Loestrin 24 Fe and headaches

I have been on Loestrin24 Fe for 1 month. I hate it! I had spotting the second week of my active pills. I have been having bad headaches, abdominal cramps, frequent urination. I have finished the pack and I haven't started my period. I had a light spotting for 1 day on my placebo pills. On tomorrow I will be a week late. I have taken a pregnancy test that came out negative. Is there anyway I could still be pregnant.

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

OMG! SO glad I decided to research Loestrin24Fe. I am on my 2nd pack now well into the 2nd week. I used to be on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo, but that made me moody, emotional, crampy, bloody and fat. I was switched to Trivora which was 10 times worse. I quit BC pills for a year. Now, I am on Loestrin 24Fe. I have for sure experienced some changes good and bad. I feel my sex drive has gone up! But my eyesight is getting blurry, my breast and nipples are sore most of the time. I'm very constipated all of a sudden. I'm also feeling exhausted and started experiencing headaches. I do get heartburn, but I think that's not related to the pill. I will start paying close attention to the things you ladies pointed out. My husband wants me to stop the pill (due to the eyesight thing) but I want to see if things get better by the 3rd pack. I'll let you know.
-L.

I began using the loestrin 24 almost 5 months ago. I was having severe cramping and heavy bleeding, which prompted my doctor to prescribe this pill. It was my first time in more than 20 years trying a bc pill and in the past I only used the pill about 2 months, because it caused severe bleeding then. When I began Loestrin 24 fe, I was not sexually active, and only began a sexual relationship within the last 2 months. My boyfriend, uses a condom in addition to the bc I use. Recently, we talked about trying to conceive. He stopped using a condom close to a month ago. I had noticed nausea from time to time, but didn't really think about side effects of the pill. The other day, after getting nauseated again, it occurred to me I might be pregnant. I have spent the last 2 days trying to figure out if that might be the case. I was loving the Loestrin, my last couple of months have been virtually pain free. However, after reading the signs of pregnancy and side effects of Loestrin, I am noticing they are very similar. I have been experiencing headaches for about 2 weeks now, non stop, nausea, abdominal cramping (although nothing compared to my menstrual cramps), fatigue, depression, increased appetite and recently frequent peeing. The only side I haven't experienced that many women above describe is breast tenderness. The tenderness, however, was something I'd experience before BC. I'm getting off because I decided to conceive, but I was very disappointed with the false signs of pregnancy. I don't think I'd like to go through that on a regular basis.

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 on my first pack of Loestrin 24 Fe. So far I am already having mood swings, some depression, crying for no apparent reason, and spotting. No headaches so far. But I have been on other BC's before and this is not the only one with side effects. Yasmin was the first BC I was on and it did the same thing to me for the first few months. Once my body got used to it, all of my symptoms went away. I am hoping the same will happen with Loestrin. But the important thing to remember is that everyone's body is different and if the BC your on isn't working for you, then talk to your doctor about trying something else. There is no one perfect answer for everyone. I have read many of these message boards about different BC's and this one is the same as the rest. Some do well on it and some don't. Talk to your doctor.

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 have been on Loestrin for 1 year and 4 months. This is my last month because I am changing to Ortho-TriCyclen. At first, I thought my symptoms were common: nausea, headaches, cramping, spotting. After the first 3 months, nothing changed. I began to notice that I was having 2 periods a month and that continued till this month where I am waiting on my period to start (I am 2 days late). After reading this blog, I noticed that I was experiencing other side effects and I didn't associate it with the pill. I have gained 15 pounds over the year, hungry all the time. Moody doesn't begin to describe it. I have thoughts every period of divorcing my husband, I'm miserable. I just figured I was going through a low point. My husband has noticed that I am not the same person he married. I was once very outgoing and energetic but now I just want to sleep and be alone. I hope that my slight depression is due to the pill and that changing it will help be bounce back.

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

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

I'm 29 years old, and this is my second time trying Loestrin 24 FE. I took it a couple of years ago, and stopped. I couldn't remember WHY I had stopped, until now. My side effects are probably mild compared to what some women experience (as I can see from reading these posts), but still, they have caused me to have to take the day off work today, which I am not happy about. I'm on my fourth week of the pill, and just a couple of days ago I started the light bleeding. Although the bleeding is light, the sensation in my uterus has been terrible - almost the feeling of having cysts burst. Stabbing achiness that has lasted for a couple of days, and caused me to lose sleep (Not something that I normally have with a regular period). I have also been more bloated than usual, (which seems to come and go), I've been slightly nauseous, and have had this dull headache for the past couple of days. (Whether the headache is simply due to lack of sleep, I have no idea, but I normally don't EVER get headaches.) I realize that it takes a few months to adjust to the pill, but I sure hope my symptoms aren't going to continue on this way or get worse, as I understand some women have experienced. Comparing how I feel to what others are reporting here is helping. I realize it's not just me, and it's not just in my imagination. We'll see how the next couple of months go.

I am 17 years old, about to be 18, my fiance is my first and only sexual partner, and I am beginning to HATE loestrin. I have been on the pills for approximately a month and a week. When I first started them I would get extremely hungry and the more I ate, the hungrier I got. It was like a bad case of the munchies, not that I've ever smoked pot. But I was seriously eating anything and everything, even foods I didn't like. My stomach felt a little weird for the first couple days, but nothing too bad. Then I started taking the brown pills, and all hell broke loose. There were the cramps. Horrible, HORRIBLE, cramps, which I am still having 3 days after going back on the active pills. Cramps all through my lower abdomen and stomach, and the feeling that at any given moment my right ovary might drop out (which might actually provide some relief) I actually doubled over crying with the pain in the shower yesterday, and would have fallen and surely hurt myself if my fiance had not been in the shower with me and caught me before I hit the ground. Intense hunger. Followed by bought of nausea, that make me want to puke, but I can't. I am very, very, sensitive to smells. Perfumes, food, cologne, things that I formally found the smell appealing, now disgust me. My lower back, is KILLING me! I get dizzy spells, and lightheadedness frequently, and feel like I may black out. Most of the time I can get myself to a spot where I can sit down and let my body sort things out before I actually black out, but I'm waiting for the day I can't. I have been getting terrible, awful headaches that stay with me through most of the day. Sleeplessness. I had my "period" 3-4 days early, if you can call it a period. It was nothing more than a day and a half of light pink spotting and brown discharge that only showed up when I wiped, I didn't even need a pad. Now, we did start having unprotected sex (with the exception of the bc) at 5 or 6 days instead of 7, and I forgot to take my pills until 9-12 hours after I was supposed to a couple of times. Couple that with the lack of a normal period and all the side effects that could also be the side effects of early pregnancy, and I'm pretty worried. I would love to be a parent, as would my fiance, but I would have liked to have graduated high school first. If these symptoms turn out to be just the pill *** with my body, I would rather just take my chances either with a condom or no protection at all. Sometime in the next week or two I will probably be taking a pregnancy test as I am afraid to wait for my next period and continue the pills because if I am pregnant I know that it can cause damage to the fetus. If anyone has wound up pregnant while on loestrin fe please email me and let me know how you found out, and how things turned out. My email address is ****** Thank you so much for any help you can give a scared teen.

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

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

I have been on Loestrin for almost 2 weeks now. i am 23 and have two young children. This is the first bcp I've tried and so far it's been terrible!! I had a 10 day full blown period that just stopped yesterday with intense cramps. Today I'm feeling like I have the flu woth severe body aches/weakness and I am so light-headed that every time I stand up I almost black out. I have also had severe nausea, headaches, depression, thoughts of suicide, mood swings, insomnia and anxiety. I don't know if I'm going to be able to stick this out to see if it gets better.. I can hardly take care of my children! I'm starting to wonder if maybe I'm having some sort of allergic reaction. I'd think at this point I'd rather have my extremely painful 2 week periods back!!!

i have been miserable taking these pills..first week of 2nd pack..couldn't figure out why my boobs were killing me in the first pack and then the debilitating fatigue (i am going to lose my job if this keeps up--i come home at lunch and can't do anything but sleep for an hour! in addition, as soon as i get home at 5 i have to rest again,.so not me and so NOT able to continue this way)..i also have had 2 weeks of major headaches with the first 2 characterized as the worst i can ever remember. I am not a person who has issues like this...I am 41 and never been on BC. I started because the older i get the worse the periods and pms are and longer...heavier, more intense moodiness and pain. I am convinced as of tonight that i think i rather have all that back. I can't do this. I left a message for my doctor after reading 2 days worth of blogs now i know its not a flu, pregnancy or the 'weather'. I was also having hard time breathing (felt like i couldn't get a deep breath so i had to really inhale and i looked like i was having an attack..i thought it was the humidity here in the NE...now i know thats from these damn pills). I also did not get my period the first brown pills till the Sunday i started my new pack and it lasted only a day.
If i didn't read this site, i was convinced something major was going on like a brain tumor or something. i need to get off these pills.

Well, I have reading lots of reviews about this pill since my doctor prescribed it, and being a science teacher, I have to say I am disappointed by how little many women who have issues (or not) go into specifics about their situation. So, I am going to be detailed here about this. Maybe if your situation is similar to mine, this could be helpful... :)
-I am 23...nearly 24 years old.
-5'10", 140-145 pounds.
-Very active, I at least ride my bike and/or go for a walk every day, and I try to work out at least twice a week. Healthy eater, but I still like to indulge...pretty much everyday.
-Non-smoker, rarely drink.
-Occasionally have coffee, mostly a tea drinker, avoid soda and dairy products.
-I have never used birth control before.
-I have been sexually active for approximately 3 years with one partner. We have always used condoms.
-I am on the last week of my first month.
-Reasons for going on the pill:
-Although very regular (comes approximately every 35 days like clockwork), I have very heavy and long periods (*Lots* of clotting, eight days long-my mother had a history of her periods lasting as long as two weeks as she has gotten older, I would like to avoid this.)
-Intense migraines and headaches, generally around my period.
-Intense cramping, diarrhea, and bloating before and during my period.
-Lack in energy, decrease in sex drive, and increase in stress level/unhappiness before and during my period.
-My doctor actually had me start the day AFTER my last period.
-I take it at 8:00 each night (set my alarm so I don't forget).
-Since starting Loestrin 24 Fe:
-Increase in energy level; however, I have found it more difficult to fall asleep. I also get very hot at night.
-Two headaches in the past 24 days, compared to the at least 3 severe ones I would get a week.
-Increase in sex drive, though I think we are both feeling a little less "afraid" of having any accidents, so that may be the difference.
-Breast slightly swollen (like they would be around my period before) and only slightly sensitive, but nothing unbearable.
-My mood has been generally good. Less stressed. Pretty happy lately.
-No pre-period cramping or diarrhea, but lots of bloating; however, I am always bloated and gassy because I have some digestion issues.
-No weight gain yet other than the normal water weight that changes daily regardless.
-Eyes are little dry, not tearing up when irritated. I am not sure if I can cry, and I used to be able to at the drop of hat.
- No real nausea.
-Skin is the same, actually my complexion looks slightly more even. My breakout zones (blackheads on my nose and chin are still there) haven't changed, but no whiteheads have appeared lately.
-Some breakthrough bleeding by the second week, but barely anything. If you had the kind of periods I had, a spot of light brown is nothing at all. I usually don't even need a panty liner.

All in all, I have been pretty pleased so far.

I would NOT recommend this pill to anyone. I was on Ortho for 15 yrs with no problems. I have been on Loestrin for a few weeks. I am typically very happy and upbeat, however since taking Loestrin I have had major mood swings and zero energy. I feel tired all of the time and I have headaches. I am going to stop taking this pill immediately.

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

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 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 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,

i have been taking loestrin 24 for a week now. i started spotting today and i was worried until i read this blog and realized how many others were having the same side effects. i have taken the pill everyday around the same time, but the past couple of days i have taken them maybe an hour or so later than the previous times. i don't really like that if i take it just an hour late i get spotting, especially when the doctor never mentioned that. oh and i have been having terrible insomnia for the past five days, and one night had a terrible dream that i woke up crying from. i have also experienced some headaches, but didn't know they were associated with the pill until reading other womens experiences

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

Hi-First, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has posted here. I appreciate your openness. I'm almost 38, have 3 little girls & a boy in heaven, and am almost done with my 3rd month with Loestrin. I almost quit during the 2nd month because of how it changed my life, but my doctor encouraged me to just stick it out for 3 whole months before deciding, and things should level off. So far, she's pretty right. I felt like I was pregnant basically. I was totally green both months but did not get sick. I was totally fatigued, and it was hard to function daily, especially with homeschooling 3 children. And, the biggest symptom is that it ERADICATED COMPLETELY, my sex drive! That was a big part of my husband's and my relationship and it was gone the day after my first pill. We were devastated. It has put a huge strain on our marriage. But, when I started this 3rd pack, I had my energy back and am no longer tired. I have no nausea at all. And, I can feel myself slowly inching toward wanting to have sex again. Yea! So, we'll see.:-) I had no other symptoms like spotting, headaches, or night sweats, Praise God. I haven't been on birth control pills since 1995, so, I feel a little out of the loop with all these new ones. But, so far, Loestrin is doing ok.-Melissa

I just started my second pack of pill yesterday and I don't know if I like these pills. I am taking zoloft also for anxiety and my side effects are horrilble. I have had a hard time falling asleep (I literally have to lay in bed with my eyes closed for hours before falling asleep), I have terrible nigh sweats and wake up drenched in sweat, I sleep all day long, I have horrific nightmares which I never had before, and massive headaches.
I am not sure if I want to stay on the pill, I know it is only my second month and it takes a couple months to regulate but the side effects are ruining my social life. I feel like a zombie.
About the third week in my first pack i started spotting (or what I thought was spotting). It lasted 8 days, and my normal period was only 6 days. I bled just as much as on my normal period and has severe cramps as well. The only reason I got my 'period' was because I was about an hour off on taking my pill the previous day. It is pathetic.
Has anyone else had these symptoms? Or have any suggestions on better birth control pills.?
Oh and I am 18 years old.

i have been taking loestrin-24-fe since march and haven't had any side effects yet.,no headaches, nights sweats or mood swings.

I'm 18 and almost to the brown pills of my first month of the pills.I'm ok with the pill,it has been better then the other BC i have taking, but i do have stomach pain,headaches more often,and i have stared my period last Thurs. and have not got off yet and i haven't even reached thee brown pills yet.One side effect that i have been having that has been bugging really bad is nightmares every night about the ppl i love,when i never use to dream at all.....
I don't know if i should stick with pill or not...?

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?

Okay. I have been on Yaz for the last year. I have been having horrible migraines. I have been told to switch from Yaz to something else. The doctor prescribed me Loestrin 24. Now, ever statement I read someone says they have had a lot of spotting. Is there anyone taking Loestrin and is not spotting? I am not sure if I should take this pill now?????? I also need to loose about 10 pounds from taking the Yaz. I am afraid that taking the Loestrin I will gain more........ I just don't know what to do.

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.

Hello! I am 19 years old...been on birth control since I was 14 to regulate my periods. I just started Loestrin about a week and a half ago. I started on a Thursday and by the following Tuesday I was crying for no reason!! My hormones are so out of whack! I broke up with my boyfriend because of it (we are back together) because I thought it was him even though he hasn't done anything wrong. I stopped taking them yesterday. Today I still cried. I think it will take a few days before the depression goes away. But I am never taking Loestrin again! I have a friend that was on it and she was depressed for a while!! I cry for no reason, I have been SO nauseated and I have had headaches! This is ridiculous!! I have taken plenty of birth control pills and NONE OF THEM have made me feel this way! My suggestion... NEVER TAKE THE PILLS. I missed taking the pills by an hour ONE day and the next day I was spotting. How ridiculous is that?!?! So.. I would suggest not to take them.

I am 47 years old and I started these pills 2 months ago to deal with bad headaches,
Since I began taking them: my hands ache, my right foot is swollen, my knees hurt, I have to ice them at night so I can walk in the morning, I'm moody, I have diarrhea, god-forbid I have gas,
I don't want to eat or I'll have to poop almost immediately sometimes before I'm finished with the meal I have to run to the bathroom, my sex drive is up but I'm scared to have sex in case of anything embarrassing in bed.
I have hemorrhoids and because I have to go so often they won't go away.
I HATE these pills.

I recently started taking Loestrin 24 Fe on Tuesday. I have been on it for four days and I'm not the biggest fan. I already have anxiety to begin with, and taking this pill makes me feel like I'm going crazy. I have a panic attack as soon as I step out of my house. I've also noticed I am really irritable and get bad headaches. I feel like I'm having a different side effect everyday though. Yesterday was pretty weird. As I was lying in bed, it felt like my left arm just gave out. The skin got tingly and tight and it hurt to make a muscle. I started sweating really badly and my heart rate increased. I got a drink of water and was able to calm myself down. I'd like to talk to my doctor about switching to another pill but I'm thinking that maybe this is just the hormones releasing? I don't have health insurance either, so that's also keeping me from trying to switch pills. I haven't gotten my period in over a year and I'm 19 years old. If anyone has any insight on this, I'd really appreciate it.

I've been on Loestrin for about 6 months now. I haven't had a period in 5 months. no spotting, nothing. I've actually lost weight since i've been on it and my skin looks great. my only complaint is that i have been a little moody and i've had horrible headaches.

I've posted on here earlier but now I decided to stop taking Loestrin 24fe since I felt I hadn't been taking them correctly last month and could be pregnant. (Not taking them at correct times & doubling up in week 1)

I hadn't found much on the net where other women weren't sure if their symptoms were because they went off birth control or really where pregnant with this particular pill (lots of info on other pills though) I believe now since I took them at different times I caused an hormonal imbalance before I even stopped the pill. So I'll be the guinea pig in case other women are feeling like me.

Symptoms when I took them incorrectly were excessive saliva, sore/shooting pain in breast, back pain, cramping, bloating, headaches, HEAVY fatigue, appetite changes, heavy white or clear discharge, dry hair & skin, and VERY emotional. (like a month of PMS, very b!tchy lol ) Then I had a sweet smelling clear discharge which made me think pregnancy or UTI. (Diabetes not a factor, I know for sure) It was the day before expected period (placebo pill) and a couple times more when I discontinued them.
NOTE: when I took them perfectly in Jan, I had NO period. Confusing but I had no sex so I knew it was my impeccable consistency with taking the pill.
I had one brown spot on Fri. (never happened) and a patch of pink/reddish blood on Sat. (similar to what I am used to on this pill) I stopped taking them on the last placebo pills. (not that it would have harmed the pregnancy if I was with child, but I just wanted to know! I wouldn't mind the "surprise") That Sunday began a headache that I can only try to describe... It was a "burning headache" I looked this up and it's not really well known. My face felt like it was hot with a burning/tingling sensation & pressure! I could've sworn I had a fever but the lovely nurse said my temp was normal and I needed to go to ER ( I think she thought I was crazy?) Any who it was around my face and neck and sometimes a migraine or sinus headache would jump in. Since I thought I was preggo I didn't want to take meds that I had (no Tylenol at that moment) All I had was Midol. I felt so bad I gave in and took it. It relieved my symptoms immediately. The "burning headache" came when I woke up everyday for about 4 days. Then lesser headaches and I bought Tylenol for them. Long story short because of the imbalance (I charted these symptoms) I had intense back pain, SORE nipples, yeast infection, frequent urination (due to yeast infection, it kind of lessened up once I treated it) actually I believe I have a systematic yeast infection because it was on my tongue (going to DR to diagnose this, it causes A LOT of symptoms I've always had) night sweats, heart palpitations, oily face, still emotional, indigestion, dizzy, vivid dreams (crazy symptom I know but hormonal imbalance can do anything to the female body) Idk which could be mainly cause of imbalance... just saying this is not my "norm" (hence the further thought that I was preggo)

I've bought preg test (neg), UTI test (neg), yeast infection meds but I will go to the DR to get checked out. (I'm currently not able to go) My period is due in a week (I'm a very regular person, when i came off Jolessa, generic Seasonale, I had 3 months of 28 day cycles until I started Loestrin for 7 months) Hopefully this will be the same. Don't know which BC I'll try next but Loestrin isn't that bad if you take it correctly! (I did have nausea EVERY month whether I took it correctly or not... read previous post) I take prenatal vitamins now (Idk I think I read somewhere any vitamin/mineral helps with withdrawal symptoms? Nonetheless they're good for you) I believe I might have already ovulated (cramping, CM changes) so to the women who want to know how soon they might return to "norm" cycle, low dose BC might not be so bad if you want to jump back into cycles? (Still waiting on period so don't quote me. Or as with some you can do one w/o the other. ie, period, but not ovulate. vice versa.)

Sorry so long but I hope this helps anyone who was frantically searching the net for answers! I will update once this is over...

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

I have only been taking this pill for 6 weeks. I am 44 and was put on it to help with severe cramping (I would pray for death every month). I have not been on any type of birth control since I was 23. I also have never been pregnant (not by choice). I have read hundreds of reviews from users on different sites and do not see anyone having leg cramps (calves). They are so bad at times that they hurt the next day from cramping so bad the night before. I have called the nurse and am waiting for a call back. I also have noticed that I am way too emotional and it has only been 6 weeks. I'm just not sure I can wait out 6 more weeks. Every night just about now I seem to be sick to my stomach or have diarrhea. I have always had headaches so I can't contribute Loestrin 24 to that. I have gained about 5 pounds...which I certainly don't need. Like I said in the beginning, my most severe side effect is the leg cramping. I wish they would just do the hysterectomy and put me out of my misery!

I am so happy to have found these message boards...I thought that I was going crazy until I found out that other people have had similar experiences.

My doctor recently prescribed Loestrin 24fe after I noticed some depression and moodiness symptoms I experienced while taking Yaz.

Two weeks after starting, I experienced this sudden anxiety feeling that would not go away.I have never had any anxiety problems. Knowing that the moodiness was connected to the Yaz last time, I read the info that came with the Loestrin...Sure enough nervousness is listed as a possible side effect of birth control pills.

10 days into the new pack, I decided I just could not take them anymore so I stopped. I just wasn't myself and it was quite frightening. I completely lost my appetite and could barely eat a thing. I lost over 5 pounds in a week, which is totally not like me. I was constantly jittery and had this nervous feeling in my stomach. I was nervous about everything, with no reason to be.

It's been about 5 days and I am finally feeling like myself again. This has been the worst experience, as many other people experienced doctors' offices with nurses who try to tell you must have a problem, it's probably not the pill, and you should go see a therapist, which only makes you feel 10X worse and crazier. The moodiness and depression I felt while on Yaz was bad, but this was so much worse.

In addition to the anxiety, I also experienced terrible headaches on both Loestrin and Yaz.

I know that each pill affects each person differently, but if you are feeling any unusual anxiety, nervousness, or depression, stop taking this pill immediately.

I am so happy to have found these message boards...I thought that I was going crazy until I found out that other people have had similar experiences.

My doctor recently prescribed Loestrin 24fe after I noticed some depression and moodiness symptoms I experienced while taking Yaz.

Two weeks after starting, I experienced this sudden anxiety feeling that would not go away.I have never had any anxiety problems. Knowing that the moodiness was connected to the Yaz last time, I read the info that came with the Loestrin...Sure enough nervousness is listed as a possible side effect of birth control pills.

10 days into the new pack, I decided I just could not take them anymore so I stopped. I just wasn't myself and it was quite frightening. I completely lost my appetite and could barely eat a thing. I lost over 5 pounds in a week, which is totally not like me. I was constantly jittery and had this nervous feeling in my stomach. I was nervous about everything, with no reason to be.

It's been about 5 days and I am finally feeling like myself again. This has been the worst experience, as many other people experienced doctors' offices with nurses who try to tell you must have a problem, it's probably not the pill, and you should go see a therapist, which only makes you feel 10X worse and crazier. The moodiness and depression I felt while on Yaz was bad, but this was so much worse.

In addition to the anxiety, I also experienced terrible headaches on both Loestrin and Yaz.

I know that each pill affects each person differently, but if you are feeling any unusual anxiety, nervousness, or depression, stop taking this pill immediately.

I was put on Loestrin 24 FE because I was bleeding for over a month. The doctor did a D&C and I bled for another week. I was going to go on a progesterone cream but couldn't find one, so when I went back to the dr a week later we decided to try this pill. The nurse told me 99% of the women who go on it love it because they don't get a period or they only have a slight one. Needless to say, I was excited. I took the pill and within 12 hours I stopped bleeding and my emotions were stabilized. After 2-1/2 weeks on the pill, I started to spot then had a light flow until I started the brown pills on Sunday and got a real period. Tomorrow I start the 2nd pack but I am going to see if this bleeding stops by Friday and if not I am going to make an appt with my gyn to discuss a change of plan. I know it takes time for your body to adjust to a new pill, and my body is going through pre-menopause, but if I am put on a pill to stop the bleeding and I continue to bleed, that tells me the pill is not working for me. I have had headaches and tiredness this month, but my energy seems to be returning and the headaches aren't that much of a bother....yet. On the good side, my emotions are still stabilized and I am not snapping anyone's head off as I was for the past 8 months. That has been a plus with this pill.

I was prescribed Loestrin 24 because I wasn't getting my period at all. Ever since I was 15 I would get it once a year at Christmas time and it would be extremely heavy. After I graduated it got a little more frequent but it was still only happen here and there. I've been on it for about 10 months and aside from the breakthrough bleeding for a few days I have had no other side effects. I have headaches but I had those before I ever went on this. My concern after reading these comments is, is my period going to stop all together? I know everyone seems to be happy about that but I'm worried. The whole point of being on it is to actually get it.

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

I started taking loestrin about 6-10 weeks ago and I have felt horrible. I have gained 10 lbs, my boobs are a size larger, I have had yeast infections, my moods have been crazy, headaches, nausea, spot bleeding and chest pain. I’ve taken birth control since I was 14 and have never experienced any side effects. My periods have only lasted a day and I’m worried sick about being pregnant. I have always taken my pill at the same time and ALWAYS used a condom. I stopped using the pill about a week ago and instantly my mood has changed. I’m still worried about my period and pregnancy.

Has any gone though this?
How long till you go back to normal cycles?
Does anyone have any advice?

the only side effect i have are headaches when my period is due . I have been on the loestrin for 6months my period last 1 to 2 days max . I love it

Your OB/Gyn's are prescribing this pill to get a kick-back from the pharmaceutical rep. Loestrin 24 is TERRIBLE. I've been on bc pills for over 15 years. I was switched from Neocon (which I LOVED) to Loestrin because I'm "over 30 and I smoke". I've been on this pill for a year and just took myself off last month. I've GAINED 30 LBS! I was a size 6 when I started this medication, I'm now a size 10-12! I appreciated the fact that I had little to no periods while on this medication, but the headaches, fatigue, mood swings, and weight gain are just NOT WORTH IT! Please do yourself a favor, if you are taking this pill and have no problems then great! However, if you experience weight gain, mood swings, break-outs, etc. Tell your doctor NO MORE! They can certainly prescribe you something better and forgo their little kickbacks from the pharm reps. I have no idea how I'm going to lose this weight and I'm so depressed because this has happened to me. If you relate at all to this then save yourself from ending up where I am and get off this pill!

I am 24 years old and I was prescribed MICROGESTIN FE which is the generic of Loestrin. It was AWFUL! I took Yaz for about 2 months but it gave me such bad headaches I stopped. Other than that I've never been on birth control. That was about 6 months ago. So I started Microgestin and was fine for the first few days. On my eighth night I woke up feeling really nauseated. I went back to sleep but ended up waking up multiple times afterward to throw up. I threw up 4 times that day and had the worst headache ever. The whole day I just layed in bed sleeping or watching movies. It was awful. I was so weak I didn't even go get the mail. The whole week after I was slightly nauseated a lot of the time and really nauseated about once a day. I didn't have much of an appetite and I had crazy mood swings. I would be happy one moment and on the verge of tears the next. I broke out on my chin and cheek, which is really unusual for me. I stopped taking the pills on about day 14 and am so glad I did. I have had a slight period / discharge after that but am feeling a lot better. ~ S. from TX