Loestrin 24 Fe and acne

I just started my first pack of Loestrin today, so we'll see what happens... But it can't be worse than my previous 2 BC's - Yaz and Desogen. The desogen gor worse and worse over a period of 8 years or so... I began having mood swings, depression issues, severe anxiety... it was starting to affect my relationship... Not ok. So i talked to my doc and she switched me to Yaz.... the first 2 months were ok.... the next 3.... NIGHTMARES. I was exhausted all the time, sad all the time, depressed 3 weeks out of the month, bloated, gaining weight, breaking out with acne on my chin and jaw... I never even had acne as a teenager. It was awful. I'd cry over nothing. I felt like I was losing my mind... So the Loestrin was the next option. Time will tell... but it can't be any worse than it was on Yaz!

Honestly... Don't be afraid to try a new pill because of reading one of these sites. If you read up on any of the major BC's: Yaz, Loestrin, Ortho Tri Cyclin Lo, Yasmin, etc. They all the say the same thing for the most part, and everyone is experiencing all the side effects from this site on those as well.. Everyone reacts differently to the pill, so don't let it deter you from making a decision to try something new.

Well i been on loestrin for about 5 months now, Ive tried 4 other contraceptives (that kept giving me nasty yeast infections, headaches and severe nausea! , but this is probably the only one my body tolerates..... as far as symptoms, in the beginning i would have massive migraines and nausea almost everyday it was horrible! but it got a lil better as time past....of coarse mood swings from here to there, and a low sex drive... it suxs my boyfriend thinks "im not into him" anymore, and im telling u its the pills... cuz i didnt have this problem before i got on em. but i guess i choose to be on the pills cuz i dont want any accidents....it helps my acne for the most part.....haven't had any migrans lately hopefully they wont come back.... but my next step will probably be the IUD...hopefully this wont give me no problems =/ if that dont work then i dont no what im gonna do...anything with tooo much estrogen gets me really sick.....

My mom actually put me on Loestrin24 back when I was 17 because I had always had severe cramps that would keep me home from school 3 days in a row each month. (I loved it, she didn't.) They were horrible and my period lasted at least 7 days at a time. I had minor acne and break outs beforehand but noticed that once I got into the routine of taking Loestrin daily, my acne has fluctuated to absolutely unbearable and back to just fine in a matter of a few days. Also, I've been really "mean", apparently, since I started it (according to my fiance). I think my very worst complaint would have to be the vaginal dryness during sex and lack of sex drive. Before I was on the pill, I used to want to have sex every day! I don't know if those were teen-hormones playing their part, or what but since I've started taking Loestrin I've had zero sex drive and it really does feel like a chore. It has started to take its toll on my relationship. I cannot stay lubricated during sex at all and quite frankly, it's embarrassing as well as making me feel bad that my fiance thinks he cannot keep me excited. I am blaming Loestrin and am strongly considering telling my doctor to put me on something a little less harsh. I'm glad I'm not crazy and that a lot of other women are experiencing the same side effects as I am. (Oh, and on top of that, mind blowing migraines.)

I'm 30 yrs old and recently had an abortion and after the procedure I was given a sample of Loestrin24 and a prescription. I was skeptical at first because I've always taken Orthotricyclen-lo but the thought of $24 a month got me. I've been on the pills for about 2 1/2 weeks now and no real side effects. I pee a lot but I also drink a lot of water, my breasts are tender but they've always been like that, I think it has to do with aging, but the main thing is that my acne has been improving. That's great news for me since being pregnant caused massive ance upon me. I don't know what to think of all this since all I read are nothing but negative statements. I'm hoping things don't start to get worse for me because everything seems to be going well so far. I'm dying to see whether or not I'll be having my period. But then again, I've never really had side effects with any BC I've tried. The only reason I kept going back to orthotricyclen-lo is because it's what I started with. I wish you all well and I'll give an update of any changes.

okay so i have been on Loestrin 24 fe since July and since i've started it i have not had a period, just light spotting. And in October i didn't even have any spotting. My acne is worse as it's ever been since taking this pill, i have mood swings, i've noticed that i find myself feeling depressed sometimes. And worst of all about two weeks ago while i was doing a routine breast exam on myself i noticed a lump. Since i've noticed it, the lump has gotten bigger, it's tender to the touch, and my boob has gotten bigger, but just the one. And i've never had any problems with lumps, or anything else. When i went to the gyno in july she gave me a breast exam and said everything was fine, this was the day she prescribed me loestrin 24fe. I also experience headaches, i feel sick to my stomach a lot, and i find myself blacking out. I'm not going to take this birth control anymore.

making the appointment for my lump tomorrow hopefully everything goes good.

OMG i don't like this pill. Im 28 was given this pill cuz i spotted a lot on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo for years. well this pill loestrin24 fe scares the daylights outta me. I just started to take it last month and i haven't gotten my period when i was supposed to! i freaked out took a HPT came out negative. Im still scared and think i am hearing some people have this im a lil ok. I didn't start my new pack cuz im waiting my period to come. I don't know how people can be ok on this pill when u don't get your monthly period. plus i started to break out with ance on my back ugh.i also get stomach pains, frequent urination, spotting, and mood swings. Basically i rather spot on my old pill then deal with this crazy pill

I am 28 and have almost been on Loestrin 24 for a month now. I haven't noticed many side effects. It has actually even helped my acne thus far into my journey. However, I've felt bloated for about two weeks straight. I was on Yaz for the past few years and liked it okay but switched due to a conflict with another medication with potassium in it. Long story short, I have gained 5-8lbs this month. I am working out at least an hour most days and eating well, so I am really bothered by this. It seems others have had this issue as well. When you switched back to another BC pill did the weight seem to come off? I am trying to decide if I stick it out for another month or two and see if my body adjusts to Loestrin or if I should call it quits and start on Yaz again.

I was on Yaz for two years before switching to Loestrin in July because of cost and because my Ob/Gyn gave me a discount card. I thought that Yaz was making me depressed. Well,I am still depressed and I have never had acne like I have now in my life. And its not premenstrual break out-its constant on my forehead and my back.
Worse, and most startling, is my inability to wear my contacts. It seems as though my blood vessels pop, my eyes get so inflamed and irritated. This concerns me most. I have been wearing glasses for weeks to allow the irritation to subside, and I fear that the inflammation was caused by the Loestrin, the only variable. What else is this pill doing to me, I wonder, after reading all of the other posts. I need to get off it, but switch to what???

I am 20 years old.

I was put on Loestrin when I was 17 to prevent pregnancy. I had very light periods that lasted a day maybe every month. Until I completely stopped having a period altogether for about 8 months while being on it. I enjoyed it, but started to get a little concerned so I went to my gyno and they gave me a pregnancy test (standard procedure) which was negative (I knew my body and knew I wasn't pregnant and it was just the pill that made me not have a period but still wanted to check).

I was 18 at the time and they switched me to Yasmin. I started having a normal period again. But I had awful side effects with Yasmin..HORRIBLE depression and mood swings....soooo bad that I went back to the gyno and switched to Yaz...I don't remember much about Yaz but I didn't take it very long because I wanted to be back on Loestrin again.

My script ran out when I was 19, and I never went back to get another script...to give my body a break from BC.

I just turned 20 and recently went to the gyno and asked to be put back on Loestrin again. I have been on it for three weeks so far. I've have some mood swings and slight depression. I also have had some very light spotting, nausea/heartburn/acid reflux this time around....which i don't recall having when i was on it before... but i'm sure my body is just getting re-adjusted and I plan on waiting it out, considering I had a positive experience with it before (minus the nonexistent periods..which wasn't even a problem to me)

I also had mild acne before BC, but when I take Loestrin it completely clears up (Which is a huuuuuuge plus for me..obviously.) When I wasn't taking BC for a year, my acne came back! It was awful! (to me at least) Big difference! But it has once again diminished once I started taking Loestrin again.

I have tried Loestrin, Yasmin, and Yaz..and will swear by Loestrin over the other two....especially Yasmin (that was awful). For those of you who have only tried one brand of BC and hated it.. i suggest you switch to another one before completely saying goodbye to BC pills forever. Thankfully I did switch and try other brands..because I now know that Loestrin is right for me. But everyone is different. Good luck :)

Wow. I am not even close to being done reading everyone's comments on Loestrin, and I am already EXTREMELY P.O'ed and at the same time relieved, at the fact that I found this page. I am 18 years old, and I started on Tri-Cyclin Lo when I was 15. I loved it, and never had any problems with it what-so-ever. It even helped with my acne problems. But a few months ago, my insurance decided to stop covering birth control, so my OBGYN decided to put me on Loestrin 24 Fe, because with the card you only have to pay 24 tops a month. But anyway, I now realize that all of the hell that has been happening in the past 3-4 months is due to Loestrin Fe. And after reading all of your comments I am POSITIVE! My Boyfriend and me have been fighting all of the time, and I have just been getting upset for no reason. I thought that it was because things between my boyfriend and me just aren't the same, and that maybe we are just growing apart.. but after reading all of your comments, and taking some time to think about it... IT HAS TO BE THE B.C! Before I started this pill we got along all the time... And also, my sex drive has plummeted so fast and drastically, to the point where my sex drive is NON EXISTENT. It has been hurting our relationship on top of my mood swings, because our sex life is also NONEXISTENT.. and we live together! I used to want to have sex all of the time.. and I haven't honestly wanted to have sex (not even once!) for the past few months...since I started Loestrin!!! Additionally, my face has been breaking out before periods excruciatingly bad. It has seriously hurt my self esteem. I have always had some issues with acne, but it has gotten ridiculous. I even bought an expensive acne kit that is supposed to be number one in the country, and it still keeps getting worse! .. And lastly I have been putting on a lot of weight, even though I have been eating the same.. also hurting my self esteem. Today, my bf and I finally came to the conclusion that "hmmm.. it most definitely might be the birth control." ..so I decided to come online and check out the side effects. AND BOOM! I see tons and tons and tons of comments from Women of all ages with the same, horrifying side effects. I am going to stop this birth control immediately. If my insurance won't cover anything else, and I can't afford any others, I will just deal with my cramps and longer periods. I never thought I would say this in a million years, but I would RATHER deal with the horrible cramps and long periods, than have to deal with the bull s*** that Loestrin has put me through. If anyone has anymore insight, message me or reply! Thanks.

I am 18 years old and this is my first experience with BC. Loestrin FE 24 has ruined my entire view of BC. I have suffered many side effects of this pill, I am currently on my third pack of Loestrin. The side effect I have experienced are:
1. Moodiness/ Depression: I experienced this side effect during the first pack of Loestrin. Extreme depression was prominent at the beginning, I would randomly cry and I constantly down. Let alone my mood swings. My boyfriend would agree that I could be up and down within min.
2. Headaches: I have had horrible headaches daily with Loestrin. I started with my third pack of the pills. The headaches are terrible, it seems like I can only numb them with ibprofen but I can never fully get rid of it.
3. Spotting: How annoying is spotting? This side effect also started with my third pack of pills. I shouldn't even see any sort of menstruation for at least another 5-6 days. But yet here I am.
4. Massive acne before menstruation: I have always had really clear skin. Let it be before, during or after my period. But with Loestrin I am constantly breaking out. ESPECIALLY before my period.
5. Bloating/Constipation: I constantly feel bloated and feel like I am always constipated. I don't know what to do besides switch pills. I can't take it any longer.
P.S. This pill makes you feel that you are always pregnant. I see the signs but they are identical to the symptoms of the pill. So beware. I highly recommend NOT taking Loestrin FE 24

so i was on loestrin 24 fe for about about 2 years i wanna say.. and i just got off of them about 45 days ago due to my mood swings and ive been on birth control pills since i was 13 and am now 18. My boyfriend immediately noticed a difference in my mood. Im WAY happier now! But now the bad part I FINALLY got my period after 42 days.. and boy has this been a crappy period so far.. ive had to pee about a million times! and my period is sooo heavy ive never had one this heavy and im also getting acne on my back which i never had before.. and headaches! oh and i feel like i have absolutely no appetite and am soo bloated! has anyone else experienced this??

i have been on loestrin24 for about 2 months , its the worst thing in the world!! i was on yaz for 3 years and i started feeling sick about two years in i had anxiety, depression , my hair was falling out and i read blogs about the pill and decided to get off i called my doctor and she gave me loestrin24 , my sex drive is so so bad,my boyfriend noticed it right away! i have nausea,headaches, dizzy spells, blackouts, and worst of all im 27 years old and have never had acne until now!!!! im on my last active pill and i will not continue the pills ...... i would rather have a 5 day heavy period then take this i feel like im dragging all day long and all i wanna do is sleep this is so not worth it !

I've been sitting here for at least an hour reading the different blogs regarding the different side effects of the Loestrin24 pill. I am so disappointed with this brand. The deceit about having a shorter lighter period is the biggest let down. I spot pretty regularly now and before the supposed start date of my 'supposed to be' period. I am also not thrilled about the acne. I worked very hard and paid quite a bit to clear my face of all the left over debris that teen acne left me with. I switched from OrthoTri Cyclen Lo due to cost. I have now concluded that 'Cheaper Is Not Always Better'. My sanity vs. Loestrin24 t take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.
There are other common side affects as well such as: nausea, moodiness, lack of sex drive, etc. Just needed to vent my two biggest complaints.

I am a sixteen year old girl and I've been on Loestrin 24 for the past three months. I've really noticed that I am always hungry and go pee around 8-10 times a day. My boyfriend's mom, a teen mom, was very concerned I am pregnant. Because I not only gained two cup sizes but started getting taller and I probably have gained 5lbs. since I started and it definitely gave me acne, which I never used to get. I have HORRIBLE lower back pains but usually goes away after a quick massage but still. All of these symptoms seriously made me worried about being pregnant, even though I used a condom every time. I am worried still though cause I went directly into my second and third months of pills without having my period.
Overall, it helps with what it's supposed to do, but can easily make you believe you're pregnant. Beware! (:

To be perfectly honest, the big thing that I'm noticing is breast tenderness. I'm a really chesty girl as it is, but even going up and down stairs hurts...

Also, I'm noticing that my sex drive is a lot lower, and that I do have a little more acne than normal.

On the bright side, I'm not gaining weight, which was not the case when I was on Ortho-Tricyclen. I've actually lost a little... It's kind of odd, too, because I've had more of an appetite.

Either way, it takes your body three months to adjust. I'm not that concerned yet. I'd advise you to just try and deal with it for a little while. A lot of it is in your head, especially when you go reading all these horror stories!

I have been on this pill for 8 months, so I can speak out and tell you how it has been. I am a firm believer you give the pill time to get in your system,now I want it out my system as quickly as possible. I already placed a call to my doctor this morning after everything I have read. I am loosing my hair at an extreme rate, even my little girls have noticed my hair seems to be everywhere in the house not to mention I can't clip my hair up without it falling down 2 minutes later with the same clips I have used for years. Moody as all get out.. emotional at times that I have no explanation for. ACNE is BEYOND anything I have ever experienced. They are huge red and seem to be either on my cheeks or along my jaw line. I even switched to Clinique Acne Solutions and that stuff has a guarantee it will work or your money back. Well I am not going to ask for my money back knowing its this darn horrible pill I am on. I will go back to Ortho Trycyclen and have my periods a few extra days and heavier to gain my sanity, hair and tame my temper/moodiness and clear my face back up. I also have experienced dry eyes, major fatigue all I want to do is take a nap when I get home and I ache what seems like all the time.

Reading your comments has really put my mind at easy. I'm 23 and on day 4 of my third pack. My first month I got a regular period, but I didn't get a period during my second month on the pill (which means that I am a little over a week late right now). In the past I have been on Ortho Tri Cyclen and Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo, and my period has always been on time. And in the 10 years that I've been having a period, it occasionally been early, but never late, and I have never once missed a period.

I've spend the last couple days terrified that I was pregnant (even though I have consistently been taking my pill at the same time every day), but this forum makes me feel a lot better. I think that I will still go out and take a home pregnancy test to be on the safe side, but hopefully my missed period is just my body's reaction to Loestrin.

I will give my body a couple more months to adjust to the pill, but if irregular, late or missed periods continue I am definitely going to switch birth control pills. It is not worth the anxiety of thinking I might be pregnant.

On the bright side, I haven't experienced any of the other side effects that you guys are mentioning. This pill has helped with my cramps, and I haven't experienced any change at all in my moodiness, energy level, acne, or weight.

I think everyone reacts differently to every pill. I also think it takes your body a while to adjust to the new hormones. I did have some irritating side affects:

-I was a raging bitch for a couple days.
-I started to black out when I would drink.
-Boobs were tender
-ACNE

I got over everything after the first pack, except the acne. I gave up after the 2nd pack because I had such awful acne. I tried very hard to give my body a chance to adjust to it..but I couldn't handle the acne anymore. I would literally cry because of it. Im 23 years old, never had acne in my life, and I looked like a 14 year old boy starting puberty. I mean I would get the occasional pimple the week before my period before, but these WERE monster pimples and I would wake up with one EVERY morning. Ive been off the pill for a week now and Ive noticed a HUGE difference. Although I'm no longer raising a farm of whiteheads, I still have ugly scars from the past 2 months :(

I'm 20. This is my first time on bc. I've been on this pill for a month now and my fiance pointed out a lot of changes in me. The ones i have noticed is my sex drive is completely gone! Which worried me deeply since i started to think that i was falling out of love with my fiance. I feel depressed for no reason. Breast tenderness; sore to the touch! And Nausea, to the point where i lose my appetite. My fiance has noticed: Massive mood swings. (i get angry or cry on the spot for no reason), Depression, and headaches.

I haven't gotten that break through bleeding everyone talks about. And my acne and weight is fine. I'm just not sure if my body is reacting this way because this is my first time on bc, or because of the pill itself. All I know is that i am miserable.

About 3 months ago I started birth control. My doctor prescribed me Yaz to help with my terrible acne, but after two months I had to switch because of the expense of Yaz. So my Gyn prescribed me Loestrin24Fe, I have been on it for a month and a day and am still waiting on my period. With the Yaz, I got my period at the right time according to the pill cycle, but so far my period is 5 days late with Loestrin.

I've been on Losetrin 24 Fe for about a month and a week.
I've noticed some irritability, nausea, shortness of breath, bloating, and increase in acne. I had sex with my boyfriend after taking the pill for a little over two weeks, he didn't ejaculate inside of me, but I missed my period when it was supposed to come, and instead I just had about two days of really light spotting. I feel bloated constantly and get a little nauseous after eating. I've also had a serious lack of energy. No weight gain, or anything else. Bu the missed period thing freaks me out, and the ache just stresses me out more.

I started this pill on Aug 17, I got a period one week later on Aug 24, I still have a period as I type this on Sep 4th. I was put on this pill to control irregular periods. I have called my doctor and she tells me to stick it out. I am SICK of having a period. I also suffered dizzy spells the first two weeks. I was in a bad mood, emotional, irritable and annoyed with life in general. I have acne, which I never suffer from. To say I HATE this pill would be an understatement.

after reading all of these posts it has made me feel ten times better. I have also had almost every symptom listed. I started taking this pill four months ago for the first time and for almost the entire first month I had spotting then when it was time for me to get my period it never came at all, although I did have cramping throughout. I have never been a very emotional person and since being on this pill I have cried almost every day and has had almost no patience for anything. Recently I have started having terrible nausea if I drink any alcohol at all. I have also had bloating and upper abdominal pain. My boyfriend has noticed a complete change in my personality since I have been on this pill. Although he is completely supportive and knows that it is just all the hormones I have realized that it is not worth feeling like this and I am going to have to change pills. I am constantly paranoid that I am pregnant because I never get my period and if I do it is so light I forget I even have it. If anyone has switched and has any recommendations for a better method please let me know.

I am 20 year old and my gyno put me on Loestrin 24 for ovarian cysts I have. I have been on for 3 weeks now and I think it's great. I will admit the first two weeks I was oddly emotional and little things would make me cry, but now I feel very in control of my emotions, and I think it has actually helped me to be more stable. The symptoms I have experienced so far are nausea if I don't eat it before I take it, a little bit of anger over things that usually wouldn't effect me in such a way, my chest becoming fuller (not a complaint!), and my acne clearing up a lot. I was on Ortho Tri Lo for a couple of months and I was a monster. I also tried the Depo (the shot) and it made me an insane psycho bitch and I do not recommend it to anyone. Every birth control you try is going to effect you differently than someone else, so reading these experiences and what happens to each person does not mean you will have the same experience.

I'm on my second week of Loestrin. I started on the first day of my period, I had two heavy days and 3 days of light spotting....only requiring a panty liner. I have had a bit of hormonal acne crop up, which I was prepared for, as my skin doesn't like change of any kind. I'm sure this will even out over the next couple of months as my body adjusts to the hormones in Loestrin. Several years ago I was on ortho-cyclen and when I first started on that bcp I had similar skin issues, so I'll give it a couple of months before becoming concerned. Other than the breakouts I have had no negative side effects so far. That said...I think judging a pill that switches up your hormone levels prior to being on it longer than 2 months is a bit premature. I realize that I have to be patient and wait out some side effects as my body adjusts.

I'm 22 and started taking Loestrin 24 two weeks ago on the first day of my period. I only enjoyed a few days after my period before I started spotting again, and now it's non-stop. I have also developed acne after a couple of weeks, am experiencing cramping and back/neck pain, and am becoming slightly irritable.

I have taken Nordette before and experienced virtually no side-effects. After reading all of these reviews, I am strongly considering getting off this pill.

I'm 23 and more than halfway through my first month on Loestrin. It's been absolutely horrible. I have terrible insomnia, nausea, acne, food tastes different, and as a result I have no desire to eat. I have been extremely moody, depressed, and dizzy. My sex drive has actually decreased, and I am NOT happy about that. My period lasted 10 DAYS (as opposed to the usual 5), and I had worse cramping this time around than when I was not on the pill. I also bled very heavily for the duration. I took Ortho a couple years back and had no side effects other than mild headaches the first month. I do not even want to wait to see if Loestrin levels out. I'm terrified to stay on it.

I have been on Loestrin 24 for about 3 weeks. I have experienced extreme mood swings. I am usually a very happy person and lately everything has been driving me crazy!! I have been spotting for the entire 3 weeks. I feel dizzy and lightheaded at times. My acne has increased. I have NO energy and NO sexual desire. I'm not sure to try to stick it out for another couple of months or try a new one. However, I have to be on some kind of birth control to help my endometriosis. Anybody else have these issues?

i have read a lot of these posts 7 its kinda freaked me out b/c im currently taking loestrin & i jus finished my 1st pack. i have light to heavy spotting everyday. i know most females wil began 2 spot 1st when they are taking a birth control that can decrease your period. i also feel moody & sort of depressed but i feel other things in my life are causing that. my cramps aren't as ad as when im not on bc. my breast are tender to but no acne, acne has never been a problem for me, thank god!lol. ut the only think that really bothers me is the constant spotting! i was on the shot, depo-provera for 2 yrs. straight. u get the shot once every 3 months. i spotted at first for like a month & then it began 2 decrease & my period stopped all together but still had increase breast size, extreme weight gain, cramps(not unbearable ones), & the worst migraines. these are jus typical side effects of birth control. i liked the depo shot cuz i didn't have a period or had 2 remember 2 take a pill everyday but the side effects are probably not worth that bargain. the any birth control especially the shot that stops your period & you take it for years straight can make you sterile i have a cousin who had a few miscarriages b/c of it b/c the shot might not ware of from a month to a year causing sterility. the shot also can cause bone density. im just so fed up w/ irth control b/c they all have a bad side effect. i hope they can invent something w/ way less side effects because the negative out ways the positives with most if not all birth controls but i guess im gonna try loestrin for a while before i give up on it.

Loestrin 24 by the third month gave me..

EXTREME nightmares and waking up in the middle of the night feeling like i'm somewhere else, acne so bad proactiv isn't helping, bloating, EXTREME irregular bleeding, and mood swings

My girlfriend and I have been dating for over 3 tears. She just switched her birth control 3 weeks ago to this from Ortho (no problems at all with Ortho, just got to expensive). Ever since then she has been very irritable and upset. One day she was fine and then the next the smallest things set her off. I was wondering how long these symptoms are going to last and if her body will finally regulate it. Should she switch again?

Thanks.

I'm currently on my 3rd week with Loestrin 24 Fe and I'm experiencing many of the same symptoms that I have read most people feel. I'm constantly nauseated...usually after I eat, but I have an increased appetite which makes it worse! I never got acne before taking these pills, and now my face is breaking out! The worst thing about these pills is that I have the worst mood swings. I never used to be moody or angry. but one minute I'll be happy as a clam and then the next minute I hate the world! And today I started spotting, and I'm not suppose to start my period for another week! Not to mention, I've had terrible cramping. And I thought birth control was suppose to cure cramping! Like everyone else also, I have a decreased sex drive. Unfortunately I'm a very impatient person and I'm not willing to wait it out for the next few months. I'm getting off of these pills immediately. I would not recommend these to anyone!

Seems like we're all in the same boat. I'm 43 and the Loestrin makes me breakout horribly, I scar very easily so now I get to deal with that. It happens in the first week of every month so I tried over the counter acne products, it helps keep it ay bay but the scars from it are just bad, now more money to spend to fix that. Mood swings?! Look out, I can't be around anything or anyone, I live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids and barking dogs and just want to duct tape their mouths shut, that's how aggravated I get, which starts at the mid to end of week 2 of the pills. My periods are pretty much non-existent but I've always had light periods so that doesn't bother me at all, yeah the loss of sex drive is bad too, plus being all bloated and huge now-AAHH!!!
I gained weight, could eat a house and not be satisfied, depression, etc. I'm trying Alesse, or the generic of that next, whatever is covered by the insurance, I told my doc I can't take it anymore, the loestrin she could give me a lot of sample packs for because my insurance won't cover that specific brand and $60 a month for them being unemployed now is really out of the question. I can only hope for the best on the Alesse.
Only advice I can give to anyone with the depression factor, try to work out, go for a long walk, it really helps too.
Good luck everyone and hang in there!!!

I started Loestrin 24 Fe about 6 months ago. The first month was pretty rough. I was nauseous all the time, had headaches and even had cramping. My biggest concern however were my major mood swings. I consider myself to be a pretty easy going person and when I started taking Loestrin I became angry and irritable pretty much all day. My boyfriend was literally begging me to switch birth controls. Well, I decided to duke it out and try it out for at least 3 months to see how things would go. My moods swings went away by the second cycle, the nausea stopped, and the cramping only occurred during my periods. I believe my breast size increased a bit as well. Unfortunately Loestrin did absolutely nothing for my acne. Hope this helped! And if anybody knows of another low dose birth control that can help me with my acne I'd greatly appreciate it!

I am 21 years old and I have been on Loestrin 24 since June 2nd. I'm about half-way through my second pack. I used to take Kariva which had a lot of negative side effects (headaches, weight gain, couldn't wear contacts, longer periods). Fortunately, I haven't had many of the bad side effects with Loestrin 24 that most women have been describing. My first period on Loestrin 24 came a little late but when it eventually came it was quite light and only lasted about 3 days. I also haven't experienced ANY spotting which is good. I have been a little nauseous and I threw up once which I can only assume was from the pill. I've had some trouble sleeping and some weird dreams but I usually do anyway so its not too bothersome. My only major issue is acne. It seems like in the last couple weeks it has gotten a lot worse, even worse than when I wasn't on any type of pill. I noticed a lot of women saying that their acne got worse. I was just wondering if it will eventually get better? I may have to talk to my doctor because it’s getting bad (I notice at least 1 new pimple a day). I've always struggled with acne so if it continues to get worse I'm totally going to stop taking this pill. Any suggestions or feedback would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

I started this week the third pack of Loestrin24fe and NOW I am happy with it. I took it after nuvaring which I did not tolerate anymore at all. I took it after the birth of my daughter and the first time was good, I then had 6 month with no bc at all and went back on nuvaring. I had to stop after 3 month, I could not take the side effects anymore (terrible acne -worse than no bc, much worse, fatigue, etc).

The first month was pretty bad but better than nuvaring, so I sticked to it. My gyno told me it would take 3 month to see the effects of the pill on my acne and I could have spotting.
Here is the long list of side effects I had the first month (random order): bloating, mood swings, body aches, extreme fatigue, nighmares, weight gain (8 pounds at least) which I never had in the past with my previous bc, sensitive breast (gained a size as well, I don't really need it though), tummy irritation, nausea, painful sex and itch/pain (like I'm going to have a vaginal infection but I don't. I've had this on my other bc pill when I was younger) and finally the spotting (20-22 days on 28!! but no period that first month).

As soon as I started the second pack the spotting disappeared totally, my skin started to look a lot better (no more nasty painful spots). I had a 2 days period (I used to have a 5-7 days period), almost no cramps during my period, breast tenderness decreased, no more mood swings etc...
What is still here though: WEIGHT (I'm navigating between 8 pounds and 6 pounds weight gain since I started loestrin24fe), fatigue (less than first month), itch/pain like vaginal infection (even if the feeling of it is much less than the first month).
I like the 2 days period and no painful acne anymore. That is a real benefit for me after months of pain and treatments which brought no result. I think it might continue to get better month after month. As my gyno told me, I have to be patient to see the full result of the pill.

All in all, I'm more and more happy with this pill.

I am 42 years old and started taking Loestrin in January to regulate my irregular period and I suffer from ovarian cysts as well. The first 2 months my body ached like I had the flu. I could not stand for my knees to touch each other as I slept, so I had to sleep with a pillow between my legs. My knees ached like I was about 70 years old with arthritis. I had lost 5 lbs by the time I got to the 3rd row of my 1st packet. My normal period only lasted 3-4 days anyway, so that did not change at all. However, last month, my period came 1 week early starting out with "spotting" or "breakthrough bleeding" for 3 days and what I assumed was my "period" last for 7 days and back to "spotting" for 3 days after that. I thought it would never end!!! I was about to go the ER and have them administer the shot that stops your period! On top of that, I suffered with severe lower back, knees, and lower part of my stomach pains that were almost unbearable. I also have experienced severe headaches (may be migraines) since I have started taking Loestrin. And sex, oh forget about it!! Sex has been painful to the point where I have to stop and lay in the fetal position for about 20 minutes before I can get myself together. What is that all about!!? My daughter who is 17 started at the same time I did with Yaz to help with dysmenorrhea and acne, and she's been fine!! (Except for a little weight gain!!) What is it about this pill that does this to our bodies? I said I would give it 1 more month (June) and see what happens. If my body and period go haywire this month, I will discontinue Loestrin and deal with the irregular periods!

I've noticed many of the recent posts for Loestrin have been negative ones. Many are saying don't ever take this pill and that it's bad.
I'm speaking from my experience on this pill. I've been on it for almost 2 years now and have had nothing but a positive reaction to it. In my previous post, I mentioned that I have been on all kinds of bc pills that didn't work for me and it's been over 10 years since taking any kind of bc pill.
I started taking Loestrin in Aug 07 to regulate my period and for my adult acne issues. The first 3 months, I noticed my breast got bigger (a positive for me), my skin cleared up and my periods were lighter and shorter. I do experience PMS right before my period but it's not severe and mild cramping; it's nothing I can't handle.
Also, in order for your body to get use to any bc pill, you have to give it 3 months (according to my doctor).
I know 2 other woman who have been on this pill for over a year now and they have positive feedback about it.
I understand that this pill is NOT for everybody. But I have had a great experience being on it. I recommend this bc pill to any woman out there who is considering taking Loestrin. Try it out for yourself and give your body some time to adjust to it.

I'm SOOO glad I stumbled upon this site. I am 32 and have never taken birth control. I talked to my gyno about getting on the pill and she recommended Loestrin. I started Loestrin the first day of my period. Typically they are 3-4 days max. I usually have really bad cramps the 1st day, sometimes the 2nd, but no pain after that.

I honestly thought I was going crazy bc the 3rd day I was on the pill, I woke up so extremely irritated that I got in a fight with my b-friend, yelled at the jewelry woman at Nordstrom, was yelling at people while driving, and basically acting like a crazy person. I am a high stress person, but never ever like this. I never behave this way, especially to sales associates. It was rather embarrassing, but I couldn't control it. I continued to feel this way for 2 days and now it has become slightly less. I am anxious and irritable and more sensitive (not usually very sensitive at all). I've had continuous bleeding (it's now been 7 days of tampons) and horrible cramping all the way down to my legs. It's really painful and uncomfortable. I thought something was wrong with me - thought about going to the emergency room last night it was so bad.

I will admit that I do love to eat, but I find myself constantly hungry. I eat and eat and eat and can't stop. My stomach is completely bloated. I haven't weighed myself, but feel disgusting.

I called my doctor this morning bc I'm so freaked out, but am waiting for a call back. Luckily I read these postings to find that I am not sick or crazy...it must be the pills.

Does anyone know what happens if you stop taking them suddenly after 1 week? How long does it take the body to get back to normal? Also, does anyone know if the bleeding stops immediately - my boyfriend is taking me on a trip this weekend and I'd really like to be "normal."

I started this pill about a month and a half ago, and besides the mood swings, constant want to cry, and the hardly-ever period, i developed really bad acne on both my face and genitals. it sounds gross but it's for real. i know it's not an STD or herpes or anything it's just a few red pimples around the "area".. has this happened to anyone else and how did you get rid of them???

this pill SUCKS!!! i started taking it for mid-cycle pain as well as cramps. I also heard it would clear up any acne I might have. I didn't have much, but as soon as i started taking it, i broke out severely on my back,chest, and face. My contacts won't sit right on my eyes, my hands started to peel, i'm moody, i still get cramps! this pill is NOT worth it. it only seemed to help with bleeding. It's almost as if i don't get a period, and believe it or not, i hate that whole concept. I'd rather be in pain, and drug myself up than be on this horrid pill. Don't do this to your body. I'm stopping.

Ok so...I started taking Loestrin 24 almost a year ago and I can't really complain too much. I've had a few pregnancy scares because of missed periods but they were just that- missed periods. And there's nothing wrong missing a period or two imo :D
About two weeks ago I ran out and couldn't refill so I neglected to take any pills for a week, figuring I would just pick back up when I could. I've since started taking them regularly again but in those two weeks my personality changed sooo much. In an attempt to describe myself I'd say I was...confused and depressed, for no real reason. My stomach was so messed up I don't even want to share the details. And the strangest thing... I've noticed two VERY SMALL spots (one on my upper thigh and one on my butt) that are slightly red and drier than the skin around it. I'm positive it's not an STD but I'm concerned nonetheless.
In conclusion, I'm gonna take my pills regularly from now on.

But seriously if anyone else has gotten weird small spots of dry skin, plz respond cause it's definitely worrying me a little.

I've played the birth control pill game and tried many different bc pills in my younger days. I tried Nordette, Ortho-cyclen, Ortho-tri-cylcen and Mircette. None of them worked well with me so I stopped taking bc pills all together.
It's been almost 10 yrs since I've taken bc pills and I started taking Loestrin 24 Fe about 2 years ago to regulate my period and for my adult acne issues. I have been on it ever since. After the first pack, I noticed my breast grew bigger (which is a plus for me). After the second pack, my skin cleared dramatically and after the third pack my periods became lighter and only lasted 3 days. I do experience PMS a week before my period but nothing I can't handle and it's not severe.
I have NOT experienced any bad mood swings, nausea or headaches. This bc pill is not for everybody BUT it has worked great for me and a few of my girlfriends are on it as well and have nothing but positive feedback to give.
I've been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for almost 2 yrs and since then, my boobs are bigger, my skin is clear and my periods are lighter and shorter. Overall, I give Loestrin 2 thumbs up!

I have been on Loestrin 24 fe for the past 4 years. Everything was fine the first year to my knowledge. Now that I have gotten older and started noticing things more recently I have become worried about being on the pill. I haven't had a period in 3-4 years and when some might say its a blessing I am starting to get worried about it. In the last 4 years I have gained and lost weight dramatically but now it I haven't been able to lose any weight started working out and eating less but going no where. Gained 15 lbs in 3 months. My hair is starting to fall out more than usual. I have been getting really nausea lately feeling like I am going to throw up, my vision is becoming worse but went to the eye doctor and my prescription is the same. My anxiety is getting worse and had to be but on Zantax to calm me. I had to take a pregnancy test the other to make sure i wasn't pregnant because of the most recent symptoms. I going to go off the bill tomorrow to see if a difference is made of not being on it.

I've been on Loestrin 24 Fe for 11 months. I switched last year due to complications with Yasmin, which had such a high dosage of hormones my body spazzed out and I suffered from yeast infections about 4-6 times a year for 4 years. Not fun. So, my gyno decided to put me on Loestrin because of its lower hormones. The first month I skipped my period, which I did my first time with Yasmin so I wasn't too worried. My hair and skin became super oily, which I was told to be a slight reaction to the new pill but that my body would become more use to it over time. My hair would be so oily that I had to wash it 2 times a day and not use conditioner. I looked horrible with acne and oily face! Finally this has calmed down, but I do tend to get oilier than I use to before this pill.

After skipping the first months period, my cycle was awesome for 3 months....then, I skipped another one! This was with no missed pills, too. I took a pregnancy test (or three) and they all came back negative. So, happy with the results I carried on with the pill and things were fine for another couple of months. I have now missed a total of 5 periods with the last two being back to back. I still have the usual "period" symptoms; nausea, severe migraines, bloating, cramps from hell, etc.

I've been going out of my mind lately, too. Like crying lots and snapping at people. I've always been a bit moody, but this is just ridiculous. My husband is accusing me of cheating since I have NO sex drive and my moods have led to some massive arguments. (Mind you all, he's no angel in the mood department either....maybe he's on the pill, too?) There has been some weight gain, about 10 pounds, but I can seem to get it to come back off despite working out and dieting.

I'm going to see my gyno in May and will most certainly talk to her about these problems. I just thought I was going out of my mind! I will still be going to buy a preggers test to assure myself until then, but this time I might not buy them in bulk and take them all in one night....maybe.

Thank you all for sharing your troubles with Loestrin 24, thus helping alleviate my stress levels just a smidgeon. I do hope that everyone on here eventually finds the bc pill that suits them!

I am 17 years old and am on my second week of Loestrin24. i am MISERABLY bloated. I have been bleeding since the day i took the first pill and the bleeding hasn't stopped, but it has lightened. The reason i started taking the pill was to help clear my minor acne but because of the severe bloating i am starting to think i can handle a few pimples. I haven't felt any symptoms of depression whatsoever but then again i am only on my second week. I am going to call my gyno tomorrow and stop taking this pill! So bloated!!!!!!

43 year old woman taking loestrin for acne. I've been on it for over a year and loving my skin. A few months ago for the first time ever my weight went out of control. My friends/drs. kept telling me it was my age. 9 pounds in 3 months. I weigh more every time I get on the scale. I work out, eat less and less and weigh more. Today a dr. friend asked me if I took bc pills. First thought he had as to why I started gaining. I read lots of med sites that said it couldn't be bc of pills. At 43 I know better. If others say its happening to them, its bc of the pills. Can't wait to quit and see what happens to my weight!

I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for almost 8 months now. After a 2 yr battle with a generic version of seasonale (which just stopped working and i bled for 2 months and then had NO bleeding on the third, no period either!) I completely went off bc for 3 months and experienced withdrawal symptoms that were horrible. So my doctor put me on Loestrin and the first month was great. I had a period that last 1 hr, and the pharmacist said "count it as a blessing." After that I had nausea, headaches (have one right now), bloating, no appetite, then all of a sudden a huge appetite!, yeast infections (which I don't get normally), discharge (a lot), abdominal pains, and its very hard to see out of my contacts so I opt for my glasses... Its also expensive. I am thinking about switching, again, until I find the right one for my body. This pill makes me think I'm pregnant. Moodiness, sore breast, nausea...and I know for a fact I'm not! I haven't had acne problems but I owe that all to drinking a lot of water, keeping hydrated. I can't get off of bc because those issues are worse than both bc I've had! Anyone know of a great pill they've experienced?

I had my yearly OB appt. earlier this month. I had been on the pill before. She gave me free samples of Loestrin24. HORRIBLE! I never had any negative side effects with bc pill. With this one my sex drive is GONE. My mood swings are terrible. My appetite is gone because of my nausea and intestinal woes. Not only that I am having acne on my face, chest and back. I am 25 years old and I haven't gotten this type of acne in years. Ridiculous. I DO NOT recommend this pill to ANYONE!