Severe headaches symptoms and conditions

This is the first time I have actually looked up side effects to NuvaRing. I have been on it since March of 2006, so about 2.5 years. I never really noticed side effects, and I have been to the doctor more than once and told them about the same side effects that have been discussed here. They blamed it on lack of vitamins, lifestyle changes and other random facts of life. Maybe that is the cause of my problems, however, why would they all happen at once???

Until today, I was soooo happy with NuvaRing, and I still am. I am just more aware of why I feel the way I do....It is soo easy to use!! I would NEVER remember to take a pill everyday, I would not like the patch, and the shot wouldn't go with me very well either.

Seems as if every birth control has side effects...here are mine from NR

EXTREME fatigue..
I asked my doctor about this. It has been going on since January. I sleep for 13 hours a day and am still exhausted. I cannot get enough sleep. I am a 20 year old that used to lead a pretty active lifestyle, but it seems the last few months that I have slowed waaaaaaay down. It isn't like me. I usually stay busy

Weight gain
I can accurately say that I have not been as active as I was in the past...but in one year I have put on about 17 lbs, and no matter what I do, the scale keeps climbing....I joined a gym for about 4 months, and I didn't lose a single pound. Before, I was able to LOOK at a treadmill and get in shape, now I spend an hour a day on it, and it does nothing for me.

SEVERE Headaches...with sensitivity to light and sound
I have not had this bad of headaches. EVER. It usually starts in the back of my head and moves to only one side. My doctor told me to wean off the caffeine. I did and they are still there. I drink no caffeine daily and I still am getting these terrible headaches. I work at a casino, so sometimes it really interrupts my daily life, with the lights and sounds and everything.

I AM ALWAYS THIRSTY!!!!!

I have NO sex drive
My boyfriend and I used to have sex every single day when I just started the NR, but now I NEVER want to. I have to pretend that I want to have sex, just so his feelings are not hurt. Sometimes I even catch myself thinking "is it over yet??" That is SOOOO not like me. I was an animal the first few months I was on NR. Now I have no desire.

I feel as if I am just living the motions of life sometimes instead of participating in it. Like I am just here everyday, not always feeling what is going on around me. I am semi moody, but nothing out of the ordinary. Week 3 of the ring is ALWAYS emotional, but the week before my period has ALWAYS been like that. I find it very normal.

My periods are WONDERFUL. I used to have a full 7 day period from hell. Now they last only 3-4 days, and I can basically tell you when I am going to start to the hour. It is AMAZING.

All in all, I love NR still. I am not going to stop taking it yet. I am just glad I found this site so I know the reason behind all of these changes in me. I have never put two and two together....that NR was causing all of these things...but now I know it could be. Or maybe it isn't. Who knows, but as long as I keep an eye on symptoms, I think I will be okay...

If any of you have any questions I have been on NR for quite a while, so feel free to email me at ******

I was recently treated for a staph infection with 10 days worth of bactrim. The whole week my BP was through the roof (now on BP meds), severe headaches, sore spots on my head, weird eye pain and vomitting. It was horrible. I was linking it all to my unusual high BP but from what I've read it looks like most of you have experienced the same side effects. I had two days left to take but I'm not going to mess with it anymore.

Wow, I don't feel so crazy after reading everyone's comments. I was on BC for 6 years, and stopped for a year and a half. I myself started this pill 4 days ago, and already I have noticed increase anxiety, paranoia, headaches, and irritability. I called my doctor and told them to write me a prescript for what I used to take -- Ortho Tri Cyclen. For some reason I allowed my doctor to talk me into taking this crap.
Yeah.. the 'lo' dose stuff isn't always the best stuff.

I am only 21 years old and I have an 11 month old. I got my Mirena inserted in March. (First let me say that Ian was 5 mo. old when I tried to get Mirena the first time and it came right back out after insertion... before I even put my pants back on....this should've been a sign to me but I was persistent and went back a month later after kegel exercising and nipple stimulation) Since then I have had a vaginal odor, discharge, difficulty reaching orgasm, severe headaches (which I used to never get), acne (which was also not a problem), back pain, body aches, weight gain, strong appetite, fatigue and depression. Today I googled UTI with Mirena because for the past 2 days I feel like I am starting to get a UTI, however, it is only for about 2 hours when I first wake up then throughout the day my symptoms disappear. Until I found this website I thought these symptoms were just post baby seeing as this is my first child and I am new at these things. My appetite for sex is still strong but b/c of the strange smell and lack of feeling (which wasn't like that directly after childbirth) it's just not the same. Also like a lot of other blogs I have read, I have taken a pregnancy test or two after the IUD was placed in because I have some symptoms that are familiar to pregnancy. A strange question I will ask is does anyone who has already had a child or several ever experience a feeling in the gut like that of the baby kicking? This was odd to me and something I did not want to feel for a good while (hince why I spent the amount of $ I did on Mirena). Which also brings up the point that now I am considering taking Mirena out, however it is going to suck paying for something I am not using plus the additional $ I am going to have to spend on new BC. And another question is are there any suggestions as to which BC has worked well for women who have tried IUD and weren't happy with it. I was on the pill when I got pregnant which makes me a little weary of trying that again. Thanks for all the knowledge I wish I would've found before I decided to get this thing in me. Hope to hear back. And good luck to all of you who have had worse symptoms than me, hopefully if I get this thing out now I won't have to go through some other symptoms.

I am happy I read these comments. I started the nuvaring two years ago and things have happened to me and ive been thinking I over react about everything. The big thing is that I've gained 65 lbs!! I couldn't figure this weight gain out. I went to the doctor over and over and she only could recommend working out. Which I did and no weight loss, not to mention I have never been overweight. The other thing is, I would take the nuvaring out during my 3rd week and would have such huge clots I would have to go to the emergency room. They said it was not from the nuvaring. Also, I have no sex drive and my boyfriend of 3 years and my family say that something is wrong with me because I am always high strung. I have noticed myself withdrawling from people but it's because I am constantly tired. I get nausea real easy and severe headaches. Since reading these I told my boyfriend and he completely agreed with me it's got to be the nuvaring. So, Yesterday night I took it out... I just really hope I don't have worse side effects from coming off it. Thanks guys!!

I love the fact that Zyrtec works wonders for my allergies, but not how it makes me feel. It effects everyone differently that is for sure.
I have been severe with my mood swings and soooooo tired even if I have taken it at night. I can't recall any weight gain over the past year because I have been on a diet. I have had the heart flutters, nausea and dizziness. The worst I can say though is the aggressive behavior, very easy to snap and crazy thoughts. This is not good when you are a stay at home mom with a 3 year old and 1 year old. I have recently taken myself off of it and feel happier and so do my kids. If you or someone you know has to take it please take notice if any of these side effect occur and switch meds. It affects not only you, but the ones you love around you.
I would rather sneeze.
As for withdrawals; I get severe headaches, sleeplessness, and itchy.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for 2 years!! And I am finally getting off... and so happy to find this site! I have had to be put on Topamax because my migraines became so bad, which helped my weight gain (that I attributed to my own depression that I thought was my own fault!) I didn't even realize bc could cause depression but it all makes sense! I came on here to find out if Loestrin has been the cause of my SEVERE HAIR LOSS over the past year and a half! When I started taking it, I was also going through a stressful situation and thought that was the cause, but have now realized that my life is back to normal that something else must be causing it. I tried to get my Dr. to take me off of Loestrin about a year ago due to the EXTREME nausea, dizziness, headaches and fatigue that it was causing and he decided that I should just be put on Topamax because I was just a Migraine sufferer! What a nightmare. I can't wait to switch tomorrow!!

I started taking Doxy 100 mg July 2007 for the first time. At first I didn't link my side effects to the pills but after a break from taking it and started up again I finally out two and two together. First, it upset my stomach BIG time immediately after starting on it. I felt bloated and everything I ate upset my stomach--as the result of this I lost about eight pounds from just not eating anymore. I even went to see a GI doctor about my stomach problems! Who recommended I eat more fiber and get more exercise (I told her about all the meds I was on)! I also got sudden and very severe headaches, but the worst side effect of all is the extreme mood swings I had. I think I was going crazy and this almost ended my marriage...all of a sudden I developed low self esteem, constantly thinking I was worthless, fighting with my husband over the stupidest things and even contemplating suicide during the worst spells. I couldn't figure out why the sudden change- at first I thought it was the tough Chicago winter, since I am originally from a much warmer climate, because by this time I had been on doxy for about five months.
I was prescribed the medication to help clear up moderate acne on my back and my dermatologist gave me the prescription for a year, but never said come see me in a month, two months, etc to see how you;re doing. I am so glad that I stopped taking it in February 2008 --- my moods suddenly got better, I was myself again, I started eating again, my GI problems disappeared...and then...in April I started taking it again because with summer coming up again I wanted my acne to clear up- BIG MISTAKE! Within days of starting again my stomach started being upset all the time regardless of what I ate. After the first month I was feeling depressed again, hating myself and not knowing why--this is when i finally figured it out...and decided to stop...I'd rather have pimples on my back than feel the way this medication make me feel, which is pretty much miserable!

this pill is awful!!! i am anemic so my doctor thought giving me pills with iron in them would help but it made me sick all the time. i took it for two months and i was still getting nauseous and having severe headaches so i quit. i would not recommend this to anyone

Has anyone had long term side effects after taking Wellbutrin. I was on ot for two years it helped with my anxiety and energy levels a lot. When the doctor put my dose to 300 mg I had severe muscle pain and swelling in hands, feet, ankles, legs it went down after I went back to 150mg. I tried to up my dose but the same thing happened. After two years of wellbutrin I developed severe headaches feels more like head pressure so I went off wellbutrin. would still have muscle pain and swelling from time to time. started developing severe pain in legs and now everywhere along with muscle twitches and muscle loss. I now am 32 and have severe memory problems and no doctor knows what is going on with me. Has anyone had anything like this or heard of anyone with these problems.

25mgs since may 27th. severe headaches all day long. no relief except with ibuprofen, or the like

I've been taking 100mg of Imuran (with Prednisone and Asacol) for just over a month and am experiencing severe headaches, hair loss, back/joint pain and nausea.

I began taking Lisinopril last week. First the lightheaded and dizziness arrived. Called doctor was told to take at night to lessen this. Now I am nauseous and have a strange taste in mouth and the tip of my tongue feels like I scalded it with hot liquid. Calling Doctor to find out when she can see me again.

This website has been a blessing for me - a person who seemed to feel crazy for all the symptoms I was having. I had mirena put in place in March 2008 after the birth of my second child in December. I was so excited that I didn't have to worry about birth control - I could focus on taking care of my family and work, etc. I couldn't have been more wrong about it. All was fine at first until April of 08 (two months later). I started to notice a red, bumpy rash on the trunk of my body. It progressively got worse with each passing day. It began to look like hives on my legs (behind my knees) and then on the inside of my arms. It has gone all over my back and finally to my face last night. I looked at the mirena website and it said to call your doctor if you had a rash with hives. So I did and they assured me that mirena WAS NOT systemic and couldn't be the problem. They maintained that it was probably an outside source. Instead they offered an anti-depressant. I needed something to help with what I was going through, so I started on Lexapro. That has been the only positive thing that has kept me from falling apart. What's the use in calling them if they don't listen to you? I have finally decided to have the mirena taken out in two days. I am so ready to get back to feeling normal. I was wondering if there was anyone else out there with similar side effects with the rash. If someone would have told me that this was a possibility, I would never have signed up for this!!!!!!
I will post again once I have it out and give an update!!

Hey all! I've been on Loestrin 24 for an entire month (just finished my pack today) and things have been smooth. No tender breasts, no weight gain, no depression, nothing! ***EXCEPT I still haven't got my period! I'm almost completely positive I'm not pregnant.. my boyfriend and I are extremely careful. What's weird is that I keep expecting to get my period because I'm getting the usual signs I get right before my period..

**Has anyone else experienced no period on this birth control???

Wow, I finally found a website that can explain everything. Like many of you others, I have had many side effects. I have been on Loestrin 24 FE for over a year now. I am constantly having breast tendernous, am on an emotional rollercoaster(so much that my husband is ready to leave me), problems wearing my contacts, severe headaches, and weight gain. I talked with my doctor about all of the issues I was having and was told that it couldn't possible be the bc that I was more than likely bipolar. After reading all of the other posts now, I am going back to the doctor and demanding to have my bc changed. Thanks ladies for looking out for all the rest of us.

I was given the generic of Macrobid. First day I experienced nausea, indigestion, gas and diarrhea. Severe headaches, dizziness and now started throwing up! I've been on it only 3 days, but I am throwing it away..I feel so horrible, and very weak, almost flu like. Terrible drug, don't take it. I am just praying I don't get the long-term side affects I've read here.

Four weeks ago; I had experienced severe throbbing in my lower back around my kidneys. I was almost preped for surgery when I had finally passed a kidney stone! I never had this problem before and since I have been on this BCP I have been experiencing - extreme mood swings/depression, numbness on my left arm, severe headaches, fatigue and the pain on my right side. I have had so many tests done recently because of the pain - no one knew what the problem was caused from. However, on a recent ultrasound I now have a large cyst on my left ovary! Does anyone know if BCP or Loestrin can cause cysts?

it seems to be scents i have had the mirena i now have on going head aches in the right side of my temple and it stays for one to three days at a time i also have hot flashes through out the days and feel really light headed at times my coil is detached and i feel a lot of pain at times in side my virginia and abdominal area my back iis crazy with pain as well at time in the morning its hard for me to move my hands go numb sometimes and the sun hurts my eyes there is a class sign up and the girls on there have some what the same side effects as mine including weight gain im thinking what are the odds of young women all over the U.S. feeling the same symptoms and only thing linking all of us to geather is this mirena and not to mention the nussusness and major mood swings out of no where

I am going into my 3rd week of my 2nd pack of Femcon Fe and am having a horrible time. I am extremely bloated and nauseous most days, very moody and paranoid, so emotional I cry at the drop of a hat, no energy yet I cannot sleep at night, night sweats, severe headaches, back pain, diarrhea and the list goes on. Please tell me that others are experiencing this too. My gyn will not take me off until I have tried them for 8 weeks due to large cysts on my right ovary yet I am so worried and anxious about what I am experiencing that I feel like I cannot get a grip and that the life has been removed from me. WEIRD.

I am on my first week of the second month with femcon, I am undecided about this pill, I used to never get severe headaches, now I am getting about 1 per day. I am nauseated unless I am eating for about 10 hrs after taking the pill. My doc prescribed this pill for me because I was having hot flashes. (i am 25, to soon for hot flashes) I feel like I did when I first starting taking my first pill years ago. Bloating the week before my periods starts, on my old pill the week I was having my period I would have diarrhea when I ate, with this pill it seems to be the week after my period. The nausea is really like it was when I first started on the pill (7 yrs ago). I normally do not have a squeamish stomach but now....I am going to give this pill the 3 months to let my body adjust. Then I may be requesting a new pill. We will see

I have been on Femcon for just about 1 year and have had relatively few symptoms throughout this time. I occasionally get severe headaches and mild nausea but the last 2 months, I have not gotten my period when i was supposed to and i am concerned. My last active pill falls on a Sunday and I normally get my period the following Wednesday (2-3 days later). Last month I did not get my period at all. I took 3 home pregnancy tests because, naturally, I freaked out thinking that I was pregnant, and I went to see my gyn who also confirmed that I was not pregnant. I started a new pack of pills on time hoping that I would get my period this month and that last month was just a fluke but alas... still no period! I plan on taking another pregnancy test later today to confirm that I am not pregnant because not only am i very diligent about taking my pill on time each day, but my boyfriend and I religiously use condoms as a backup, despite my being on the pill. Has anyone else had an experience similar to this??

Wow - I just had an MRI today of my head and am scheduled to go through 3-5 hours of tests with a neuropsychologist next week. I have been on levoxyl with no substitute allowed due to this being the only drug that has leveled out my Hoshimoto's disease of the thyroid. My endocrinologist whom I saw on Friday suggested I see a neurosurgeon as "levoxyl can't be the cause of all your issues" which are identical to all of those I am reading about on here. I am a breast cancer survivor, take arimidex daily as well as xetia and a couple of other prescriptions for gastric reflux and anxiety. Now they all tell me that taking all these pills is fine as long as I don't take them all at the same time. Add today prednisone for the severe headaches - 6 at a time - I felt like a drug addict putting them all into my mouth at once. If this all is because of levoxyl I am going to be very relieved yet very PO'd that I have been told otherwise.

I took my 16 year old child off of singulair 6 weeks ago (3-28-2008). She started taking it 11-17-2003. She became dark, depressed, grades dropped, dropped out of dance and cheerleading, started cutting her legs with razors, stomachaches, headaches, anxiety attacks, trips to the emergency room. 6 months of fluoxetine given by her psychiatrist. Nothing helped her be happy again. Sad and Dark young woman. NOW: She smiles a lot, and is eating diner with the family. No headache or stomachache for a month now. She is sleeping better. Before she said that her mind would not stop thinking. She is taking pictures again and even asked me to order her book called "Understanding Exposure" and is talking about taking a class on digital photography at NMSU branch university to start on her college electives now. She is out more and even has a part time job at an ice cream parlor. Just lately I have stopped checking the trash for waded up tissues with blood (from cutting). Chris, I have had all her medical records sent to her primary Doctor and we are very willing to open them up. You have to have a child suffering to understand where we are coming from. The most dangerous place on earth is standing between a mother and her child. Singulair took our children from us and maybe changed them in some way forever.

Having just had my 3rd baby 7 months ago i thought my side effects were just part of being a busy mother. However i have been suffering severe headaches for the past 5 months and they got the better of me. I had brain scans and MRI's that all turned out to be normal and the doctor said it must be something else causing the headaches. I never thought it could be the Mirena but i just had this strange feeling that should get it removed. The doctor did it yesterday and i feel clear headed and better already!
I also felt fatigued, had terrible acne, broke out in rashes on my thighs, my husband hated it as it would probe him in certain positions and i was bleeding for weeks on end!!!!!!