this feeling i m ALL THE TIME MOODY ALSO I FEEL LIKE SOCCER BALL MY BREAST ARE HUGE AND I FEEL FAT I M NOT FAT BUT I FEEL MAXIVE AND YES I CAN'T LOSE ANY WEIGHT I M SICK OF THIS SOME PLZZZ HELP I WANT TO REMOVE IT I M SO SICK I ALWAYS HAVE HEADACHES DEPRESSION I WANT TO KILL MYSELF I M REALLY SICK OF THIS

My husband says the reason the Mirena has such a high pregnancy prevention rate is because no one ever has sex once you get one! (and the fact that men don't want to have sex with raging, moody, angry, weepy, women!) He says their advertising is true - no pregnancy! Thought you all would like a funny. Happily, I've had mine out since May and all is well! Good luck to you all.

I recently began taking Loestrin 24 Fe because I actually stopped having my period. I have lost 80 pounds over the last 2 1/2 years. The Doctor explained that the weight loss had affected my hormone levels and advised me to take this pill. However, she also assured me that I would not gain weight. I have been taking the pill for two weeks, and I have already gained 4 pounds. I am a faithful Weight Watcher member and looking back over what I ate the past 14 days and how much I worked out - the weight gain does not seem possible.

Doing some independent research, this pill has the lowest levels of estrogen, supposedly meaning that it shouldn't cause weight gain like other oral contraceptives with higher estrogen levels. However, the scale shows different results and I also feel like I am retaining water. I don't want to appear "vain," but I have worked very hard for a very long time to lose 80 pounds. I do not want to see it creep back on because of medication, especially when I am only using it for regulation, not pregnancy prevention.

From reading earlier postings, I know some other people have had similar experiences. Did your Doctor change the type of birth control? Did you simply stop taking the pill and lose the weight? Does anyone have any advice? I really appreciate the help!

I had my Mirena IUD removed on Monday, May 5, 2008. I had it inserted on November 10, 2005. I was having major side effects from the birth control, and every doc I went to said that there is no way that Mirena would cause the side effects I was having because the "progesterone amounts are too low to cause these side effects". I have had the following side effects:
WEIGHT GAIN
JOINT PAIN
LUMPS IN BREASTS
BREAST TENDERNESS
HUNGER (as if i were pregnant)
DEPRESSION
LOSS OF SEX DRIVE
HAIR LOSS
SWOLLEN ABDOMEN (BLOATED?)
HEADACHES
GROUCHY/ON EDGE
ACNE
CYST (had a couple weeks ago... i was on vacation in Vegas and had a cyst burst.. never had these issues... this was the last straw)
STABBING PAINS IN ABDOMEN AND IN AREA OF OVARIES
PMS SYMPTOMS EVERY OTHER WEEK FOR TWO YEARS
BREAST GROWTH D TO DD
VAGINAL BLEEDING AFTER INTERCOURSE
FATIGUE
TENDERNESS OF ABDOMEN
BACK PAIN
HIP PAIN

As of today, Friday, May 9, 2008 (4 days after Mirena has been removed) I have lost 9 pounds. I am sure this is probably water weight? I am feeling a little better every day. The night I got home from having it removed, I had major mood swings... would be happy one minute and crying my eyes out the next!!! I would not recommend this IUD to ANYONE.. not even on my worst enemy (if I had one). This needs to be taken off the market. It is not safe! I have spent thousands of dollars on ultrasounds on my breasts (thinking i could have cancer because the lumps i had in my breast) and on other doctors bills to figure out what was wrong with me.. only to find out that "Mirena is not the cause"!!!!

I am 21 and have been on YAZ for 6 months, I am soo happy I came across this website. I only went on it (my first BC pill) because my periods are like 8 days long and on the first day I become so sick I can most often barley even function w/o the help of pain killers (in addition to pregnancy prevention). I am about to throw this last pack out I cannot take it anymore. My boobs were naturally a large B small C ...they have exploded into a large D..it does not fit on my frame...no clothes fix me and my stomach is never flat always bloated!!!
I did not change any of my diet or exercise patterns. My boobs are so painful alll the time, I sleep w/ a bra on sometimes. I was always a moody person but recently I have been having crying spells for no reason or overreacting and at times embarassing myself. I was about to call a shrink to go on anti-derpressants! My boyfriend has been verbally attacked for the msot ridiculous things. I do not feel like myself. I called my doc and he said this one should not me doing this to me. My periods last for 6 days and sometimes I still have debilitationg craps. I have also been suffering from IBS!
He gave me a sample of LOESTRIN24? I read the side effects and they sound just as bad!! At this point I'm willing to deal w/ the cramps and use another form of pregnancy prevention! Does anyone have any advice? I want the cramps to go away and I want no weight gain unless it is from eating too much!! not the hormones! Thanks and good luck to everyone

EVERYBODY REPLY TO THIS Let's see exactly how many women have had negative side affects from Yasmin. Just reply with the sideaffects. I see lots of posts and was wondering how many women are out there sharing similar problems. So me.... migraines, extremely horrible mood swings all from taking yasmin for 8-9 days next..........? lol

I am very glad to have found this page. I have only been on Yasmin for 5 days. I read the information packet in full before I started taking them and I thought it seemed fine. Just like all the others they have put me on. But I got on here tonight searching for an answer to the depression I felt I've been experiencing the past two days. I have also been spotting the whole time along with the abdominal pain and sore/tight throat, headaches, and sinus congestion. Is all this really from this medicine? I've only been taking it for five days. Should I stop taking it? I don't know what to do anymore. I already have anxiety problems and I certainly don't want to take anything that is going to make that any worse. I am very glad to have found all of you and would really value your opinions. I take the pill to be regular and have less painful periods. I am 30, single, and not interested, so pregnancy prevention is not even an issue. Everything I've read here certainly doesn't make me feel like this is the best idea. I just think I may have already tried every other type of pill. And I think my doctor is really getting tired of me saying "these aren't working either". What should I do? --Elizabeth--

My doctor prescribed me Yasmin, but I wanted to do research before I began the pill. One of the reason's my doctor prescribed it to me was to 'regulate' my mood swings. This web site totally contradicts everything that the doctor had told me. I am terrified of taking this pill now. He would not prescribe me an anti-depreeant like Zoloft because I wanted to be on the pill anyways, and he said that Yasmin should work for pregnancy prevention as well as balance my hormones. I don't have any idea about what to do now. If there is anyone that has the same weight and body type as me with the same mild mood swings and iritablity as me (very mild)prior to beginning Yasmin and have been taking Yasmin for quite a while.....then please write with your experiences. It would really help me out in my decision. I know that everyone's bodies and hormone levels/balances are different...so most will have different effects from the same medication; but, for the most part, if Yasmin only creates negative side effects in everyone that I speak with then I will reconsider taking this medication. (I would also like any positive side effects of Yasmin as well) Thank you! * weight= 111 lbs.
* height= 5'5
* breast size= 34D to DD (depends on time
of month)
* mood= normally happy/bubbly with mild
mood swings where I will get unhappy
and irritable for no reason.
* No major health issues/concerns