Loestrin 24 Fe and birth control

I'm experiencing the same side effects. Within 10 days, my libido dropped and my weight increased practically by itself. It's a good thing I'm scheduled for a tubal ligation so I don't have to deal with hormone issues ever again. No wonder it's called birth control - if you gain weight, have mood swings, a lowered libido and other issues you don't exactly feel like having a lot of sex!

Hi.. I am 31 and i have been on this pill for 3 months now. I did not know until now that these pills are developed for low periodic cycle. My main concern was the mood swings my previous pill was causing. May be i am the odd one out but i have had no side effects of this pill and that is the reason i have joined the 24$ program too. My previous birth control pills had me getting angry and upset without any reason and crazy headaches. But they have sincerely stopped since my doctor gave me free samples of this pill. Maybe its just that the pill affects different people in different way. So far my experience with this pill has been great.. i don't have my mood swings anymore and my periods are for 3 days only.

I am an active teenager and i got this birth control because i get really bad cramps and a steady boyfriend. I got my period as normal the first month then skipped four months without getting my period. i thought i was pregnant because my stomach feels totally weird almost like a little bulge where my bladder is located. Has anyone else's stomach felt weird, or different then normal? it's not that i look fatter just different. i took a pregnancy test and was not pregnant and i ended up up getting my period the 6th month of being on this. i am just wondering if this is normal?

I just turned 21 this month and went to the gyno for the first time just before my birthday. she gave me a trial pack (one month) of loestrin. a few of my friends are on yaz and told me about the horrible side effects, so i figured this one would be better since it's the lowest hormone dose and my body is super sensitive. i started them last week and since then i've been even more moody than usual, go into these random bouts of hysterical crying for no reason, and the worst part is that two days ago my "breakthrough" bleeding started- only it's not just spotting, it's basically like a full-blown period. i got blood work done (almost a month ago) at the gyno's, and i called last night because i hadn't gotten a call since. waiting to hear back this morning because there was a slight abnormality with the pap smear.. needless to say i'm pretty pissed with this doctor for not following up, and for leaving me in anxious suspense about what's wrong with me. is this normal to bleed like this? i went on birth control to regulate my severe, debilitating periods, and now i feel sick and have been bleeding for the past two days pretty heavily. :( really disappointed & upset.

I am 20 years old and get my birth control through my university health center (it's only 15 bucks a month). Im not having sex now and have not in QUITE some time as my boyfriend and I broke up almost a year ago. I have been on birth control for three years now and NEVER had any problems. Since i get my meds through the school they give me what they can get in. I had been prescribed solia when i first started taking it and it was perfect. I had shorter periods, NO cramping, barely any weight gain if any at all and it even helped with mood swings during my period. This past month, the center got in Loestrin 24 and that's what they gave me. I am VERY pissed about it. I started taking it and within days could tell a difference. I would cry for no reason and the slightest things upset me. I was cramping all the time. I missed my birth control ONE day and made up for it the next day, BUT i also got my period. That was two weeks ago. I have not missed another pill and i STILL have my period! I am cramping irritable and just a downright bitch, and that is NOWHERE near my normal self. Im the type of person to let most things roll of my back in time and just go with the flow. Im glad I got on here and found out im not the only one having problems.

u dammed if u do dammed if u don't. i just picked up may pack yesterday of loestrin 24 waiting on my period to start to begin taken them. but by the looks of this site might not be taken them.im just confused right now.i was on Yasmin years ago caused me depression.then last year levora.28 made my blood pressure high and my heart beat extremely fast.depo made me gain weight and spot and bleed irregularly.im even using condoms with my boyfriend right now to be extremely cautious they SUCK..I just don't know what to do the pull out method isn't full proof.im just lost at this point.

I'm 21 years old, this is my 3rd brand of birth control pills. I've never had a problem with the pills I've had in the past, but I've moved frequently and my insurance changed. So my different doctors prescribed different pills. I started taking Loestrin 24 Fe two Sundays ago and since have had constant nausea and occasional vomiting. I've not only had mood swings but also extreme depression. I am usually a very upbeat and "happy-go-lucky" person but lately and very randomly do I find myself with thoughts of worthlessness and unprovoked guilt. I attend college and have even missed a couple of classes because I didn't feel worthy of going. I usually have clear skin with occasional small breakouts before I menstruate but currently found my face to be broken out all along my chin area and am not due for another period for another couple of weeks. My reasons for taking birth control have changed and I believe I am going to discontinue my use and notify my doctor.

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.

Wow, after reading everyone else's side effects, I feel a little bit more normal. I just started the pack last Sunday, and the past couple of days I have been very emotional, angry, and crying for no reason. Also, my boobs are so swollen and sore! It's incredibly painful. I couldn't sleep last night, but I don't know if this is due to the pill or not. The doctor just put my on it to regulate my period, do you guys have any suggestions for different birth control that won't destroy my body?!?!

Thankyou for posting all these indepth reviews. I spent more than an hour going through each one of them, they gave me a much better insight into the drug that I am taking - Loestrin 24 Fe.
I have been put on these to correct my heavy periods, I have been taking these since about a month and a half. I have never been on a birth control pill before. I noticed that I had difficulty in wearing my contacts the first month and attributed this to the pills since its a major side effect listed with using the pill. I spoke to my Ob/Gyn about this but she asked me check with my eye doctor first. But it just so happened that I never got a chance to visit an eye doctor.The problem ceased to exist when I changed my contacts, so I am assuming that it had nothing to do with the BC pills. Other than that during the first month I had headaches, which went away on their own, guess my body got used to the pills. The third side effect that I noticed in the second month (now) is the spotting (never saw that the first time around). Its not that bad but its definitely annoying. Other than that I haven't really experienced any other side effects. I have never been sexually active so cannot really comment on the libido part. My bleeding has decreased to almost one-half of what it used to be and I don't get the bad cramps that I used to get before, so this pill definitely seems to be doing what my doctor said it would do. Other than the spotting, I don't have any complaints with the pill. I haven't monitored my weight so thats one thing I will have to take a look at. Hopefully I wont have any other side effects, if I do I will make sure that I post them.

Good luck to all the ladies in finding the right pill............

I'm 21 years old and I have had the WORST experiences with Loestrin24 Fe. DO NOT TAKE THIS SATANIC PILL. Seriously. This was the first birth control I was ever put on. My doctor put me on it because she said the low dose of estrogen would help my bad cramps (but I really think she was just trying to promote this new pill...because when I started it it was still pretty new). I started this pill before I turned 21, this past March, and for the first few months the only things I noticed were spotting when I didn't take it at the EXACT time everyday (which I soon set an alarm for and did take it at 9 am daily) and also, my breasts definitely got bigger and I didn't have as many breakouts as I used to. I also experienced being really depressed and upset for no reason or being really angry for no reason. After a few months, I started to get headaches a lot more often, have vivid weird dreams that I would remember the next day, I had trouble going to sleep at night (insomnia)...and I looked these up to see if they were symptoms of this pill...and they are. The worst was when I PASSED OUT the day I started my new pack of pills 2 months in a row! I just went to my doctor and had several tests done and they said that they were not positive, but it is a possibility that the passing out was related to my birth control. I passed out the day after the 4 placebo/iron pills (that I did not take, which could have also been a factor) which was the day I started my new pack...when your estrogen shoots up. I take my pills at 9 am and I passed out around noon in both cases. I switched to another birth control last month, but now I am completely off of birth control because the new pill made me lose my appetite and I just do not want to deal with putting these things into my body. I do NOT recommend this birth control to ANYONE. This pill should not be prescribed, especially after reading about how a large percentage of women have such awful experiences with this pill. I'm so excited to be DONE with Loestrin24 Fe and done with birth control in general. To me, birth control is not worth feeling awful all the time and having weird side effects when I could be living problem-free otherwise. I just wanted to share my thoughts and experiences and I hope that perhaps others will have better experiences with this pill than most of us seem to be having!

At 32 years old, this is my first experience with birth control and I have to say that I'm completely miserable. I'm eleven days into my first pack of pills, have been bleeding (like my regular period, maybe even worse!) since Tuesday, and decided this morning that i'm DONE. I'm taking this pill for contraceptive reasons only - and if I keep taking them, I won't need them anyway because my boyfriend will surely have dumped me. I'm moody, I'm tired, I have headaches, I can't sleep, my cramps are horrible today (and I've never had cramps in my life), and this out of control blood loss is a little concerning. I called my doc's office yesterday to see if I can stop abruptly, and they told me to finish the whole pack and THEN stop - but I cannot take one more day of this nonsense. My biggest concern with stopping midway through my pack is that I'll be really screwing up my cycle, but something is definitely already screwed up, so how much worse can if really get? Does anyone have any experience with just stopping birth control abruptly, and if so, what should I expect? THANKS!

I am 21 and have been on birth control since I was 10 to help keep my periods regular. I have to say that this is one is not so great, it's horrible. This is my fourth pack of this pills, at first I thought the emotional out burst and mood swings would go away. I thought wrong they got worse and I have even more. I have taken two pregnancy tests because I feel as if I am pregnant but nope just the pills. My breasts are sore, I am almost always sick to my stomach, head aches, my period is still irregular and they said it would get better, i am producing extra vaginal fluid, my boyfriend constantly asks "why do you seem weird" "what's wrong" well I feel weird I am an emotional mess. Now that I see a lot of other ladies out there have the same issues I do I can tell my boyfriend what is wrong are these pills they suck. This is one med. that is chalk full of side effects. And to be honest I didn't get on birth control to question if I am pregnant or not or to go and blow money on tests that aren't cheap. That's and good luck to every one

I'm 24 and I'm about to start my 3rd package of loestrin 24. I was on birth control several years earlier so it's been a while since I had taken the pill. I am having a lot of the same symptoms as everyone else.

Spotting, vomiting, severe migraines, my boobs are so sore that i almost cry when i touch them, moody, emotional, cry all the time for no reason, bitchy, i've gained 5lbs, i don't crave sex at all anymore, and at first my face was going crazy with break outs, but now it's evened out a little.

I also noticed that my hair is getting a little thinner, I can't sing as well (my throat feels more dry and hoarse), and I drank a few beers a couple of weeks ago and was completely out of it for like a week afterwards. By that i mean to the point that I was going to completely black out.

So here's the biggest question. If loestrin is chalked full of side-effects then what is the best pill to be on? I don't mind having full periods or a little pms. It's worth it to be on something that won't destroy my body. Besides I'm sure the less bitchy I am the more my boyfriend will appreciate the change lol.

I am 27 and I started birth control at age 21. I always had an irregular period with terrible cramping. I also had a very high sex drive.

The first pill I tried was Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo and I stopped taking it after 2 months because I felt depressed and I totally lost my sex drive. I always had perfectly clear skin and about a week after I discontinued this pill I broke out on my face and my back. I had a rash on my forehead. I also noticed a few dark hairs on my chin.

The next birth control I tried was the NuvaRing. This also made me depressed and moody.

I have now been on Loestrin 24 Fe for more than 2 years and this is the one that has worked best for me. The first few months I had my period and spotting. The first year on Loestrin I got my period once every 3 months and the period maybe lasted a couple of days and was very light. I must have taken more than 5 pregnancy tests. I asked my doctor about it and he told me that there was nothing to worry about not having periods. The second year my periods got even further apart. I went 5 months without a period then almost a whole month having a period (very light and a lot of cramping).

Besides having my period coming and going as it pleases, I feel great. My sex drive is still alive and I haven't experienced any mood swings. I do still break out on my face, usually around the end of my pack. I have not had a problem with breaking out on my back with this pill. I have gained a little weight, but after I hit 25 my metabolism really slowed down, so I cannot completely blame weight gain on the pills. I believe you have to work twice as hard to maintain a healthy weight when you get older.

With that said, I wish everyone the best on their BC journey!

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 HATE THIS PILL!!! Oh my goodness I sunk into a deep depression and had no idea why. I cried everyday, and felt horrible. I looked up the pill and sure enough, so many other women had the same reaction. I've been off this pill for over a month now. I quit the pill on a Saturday, and it threw me into my period the very next day. Now, over a month ago, I still haven't had a period. Is this normal, or could I be pregnant?

I wanted to make sure I updated my post as I had a very bad experience with this birth control pill. I posted very serious suicidal thoughts, severe anxiety, no sleep, etc and after 5 days I called my doctor. He ran a few tests and noticed that I had developed a rash that I had paid no attention to. I was sent over to another doctor who confirmed that I was allergic to an inactive ingredient in the pill. My "side effects" were getting worse simply because the more I took the more I was reacting. I was immediately admitted to the hospital and given IV fluids to flush my body and shots to counter effect the allergic reaction. I have not taken bcp in over 15 years and there was no way to know about this in advance. I feel 100% better now, not taking any bcp at the moment and was thankful for the cramps that I woke up with this morning! : ) I guess from my story is make sure you are informed, I didn't call my doc, wanted to see if it would pass and was not aware of the "severe" side effects. I would have been told after day 1 to stop taking them had I been more informed. My experience is very unique and was in no way a direct result of the birth control pill name, but only of one of the inactive ingredients. Best of luck to everyone!

okay so iv been on this dang birth control for 8 months and it sucks! iv had a headache for almost the whole time iv been on it. i constantly want to eat even when im not hungry so iv gained a lot of weight. im trying to loe it now but i cant find the energy to workout because im so tired all the time. my boyfriend has noticed i am eral big bitch sometimes and before i started this birth control i was not. sometimes i get waves of extreme nausea. my lower back is always killing me. iv had 4 pregnancy scares because my period started late. i love kids but i cant afford to have one right now with being a freshmen in college and also having 2 jobs. i cry all the time..i get depressed easily...i want to go off this damn pill! but my mom says our insurance may not cover another type so im going to go to the doctor Friday after school because i cant handle feeling so sad all the time. and i also cant afford $30.00 a month!

I am on day 5 of Loestrin 24, I do not read the "pamplets" that come with medicine simply because if I read it I will get it, power of suggestion is what my doc calls it. My boyfriend noticed almost immediately my mood swings, I thought I had the flu, I cry all the time and last night, after 4 days of no sleep I planned out my own suicide in my mind, even what I would write in the letter to my parents and my new niece. I layed beside my boyfriend and convinced myself he was cheating on me, he was seeing someone else and I got up, woke him up and started throwing his clothes in the backyard. I have full blown anxiety attacks and cry all the time. I am sick on my stomach but starving at the same time, my head is splitting wide open and I am waiting on a call rom my doctor right now. I called in to work "crazy" today, thank God my boss is very understanding and I will never take this pill again in my life. This is scary and as I sit here now I'm still not sure how long this feeling will last

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.

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 just finished my 2nd week of Loestrin24fe. I am a professional opera singer. I travel a lot and was very nervous to take birth control because of my work, however my work was being effected by how terrible my periods were. My periods lasted anywhere from 7 to 8 days and they were very heavy. I would vomit, faint, become very cold out of no where, and get liquid on my knees during my period. Finally, I visited the doctor and they found out I was terribly anemic and had fibroids. My doctor and family suggested birth control...So, now I am on birth control. I have read everyone's reviews and the reviews on other sites, so far no one has mentioned a dry throat. I was wondering if anyone has noticed a difference in their speaking voices... does anyone notice if your speaking voice is a little more "raspy" or "breathy" after taking the pill? I am just curious. I've noticed my throat is always dry and I need to drink a lot more water to make it feel normal. I do understand this is only week 3, so I hope after the first month I will feel a bit more comfortable. Any advice on what to look for would be greatly appreciated. Thanks ladies!

I have been on this pill for 1 and a half months now. Shortly after I started taking the pill, I started my period! I'm not talking spotting, I'm talking full-blown period--severe cramping, cravings, mood swings, and all. The whole month (last month) I was on my period. Again, I WAS ON MY PERIOD FOR A WHOLE MONTH! I just got off of my period after I stopped taking the first month's placebo pills. Normally, when I'm not taking any birth control at all, I have VERY regular periods. The extreme side effects of the first month were incredibly shocking to me. I'm still having crazy mood swings; I really hope this gets better with time.

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've been on Loestrin for four months now. Previously, I had a hormonal IUD, which was in for 2 months and I had it taken out because I had HORRIBLE HORRIBLE side effects. Cystic acne, had my period the whole time it was in, it stabbed my boyfriend when we had sex, made me incredibly depressed, I sobbed myself to sleep every night, and then the icing on the cake was when it started to slip out, but then got embedded in my cervix halfway through and caused me intense pain that wasn't helped at all by any pain medication, over the counter or under the table ;)

So then I switched to NuvaRing. I had that for two months. First it gave me a yeast infection. It also caused intercourse to be very painful, my boyfriend could feel it when we had sex, and I could feel it at all times. It also made me INSANE. I didn't trust anyone, was a total paranoid freak, and at one point I locked myself in the bathroom screaming and crying because I thought my boyfriend was trying to kill me. I was pretty close to actually hallucinating. I would describe my side effects with NuvaRing as similar to paranoid schizophrenia.

Then I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, which gave me a migraine every single day which once again was incurable by any drug. So I was only on that for a few days.

Since then I've been on Loestrin. I am not completely happy with it, but I've stuck it out because compared to side effects of other hormonal birth control, they've been relatively mild. If I miss a single pill, I'll get my period, but true to form, they only last three or four days at the most. Before I started birth control, I hardly ever got cramps, but on Loestrin I get pretty bad ones. The worst thing is my skin. When I wasn't on birth control, I had beautiful skin. Maybe the week before my period I'd get one pimple that cleared up quickly with spot treatment, but now I have between 10 and 20 big, red, angry pimples on my face at all times. I've spent literally hundreds of dollars on Proactive, Neutrogena SkinID, Mario Badescu, UV acne "zappers," and many many other face washes, lotions, masks, scrubs, etc, but NOTHING helps. The weird part is that for the first 2 months I was on Loestrin my skin was fine. It wasn't until the past month and this month that it's been a problem.

I'm going to wait it out for at least another 2 months to see if my body gets used to it and my skin calms down, but if these flare ups last longer than that I'm going to have to try something else. I don't want to unnecessarily switch pills because I've had such horrible results in the past that I'd kind of rather stick to the devil I know.

I would also estimate that once or twice a month, I get a killer migraine. I assume it's related to the Loestrin because I used to get them only once or twice a year. The only thing that helps with them is going to sleep, usually with the help of a couple Tylenol PM or 5 or 6 Benadryl or Dramamine. To give you an idea, the first month on Loestrin when I got a migraine, I took 2 Excedrin Migraine, 2 Excedrin Tension Headache, 2 aspirin, 4 Motrin, 2 Tylenol, 1 Aleve, AND 1 Percocet over the course of 6 hours, and it did not help ONE BIT. I hope that this will also improve over time.

i am 24 and i was on loestrin 24 for 8 months. at first i didn't notice any side effects but gradually i became lethargic, moody, and i lost my sex drive almost completely. none of those things described me in the slightest before i started taking this pill, in fact i used to wonder if pms was a myth...now i KNOW its so real.anyway because of the lethargy i was having i went to the doctor to see if maybe i was having thyroid problems, i wasn't but he did tell me that studies he has seen link hormonal birth control to breast cancer and advised me to get off the pill. kinda scary i know. i did quit and ive been off for about a month now and i swear its like night and day, im not moody, i have energy and my intimate life is back to normal, im so happy i quit.

I'm 27 years old and have been married for 2 years. In May I decided to get on female birth control for the first time in my life to regulate my 7 day period. The first month I felt like a mental patient, lol. I'm already an emotional person so when I started the pill I swore I would stop it. My nipples looked deformed because they were so swollen, I was depressed and nausea. I decided to stick it out because I wasn't taking it at the same time everyday. So I regulated myself with an alarm clock and the next month everything was wonderful. My period only last 4 days, and all of my symptoms were GONE!!! I'm now at the end of my fourth month and my period has come early which is freaking me out because I have never had an early period in my life. I've read about spotting on this product, but I haven't spotted EVER not even in the four months that I've been taking the pill. Other than my first month of horror and my recent early period everything else on loestrin has been wonderful.

My suggestion to women who are on their first pack is try to tough it out, you will feel horrible the first month but just apologize to whomever feels your rath and remember your body needs some time to adjust. I'm a victim of horrible menstruation, and so is my mom. Since I was 9 years old I used to get 14 days of cramps and 7 days of bleeding. I would pass out all the time on my period and my husband and family was very upset since he or others would find me blacked out at home, work, the salon, at the zoo, in the shower, and once my neighbor found me. Loestrin has DEFINITELY changed my life for the better, so stick out that first month ladies its worth it. I hope my experience helps other women who are scared and feel like the symptoms won't end.=)

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 am 22 years old and this is my first experience on birth control. My doctor suggested Loestrin and I love it! I was really nervous to start on this pill because the complaints a lot of women have posted on here, but I figured I would give it a try myself. I used to suffer from awful, heavy periods with severe pain and now that doesn't happen at all! Now, periods are VERY light and short- only around three days! I maintain very healthy eating habits and go to the gym every day, so I was really nervous about the side effect of weight gain/ bloating but I haven't experienced either side effect! I also have a close friend who is on Loestrin too and she has no problems either. So if you are questioning whether you should try this, go for it! I'm glad I did! :)

I'm a 37 year old mother of two who is fortunate to work in an OB/GYN office and have different BC's at her disposal. In the last year or so, I've tried Yaz (only stayed on for a month or so and quit due to weight gain and fatigue), the NuvaRing (had yeast infections) and now have just finished my 1st pack of Loestrin 24 FE. I have had spotting all month (enough to use a light tampon), severe mood swings (like a want to tell people off in a bad way!), severe fatigue (want to sleep right as I get home and be a couch potato) and WEIGHT gain (which I HATE!). I am in great shape and wear a size 6-8 but now feel more comfortable in a size 8-10. I know that you should give any BC at least 3 months to work but I don't know if the pros outweigh the cons. Also I did noticed a decrease in sex drive and the drive to want to exercise. I feel horrible after I eat and and feel constantly bloated even when I wake up in the morning and haven't eaten yet. I'm on the fence about staying on this BC.

All of the comments have been helpful .... I have 2 kids and have had an IUD and numerous birth control brands .... With Loestrin, I have noticed the breast tenderness on my 3rd week of it and extreme tiredness! Other than that, no complaints .... as of yet!

I'm 18 and this is the first time I've ever taken birth control. I started taking the pill the day my period started. On that day I got extremely dizzy and completely passed out while I was on vacation. After I regained consciousness I was having horrible cramps, the worst I'd EVER had. I was in unbearable pain. I wasn't sure if that was caused by the pill so I decided to continue taking it. My period lasted for 8 days, when my doctor told me that it should have stopped almost immediately after taking the pill. After my period "stopped" I continued to have light bleeding every day. I'm almost on my third week and I started my period again. I am VERY emotional and irritated and getting extremely angry over small things. The side effects of this pill are horrible. I'm pretty sure I'm NOT taking this pill anymore.

I just started loestrin 24 fe this week and I have never had so much anxiety in my life. I'm 18 and this is my first experience with birth control. I was put on it to get rid of the depression I get with my PMS. I'm pretty sure I just had my very first panic attack. My breathing got heavy, I thought I was going to throw up but never did. I felt impending doom and I didn't know what to do to stop feeling that way. My mind has been racing constantly for the past 5 days about things that normally don't bother me. I'm worried about everything. This has been the worst week of my life. 4 day periods are not worth this.

Well ladies, I have been on birth control since April 4 2009 and just got off of it on July 25th. throughout that time, I had NO major symptoms! I loved it and bragged it to all of my friends are are planning to get married in the coming year. I only threw up twice (separate days) on my second pack. and spotted everyday throughout the first pack in April and some through the second pack until about May 15th. But by the end of that second pack in May (after the sugar pills...which I did not take) I finally stopped bleeding but did not have a faux period at the end of May. I started the new pack in early June and at the end of it (July 2-3) I had a 3 day period as promised. I began taking the pills again (third pack) up until the 25th (before the faux pills came up) because I began to re-think my decision of altering my reproductive system! So now we are going to do the Natural Family Plan as of 07/25/09. However, I have no had a period yet and according to the pack should I have followed it through would make me have a faux period on July 29-Aug 1. Does anyone know why this is? And also, I have egg white CM and the same 'ol cramp in the ovary I used to get before I went on the pill as if I am OVULATING and my period to show in 14 days from today...which I thought was impossible because my body needs time to re-coup...Yes, I've only been on the pill for about a good 2 months before quiting but is it possible to become pregnant?

I've been taking Loestrin 24 FE for 2 days now and I've been so nauseous that I feel like I'm going to throw up, but I don't. This happens especially after I eat. I'm 41 years old and I've been concerned about taking a birth control pill in the first place. I have endometriosis which causes severe cramps during my period to the point that I'm sick in bed for two days. My doctor told me that this pill should help with this, but after reading these posts I'm not so sure. Is it worth sticking it out or stopping now and trying something else?

I have to say that I am quite disappointed with this medicine. I started this medicine in June and was excited when I had my period for only one day and it was for a few hours and then it was gone. In July I got my period right on the day when you're supposed to get it and it didn't end until the following Thursday which obvious is more than the three days that is promised. So my period finished last week like I said and then Monday of this week I got it again and I still have it. I annoyed that it is back again since I just had it last week. I am feeling depressed for the past 3 days now and I know it is the medicine because I have never been depressed before. I am also disappointed because it is ruining my sex drive in that I am not in the mood to have sex and I seem to be annoyed a lot more. The doctor wants me to wait and see if this period stops and then if it doesn't she wants to switch me again. I am getting so fed up with these birth control pills and break through bleeding. I thought birth control was supposed to help regulate your periods but so far I am not seeing that happen! UGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

I'm 22 & have been on Loestrin24 for 3 weeks. I have bled for 2 weeks straight, which is the most irritating side effect. I also have shortness of breath, lack of energy, slight mood swings, & ZERO sex drive. I had been off birth control for almost 3 years, so I thought I was starting my period early because my body was reacting to the change. Now, reading that this could last up to 3 months before I "level out", I'm stopping this pill asap! I don't recommend it at all.

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.

This is my second pack of Loestrin 24, and I am not sure if I like it..Last month was very light spotting, but not a TRUE period, and this month I didn't even get my period. I was on ortho low before, and my period was light as it is. My gyno recommended that I be put on Loestrin, as I was having a lot of stomach problems. NOW, I'm not even getting my period. Should I be worried? Reading everyones posts makes me feel a little better that we are sharing similar symptoms. I am cramping, and I feel like my period should be here, but it's not!

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!

i have read all of your posts here and i have to ask.. is Loestrin the best birth control pill out there at the moment? Can you ladies mention other low-hormone, high success rate, high quality pills out there?
my girlfriend has been on it now for five weeks and she feels very depressed, moody, cries for no reason, has no desire to do anything, hates everything around her, feels fat, ugly and of course she has no sex drive whatsoever. our lives are upside down at the moment. she was told she had to take these pills for 3 months. i don't know what to do. for one i'm going to make an appointment with a gynecologist and ask about Loestrin and what other choices there are but first i'd rather have first hand experiences with other products from some of you. thank you.

I know this is long, but I could really use your help, so I would appreciate you taking the time to read through to the end. (thanks :-) )

First, I want to thank everyone posting. I needed to read this stuff because I'm absolutely terrified of what's happening to me. I'm on the second week of my very first pack of Loestrin- my very first birth control pill EVER. I didn't want to start, but my OBGYN encouraged me to, once I told her I had 8 day long episodes of clots, cramping, vomiting and just sheer misery once a month. She said this would help if I'm sure to take it as recommended.

So I took the first one the Sunday after my period started, at 8:45am and have taken it religiously since. I have not changed my diet or routine. I exercise and eat fairly well. And there are no particularly stressful factors in my life. I am also quitting smoking- just down to 2-3 a day instead of 10 or 15.

Now that I've been doing this for 2 weeks, I think I would rather suffer what I had before. At least it was predictable! I have been bleeding for 5 days now. And this is NOT my time to be on my period. I'm sad and tired. I have back pain and on-and-off cramps. I have nearly no sex-drive. My boyfriend and I had sex at least 4 times a week and I masturbated on the nights we didn't. And although he is INCREDIBLY supportive, I can tell he feels lost and helpless around me. I don't want him to touch me, hold me, or even breathe on me! Normally, we are very affectionate and I am active and fun. Now, I just want to be left alone. I feel fat, unwanted, dirty, depressed...the list goes on.

I feel as though there is something seriously wrong with my body, because I shouldn't look or the feel the way I do or bleed like I am. I called the doctor and she said that I should give it till the end of the month. But 1 month is a long time to live with a depressed quality of life. 1 month is a long time to cry yourself to sleep with alcohol and Motrin.

I feel angry that the best the medical society can do is give us something that is trial and error, fully aware that it may hurt us, though temporarily, and make the lives of the people around us miserable. I am concerned the even my doc is in the pocket of some pharmaceutical company to give me a drug that she said would help and has only hurt.

Or maybe I'm just paranoid...

Anyone have any encouraging reasons why I should continue this? My sister, who was on Ortho for a while and DIDN'T like it, suggests that I stick out a little longer and I trust her opinion, but would like more. I'm open to suggestions or comments. (Especially if you know a way to stop my period so I spend less days of the month on it than I am on...)
Thanks :-)

I am 18 years old and have been on Loestrin 24 Fe since July 1st. This is my first time on birth control. For the first week of taking it I was on my period and it lasted almost 7 days with 3 more days of spotting after. I have not noticed any of the horrible side effects that i have read here. But recently for the past 3 days I have been extremely irritable. I have crazy mood swings in a matter of seconds. I could be having a great happy day and suddenly I'm on a rampage or I feel like crying. I sometimes have weird vivid dreams but thats normal for me. I am normally a carefree happy person. My boyfriend has experienced most of my mood swings. He's just as concerned as I am. I feel really bad for f***ing out on him and everyone else. I hope this doesn't last long.

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'm on day 4 of Loestrin24Fe. I've never been on birth control before. I haven't had any side effects. I've had mild headaches this week but I think that's because of being off of caffeine, not the birth control. It seems so far so good. I'm keeping a journal of everything. How much sleep I got, what time I took the pill, what I ate, how I long I worked out if I did, what I'm eating, recording any weight change, watching for bleeding or anything and even recording headaches and vivid dreams. The only two things I've noticed are that every night since the first day I took the pill I've had really vivid dreams that I've been able to remember hours after waking up. And my sex drive is increased as well. I'm a 22 year old virgin getting married in 85 days and the desire for sex has been heightened in the last 4 days - and it has nothing to do with it being the week before or week of me period because that ended a couple days ago. So, that's all I've got report so far. I'll write again down the road and update on how it's been.

I started this birth control about a week ago,and i cant get over these side effects.Im just leaving from work cause i can't handle dizziness that makes me fall,headache,sweating,shortness of breathe and nausea makes me think im pregnant ...this isn't right ...i never had nothing similar w/any birth control i tried.This is crazy i don't feel like this is me,my energy is on level 0,and it took my sexual desire away ... im giving up on this just want to get better

good luck everyone

I have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for about eh, 5 or so months and I no longer get a period. Haven't had one since about the third pack. Apparently thats normal, according to my doctor. It doesn't do anything good for my migraines, its actually making them more frequent, i get a lot of headaches on this birth control. Also, it has intense effects on my mood, i have mood swings like no other,