Loestrin 24 Fe and gyno

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.

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 :)

I'm 43 years old and had a baby 5 months ago. I decided to go back on the pill and have been doing a lot of research about the "right" pill. My gyno recommended Loestrin 24 FE because of the low hormones/less effects. I was scared to death to start this pill based on all of the horrible reviews I've been reading. So, I thought I'd report on my experience so far... It's been two weeks and so far so good. I haven't noticed anything dramatic so far. I will give it more time and see how it goes. Hopefully it continues working well. I have a feeling this pill is better for women in their 40's who are peri-menopausal. Maybe the estrogen is too low for the younger women, I don't know. I'll continue to post comments as I stay on the pill. I value these reviews, but remember, everyone's body is different. So far this is working for me but again, it's only 2 weeks. Hope you find thi helpful.

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.

WOW..all these negative reviews! I have been on loestrin 24 for over a year or so. I had heavy heavy periods so my gyno prescribed these. Other than the break thru bleeding...I have noticed no side effects. For me the pill has been wonderful. My periods are so lite that sometimes all I need is a panty liner. It has worked wonders for me...and I am in my 40's. I have 2 kids and I would NOT want to feel pregnant and these do NOT make me feel preggo at all. I guess it works for some...it's not for everybody! But my experience is GREAT!!

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.

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!

hello ladies, i'd like to start off by thanking you all for your posts, i read before i started my first pack of loestrin 24 fe so i could see what i might be expecting with starting the pill. i went to the gyno for the first time back in june, i went due to other health problems. for my whole sophomore year i was sick, all of the time, i'm 16 years old, and school is a very important part of my life right now, but with being sick all the time, i was absent a lot. i was absent on each period, as well. my doctor knew something was up so he ordered a blood test, the test came back and my hemoglobin was very low, he had me take 2 iron pills a day for a month then sent me back for another blood test, after the second blood test my hemoglobin was back up, but my iron was still very low. he asked me questions about my menstrual cycle and i answered, they've always been very bad, really heavy bleeding and clotting for the 5-8 days i was on it, very bad cramping as well, and i was very tired, and dragged out while i was on my period, always ended up getting sick while i was on it as well, so he came to the conclusion that i was anemic because of my menstrual cycles, so he sent me to the gyno. mind you, this was my first time being there and i was terrified! haha, she gave me a pap & pelvic exam, then an ultra sound on my ovaries and uterus to make sure everything was normal before putting me on the pills, she put me on them because of the iron that they have in them and to slow my periods down. i'm starting my third week on my first pack of the pills tomorrow, and i for the last 2 weeks i've been very very irritable, the smallest things make me very angry at any time. and have had some crazy mood swings, one minute i'm laughing and happy, then the next i'm crying because i dropped something. i get bad headaches, and i always feel like i'm going to vomit. i don't have much of an appetite, and when i do try to eat, or after i eat i feel like i'm going to vomit. i've also had some cramping and a couple days of spotting, i've had some hot flashes as well, and my sex drive has slightly increased. i feel awkward saying that, haha. but, i'm not taking them for sexual reasons, just health reasons. and i hope that the pills end up working out for me and those health issues. & i hope they work out for all of you, too. :)

I have been taking LoEstrin 24FE for over a year now. I experience the spotting and normally have my period during the 2nd or 3rd week of taking the pills. I still have extremely bad cramping and I have constant back pain. My moods are crazy; and I mean crazy. I have attributed these symptoms to other things in my life, but after reading this blog, I am concerned that all of my symptoms are now related to this pill. I normally have a period for about 4 days, the 2nd day is quite heavy. I am a little nervous that I have been taking this pill for a year and never thought it could cause my issues that I have been having. I am scheduled to see my GYN in a few weeks. Suggestions?

hello everyone,
I am 24 years old and i have been on this pill for almost a month, and let me tell you that i have had good times and bad. I have had really bad headachs and my moods do change, and weight gain. The one thing i did not want, because i just had a baby and it is hard enough to loose the weight. But the side effects come and they go it has not been that bad that i am ready to give up i will stick it out the three months like my gyno has told me too. Though i am a little freaked out right now because i started the sugar pill and no sign of my period yet, so we will see about that. Wish me luck please.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 for almost a year and a half now. At first the pill seemed like a godsend because it offered me shorter periods and more time in between period. However, I have recently become sexually active with my boyfriend and the pill seems to have turned on me completely. In May, I experienced an alarmingly light period with barely any bleeding and almost non-existent cramps. I attributed it to stress at first, but took a home pregnancy test just to be certain. Thankfully, the test came back negative so I put it out of my mine for awhile.

The following month I yet again experience a period that was barely the equivalent of spotting. Alarmed, I went to see my gyno. She told me that barely to no bleeding is completely normal with Loestrin 24, which is something that she failed to tell me of before I began it.

Tonight is my second night of iron pills in my pack and I have yet to bleed at all. On top of that, this entire month I have been experiencing night sweats, headaches, abnormal weight gain, and extreme irritability towards my loved ones. I can barely even stand to talk to my boyfriend on the phone regardless of the fact that I know I love him very much.

Should I stop taking them? Is there any suggestions for better pills?

I started the pill two days ago because I don't get periods but maybe 2-3 times a year, and my gyno is trying to take care of my cysts. I've tried Yaz, but I had an allergic reaction to it (a rash all over my body), and I've tried NuvaRing, which, after I removed, gave me the most painful period I've ever had. I'm currently being tested for polycystic ovarian syndrome, endometriosis, and probably ovarian cancer.

So far I haven't been able to sleep, I've been having crazy hot flashes, and my ovarian pain is more severe than ever (left side, I have a 2cm cyst). I've had headaches as well, but I'm not sure if they're because of this pill. I'm hoping that these symptoms will dissipate in a few months, but if they get worse, I'll probably stop taking it.

I have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 in a half months. I had started a period in the middle of my first set and they said that it would just take time..well i haven't had a period since. I have had UTI and pregnancy test and they were both negative. The doctors thought i was crazy and I felt helpless and thought it was because i hadn't taken them regularly enough. My symps were nausea/vomiting, yeast infection,sore/tender boobs, dry skin, cold sores, chapped lips, excess sweating (so much to where id wake up with wet hair), dizziness, rash,hair loss, depression, joint pain, horrible abdominal pain(like bad cramps),back pain, no appetite which i lost about 10 pounds in 2 weeks, headaches, and i hadn't had a period in two months. All these symptoms happened in about a two week span. I was freaking out about it because the doctors told me it was just stress but i was sure that something was wrong..i was talking to my mom because i was really scared and upset & she asked what birth control i was on and i told her. She looked at the package and saw it was Loestrin -->FE<--(iron)..no one in my family can take iron and it makes them very very sick. Im going to the doctor tom again to tell them that and im almost positive that this is the reason. I will let you know when i find out.

I have been on loestrin for 4 months now. The first three months i did have a lot of spotting (which almost seemed like a regular period) my gyno said this was normal. After the three months the spotting stopped and my regular periods are very light and only last about 3 days. My only side effects are minor mood swings right before my period (which is normal for me anyway) and slight breast tenderness. I haven't gained any weight due to the pill and my skin is about the same as it was before i was on it. I would suggest for those that have been on the pill for less than 3 months to wait and keep taking it until after the 3 months time. I have found it is a lot different after 3 months. It's such a low dose of hormones that once your body has regulated to it, your a totally normal person again.

I am 20 and I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for almost 6 months now. Before that I was on Lybrel for almost a year. I started taking Lybrel because I had always had awful periods to the point where I would sometimes faint from the pain of the cramps and would pretty much couldn't function normally. Lybrel was fine for the first couple of months but I began to spot after 6 months and decided to try a different one. I was put on Loestrin and like other pills I have been on I had intense mood swings, felt more anxious, depressed, and had night sweats for the first 3 months. I had light periods, 2 or less days and then about 3 months ago, I stopped getting a period all together. I have had no spotting and recently I have started to have cramping around the time I should be getting my period, breast tenderness and bloating. These are all symptoms I have had on past BC too. I take my pill every day around the same time and have never missed a day. I like not getting my period but it does concern me a bit because my doctor didn't tell me that I would not get a period at all, he actually warned me that I probably have spotting for a while. Does anyone else not get their period on this pill?

I started taking Loestrin24fe on Sunday June 7th. That was the first day of my peroid. It is now 13 days later and I am still on my period. I am 44 yrs old and was put on this pill because my periods were so heavy. This is defeating the purpose. I want to quit taking them. I am anemic and think this is doing more harm than good. I am going to Hawaii on July 23rd and do not want to be on my period then. If I stop now, I am wondering when I will start my period again. I am really fed up.

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 21 and I was put on Loestrin 24 Fe for severe cramps and an irregular period. I was on it for a full year and had no major side effects... however I wasn't able to refill my prescription after the year was up until I went to see my gyno again... so I was off of it for two months. The doc put me back on loestrin as I requested since it helped A LOT with cramps and I had a very light period but since starting to retake it I haven't had a period since January of this year.. I am on my 5th pack for the year and called the gyno to make sure that everything was ok, and she said it was normal... I am not sexually active so I don't have to worry about being pregnant but not having a period when I had one every month for a year and then to not have any is just strange to me... so I am either lucky to not have one or hopefully it will figure things out sooner or later!

All in all its been a great bcp for me this is the only problem if it is even a problem I have had.

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."

This is my experience. I started using Loestrin 24 fe on May 2-09 and well I thought everything was going well but on the 10th I was feeling a little cramping but didn't think much of it cause well I had just gotten off my period. But when I went to the bathroom to pee n wiped I noticed that I was slightly spotting. So I thought to my self ok maybe some spotting is normal. But then I started to cramp more and actually started to bleed like a light period. I was a little freaked out cause well I had just finished my period a week ago. It's been such a nightmare cause I've been bleeding for 8 days now and cramping. I'm extremely moody I can hardly sleep and I can't take it anymore cause well can't really be sexually active if ur bleeding right??? So I made an appt. for Wednesday maybe my Gyno can give me something else cause this is definitely not working for me!!!

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 been taking Loestrin 24 for seven months now, and it worked like a charm - my periods haven't exactly decreased in time, just in heaviness (my periods weren't really heavy to begin with). No side effects, no spotting, nothing.

But this might be something to watch out for:

This past Saturday I was too lazy to take my pill in the morning, and I stayed over at a friend's and didn't take my pill Sunday either. Saturday I ate a bunch of junk food (pizza, brownies, etc.) and I bloated... which made sense. So I just tried to drink water. The next day I began cramping... which was unusual. I would be just finishing the second row of pills and I can't say I've knowingly ovulated since I've been taking these pills. I come home and to my horror, I was spotting... which has NEVER happened before. And as the day went on the cramping hurt more (not overbearingly but there was a noticeable change) and I noticed the blood smelled HORRIBLE, like a mix between a rotting animal and vomit. And today I'm still spotting.

To make a long story short, I now have an appointment with my gyno. I don't know if it means anything, but don't be like me and purposely not take your pill... you're supposed to take a pill a day for a reason. ):

I took my first Loestrin 24 Fe pill last night when my period started. I am 19 and my gyno proscribed me this pill because he thought i should not just depend on condoms as my method of birth control. However after reading theses comments i am having second thoughts about taking them. I really don't want to get pregnant but i also don't want to go through all these side effects. What should i do? and if i do decide to stop taking it after the first pill, will it affect my cycle? someone please reply!!!!

Wow... After reading some of these posts, I don't know what to do. I recently asked my gyno to prescribe bcp. I'm a regular irregular but it drives me crazy when I think it is coming and ends up being late. I've tried Ortho-Tri Cyclen and Ortho Evra (which I loved! Despite the weight gain, I didn't have to remember to take a pill every day) I've been off birth control for about 6 years now and my gyno said that due to the high risk of blood clots with Ortho Evra he didn't recommend it. He handed me a few samples of Loestrin 24fe but after reading almost all of your posts... I don't know what to think, especially because I've been experiencing almost all the same symptoms as most of without being on birth control. From the random headaches, weight gain, breast tenderness, severe cramping (like someone stabbing my lower abdomen), random spotting and even hairloss (the top of my head is clearly visible. It's so bad that I lose at least 5 strands just by running my fingers through my hair.) Part of me wants to try it out but I'm VERY scared that it will only worsen my symptoms... Help!Btw, nightmares? Really? Is that really a side effect? That's pretty nerve racking. Last thing anyone needs is to be afraid of going to bed after a long day of work...

I am 25 year old female. I am on my second day of Loestrin24 and so far so good. I started it on my first day of my period, i haven't stopped bleeding, and after talking to my pharmacist ( who is very reliable and sometimes better than my gyno) she said it was due to the drug not fully being in my system. Aside from a mild headache that is the only side effect i feel so far.
After reading this forum i have concluded that yes, its best to give it a trial run and see how it goes. It's great to know many women do not get their period.

Wish me luck! ;-)

I started using loestrin 24 fe last week for the first time (first bcp ever). Its was the day after my period finished, everything started off fine. Now I'm into the 2nd week of the first trial pack. At first on Monday I started spotting now its Thursday and I am wearing a tampon. I called the doctor, they said its normal to spot. But is this normal?? Somebody please help me

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 started Loestrin 8 days ago. I have been with my hubby 7 years and yesterday was the first time we got into a huge fight.. This morning I woke up to extreme nausea and vomited bile 2times. My lower back and uterus ache with severe cramps and I have been spotting ever since. I am also running a low grade fever and my fasting sugar was 8.2 this morning.. not good. My OBGYN put me on this pill because I have fibroids. IN January we had a D&C done and found out that I have pollyps and a uterus that has scaring that would be familiar with endomitreosis. I have 3 kids at home and DO NOT want anymore. I called my OBGYN crying this morning and his secretary advised me to stop the pills immediately and will call me back to see what is next once my Gyno gets back from his rounds at the hospital.. I want it out my darn uterus, that has to be much more enjoyable than this crap.

I've been on Loestrin for about 4 years and have not really had any problems until about 6 months ago when I moved to a new city, gained some weight, and started to get unbearable breast pain/sensitivity. My gyno put me on 5 days of a pill to rid my body of water retention and my breast sensitivity was gone. But it returned after this short treatment. He is now suggesting that I take a month off of birth control and see if that fixes the problem. If so, he wants me to try the Nuvaring, but those side effects scare me. Anyone had the same problem?

I just started my first pill of loestrin24fe and am very scared from some of the comments i read on this site like worse acne, no sex drive, hair loss, weight gain, etc. My gyno put me on this pill because of my endometriosis. But I have hormonal acne and I really don't want it to get worse.

Today is my eight day on Loestrin and it will be my last day.

I'm 29 and have been off of birth control for over 3 years. I'm a stay at home mom of a very well tempered little boy, I workout every day, I eat very well, I take daily vitamins and I do not have a history of depression.

I decided to go back on birth control for multiple reasons, family planning, endometriosis and to help with mild acne. My gyno recommended Loestrin.

I took my first pill on the first Sunday after my last period, which also happened to be the same day I ran my first half marathon. Since then I can not sleep, I wake up all night. I feel nauseated for half the day, I'm scatter-brained, my skin is worse, I get crazy mood swings and I have gained six pounds in a week, I'm holding an incredible amount of water. At first I thought the half marathon was causing all of these things but it's been over a week and no improvement.

I will NEVER take this pill again.

I am currently on Loestrin 24, and have been for four months. The first month, I experienced breakthrough bleeding after two weeks, then it went away a couple days later and I had a very, very light period. Then, The second month, everything went well and I had a normal period. In the third month, I experienced a light period, again. Then, in the fourth month, i experienced the weirdest things yet. Now, keep in mind I was stressed out from moving, but I had a full-fledged period in the second week of my pills. Then, things were off and on because I kept on taking it late, or forgetting until the next morning, for three days. Then, because of this, I had a light, ovulation period again, like not even a period at all. Finally, when I did get to my brown pills, I did not even have a period, except for some spotting (again) on the last brown pill. i still have it now, although I haven't taken the first white pill of the next month yet. I am really quite aggravated, and worried that it isn't working and will not do it's job at preventing pregnancy. I have also been experiencing sharp headaches since taking the pill, loss in appetite for sex, moodiness, and bitchiness the day before I get my period, and most recently, for the past two nights, I have not been able to sleep.

I have been on this for about 5 months. Had breakthrough bleeding here and there and was told it would be okay. One month I had my period so heavy I was bleeding in clots. I was told put my feet up for the weekend. I take it every day at the same time and got my period last Sunday.....not supposed to happen until Wed. ....it is now a week plus one day and I STILL have it...I have the most horrific cramps....and I am middle aged..not some sixteen year old. I don't know what to do, but am thinking of calling again to get off it. I get the feeling the nurses at the dr. office think I'm crazy....and it will work itself out....well in the meantime I'm in agony!

hey...ok so this is my STORY!....
MY FIRST BC PILL WAS ORTHO TRYCYLEN LO. IT WAS GOOd but i started to notice that i was feeling like a rollercoaster.. so i decided to go to my gyno...she changed me to YAZ(HORRIBLE PILL) IT MESSED UP MY HEAR VALVE..I WAS TO ANXIOUS AND GOING CRAZY NOW I HAVE A MITRAL VALVE PROLAPSE..WHICH IS COMMON BUT I HAVE ALL THE BAD SYMPTOMS ....I ENDED UP GOING TO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC BECAUSE IT WAS TO EXPENSIVE( NO INSURANCE) THE CARDIOLOGIST GOT ME OF OF YAZ AND SEND ME TO A GYNOO... WELL THEY ENDED UP PUTTING ME THE IUD (COPPER)..HAD TO GET DILATED AND IN TO SURGERY (I WAS TO SCARED) THE FIRST MONTH I WENT CRAZY STARTED VOMITING IT WAS HORRIBLE THE SECOND MONTH I BLED FOR THE WHOLE MONTH.....GOT TIRED OF IT AND WENT TO A GYNO N GOT IT OF IT WASN'T TOLERATING MY BODY....GOT ON LOESTRIN 24 ON MY THIRD WEEK OF IT I MISSED A PILL TOOK IT IN THE MORNING HOURS PASSED AND STARTED BLEEDING TOOK THE SECOND PILL RIGHT AFTER THAT...I STARTED BLEEDING WITH FOR PILLS LEFT..NOW II DIDN'T TAKE THE IRON PILLS AND STARTED THE NEW PACK THINKING IT WOULD STOP IT...BUT NO! TODAY IS MY SEVEN DAY BLEEDING WITH HEAVY CLOTS.. HEAVY BLEEDING... AND LOTS OF CRAMPZZZ ...I NEED HELP ....I THINK IM JUST GOING STOP ..TAKING BC! I BEEN THROUGH HELL THE PAST MONTHS!

I'm 18 years old. I am only sexually active with one boy whom I have been with for 3 years. I had some spotting before my my brown pills, but I never started my period. I am now on another pack and still haven't started. I am usually late. Does anyone else have this problem?

I started taking this pill 3 months ago...I hate it. 1st and 2nd month I had a period, this month nothing. Am I the only person experiencing this? It has me paranoid like crazy. I am 32 years old, and the only time I have ever missed a period was when I was pregnant with my daughter who is now 7 years old.
If anyone else is experiencing this, please give me a little peace of mind and let me know!

I am not too happy w/ Loestrin --- at first it was great, very light periods for 4 days, and I knew when they were coming, but in the last three months, like soo many of you, I haven't felt like myself --- I've had yeast infections that are crazy, and I've had chest pains, and now, abdominal pain --- my gyno thinks it might be either fibroids or an ovarian cyst --- 6 months ago, I was experiencing none of these things! I know it the pill --- I made a decision to take myself of it b/c I know my body better than anyone else, and get this, I just had my period last week, my second day off the pill, I am bleeding again.
I'm going to just use condoms and be diligent about it.

I had been on Yaz for one year and loved it for the most part. I didn't gain weight, my adult acne cleared, and my periods were very light. However, right the week before my period I would become depressed. My gyno found a very large cyst on one of my ovaries and told me that I should not have one that large while being on birth control. She told me Yaz was not right for me and I could not longer take it. I begged her to prescribe me Yasmin, she said NO. She thought Loestrin would be the best, so she put me on Loestrin 24 for 6 weeks to see if it shrinks, if it doesn't she will remove it. I have only been on Loestrin for 5 days and it has completely turned my world upside down! I have no sex drive, dryness down there, my face is breaking out, and I have been super down. I hate it!!!!! I hope that when I go back for a re-check that my cyst is still there so she can see that Loestrin is not right for me! I hate being on birth control and would love to stop taking any form of it, but it looks like my body cant regulate it's self, I just hope I can find a birth control that is right for me. Good luck everyone with Loestrin and if you find a birth control that works let me know! Take care.

I've been on Loestrin for almost 5 months now, but I'm still not so sure how I feel about it. Before I took the pill, I had 7 day long, heavy periods, headaches, cramps, vomiting- the whole nine yards. The first month I took the pill, I got my period as usual, but for about 5 days ( the 5 days I happened to be on vacation, fun). The next month, my period lasted about 4 days, the next month three days, and this past month I didn't get it at all. I have to admit, I was quite relieved when I read some of other comments with women also having missed periods, or no periods altogether, as I'm not ready for a mini-me quite yet. The only major problems I've had with this pill so far are severe mood swings, which my boyfriend doesn't appreciate very much, and the last few days I've had severe pain in my lower abdomen, which, if it persists, will force me to visit my gyno. Overall, I do like this pill, it's really toned down my migraines, which I've had for years, and seems to be quite effective at lessening my heavy blood flow and severe cramps.

Hey everyone, well things change in two days lol

Quick recap, i had been on orthocyclen for like three years and i finally went to a gyno and he said to try Loestrin bc i was still getting really bad 7 days periods. this is now day 7 of loestrin. I was doing fine till last night.

my roommates and I were having a few drinks, went to the bathroom and noticed that i was spotting. it wasn't heavy or anything. so when i woke up this morning i checked it. I just hope that it does this for the month.

I also made the mistake of having sex last night too so i am hoping nothing comes from it

Hey everyone. I have been on orthocyclen for about 2 years now from a clinic. I finally got health insurance *yay* and I went to a gyno. He was going to prescribe me the same pills but since i still was having my period pretty bad for seven days straight and had headaches etc, he prescribed me on Loestrin 24 FE. I was happy to find out that it had iron pills instead of placebos bc i have low iron. I start it this Sunday. i am a little nervous after reading everyone comments but i have to keep in mind that everyone is different. Once I start taking it, ill update everyone :]]

Bella

I just posted a few days ago but need to update. I just started the 4th pack. I Had normal period(slightly longer than when I'm off birth control. on the brown pills third pack and no break through bleed or spotting. But my breast are extremely tender which didn't end with the end of my period. I'm extremely fatigued but have sleepless restless nights. i've developed rashes in the creases of my breast. Not fun. My sex drive has gone down and so has any feeling during sex. My poor husband doesn't understand. I'm moody. I have no appetite but am slowly gaining weight. Crappy pill. I just keep sticking it out because although my husband and I would someday like to have kids, today is not the day as we are both still students. I'll give it till the end of the month and then maybe I'll switch to a new pill.

I have been on this pill for over a year and I have never had any bad side effects (sorry to those of you who have) my periods always come once a month for usually a day or two. I take my pills relgiously every morning I have not missed one in over a year. But suddenly my periods have just stopped (I'm 28 so it's not menopause) if I call my OB he'll just tell me to come in for a pregnancy test. My husband and I have three kids and I knew with each that I was pregnant right away, I really don't feel pregnant. It just doesn't seem likely considering how long I've been on the pill. But have any other long term users just had their periods stop? Any ideas?

Every website I go to, most women say that they haven't had a period at all since starting Loestrin, but I'm having the opposite problem... this is my third month on the pill and every month, before I even make it through 2 weeks of active pills, I start bleeding. It's not extremely heavy most days but it lasts for the rest of the month! I seriously can't take it anymore. I basically have about three weeks of bleeding every month and a week or so of normalcy... is anyone else experiencing this problem? My gyno told me that it takes 3-4 months for my body to get used to the pill, but this is ridiculous.

I have also been scared that I'm pregnant with Loestrin 24. I have had headaches everyday, nausea, cramps, major mood swings, my sex drive has significantly decreased, my gums bleed a little when I brush my teeth and sometimes I wake up with dried blood on my teeth. My periods barely last a day, and I wouldn't even say I was bleeding. I took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. I'm thinking about calling my GYNO now and asking her to switch my birth control. I have never found a BC that is perfect for me, but these are the worst side effects I've ever had with one.

im 17, and i started on loestrin 24 fe about 5 months ago. at first everything was completely fine and normal. then about 2 months ago everything flipped. i started getting the biggest mood swings of my life. i would start to scream and yell and throw the biggest temper tantrums about the smallest things ever. i flip out and start fights with my boyfriend everyday about the smallest most stupidest things ever. my lifes been a complete living hell for the past 2-3 months. at first i thought it was just me but after reading all these comments from you ladies i feel completely relieved. i just got off the phone with my uncle who owns an auto body shop after making an appt with him to get my boyfriends car fixed due to one of my temper tantrums when i broke his window and rear-view mirror and after finding out that will cost me about 400 bucks i hungup and called my gyno and made an appt to have my birth control switched. good luck to everyone

After reading these experiences others have had I feel like I'm not crazy for the first time in a long time. I have been on Loestrin for about 11 months, it is the first time I have taken birth control and I am 20 years old. Since starting this pill I have gained about 20-30 pounds, and figured it was just due to a change in my lifestyle. However, no matter how much I have worked out or changed my diet I just can't seem to get rid of the weight. I have had many of the other side effects too, like terrible anxiety, shortness of breath, unexplainable chest pain, terrible stomach pain, and I get extremely angry at the drop of a hat. My boyfriend has said that if my emotions continue to be this out of control he won't be able to handle it anymore. I have tried to control myself, but no matter what I do I feel like I am not myself anymore. I become dizzy for no reason and I have developed some type of acid reflux, has anyone else had this issue? My period is irregular even after 11 months; some times I have it for a week and a half, sometimes not at all, and my period was very regular before starting this pill. I am going to the gyno next week and was wondering if anyone had suggestions for another pill that does not cause so much turmoil.

I'm 25, and I have never used bc. I was given this from my gyno. because my bf kept taking off his thingy. So the first day, the very first day my hair started to come out. I gave it two weeks, and threw it in the garbage. I had hair falling out everywhere, I had EVERY side effect listed. My vision was also screwed up. I didn't know what the hell was going on with me. My bf broke up with me, my moods were crazy, my boobs hurt, i had cramps, heavy bleeding, nausea, all i wanted to do was eat food, stomach pains, depression, anxiety, a headache, I was dizzy to the point were I just wanted to start crying, I even had the shits...This pill is a joke. I can deal with minor things like spotting, and I realize it takes 3 months for your body to adjust, but I couldn't even take it for 2 weeks. I did notice that if you take vitamins, the side effects were better.. but still my heart hurt so much I thought, holy crap, I'm going to have a mini-stroke at the age of 25. I am so thankful to god that I found this site and I could read other people's stories. I really think the idea of bc is wonderful, but until they make a pill that my body will accept- I'll stick with condoms, they have worked so far, I would even go on to say, I rather never have sex again then to go through the toll of this pill. This should have never been put on the market.

I am 22 years old and have never used bc before. About three months ago, I started using YAZ, and was absolutely fine for the first two months! About two weeks into my third pill pack I started having terrible nausea, dizziness, and I could not drive. I contacted my gyno, and was told i had to finish the pill pack before I could get switched to something else. I was told that the new pill, loestrin 24, would work out much better for me. Six days on this pill gave me extreme anxiety attacks, nausea, my heart was racing, headaches, etc. My gyno kept telling me i would be fine, but I could not take it anymore. I took myself off of the pill a week into it. It has been a little over a week, and I was feeling much better, but I seem to have slipped backwards some. The anxiety attacks have seemed to subside, but my heart is still racing and now i have numbness and tingling all down my left arm. Oh and ps, i get married in four days and start a new job in two weeks. Can anyone who has been through this tell me how long to expect this stuff to last?