| Key to ratings for loestrin fe 1/20: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
| Rating | Reason | Side Effects | Comments | Sex | Age | Time Taken | Date Added | |
| | F M | | | | ||||
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| 2 | Acne, PMDD, irregular periods | Headaches, tiredness, dizziness, loss of appetite, migraines, sensitivity to light, loss of motivation and concetration, strange dreams, vocalization in sleep, heavy period | The first two months taking this pill were really beneficial. I had a regular period, though off-schedule, and a significant reduction in acne. My chest acne and most of my back had cleared up, which was a huge relief. The third month was also off-schedule, but when my period started, it lasted for nearly 12 days. I had cramps, which I had rarely had before, and as soon as I went on the placebos I felt terribly tired. I had mild headaches, slept for nearly 15 hours, and lost all motivation to do schoolwork or just about anything else. Standing and walking made me dizzy. Going back on the pill for the next cycle helped, but once again, my period was a week early and very heavy. The headaches were constant and almost migraine-like with sensitivity to light. I've had to take naps once to three times daily. Also while on the third cycle's placebos, I began to vocalize in my sleep, waking myself and my boyfriend up. My dreams became nightmares, and I often woke up sweating. This same thing happened on my fourth cycle of the pills. This pill has caused me to fail a class, and is pushing me behind in my other classes due to my inability to concentrate and stay awake. Not worth taking... | F | 19 | 4 months | 11/18/2009 | 2 | Heavy periods | Extreme bloating & weight gain, anxiety, chest/indigestion like pain, headaches & mood swings. | I have had light spotting about two times per month. I had been thinking my symptoms were due to stress, but after reading all of these comments I believe this medication to be the culprit. | F | 45 | 3 months | 11/17/2009 | 4 | birth control | weight loss, leg cramps, light/short periods | I love this birth control! I was rec'd it by my Gyno and switched from my other birth control. I think this pill is great. Less periods the better, is my opinion! Plus, I haven't gained a pound and I feel fine when I used to PMS very badly. | F | 28 | 5 months | 11/10/2009 | 5 | to control acne | none | My period is very light to begin with, only 2-3 days, sometimes only 2 days. After 1st 2 cycles, my period was only 1 day Saturday. Then I started the pill again on Sunday. The 3rd cycle I just spotted when I wiped myself, brown blood almost unnoticable. The 3rd and 4th cycle, I never even got my period. I don't know if I'm pregnant or if due to the fact that my period is so light to begin with, Loestrin made it disappear completely. | F | 45 | 5 months | 11/7/2009 | 1 | Switched from Yaz | I have been taking this pill for about 3 months. I havn't had my period at all. I used to have 5 day periods now i have none. I freaked out and got a pregnancy test last month and it was neg. now a month later Im scared again. I don't like these pills. They make me extremely moody and emotional. They make me have high anxiety. Iv gained 10 pounds. I have extreme breast tenderness and bloating. I am going to the doctor monday to find out for sure if im pregnant and if im not im switching these damn pills. | F | 21 | 3 months | 11/6/2009 | 2 | contraception, cramps | laziness, exhaustion, moodiness, anxiety, mild facial acne, mild depression, spotting | I am usually very active and could not even get up to go downstairs!! I also kept worrying about every little thing and dwelling on my problems excessively. I never have or have had any acne and got a little bit on my face. I also felt sad a lot of the time for no reason and felt a lack of control of my life. Also I was really horny all of the time (I know most people have the opposite, but it was a little frustrating!!) | F | 19 | 1 months | 10/31/2009 | 3 | birth control | Unexplained anxiety, mood swings, irritability, spotting | I have been of the pill for over 2 years and was very happy with that. Following unplanned pregnancy and termination I decide to go back on the pill. After some research I thought that Loestrin could work. First few month were OK apart from very irregular and very frequent short (1-3 days) light periods or rather spotting or weird (dark red/brown) discharge. Over a last month I have started experiencing mood swings, I am irritable and get upset about things I would normally laugh about but it didn’t click it could be the pill. Than I switched to Loestrin 30 in order to regulate the period and my mood and irritability got even worse. It’s like I am a different person-needy, teary and easily upset-that is not me! So after one week of taking the Loestrin 30 (higher dose than 20) I decided to stop completely. It has only been two days but the spotting stopped and I am starting to feel a bit better! Not sure I will ever go on a pill again-if so definitely not Loestrin. | F | 26 | 7 months | 10/30/2009 | 2 | birthcontrol, heavy painful periods | no periods(fear of pregnancy), acne, flare ups of nauseau, blah feelings, feels like hormones are completely out of whack. AND what seems like a daily yeast infection | Starting taking it in July, 5 days in...I started feeling a pain in back of my right calf, worried it was blood clot and immediately went off them. Waited a couple months and started again in Sept. and have been on a roller coaster ride ever since....2nd month without period, can't keep buying pregnancy tests, hormones feel completely out of whack and I just feel "icky", and ugly. I would rather deal with the a couple of crappy days during my period and occaision mid cycle cramps than feel like crap everyday of the month | F | 39 | 2 months | 10/29/2009 | 3 | acne | severe cramps and nasuea, spotting, anxiety(maybe) | My husband had a vasectomy after our 2nd daughter was born over a year ago, so I don't have to take the pill. I haven't been on anything since we got married almost 8 years ago and I thought the side effects were just my body getting used to the medicine, but now I am not so sure. I am going to continue this pack and perhaps 2 more packs that my Dr. gave me becuase the nurse said it may take 2-3 cycles before my body is adjusted. After reading other's posts I hope that my acne does not get any worse! I will not be able to stand that and the other day I did get scared at the mall and immediately left with my 2 children. Nothing happened, I was there by myself and something freaked me out! I do NOT have any panic disorder and that is not like me to be scared by myself! | F | 27 | 1 weeks | 10/27/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | The first week I am completely drained or energy. For the 3 wks that I'm taking the active pills, I am tired, irritable, my breasts are swollen and very tender and heavy. I am nausious to the point of throwing up, I have headaches (I get the often and I never used to get them at all). Also, I tried this 3 mos ago and after 1 wk on it, I ended up in the hospital for 2 days getting an mri and cat scan of my head because I had developed left sided numbness. I hadn't put that together with this pill and started taking it again about 1.5 mos ago only to have these side effects now. I will be getting off of this as soon as possible. | F | 32 | 45 days | 10/27/2009 | 4 | contraception | moodiness | The first week I was on this, I felt like a completely different person. I was very "blah", I didn't want to do anything. I just felt lazy. The second week was a lot better. I am back to myself. I guess it was just my body getting used to the meds. | F | 21 | 2 weeks | 10/25/2009 | 1 | F | 43 | 19 days | 10/25/2009 | 1 | regulation and cramps | moody, dizzy | I cry for NO REASON!! This is not a pleasant experience. I am irritable and beyond emotional. I keep crying over the littlest things (the movie Men In Black). I have been light headed as well. | F | 22 | 5 days | 10/24/2009 | 4 | contraception, no periods | low sex drive | I've been taking Loestrin for over 2 years now and my only gripe with it is that i have a low sex drive. Not having my period is fantastic (i have stopped for 2 months at one point, but that was because i moved overseas and had trouble getting it here). I have never had any other side effects (and to the girl that commented on having a history of panic attacks, i have panic disorder, but it hasn't made it worse at all in my case). BC pills affect every body differently, i have been on other pills in the past (probably since i was 20?), and the only other side effect i've ever had was slight nausea (but that wasn't with loestrin). Good luck! | F | 26 | 2 years | 10/21/2009 | 1 | To lighten heavy periods | Leg cramps, chest pain, rapid heart beat, & numbness on left side. | I was put on Loestrin one month ago to lighten my heavy periods. I am a healthy mom of 3 kids. Within a few days, I started having leg cramps at night. I also was having difficulty sleeping and waking up frequently (didn't realize it was connected) Last night I woke up in the middle of the night and thought I was having a heart attack. My heart was beating out of my chest, I had a hard time catching my breath and my left arm started tingling. I have never experienced anything so scary in my life. I take no other medications other than these BC pills. I immediately stopped and have an apt at my OBGYN tomorrow. Be careful - these are dangerous meds. Very scary experience for me. | F | 39 | 33 days | 10/19/2009 | 1 | fibroids | acne/cysts, moodiness | i was on this medicine last year for birth control for 3 months and felt weird so decided to go off since my husband had a vasectomy. i felt so much better off the pill. i then developed fibroids 3 months later and my doctor recommended i go back on loestrin. i was unsure whether to do it but decided to start again to try and resolve the bleeding caused by the fibroid. i hate this pill..3-4 months after starting again all my symptoms came back with a vengeance. cysts on my chin and back, horrible moodiness and temper and generally miserable. | F | 36 | 4 months | 10/15/2009 | 1 | Contraception | Extreme breast tenderness and swelling, bloating, fatigue, unusual mental effects, feels like PMS all the time. | I, too, am glad I found this site. I know that I am not crazy, and that I am not imagining what is happening to me. I am 38 years old. Generally happy, healthy and horny. I am dissatisfied with birth control options out there. After trying to get an IUD (the midwife could not measure my uterus, hence, could not insert the device and talked me into this pill as an alternative). I cannot stand this pill. I have a very hard time dragging myself out of bed in the morning. I am normally a very active, energetic person and I have been sluggish since being on this pill. I've had suicidal thoughts (!) which is very weird. I want to jump out of my skin! My breasts are swollen, heavy and painful to the touch. I'm bloated and feel like I'm already gaining weight after 1 1/2 weeks on this pill. Hard to feel sexy with all this going on. I am going to finish out this pack and I am saying good-bye to artificial hormones forever! | F | 38 | 17 days | 10/14/2009 | 5 | contraception, alleviate PMS | Mild nausea during the first week immediately after taking pill, minor bloating/water retention, cyst-like pimple on chin (but that could be due to variety of reasons including diet) and yeast infection for 3 days which cleared up without any need for treatment. | This is the first time I've taken any kind of BC and so far, the experience has been generally positive. Despite the handful of side effects mentioned, they are really not anything serious and are easily dealt with. Not sure if the yeast infection is even related, but I have seen it mentioned as a possible side effect somewhere. On the upside, since taking the pill, I have actually been in a better mood and feel much more balanced, have not experienced any changes in sex drive, and my breasts seem to be getting bigger (going from a size A to almost B, hoping to cross that threshold soon)! Additionally, the pill seemed to have alleviated most of my IBS symptoms as well - stomach feels better than it had for years. Overall, I would recommend Loestrin (fe 24) based on my experiences - however, it does vary by person. | F | 25 | 14 days | 10/13/2009 | 5 | Contraceptive | Nausea, mood swings | Loestrin is the first pill I have taken and so far it has been wonderful. The first month I did experience some nausea and mood swings but by the third pack all of the side effects had gone away. It is true that this pill will make your period practically non-existent but that's a good thing in my book. I have no cramps, a very light 1-2 day period, and haven't gained more than a pound or two. | F | 21 | 4 months | 10/12/2009 | 2 | To help with mood swings | complete loss of sex drive, fatigue (sleeping for about 10-11 hours per day and still feeling tired), acne (on face and body). | I switched from Ortho Novum 777 to this pill to maybe help calm my mood swings. I didn't do much in that department (I think I am a naturally moody person) and it just made me not ever want to have sex (which was making me feel depressed since it was effecting my relationship. It also made me feel tired constantly, no matter how much I slept the night before. It also made my skin explode with pimples. The ortho novum 777 combined with my skin care regime was making my skin look great, but LoEstrin made me break out so badly on my face, back (which hasn't happened since I was a young teen) and chest. I switched back to Ortho Novum 777 just 2 days ago, hopefully there is an improvement. | F | 21 | 5 months | 10/12/2009 | 1 | contraceptive | nausea, depression, suicidal, bloatedness, weight-gain, confusion, blacking out | This pill completely screwed me up. I was sick constantly, I was always depressed, I was having suicidal thoughts, frequent uncontrollable episodes of anger, blacking out and forgetting where I was. These things are completely abnormal for me. I thought I was going to slip into a psychiatric episode or something. I felt I was losing my grip on reality, on myself, losing complete control. I had an uncontrollable outburst in public, which is something so outlandish for me to do. I was hysterically crying all the time. This stuff really messed with my head, my emotions, my body. I got two busted veins in my legs and was having chest pains and rapid heartbeat. I was dizzy. I felt like I had no idea who I was or what I was becoming. It was terrifying. I called my doctor, who said, though it would be a good idea to finish the pack out. (well, the NP said so, my doctor later told me this was not the right idea) I still wasn't right for a month or two but began to feel like myself again. Looking back on that three month span (I thought I should give my body a chance to adjust) I am still appalled at the things I thought/felt/said/did. I was completely suicidal. I'm not sure what it is with this pill. I was on Yaz before that, and another kind a few years back. These only gave me painful stomach cramps. I would rather suffer through that than to totally feel as if I had lost all grip on reality. My doctor told me he was getting similar complaints from other patients, and I read onl | F | 20 | 3 months | 10/11/2009 | 2 | Migraines and birthcontrol | dizziness, tired (sleeping through alarm clock, breast tenderness, & nausea. | I am taking it everyday on time and it had me so worried I was pregnant until I started researching it online to find that other people were having the same symptoms. | F | 21 | 1 months | 10/9/2009 | 3 | acne, ovarian cyst, birth control | missed periods, decreased sex drive, depression, anxious, bloating, feeling numb/empty, nausia when i eat, always tired. | I was starting to think I'm actually crazy. The first 2 months I completely missed my period (thought I was pregnat for 3 months but I wasn't) and really strange discharge those first 2 months. I get random cramps and bloating. I've been on probably 10 different pills over the last 4-5 years because they all make my feel horrible! Loestrin isn't the worse I'd say.. However it's starting to occur to me that my extreme mood swings and inability to make decisions, and feeling numb and empty are quite possibly from the pill. I'd like to hear from someone who knows what I mean! Ugh the pill is totally a win/lose situation!!!!! It's so annoying trying to find the "right" pill. | F | 21 | 4 months | 10/6/2009 | 2 | Heavy periods | Nausea, Migraines, fatigue, depression, anger, lack of concentration and numbness in my legs, difficulty breathing | I wish I had found this site sooner. I could not put into words how this pill made me feel until after I heard other ladies describe their symptoms. I literally thougth I was going to die. The first month I was spotting after the first week so I did not feel like being intimate. After taking them for 1 more week and realizing I was TOTALLY OUT OF IT; I was shaking and being rude to my family...I just stopped. I feel 90% better, I am now exercising trying to get back to my old self. I would advise IF you do take this pill keep a journal of how you are feeling because obviously it is for SOME and NOT for OTHERS. | F | 40 | 35 days | 10/5/2009 | 5 | Birth Control | I have been on loestrin for 4 months and it is great, it is my first birth control pill and I was really nervous to take it due to all the negative comments, but it has worked great for me. The only side effect was the spotting the first month, and headaches the first month, but other than that it has been great. I highly recommend it, especially if you are new to taking the pill | F | 23 | 4 months | 9/30/2009 | 4 | BC | None! | I took Yaz for 6 months and hated every single minute of it. My lady doc recommended Loestrin to me and I made the switch about 2 months ago. So far, I have been very very happy with it. Compared to when I was on Yaz, I feel much healthier and happier. | F | 30 | 2 months | 9/30/2009 | 2 | nausea,dizziness,fatique,mood swings | Ok, so I'm glad I'm not the only one having problems:) I'm tired all the time and feel like I'm going to get sick. I had myself convinced I might be pregnant because me stomach is constantly upset and my mouth is always watering like I'm going to puke. After I started crying for no reason tonight I decided to search reviews and came across this site. I had a complete breakdown for nothing-which is not usual! Think I'm going to stop taking it... *Every body reacts different to medications so I'm sure it works great for some. | F | 30 | 2 months | 9/29/2009 | 2 | i was on kariva for almost a year and loved it..what pimples i ever did get completely went away on it my skin was amazing..when i went to the gyno he switched me bc i had ovarian cysts he said possibly from the bc, so he switchedme to loestrin and for the first 2 months i thought it was no big deal..less of a period than i had with kariva but the 3rd month my skin is worse than its been in years. until i read the side affects here i didnt even realize ive been so upset lately..i just assumed ive been stressed out since school just started up again (im 19 and a sophmore in college) but i think its both. im begging my gyno to take me off of this asap i look and feel disgusting | F | 19 | 3 months | 9/28/2009 | 4 | birth control, heavy/irreg periods | Experienced typical side effects I get from all birth control: increased breast size & tenderness, slight water retention. | This pill is the best one I've ever tried. So far I've been on Ortho-Lo, Seasonale, Yasmin. All of them have given me side effects, especially with mood swings. However I love Loestrin because I am not experiencing any mood swings!!!! Would highly recommend this, as it is very low dose hormone, doesn't vary week by week, and is a pretty standard pill. | F | 24 | 6 months | 9/23/2009 | 1 | depression, headaches, nausea, moodiness, chest pains, anxiety, confusion, sex drive zero, acne | I just began taking it a week ago and my side effects are like what everyone is describing, feels like am going totally insane and crabby at every little. My acne which i have been fighting forever began coming back again, horrble. My hubby told me am acting very weird crying over nothing and anything.He told me tonight to throw it away. Not a big fan of birth control becos of all the side effects but am definitely not taking it anymore. Scared to try anything else. | F | 29 | 10 days | 9/23/2009 | 2 | Ovarian cysts, endometriosis | Increased appetite (really - CONSTANT hunger), acne, increased sex drive, panic attacks & anxiety, mood swings. | I've only been on this pill for 2 weeks, but I have to stop it already because I just can't handle the side effects. I switched to Loestrin after two years on Seasonique/Seasonale because of spotting, but that was NOTHING to deal with compared to this. I have NEVER had acne like this, not even as a teenager. My libido is INSANE (weird, right? for most it's the opposite) and I'm VERY single, so it's distracting & inconvenient. I've been eating so much that several co-workers have asked me if I'm pregnant, and I've been going WAY over my budget for food. Lots of mood swings and crying, too (and I NEVER cry!!!) - but the worst part is the anxiety. Granted, I have a history of panic disorder and other anxiety issues, but I hadn't had a panic attack in over two years until I started taking this pill; now for two weeks I've had at least one almost every single day, sometimes several, and it's only been getting progressively worse. I didn't even know this pill could have anything to do with that until tonight; now that I know, I'm stopping the pill immediately. Otherwise, I probably would have stuck it out a little longer to see if the other symptoms subside. Overall, I can't say that I wouldn't recommend this medication to others, because the side effects seem to be really different for everyone. However, if you have a history of any anxiety disorder, or even just occasional panic attacks, I would definitely stay far, far away from this pill. | F | 29 | 2 weeks | 9/19/2009 | 2 | Birth Control | Negative Side Effects: headaches, dizziness, irritability, depression, mood swings, nervousness | I switched to this prescription from Yaz since Yaz was giving me severe headaches (I usually never got headaches), only to find that the generic of this drug also gives me headaches, though not as bad. Also, I have unexplainable sadness/anxiety randomly while taking this pill. I get panic attacks over the smallest things and start crying, which is very unusual for me. | F | 20 | 1 months | 9/17/2009 | 1 | spotting irregularly, cramps | immediately upon switching to this brand 4 days ago, I have experience an overwhelming sense of anxiety and chest pain. to the point where i needed to go have an EKG done at my doctor (turned out normal thank gd)i have not been able to sleep at night due to chest pressure. feels like someone is squeezing my heart and letting it go every few minutes or so. serious problems sleeping through the night. i am always hungry especially in the morning like I need to eat immediately. Very tired all the time (im 28 i should not feel this drained constantly) having cramps like i am getting my period but im not, and an overall sense of just not feeling well at all. | this pill is scary i have never felt any of these symptoms and have been on many diff brands. i cannot believe my doc recommended it so highly which makes me think about switching physicians. | F | 28 | 4 days | 9/17/2009 | 1 | Birth Control and to control cramps | I had a blood clot on my brain on July 4th 2009 as a result of the BC, which was confirmed by an hemotologist. I would not advise anyone to take this BC. Stayed in the hospital for 30 days, ended up having a stroke and on life support. | F | 36 | 6 months | 9/15/2009 | 1 | Stop heavy bleeding during cycles | Day 1- Bleeding stopped. Light headache felt extremly drowsy, passed out for 2 hours during mid-day which is unlike me. Day 2- Started to feel bloated, signs of yeast infection that I could only contribute to taking the pill. Day 3 -Very bloated, a little queasy, very uncomfortable Day 4 -I'm a joyful person, but I became very depressed with feelings of heavy dreadfullness, and I didn't want to talk to anyone. I felt sad and like I was suffocating. I had to reframe myself from jumping out the car on the expressway. I was very anxious, impatient, nervous. The yeast infection was getting worse and then I became consipated. My stomach looked 4 months pregant. I started getting bad leg cramps at night. Day 5 - I stopped taking the pill. Immediate change in mood, I felt myself again. Two days later, everything was back to normal. | I'm very disappointed. I wanted this to work. It was my last resort. I read the side effects and reviews of others, but felt very positive about taking the pill. This low dosage is very powerful. I took birth control pills years ago in my twenties. I don't recall side effects such as this. I gained weight then lost. Maybe I did have side effects, but handled them better then. The side effects are too much for me! However, I can't say I wouldn't recommend it for someone else because everyone is different.I also can't say I'm dissatisfied because, unfortionately, I could not give it the full 3 months trial period the product suggests. I'm really disappointed I couldn't continue the product do to the side effects. | F | 49 | 4 days | 9/14/2009 | 3 | Control Mood Swings, Birth Control | I had been prescribed this to take 21 days continuously to try to help my PMDD. The first pack, I spotted the entire time but I felt amazing!! The emotional ups and downs did stop for me. Unfortunately, then came the loss of sex drive. Then, the depression. I couldn't get motivated to do anything or even want to get up in the morning. I know it takes time to get use to a pill, so I gave it another pack. Then, the chest tightness began at night. I would lay down to sleep and suddenly feel like I couldn't breath even though I could draw deep breaths. I also had changes in my sleep cycle and massive anxiety attacks (mainly during by the chest tightness). | I hope this works for you! | F | 23 | 2.5 months | 9/13/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | I started taking this pill three weeks ago and already I have had negative side effects from this pill. I have no sex drive, gained 10 pounds,extreme fatigue,depression with mood swings and my face is so broken out it's discusting. I switched from yaz just because of the cost but I'm definately stopping this pill today and spending the extra money to feel normal again. This pill was not what I expected at all!!! | F | 36 | 3 weeks | 9/11/2009 | 3 | Firstly, I am 9 days late and my period seems to be non-existent. On top of that I've felt nauseous and my breasts are extremely tender as well as swollen. In addition to this, I also seem to be tired all the time. On the plus side, my acne seems to have cleared up a LOT which is lovely after suffering with it for 5 years. | F | 18 | 9 times | 9/10/2009 | 1 | PCOS | Loestrin raised my blood pressure to dangerous levels (160/110), I gained approximately 12 pounds, my facial acne was out of control, I was tired constantly and did not have a period for the entire time I was taking this medicine (over 4 months). | I am using birth control medicine to control symptoms of PCOS, and was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago. Due to my complications described in the side effects column, I have stopped taking this pill and am now awaiting the results of blood testing to determine if another kind will be beneficial. Prior to being on Loestrin, I was on Yasmin, and only changed because I was looking to have a shorter period. I would suggest to anyone looking to change medications (or to start one) that they stay in contact with their physician and keep them apprised of any and all changes, no matter how small. I ignored my symptoms and did not think that my problems were tied to the pill. I've now spent more time and money to fix everything than I'd like to admit, so please listen to your body. Good luck! | F | 25 | 4 months | 9/9/2009 | 3 | Birth Control | The littlest things have been bothering me and make me want to cry!!! Other then that... just crazy crazy dreams and SPOTTING | ok i am going on only my SECOND week of Loestrin24 and so far its not that bad. I read all these other negative comments and it freaks me out!!! Hopefully, these terrible things dont happen to me. How long did it take for sex drive to decrease with you guys? So far im fine. Im a little more moody then normal, like, my boyfriend has been bugging me lately (more then usual i think cuz of pill). the only TRUE side effect ive noticed is spotting. I have been spotting for days now. I hope this goes away. Good luck to the rest of you! | F | 17 | 2 weeks | 9/8/2009 | 5 | Contraception/Endometriosis | Some hair loss, slight naseau in first week only | It has worked out great for me! I have a boost of energy, I feel like my old self and my heavy bleeding and cramps are gone. I think it works quite differently for every single body. | F | 30 | 2 weeks | 9/7/2009 | 4 | heavy periods/contraception | A little nausea and indigestion that's definitely bearable, and clears up with a TUMS tablet. A little mild dizziness. I get headaches easier, if I already have one coming. No sex drive problems, no breast tenderness. A tiny bit of water retention. Decreased appetite, but I'm not going to complain about that. :) | I'm not ready to throw a 5 rating out there yet, because I'm in my second week. But so far, I am SUPER pleased at the results compared to other BC pills I've been on. Don't freak out about the negative comments - all bodies are different, and most pills I've been on take 2-3 months to iron themselves out. I am really excited to have a pill with the iron supplement in it. I feel a lot stronger, have more energy, and am SO glad I am not a crazy psycho b****, like I have been even in the first week of other pills I've been on. Don't knock it until you try it :) | F | 29 | 14 days | 9/3/2009 | 2 | irregular, heavy periods | headaches, sore breasts, rise in blood pressure, extreme moodiness, yeast infections, acne, weight gain, insomnia, irritability, bloated, crampy, loss of libido, vaginal dryness, hot flashes | Apparently this pill doesn't work for me in my forties. Have been put on the "mini-pill", Mirena IUD, and now this pill to regulate my periods. The side effects from this pill have driven me CRAZY. My moodiness and irritability were so severe on this pill that my poor husband BEGGED me to throw them out. He said he'd rather deal with one week of PMS instead of four weeks every month. The horrible side effects from this pill just aren't worth it. I'm considering the endometrial abblation, at this point. No more sythetic hormones for me! | F | 42 | 5 months | 9/3/2009 | 2 | birth control | I switched from being on the Nuvaring(got recurring yeast infections on it) to Loestrin. At first it was OK, except for my some breast tenderness the first week or two. It has been a few months now and I have gained weight and have crazy mood swings and depression now. Sooooo not like me! I am thinking it has to be hormonal, has to be from the Pill. My libido has dropped significantly too. I am not happy and want to get off this pill ASAP. It has turned me to a moody, hormonal, emotional mess. | F | 39 | 5 months | 9/2/2009 | 3 | Birth Control | None | Satisfied | F | 34 | 60 days | 8/28/2009 | 1 | Period Pain | Extremely emotional, morning nausea, constant crying, nervousness, headaches, mixed up feelings, unexplainable sadness/depression | I have been on this for 4 months and things were going great with it. Then I start getting sad for no reason. I cry uncontrollably just simply thinking of things or even looking at my dog. One minute I'm fine with everything; parents, friends, boyfriend, etc. Then the next minute I don't want to see my friends, can't stand hearing my parents speak, and want to end my relationship with the sweetest guy. I wake up feeling nauseas and with a headache which eventually leads to me puking at least once. I asked my OBGYN about it and they said it was a virus and I would be fine in a week. It's been a month and it all just came on so quickly. Viruses have stuffy noses, coughing, some sore throats. Not extreme mood swings and depression. Plus it didn't even help the pain for my period. I have 2 day long periods which are nice but the pain lasts for those 2 days. I'm stopping this pill. | F | 17 | 4 months | 8/27/2009 | 1 | cramps | craziness | I wrote a review back in April saying I was very satisfied with this pill. The first 2 months were great, I had no negative side effects. By month 3 I started feeling depressed and would get mad or sad at the smallest things, but it got worst as each month went by. Next thing I know, I feel like a crazy person who's getting mad and crying about a cat that didn't want to come inside. WTF?! I've never felt like this in my entire life. I'm now switching to Necon 0.5/35 | F | 21 | 6 months | 8/24/2009 | 3 | to control heavy bleeding | I started taking this pill only 5 days ago and I feel like I am dizzy off and on all day. I also notice that I feel sad for no real reason. My doctor gave me this to control heavy bleeding but I am not sure I want to continue. Its making me a little afraid. | F | 47 | 5 days | 8/21/2009 | 5 | prevent birth control` | breast tenderness, no period | I would recommend this pill. I havent had any bad reactions except that i thought i was pregnant because i didnt get my period, but i took a pregnancy test and it was negative. | F | 32 | 2 months | 8/19/2009 | 4 | Birth Control | Honestly, the only thing I don't like about the pill is my periods last for just 1 day, and when that happens I get concerned that I may be pregnant. I've had no side effects what so ever. Cramping has gone a billion times down and cramping was death to me - horrible, painful cramps. I absolutely love loestrin. It's a good pill to me. Even though it's not recommended to take the pill the same time everyday, you should really consider doing that. =] | F | 3 months | 8/19/2009 | 5 | Birth Control | none - | I've tried Depovera - skin like sand paper,lots of bleeding! loestrin 21 -- fatigue - but it worked! Patch -- chest pains, abdominal pain - hated it. With this 24 day loestrin: I HAVE HAD NO SIDE EFFECTS!!!! Periods last 1 1/2 days and very light!!! More exspensiv --- but worth it. | 31 | 15 months | 8/15/2009 | 5 | Birth control | moodiness for the first week, slight breast tenderness | so far so good :) | F | 19 | 2 months | 8/13/2009 | 1 | To regulate my periods. | Severe Depression | Within a couple of days of taking this pill, depression began to creep in. By the end of the week I was uncontrollably crying at everything and anything, yet couldn't understand why. I was taken to a doctor after parents thought I was suicidal. She suggested anti-depressants! However, I had researched other patients problems with this pill, and decided to take myself off it. Within a few days I was back to my 'usual' self. I would not recommend this pill at all, especially if you suffer badly with pre and post mentrual depression/stress, as I did before taking the pill. | F | 19 | 21 days | 8/13/2009 | 1 | Birth control | Very tired,painful tingling in arms at night, so bad I went to the doctor and ordered an MRI of the brain (which came out fine). Very poor circulation, swollen ankles. Mood swings, no sex drive, serious weight gain. | No period in 10 months, very scary. | F | 37 | 10 months | 8/10/2009 | 1 | birth control | Extremely tired, irritable, depressed, no sex drive | I want to sleep all the time. I dont want to do anything or go anywhere. Dont want to be intimate with my boyfriend. I will not continue this pill and researching other alternatives... | F | 33 | 10 days | 8/10/2009 | 1 | Regulate Periods | Extremely tired...No energy, Nausea, dizzy, leg cramps, extreme breast soreness, headaches and noticing more hair than usual in shower, which is totally freaking me out! I think I'm calling the Doctor tomorrow, I would rather the irregular periods than all these side effects...this is the first time I'm using a BC pill and its totally freaked me out! Not to mention I do not have insurance, so the added cost is not worth it either! | F | 26 | 8 days | 8/9/2009 | 3 | Birth control | Depression, suicidal thoughts, mood swings, sleepness, anger, body aches. | It has only been 30 days since I have been on this pill. I have not had to take birthcontrol pills for many years. It is quite an adjustment. I have never had mood swings like the last 2 weeks. I am going to take the pills for another month but so far, I think the side effects are not worth it | F | 45 | 30 days | 8/8/2009 | 2 | Prevent Pregnancy | Mild hair loss, increased acne, no period at all | My headaches were less frequent with this pill, but i developed alot more acne, and i found out why: Norethindrone, the progestin in this medication, has the strongest androgen effect, which means that more oil is produced, leading to acne. I have been on several different brands of the pill, and this had the worst acne side effect of any of the others i have tried (Estrostep Fe, Desogen, Ortho Novum 7/7/7, and Ortho-TriCyclen). Today is the last day that i am on this pill!! | F | 31 | 5 months | 8/7/2009 | 2 | Weight gain, thinning hair, depression, anxiety, low sex drive, tired. | I took the generic brand of Loestrin called Microgestin. For the first year or so I had/or didn't realize any negative side effects. My face couldn't look any better, not that I had bad acne in the first place. I had my period the same time every month (during the brown pill) so my period was predicable, small flow, and lasted only 2-3 days. It was great. Until I realized a year later...I was probably in denial. I gained almost 15-20lbs. I was always moody and I didn't know why. I would get depressed easily and I had no more sex drive at all! I am now getting off the pill (yesterday) and already my body is reacting. I started my period and got incredible cramps. I guess this is the way your body is suppose to "heal" after being on the pill so long. I can only hope for positive outcomes of throwing my pills in the garbage. Keep your head up girls. | F | 22 | 20 months | 7/30/2009 | 5 | Pregnancy Prevention | NONE | I have just finished my first pack...I don't know what all these other ladies are talking about, I got on this pill because Yaz killed my sex drive but Loestrin brought it right back. The tender breasts happen with all BC's I have tried as well as with this one, but not as bad with this one. Also, I have never had trouble with any birth controls as far as spotting UNLESS I didn't take it the same time everyday. That is crucial. Also, my period was hardly noticeable and even though barely having one can freak some people out about wondering if they're pregnant or not, that is an inner thing. Just take the pill at the same time every day. if you miss one, use a condom! Other wise, there is a 1 in 100 chance you could get preggo by correctly taking the pill and the way I see it, if you happen to be that stat, it was meant to be! Also, some women are talking about depression due to this pill...it may be true for some, but I strongly feel that is an inner thing as well and has nothing to do with the pill...I've taken quite a few different kinds and have never experienced a change in my moods...maybe I am just even tempered but I don't like to blame the pill for my feelings. I am sure some of ya'll won't appreciate my comments, but that is fine. This pill ROCKS. | F | 26 | 1 months | 7/17/2009 | 2 | to shorten periods | extreme fatigue, sore breasts, nausea | I started taking this 4 weeks ago; just got my period today, during the "inactive" iron pill phase. I started taking this because my periods are excessive in length; my doctor thought this would straighten them out. Well, I'd rather have longer periods than the complete and utter exhaustion I've been feeling for the past few weeks. I need a nap every day and I'm cranky because I'm so tired all. the. time. I was nauseous the first few days but not terribly. Sadly I'll have to figure something else out, this is not worth it! | F | 39 | 27 days | 7/17/2009 | 2 | hormone balance | nausea, headache, basically no period- more light brown discharge with some red, dizziness | I am going to get off this pill. I've had two periods on it- one was HORRIBLY HEAVY and the one I'm having now barely exists. I took two pregnancy tests to be sure and both were negative. I'm on the generic of this pill. | F | 20 | 3 months | 7/15/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | Weight gain, depression, abdominal pain, lower back pain, joint pain, irritability | I ended up taking the generic form of this medication, Microgestin, due to my other bc pill going up significantly in price. Worst mistake I ever made. I had hosts of problems for 3 years after taking this pill, and come to find out it's because this pill dropped my progesterone levels down very low. I've recently started using some progesterone cream, and all of my troubling symptoms have gone away. I recommend Estrostep FE, if anyone is looking to switch to another pill (don't get the generic kind, either). Have your GYN or an endocrinologist check your hormone levels if you are still having side effects after taking this pill. They may be able to prescribe something to help you. | F | 30 | 2 months | 7/15/2009 | 2 | Pregnancy Prevention | Swollen and painful breasts, loss of sex drive, bleeding and cramps after sex, acne | I take the generic, Junel. I have taken the brand name Loestrin in the past and didn't have as many side effects, just the loss of sex drive. The positive thing is that I have not had my period, as I was taking this continuously due to painful and extended periods. Even so, I plan to go off this pill. | F | 29 | 3 months | 7/11/2009 | 4 | Birth Control | Breast Tenderness But This is good as i have small breasts anyway and it made them look Alot bigger :) .. mood swings not very good .. i tend to get angry alot | i do recommend this pill | F | 17 | 1 months | 7/1/2009 | 2 | birth control | weight gain, bloating, increased acne, breast tenderness, signs of depression, NO sex drive, + was little period | As I'm reading ALL of these comments I can't believe so many other women have gone through the same things...I was only on this pill for maybe 6mos. - I began looking up signs of depression and then linked it to the pill...been off of it for about 3 weeks now and feel like a cloud has been lifted I am SOOO glad I took myself off! If youre feeling these things just try 1 week off - I felt better in 1 week!!!!! | F | 30 | 5 months | 6/28/2009 | 1 | birth control | slight wieght gain, acne | horrible acne!!! and i never get acne!!! | F | 37 | 1 months | 6/26/2009 | 3 | I have noticed weight gain and i feel so bloated in the stomach area. Also I am tired a lot, moody and always hungry. On the days I should have had a period, if it came.. it was way light. Almost more discharge with a tint of red, than blood. This last week my boobs are way bigger than normal and more full. They are very tender too. All these symptoms made me think i was pregnant. So i went and took a pregnancy test and it came back negative. Im so far not liking this pill... | F | 23 | 2 months | 6/24/2009 | 1 | Prevent pregnancy & improve acne | Hives, throat swelling, the thought of intimacy made me want to puke (loss of libido), vaginal irritation, feelings of panic/impending doom, depression, mild bloating. | I believe I had an allergic reaction to this pill. My throat swelled shut and I broke out in small hives all over my face, chest, and back. I lost interest in any form of intimacy. I also had these weird feelings of panic.. you know, like the kind of feeling you get whenever you realize you've lost your car keys. I thought that weird feeling would go away if I kept taking the pill, but it only became worse with time. I've also tried Yaz & Ortricyclen lo and both made me an emotional train wreck. On the bright side, this pill made me have those panic-y feelings, but it didn't make me an emotional trainwreck like the other pills did. | F | 18 | 2 weeks | 6/23/2009 | 5 | Birth Control/Hormone Balance | No side effects on brand name (many side effects when tried the generic - cramps, mood swings, emotional, heavy bleeding) | I have been very happy with this pill as long as I take the brand name. Light periods, no cramps, helps keep hormone levels in check. The generic is NOT the same. If you are taking a generic version, you are taking a different pill. I have been on this pill for at least 8 years and the ONLY time I had any side effects and they were awful, cramping, mood swings, very emotional was the one month I tried a generic. Brand is much more expensive but for me was worth every penny. | F | 50 | 8 years | 6/20/2009 | 1 | DOCTOR RECOMMENDED. | IRREGULAR PERIODS, WEIGHT GAIN, SEVERE DIZZYNESS, NAUSIA, HOT FLASHES, FATIGUE, ACNE. | I HATE THIS BIRTH CONTROL!!! FIRST OF ALL---I’VE ALWAYS HAD REGULAR PERIODS, NO CRAMPING, AND NO ACNE PROBLEMS. NOW WITH THIS BIRTH CONTROL, IN THE FIRST 3 MONTHS-I STARTED GETTING ACNE ON MY NECK, BACK, AND FACE…..AND I WOULD HAVE TWO PARIODS: ONE IN THE MIDDLE AND ONE AT THE END. (I JUST FIGURED MY BODY NEEDED TO GET USED TO THIS BC, AND IGNORED THIS ISSUE. THEN, THE PAST 2 MONTHS I HAVE HAD NO PERIOD AT ALL. I TOOK TWO PREGNANCY TESTS RIGHT AWAY AND BOTH CAME UP NEGATIVE. (THIS ALONE IS FREAKING ME OUT BECAUSE I'VE NEVER MISSED A PERIOD EVER...AND THIS IS A BIT UNNERVING). ALSO, I'VE GAINED TEN POUNDS IN TWO MONTHS!!! BUT THE WORST THING IS THE DIZZYNESS, FATIGUE, AND HOTFALSHES. AT RANDOM TIMES MY EYES WILL START GETTING FUZZY, I WILL FEEL NAUSIOUS, GET VERY DIZZY, GET DISORIENTED, AND GET BAD HOT FLASHES AS IF I HAD JUST JUMPED INTO A HOT TUB. IT IS HORRIBLE...AND RECENTLY HAS GOTTEN WORSE AND WORSE. IT’S TO THE POINT THAT I HAD TO CALL OFF OF WORK. NEEDLESS TO SAY I AM THROWING THESE PILLS AWAY---I GAE THEM ALMOST 6 MONTHS AND THESE PAST SIX MONTHS HAVE BEEN THE WORST EVER PHYSICALLY. I’M GETTING BACK ON YASMIN 28—I WAS ON THAT FOR A WHILE AND IT WORKED PERFECTLY. | F | 24 | 5 months | 6/17/2009 | 5 | to prevent pregnancy and cramps | No side effects | PLEASE READ!!!!! Female age 20 95lbs This is the first pill i was perscribed from my doctor due to the fact I have a tiny frame 5'2 and low weight. I took the trial packets and LOVED THEM!!!!!! Unfortunatly I switched to Microgestin 1/20 which is a lesser dosage than Loestrin 1/20... Switching was easier on the budget but the worst on my side effects. 1) I rarely have a sex drive 2) I missed one pill and my cycle started again 3) longer heavier period 4) bloating and cramps. Im my opinion spending a little more money on Loestrin 1/20 is worth it to me. I never worried about getting prego when I took it, and now because I'm so irregular I worry about it all the time. There are alot of bad reviews here but honestly I have had a good experience with it =) | F | 20 | 5 months | 6/11/2009 | 3 | birth control | extreme irritability, depression, acne (and I don't get acne), unable to sleep through night | I took this in my 20s and was fine. Now that I've started again I'm getting a whole new batch of side effects. Will stick with it for 2 months to see if mood problems and depression go away. I won't be able to continue if it affects me like this. | F | 38 | 3 weeks | 6/11/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | yeast infection, moodiness, breakout of skin | Only been on it for a week and I'm throwing the rest away. I was perfectly fine for 9 years on OrthoCyclen. Been years since I had a yeast infection, I'm normally an annoyingly happy person and I have nothing else to attribute moodiness to other than this stupid pill. I hate it, I'd rather be pregnant. | F | 29 | 8 days | 6/9/2009 | 5 | Heavy periods and birth control | I have been on it for yr and I spot from time to time (not too often) I have been very pleased up until recently. I am not sure if it is the pill or just life, I feel sad/depressed and have been getting some add'l break thru bleeding and cramping. I am going to continue for one more month. | My dr said to try to incorporate a few addition vitamins while taking this bc pill, 2000mg of vitamin C for break thru bleeding and complex B for mood swings. I hope this helps. But I am overall happy with this pill | F | 29 | 1 years | 6/8/2009 | 5 | no babies! | No periods, weight loss aid, thinning hair | I like this pill; I've been on over a dozen in the last 15 years - the last several gave me such horrible breast tenderness that it's become my sign to change pills. I don't like that my hair is thinning - but I have no idea if it's from this pill. I also joined Weight Watchers, and have lost 15 lbs - and I've been trying to do that FOREVER. There is very little effort involved for some reason! Again, no idea if it's a side effect of this pill. | F | 33 | 6 months | 6/8/2009 | 3 | Ovarian polyps, irregular bleeding | Extreme fatigue, lack of concentration, no sex drive, hair loss, first no periods at all and now they are completely irregular. | I noticed the extreme fatigue and lack of concentration within a week of taking Loestrin. I pushed through since I wanted to give it a chance and eventually it got a little better - although I never really felt like myself. After about 9 or 10 months I started to have very irregular periods. My Dr. said to go off the pill for one month and go back on. The month I was off was fabulous! After 3 weeks back on I was back to irregularity and absolutely no energy. I made an appointment to get my pill changed. | F | 33 | 1.5 years | 6/8/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | Nausea, headaches, moodiness, breast tenderness, bloating, loss of appatite, fatigue, overall blahh feeling. | i feel awful. i hope these sidee effects go away. i feel like its ruining my life. i hate being constantly moody! | F | 22 | 6 days | 6/6/2009 | 2 | Birth control | fatigue, depression, weight gain, swelling in feet and ankles, breast tenderness, ZERO sex drive | I took it for about six months, and even though my period was much lighter, I felt bloated, fat, and could practically never reach climax with my boyfriend. My breasts constantly hurt, and my ankles and feet would swell up as though I had sprained them. | F | 27 | 6 months | 6/3/2009 | 2 | pergancy prevention | very bad headaches the point to where i can barley do anything. doctor thought it was another problem. nausea. sleepless. cramping in stomach. no sex drive. felt like i was pregnant every month. mood swings. itching on my scalp. not happy with it at all | F | 22 | 3 months | 6/3/2009 | 1 | ovarian cysts | headaches, dizziness, nausea,vomiting,general malaise,unclear thinking,backache,overall felt terrible and unable to function. | symptoms began at day 10 of taking loestrin fe 1/20 and continue to persist. I have not been able to go to school because the dizziness and headaches are so bad. No one seems to believe that this pill could cause me to feel so terrible. I am tired of feeling this way and being told that they don't know why I am so sick. I hope that someone can help me. I am 14 years old and my life sucks. | F | 14 | 15 days | 6/2/2009 | 4 | acne | moodiness and emotional, spotting, breast enlargement and tenderness, lighter periods, hungry all the time | i love the pill so far i havent seen any difference in the acne but the periods are so light and short and i keep thinking im pregnant with all the symptoms but its great | F | 16 | 6 weeks | 6/1/2009 | 3 | avoid pregnancy | So far, headaches throughout the day, extremely tired, lack of appetite, acne, tingling in the legs, spotting. | I have only started taking this pill for 3 weeks now, and am hoping that most of these side affects will go away. I got it to avoid pregnancy and also for my extremely bad cramps. However Im already feeling cramps early...I'm going to give it at least a 3 month trial. | F | 25 | 3 weeks | 6/1/2009 | 3 | birth control | hardly any sex drive, EXTREME mood swings, breast tenderness, weight gain, acne | I've been taking this for over a year now, and at first it was great. One thing I can't complain about are the periods... hardly worth calling a period, without any cramps. However, it's definitely causing some problems with my relationship with my boyfriend as I get upset at him for absolutely no reason it seems like, and I'm so emotional, I cry at just about everything! I've been feeling depressed, and have NO SEX DRIVE... that really gets me. I don't want my boyfriend feeling like I'm not interested in him. I also started breaking out about 4 months into starting it and havn't been able to stop it. I'm switching to ortho tricyclen or desogen next month. | F | 19 | 1 years | 5/29/2009 | 3 | premenapause | First month had heavy bleeding for 2 1/2 weeks, 2nd month everything seems normal, have gained a little weight, going to give this a 3 month trial before making any decisions | F | 43 | 2 months | 5/27/2009 | 3 | Endometriosis | extreme breast tenderness, complete loss of libido | I started taking this because I have horribly painful, heavy periods due to endometriosis. I am skipping over the placebos (the brown pills) for three months and in the fourth month I will take them. The goal is for me to eventually have only three periods a year. I have had some mild spotting. Within two weeks of beginning this pill my breast size increased significantly, which I love, but they are very sore all the time. The only big problem I am experiencing is that I have NO sex drive. At all. I have struggled with depression in the past and was very nervous when I started reading up on side effects - many women reported suicidal depression. I have not noticed any feelings of sadness - I'm just ANNOYED because my boyfriend and I used to have a very healthy sex life and now I have no desire to have sex! | F | 30 | 6 weeks | 5/26/2009 | 4 | irregular periods, birth control.. | I was on it for about a year, maybe a little more. At first I gained a little weight, was really moody and then it actually got a lot better. I got up to about 140 pounds, I am 5'5 and only 18 years old, so for me it was heavy. (small boned) around jan. of 09 I started losing weight for no reason because of loss of appetite. I am now down to 115 and feel so good. I also lost the moodiness after a little bit. I just got off it though because my periods began really irregular again! I am now on nuva ring and I indeed have my appetite back. SO I know it was the pill that made me lose 25 pounds! overall I liked this pill! You erally have to try it for a little for your body to get used to it. I do know that with loestrin you get the same dose of hormone everday so as far as irritabilty, fatigue, crankiness, that should all not really happen with this pill.I dont know you have to try it for yourself!! EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT OBVIOUSLY!! | M | 18 | 1.5 years | 5/20/2009 | 5 | a little bit of breast tenderness | I haven't experienced any negative side effects from Loestrin. In fact, the minute I went off it (for about two months of this year) I got pretty bad acne for the first time in my life, and some horrible cramps and heavy bleeding. I also even GAINED a little bit of weight. On Loestrin, however, my skin has always been clear, my periods short and light, my sex drive/mood/weight stable, etc. | F | 19 | 6 years | 5/17/2009 | 4 | Birth Control | Slight weight gain.. just water retention. Mild headaches | I've tried YAZ, Otho Tri-Lo, Yasmin... all gave me serious mood swings and migranes. So far nothing like that has happened on this pill. No major weight gain. I just gave birth 5 months ago and am down below my pre preg weight. | F | 22 | 90 days | 5/13/2009 | 2 | Heaving Bleeding | Moodiness, Depression, diarrhea, heavy bleeding still, bloating and fatigue. | I have been taking this pill now for almost 4 months and still I have not seen any improvement. My period is still heavy when I am on the brown pills. Isn't the pill suppose to stop the bleeding. I think that I need a BC with higher estrogen even if I am petrified of taking a pill with a higher dose of estrogen. If my period is still rushing heavy for this month while i'm on the brown pills i'm off the pills!!! It's not worth it especially if it's not working!! | F | 27 | 4 months | 5/11/2009 | 1 | endometriosis | In order, beginning with the side effect most commonly reported by me: non-existent sex drive, intense mood swings/irritability, depression, suicidal ideations, headaches, migraines, nausea in mornings, weight gain quickly, bloated, breast swelling/tenderness, increased appetite, leg cramps at night, break through bleeding. All of the aforementioned symptoms were severe and effected my DAILY activities. | I have been diagnosed with endometriosis at age 15 and have tried so many different treatments, with no relief. This medication did have one good outcome: periods that were light and lasted 3 days or less. However, the side effects that I have experienced have been severe and affected me every day. The worst side effect was the decreased libido. Not only did I not respond to any stimulation, I was also unable to have an orgasm. The mood swings affected my job performance and relationships. I felt like I had the flu so many times. The nausea forced me to change my eating habits. Yet, my body is swollen all over, and I have gained weight very quickly. The main reason my doctor prescribed this medication was to treat severe pain from endometriosis. My pain has NOT decreased at all. And the side effects from this medication is NOT worth a shorter period. The "remedy" is worse than the disease. | F | 30 | 3 months | 5/9/2009 | 1 | Birth Control | I gained 15 pounds in 6 mo. Severe depression. Severe fatigue, sleeping for hours during the day. Zero sex drive. Daily headaches. Regular break through bleeding but very weak periods. Nightmares, trouble sleeping. I've gone physically and mentaly downhill since I started this pill. It never occured to me that I could be having side effects until I came to this site. I almost cried thinking that perhaps I'm not losing my mind. I've thrown the pills in the garbage. Now I just want to know how long it will take to get out of my system. My husband kept saying, what's happening to you, your not yourself these days. I've had bursts of anger and severe crashes in the afternoons. It's been a horrible few months!!! | F | 40 | 6 months | 5/8/2009 | 4 | pregnancy prevention | extreme mood swings around period, weight loss | Except for the crazy mood swings I get around the time of my period and the break through bleeding in the beginning, this birth control is so great. It definitely does its job and I lost about 18 pounds in the first three months! | F | 20 | 4 months | 5/6/2009 | 2 | It was prescribed for a cyst | Oh my God, weight gain, like none of my pants fit. No period for months- I took two pregnancy tests just to make sure. Fatigue, decreased sex drive. | After the cyst went away I told my Obgyn I was going off it. I still have yet to get back to normal. These 1980's side effects shouldn't happen anymore. | F | 42 | 4 months | 5/6/2009 | 2 | Excrutiating Monthly Cramps | Moodiness, weight gain, trouble sleeping. | Second time I've been on Loestrin. The first time I was on for 3 months and stopped taking it because of EXTREME moodiness, including mood swings, raging anger and intense depression (think crying while driving for no reason). That was over 2 years ago and I let my gyno convince me that those symptoms weren't Loestrin-related. My monthly cramps are so horrible, I tried it again. 6 weeks in and I'm quitting them. Weight gain, despite eating very healthy and working out daily. Acne, worse than usual. Wild moodiness - so "down" that I want to sleep through the day. Trouble sleeping and leg pain, although I hadn't connected those to the pill until reading this site. TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS with this pill! I regret being talked out of mine... | F | 28 | 4.5 months | 5/4/2009 | 2 | pregnancy prevention | breast tenderness, decreased sex drive, missed periods | I took this bcp for so long that I did not realize it was the cause of my decreased sex drive. I thought I had just changed emotionally over time, until I read that loestrin can cause decreased sex drive. Three months ago I quit taking it and now I am back to normal. The breast tenderness went away after a couple of months, and I actually didn't mind the missed periods very much! The decreased (almost non-existent) sex drive, though, is not acceptable. | F | 23 | 18 months | 5/3/2009 | 1 | birth control | dizziness, extreme fatigue, anxiety,and an all-around ill feeling similar to the first few months of pregnancy, including spotting and menstrual-like cramps. | I actually spent money on a few trips to the doctor thinking I was pregnant or ill, but it was never brought to my attention that it may be side effects of my birth control. They set in about 2 weeks after being prescribed the medicine and never got better. | F | 24 | 2 months | 5/3/2009 | 1 | Birth control | Oh my god this is the worst pill in the entire world!!! For me at least. I am crying reading these comments because I seriously thought I was loosing my mind. I have gained 7 lbs in a little less than a month, am depressed, more anxious (got to admit I always was a little anxious), irritable, decreased sex drive. I haven't felt this horrible in years. I actually went to the dr to discuss going back on an antidepressant and just randomly started searching online about loestrin fe side effects while I was waiting and now I'm waiting to see if I'll feel normal soon. I threw this pill in the garbage. Thanks so much for all the comments. Hope I feel better soon. | M | 27 | 4 weeks | 4/30/2009 | 5 | perimenopause | happiness (except on the 4 days iron) | F | 49 | 60 days | 4/29/2009 | 5 | Perimenopause symptoms | I am 52 and I love this pill! I took it for several years with no negative side effect. My periods were short and very light and I had no more moodiness or PMS symptoms. I then stopped taking it about 6 months ago in order to go through natural menopause. That was a mistake! I was not in menopause yet and started having very heavy, painful, irregular periods. I went back to my doctor who prescribed it again for me and I couldn't be happier!! | M | 52 | 4/28/2009 |
| Key to
ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine. |
