Loestrin 24 Fe and loestrin

I just started my first pack of Loestrin today, so we'll see what happens... But it can't be worse than my previous 2 BC's - Yaz and Desogen. The desogen gor worse and worse over a period of 8 years or so... I began having mood swings, depression issues, severe anxiety... it was starting to affect my relationship... Not ok. So i talked to my doc and she switched me to Yaz.... the first 2 months were ok.... the next 3.... NIGHTMARES. I was exhausted all the time, sad all the time, depressed 3 weeks out of the month, bloated, gaining weight, breaking out with acne on my chin and jaw... I never even had acne as a teenager. It was awful. I'd cry over nothing. I felt like I was losing my mind... So the Loestrin was the next option. Time will tell... but it can't be any worse than it was on Yaz!

Honestly... Don't be afraid to try a new pill because of reading one of these sites. If you read up on any of the major BC's: Yaz, Loestrin, Ortho Tri Cyclin Lo, Yasmin, etc. They all the say the same thing for the most part, and everyone is experiencing all the side effects from this site on those as well.. Everyone reacts differently to the pill, so don't let it deter you from making a decision to try something new.

My mom actually put me on Loestrin24 back when I was 17 because I had always had severe cramps that would keep me home from school 3 days in a row each month. (I loved it, she didn't.) They were horrible and my period lasted at least 7 days at a time. I had minor acne and break outs beforehand but noticed that once I got into the routine of taking Loestrin daily, my acne has fluctuated to absolutely unbearable and back to just fine in a matter of a few days. Also, I've been really "mean", apparently, since I started it (according to my fiance). I think my very worst complaint would have to be the vaginal dryness during sex and lack of sex drive. Before I was on the pill, I used to want to have sex every day! I don't know if those were teen-hormones playing their part, or what but since I've started taking Loestrin I've had zero sex drive and it really does feel like a chore. It has started to take its toll on my relationship. I cannot stay lubricated during sex at all and quite frankly, it's embarrassing as well as making me feel bad that my fiance thinks he cannot keep me excited. I am blaming Loestrin and am strongly considering telling my doctor to put me on something a little less harsh. I'm glad I'm not crazy and that a lot of other women are experiencing the same side effects as I am. (Oh, and on top of that, mind blowing migraines.)

I am 28 and have been on Loestrin since March 2009. I was freaking out because this is the second month I missed my period in a row. I keep taking pregnancy tests to make sure I am not. When I did have my period it has either been super light or very heavy. I feel like I put on a lot of weight in my mid-section and my moodiness hasn't changed. With this pill my sex drive has gone down as well. Sorry a lot of people are having the same problems, but glad I am not alone. I actually have been off it since Sunday and still no period!

I work for an OBGYN and I was getting samples of Ortho Tri Cyclene Lo, and had been on it for 2 years due to my cysts rupturing. Well Ortho went generic and we no longer carried it in the office and i was recommended to just try Loestrin before going to pay for an RX of my ortho. Well im in my 2nd week, and grant it i KNOW they say wait 3 months before you decide to switch but i CAN NOT take this any longer. Ortho gave me no problems, maybe cramps a few times out of the year, and with those, some heavy periods, which is normal for any pre-menopausal woman. Other than that it was great! No loestrin is almost giving me the same problems as Yaz did... yet Yaz was far worst, i am now experiencing moodiness, manic and depressive mood swings, uneasiness, nervousness, constipation, tiredness, and it really does not help that i am also in full time college while experiencing all of these side effects. I think the 35 dollars a month for ortho may just be well worth the price.

I have been on Loestrin for over 2 years. I have had no bad side effects other than I no longer have a monthly cycle. Last week, I forgot to take two pills in a row, so I had to double up for two days. Since I no longer get a period, I am wondering if it is possible that I may be pregnant. My husband and I had sex on the second night that I missed a pill. On the following say is when I doubled up to get back on track. Now, a week later, I feel nauseated, tired, and hungry. I guess I have to wait and see!

I'm 36 and I've been on Loestrin24 FE for almost two years. I used to have very heavy and painful periods. And thanks to Loestrin my periods are shorter, and very light. My concern now is that this is the third period I miss. There's no way I could be pregnant and my pregnancy test came out negative. I still feel a little anxious that I'm not having my period, and I would blame that to my current emotional state. I called the doctor's office and they said is normal to miss periods with this pill and have no periods at all. In my case I rather keep taking the pill, having painful periods was much worse. I didn't gain weight, I think is actually helping me keep a healthy weight, my mood swings were worse before, and my skin has improved (I used to have dark spots and they cleared after a few months of use) Loestrin has been a life saver for me. I still wish I get my period though.

I am in complete horror at reading all these posts yet somewhat comforted that I'm not alone. I'm 22 started Loestrin 3 weeks ago and I have gained at least 5 lbs, I feel completely horrible my cheeks are huge and my butt and stomach have also gotten quite larger. I am moody and depressed and I have been spotting nonstop since I started this pill (going on my 3rd week now). I also get these from my university so I'm assuming this is all they have but I do not recommend it. I'm not even that sexually active I just thought it was better to be safe than sorry but now I just want it to stop, should I finish the pack or just stop right away? I just want to quit right now but I don't know what to do. Suggestions please?

I wanted to give you all an update to my post from Oct 23. I went to my OBGYN and gave her my complaints. She's switching me to Lo Ovral, which has a higher dosage of hormones than Loestrin. Apparently the low hormonal dosage in Loestrin is causing the excessive bleeding.

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about putting more hormones into my body...

I was on Yaz for two years before switching to Loestrin in July because of cost and because my Ob/Gyn gave me a discount card. I thought that Yaz was making me depressed. Well,I am still depressed and I have never had acne like I have now in my life. And its not premenstrual break out-its constant on my forehead and my back.
Worse, and most startling, is my inability to wear my contacts. It seems as though my blood vessels pop, my eyes get so inflamed and irritated. This concerns me most. I have been wearing glasses for weeks to allow the irritation to subside, and I fear that the inflammation was caused by the Loestrin, the only variable. What else is this pill doing to me, I wonder, after reading all of the other posts. I need to get off it, but switch to what???

Loestrin 24 Fe has been nothing but a nightmare for me. I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for about a year (originally prescribed for a sudden, random outbreak of HORRIBLE chin acne), and started noticing depression, mood swings, very heavy periods, and severe stomachaches and indigestion problems about nine months into it. I had to switch doctors in order to get off of it...I was seeing a male doctor who thought that my side effects were "in my head" and wanted me to take 5000 blood tests before he'd switch my prescription. My new doctor prescribed Loestrin 24 Fe during my first visit with her.

The first month of my new pill was great; no mood swings, no depression, no issues...I even dropped five pounds, even though the Ortho hadn't given me a problem with weight gain. I didn't get my period until the second day of the new pill pack though, and it was VERY light. I took a pregnancy test that came out negative, even though my husband and I had used back-up methods the first month of the pills to be safe. One week into the second month of my Loestrin pills, everything went crazy. It's been three weeks and not only is my chin AND my forehead completely broken out, but my hair is falling out in clumps when I wash or brush it, I am completely depressed and unhappy with life, I am exhausted beyond belief, AND I have gained a total of TWELVE POUNDS. I am a very physically fit girl...I eat right, I have always had a very fast metabolism, I have been a size 0/1 for years, I work all day and am on the go all day and all evening...and now I am twelve pounds heavier in three weeks and have jumped to a size 4/5. None of my work clothes fit me anymore, and I feel awful. I have taken seven home pregnancy tests just to be sure and have even gone in to the doctor for a professional test, but everything has come out negative.

I am apparently switching to another pill (or whatever will work) today; I'm waiting for my doctor to call and discuss my options as I type this. Ladies, if your doctor suggests this stuff, please take my advice and DON'T try it. It has been nothing but hell for me over the past several weeks. Save yourself the time, money, aggravation, and lost pounds and stay away from Loestrin.

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 am 26 years old and finishing on my 2nd week of my 3rd pack of Loestrin. Reading these post is the only thing that makes me feel better. I switched to Loestrin from Yasmin because it made my blood pressure sky rocket. Before Yasmin I have never had high blood pressure. I am extremely active. I am a runner and have been for several years. I haven't had too bad side effects with Loestrin prior to this month. I have noticed a bit of moodiness but I knew that would occur when switching BC's. I am also a little less energetic. My daily runs are getting a little harder than they used to be. This week (3rd month 2nd week) I woke up with EXTREMELY tender breast and radiating back pain. My breasts have started to go back to normal sensitivity wise but are a little larger than they where. My lower back still hurts. Looking back I remember that the past 2 months I have had lower back pain prior to my period but never the tender breast. My skin did break out a little the 1st month but that is normal with every BC I have tried. Another negative that I have experienced is the anxiety and chest pain. I have constant anxiety that I am pregnant but thankfully its always wrong. I take adderall everyday and have been for the past 8 years so I thought that may be what was causing the anxiety but now after reading these posts I feel that its the BC. I also get frequent chest pain. It feels like someone is sitting on my chest. On a positive side my periods are much lighter than before. I suffer from horrific menstruation to the point where I can't move from bed. Im going to give this BC a little longer but if my symptoms keep getting worse I am going to have to switch. Thanks everyone for being honest about this BC. I thought I was going crazy.

I've been on Loestrin for about 4 or 5 months. I didn't even have a period last month and haven't gotten one this month (I'm not pregnant). I had some breakthrough bleeding the first month and second months, but none anymore. I take Loestrin because of debilitating severe cramps and I haven't had any in months after starting this pill. The only problem I've been having is that I get extremely nauseous when I eat anything. The funny thing is that I get super hungry a little while later and the vicious cycle starts over. I don't know if it is because of this pill. I had extremely low blood pressure before taking it, so it could be because of that.

My daughter is 13. We put her on Loestrin to control her extreme cramping.
She was always nausea complained and lower back pain. But the most disturbing symptom was EXTREME exhaustion. She could barely make it through a day of school. She would come home and go to bed. I was having trouble getting her back up to go to practice. She would cry like a baby, unusual for her. She said she just felt so weak and tired. We went to the doctor who tested her for mono, anemia, thyroid, and anything else they could think of. All the test were negative. That is when I got on the internet and looked up Loestrin. It was the only medication that she was on. I had her stop the pill that very day. She was herself again in less than a week! I am now afraid to "try" another pill with her. I am just so glad we figured it out!

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.

I started Loestrin in the summer and am now on my third pack. Before this pill I would have my period maybe once every few months, if at all (not a bad thing). Once on the pill I had an unusually long period, about a couple weeks long. On my first day back to college (September 23rd) I started again. It is now October 4th. That's right, I'm having what is now over a month long period. Besides that, I have been ridiculously moody. Little things would set me off and it got so bad that I felt bad hanging around with friends. Luckily, a close friend who I hang out with is also on Loestrin, so she understood what I was going through (she would cry for no reason). I don't know whether I should wait this out and see if my periods mellow out or if I should just stop. I feel like I've wasted my time if I just give up now, but if it's not working its not worth it.

Hello, I am 20 years old and recently started taking Loestrin 24fe. To be honest, I feel GREAT! My breasts are getting bigger and I have gained a few lbs, but I don't mind the weight and am actually trying to gain at least 5-10lbs. I was on Yaz for almost a year and experienced TERRIBLE side effects, I was reading some of the posts below and I have to agree with the side effects of Yaz, I was extremely anxious, I experienced SEVERAL panic attacks and felt absolutely terrible. When I finally got off Yaz I lost almost 8lbs and could not gain any weight back. I am on my first week on Loestrin and so far feel fine (knock on wood). I really appreciate everyone who posted and will definitely keep posting on my future experience with Loestrin.

I had just recently started Loestrin 24, and my doctor told me not to start it until my period started. I normally have 5 day periods, and they're very heavy with severe cramping (which is why i started BC to begin with). Since I've been on the pill.. it's like light bleeding, or spotting. I don't know how long this is going to last.. I hope not long. Before I started this pill I was on Nuvaring for two years, and it blowed. I was on no BC for a month and I lost weight, got my libido back and wasn't so emotional. I hope this low dose of BC helps it stay that way

I have been on Loestrin for a few years. Recently, I have noticed that my hair has got SUPER thin and is falling out from the roots. I am going to have my thyroid checked next week, but has anyone else experienced this??

Last Night was my 8th day on the Loestrin, and this morning I put 2 and 2 together. I am 21 years old, I don't drink or smoke and have been on BC for the past 3 or so years. My first BC was Ortho and never had any problems with it at all it actually helped with my periods. Since I lost my insurance coverage from my parents, I told my doctor that I would like to continue BC usage at my last annual 2 weeks ago since it was 3 months of no BC and there was no period until that week, which I must say I have had cysts in the past and this was the worst painful period so far. He told me to go on Loestrin since It's the cheapest effective BC so I decided that was fine as long as effective was above the price! which he assured me. Well since I have taken Loestrin I have not had a decent night sleep! I lay there for hours and it will be 3-5am and then I will fall asleep with waking up every so often after that constantly until the alarm goes off. The lack of sleep, fatigue from, and I have noticed some extreme dips into depression with mood swings. I am afraid to continue based on just the lack of sleep. I don't need any other negative symptoms and I cant handle this much more longer. after the second night I told myself to take some sleeping pills because I cannot get into a bad habit and they did nothing! I did always take Ortho at night (no problems) SO I will try a week of taking them of a morning to see if there are any differences before I call it quits on this one, but if I don't see better sleep/or see different symptoms I wont like then this one is just not for me.

I've been on Loestrin for four months now. Previously, I had a hormonal IUD, which was in for 2 months and I had it taken out because I had HORRIBLE HORRIBLE side effects. Cystic acne, had my period the whole time it was in, it stabbed my boyfriend when we had sex, made me incredibly depressed, I sobbed myself to sleep every night, and then the icing on the cake was when it started to slip out, but then got embedded in my cervix halfway through and caused me intense pain that wasn't helped at all by any pain medication, over the counter or under the table ;)

So then I switched to NuvaRing. I had that for two months. First it gave me a yeast infection. It also caused intercourse to be very painful, my boyfriend could feel it when we had sex, and I could feel it at all times. It also made me INSANE. I didn't trust anyone, was a total paranoid freak, and at one point I locked myself in the bathroom screaming and crying because I thought my boyfriend was trying to kill me. I was pretty close to actually hallucinating. I would describe my side effects with NuvaRing as similar to paranoid schizophrenia.

Then I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, which gave me a migraine every single day which once again was incurable by any drug. So I was only on that for a few days.

Since then I've been on Loestrin. I am not completely happy with it, but I've stuck it out because compared to side effects of other hormonal birth control, they've been relatively mild. If I miss a single pill, I'll get my period, but true to form, they only last three or four days at the most. Before I started birth control, I hardly ever got cramps, but on Loestrin I get pretty bad ones. The worst thing is my skin. When I wasn't on birth control, I had beautiful skin. Maybe the week before my period I'd get one pimple that cleared up quickly with spot treatment, but now I have between 10 and 20 big, red, angry pimples on my face at all times. I've spent literally hundreds of dollars on Proactive, Neutrogena SkinID, Mario Badescu, UV acne "zappers," and many many other face washes, lotions, masks, scrubs, etc, but NOTHING helps. The weird part is that for the first 2 months I was on Loestrin my skin was fine. It wasn't until the past month and this month that it's been a problem.

I'm going to wait it out for at least another 2 months to see if my body gets used to it and my skin calms down, but if these flare ups last longer than that I'm going to have to try something else. I don't want to unnecessarily switch pills because I've had such horrible results in the past that I'd kind of rather stick to the devil I know.

I would also estimate that once or twice a month, I get a killer migraine. I assume it's related to the Loestrin because I used to get them only once or twice a year. The only thing that helps with them is going to sleep, usually with the help of a couple Tylenol PM or 5 or 6 Benadryl or Dramamine. To give you an idea, the first month on Loestrin when I got a migraine, I took 2 Excedrin Migraine, 2 Excedrin Tension Headache, 2 aspirin, 4 Motrin, 2 Tylenol, 1 Aleve, AND 1 Percocet over the course of 6 hours, and it did not help ONE BIT. I hope that this will also improve over time.

Well in just a few days i will be just now be on the brown pills for the first time being on loestrin, but to this day the entire time i have been on this pill i have been spotting on and off the entire month! its so annoying, well i went to my doctor, she said that its normal because i'm changing bc's and to just stick with it, that this is one of the best bc's to be on. I stopped my last bc "microgestin" because i started to get migraines and it made my period last for 2 weeks. I'm going to still with loestrin for a couple more months but this spotting crap has got to stop!

B.

I got two sample packs of Loestrin from my OBGYN, so I thought I would give it a try. I have used Ortho Tri Cyclen for years, so I thought I would try something different.

I started the pills on a Wed., after my last period. After finishing my first pack I started my period like a normally would. It was really light and lasted well into the first week of active pills of my second pack.

After finishing the samples (two months) I have quit taking in and am awaiting a visit from "Aunt Flo." Nearly a week later I feel crampy, nauseated and have a headache but nothing has happened. I don't think I will be using the BC any longer. Waiting and feeling horrible is certainly not worth the "shortened" periods.

i am 24 and i was on loestrin 24 for 8 months. at first i didn't notice any side effects but gradually i became lethargic, moody, and i lost my sex drive almost completely. none of those things described me in the slightest before i started taking this pill, in fact i used to wonder if pms was a myth...now i KNOW its so real.anyway because of the lethargy i was having i went to the doctor to see if maybe i was having thyroid problems, i wasn't but he did tell me that studies he has seen link hormonal birth control to breast cancer and advised me to get off the pill. kinda scary i know. i did quit and ive been off for about a month now and i swear its like night and day, im not moody, i have energy and my intimate life is back to normal, im so happy i quit.

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 am a 26 yr old mother of 2. I have been taking Loestrin 24 fe for a year now. I love it. Its been the best BCP for me so far. I have previously been on Ortho-tri-cycline, and the Nuvaring. On ortho I had extreme mood swings, and hated everyone and everything around me. I really thought my husband was going to leave me because of it. After that I tried the Nuvaring. I liked it at frost but after about 3 months I had a horrible heavy period that lasted nearly 3 weeks. Now I am on Loestrin, and I feel like myself again. My periods are light and short, my mood is great, and I've actually lost weight on this BCP (that has never happened to me before). It has been more expensive especially since my insurance does not pay for any type of BC ( I work for a catholic organization). But my doctor has been kind enough to provide me with samples when needed. He also just informed me about the 24 dollar program, which I plan to use as well.

I am 22 years old and this is my first experience on birth control. My doctor suggested Loestrin and I love it! I was really nervous to start on this pill because the complaints a lot of women have posted on here, but I figured I would give it a try myself. I used to suffer from awful, heavy periods with severe pain and now that doesn't happen at all! Now, periods are VERY light and short- only around three days! I maintain very healthy eating habits and go to the gym every day, so I was really nervous about the side effect of weight gain/ bloating but I haven't experienced either side effect! I also have a close friend who is on Loestrin too and she has no problems either. So if you are questioning whether you should try this, go for it! I'm glad I did! :)

All of the comments have been helpful .... I have 2 kids and have had an IUD and numerous birth control brands .... With Loestrin, I have noticed the breast tenderness on my 3rd week of it and extreme tiredness! Other than that, no complaints .... as of yet!

I'm 23 years old and I have been on loestrin for a year and I liked it my period lasts 2-3 days the most but I noticed that I would get yeast infections and I had never had one prior to taking these pills so I did some research and found out that it can cause yeast infections and Im not sure if this has happened to anyone else. But my doctor would give me other reasons why I would get them. So needless to say I'm stopping it.

I'm on my second week of Loestrin. I started on the first day of my period, I had two heavy days and 3 days of light spotting....only requiring a panty liner. I have had a bit of hormonal acne crop up, which I was prepared for, as my skin doesn't like change of any kind. I'm sure this will even out over the next couple of months as my body adjusts to the hormones in Loestrin. Several years ago I was on ortho-cyclen and when I first started on that bcp I had similar skin issues, so I'll give it a couple of months before becoming concerned. Other than the breakouts I have had no negative side effects so far. That said...I think judging a pill that switches up your hormone levels prior to being on it longer than 2 months is a bit premature. I realize that I have to be patient and wait out some side effects as my body adjusts.

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 23 and more than halfway through my first month on Loestrin. It's been absolutely horrible. I have terrible insomnia, nausea, acne, food tastes different, and as a result I have no desire to eat. I have been extremely moody, depressed, and dizzy. My sex drive has actually decreased, and I am NOT happy about that. My period lasted 10 DAYS (as opposed to the usual 5), and I had worse cramping this time around than when I was not on the pill. I also bled very heavily for the duration. I took Ortho a couple years back and had no side effects other than mild headaches the first month. I do not even want to wait to see if Loestrin levels out. I'm terrified to stay on it.

i have read a lot of these posts 7 its kinda freaked me out b/c im currently taking loestrin & i jus finished my 1st pack. i have light to heavy spotting everyday. i know most females wil began 2 spot 1st when they are taking a birth control that can decrease your period. i also feel moody & sort of depressed but i feel other things in my life are causing that. my cramps aren't as ad as when im not on bc. my breast are tender to but no acne, acne has never been a problem for me, thank god!lol. ut the only think that really bothers me is the constant spotting! i was on the shot, depo-provera for 2 yrs. straight. u get the shot once every 3 months. i spotted at first for like a month & then it began 2 decrease & my period stopped all together but still had increase breast size, extreme weight gain, cramps(not unbearable ones), & the worst migraines. these are jus typical side effects of birth control. i liked the depo shot cuz i didn't have a period or had 2 remember 2 take a pill everyday but the side effects are probably not worth that bargain. the any birth control especially the shot that stops your period & you take it for years straight can make you sterile i have a cousin who had a few miscarriages b/c of it b/c the shot might not ware of from a month to a year causing sterility. the shot also can cause bone density. im just so fed up w/ irth control b/c they all have a bad side effect. i hope they can invent something w/ way less side effects because the negative out ways the positives with most if not all birth controls but i guess im gonna try loestrin for a while before i give up on it.

I've been using Loestrin for 3 years and my doctor is switching me to Yaz because I've been having problems with depression a week before my period and during my period. I'm not sure if it is stress with school or my job but my sex drive also decreased majorly since I've been on the pill. I feel tired all the time no matter how much sleep I get, and it seems like I don't feel like doing much anymore. I start taking Yaz next week so I'm hoping Yaz will help with my side effects but Loestrin just wasn't working for me.

I'm almost 16 years old. I'm almost done with my 3rd pack. With the first two packs I had my period off and on the whole time. My mood swings were crazy. I'm just happy I warned my boyfriend before taking the pill what my moods might be like.

When I started my third pack everything got normal. My breasts have got bigger, witch i'm not upset about. But they get very sensitive towards the end of my pack.

Sex after taking the pill is very different. I know I'm young. But my mother put my on Loestrin after my 4th time, maybe. I've only been with one boy, so its hard to compare before and after. But how I feel about having sex is different.

I plan on staying with Loestrin. Other than the mood swings, I have no problems.

I was just given this pill to help with perimenopausal irregular periods (anywhere from 50 day cycle down to 20 days). I'd tried HRT and bled every 2 weeks on that, so gave it up. I'm on day 14 of the Loestrin and just started bleeding (2 weeks after my last period). Sound like this isn't unusual, but it's annoying as hell. I've also been depressed, irritable and had no sex drive.
I can't decide if I'm willing to stick it out for 3 months and see if things level out--I do like the idea of someday having very short, regular periods.

i have read all of your posts here and i have to ask.. is Loestrin the best birth control pill out there at the moment? Can you ladies mention other low-hormone, high success rate, high quality pills out there?
my girlfriend has been on it now for five weeks and she feels very depressed, moody, cries for no reason, has no desire to do anything, hates everything around her, feels fat, ugly and of course she has no sex drive whatsoever. our lives are upside down at the moment. she was told she had to take these pills for 3 months. i don't know what to do. for one i'm going to make an appointment with a gynecologist and ask about Loestrin and what other choices there are but first i'd rather have first hand experiences with other products from some of you. thank you.

Seems like we're all in the same boat. I'm 43 and the Loestrin makes me breakout horribly, I scar very easily so now I get to deal with that. It happens in the first week of every month so I tried over the counter acne products, it helps keep it ay bay but the scars from it are just bad, now more money to spend to fix that. Mood swings?! Look out, I can't be around anything or anyone, I live in a neighborhood with a lot of kids and barking dogs and just want to duct tape their mouths shut, that's how aggravated I get, which starts at the mid to end of week 2 of the pills. My periods are pretty much non-existent but I've always had light periods so that doesn't bother me at all, yeah the loss of sex drive is bad too, plus being all bloated and huge now-AAHH!!!
I gained weight, could eat a house and not be satisfied, depression, etc. I'm trying Alesse, or the generic of that next, whatever is covered by the insurance, I told my doc I can't take it anymore, the loestrin she could give me a lot of sample packs for because my insurance won't cover that specific brand and $60 a month for them being unemployed now is really out of the question. I can only hope for the best on the Alesse.
Only advice I can give to anyone with the depression factor, try to work out, go for a long walk, it really helps too.
Good luck everyone and hang in there!!!

Hi I started my first loestrin on July 5 and my side effects are nausea I'm tired more then usual my eating has increase and my craving are over the top I feel like I'm pregnant. My mood change through out the day, and today I was checking my breast and I squeeze my left and I stated linking a little I'm sooooo nervous I don't know if its normal or not I check all over and nothing yet can some plzzee tell me its normal i need to know asap.

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

Oh my gosh!!!!! I thought I was going crazy until I started reading this site. I am on my first pack of Loestrin 24 I have two more pills until I get to the brown pills. I have been experiencing the same side effects as everybody else. Hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, aches you name it. I was going to weigh it out for a couple of months but now after reading what everyone says I am going to call my doctor asap and tell him to take me off of these pills. I was put on them because I have polysytic ovarian syndrome and my periods are abnormal. I have bleeding for almost three months non stop. THIS IS SOOO CRAZY!

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 am in my 2nd pack of Loestrin 24 FE and was put on them due to my extremely heavy bleeding. I am 39 years old and am not using this for birth control just period control. The first month went great, bled for 3 days and then stopped. My 2nd pack is going horrible. My legs are always cramping and hurting. In general I feel like I have the flu. I started my period after taking the second pack for 1 week and now at week three i am still bleeding and cramping. I am due to start taking the brown pills in three days and do not know if i am going to take them or skip them and go straight into the white pills again or just quit them all together. I do not feel that bleeding like this all the time is of any help. How many of you have experienced bleeding like this and continue the pill to see it quit? Also, I do not always take the pill at the same time, it sometimes varies by an hour or so.

Okay, I'm 17 and have been taking Loestrin 24 Fe since early February.. This is my first birth control, so I wasn't quite sure what to expect.. but so far I can't recall any serious mood swings or crazy depression.. however, I am on my 4th pack or so and for the first time, I have yet to get my period and I am on the 3rd day of my 'reminder' pill.. My boyfriend and I use protection and I have heard that this missed period is a common side effect, but in the mean-time, I'm still going nuts! I'm just a nervous wreck and don't know if I should be.. Is it normal to miss my period this early since I've only been using Loestrin for 4 months??

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 have gained weight being on Loestrin for 3 weeks... and been SEVERELY BLOATED non stop for 3 FULL WEEKS. It's like I'm pregnant or hiding a water balloon in my pants! The pressure is so horrible especially after I eat. Not to mention the breakthrough bleeding and depression! I was on BC pills for 11yrs straight - went off for a yr and went back on and have tried Yasmin. No difficulties what so ever, thought I switch to Loestrin to save money and all I did was week havoc on my system. I will NEVER AGAIN TOUCH THIS PILL. I am starting to take Yasmin again and can't wait to be normal. I can't fit into any of my summer pants...

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 years old and I was on Loestrin 2 years ago. It was my first time being on birth control and I was loving it. Shorter, lighter periods and no cramps. Then I hit the 3 month mark and I started becoming overly emotional at the slightest mis-hap. I became depressed and it got so bad that I was borderline suicidal and my parents considered taking me to the emergency room. I stopped taking the pill and after starting Zoloft I was finally back to feeling myself. It was such an awful experience that I haven't tried birth control pills ever since, even though I would like to. Anyone who has had a similar experience with Loestrin and depression find a new pill that worked out??

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 loestrin in nov 08 i was on my period all of Dec 08 and parts of jan Then i stopped and my periods started regularly and i started bak on it and as soon as i get off my period i go right bak on it and my periods last 7 days not 3!! and its making me extremely emotional and on top of it all i don't get sleep at night but in the day time it makes me extremely drowsy this pill is a piece of shit anyone know anything better??