Pros and cons symptoms and conditions

I have had two shots of Lupron, as a result I've gained almost 30lbs, had very bad joint pains and little hot flashes. I also experienced hair loss and became moody at times. However, my doctor did warn me that I would gain weight as a result of the shot and that I may experience hot flashes. December 2009 will make one year since my first shot the second shot was in April and I"m just beginning to feel normal again. It is now November 2009

my name is Brittany and i have had my mirena since around February 2009 and at first i had some severe pain for a few days and bleeding non-stop for about three months.. but other than that for the first two months I had no problems or complaints! i thought it was the best idea any could have thought of! But i was so wrong..the constant UTI's and Yeast infections are unbearable! I have never had a yeast infection or this many UTI's in my life! I have a feeling it is due to the mirena! I'm completely uncomfortable all the time and can't wait for it to get removed! I would never recommend this to anyone!!! yea i didn't get pregnant, but i'd rather have 20 kids then be in the uncomfort that i am in! Also, I am now on zoloft and an anti-anxiety med! i have never had any of these problems before this and im hoping they will all go away! plus the oily skin and acne!! omg!! i had the most perfect skin and now i can't even walk out of the house without make-up on! Mirena is not for me!

I am in the middle of my second month after getting the first shot (for 1 month) and the second ( for 3 months). I have recurrent fibroids and ovarian cysts that caused a lot of pain and severe bleeding.
I was scared to try Lupron. I consulted with my uncle who is an OB/Gyn and he told me that the version they use now is very safe, with side effects like many other drugs...
My doctor gave me options for the treatment, but because I want to get pregnant again (already have a 2 1/2 yr. old boy), hysterectomy was out of the question. The doctor removed some of my fibroids laparoscopically before I got pregnant with my son, but since they "showed up" again, he recommended to treat them with Lupron instead of removing them trough surgery, because the surgery leaves scarring that can later interfere with fertility.
Anyway, YES I have experienced many side effects mentioned here: hot flashes, mood swings, a couple of headaches, and some "bloating". The worst side effect for me has been insomnia...but they really haven't been that terrible...you learn to deal with them. I am in no pain and didn't get my period this month.
I guess everybody is different and they experience everything in a unique way.
My suggestion is to try it if you really need it and weigh in the pros and cons objectively.
Good luck!

Just want to survey everyone and ask for responses for the following 3 questions:

1. how long did you keep your Mirena and if you no longer have it, why did you have it removed?

2. how many of you had your thyroid checked? who's came back abnormal? what were the levels?

(I'm a medical student doing research on this one since I believe the levonorgestrel affects our thyroid hormone. My TSH was elevated to 5.2 which is considered "subclinical HYPOthyroidism". This was mid cycle when my natural progesterone AND synthetic progestin were cumulatively high. When I had it rechecked 6 weeks later (around my period when any natural progesterone level is gone) it was normalized at 1.5. So I think that the P+P screws up our thyroid and can throw us into a high TSH and "hypothyroid state". The opposite effect may be true during menstruation and we can become HYPERthyroid for a few days... hence the really bad anxiety?!)

3. where is everyone from? perhaps we can have support group meetings?

ive noticed that 90 percent of whats going on with all these problems is more a problem of using the drug wrong. as i understand its for short term use...not years and months in a row..also..when a person has taken ambien that person should get in the bed and prepare to go to sleep..not go driving or perform any other tasks..a lot of people will take ambien and then try to cook, eat, drive etc...thats when they run into problems and don't remember it..90 percent of these problems can be cleared up if it is taken with the recommended dosage,,not with alcohol..not double the dosage..etc..another words ..don't over do it and then head for the car keys. ive used ambien maybe a couple times in a week..and had no problems.

I'm surprised at all the comments about Mirena...about how painful the insertion was and how horrible the side effects are. I can honestly say that I've had NONE of those issues.

I'm 28, and I've had Mirena for 2 years now. I have NO children, but the procedure was NOT painful. It was slightly uncomfortable for a few moments while she inserted it, but I did not receive any anesthetic. I had slight cramping for a few days, which is normal. Over the course of several months after having the Mirena put in, my periods began to subside and after about 4 or 5 months, I had no period at all.

I have noticed absolutely no difference in my sex drive, weight, mood, hair growth, etc. I recommend Mirena to anyone who is interested in it.

Of course, every woman is different! And, our bodies all react differently. So, if you're interested in Mirena, please don't make a judgment call based solely on this message board or any other message board, for that matter. Some of us have had horrible experiences. Some of us have had great experiences. But, your decision should come from the ONLY two people who know YOUR body best: you and your doctor. Good luck!

Hello,
I'm a 38 yr old female who was prescribed Topamax about 8 weeks ago for Migraine prevention.
So far, the drug is working fabulously for it's purpose.
Here are the pros and cons that I have experienced:

PROS: No migraines. Yippee!, A small amount of weight loss. This did not happen until just in the last week or so. My mood has stabilized.

CONS: Flat tasting soda, Dry skin, Dry eyes, dry mouth, (drink LOTS of water to combat this). Blurred vision, bouts of memory loss and slurred speech, loss for words. Some of these improve as your body adjusts. Worst for me is that if I miss a dose or don't take it at the same time every day (50mg in the morning, 50 at night), I'll have middle of the night anxiety attacks or even amnesia.. short-lived attacks, but very terrifying.. I always think someone is out to kill me. But again, for me, it's short lived and it only happens when I'm not taking the meds on a schedule.

Overall, I am happy with the drug. I am not experiencing hair loss or tingling. I drink a TON of water because I hear kidney stones are common with this medication.
I will endure all of the above to prevent the wretched migraine....

I hope this helps someone...

Take care and remember, God can help in your healing.. ask Him for it.. :)

God Bless..

Ladies ladies!! this might not apply to all of you but please read this....I have severe endo and was on the lupron for over a year I'm only 18 and Ive had 2 laps in the pasy year for my endo. Throughout the first six or so months of being on Lupron I had tons of bleeding same amounts of pain and horrible hotflashes. But after about 9 months things DID start to get better and even out. It really does take time to work for some people.

I did decide to stop the treatment though and I was wondering if any of you knew when you stop the lupron shot what the side effects are because since Ive been off it I have had the worst nausea and heachaches ever constantly. Does anyone know if its related? Please let me know.

I started Femcon 6 months ago after being dissatisfied with Loestrin 24 Fe. This pill has both pros and cons. My periods are lighter now (my reason for starting BC pills was because of heavy and painful periods). There is less cramping with Femcon as well but my periods lasts even longer now than before starting the pill. Last month I bleed for 16 days straight! Since this was the only time I bled for so long I decided to give the pill a few more months. I actually like the fact that since starting this pill my acne has cleared up completely and my mood is much better than before starting the pill (No mood swings around the time of period!) Another con though is that my sex drive as decreased and vaginal mucous has this weird thickness to it and it makes sex kind of uncomfortable! I never had such problems prior to starting Femcon Fe. I may be searching for a different pill or other options soon.

I had the Mirena inserted three weeks ago, and so far not too happy. The day of insertion, I was in soooooo much pain. I had lower back and abdominal pain so bad, I almost went back to have it removed. The next day was a lot better, so I kept it. I have been slightly spotting daily since then, but no heavy bleeding. My breasts are scary sore and I have a very sensitive sense of smell. i get bad nausea. I almost feel pregnant. I'm calling the doctor tomorrow to find out what the deal is. I've also gained five pounds. I just bought new clothes and they are definitely a little snug now. Really weighing my pros and cons at this point. I've been reading some horror stories that are making me pretty skeptical of the choice I made to have this done. I'll write back when I've made my next move.

I have Crohns and had a flare up so I'm back on 40mg of Prednisone. I've been on 40mg now for 3 weeks and I start to tapper off in another 3 weeks. Well every time I start the prednisone again I get new side effects. This time, my gum are bleeding all the time and the pain in my knees are horrible! I still get the regular side effects, ie: Mood swings, joint pain, sleeplessness, sweating, swelling of my legs and hands, wanting to eat everything under the sun, moon face and my hair falls out! I wish the drug manufactures could develop a drug that would not be so hard on our bodies. I have to struggle with the pros and cons with every flare up. Do I want the weight gain, mood swings and hair loss or do I want to look good and be very sick! I'm 37 and was 16 when I found out I had Crohns.

well, i guess i am not alone. this is the second time i have been on it. i weighed the pros and cons and figured that the migraines were worse than the depression, mood swings, and the inability to compute simple math. well, i feel differently now, and i think i am going back off of it again. my sex drive is also gone, but i have had a problem with that and the depression for years, just not this bad. i feel i have yelled at my children way too much lately, cuz it is making me so crabby, and i don't think that it is worth it. after reading some of your posts, it has helped me make the decision to go off of topomax for good. i could deal with tingling, bad taste, and weight loss (the only good side effect), but not the other horrible effects.

Hello all thanks very much for your comments on this drug. I need help quickly. My father is 55 years old and the Doctor have him taking this drug Lisinopril. All night long he is have a dry cough and only gets about 3hours of sleep a night. Please help with other options then this drug. you can e-mail me at ******

Hi girls. I've been reading a lot of the postings and am trying to weigh the pros and cons of getting Mirena. Currently I'm on Loestrin 24 and other than dizziness and headaches it's not really much different from most other birth controls. My OB suggested Mirena out of convenience and overall affordability. I realized with Mirena it's a one time deal for the next 5 years, whereas with the the pill it's a never ending cycle of paying hundreds of dollars each year. So that's a plus. But I went through the endless period when I originally started Loestrin and am really not looking forward to that again when I start up with Mirena. It was an exhausting experience, not to mention it makes you feel gross. The insertion also has me really nervous. My OB explained to me that the procedure is going to be painful, since I haven't yet had a child to widen the opening of the cervix. Although, after reading some of the postings from women that have had a few babies and claimed "it was worse than childbirth without drugs" I'm really unsure if it's something I want to try. I'm also a little wary about having something inside me. Are the strings noticeable? Does it make sex uncomfortable? If anyone has some insight or some helpful thoughts I'd appreciate it.

Why do I think I landed here, I have been having very bad mood swings mostly relating to anger and dissatisfaction in everything and everybody. Put the mirena in April 2008, braved it out for 4 months with the
1. spotting and all the time kept thinking that my
2. fatigue and no interest in everything was due the stress of having 2 kids, work and the pregnancy weight that I have to shed.
3. I am hungry always (maybe since I am breast feeding the baby)
I had a copper IUD between my first and second son,
4. I don't remember how that was ( am I in a mental fog?). must have been better than this one. I never wanted anything hormonal. I don't want pills. Dont even know why I went with this then. I know the doctor convinced me saying it has very little hormonal effects

Yesterday, I just lost myself over a silly issue, now I feel I am going to lose my wonderful relationships with people. My 3 yr old asks me If I am not angry any more uh!!!. Why cant I call the doctor to get it removed when I doubt it could be the IUD.
5.I am lazy( another symptom).

Do I have to wait a little longer or take it out and maybe get my self back.?
(What a question to an obvious answer)
Confused!!! lazy!!

I just hit my 10 MONTH mark and everything is still going well.. It saddens me that Most of the women blogging on this site have suffered because of the mirena.. I hope those of you thinking about getting a mirena dont get too discouraged. I for one can agree with most of the symptoms women are having but unlike most of them , Mine went away within the first 3-6 months... Everything is perfect. i barely even get spotting once a month..I can now think about the moment with my fiance instead of the worries of getting pregnant... I hope everyone on here the best of luck and hope those of you who have just gotten it inserted.. tough it out a few months, give it a chance to work its way into your system, let your body get accustomed it it.. At LEAST for the first 6 months... if not.. then how about the copper IUD.. Anyone know the pros and cons??

I've been on the nuvaring for about a year now. I had been on the Nuvraring from November of 06 thru May of 07. When I broke up with my boyfriend, I stopped using it (giving my body a break) from May until August when I started seeing somebody seriously enough to consider having sex again. I love the ring because it just has to be inserted once a month (although I HATE the feeling I get taking it out...). My periods take almost 4 days to start once the ring is out and then it lasts for about 5 days. The cramps during the first day or two are almost unbearable, but the periods are light. SOOOO many pros and cons.

I have gained back the break up weight and then some. I was blaming it on being in the "comfy relationship" status where you eat out a lot and blah blah blah... my boyfriend and I started working out together and he was dropping pounds like it was his job and meanwhile I was working out with no results. I'm a solid 10lbs heavier than my normal "I'm not working out" weight. My breasts were always a full C now I'm a small D. The week before I take out my ring I'm ready to kill my boyfriend for not cleaning out the litter box or for leaving me dishes to wash when he's been home... normal things that I'd just make a comment about and move on become HUGE events (for example: eating my leftover burrito= WWIII).

I was on the pill (can't even remember the name) and spotted all the time. I found it hard to take it at the same time... and I spent more time not having sex because I was always bleeding. I'm only 24 so I won't use the "I'm not as young as I used to be" excuse.... I wish there was a way to prove it is the ring causing me to gain weight without having to stop using the ring,. I really don't feel like messing up my cycle only to find out I'm just chunky now-- nothing to do with the ring.

I've been taking Adderall XR 30mg per day for two years. I've gained 20 pounds and feel terrible. My doctor keeps telling me he doesn't know why I'm gaining weight. That is making me feel even worse!!! Can anyone tell me what's going on??? I also take Wellburtin & Lexapro. Before I took any of these medications, I asked the doctor if I could gain weight from them. He told me that these particular drugs do not cause weight gain. The thing that's so frustrating is, I was put on these drugs for anxiety and depression (results of an abusive marriage). How can I begin to feel better about myself if I'm gaining lots of weight? That just kills it for me. Can anyone out there offer some advice? My doctor won't even let me take an appetite suppressant. I take Adderall in the A.M. If I want, I can go right back to bed and sleep again. I also get hunger pains about 2 hours later!!! Help!!

I just started using Singulair a few days ago. I am 54 years old and just started coughing at night only. I would be fine during the day and then never failed, at night I started to cough keeping me awake. I was given antibiotics, narcotic cough syrups but it only helped temporarily and then I went back to coughing nights only again. So as I mentioned, I started taking Singulair a few days ago because my physician thinks I have developed allergies and Singulair is noted to help night coughs. It is helping my night coughs but I still cough a few times at night and now I cough quite a few times in the day when I never use to cough in the daytime. Wondering if Singulair is worth taking as the symptoms are becoming opposite? I hate taking drugs and don't know if I should find a safer alternative? Help, anyone? Thank you

Wow - I had a great experience with kenalog in suppressing my allergies. They have been unbearable until getting the shot. I sat down with the doctor who went through the list of pros and cons with the drug. He said, and I agree wholeheartedly (I'm sure we all do) that no is more interested in or more responsible for my health than I am, so he said after going through the risks of meds that I should verify it for myself and if I felt comfortable with the shot he would give it. Can you imagine how much better off the world would be if we all took responsibility for ourselves - actually did our own homework? I've seen doctors before who don't really take the time to discuss side effects so I'm glad he did (but then, how many people ever read the drug information that the pharmacist gives out - can't really blame the doctor for that...). Anyways, given that I had severe symptoms that was affecting sleep and very low risk for osteoporosis I got the shot and man do I feel great!

I was on Paxil for 9yrs, but have been off it now for 8yrs. It was prescribed by my family Dr for extreme PMS. At the time, it was a new drug just on the market, and there were no boards like this to describe any side effects.
After I was on it for several years, I tried to come off it. But the side effects were so bad, every time I tried, I decided to stay on it. I realized I couldn't stay on it any longer when it was affecting everything in my life. Paxil was making me so exhausted I was sleeping up to 20 hours a day. It almost ruined my life. Because I couldn't get to work, I lost my job and was out of work for 2 years while I was trying to come off Paxil. Of course my Dr refused to believe I was going through withdrawl, because he said Paxil was not addictive. We all know now that is incorrect. I had to slowly wean myself off it 1/4 of a tablet at a time over several month, and I still had horrible, very scarry withdrawl symptoms. I suffered from vertigo, tremors, tingling throughout my body, numbness in my hands, feet and legs, brain shocks, vomiting, dizziness, slurred speach, memory loss, heart palpitations and the hallucinations were the worst. I became easily aggitated by everything, unable to stand up without losing my balance. I was seeing floating black waves across my vision when my eyes were open. I can say it was hell, and I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer through it. I'm writing this to warn others that if you are on it for a long time, and then come of it, some of the withdrawl effects never go away. So be very careful how long you stay on it. To this day, 8yrs later, I still get numbness and tingling in my legs and feet. I still get brain shocks every so often. I still get short-term memory loss. The worst part is Paxil ruined my digestive system. Before I was on it I had no problems, now there are only certain foods I can eat. Paxil effects the serotonin levels in your brain, but it also effects the serotonin levels in your stomach and intestines. I went through several thousand dollars worth of health tests only to discover it was caused by all my years on Paxil. So please be careful and only stay on this drug as long as need be. It may have a negative affect on the rest of your life.

I did not mean to put any blame on the patients. All i was stating was that in order to get the best cure from any medication one has to understand the ramifications. Anytime you take something that a doctor prescribes you have to do the homework on the medication both pros and cons to be able to determine if your a good candidate for the coarse. All a doctor does is prescribe things that he has been legally approved to. Not until your own body accepts or rejects the prescription does anyone have any insight as to what is going to happen to you.

I've beentaking Ambien for several years and haven't had any terrible adverse effects. I've had some amnesia after drinking alcohol and taking Ambien, but my memory usually returns by the next day. I've also had muscle twitches and weakness & went to a neurologist for testing, but they found nothing wrong. I figured it was probably the Ambien. I stopped it for 2 weeks, once, but still had some of the symptoms. I've thought about trying to stop again, but I need to weigh the pros and cons. I actually sleep now, and generally have a lot more energy than in the past. I'm on a regular sleep schedule and can get 6-8 hours of sleep per night. I think I'll just deal with the side effects.

after serious weighing of the pros and cons of this IUC, my husband and i have decided to have it removed. I have an appointment on 3/20. i will let you know of the effects of the removal as well as an update on the release of side effects. I am hoping to be relieved of most within the first 3 months. hopefully i will loose weight, gain better skin, start new hair growth, be relieved of my daily constant heartburn, clear up my constant yeast infections, become less dry, and my husbands favorite, TAKE BACK my sex life. again, i will keep you updated on my recovery.

as for our new form of birth control; we are staying away from hormones. we are going to trust condoms and spermicide, along with watching my ovulation cycle. this will be much more thought then i have had to put into the Mirena, but it will not only help me feel normal again, but strengthen my marriage. to all of you that are wondering if you should remove it, my thought is yes. i miss my old self and i want to regain the control of my body from this terrible device that seemed so wonderful at first. thank you to everyone who posted. you have confirmed to me that it is the IUC and not me.