Weight watchers symptoms and conditions

I got my Mirena in about 20 months ago and almost immediately my life started going downhill. I got moody, depressed, started gaining weight, my skin broke out in TERRIBLE cystic acne. Then I started having trouble sleeping at night, and was waking up EXHAUSTED every morning. etc etc. At first I blamed job stress. Then poor eating habits. Then poor skincare products, my new apartment...everything but the IUD.

I have Type 1 Diabetes, so I see an endocrinologist regularly and when I went in yesterday to show him this new BALD SPOT on the top of my head, and talk about my random weight gain, despite joining weight watchers and exercising every single day, he started asking me questions and determined that that IUD needed to come OUT. He said if the hormones were affecting my body enough to cause acne, and increase my insulin dose (I went from 10 units a day to 20...a HUGE increase!) then it was most certainly affecting my hormones enough to cause weight gain, hair loss, etc. It even explained why I suddenly needed to get waxed every three weeks instead of every six.

Unfortunately all the literature indicates that removal comes with terrible bleeding, clots, and cramps. I'm going on vacation in less than one month and I'm super bummed that I have to keep it in until I get back from vacation but I'm not going to the most civilized region so I don't want to risk the kinds of horror stories I've been reading while abroad.

Been on Topamax for almost a year. My dose was 150mg once a day for alternative treatment for chronic depression. I am also on Effexor and Lamictal. The tingling in the toes has lessened but not gone away. I have severe thirst all the time. My body seems to overheat easily. I lost 20 lbs but i was doing weight watchers and had just had a baby so its hard to give all the credit to Topamax. I definitely feel dumb. Words come and simply float away out of sight. My memory is extremely affected. I can fight with my husband and by the end have no idea what I had just said. Feel quite foolish. I am now titrating down and off by 50mg every 4 days. I am down to 50mg and have not had a good night's sleep since reducing my doses. My brain just turns on in the middle of the night. I am also pretty nauseated at this lowest titration. I just gained back 6 lbs but eating chocolate doesn't help either. I seemed to be able to keep my weight at 140 lbs no matter what i would eat. Not so anymore. Always trying to find the faster, easier way toward staying thin but it always comes back to that same bottom line. I have to discipline myself boooo.

Like most everyone else on this site, I wish I had read this first.
I had Mirena inserted in February 2009. At first I thought it was te best thing I had ever done. It was for the first 5 months. But then it started. Headaches, BAD acne (never had any before, now I have huge cyst type things in my ear lobes and all over my face), bad cramps, gained 30lbs right off the bat and now have been on Weight Watchers since June and have only lost 5 pounds. No matter what I do. I was going to stick it out and just see. But, thank you to those who have posted to this site. I guess the side effects don't just go away like I have hoped over the last few months. Sounds like they get worse. Thanks for helping me make my decision to get it removed. Oh and I'm one of those people who NEVER experience the bad side effects. I use to brag about that. I never even read the Mirena side effects because that's not something I ever had to worry about before.

My 3rd child was born in November of 2008, because I'm very fertile (having 3 children in less than 3 years) and not sure if I'm completely done, but not wanting any more any time soon, I opted for Mirena. I didn't want to deal with Depo because of the constant stories of weight gain, so Mirena sounded great. I hate taking pills because I'm forgetful. Anyway January of 2009 at my 9 week check up I had the Mirena put in...within a month my periods were virtually non existent, some of it could be due to breast feeding, but I still pretty much have no periods. Last month however I went in to the ob/gyn to have him check some pains I'm having in my lower abdomen, an ultrasound confirmed cysts (i read the tech type this out) and then the doc lied and told me there weren't any. Before Mirena, I had gone down to 175 lbs within a month of having my son thanks to weight watchers, after Mirena weight watchers wasnt working. So I quit paying for it so I of course gained back 10 lbs. I'm still eating less than 1500 calories a day, I chase 3 kids around all day, eat decently, don't exercise a whole lot but still don't sit on my butt all day and weigh about 190 lbs. If I even consider eating a piece of pizza I gain weight. This is ridiculous. My doc said he'd remove it if I continue to have pains because that usually helps, well that just one of many reasons I'm calling as soon as Im done typing here. I'm tired, my face is worse than it was in high school, I wear my husbands clothes all day, my wedding ring won't come off, I snap at everyone for everything, I'm sad, and I'm fat too boot. I would love to get back down to pre-pregnancy before the third baby 172lbs, but no matter what I do it doesn't work. Hopefully after removing this thing I can lose that and then some. I'll actually want to work out and have sex again! Not to mention have the desire to play with my kids rather than chase after them and fuss at them for everything they do.

I'm 21 and have been on Loestrin 24 for about 4 months now. I have been pretty lucky as far as my periods are concerned. I get my period the second day of the brown pill around 10 AM and it lasts for two or three days (very light bleeding). I haven't had any cramping (which was one of my main focuses for finding a pill) and I haven't had any really horrible mood swings like I had when I was on Microgestin (my boyfriend is pretty happy about that!). But my main concern on checking these boards is that in the past one or two months I've gained ten pounds! I haven't changed my diet in any way, I've been eating like I normally do. Ive even actually tried to start eating better, and using weight watchers to count my points but I haven't seen any weight loss whatsoever. I've also been having really bad headaches almost every day, but this may be because I need to have my eyes checked. I love the pill, except for this stupid weight, and I'm scared that I'll keep gaining :/ Anyone else have any weight gain from this pill?

I just wanted to post my experience/perspective. I am 30, never had children...

For the most part I love my mirena and would get it again in a heartbeat. Negatives: I have had it for over 2.5 years (I had to get it reinserted after the first month because it had started to expel, but the removal was pain-free and the reinsertion was less painful than the initial insertion). My period does generally last 8-9 days (compared to 3-4 before); BUT, I love that I only have to wear a pad or pantyliner because my flow is so light. My cramps are not necessarily worse, but different--I swear I feel myself ovulating!

Positives/Neutral: I have actually lost weight since getting my mirena (about 30 pounds), but this is because I joined weight watchers not because mirena helped me lose weight :) I have always shed a bunch of hair and haven't noticed a difference. My sex drive has been low lately, but I think it's because my significant other gets home from work after I'm asleep so my motivation for sex succumbs to being tired. My period is so light that I only have to wear a pad (first time since 6th grade!). I've always had some acne since I was about 11 and have noticed no changes. My significant other can't feel the strings because they are way up by my cervix (I have to struggle to feel them to check that it is still in place). I love not having to remember a pill--I am very forgetful and busy!

I got the mirena put in Jan 09 and i am already going to get it taken out. I only got it because i hated trying to remember to take the pill and the doctor said i am too young to have my tubes tied (which is what i wanted after having my son). So I got it put in...at first everything was okay...I had a few breakouts of acne and gained a little weight but it wasn't so bad. Well now almost 6 months later i have gained 30 lbs all in my stomach and my face and back have had the worst acne ever. I tried exercising...i even tried weight watchers thinking it was just me...NOPE. I didn't lose one pound. So im getting it taken out and hopefully will go back down the the size 8 i was after i had my son. An 8 I can handle...a 12 is unacceptable to me.

I am switching from Lyrics to Neurontin. I have always had a weight problem and lost 50 lbs.on Weight Watchers and have gained about 10 of it back. I am switching from Lyrics to Neurontin, hoping to stem the weight gain. Opinions and experiences please . . . am I jumping from the frying pan into the fire? I CANNOT ALLOW THIS WEIGHT TO COME BACK ANY FURTHER !!!! HELP !!!!!!

LC - Ohio

Holy Moly...Basically I think all birth control methods suck, especially hormone based ones. Women always bear the brunt of the hideous side effects.
Used rhythm method for years, no problem. Conceived 2 kids when I wanted to. Afterwards, I thought Mirena would be good idea. AWFUL! Stupid thing poked him and me. OUT! Started Nuvaring 2.5 months ago. Sound familiar: Great for first month...I thought. Didn't fall out which was the big thing I had heard about. Now, noticing 1) weight gain despite running, tennis, etc. and following weight watchers. 2) Thin, brittle hair. 3) knee and joint pain which makes exercise hard (thought it was my sneakers) in addition to upper-thigh soreness. 4) IBS symptoms for first time in 38 years! Bloating, diarrhea, gas, etc. 5) trouble staying asleep despite fatigue 6) new level of fatigue 7) vaginal dryness which never had EVER before hormones! 8) increasing disinterest in sex.
So, yup, took it out yesterday after finding this site. NO more hormones for me! Abstinence or condoms, I guess. Geesh.

I had the MIRENA inserted in August 08. I have 2 kids (2.5 yrs and 1 yr) The 1st 3 months I spotted A LOT and now i get very irregular periods about every 3-5 weeks I'll bleed for about 3 days. I also have a constant yellowish discharge which I thought was thrush. But after being tested for that it has come back normal. I too have tonnes of hair loss and my hair just looks dull and lifeless. I did put on some weight at the start, but have since been on Weight watchers and I've lost 15 pounds, but it's been a struggle. I've had some mood swings and been very teary, but I just put that down to some recent family heart ache (my son was diagnosed with Autism in Dec) but I guess the Mirena could be adding to my stress levels and overall wellbeing. After reading all the other posts I have booked to get my Mirena taken about next Thursday. I'm not planning another pregnancy for a few years so I need to either get organized and take the pill or use condoms.... Oh the joys of being female!

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

Hi. I stopped taking Yasmin about 7 weeks ago because my husband and I are trying to start a family. Since I stopped, I've gained 5lbs and even though I'm going to weight watchers (which I've successfully done before) I can't seem to lose any weight even though I'm sticking to the diet rigidly. Anyone experienced anything like this?

I got on NR because I was having horrible mood swings and anxiety on the pill. My OB-GYN thought the constant supply of hormones from NR, rather than the up and down-ness of the pill would help with the moodiness. I liked it in the beginning but then it started feeling like it would slip out, especially in the first few days of being in. It did shorten my periods, almost irregularly, and my cramps have been worse. My biggest complaint is that I have not been able to lose any weight while on it. I did Weight Watchers back in 2007 and l lost 30 lbs. I recently started back, and have not dropped any weight. I haven't gained any, but I do think being on NR has prevented me from losing.

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis when I was 20. (i'm now 26) I was on 80mg of prednisone for about 2 years. I again about 45 lbs, between water retention and just an increase of appetite and extra calories. I developed moon face and all the other horrible side effects. I was sweaty, bitchy and fat. Needless to say I was miserable. My doc put me on Remicade as an experimental drug, and it seemed to work well. We were able to wean myself off the prednisone and within 6 months the weight came off with the help of some Weight Watchers. 6 years later I'm back on the prednisone, but only 40mg this time, and hopefully for only a couple weeks. It's only been a week and I have insomnia, night sweats, mood swings (my poor boyfriend) rapid heart rate, and weird dizzy/nausea spells in the afternoon. My face seems a little bit fuller, but I think I'm being overly critical since several people have told me I look like I've lost weight in the last week. (it could be due to my flare up making me lose weight) My suggestion is that although this drug is horrible and makes you think you are losing your mind, it does help. Try and breath through the mood swings and remember it's not you. Ask your doctor for a tranquilizer if you have too. (The first time I was on prednisone, my dr. prescribed Xanax because I was so bad. It helped a lot) As for the weight gain, it's hard, and I'm trying to snack on carrot sticks and fruits instead of a whole bag of cookies. One good side effect I have noticed is that my complexion if the clearest it's every been. It's really incredible to be honest. Please know you aren't alone, and although you might not look like how you used to, your loved ones (hopefully) understand that this is a side effect and see you for how you've always been. It sounds sappy but sometimes we need to be reminded of that. I know I do. Good luck to you.

Pregnant or not pregnant?

After reading the posts from women who have had negative experiences with mirena, it has helped me know I am not alone.

I had the mirena inserted three months after the birth of my second son at the end of 2006.

Everything "seemed" great. My periods were lighter, sometimes only spotting. And the mirena was preventing pregnancy which was why I had it inserted. I wanted a tubal, but my obgyn recommended mirena instead, saying she had it and it was great.

After over indulging at Christmas, I decided to do a bit of dieting right after. The number on the scale has gone down, but my belly size has increased significantly, and so have my boobs.

My period stopped completely in August or September. I was told this would happen, and I was glad not to get it. I'm not so sure now.

I have all of the signs and symptoms of pregnancy (I feel just like I did when I was pregnant with each of my sons). I can't get through the night without getting up to pee at least a couple of times. My boobs are sore and sensitive. I've had headaches. My lower back is killing me. I feel nauseous in the mornings. I'm ravenously hungry at times. I'm sooo tired. I feel little flutterings in my belly. My pre-existing stretch marks have stretched even more and are itchy as heck.

Two hpt's have shown negative results. I'm making an appointment today to see my gp and find out what's going on.

I used to be nicer than nice and noticed after the birth of my second son I lost a lot of my niceness. At first I thought it was post partum, and when my nasty spells continued, I chalked it up to having two little ones to keep up with and being tired and all. I NEVER tied it in with mirena. Now I see my moodiness is possibly related to it.

I had commented to my husband one day before Christmas that I was feeling really bitchy, and he commented, "you're always bitchy". His comment shocked me. He told me I'm mean. This so does not describe the person I used to be. I want the old me back. This isn't fair to me, my husband or my boys.

Also, since giving birth to my second son, I have had body aches like you would not believe. When I get up in the mornings or after having sat for a spell, my body (feet, legs, back, arms - everything) hurts. Once I've limbered up, I'm okay until the next time I sit or lie down. Again, I never tied this in with mirena.

If I'm pregnant, mirena didn't do its job, so I'll have it removed and after the baby is born, either have a tubal like I had originally wanted, or convince my husband to get a vasectomy.

If I'm not pregnant, I will still have the mirena removed, because these are side effects I can do without and I want my life back.

I started Femcon Fe about 3 months ago. About two weeks after starting the pill, I had gotten a UTI. Not thinking it was the pill, I get it treated. A week after finishing the medication. I got another UTI and got treated for it again. Now, I have this constant burn all the time when I urinate (I previously had gotten tested for any STD, so I know it is not that). Everyday, I take AZO to ease the pain. Also, I have noticed at night I get painful leg cramps. I have also gained about 10 pounds, and my boobs are HUGE (which I kinda like). Three weeks out of the month I am psycho (yell at my kids like a maniac and snap at anyone). I also started to get dry patches on my face. I really think it is the pill. After reading everyone's comments I know it is the pill. Thanks everyone for posting cause if not I would have thought I needed to be in a mental institution, need to seek medical attention for circulatory and urinary tract problems, and joined weight watchers. I am stopping the pill tonight!

i have been taking lisinopril for about 8 months. I have a burning pain in the top of my head at times. I can now tell when my bp is up, as before I could not. I started out on 5mg and was raised to 10mg, because it was not helping and does not see to be helping now..every time I go to the doctor my bp is 128/98 or something close.. I have had bladder infections that cause the worse pain I have ever felt. I am wanting to stop the lisinopril, but my doctor insist and I am afraid to stop it all of a sudden.
I know I need to lose weight and feel like that would help..but since beginning the linsiopril, I have gained weight..I used to have good results with weight watchers..but not now..I have tried several different approaches to losing weight and nothing has worked..this is causing my stress to elevate.

Im 35 have 2 children and had mirena fitted in Feb of 2008. It was the most painful thing i have ever experienced. There was a med student in the room when he did it and she said after it was over that was the most brutal thing shes ever seen. After it was inserted i bled for about two weeks but it did let up. In the months that followed I experienced the acne,(i have always had clear skin), the weight gain, the fatigue, the headaches, the fogginess, and the worst to me was a major personality change. I was miserable. Depressed and extremely on edge all the time. I blamed my constant crankiness on the fact that I could no longer fit into any of my clothes, and the 15lbs that i had gained. In August my mom asked me if i was pregnant cuz she said I looked like i was. The day after my mom said that I went to weight watchers and did manage to lose 10 of those lbs. Which isnt that great considering i lost 42 lbs in 4mths when i went on it after i had my 2nd daughter and it took me 3 1/2 mths to lose 10! Anyway, 2 weeks ago i started with this dizziness and the tingling feeling in my arms and legs. Went to the doc and she said I had an inner ear infection. Took the meds she gave me and still felt crappy. Then last Monday i had a total breakdown. I couldn't get out of bed, the left side of my face was feeling like it was numb. My cousin came to see me and asked me what was wrong and I simply said "I think im losing my mind!" She said well u haven't been yourself since you had "that thing put in". So her and i got on the computer and googled mirena side effects and WOW!! I could not believe what I was reading. I could relate to every woman's story. I called my doc and had to fight with the idiots at the front desk but I got an appointment tues the 25th to have it removed. The doc looked at me like I was crazy when I told her what was going on. She said theres no way mirena was causing that and i should go see a neurologist but shed take it out for me anyway just to ease my mind.
Well let me tell you how I feel today 5 days post mirena. I feel WONDERFUL!!! I actually felt better within an hour after she removed it. The tingling and numbness stopped and that foggy feeling was gone, and my insides no longer felt like they were being squeezed together. I started heavy bleeding on Friday (at walmart on black Friday, to give you a laugh). Im going through a tampon every two hours but i have to say it feels wonderful. I just feel great I don't care about the bleeding at all thats how good I feel. My stomach is flat again, and when i weighed myself this morning i was 7lbs down from Monday, and i haven't been dieting at all, ate like a cow on thanksgiving. I even look different in the mirror. I swear my skin had a grayish tint to it when i had the mirena and today im all pink and rosy again. When i think about how i felt and the mths of my life that i lost, i cant believe a form of birth control caused that. They really need to educated people more on this device. Yea the thought of not having a period is cool but at what expense? Ill take my period over feeling like that any day!

I had my Mirena inserted in Jan2008. After a few weeks of bleeding it finally stopped and things were ok for awhile. Recently I noticed how fat I had become (I gained 14 pounds in 10 months) and how bloated my abdomen is! I look like I am 4 month pregnant!! I had my Mirena removed today (Nov 25) and could not be happier or more relieved to have that horrible thing out of me!!! I am hoping that it won't take too long or be too difficult to lose the weight. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE THINK LONG AND HARD BEFORE GETTING A MIRENA IUD AND THEN DON'T!!!

Two weeks, 5 pounds and 2 periods later...
Its only been 2 weeks, and ive lost 5 pounds (probably had to do with the fact that i'm on Weight Watchers's now) but i keep bleeding. I've two periods in less than two weeks. Can anyone help me out on this one? I'm not sure what the cause is. Some explanation from fellow "sufferers" would help out a lot.
Thanks! :-)

I got Mirena inserted June 07.Since then i have gained 30 pounds.Right after my baby was born i was 130ponds.I weigh myself once a week.Since Jan 08 i have been a whooping 160pounds till now.No addition or subtraction.Before Mirena all i needed to do to loose some weight was walk for about 30 minutes a day,but now,i can walk on the track for 30 minutes,do some crunches,walk on the treadmill for another 20 minutes and am still at 160pounds!!!! For all the people who have had the Mirena removed,did you shed some pounds?
Thanks you.

I just want to thank everyone for their experiences with Mirena. I went to the GYN on Tuesday for my annual exam and inquired about birth control since I am now in a relationship. I am 42, no children. She recommended Mirena and gave me a booklet on it. I have been researching it.

I am now deciding AGAINST this. I will stick with condoms for now and start researching another type of birth control. I don't want weight gain (I am already overweight but have lost over a lot of weight thanks to Weight Watchers). I don't want acne or bleeding everyday.

It helps so much hearing everyone's experience with this. The brochure doesn't list all these side effects. The doctor was pretty honest with me but thinks I would be a good candidate but I think I really need to rethink this.

Has anyone had any good experiences with other types of birth control?

Thanks!

I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis in 2003, have been treated with Asacol ever since, and was in remission for nearly 5 years. I flared in December of 2007, and had my first experience with prednisone; I was on 40 mg/day for nearly 6 months. I gained 35 pounds, got the moon face, double-chin, tummy fat, muscle aches, extreme mood swings, excruciating headaches, night sweats, and UNCONTROLLABLE hunger. I, too, noticed the sensitive teeth, and now I feel like my enamel is really thin...almost see-through. Anyway, I've been off prednisone for about 5 months. The moon face went away for the most part, but my cheeks still seem a little chubbier than before, and my double-chin is a lot smaller, but still there. I've lost about half the weight, but only after joining weight watchers and working out 6 days a week. I feel like I can't lose any more weight to save my life. Does anyone have any suggestions? I never struggled with weight prior to taking this stupid drug. I'd appreciate any input.

I researched Mirena extensively prior to getting it a month ago. My doctor recommended it because I have Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Which can cause depression, abdominal cramps due to ovarian cysts, months without periods only to have a long period, weight gain especially in the mid section, hair loss on the head, extra hair everywhere else and difficulty getting pregnant. I had just had a period that lasted over 2 weeks.

The day I got the IUD fitted, the lining of my uterus was already thin. I spotted for 2 days and it was over. The pain was like nothing I had ever experienced. I have never had children, but my fiance and I want to hold off on having kids for a while. This month, I have noticed that my breasts are tender and my fiance noticed that they are bigger.

I already have issues with weight and after reading the blogs before I decided that I would join Weight Watchers. Because I'm keeping track of my food intake, I have lost weight, but I've noticed that my chocolate cravings are more frequent and more severe. I also decided that exercise would be in order. The first week, before I added the exercise, I didn't have a sex drive. Since I've been hitting the pavement running, I have been stressing my fiance out! I believe the exercise also helps with the mood swings and depression.

I know that I still have the ovarian cysts because I have the abdominal pains. Many women complain about this, but for women with PCOS, it's a way of life.

I came on to blog about my short experience with Mirena because it's been a month and I got my first Mirena period today. It feels like a normal, crampy, bloated, painful period. I just hope that it will be over soon.

my BF has been taking antidepressants for 15 yrs- mostly a combo of lamictal and parnate. he is always depressed, has no energy, can't lose weight, suffers from chronic migraines (for which he downs handfuls of Tylenol and Excedrin) and constant muscle pain. i'm afraid to drive with him because of the road rage. his thinking is foggy, he is overwhelmed by every little thing and he constantly loses his keys, his phone- you name it. when he saw the commercials for AADD, he started to think he had that too and needed even more medicine!

i've had about all i can stand and in doing research, i found that niacin is useful for people with depression. it has to be the flushing kind and you need to take enough without flushing. some very depressed people have taken 12,000 mg a day and still not flushed!

so i started him on niacin and as we built up his dose, he cut down on the antidepressants. he got to 2000 mg of niacin a day and it took him 2 months to wean off the antiDs. he had minor brain shivers, but not nearly as bad or as many as when he has tried to get off the meds in the past

he has now been completely off the antiDs for 2 months and is taking between 300 - 500 mg of niacin daily.

here's what has happened: in 2 months, he has only had one headache and his muscle aches have gone; consequently he has only taken one Tylenol in the last two months as opposed to 10 a day like he used to. he has more energy- this Sunday when he got out of bed, he got active doing things instead of slumping on the couch for hours. i also almost fainted when i drove with him and he didn't scream when a pedestrian cut out in front of him. he is much more able to focus, he is not getting overwhelmed by everything.

and for the past 3 weeks at weight watchers, his weight has gone down a little

he is very happy about it.