Water weight symptoms and conditions

I've had the mirena out now for close to 3 months. At first I was losing a lot of water weight - I had gained well over 20 pounds in 6 weeks after having it inserted. Unfortunately, I have plateaued in my weight loss, it's always easier to gain weight than to lose it, right? I still have numbness in my hands, to the point where I am quite clumsy, and I have spells of fatigue and dry-mouth. Before removal I had suffered from the anger and depression towards myself and others, and though it has improved significantly, I still have days where I feel like I could snap just because the 2 year is talking too much. I have found that a multivitamin in the morning gives me a little more boost through the day, and Motrin helps with some of the aches and pains. I'm not quite back to 100%, but I'm getting there. The hardest part for me to come to terms with is how poorly I've treated my boyfriend and our children because of the side effects. Even after 2 or 3 months without it I do suffer some of the side effects, but each day I can feel it starting to get better. I've even woken up a few mornings with feeling in my hands, instead of the tingling "sleep" sensation. All of this from 6 weeks of an IUD... Ugh.

All of the symptoms I suffered were made in previous posts including:
Nausea, severe cramping, severe mood swings, minor hair-loss, increased back pain - especially in lower and middle back, souring/reduction in breast milk, severe weight gain, fatigue, mental fog, vision changes, dry mouth, loss of libido, aggression towards others and myself, severe depression (thoughts of hurting myself), shortness of breath, hives and many more I'm probably not even aware of hahaha. Good luck ladies, this one is a doozy - and remember to report ALL symptoms related to Mirena to the FDA.

First 3 months of my 6 month stint with this pill were great. Like some of you, I bragged about the pill. I'm 29 with a 4yr old and have had my cycle since I was 10. Have been on every imaginable pill since age 14. Never and I repeat never have I ever felt hopeless, depressed, pathetic. I have picked fights with my hubby over anything and apologize seconds later. I have lost patience with my child which is the worst. I don't want to do anything. I lose track of thoughts and motivation is non existent. This pills kicks in slowly around month 4 and then will gradually pull you further down. This was to help with water weight gain and to help with migraines, and to help cramping. I have gained 27.5 lbs in the 6 months I was on this crap. my blood pressure is low which is not common for people who have recently gained excessive weight.My migraines are worse and a daily occurrence. Periods are even harder, longer and painful. Acne has never been an issue, my periods are even more horrendous from day 1 thru 5 which is 2 days longer than I have ever gone. I am now into month 3 of being off ALL bc and the weight is almost harder to get off. I work out everyday and have cut calories down to 1200.. and have amazing water weight to boot. My obgyn who prescribed this has canceled my last 3 appts. She believes I have no side effects and that cramping can be eased by midol and exercise. My childhood family doctor has put me on lasix and potassium and is awaiting my arsenal of blood tests results he ordered Friday. I suggest any other option besides this pill. I am not on anything as I stated before and my sex drive is still quite non existent as well.

I've finally had the mirena removed - about 2 months ago. I'd had a very light period around the time that it was removed, but none since. My body aches a little, still, but it's more tolerable that it had been before. Initially i could NOT stop urinating! i lost easily 3 lbs of nothing but water weight in the first couple of weeks. As excited as i was about that, it's a bit at a standstill now, losing the weight, but overall, my tolerance has grown, my sex drive has returned and mood swings have drastically been more controllable. I enjoy playing with my daughters again, and i've been able to get a lot more around the house cleaned. I feel about 70% better now and i'll take that any day over what i had been feeling. I do still get melancholy every now and then but not as severely.
in the past 2 week i've started taking vitamins - w/ a little extra b12 and calcium w/ D - to try and help my body balance out. that definitely makes a difference in how i feel through the day.
1 thing i can't get over is the constant thirsty feeling and almost a copper taste that lingers in my mouth, but i can only assume that after retaining water my body is re-adjusting to the intake/release ratio. good thing i like water and tea :) over all - i love having the mirena! ----- REMOVED!

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.

Hi, had two epidural shots..first one went fine..worked really well..after the second one..my face has been swallow for over 3 weeks now..rash all over..water weight gain..back of my neck is all swelled up..there are days that i can barely walk on my leg..due to the swelling..i have been to 16 doctors and no one could figure out what is wrong with me..im thinking this is some reaction to the epidural shot that i had..I also have been bleeding..period i guess for over 3 weeks..spotting..does anyone know when and if this ever goes back to normal..what doc i need to be seeing to correct this problem..if anyone has any information that could help me..im 27 female mother of one..that has never had any medical conditions like this ever..so i have to assume that this is from the shot..i tried calling the doctor that did my shot and he said its not because of him and now will not return my phone calls..im at a loss on what to do..please email me at ****** if anyone has been through this and knows if this goes away on its own..what i need to do..anything thank you for taking the time to read my story.

D.
long island, NY

There should be warnings about this! The doctor should have told me that this could happen..it is not worth what we all have been through!! sorry just venting.

UPDATE - Day 11 post removal

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

NEW ACNE ON ARMS!!! :-(

Taking B12, B6, magnesium, multivitamin.

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

NEED ENCOURAGEMENT!

I understand the frustrations of many of you who have posted. I have been on the Nuvaring for the past 2 years. It's the only medication I am on, and I think it's really starting to affect me adversely. Before the ring, I used Seasonale for 3 years, and before that a different low dose pill. It's great not having a period every month, or with NuvaRing less of a period, but I think the synthetic drugs are starting to cause problems with my emotions, or lack thereof, and weight, etc. I have no sex drive anymore, I gained about 20 lbs within 2 months of being on the ring, and haven't been able to lose any weight since, even with 2 medical diet programs. Now I'm starting to get scared of what the plastic ring is leeching into my body constantly. If the drugs are absorbing into my skin, what else is? It is still much better than Seasonale, which took 6 months of constant heavy bleeding till my body adjusted to it, but I'm 33 now, have 2 friends who had to be hospitalized because of blood clots from birth control in the past 3 years, (1 smoked, 1 never smoked) and I want to take care of myself more naturally. The only reason I am on birth control is because of ovarian cysts. I have been on/off birth control since I was 23 because of cysts, but I couldn't ever stand the side effects so I would go off them again after a year, then get cysts and start again. This time, I'm trying a proper diet, supplements, and avoiding xenoestrogens, such as those in plastic bottles and frozen food trays, etc. To me, after years of side effects, I'm ready to try to do something healthy for myself. I have a nutritionist/chiropractor friend to help me find the best way for me.
I have been off the ring for only 2 days now, but strangely feel less hungry, and I think I lost about 3 lbs. of water weight! It's crazy.
These system-altering drugs just cannot be good for you long term. My sister talked me into stopping as well, as she had terrible side effects from birth control for years. She would get migraines every month, out-of-control mood swings (I mean it- she was nuts!) and missed many days of work. She's a teacher and can't let these things happen. She's slim, but even she said she couldn't budge an inch off of her body even when going to the gym 4 or 5 days a week working out and doing dance classes when she was on the pill. Soon after she stopped the pill, she lost 10 lbs and no longer has crazy mood swings and migraines.
Stopping the pill/ring may not be an alternative for everyone, but for me it's not worth the possible lifelong effects just to prevent cysts that I could possibly get while using the NuvaRing anyway. I only had spotting if I forgot to put the ring in for a day or even just half a day if I took it out. As soon as I would remember, I'd put it back in. Then it would be weeks on end of constant spotting. I feel like my side effects were different in some ways. Instead of mood swings, I have no mood. Everything is kind of, well, blah. Even sex is very blah. I feel bad for my boyfriend, but I told him it's really not his fault! I love him and he's a great lover, but wow did I turn lousy! I heard that the reduced sex drive can be irreversible for some people as well. I don't think I'm that far gone yet!
I'm just happy that I'm already feeling better. I even felt happy going to work today just knowing that I'm doing something better for myself. I don't want to feel this way anymore, and I want to try a healthier way to help prevent cysts, without unnaturally altering my whole body.

I am 17 years old and have been on NuvaRing for about 5 months. My doctor put me on birth control because i have polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and would not be able to get my periods on my own. I've noticed that ive been much more tired and can sleep longer but that isn't what bothers me. PCOS made me have severe cystic acne but after being on the NuvaRing for a few months my skin is completely clear. Also, I find it convenient not to have to take a pill every day. The side effect that really bothers me is the weight gain. I have gained 10 pounds over the past 5 months and being 5'2 I really can't handle it. None of my clothes fit, my face looks fatter, and I am completely insecure. My boobs went up a cup size which is always a plus, but I really can't deal with the weight gain. I've been on birth control before and it made me gain 10 pounds also, and I was wondering if anyone has seen the weight gain disappear after using the NuvaRing for longer periods of time. If not, I plan on switching to a low-dose birth control this week but if the side effects of weight gain start to go away I would like to stay on the NuvaRing.

I got my mirena put in in nov of 07 after i had my son. i had really light periods after then i bleed for 1 day every 3 months til june of 08 when i bleed lightly for the whole month. then October of 08 they stopped completely and its been sooo great ! but now thats its june 09 my weight no matter how hard i try doesn't seem to go away i don't gain but i don't loose neither. I talk to some of my friends and they agree. Now i was told that its supposed to trick your body into believing your pregnant to make the periods go away but now im not sure but on the other hand i have sooo many pregnancy symptoms but i know im not... i got the wanna eat everything in site, bloating, peeing like crazy. yeast infections that spread up my stomach and when i get it to go away i get to enjoy sex and it comes right back. my friend took water pills and lost like 10 pounds, why would that happen and since a lot of personal issues are based on self image why do we have to deal? i just turned 23 yesterday and i have causal sex with my boyfriend, there are alternative methods that i wouldn't need the IUD.. Im so confused because i really like it but at the same time i have lower back pain, headaches, infections, acne, and sometimes a highly depressive state. now as for acne i took a womens vitamin and cleaned with a deep pore cleanser and that helped a lot. My Sex drive is throu the roof ! its like i cant get enough.. before its like it was a chore and now its i want it all the time. my weight don't change and i joined a gym so wheres my money going ya know. waking up with swollen fingers and hands knowing its all water weight makes me mad ... i don't wanna be subjected to water pills or an extreme diet. The insertion they told me to be on my period but i had just finished it... mine hurt like some cramping because my cervix is small. after i was fine, and my friend said it didn't hurt at all and she was on her period.. sometimes i can feel it during sex and so can my partner but i get some cramping and its over. sooo now im debating on what i want to do cause i would like to get my weight under control and actually feel motivated to do things which i don't anymore. I will make an apt with the doctor thou cause it seems it happens to a lot of people but is supposed to be normal or not caused by mirena ... huh whose not writing down the facts.

I am thirty five years old, in good shape, and healthy. I had my Mirena in for 1 month and finally I couldn't stand it anymore and had it removed today. When I had it put in I was told I 'could' experience some of the symptoms, and it seems I experienced most of the ones listed...

I had a copper IUD for ten years prior to the Mirena and did not have any problems. The day I had the Mirena put in I cramped so bad I was absolutely in tears. All I was able to do for the rest of the day was sleep, take Advil, and just hurt. The pain improved gradually over the next few days.

Since the first day, I bled every day almost non-stop (sometimes spotting and sometimes heavy), had nausea, headaches, stomach pains/cramps, bloating, water weight gain, acne, breast tenderness, and my appetite seemed constant. I also think I gained a few pounds even though I worked out almost every day. When I would exercise or when I was out walking around I would notice my stomach would get bloated, cramp, and it felt firm to the touch as if I was pregnant again.

When I contacted my OB they encouraged me to give it a few more months and said the symptoms would lessen after 3-6 months. However, this was really affecting the quality of my life and I had too many symptoms. They really down played the side effects claiming most people felt fine. Obviously this is not true by what you read here. I have had a hard time working because of my feeling so uncomfortable further into each day. I think activity would cause further irritation?

Today I had it removed and I thought I would be in absolute pain all over again. Other than the few twinges of getting it removed I have not cramped since. My headache has lessened and I feel significantly better already. I assume it will take a while for the hormones to completely go away. I did not want to put the copper IUD in at this time and really wanted a break. If I go back to anything it will be the copper IUD which I remember the only side effect symptoms I experienced was cramping on the first day.

I wanted to share because I have read many of the comments here and found most of the reviews are negative and not positive. I did contact Bayer health and they said I could send in a letter with my receipts requesting a refund and I hope they do. They said the cramps should go away and could be an indication my body was trying to expel the device. These side effects do concern me in how this will effect me long term. I had to sign a sheet that stated the same risks applied when removing the device as having it inserted.

I am glad I trusted my body and instincts today and had it removed.

Trust your body! This is not for everyone.

I've had similar experiences to many of the other posters. I've been on some form of birth control since I was in my teens. I've always had acne and was very concerned about weight gain, so I switched between the ortho's quite a bit. I used to take a shot (Lunelle) that was perfect, but its been discontinued. Anyway, about 3-4 years ago my doctor put me on Yasmin. I thought it was great! Skin cleared up, moderate weight fluxuation, which I attributed to inconsistent diet/exercise habits. I was so happy with it I pushed it on my girlfriends when they were looking for a pill.

But then about a year ago, it all started to change. I became WAY emotional out of the blue. I would cry over the smallest things. I had suicidal thoughts, totally lethargic and "hazy." My sex drive reduced to 0 - I love my BF, but we stopped having sex for nearly 6-8 months because I had no drive and would pick fights for NO REASON. Awful.

In March I got busy at work and stopped taking it by accident. I felt so good, so NORMAL, that I just discontinued use. The first month was great. My personality re-adjusted over night, I have more energy, I'm genuinely happy, my sex drive is through the roof. But now I am 1.5 weeks late on my second period since quitting. I am bloated and have noticed water weight gain. I hope that it can be managed with strict diet, exercise and anti-bloat pills. I am breaking out, but I expected that. It's bad, but I am hoping that Pro-Active will keep it at bay until my body regulates. But again, my mood is so much better that it seems like a small price to pay. So far anyway. I have not noticed the hair effects yet - I have always had very think, long hair. For those of you experiencing that side effect, there are vitamins you can take that may help you get through it. Ask your salon.

If anyone has any advice, or can share what happened after the 2 month mark, that would be great. I'm bracing for some tough moments.

When i started taking this it seems ok, then after a couple of days I felt really sick and REALLY tired to the point that i actually fell asleep on my desk at work!!! Anyway, I decided to stick with it and thought that maybe I just wasnt getting enough sleep... a month later I noticed that I was drinking stupid amounts of water and the problem was getting worse and worse, I thought it was the air con at work so I complained!
Another month on and things were insane, one day I think I drank about 7 liters of water and still felt thirsty and was constantly peeing! Enough was enough, I have just stopped taking it and hope that I feel better soon, I have checked my blood sugar which is fine so its not that thats causing it and I did have a few days where I felt better and oddly these were during my pill break!!!!!!!!
I feel a little angry that the packet doesn't actually tell you that this pill is a frickin DIURETIC specifically designed to stop you gaining water weight!

Hey all! Just want to say it's really important to remember that every woman reacts differently to any given birth control pill, and it's best to just try it yourself... BUT!

After two years on Yasmin, I went off BC due to losing my health insurance and being unemployed (yay, recession!). Finally my parents agreed to pitch in and help with BC since I used it for PMDD, acne, regulation, etc... the doctor prescribed me Avianne. Of course I read about it online and heard all the horror stories, but I tried it anyway.

Within that one month that I used it, I gained TEN pounds. Granted, this could be my body adjusting and water weight and bla bla bla, but I was not okay with it. My face broke out like it did in junior high. I was angry all the time. I felt like I was permanently PMSing for the whole month. When I began bleeding, it was THE heaviest period to date. I spent the day at the E.R. because of all the clotting and nastiness (sorry about the TMI, but really!) I told my doc about all these side effects and she gave me Ocella, the generic for Yasmin. While watching my diet, I have lost eleven pounds this month, the acne is clearing back up, my stomach doesn't stick out like it's pregnant anymore, and overall I'm feeling a lot better. (But, I have also read some bad things about Ocella, even though it is the same chemical make up as Yasmin, but it is what it is...)

Then again, Avianne might work for some people! It just all depends, and there's no way of knowing until you try. Just remember that you can always switch. Nothing is permanent. I think we have a great outlet online to talk about these pills. Hang in there, everyone! You'll find a pill for you... maaaaybe not this one, though. :)

I'm at the end of my 2nd pack of Yasmin and I'm having trouble figuring out these side-effects. My acne is getting slightly better and I didn't get any cramps like I did when I was on tricyclen low. But I've gained probably about 10 pounds and I feel full/bloated all the time. I've never in my life had trouble with weight until I started the pill. I feel like I'm never hungry anymore, yet I still eat like a beast (I don't really know if this is important but I also burp all the time now which is rare for me, I used to have trouble even if I tried to. I know this is something stupid to mention). Second, I've been noticing my mood is not like it used to be. I have moments where I'm fine but then all of a sudden I feel really down and I've had random moments where I want to cry for no real reason. But I sometimes wonder if it's the effect of the pill or maybe I'm bummed out about the less fortunate things happening in my life. My weight gain isn't making things better for the mood. A lot of times I'm sad and I don't really understand why and no matter what I do to try to pick myself up there's a slump. Please help me I can't figure out if it's just me or the pill might have something to do with it.

I'm so glad I found this website! I am 28 years old, and have only been on NR for about 2 months.....everything was fine the first month or so. Really didn't notice any changes. The past two weeks have been awful. I was really surprised to read about some people having nasal problems....I live in Arkansas and it's spring, so I just thought I'm finally developing allergies, but it makes more sense to me that it's NR, since I've never had drainage and sneezing like this. And I don't think it's allergies because my eyes aren't itchy or watering like they do when I'm around cats (which I'm definitely allergic to).
The other main side effect, like most people was weight gain. I've always had a fast metabolism and I can pretty much eat what I want. My weight stays around 125, and I'm a size 6. If I gain a pound, usually I just eat really healthy, drink lots of water, and maybe exercise, and I'm back down. But the past two weeks, I'm up to 130 and the scale WILL NOT BUDGE!!! No matter what I do!! I am drinking so much water, thinking it is water weight, but that didn't matter. I tried working out EVERYDAY, which I never do, and that didn't help. Cut out all sweets for a day and that usually makes a huge difference. Nothing.
One other think I noticed is that my skin is drier. I have dry skin anyway, but my skin looked awesome when two months ago. My dermatologist had prescribed a skin regimine that worked great, but now it doesn't seem to be as effective.

So tonight I took NR out. I'm SOOOOOOO glad I've figured out what the cause is before I gained any more weight. I expect to be my good old self in about a week.

I've only taken two birth control methods (the other was the pill), which completely killed my sex drive. So hormones are not good for me. Has anyone tried Para-Gard? It's an IUD with no hormones that is good for 10 years. My husband wants me to try it.

Thank goodness for this site. I had my Mirena removed on Feb.16th 2009 after reading everyone's posts. I first had it inserted in April 2008 because progestrin pills were making me gain tons of water weight which was leaking around my heart and I still had painful heavy clot field cycles. I have SLE lupus so I can't have estrogen. Mirena insertion was horrible. I was in severe pain for 2 weeks. There after I had contraction like pain daily(or at least that's the best way to describe it seeing how I've never had a child), developed multiple cysts that kept bursting between cycles, gained 25 lbs., have bad acne seeing how I used to be called baby face because I never had acne before, severe depression and mood swings, and the 'fuzzy' 'out of it' feeling several women have described on this site. When I told my GYN about what I was experiencing she made me think I was crazy saying the Mirena wasn't causing my problems. Granted my cycles got lighter but never stopped. So I had a laparoscopy done to see what might be causing me to be constantly in severe pain. It showed nothing. So then my GYN was really making me feel crazy seeing how the laparoscopy showed nothing and the doc kept saying it wasn't the Mirena. So Jan. 2009 I stumbled across this site looking for reasons I would have 2 excruciating and heavy cycles 3 days apart from each other while on the Mirena. Well I got my answer. The Mirena was screwing' me up and ruining my life. Turns out I'm not crazy and now am free from the grasp of that evil pharmaceutical plot to ruin women's lives while making big bucks. I was just about to start taking antidepressants before I had the Mirena removed now I'm holding off cause this constant aggressive and angry mode I was in has disappeared since having the thing removed. And I no longer cry for no reason. I just came off of a heavy cycle reminiscent of how it was before Mirena. I also experienced a 'crash' yesterday and I was very moody. But that's expected with the damage this thing has obviously done to my body. I'm trying really hard to lose the weight I gained by May 1st, or at least most of the weight. Was 170 lbs before Mirena because of the steroid Prednisone I'm taking for my Lupus and I'm 195 lbs right now. I'm going to Florida in May so I want to feel good about myself and maybe consider getting in a pool. Anyways, I will let everyone know how my Mirena rebound is coming along in the next few weeks. If anybody gets wind of a class action suit against Bayer pharmaceuticals please let me know. I'd love to get these jokers for ruining my life!

Thank God for all of you who started this!!! It's been 2-weeks and right away I noticed a change in my body and my mood/emotions. I have been exhausted, I slept for 11 hours last night, I usually am a non-stop type of person. Every time I stand up I feel like I am going to pass out, I get light headed and I see little black dots. I have already started to gain weight that I just thought was water weight from the non-stop bleeding I have had. I have all the classic signs of depression, the dramatic mood swings, the unexplained crying, the feelings of self-pity, anxiety, and I don't ever get depressed. This morning I got fed up and I am so happy to have found out that I'm not crazy and I am just reacting to the Mirena. Everyone I talked to said that they did not react and it was not like the pill as far as emotions. I reacted worse than the pill and it was a painful experience. The Dr.'s pitch to advise me of Mirena was great and if this product does work for you, wonderful (I mean how great was it to hear NO MORE PERIODS) but for those of us that it did not work for I am thankful to have come across this site.

Has anyone had extremely painful, deep, inner bursts in/around a certain side of their pelvic area? Its hard to explain the pain I have been getting since I got Mirena inserted one year ago but I cant take it anymore. Usually when I am constipated it gets worse. It feels better when I lay down. It comes and goes and when it comes I cant take it. It is a pain I have never felt before?

Has anyone else ever had this happen?

I was diagnosed with SLE (lupus) when I was 14, I'm 21 now, and I've had to be on prednisone all this while. The dosages alternate between 60mg (the highest) and 2.5mg (the lowest), I just went for a routine check up today and found out that my protein level in my urine is at an all time high. So the doctor is pushing me back up to 30mg of prednisone. Its 2 am, and I am sitting in bed crying because I don't want to have to go through everything again; the weight gain, the moon-face, everything. I know I may sound shallow, because ultimately, the medicine is keeping me alive, but the side effects are terrible. Very few people understand that its not fat that you're gaining, and the remarks that I know I am going to get are enough to drive me insane.Is there anyway the water retention or the weight gain can be stopped or decreased?

I hate this pill!! I have gained weight so fast that I can't even predict what I will wear the next day. And worst of all I know its all water weight! And did I mention that I can't stand the smell or test of anything experiment anymore. I get sick just brushing my teeth because the toothpaste reminds me of that pill. As soon as this pack is over I'm going back to Loestrin. I actually lost weight on that one! Trust me it's not you it's the pill!!!!

I've been on Yasmin for about 2 years. My breasts grew from a C cup to a DD-E cup within a couple of months. I am a size 6-8, small frame. I know cellulite occurs in thin women, but within the last 5 months (after never having it at all) I have developed a lot of cellulite in my thighs and bottom. I am absolutely convinced this is hormone related. Apart from this my periods are pain free and my moods are pretty normal I think. I have experienced a low sex drive for a while and it's definitely still not what it used to be. The thing is with the pill is that it is obviously not meant for everybody. Different pills affect bodies differently. I have tried about 5 different pills, Loette, Marvelon, Yasmin, LevlenLD, none with great results. I stayed with Yasmin for so long primarily because it alleviated my cramps and horrible periods. For me it's time to come off. I know my body is reacting badly to the pill and to be honest I can't be bothered with it anymore. In the last month I have experienced a dramatic increase in cellulite and terrible tenderness in my breasts to the point that I cringe whenever I take off my bra. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced the same dramatic breast increase and tenderness?

I was giving prednisone for only 5 days (not sure about dose, but it tapered to one pill on the last day) for a bronchitis induced severe asthma attack. I have only had asthma twice in my 50 years, both times associated with a bad case of bronchitis. The "doc in the box" reduced his original dosage due to the 3 corisone injections I recently had in my spine. After reading these posts I feel grateful I wasn't on a higher, longer term dose. I have some of the same side effects listed here including uncontrollable appetite, fat gain around the middle, water weight gain, constantly having to urinate, superhuman energy, heart palpitations, and approximately two weeks after finishing, I began to get a mustache (hairs that were previously white became brown over a two week period). I have read on the internet and been told by my pharmacist that this is temporary. I have also read and been told that the 2mg estradiol I take every day since my hysterectomy causes the body to retain and not rid itself of the steroids as it normally would (estrogen is actually listed as drug interaction with prednisone). The doctor in the box apparently just ignored this interaction and prescribed it anyway. However the main reason I am posting is a very strange possible side effect that occurred approximately 1 week after my final dose. I was awakened in the middle of the night with SEVERE pain (felt like bone pain, not muscle) in my right knee that lasted until morning. By mid morning it was gone. The next night I had the same experience but in both knees. It lasted about 5 more days, gradually tapering in intensity, and then just went away. I do have severe arthritis in my lumbar and cervical spine, having had surgeries to repair injuries from a snowmobiling accident. I have normal arthritis elsewhere for a 50 year old, but have NEVER had issues with my knees. Has anyone had this strange symptom? None of my doctors (internist, rheumatologist, physiatrist - who gave me the injections and prescribed physical therapy for my spine) had any explanation. The only explanation I have is the prednisone because I had taken the Z-pac (antibiotic) with no side effects several times in the past. Weird!

Incidentally, I am off the prednisone for about 5 weeks, am still hungry all the time, still fat, still bloated. Unfortunately the extra energy is gone. Best of luck to everyone on this strange drug. My heart sincerely goes out to all of you on long term therapy. God bless.

Hi, I have been taking birth control for almost four years now. It has been a journey like many woman have experience. I started with Diane which made me gain a lot of water weight! More than 10 pounds in a month!!! Then I switched to Yasmin, which was grate for a few months and started to have mood swings and severe depression, I went psycho with this pill, doctors prescribed me and antidepressant which in turn made me loose the little libido I had left… so I switched to Nortrel which was ok, but I still gained weight, so finally I started Loestrin24Fe about four months ago. The first two months were fine, a little spotting between weeks two and three, but I considered normal since is a side effect, after that, no more breakthrough bleeding but lately I find it extremely difficult to wake up every morning, my head feels so heavy!!! It feels inhumane to wake up!! ( I have never ever had that problem before) and also I feel that my libido is slowly disappearing… so, so far that’s the story…. Have any of you experience anything like this with Loestrin24Fe, and if you have, how did you solve this problem?? I found a website that suggests taking multivitamins, but don’t know if its going to work.
Anyhow… please help!

I HAVE HAD THE MIRENA IN FOR 4 YRS NOW. I LOVE THE CONVENIENCE OF IT BUT I HAVE GAINED ALOT OF WEIGHT IN THE LAST 4 YEARS A TOTAL OF 50 LBS!!!!!! I HAVE BEEN READING THE INSERTS AND HAVE SEEN THAT SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED WEIGHT GAIN, AND I AM JUST WONDERING IF ANY ONE HAS SPOKE WITH A DOCTOR REGARDING THE WEIGHT GAIN?? WHEN I GOT THE CONTRACEPTIVE I WAS TOLD THAT THIS DIDNT CAUSE WEIGHT GAIN, BUT I AM WONDERING IF THAT WAS UNTRUE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF WEIGHT THAT I HAVE GAINED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE EXPEREINCED THE SAME SIDE AFFECT. I AM ANXIOUS TO KNOW IF AFTER ANYONE GOT THIS TAKEN OUT IF THEY LOST WEIGHT RIGHT AWAY?? PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

AIMEE

I had a Mirena inserted October 2007. I had it removed in October 2008. I am SO GLAD I had it taken out!!!! When the device was in my body, I had instant weight gain. 5 pounds the first two weeks. Put on a total of 10 in about 3 months. I was working out liek a fiend!! I even did two a day cardio sessions for a month and did the Special K diet with it. Couldn't lose a pound. It was awful.

I had horrible acne. Not just on my face. On my scalp, my back, really gross on my neck. I even had occasional zits on my legs. AND I have DRY skin.

I had no sex drive. And just felt generally in a funk and had frequent headaches. I still had weird sludgy periods at irregular intervals. It just wasn't right. It was a grey mucky color. It was thick. I had never had a single yeast infection in my life until Mirena. I can't tell you how awful this thing is.

Since having it removed a little over a month ago, things have gone back to normal. My face cleared up in a week. I just feel better. I lost about 2 lbs. of water weight the first week. I have since lost another 3 that just slipped off (I cardio about 30 min. 5 times a week and lift weights 3 times a week, but that's not new. It is my routine with or without Mirena.). My husband even commented the other day how much healthier I looked.

DO NOT PUT THIS THING IN YOUR BODY!! My new GYN said to me, "If I won't do it to my wife, my mother & my sister, I won't do it to my clients." He doesn't recommend Mirena and won't use it except in very rare cases. He said if you have one you're unlikely to have your pap come back normal as long as it is in because of the strings. Really, don't listen to the sales pitch. These devices are high profit items for the Doctor's so that's why we women are getting the big sales pitch on them. Don't fall for it!!!