Loestrin 24 Fe and gyn

I have posted earlier this summer my side effects with LoE 24. I began taking this bc pill in May 2007. I noticed that I was quite tired for the first few months but seemed to get past that. Several months after I began taking the pill I went into a depression. No one told me that it could possibly be the birth control. I was on anti-depressants for a while and finally was able to come off of them. This past summer I began to experience fatigue and was beginning to get very sad again and unable to sleep at night. These are symptoms of depression my family doctor told me. I decided to check this medicine out on the internet and came across this site. I'm amazed at the number of people who are suffering while on the medication. I asked my gyn. to give me another pill, which she did. I did not have a period with the LoE which was great, but the side effects I had were terrible. With the pill I'm on now I just have a light three-day period and have my energy and general feeling of well-being back. There are many choices out there. Don't get stuck with something that makes you miserable!

I was on yaz for about 8 months and loved it. I didn't break out at all and I even lost weight. It helped a lot with PMDD. I was very satisfied. Then, after my 4th month, I started experiencing long periods that lasted about 9 days and breakthrough bleeding that lasted all month. My GYN switched me to Loestrin 24 Fe. My period is now very light and about 4-5 days. My only complaint is that I have horrible acne! I have only been on Loestrin 24 Fe for a month and a half so I wonder if I should just wait it out and see if the acne improves. I am very pleased that my period is so short, but the acne looks terrible!!

Hey. I am wondering if anyone is experiencing breast pain/tenderness. I am now on my 4th pack and I have been dealing with this pain/tenderness for about 6 weeks now. I know that it says that that is one of the side effects but it seems like it would have gone away by now. I went to by gyn. and she had me have a mammogram and breast ultrasound. I am only 20 and of course they found nothing wrong. But is anyone having or have had the same problem as I am having?

Good to know. I started on Loestrin fe 2 months before my wedding. When the wedding day arrived my dress was a little snug. I had noticed that my breasts were getting larger, but nothing that seemed too out of control. I snipped out the cups the seamstress had sewn in to "fill me out" and away we went. However, I am now finishing up my 3rd pack and I have now put on 20 lbs in the 3 weeks since the wedding. At first I was thinking my eating might have gotten a little out of control (we stayed at an all inclusive for the honeymoon) but since returning my eating habits have returned to normal. Now, none of my clothes fit. I had to buy new bras because I have gone up two cup sizes. I am now a 36 DD, was a 36 C. The weight gain is particularly troublesome to me because I lost about 80 lbs 3 years ago and don't want any of it back!!! I am also experiencing fine bumps on my forehead and I haven't experienced acne since I was a teenager. I have also had difficulty with spotting...and it is so annoying. I will spot for several days, stop and then repeat the cycle over again. I was bleeding so much on my wedding day that I had to use a tampon, and I was on week 2 of the pack! I have not had a proper "period" yet. Luckily I have an appointment with my GYN in 3 weeks.
The last birth control pill I was taking, over a year ago, was Yasmin. But I noticed after about 2 months on that I was starting to experience symptoms of depression. I had just started a new job and didn't like it, and thought that that was the issue. After crying on the way to work everyday for 3 weeks for no reason it occurred to me that it might be the pill. I stopped taking it and nearly immediately noticed the tearfulness disappeared. Perhaps I am just one of those who can't tolerate the pill.

wow after reading your posts i feel much better!!! i thought i was losing my mind...i have terrible periods, full seven days terrible painful cramps, just periods from hell come to find out i have endometriosis and an ovary thats stuck to the vaginal wall my doctor put me on loestrin 24 and its been the pill from hell im constantly bleeding on and off, my right leg goes numb, i had healthy clear skin and now its really dry with fine bumps, my mood swings are crazy im happy then i want to cry, depressed most definitely, constant headaches and nausea after taking it and this is only my first month taking it, i also noticed that im always cold!!! i would rather put up with my painful period then this crap

I have had increased frequency of migraines (MRIs, various medications, etc), missed periods, spotting for days and breast tenderness for about 2 weeks before my period. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one thinking I'm pregnant every month! I also get mild cramps randomly throughout the month. I'm going to talk to my doc, especially since it's not just me experiencing these things. I'm definitely going to switch to something else!!

Hi everyone, I have been on Loestrin fe for 8 months and I am 45 years old - taking the pill again after a four year absence. I have found that all of the posted side effects are true - but are greatly minimized by taking the pill EXACTLY at the same time every day.... if you are off by even a half hour you WILL have breakthrough bleeding - sometimes with clots and with drawl-like headaches... my gyn says no way - but I actually tested my own theory this month - much to my regret - I am right... I am ready to quit as I am at the end of my rope. Fortunately for me my blood count has come back into the normal range after the last two years of horrific bleeding every 11-26 days without a break.

I am going to go off next month - and I may have RESET MY SYSTEM so to speak - if no I will take a hysterectomy please... straight up with a tummy tuck to match!!!!!!!!!!!! Please email me if you ever want to discuss - I am a nurse anesthetist and have a great deal of sympathy for all of you out there. I am not sure if this drug is a bad one - but I think it is so low dose that timing must be precise for it to work properly. I have stayed on it only to reduce the bleeding (perimenopausal/estrogen dominant I am sure) twice a month periods that last 7-8 days. It has worked for me in that regard - but the first 7 months were plagued by horrific (and I mean really bad) right sided headaches that scared me. I had relief from NSaids (Motrin) so I almost overdosed on that stuff. Not good. My next strategy is to do saliva testing for cyclic hormones OFF the pill to see what kind of hormonal swings I really am having - and to adapt a more natural approach - possible progesterone cream to alleviate the misery of it all....
Much Love, Ellen M

I am now finishing my 2nd pack of Loestrin 24 Fe. I haven't had my period yet in the past 2 months. No cramps or spotting what so ever. I notice that I get really hungry at times. I still use protection even though I am taking the pill. I am a little bit concerned as to why my period has not come for 2 months. I will make a appointment to see my GYN. Is anyone else period not coming?

i am on the first week of my second pack, after switching from orthotricyclinLo (which i loved, but my gyn suggested i switch so that she could give me samples while i was abroad). a few days before my first "period" (if you can really call it that...it was ridiculously light as far as periods go)at the end of my first pack i started getting bad stomach cramps. i attributed it to my body getting adjusted to foreign food, but the cramps, while less painful, are still rather persistent and range from my stomach to lower-left side. i have also been experiencing weird hunger, in which i have the desire to eat but everything seems unappetizing or makes me nauseous.

i started freaking out, thinking i had some strange std symptom, but i have no other symptoms and have been in a monogamous relationship for the past 9 months. and while i have yet to take a pregnancy test, i have been on birth control for the past 4 years (so my uterus is something of a barren wasteland) and i use condoms with my boyfriend. i was freaking out a bit with these side cramps, wondering whether or not i should make a doctor's appointment. when taking orthotricyclinLo i had little to no side effects, and i have never gotten menstrual cramps before, so i hadn't thought that this discomfort could be from my pills. i was thinking of making a doctor's appointment, but after reading this blog am reconsidering, and might just wait out another month or so.

has anyone else had a similar cramping/discomfort experience, and did it ever subside?

thanks!

This is my first experience using birth control and I wanted something with low hormones, just so that I was getting the protection and decreasing the lengths of my periods without messing too much with my body's natural chemistry. My OBGYN gave me some samples of Loestrin and I have been on it for about a month and a half. I immediately had the bleeding out, which is about every 2 weeks, with one of those times being my actual period. I also have had a lot of pain in my breasts that has yet to subside. Most alarming though is that for the past month I have because extremely irritable for absolutely no reason. I have snapped at loved ones and people I don't even know and its causing a lot of problems in the work place, because I am constantly in a bad mood. I finally took the initiative to see if mood swings were a side effect and I found this site. I really think that this is a major side effect that needs more attention because it is really affecting my life. I have decided to call my doctor and ask for another pill and I would not recommend this birth control for anyone. Thank you for your posts helping me see that I'm not crazy!

I am new to Loestrin 24. I am 26 and have been on Ortho Tri-Clyclen since I was 16. I recently switched to a new GYN, who suggested I try Loestrin. She gave me 2 free samples, so I thought it was worth a try. Besides, I'd heard good things (on the commercials - of course). Immediately, I started noticing breakthrough bleeding, which I'd never experienced before. That lasted for a couple weeks. It was so annoying! I couldn't stand never knowing when it would happen. This past week was supposed to be my period. I knew that it would be shorter, since Loestrin has the 3 extra "active pills". But my period never came. I just started my second pack last night. I went on this site, to see what the real side effects of this pill are - the ones they don't publish on their website (before I completely freaked out). I have read that many other women have experienced no period, which made me feel a little better. I guess I won't run out and get a pregnancy test. One person asked why this was a problem, but when you're trying very hard NOT to get pregnant, a missed period hardly seems like a good thing. I need that reassurance every month that lets me know things are ok. I also have noticed weight gain and increased acne - which I didn't think to connect to Loestrin, but I'd never experienced that on Ortho. Some of these other side effects are downright scary and I'm now considering switching back to Ortho before the anxiety, mood swings and other things start!

My 20 yr. old daughter was on Loestrin 24 Fe for almost a year with seemingly few side effects (except larger breasts). When her Rx ran out, the doc would not prescribe more until she had an exam. She ended up going off the pill for a couple of months, which was okay because there was no boyfriend or sexual contact during that time. She then got a prescription refill and went back on it. Within about 3 weeks she started experiencing random panic attacks including, headaches, nausea, rapid heart beat, sweaty hands and dizziness. At first she wrote it off as stress, but now they are happening ALL the time and are interfering with her life. She is a college student and is becoming paralyzed by the anxiety and the fear of a panic attack. She can't go to class, can't drive and is worried all the time. This is soooo unlike my happy-go-lucky daughter. She feels like she is going crazy. I talked to the GYN and she thought that the pill could definitely be enhancing these symptoms, but didn't feel they were the main cause. I now have a completely different opinion from her since reading all the posts on here describing the exact same symptoms while on this pill. My daughter has now stopped taking them (it's been about a week) and the doctor said it could take a couple of cycles for the drug to be completely out of her system. I'm praying that these symptoms go away after the hormones are flushed out....anyone have any experience with the anxiety going away after going off the pill??????

I've just started using Loestrin 24 Fe in mid December and I'm in the first week of my 2nd pack. I only looked it up to find out what it's cost is. My gyn's office gave me 3 sample packs. Most times new BCs are not covered by insurance and yeah, I don't want to pay $50+ for a new fancy pill! ;) In searching I found this site and read the post. I find them very interesting and enlightening! Yesterday and today I've felt 'blah'. I attributed it to not getting my paycheck on time (that would set anyone off!) and having to rearrange some things. Well there's a lot more important things going out there than my vanity! lol But yet I can't shake the 'blah' feeling. After reading the post of some who are experiencing mood swings and/or depression...I'm starting to think about this pill. I've always had heavy and long periods with cramps, major headaches,fatigue, you name it I get it! After my first pack of L24 for the first time EVER I had a light 3 -4 day period. I did get my normal craps/lower back pain the first day but my second wasn't spent in the bathroom every 20 minutes changing a Tampax as in the past. So that part is great! I was told that I have fibroids and in November I didn't get a period and freaked out. Took a test and it was negative. My period finally came on Dec 1 and with a vengeance! I spotted throughout Dec--probably fibroid related (as that is common I'm told) so when my gyn gave me three sample packs of L24 I started them. It's only my 2nd pack so I will finish it and if I'm still feeling 'blah' I will go back to Trivora and my longer periods. I've always been acne prone as well so I don't know if my breakout is due to L24 or not right now. I will monitor. Weight gain has never been an issue while on any pill but in Dec I was 138 and today (I weighed myself after reading these post! women! ha!) I'm 143. Still in my normal weight at 5'9. I tend to fluctuate with an 8lb range and my appetite is the same--so far. So again I will finish this pack. I don't know if I can switch in the middle of a pack since my period has passed now. I do have a prescription for Trivora and I'm ready to use it should this persist! I'm 42 and I've dealt with my periods all of this time..It's no big thing. I just don't want to bleed in between periods--if it's fibroid related. I'll see my herbalist about that! You know the doctors and pharmaceutical companies seem to be in bed with each other. We've got wonder what is being put into these drugs to alter what our body is supposed to do naturally. But what's a girl to do! :)
Nanette

I started Loestrin 24 Fe Dec. 2007. The first 2 weeks okay..then I started cramping..not normal cramps..childbirth like cramps magnified 3 times..I thought it was something I ate. After 3 days the pain went away...2 weeks later the same cramps, but more painful then the first time...by this time I was already taking Advil, but no relief. I finally was rushed to the ER room and found out it was the pill...needless to say I am no longer on this pill since Jan. 15th and now I am stuck with a tremendous hospital bill all because I began this pill to stop the heavy bleeding. I have a doctor appt. on 2/4/2008 with a GYN so I can see if there are any other solutions..by the way I am 40 years old..if any one has any other solutions or suggestions let me know. I was on Yaz, but caused me to have serious mood swings.

I'm 16 and I started Loestrin 24 almost 2 weeks ago and I've had my period for now 13 days. I'm always hungry, and I'm hella moody sometimes I'm really sad and at times I become defensive and angry. My bleeding is extremely heavy, bad cramps even worse than what I'm accustomed to, and I barely get sleep because my boobs hurt and I like to sleep on my stomach. The Pill is supposed to help me because I have terrible mood swings, and I've been hospitalized for my cramps. The only good thing about the pill so far is that I grew some boobs, yeah its pretty sweet. But my gyn told me that it's going to take about 3 months for it to kick in as for my period I've gotten used to it. I guess it serves its purpose as being a birth control because who's going to sex on their period?

My doctor just prescribed Loestrin24Fe because I've been having mysterious pain in my pelvic area for almost a year now. Abdominal and pelvic sonograms and CT scans have not found anything but my gyn felt that taking birth control pills might help. I've always considered myself fortunate because I've always had normal periods, very regular cycle, little to no cramps, and mild headaches during 1st day of my period. After reading your postings, I'm deathly afraid of taking these pills and think that they, like some other drugs I've tried, will do more harm than good to my body. Thank you everyone for your feedback. I think I will explore some holistic doctors and see if I have better luck. Thank you and stay healthy everyone!

My birth control problems have been an ongoing problem. . I am a 26 year old nurse. I had been on birth control since about age 16.I was on Ortho tricyclen up until about two and a half years ago. I was noticing that I got nauseated each day around 5 pm when supposedly my hormone level dropped. I would eat and then I would feel better. Now that I think of it, I may have been just a little hypoglycemic. I told my GYN about this and he had me switch to the NuvaRing. I was on that for about 5-6 months when I started to have problems with it. When I had to put it back in after the week out, I would vomit for about 12 hours until my hormone level evened out. After deciding that I was not getting food poisoning each month, and it truly was the ring, I went back to my GYN. He then said that it was too much estrogen for me and prescribed Loestrin 24. I was on that for about 5 months when I started to notice problems. I felt extremely tired all the time. My breasts hurt like hell, and my mood was changing significantly. I was watching TV one night when all of the sudden it felt like someone was just murdered in front of me. I had no idea what was wrong. My husband told me he thought I was having a panic attack. I have never had any problems with anxiety or depression. This happened twice in one week. I had never had any problems with acne, and I looked like I had chicken pox on my back. I was also getting abnormal hair growth. I would cry, and not know why. I then decided that I needed to stop my pills. I called the GYN, and of course they were of no help to me. I then spent about 4-5 months off of BCP's all together. I would still get anxiety the week before my period and then after I started it would get better. I then saw a new GYN who decided it would be good for me to go on Seasonique. I was on that for 5 weeks and all of my symptoms came back. I now have been put on Zoloft to help with my panic attacks. I fight them on a daily basis, and they are more constant than ever before. I truly feel like my hormones are so fucked right now. I have all of these strange thoughts and feel half crazy. I have been to every specialist possible and they all agree that my hormones are out of whack. I am small anyway and have lost about 10 pounds. I only weigh about 98, which is also alarming to me. Okay, well how the hell do you fix all of this without going on another damb pill? I was fitted for a diaphragm and am using that for the time being. I am a smart enough person to know that something is not right. I am seeing a homeopathic specialist this week to try a new approach. I have been to a therapist, and have been tested for everything under the sun. Most frightening was the fact that I was almost put on a beta-blocker. I had a 24 holter monitor for my heart. My median heart rate was in the high 90's. I also had a heart rate that went from 51 to 145 bpm in my sleep. My normal heart rate is in the hig 60's to low 70's. Overall, the Zoloft is starting to help, but I am so angry. I really do feel like we are screwing up our natural chemistry by putting all of these females on hormones. In 20 years or so, we will truly see the effects of what hormone therapy has done to women. It is very scary. I just hope I can get myself evened out. Does anyone have a similar story or any suggestions? Please reply or email me. Any support I can get from other women will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Nurse Billie

My gyn put me on Loestrin because it's low dose and wouldn't affect my hypertension as much as other pills. well...it gave me horrendous headaches around the second week I was on it. They were sooo bad that I would sit in my office at work with the lights off and an ice pack on my head. and OTC drugs like Tylenol and Excedrin wouldn't help them. Also I started having really heavy break through bleeding that lasted from the time I started the pill until about three weeks later. I mean heavy to the point that I would stand up and it would GUSH. Soaking through a super tampon, super pad, and onto my pants. On a few days I had to change my pants at work. I stopped taking it and when I went to the doctor, they said I was severely anemic from all the bleeding to the point that I almost needed a blood transfusion. I'm not messing with this pill anymore.

Hello and help! I am 41 years old, healthy, non-smoker; my Gyn has placed me on Loestrin 24 to help with a harmone imbalanace. I am 2 weeks into my first pack, and I am still having my period. Is this a normal side effect. My mood is fine and I am able to sleep fine. Really no other side effects, except for the never ending bleeding with blood clots. I am just wondering if anyone is having this issue. I am about ready to give up but I know I need to give it a chance. Just tired on wearing pads.

Wow - so many of you with the same symptoms and side-effects I'm experiencing. I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen years ago with minimal side effects beyond slight weight gain during the first few months. With this pill, I feel like I've become a monster. I'm bloated and I've been bleeding for 9 days now (I started the pills the day my period ended, on the advice of my doctor. I began bleeding a week later and have not stopped.). I'm normally a very happy person, but in the 2.5 weeks I've been on this medication, my moods change faster than the weather - I go from happy to despondent over the smallest, most insignificant things and cannot be cheered up. I have constant anxiety. I've cried more in the last 2 weeks than I have in the last year. I get angry over nothing, and I feel lazy all the time. My normally above-average libido is in the toilet. Fortunately, my boyfriend is incredibly understanding and knows that the changes I'm experiencing are due to this new medication changing my body chemistry.

I don't want to be like this, though. I don't want to be angry, sad, anxious, lazy, or uninterested in sex. I don't want a month-long period for 3 months while my body adjusts. I'm not in the physical condition to be able to shrug off an extra 10 pound due to bloating, and I'm tired of popping Advil to deal with my cramps. Before I found this site, I thought maybe the symptoms would go away in the next week or so, but I've now decided I'm not waiting this one out - I'm calling my doctor and finding a different alternative. This is simply unacceptable.

Also, I know it has nothing to do with the effectiveness of the medication, but their website disgusts me. "Cammie's Story"? If they spent half that advertising budget on research to eliminate the horrible side effects of their product, perhaps the pill would sell itself.

I am 32 and just had an experience with Loestrin. I have never been one to go to the Gyn like I should, but I also had no problems with my cycles or anything until about a year ago. I started bleeding in between periods and my periods became really heavy every time. I went to a gyno and saw the nurse practitioner. She talked with me and did an examination and decided WITHOUT any bloodwork or anything that my problem is probably hormone imbalance(which makes me wonder how she can know this for sure), so she put me on Loestrin. I took it that night like she instructed and was fine for about 2 days, then I started break through bleeding some. I started the pill on Monday last week, I helped a friend move on Friday and have been bleeding ever since. Not bad or anything, but enough to most of the time appear to be a light period. I stopped taking the pill at the suggestion of a nurse friend and now am having an actual period with cramps. I am going to see a different doctor and was also told by her to stop taking the pill. From what I have read it is quite common to bleed a lot on this pill. I'm sorry if that is all that is wrong with me, I would rather bleed a couple of days and then deal with the bad period than bleed every day of the month!!!

I am just finishing my 2nd month of this pill. I have been on numerous BC’s since the age 17. I have had some good ones and some bad ones but usually the side effects that caused me to go off the pills was cramping and/or spotting. Recently I had been on Yasmin (not Yaz) for about 4 years. In the past year I had gotten over 10 yeast infections due to the Yasmin. Prior to this past year though, Yasmin was great. Anyway, my GYN switched me to this and I am on my second month. The first month it was like I had my period everyday for the month. I truly don’t know when I actually had my period. My poor husband, I kept telling him “I think I have my period again.” Then when I thought it was gone b/c nothing for a few days, it would come back. But I decided to stick it out. I called my GYN and the nurse said “try to stick it out for three months, it usually gets better.” So I am. And this month, its starting again. I am suppose to get my period in a week but 3 days ago I started bleeding again. But I also have been feeling very lethargic, depressed and I have gained weight. I actually did not even think it was because of the change in the pill until I came across this website today. But I truly have many of the same symptoms you all are talking about. Mostly, the tiredness, weight gain and depressed feeling. But I have others. I have NEVER been over 135lbs in my life now I am at 140 and I haven’t changed a thing. I certainly could exercise more, but that hasn’t changed. In fact, I have been trying to eat LESS to lose this weight but I keep going up. Now I am thinking it may be due to this pill. I am glad I came across this website. I am going to go to my GYN before the next month and say I want off. The one good thing is… I haven’t had a yeast infection since being on this pill! I was getting two a month at times! I am truly glad I came across this website or else I would have never known. Thank you all for sharing your comments about your experiences (both positive and negative).

My gyn switched me to Loestrin FE from Mircette. I stuck it out for 1 pack but had to stop and will be switching back soon. The headaches on this pill were the worst I ever experienced. I was in the ER twice and lived on Vicodin for pain relief for the entire month. I had slight breast tenderness but nothing major and it took nearly 3 weeks for my period to restart.

I'm 37 and have been on OCPs for most of my adult life. I've never had side effects as bad as this before.

I have been on this pill for 5 months and it has been a nightmare. I started to get acne again. My weight jumps high/low. My mood swings changes happy to depressed and i don't even know why. I have never had a problem with vaginal dryness which caused me to have painful intercourse, urinary track infection, vaginal infections, tender/swollen breast, spotting (1st three months) very bad cramps, dry skin, can't sleep. I even had sex the other day and he hit a spot and it hurt for like a min. but after that min thats when i began to cry. I couldnt stop. He felt so bad and said whats wrong and i told him i dont know b/c i didnt know. I felt like an idiot. And i always think that i am preganent from all these problems.

I never had these problems when i was on yazmin. Im switching back to yasmin next week. I never has theses problems and i have been on yazmin for 2 years. I only switched b/c i wanted shorter periods. I would never refer this pill to anyone!

I've been on the pill for almost two weeks now, the first week I had no symptoms then on Monday I started bleeding and have been bleeding ever since. I hope the symptoms go away soon because I don't know how much longer I can take the bleeding espically since I just had my period less than two weeks ago.

This is the worse pill ever. I suffer from anxiety depression constant mood swings and nervousness. The doctor is telling me that bc does not cause this that there is something else going on. I have a thyroid issue but all is well with that. He recomended I see a therapist so I did I honestly feel I am losing my mind on these pills the therapist told me to go back to my gyn, I and so tired of being bounced back and fourth I just want off of these pills everything was fine before I started them. does anyone else have this issue. These doctors are so quick to pass you on to other people

I personally haven't had any problems, I have lost about 5 pounds and my skin has cleared up.
I think that a lot of the mood swings are in the mind and the weight gain shouldn't be blamed on this pill, just keep the food out of your mouth.

I am 34 yrs old and new to oral contraceptives. Have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about a month and a half and have noticed the following symptoms: shortness of breath, sore/tender breasts, vaginal dryness, extremely dry patchy skin (from otherwise having very oily skin), 2 periods in one month, hungry all the time - which has lead to overeating and weight gain, feelings of despair - lots of crying and mood swings, periodic tingling sensations in feet and lower legs.

My first period on the pill was shorter and pain was dulled, but second time the period was longer and had pain every day of my period which is unusual for me.

I think its time to jump off the Loestrin 24 ship...