Loestrin 24 Fe and libido

I have only ever taken microgynon and loestrin 20.
I had problems with acne on microgynon so I asked the doctor for dianette but he said no and gave me loestrin instead.
Three years on my acne is worse than ever and I have done my research and apparently loestrin is bad for acne. Ive just joined a good model agency so this is not great!
Ive been depressed on off, had anxiety, and have often stayed off school or uni because of this (thankfully I passed my exams) Constantly paranoid.
Last year I fell out with all of my friends because they were sick of my constant low mood, and this made me worse.
I have no libido and have been suffering from vaginismus for two and a half years (starting when I was 16, not good!)
I either have no period or two per month. Every now and then I will suffer from headaches for weeks.
I also have contact lens intolerance, which has caused episcleritis on off for 5 months. (ive only worn them twice in this time)

I think it is interesting the symptoms that you mention here. I have been on birth control pills since the age of 19. I am now 28. Over the past year I have had similar symptoms. I have been on so many different BCP's that is is hard to keep count. They don't seem to work the way they claim to. The last BCP I was on was orthotryciclen. While taking these I began to experience severe heart palpitations. So bad that they would wake me up at night. Because I wasn't sure if it was an anxiety attack or just being in my head I decided to ignore it. Four months passed by and it seemed to get increasingly worse. I had enough and decided to go to my PCP. She wasn't really much help either. Although I was tested for Mitral Valve Prolapse, which I was told affects younger women my age. There was nothing found. What I thought was interesting is I really felt that it was the birth control pills, but I couldn't find it as a side affect on the information that was provided in the box. The tech who was doing my echocardiogram began to tell me she also experienced the same feelings and found out it was her BCP. Once she confirmed what I thought was right, decided to stop taking them. After three months the symptoms began to disappear. I figured it was just the particular brand. I began to take loestrin 24. I started to feel the same symptoms again, just not as severe. I would feel my heart beat when I would like down in my back and my stomach. My heart rate would reach 90 to 100 sometimes. I know this is not normal. When I visited my gyno yesterday she told me it was impossible that it was a result of the BCP. Maybe it was just anxiety and or perhaps I should get checked out by a cardiologist. That is serious stuff when you are talking to a young person about getting there heart check out. I think if there are any other women out there who are experiencing any similar symptoms should speak up. So these doctors won't keep telling us it is all in our heads and help to take care of this problem.

I have been off of it for 2 months now. I think that I am back to normal-at least mood and libido wise. I had a long very light period last week tho-it lasted 6 days, but after that-I've been able to actually enjoy sex.

On a dif note--from a different comment, while on Loestrin had 3 yeast infections in 5 weeks. I would have sex, get one, then have to take the med which was 30 bucks w/insurance-ridiculous. Then when it was safe to have sex again-it came back. I had to finally use the cream longer and prescription pills and my husband had to get checked-which he was less than thrilled for-but he was fine, it was all me. I think it was from the dryness and all the different lubricants I was using to attempt a normal sex life.

I went on Loestrin 24 Fe about 5-6 weeks ago to try and lighten and/or alter my cycle. I compete in sprint triathlons and had one coming up in September when I calculated that I would be on day 2 of my regular cycle (day two has been a ridiculously heavy day for me over the past year...I am 39 and possibly heading into menopause?). Doc said to start Loestrin either first Sunday after onset of my period or the first day of my period. I started on the Sunday, mid-ish cycle of my regular period. I never stopped bleeding. The bleeding did get lighter than a normal period for me, but I have been bleeding for almost 6 weeks now and the last three days have been severe. I am absolutely stopping this pill. I have read too many negatives about it and not only has it made me bleed more, I believe it has made me incredibly mean (usually a happy go lucky girl) and I am so tired and having trouble getting motivated to train, which I normally LOVE to do. Instead of helping me get through the triathlon, I am now thinking I have to back out because I am weak and can't sustain the stamina necessary to continue training at the appropriate level. And my husband and kids want their "nice" wife/mommy back. I've been really short tempered, bloated and lethargic. As I type this I realize and can't believe how much I have changed since I began taking it. Definitely not worth it especially since I wasn't using it for birth control (husband had a vasectomy 2 years ago!) Also, I have noticed a major drop in libido.

Does anyone have any information about how long it takes to return to normal after stopping this nasty drug?

Susan

I've been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about a year, my periods were never only 3 days and they were barely periods. They were very weird and painful!

I became a royal bitch and my skin was ok but I have always had great skin so when I got a blemish or two I felt that it was because of the pill. To top it all off I gained weight on it so I started restricting my diet and working out harder. My weight didn't go down at all, but I didn't gain. As soon as I stopped taking the pill my working out and eating little helped me dropped 5 pounds (it has been 2 weeks). I'm thinking the pill didn't allow me to lose weight.

I also had a diminished libido which sucks because I like sex. It was only the last week on hormones, I was crazy for sex but only then.

I decided to get off the pill because I was hating myself on it and now I see the beginning of bad acne. I haven't had my first period off the pill yet but I have a feeling it won't be pleasant.

I was on Loestrin 24 for about two weeks and had to stop because of lack of sleep. I felt anxious, hungry, moody and bled constantly. I know you have to give these things time to regulate in your system. But honestly, who would put up with these symptoms for the recommended 90 days? My quality of life was instantly diminished. I started asking myself if this convenient form of birth control was worth it. My life at work and at home was suffering, so I finally asked my doctor to switch me to Yaz. It has been better so far (I've only been on it a week). The side effects I've been reading about for Yaz are scary too. I have noticed a change in my libido and sex isn't even fun...so why bother!

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

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

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

I have been on Loestrin fe 24 for 6 months for peri-menopause symptoms. It seems to work better for that than for younger women who are used to higher hormone levels. It sounds like to me, from reading above, that the dose is too low for child bearing women, and you're getting peri-menopausal symtpoms while on this.

My hormones were already low, especially my progesterone being 48, so this medicine gave me huge relief from mood swings, insomnia, mid month periods with terrible cramping and even lifted my libido just a tiny bit. It did not stop the hair loss. I never had complexion problems and never got any with this either.

After I had been on it for 4 or 5 months, I started getting the mid month cramping again, then almost every day, felt like I was having a period. The depression came back, just like it was before I started.. So I don't know WHAT happened. It felt like it did me good for a few months, then suddenly
I felt like I did before taking it and now I have gained 15 pounds!

I dont know if this was because of having to take Rhinocort for 3 months for allergies or what, it seemed to all go bad after that. Now I don't know what to do.

But from everything I have read, it does not seem to be the pill for younger women as it lowers your hormones too much. Peri-menopausal, yes it does have it's benefits because it lifts your hormones a bit and keeps them evened out during the month instead of the roller coaster which happens during peri.

Good luck
TD.