Loestrin 24 Fe and weight gain

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 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??

I'm still in my first month of Loestrin 24 and I've only noticed a few side effects. My main concern is the pain during sex. I wondered if I had some sort of infection or if I was allergic to the lubricant from condoms, also the spotting. Which is quite embarrassing and bothersome! But I have not experienced any weight gain, which I was very worried about. My skin is clearing up and I hope it continues to do so. Overall, if it keeps me not pregnant, I'll deal with whatever.

I'm trying to determine some sort of pattern based on each woman's experience with different brands (estrogen/progestin levels) of birth control... Recently my gyn prescribed Loestrin 24, I have yet to begin a cycle but am trying to gauge possible side effects.
Generic Ortho-tricyclen: AWFUL!!! Reeked havoc on my emotional stability. Bitchy, moody, impatient, weepy (constantly), and weight gain. I did not notice any sexual side effects though.
Yaz: Better than Ortho... Random periods (heavy one month, non existent the next). Emotionally and sexually I feel fine, but hard to measure after taking Ortho and Cymbalta.

Please share thoughts and experiences

I started this week the third pack of Loestrin24fe and NOW I am happy with it. I took it after nuvaring which I did not tolerate anymore at all. I took it after the birth of my daughter and the first time was good, I then had 6 month with no bc at all and went back on nuvaring. I had to stop after 3 month, I could not take the side effects anymore (terrible acne -worse than no bc, much worse, fatigue, etc).

The first month was pretty bad but better than nuvaring, so I sticked to it. My gyno told me it would take 3 month to see the effects of the pill on my acne and I could have spotting.
Here is the long list of side effects I had the first month (random order): bloating, mood swings, body aches, extreme fatigue, nighmares, weight gain (8 pounds at least) which I never had in the past with my previous bc, sensitive breast (gained a size as well, I don't really need it though), tummy irritation, nausea, painful sex and itch/pain (like I'm going to have a vaginal infection but I don't. I've had this on my other bc pill when I was younger) and finally the spotting (20-22 days on 28!! but no period that first month).

As soon as I started the second pack the spotting disappeared totally, my skin started to look a lot better (no more nasty painful spots). I had a 2 days period (I used to have a 5-7 days period), almost no cramps during my period, breast tenderness decreased, no more mood swings etc...
What is still here though: WEIGHT (I'm navigating between 8 pounds and 6 pounds weight gain since I started loestrin24fe), fatigue (less than first month), itch/pain like vaginal infection (even if the feeling of it is much less than the first month).
I like the 2 days period and no painful acne anymore. That is a real benefit for me after months of pain and treatments which brought no result. I think it might continue to get better month after month. As my gyno told me, I have to be patient to see the full result of the pill.

All in all, I'm more and more happy with this pill.

I am 42 years old and started taking Loestrin in January to regulate my irregular period and I suffer from ovarian cysts as well. The first 2 months my body ached like I had the flu. I could not stand for my knees to touch each other as I slept, so I had to sleep with a pillow between my legs. My knees ached like I was about 70 years old with arthritis. I had lost 5 lbs by the time I got to the 3rd row of my 1st packet. My normal period only lasted 3-4 days anyway, so that did not change at all. However, last month, my period came 1 week early starting out with "spotting" or "breakthrough bleeding" for 3 days and what I assumed was my "period" last for 7 days and back to "spotting" for 3 days after that. I thought it would never end!!! I was about to go the ER and have them administer the shot that stops your period! On top of that, I suffered with severe lower back, knees, and lower part of my stomach pains that were almost unbearable. I also have experienced severe headaches (may be migraines) since I have started taking Loestrin. And sex, oh forget about it!! Sex has been painful to the point where I have to stop and lay in the fetal position for about 20 minutes before I can get myself together. What is that all about!!? My daughter who is 17 started at the same time I did with Yaz to help with dysmenorrhea and acne, and she's been fine!! (Except for a little weight gain!!) What is it about this pill that does this to our bodies? I said I would give it 1 more month (June) and see what happens. If my body and period go haywire this month, I will discontinue Loestrin and deal with the irregular periods!

I have a question. I'm 27 years old an just switched to Lestrin from Yaz. Had no problem with weight on Yaz. Been on Loestrin for about 2 weeks and have gained about 10 pounds. Anyone else have this issue?

I started taking Loestrin 24 Fe two weeks ago today. I first accredited the bad period symptoms to just that, bad period symptoms, but after reading this, I realize it was the pill. I was paranoid and stressed out and cried three times, and for someone who's generally laid back and cries maybe twice a year, this was a little concerning. But, I'm willing to stay optimistic and chalk it up as being the first week on the pill to blame and not evidence of anything that will continue.
Yesterday, I had light spotting, but I assumed it was resultant from some rough sex my partner and I had had. Today when I wiped, there was a significant amount of dark blood and I've got cramps like I'm on my period. It's only been two weeks since my last one! I'm kinda freaked out and plan to call my doctor tomorrow morning to find out what's going on, but I'm assuming it's just an effect of the extra hormones that's got me jacked up. It's a little weird, though, since it resembles blood spotting I get halfway to late in my period week rather than the first day, because it's so dark.
Aside from the spotting, I've had a day where I had a horrible headache, but it was no worse or better than severe allergy migraines I've had in the past (it's fun being a severe allergy sufferer *snort, reassert glasses*.) I broke out along my jawline when I first started, but it was only slightly worse than what I normally get during my period. I haven't been bloated, but I do find that I have the munchies more often, so I'm working to control that to avoid weight gain. I have been a little moody and somewhat paranoid lately, but I think it's a combination of family stresses, finals, and basic worries that come with being in a new relationship.
It was mentioned earlier that the last four pills have iron in them, and it is important that you talk to your doctor or do a little diet research to determine whether or not it's even necessary because taking too much iron can be bad for you. They are there because during and around their periods, women generally are iron deficient, but if you are getting plenty of iron in your diet (especially if you take vitamins) you really don't need this extra dosage. That is, after all, what the Fe in the name is for, by the way. ;)
So, aside from seemingly having started a whole new period two weeks after my last one and having some mild mood swings and a single day of headaches, it hasn't been so bad. I had worse symptoms after taking ortho tri cyclen for three months. No pill is ever going to be completely symptom-free, so we must all keep that in mind.
I'll post when I find out more about this strange spotting deal.

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...

After being on YAZ for about 7 months and realizing how it was harmin my mind and body, my doctor told me to stop taking it immediately, even though it was mid-cycle. he put me on Loestrin24fe because "there has been a much higher success rate with a lower dose of estrogen" NOT IN MY CASE!

i started taking it on a Tuesday, it is now the following Monday and i have already experienced:
harsh aches and pains throughout my body, unbelievable mood swings from cryin until my eyes hurt for NO reason to sitting and talking calmly within 5 minutes of each other, once again a complete lack of sex drive which i *just* recovered from with YAZ, not being able to eat yet having extreme weight gain??? my stomach is completely round when i have had a 6pack for my entire adult life and my jeans will not get past my thighs anymore, my skin and hair are oily and i have broken out worse than i did when i was a teenager ...

and the BEST one yet! Severe Panic Attacks during the night to the point where i am terrified to sleep because of waking up hysterical and actually "feeling" my dreams. i woke up from a nap yesterday crying uncontrollably because i was convinced i snapped my spine/neck because i dream it, felt it snap and HEARD it snap in my dream. it is all too real and i am on lack of sleep AND not eating for a few days.

Needless to say, i have stopped taking the pill as of last night. i am hoping to get back to normal in about a week because i clearly cannot function like this. I missed a gorgeous Easter day yesterday because i was having a low grade panic attack ALL day and couldn't eat or even talk to anyone.

i am not going to let another bc pill ruin my life this year. its not worth it but i must ask, where do i go from here? i am concerned about getting an IUD because my body seems to have every side effect possible with any type of birth control but i think the IUD is my only option besides complete abstinence.

This is my 3rd week on my first pack. I did not want to take bc, but had to since my insurance co would not cover mirena. I have noticed some indigestion and have gained 7 lbs in these 3 weeks. My appetite has changed, but I am working on trying to ignore the cravings. I am not sure if I want to stick it out for another few months or not. I can't afford to go out and buy new pants with my weight gain. Other than that I have not noticed any other side effects. I am anxious to see how this first period is going to be though.

I've been on Loestrin 24 Fe for 11 months. I switched last year due to complications with Yasmin, which had such a high dosage of hormones my body spazzed out and I suffered from yeast infections about 4-6 times a year for 4 years. Not fun. So, my gyno decided to put me on Loestrin because of its lower hormones. The first month I skipped my period, which I did my first time with Yasmin so I wasn't too worried. My hair and skin became super oily, which I was told to be a slight reaction to the new pill but that my body would become more use to it over time. My hair would be so oily that I had to wash it 2 times a day and not use conditioner. I looked horrible with acne and oily face! Finally this has calmed down, but I do tend to get oilier than I use to before this pill.

After skipping the first months period, my cycle was awesome for 3 months....then, I skipped another one! This was with no missed pills, too. I took a pregnancy test (or three) and they all came back negative. So, happy with the results I carried on with the pill and things were fine for another couple of months. I have now missed a total of 5 periods with the last two being back to back. I still have the usual "period" symptoms; nausea, severe migraines, bloating, cramps from hell, etc.

I've been going out of my mind lately, too. Like crying lots and snapping at people. I've always been a bit moody, but this is just ridiculous. My husband is accusing me of cheating since I have NO sex drive and my moods have led to some massive arguments. (Mind you all, he's no angel in the mood department either....maybe he's on the pill, too?) There has been some weight gain, about 10 pounds, but I can seem to get it to come back off despite working out and dieting.

I'm going to see my gyno in May and will most certainly talk to her about these problems. I just thought I was going out of my mind! I will still be going to buy a preggers test to assure myself until then, but this time I might not buy them in bulk and take them all in one night....maybe.

Thank you all for sharing your troubles with Loestrin 24, thus helping alleviate my stress levels just a smidgeon. I do hope that everyone on here eventually finds the bc pill that suits them!

I went on Loestrin 24 about 3 weeks ago and have kept telling myself to wait it out. From the first day I started to feel depressed but I stayed with it. Ive started to fight with my boyfriend of 2 yrs now and questioning our relationship more than ever. I have NO sex drive what so ever, Im constantly depressed, I have anxiety and my mind is constantly all over the place with weird thoughts that I have NEVER had before. Ive already started to gain an uncomfortable weight. I am 5'4 and 115 pounds, very active, and I eat very well so the weight gain does not make sense to me. The only plus is that my boobs are getting bigger...but feeling like total crap and hating everyday of my life isn't worth it. Im debating going off of this pill but keep telling myself to ride it out. I was on the shot for about 5 yrs and went off of that about 2 yrs ago. I started back on this pill because I get really bad PMS...the shot made me gain about 20 pounds. So I dont want to go back on that. After reading all of these horror stories - Im beginning to think that my 3-5 days of serious PMS are totally worth it vs. 3 weeks of serious depression

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.

42wmoses-
I know what you are going through. It is so frustrating to be on a birth control pill that causes annoying physical and emotional side effects. I would say to take a month off the birth control and see if anything changes. Try not to alter your eating or exercising habits too much because that will change the results that you can notice.
If you decide to stay on Loestrin 24, I'd suggest to keep a diary for a few months. Mark down symptoms on specific days etc. to later observe any possible trends that might be related to hormone levels based on the point in time of your cycle.
Also, Nuvaring is very new and new drugs should always be used with extreme caution. What I'm trying to say is, the full range of side effects (especially the long-term ones) have not been studied yet. It is impossible to know what it may cause down the line. Personally, I don't like the idea of a foreign object sitting inside of my vagina for three weeks out of each month.
I know only one person who uses Nuvaring and she has not had any issues with it. I guess it is just important not to forget that it is in there and must be removed on a specific date. Below I have inserted the COMMON risks/side effects associated with using Nuvaring (from the Nuvaring website):

The common side effects reported by NuvaRing® users are:

Vaginal infections and irritation
Vaginal secretion
Headache
Weight gain
Nausea

I am prone to urinary tract infections and vaginal infections so this is something I would never use. If you do not have a history of those types of things, maybe it would be something worth trying. Personally, I just feel as though putting something like that inside of your vagina for three weeks continuously while being sexually active can introduce a great deal of infectious bacteria into that area.

I hope that my opinion was at least somewhat helpful. If you are still unsure of what steps to take with birth control...I would suggest making an appointment to sit down with your gynecologist to discuss all of your options. They usually have a strong grasp on what is the best for each individual patient based on history, age, current health etc. etc. because of experience with many other patients on the same medications and the imense amount of research that physicians obtain on a regular basis.

Good luck!

I am 22 years old have been taking birth control for five years now and have used three different brands. The first one that I was on was too low of a dose and after six months my body became used to it and my periods became irregular. After that, I took Yaz for a while and loved it but once I switched insurance companies, it was $60 a pack. I then went on to Loestrin 24. I have been taking it for a little over a year now. I have not noticed weight gain or an increased appetite but have had many other problems with it. There have been months where I miss my period entirely and then have a very heavy period or two separate periods in the next month. As well, I think it has made my skin worse and my PMS a great deal more noticeable.
I often have unbearable cramping for two days prior to and on the first day of my period. Sometimes I have a "period" that lasts about 6 hours and is not more than just brown spotting on the Saturday before I am to start a new pack.
Currently, I have missed my period the last two months and have had to continuously purchase and take pregnancy tests to be sure that I am not pregnant. My breasts/nipples are swollen and extremely sensitive and painful. I will be purchasing a pregnancy test today because I am unsure of what is going on.
Suggestions for women looking to go on birth control: try other brands of the pill prior to Loestrin 24. Yes, it does give "shorter and lighter" periods...but often causes missed periods. I know that we all hate those days during the month where we feel like absolute crap and do not want to leave the house because of our periods...but (at least for me, a 22 year old student) I would much rather have that monthly reminder than to spend more money on pregnancy tests each month than I do on my birth control.

I am on my third pack and I was late on the first period, i have been having two periods per pack, my breast hurt all month long now and I have eye twitches and weight gain. I eat all the time.
The other night I woke up with severe abdominal cramps...What should I do? Any suggestions!?/

I HAVE BEEN ON LOESTRIN FE 24 FOR 2 YEARS NOW AND HAVE THE SAME ISSUES BUT A LOT OF HAIR LOSS, ALL BLOOD WORK HAS CAME BACK NORMAL AND THE ONLY THING I CAN LINK TO THIS HAIR LOSS PROBLEM IS THIS PILL. AFTER REVIEWING MANY OF THE SAME ISSUES OF HAIR LOSS, NO LIBIDO, BLOAT, WEIGHT GAIN. I'VE COME TO REALIZE I NEED TO BE OFF OF THIS PILL.
I HAD A FULL HEAD OF HAIR AND NOW PRIOR TWO YEARS AGO AND NOW I HAVE THIN HAIR THAT FALLS OUT AND WILL NOT GROW.

I started loestrin in august and i had noticed a slight weight gain, but nothing big. Lately I had been feeling a little off, and though I've had sex there was still pull out so I took a test regardless and it came out negative. Would this pill cause a false negative or would you say that I'm worrying over nothing and my body just isn't good with this pill?

I am a 29 year old female, who DOES NOT SMOKE!!!. I've taken birth control pills the majority of my adult life. However I took Loestrin 24 Fe a little less than a year...I was recently hospitalized for having DVT(Deep Vein Thrombosis) and Pulmonary Emboli....The doctors said the cause may be the birth control pills. Be careful with taking this oral contraceptive because DVT and Pulmonary Emboli is a serious side effect that can easily be overlooked by your doctor. For months I complained about swelling in the ankles and pains in my thighs. Until one day, my whole leg was swollen and was very painful while walking...I admitted myself into the ER the night before Valentines day!...I was then diagnosed with DVT and Pulmonary Emboli!!! The Doctors have taken me off birth control and now I'm taking blood thinners.

I started on Loestrin 24 in October of 2007. I had some weight gain due to an increased appetite, but after the four month waiting period and a little exercise, the weight was gone. I actually noticed that after a while, it curbed my appetite. In October of 2008, I decided to give Yaz a try. That was a mistake. I was an emotional wreck, constantly hungry and bloated, and my periods were much heavier than on loestrin. So after 4 months on Yaz I switched back to loestrin, been taking it for a week, and I'm happy. Women just have to keep in mind that everyone's bodies react differently to different BC, so give it the 4 month trial run and if you're not happy switch off it. Most of the time there is some kind of BC that will be perfect for you.

This is my 5th month on Loestrin24 Fe and I am going to stop taking it after this month. I have always been a happy, healthy, normal person and ever since being on this pill I have had breakthrough bleeding 3 out of 4 weeks of the month, HORRIBLE anxiety, mood swings, weight gain, and nausea. I have never ever had any of these problems before with any other birth control. My doctor said to wait through the initial 3 months where the side effects are the worst and that they would pass, but it I don't see that happening. They have not decreased and I don't have the drive to continue through these awful side effects. I do not recommend this pill to anyone.

I just started my second pack of Loestrin 24 Fe two days ago. I have not had any nausea, weight gain, unusual acne, loss of libido, or crazy mood swings. I have, however, had non-stop breakthrough bleeding. In the past month, there has only been one day where I was not bleeding. I take it at the same time every morning and have not missed a day. I'm really trying to be patient and give it a couple more months...but it has gotten very annoying. I got on the pill because I recently decided to become sexually active. Having my period 24/7, though, has kept me from actually wanting to start. I was on Ortho (the original) back in high school for regularity, and it made me gain 15 pounds and have intense mood swings. Beyond the btb, I love the lack of weird side effects....has anybody made it past the first 3 months to find more regularity with no side effects?

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

I have been on every birth control imaginable since I was 12 years old (extremely heavy periods/ hospitalized 3 times for cramps...excellent way to view womanhood!) Every single birth control I've been on I've had side effects such as: severe mood swings (crying over nothing, starting arguments for little things, weight gain/loss (which I don’t mind), headaches, nausea, anxiety....etc. After telling my OBGYN about my symptoms I was having while on Seasonal, she tried to diagnose me with bipolar disorder...long story. One of the worst symptoms I've ever had out of all of these was the loss of sex drive. I did not become sexually active until I was 18 (I'm 20 now), my boyfriend of a year now constantly reminds me of my lack of sex drive. I was on the ring (been on it for a year) when we first started dating, I slowly started losing my sex drive (nothing serious, more foreplay) and I started having weird mood swings. We fought a little not really noticing my fun outgoing spirit slowly decreasing. I spoke to my doctor who suggested yaz…bad idea. I gained so much weight and I started getting acne! So I switched to loestrin which I started taking in November last year. At first I liked it, I didn’t have a period until last month, which only lasted a day (no blood just the brown discharge). I don’t mind not having a period, while I was on the seasonal I didn’t have a period which is fine. I do mind the severe mood swings I have acquired; I’ll have a good day but if one thing happens that in the least bit upsets me I’ll go into full aggression…which isn’t good because I work with people on a daily basis. I had a full week of depression. I did not want to converse with anybody I just stayed in my room after getting off work and cried. I started getting acne on my face and my back. I’ve gained almost 15 pounds (I’m 5’4”; I’m not too thrilled about being short and chunky). The worst is my relationship is on the rocks. My boyfriend tries to understand what’s going on, but it’s hard for him. I used to be incredibly “active” with him, now if we ever have sex and I get distracted by a dust particle I lose all interest and dry up. I tried talking to my OBGYN but she insisted it wasn’t birth control. I asked her if the IUD would be a good option, but she won’t give it to me because I haven’t had kids yet… so at this point I’m thinking about changing doctors and stop taking birth control all together… I’d rather not take anything and use other methods of birth control than suffer like I have been.

Last yr i was on yaz. after 4 months i started having bizarre and unlikely side effects because of an allergic reaction from yaz. I went off the pill for a few months and now im taking loestrin 24. I've been on it for 5months now. I have experienced spotting but that has decreased with time as i've been on it. I am now realizing that i might be gaining weight from this pill. I've been going to the gym almost everyday and have lost no weight, instead i've gained. last yr i never went to the gym and weighted less. This makes me think its the pill thats causing the weight gain but i'm not sure if this is true since i've been on it for 5 months and am just now noticing my weight.

I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for 2 years and it is the best BC for me! I am a newlywed and our sex life is great! Previously I had tried OrthoTriCyclen Lo and Yaz. Both did not work for me at all!!!! I felt awful with both, especially Yaz. On Loestrin 24 Fe I might have a very short period or sometimes I do not even have a period at all and it is amazing! My doctor said that is okay and normal. I love Loestrin! It has saved me a whole lot of pain that I used to go through once a month. I had the worst cramps and bleeding in the world. I would have to go to bed I was so sick and take tons of alieve and ibuprofen. Now I take nothing but my multivitamin in the mornings! I feel great. Actually I just went to Disney World and my period was due, but I felt great and didn't even have a period!!!!!!!!!!!! INCREDIBLE! Life has changed for the better. I hope you all can give it a try. I will forever be thanking my OBGYN!

I have been on Loestrin 24fe for the past three years. The first two years were great; no period since Dec 06, it's very rare that I have any spotting. Since June 2008, my health has gone down hill. I have had extreme weight gain (20 lbs), retaining fluid, fatigue,terrible migraines, memory has gotten poor, lack of concentration, depression has gotten worse, very very moody and will cry at the least little thing. I have also experience eye floaters and eye twitching. My dr. wants to change my BC to Yaz, but the horror stories are the same. At this point, I really don't know what to do. I have been on BC for 18 yrs total. When I first started taking Loestrin, it was wonderful.....up until last year. I am still taking it, not sure if I should switch to another type or totally go off of BC to give my body a rest.

I have been on Loestrin for about 6+ months now. I have a lot of the same symptoms as everyone else. The only thing that is different is that I'm not feeling psycho anymore...because I had my doctor put me on another medication to help with that. The name of it is Lexapro. It is AMAZING! I could tell a huge difference within the first week. I have never felt so rational, level headed, and normal before in my life. My husband loves it! We used to fight all the time. Now, it's only once in a blue moon. Lexapro works wonders, hand in hand with loestrin. As far as the extreme fatigue, weight gain, acne, etc. that I have, I don't know what to do. I haven't had a period in 3 months.

i have been taking Loestrin for about 12months after swapping and changing due to un wanted side effects from others. At first it was ok besides a weight gain and a few spots, but over the last few months i have started experiencing chest pain, sometimes light headedness and anxiety attacks and i also have been getting frequent yeast infections! all of which ive never experienced before, i didn't even consider that the contraceptive could have been the route but its the only regular medication that i take. i have now stopped taking it and hope that it won't take long for me to get back to normal!

hey, this is my first time taking the pill ever!!!! i was on theshot almost 2 yrs ago after i had my daughter for about 2 yrs that was cool no weight gain nothing:) but then my doc told me she had 2 take me off because the hormone makes u lose bone mass(yikes!!!) so 2 yrs later i back at it with loestrin so far so good. my period is ramdon i spot here and there no acne thank goodness. i always had depressing moments i don't if i'm having more or this is jus regular ol me crying, lol, but anyway i sorta like it im stick it out until i can't take it anymore. i think it may just b how ur body reacts to certain types of bc, bcuz i kno that my best friend had major issues with her body when it comes to bc but me 4 the most part i'm cool so i goona stick 2 it until then!!! peace

well i have been on this medication for about four months and i did not start having problems until a month ago. I had my period on the right days but i started having a period every week. My mood changed, my sex drive just went away. I just don't know what to do because all of the other bc's i have tried just made me sick. what should i do?

I have been on this pill for about 3 months now and I absolutely love it. Have had no mood problems, a VERY light period lasting about 2 days each month and no weight gain. My face is actually looking better where as I had acne before and no issues with sex drive either. Maybe it's not just the pill itself but it depends on your body as well, and what you're more susceptible to. Just a thought.

OH BOY... ok so i have been on Loestrin 24fe for a little over a year. haha. for the first 6 months.. everything was fabulous!! no mood swings.. no bloating .. weight LOSS... no acne.. it was the happy pill! also.. i had absolutely NO periods at all!! no spotting.. bleeding.. cramps. nothing! it was great. then.. just recently.. in the past 4-5 months.. i have been tired all of the time! it seems like no amount of sleep will satisfy!! i could sleep all day and still be tired! sex drive has definitely taken a nose dive.. and the bad part about that is my bf and i have a long distance relationship.. we only see each other every few months!! so when i am w/ him.. what do you think i wanna do?! but the sex drive just isn't there! recently.. i have started to have random spotty periods even on the white pills. and that makes me crazy paranoid that i am pregnant or something else is wrong.. even though i have taken my pill by alarm daily! mood swings.. OH man.. depression up and down. one day i seem fine and motivated to live.. the next.. i hate my life.. i am confused and all i want to do is lay alone in bed and eat chocolate. it sucks. i was so weird out and thought i was all alone in this.. but in reading this website.. i am so glad that i am NOT the only one in HELL with this whole birth control pill crap!

so happy to have found this site! I have been taking loestrin 24 since mid July, making it almost five months on this medicine. IT IS HORRIBLE. to say the least. for almost a year and a half I was on NuvaRing, which surprisingly I liked, aside from the almost 20 lb weight gain and virtually no sex drive. Who needs birth control if you don't have a sex drive? So anyway, I switched to loestrin 24 in July. BIG MISTAKE. for the first few weeks of this pill I lost all appetite and hardly ate a thing. In the past few months I have been experiencing incredible anxiety, uncontrollable thoughts, and depression. This pill is messing with my head! It almost cost me and my boyfriend of two years our relationship because of the way it makes me crazy. I experience increased heart rate, especially when I wake up and strange leg cramps. I have always been funny, outgoing, and upbeat about life until this pill. This past weekend I was a social recluse and just felt like being alone. I cry over the littlest things and am so irritable when someone says the slightest things. I have been overly mean to my mom, sister and boyfriend over the simplest things. Something is not right with this pill. I thought I was just losing my mind until I read all these other posts. Thank goodness I'm not alone. I had an appt. with my OBGYN today, told her all my symptoms, and she gave me a trial pack of Femcon FE. I am very wary to start them because I have read it has very similar side effects to Loestrin. Has anyone found a good birth control that actually makes them a happy, normal person?! Jeeze, I am ready to swear off hormonal birth control for good! Please let me know if anyone has any experience with switching from Loestrin to Femcon? I just want to be my old, happy self again!

I took loestrin for 3 weeks and of all the pills i have ever been on this one is the worst. I have had acne, weight gain, headaches, cramps, no sex drive, anxiety, rapid heart rate, my breast were extremely sore, and depression. I didn't even finish the pack because I was severely paranoid that I was going to have a heart attack. Once I stopped I got my period within 2 days and all of those side effects went away. My only issue now is I haven't had my period since that time. It has only been a month and a pregnancy test came out negative adding to the fact that I don't feel like I did when I was pregnant. It is still frightening though.

I have been on Loestrin 24 Fe for about 2 months now and I haven't really had any problems per se. I had my first period after starting the pill for only 3-4 days and it was very light. I started taking it in the middle of the month since my ob/gyn told me not to wait until my next period since we didn't know when that would come considering I just had a baby in June. So far I've only had one day of spotting at an unusual time, no cramps at all, my face a cleared up considerably, no facial hair and just a tad bit of weight gain (like 5lbs.) which I don't think is from the pill. Although I am concerned considering I'm about 10 days late for my period and I've taken a pregnancy test and it was negative. I also have noticed an EXTREME decline in my sex drive. I guess I'll stick with it and hope it gets a little better.

I get very sick when I get my period, they are long and heavy, and I have digestion problems and intense stomach pains for at least 1-2 weeks before and the week of. These symptoms disappeared for a while when I was on Apri (desogen) but after a few months, they came back, and on top of it, I became severely depressed and had such bad stomach pains, I went to the emergency room (and you pretty much have to drag me to hospitals).

This last period was so bad though that I finally decided to take the sample pack of Loestrin that my doctor gave me a month or two ago. Just a day after I started taking it, my period ended and the pain and bloating was gone. This is day 6 and I'm fine so far. On Ortho Tri-Cyclen (my first pill) I had bad side effects the first few days and gained ten pounds in two weeks.

I'm glad these forums exist, because they helped me realize that all of the depression (including suicidal thoughts), stomach pain, hair loss, etc. etc. were side effects of desogen. All of those things that contributed to the worst summer of my life disappeared as soon as I stopped taking it.

On the other hand, I have to point out that there is no "good" pill or "bad" pill. The side effects will be different for everyone. Some women need more estrogen, some need less. Some need fluctuating amounts of hormones and some need the same dosage all month. Unfortunately the only way to figure out what is right for you is to try them, note your reactions, and research the differences between pills. I realized quickly that I needed a low, stable dose of estrogen, which led me to try Loestrin. Not saying things can't go wrong from here, but now I am aware that if I fall into some depression, anxiety, weight gain, or other weird side effects, it *may* be caused by the pill I'm taking.

Is the pill worth it? Again, answers will vary depending on your lifestyle. Are your periods manageable or do they cause you not to be able to get out of bed in the morning? Are they consistent or are you praying you're no pregnant every month? Are condoms working for you or aren't they, and is the 2% chance of still becoming pregnant worth the risk?

While I've had bad experiences with some pills, I'm just grateful for this BC option in general. Until they figure out how to make birth control pills for men (pshh.. that'll be the day) then it's up to us to research and maek the best decisions for ourselves.

So far i've been on it for 2 months. I can't really say much on it. The first month i took it, i didn't have a period. Which can be a lil scary if that happens when you're switching pills. But I did brown a lil on the last day of the reminder pills. This month hasn't been too bad no weight gain at all, but the only thing is my period came 10 days early, but its not really heavy and the cramps are really light. I'm just happy there aren't crazy psycho lady mood swings like when i was on ortho-tri cyclen lo. Nonetheless i don't have anything bad too say about this pill.

I hate this pill. Im nauseated, cramping, bloated, angry, have high axiety, cry at the drop of a hat, leg pain, headaches, bubbles in my stomach. and it even gave me an infection canadisis (like a yeast infection of the skin). which I found out was actually a symptom of this pill! I want to switch so bad. But i have been on and off this freaking pill three times this year. Im worried that if i switch to a different birth control I'll just experience new horrible symptoms. Luckily no weight gain though. but horrible break outs as well.

I am on my 5th pack of Loestrin 24. This is my first time on birth control. I was worried about weight gain b/c a lot of my friends on various pill have gained a bit. But I, however, have lost about 10 pounds since starting Loestrin. I have been very sick to my stomach and have had no appetite. My periods have been very irregular and have yet to have a period on the brown pills. I notice that I have been fatigued and moody. I went to the doctor and asked if this was normal. He gave the typical response..."there is no normal. Everyone reacts differently" speech. So he scheduled me for a ultrasound and blood-work to see if there is an underlying problem before we decide to go pill hopping. This isn't fun, but the other option ( ie an unwanted pregnancy ) is really not fun.

I've been taking Loestrin 24 Fe for a year now. It took about 3 months to get used to. The good things for me is that my skin cleared up, my hair was not as oily, lighter periods and no weight gain! The bad things were HEADACHES, feelings of anxiety, rapid heartbeats, moodiness, and dryness. I want to come off the pill but I am kinda fearful of what other methods to take...I guess I should talk to my OBGYN.

First off, i think its important to remember that all bcp have these side-effects. its not that one pill is better or worse than another, its that everyone's body reacts differently and sometimes you will experience these side effects and sometimes you wont. all these horrible things women are listing about Loestrin, other women have said about other pills.

for example, when i first started taking a bcp, i was on ortho-lo. this one seemed fine at first (outside the three month adjustment time) then one breast started to swell and ache while the other was fine. it was just my body reacting to the combination of hormones in that particular pill. i know other women who have taken ortho-lo for years and have been fine with it. But i wasn't.

eventually i decided to try a new pill and a friend recommended i research Yasmin. i found many sights just like this one with women going on and on about how evil it was. for every good review, i read ten bad. but my doctor decided to try me on it anyway thinking i needed i higher level of hormones and the five months i was on it were horrible. severe weight gain, cramps (i never had them before), spotting, migraines, NO sex drive, etc. i went back to my doctor and she was surprised because both Yasmin and ortho-lo are supposed to be good drugs. bottom line is, they weren't good for me. she decided to switch me again, this time to a lower level of hormones, but with more active pills, trying to find the right balance for me.

now i read everyone saying horrible things about Loestrin but I have to tell you, i've been on it for a few months now and have never felt better. i didn't even have the months of 'adjusting' to a new pill. i think i may have finally found a combo pill that works for me.

all bcp pills have side effects and you can read horror stories everywhere about ALL kinds of pills. it DOESN'T mean the pill is horrible, or awful, or evil or the worst kind ever. it just means, that for whatever reason, its not right for you.

so if you are out there, reading comments like this on all these pills, please don't take all these comments to heart. read them, take heed, but don't dismiss a pill because it gets bad reviews. i've done my research and they ALL have bad reviews. You have to know that all pills have some side effects BUT each woman's body is different and just because some women experienced bad things on this pill, doesn't mean you will. we are all different after all. you can judge how you will react to something based on someone else's experience.

if you're looking to start taking bcp or looking to switch, be sure you know your own body, communicate with your doctor and know that somewhere you may be able to find a bcp that works for you. i'm lucky i found one in Loestrin.

Much Luck.

I was on Loestrin for 4 years, and though I've been on depo, pop, yaz, and ortho-tri lo since, Loestrin was far and away the best pill. All the others caused depression, mood swings, weight gain (depo was the worst for all of these. stay away) and loss of libido, which were serious problems for me. I'm either done with pills altogether, or going back on Loestrin.

Yaz made me vomit, the pop gave me acne, ortho made me so bloated I gained 4 lbs in a week (and I'm an athlete--it was water weight that came off days after I stopped the pill). I don't know how anyone stays on those things. Maybe you can handle them if you don't miss your sex drive.

Loestrin has gotten terrible reviews, but it *can* be a good choice, so don't discount it entirely.

i've been on loestrin fe since march 08 and it has had its ups and downs, mostly downs, i've gained an increased appetite, weight gain, horrible period cramps, unexpected bleeding and spotting still it was supposed to have regulated after 3 months and it didn't it also increased my breast size i don't know if i can stay on this any longer

I'm 25, on birth control for the first time and I am just finishing up my first month on Loestrin Fe (I was on Yaz for one month before that). I am a bit concerned that I'm set to start a new pack tomorrow and have not had a period, not even spotting. I haven't really had any of the side effects some are describing of weight gain, chest pain, or hair loss. Maybe a bit more acne than usual, but I had expected that since this is only my second month on The Pill.

However reading your experiences I'm beginning to wonder about the mood swings. I have been EXTREMELY pissed off this month, anxious, and stressed, and in general a horrible person to be around. It's like I'm 15 again going through "that stage." It's awful, and I'm quite embarrassed by my childish behavior though I can't seem to help it. I've attributed it to other factors (which, who knows?) but reading your experiences makes me wonder if this pill isn't contributing. I'm definitely going to pay attention; if this continues for another month I'm going to change to another pill. Ugh.

I'm also wondering if I'm going to get my period back? I began taking birth control to control my normally heavy bleeding and severe cramps. Not to eliminate my period entirely!

I am glad to find this site. For some reason today, I began to wonder if my weight gain (20lbs in 6months) may be due to this bc. I don't believe this to be a vanity issue. Many health conditions are associated with being overweight. As I began to read these postings, I began to realize that the anxiety,depression, lack of sex drive I've had may be related to this medication. No sure what I'll do now, but I think it's time for a change before I gain 20 more pounds.

I just started taking Loestrin, and so far it's made me sick to my stomach, cramp and generally feel like I'm on my period.
I started taking it right after a normal period and so far it's been ok except for the symptoms mentioned above. Surprise surprise, I started what seems to be like my normal period when it's the last two days (mostly brown rust color). I know that it might take a while for the hormones to regulate in my body, but I feel that this shouldn't be happening... Any suggestions? I'm planning to call my doctor tomorrow.