Loestrin 24 Fe and kitchen table

I have been on Loestrin24 since March 2008 and have been hospitalized once, in the emergency room once and suffering since. About two weeks after I started taking Loestrin24 in March 2008, I had what they thought was a TIA or, a "mini-stroke" and was put in the hospital. I was seeing a rainbow-like aura, had a splitting headache (for only about 30 minutes), became extremely confused, my blood pressure jumped up to 168/93 (stage 2 hypertension) and I couldn't speak for a few hours. Of course, they hospitalized me, ran all kinds of tests and found there to be no medical reason for a mini-stroke and the neurologist cleared me so, I was sent home with no mention of the fact that it could be the Loestrin24 that was causing it and, yes, my husband did tell them I was taking it. Two months later, I was back in the emergency room with the same symptoms. However, this time I recognized the symptoms as the same ones I'd had before and we immediately headed to the hospital. I was not hospitalized this time and the ER doctor said it was a migraine (there's a migraine that causes stroke-like symptoms) and that it's possible it could be the Loestrin24. Well, I'm taking the birth control pill because I have incredibly painful periods and was trying to be able to live a normal life. Without the birth control pill, I literally have to plan my life around my periods. So, not wanting to believe it was the Loestrin24, I continued to take it because, I hadn't had a period since I started taking it. That, alone, was worth it for me. But, last night while watching TV with my husband, the worst symptom hit me. It was like someone took a sledge hammer and slammed me in the forehead with it! I was wracked with such pain in my head that my hands flew to my forehead and I was screaming/crying. My head hurt so badly that I was would not have been surprised if I was actually bleeding from my eyes and ears. This morning, I'm still having the ringing in my ears and I could sleep for hours. I have contacted both my ob/gyn and my family physician and both of them said to stop taking it immediately.

Also, like I've read in several postings here, my sex drive is completely gone. And, when I do give in to my husband and have sex, my heart feels like I'm going to have a heart attack. The sudden splitting headache has actually come on during sex, too!

I certainly do not want to go back to the debilitating pain of my periods but, I can't live like this, either!