Loestrin 24 Fe Loestrin 24, Migraines, Big Boobs, Loestrin24, Painful Headaches

If brevity is what you're looking for, you're not going to find it here in my response. After readying through all these posts, I'm relieved to finally know I'm not alone and I'm not crazy for the side effects I've had. I'm just one of MANY!! So, here's my story and my experience.....

I've been on Loestrin 24 for about a year and a half now. At first, I thought my doctor had given me the miracle birth control pill. Literally, I've tried everything on the market since I was 17 before I was even sexually active. I had periods lasting heavily for 7-9 days. You name it, I've taken it. I'm now 33. Immediatly after starting Loestrin 24, I was recommending it to everyone I knew. I started having periods that literally lasted half of a day and with minimal bleeding. Soon, like clockwork, I was only having periods every other month. Every other month has now turned into a period every 3 or 4 months. Sounds great right? Wrong! Just keep reading. And no, I don't worry about being pregnant and not knowing (you were thinking it weren't you?) because when you have zero sex drive, you can't get pregnant. I'll get to that soon enough.

My doctor put me on Loestrin24 because I was having severe migraines during the "inactive" pills on normal 21 active pill OC's. At first when I started L24, the migraines reduced to just painful headaches, so I thought it was working. And, my boobs did get bigger, which was a plus-no complaints there! Now, my big boobs get painful and soar once a month and my headaches have gone back to 3-4 day full blown migraines. After reading about the cerebral thrombosis, I'm seriously considering having a cat-scan or an MRI, if my doctor will refer me. The last migraine lasted 4 days. I was so nausious I couldn't even stand up. My eyes felt like they were going to explode and the back of my head at my neck felt like a knife was stuck in me. These have been the worse migraines I've had, being on Loestrin 24. The migraines are so bad and last so long that they've scared my husband to death.

I'M DONE WITH L24!!! The worse side-effect (for my husband anyways) has been no libido, not even an ounce. When I voiced my concerns to my doctor (I'm a newlywed), she said, "that's the most common complaint I get." Well,duh, why didn't she tell me this in the beginning when she knew I was getting married?????? For fear of losing my husband, I agreed to try the regular Loestrin and all hell broke loose. My face broke out like a pre-pubescent 13 year old boy, my face was so oily I was embarrassed to not wear makeup, and I was so depressed about the way I looked and felt that my self esteem was gone. Needless to say, feeling as ugly as I did, sex was the last thing on my mind. I didn't want my husband to see my bare face, let alone my naked body. So, with no hope in sight, I opted to go back to Loestrin 24.

Can I just say, "Big mistake, BIG" so said Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. Looking back and after reading everyone else's postings, I too now know why I've gained weight. I thought it was because I'm in my 30's now and don't have the energy and metabolism I had in my 20's. But looking around to my same- aged friends, they aren't having any weight problems. Nor are they on Loestrin 24. At 5'8", I've always weighed around 125-130 pounds since I started college in the early 90's, but after being on this pill over the last year & 1/2, I've gained weight. The weight gain reached a whopping 153 at my max. I've been dieting so I'm now down to 142 but I can't seem to go lower. I'm still at least 12 pounds more than I normally weigh and I'm a very small-framed person.

The worse side-effect that I've had to deal with is the acne. Typically most OC's help your skin. Well, my skin is horrible now. I'm 33 and there are days/weeks when I feel like avoiding going outside because my skin is so broken out. Not just pimples, but cystic acne and it's an embarrassment!! Needless to say I've had to do a few rounds of antibiotics and had to spend extra money on topical Rx's for my face. Now I'm getting ready to have some laser treatments for the acne & facial melasmas caused by Loestrin 24. The melasmas have just shown up over night here and there, regardless of how much sunscreen I apply to my face. In addition to the breakouts on my face, I've also had problems with acne on my back, which I NEVER had until I started Loestrin 24.
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Other side effects include horrible, strangely bizzare nightmares. I didn't realize they were abnormal until telling my husband about them. Being a newlywed not wanting sex and having disturbing dreams and nightmares, he thinks I'm weird at this point!! I don't know that L24 has caused these, but I've read some other posts about nightmares, so I'm thinking there's a common thread here!

Another common side effect I have that others have mentioned is crying so easily. Seriously, I could get a Oscar for the performances! If there are any aspiring actresses, this is your pill! I've always been a sensitive person, but one shouldn't cry in a public shopping mall at the sight of a kid in a wheelchair.

When I'm not having the nightmares and weird dreams, I don't sleep well. This is probably due to the nightmares and racing heart that awake me from the dead sleep. They say when you're dreaming, you are getting the much needed REM sleep. Believe me, I'd rather not be getting any REM sleep than having nightmares like I've had.

And now for the sex chat. They say women hit their sexual peak in their late 20's and early 30's and I did. I couldn't get enough of it. It's probably why my husband married me. Now, the poor guy is deprived nearly completely of sex. Of course, this is not a bad side effect for me, because by not having the urge, means not worrying about getting pregnant like some of the other people who posted have had the unplanned incident.

And once again I'll mention the headaches and migraines. They've been so intense, that if someone hit me over the head with a cast-iron pan, it would feel better. Like I initially said, I thought I had found "the one", the pill that had rid me of my 7-9 day periods. The only good thing about this pill is the fact that I haven't bought a box of tampons in over 4 months.

If any of you reading this are looking to reduce your period if not, miss it all together, then this is your pill. If you are anorexic and looking to gain weight, this is your pill. If you need an excuse to not have sex with your boyfriend or husband, then this is your pill. If you need a reason to miss an exam or cut class because of a migraine, this is your pill. If your goal is to one day win an Oscar for drama, this is your pill. If you want to park in the "mothers to be" up close parking spots, then once a month you can. You'll be so bloated you'll look 3-4 months pregnant. I'm not even exaggerating here. I was once asked if I was pregnant. You know how awful this is...Urgh!!! If you want to feel absolutely miserable, then this is the pill for you. The initial tease of "barely there" periods and clear skin is gone before you know it! Beware! I had a lot going on in the first six months of taking L24. We were planning a wedding, working a lot of hours, so I thought all my symptons were initially stress related. Once the wedding was over and work calmed down six months later, nothing changed. Thanks to everyone who posted before me, I now know what has been wrong with me over the last several months. I wished I'd found this sight long before now!! The periods have hardly existed, but even something about that makes me feel weird. I just finished my last pack!!!!

And the last concern I would like to mention in regards to pills like Loestrin 24 and others that have so many active pills you rarely have periods or have them every few months, is the overall health concern. To all of us currently or previsouly taking Loestrin 24, we need to ask ourselves...what are we going to find out next about this pill? Once it's been out for 4-5 years on the market we'll start hearing more of the complaints, strokes, debilitating side effects and so on. I mention this because one other pill I took a couple of years ago when it first hit the market was "Seasonale" and it was great for the headaches and reducing my period. Now, look at all the issues with Seasonale and similar pills...several women have actually DIED from them. I have to ask myself as well as you all reading this...are we going to be the next victim to the FDA's quick approval of a truly dangerous form and method of birth control? Will my sex-deprived husband have to read my name in the obituaries in the morning paper because his wife died of a stroke?

I'm seriously contemplating getting off OC's all-together. These billion dollar pharmaceutical companies have sales reps with degrees in communications or business going around pushing prescription medications!! Rarely do you see a drug rep who actually has a medical background. These sales reps with 4-year bachelor's degrees are convincing our OB/GYN's who've gone to school and completed residencies for a combined 12 years, that these drugs are safe and okay for us to take. My grandmother had a stroke at age 32 yet, my doctor said I was not high-risk being on Loestrin 24 despite the family history because that's what the drug reps say. WTF??

Here's what doesn't make sense to me in regards to the FDA. The FDA takes 10 years to approve a surgery and disc replacement that has been successfully conducted in Europe for 15-20 years. Meanwhile doctors here were continuing to do spinal fusions. Look at these poor people who suffer daily. The new surgery finally approved has now helped 10's of 1000's yet people had to suffer for years to get the new procedure? Yet, the same FDA will throw new drugs on the market in a year's time? What is wrong with the FDA? Oh, let me guess, the pharmaceutical companies are tied to politics?? You bet they are It's funny what waiving a few million dollars around will do and how quickly it will get drugs approved. Read on for a good reference and publically documented "donation".

I have to ask the makers of Loestrin 24, is this drug going to be the classic example of an overly needed redlight at a treacherous intersection? Will we have to see multiple strokes and female deaths before pills like Loestrin 24 and others are pulled from the market by the FDA? They are quick to put them on the market at the waive of a few million dollars toward certain politicians, yet, it's like pulling teeth to get them banned. You think I'm joking? I was at the National Democratic Debate two months ago in Charleston, SC. There were 3 major sponsors: CNN (the host), You Tube/Google (Provider of video questions) and Allergan. Which is the odd one? Yep, Allergan, you guessed it. Allergan is a major pharmaceutical company who's biggest product is ironically, Botox. Coincidence? I think not.

I guess I've rambled enough, but one final comment and I'm done. If you are reading through these posts because you are contemplating Loestrin 24, please don't even consider it. Don't do it to yourself. And, if you are a drug rep for Loestrin, shame on you for selling/supporting a dangerous product!!