There are 970 ratings for the drug: LOESTRIN FE 1/20 in the Askapatient database.

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.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken		Date Added
				F  M
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4	Birth control, irregular periods	So far, I love loestrin and Im surprised by all the negative comments, but birth control affects everyone differently and what may work for one may not work for the other. Before the pill, I had no acne whatsoever but would get a pimple every now and then but now nothing! Ive noticed my skin become so amazingly clear.. I love it! The first day I took the pill (9PM) I experienced extre e nausea and ended up puking. I then decided to take it at 4PM everyday with a meal. The only side effect I have seen is swollen breast and they can be very tender at times. I have had an increase in apetite, and from that have gained a pound or two, nothing big. Although I must say Im pleased as I was a little underweight before due to a lot of stress in my life in the past month. Another thing is, I wouldnt say lack but definitely decrease in libido compared to before. Overall, Im happy with it and hope as time goes on things dont change. Would recommend this pill. Works for me!		F	18	15 days		2/8/2010
1		while taking microgestion: major mood swings and depression 1st couple of days off of microgestion: bloated, cramps, naesous and lloking 3 months pregnant	i started microgestion 2 weeks ago and last week i came off of it because of the side effects.i was crying at nothing. my boyfriend was getting worried because i never even act THAT emotional while PMSing. i also felt depressed ex: i was watching The Departed and at the end of it i got really depressed and called my bf crying... i started it while on my period so for me to be so emotional was not right. right now it has been 4 days off of it and i feel horrible. i was bleeding for 2 days when i got off by then my period had already ended so it just added an unnecessary two days, i have stomach cramps, i'm nausous and look like i am 3 months pregnant. this is sad... i was only on the pill for 5 days !! never taking birth control again	F	19	5 days		2/4/2010
1	Contraception	I have taken Loestrin every day for 7 months and stopped taking it today due to all of the side effects I have experienced. I developed severe acne all over my face, chest, neck, and back which has been untreatable. My mood fluctuates erratically from very irritable to sad to angry. I feel constant fatigue, and experience terrible cramping, but have not had a period in 3 months. I panic every month when I don't have a period, and have to run to get a pregnancy test. I have gained 5 lbs, and completely lost interest in sex. I literally have not had the desire to have sex for 6 months.This pill is more trouble than it is worth. I have terrible side effects and no relief.	This pill is the worst I have tried; even worse than Yaz. Acne, irritablity, anger, sadness, loss of sex drive, weight gain, and cramps without getting a period.	F	29	7 months		2/4/2010
1	birth control, acne	thrombosis, spots, weight gain, moodyness, anger	I came of it 2 months ago after taking it for 21 days. i had to finsih the cycle i put on nearly 2 stone. recently i thought i woudl try it again and becase i excercise more i thought the side effects wouldnt effect me. I was right i have put on no weight however im experiencing serious itching and my legs are blue, all my veins have come up and every night im in severe pain of my kidneys after reading the leaflet of the pill i discovered that thrombosis could be a side effect.	F	17	17 days		2/4/2010 Email
3	birth control, lighter periods	breakouts, spotting, nausea	I have been on Loestrin for almost one month now, just started the brown pills but have not gotten my period yet. I just switched from yaz because I was concerned about all of the health problems it has been linked to, and because it made my breasts very sore. On the up side, my breasts don't hurt as much on Loestrin. But on the down side, the first two to three weeks on it I was getting very nauseous. I was taking the pill at night but switched to the morning and it seemed to make the nausea go away. I also has some brownish spotting for a few weeks but that also subsided. In addition my face has been breaking out SO bad! Normally I break out a little bit around my period, but nothing terrible. But since starting loestrin I've got severe acne. I'm hoping after a few months I will adjust to the new hormone and it will go away. It's strange though because Yaz has the same dose of estrogen and it never made me breakout. If the breakouts don't stop though I'll definitely be switching to a new pill again, no way am I putting up with this!	F	22	26 days		2/1/2010
4	Birth Control	Irregular spotting between periods, mild nausea if taken without food.	No serious side effects. The irregular spotting was a bit annoying, but easy to deal with. No weight gain, skin change, or mood changes. I found that taking it with food significantly decreased any nausea.	F	27	60 days		1/29/2010
2	Cyst		I'm not sure if its the pills or what. But ever since I been taking it I've been getting very angry and now its hitting me with crying a lot. I've argued with pretty much everyone around me and I get extremely angry when I'm outside and someone does something to me like push, etc. I'm usually nice and ignore people since I live in NYC. But I'm a littel scared and don't want to get in trouble cause of this anger thing... But after seeing all these comments. I'm going to call my gyno tomorrow. =(	F	19	2 months		1/24/2010
2	Cyst	Anger problems	I'm not sure if its the pills or what. But ever since I been taking it I've been getting very angry and now its hitting me with crying a lot. I've argued with pretty much everyone around me and I get extremely angry when I'm outside and someone does something to me like push, etc. I'm usually nice and ignore people since I live in NYC. But I'm a littel scared and don't want to get in trouble cause of this anger thing... But after seeing all these comments. I'm going to call my gyno tomorrow. =(	F	19	2 months		1/24/2010
1	Prevent pregnancy	Tender breast, no period, tiredness, headaches, moodiness	I started this BC at the beginning of nov. I had a regular period at the end of nov & skipped my period in December. I took 3 pregnancy test & all negative. I started my period for this month yesterday & I am off of it today. I switched from Yaz to start taking this but I am calling my doctor this week & switching back to Yaz. I feel bloated all the time! I don't like not having a period bc it makes me think I may be pregnant!	F	21	2 months		1/24/2010 Email
2	Contraception	Spotting, no periods		F	18	3 months		1/18/2010
1	i had a never ending period	I gained 10 pounds in 3 months, which is dramatic considering I'm only 16 and have never gained weight in my life. I also have severe migranes to the point where I throw up. I'm not myself anymore and I cry for no reason. I feel depressed and am just sitting in my room for most of the time I'm home. I get massize mood swings too.	I would NOT recommend this pill. I feel like a different person now(not in a good way either). I started off on Yaz and got headaches on a daily basis but compared to Loestrin it's worth it. I'm switching back to Yaz after this month is over	F	16	3 months		1/10/2010
3	Prevent pregnancy.	Cramps a few days before period. In consistant periods. No change in sex drive. My gyn recommended this to help lessen the strength of my period cramps which I experienced on yaz	I previously took Yasmin for about three years then switched to yaz for about two years and now am on this. For me, Cramps are not as bad as previous birth controls but I have had periods ranging from 5 to 7 days some months and only 2 days other months. For example, the past two months I have had somewhat heavy long periods, but this month my period seemed like a little spotting one day only so I am freaking out that I am pregnant. I have not taken a test yet and don't feel any different so I don't know if this is common for loestrin or not. Any advice from experienced users would be appreciated.	F	21	7 months		1/6/2010 Email
4	birth control	nausea	I am taking Microgestin FE 120 for a month now. I took the first pill and then decided to just read up on it. I was scared out of my mind after reading reviews. I tried to calm myself down by saying that people usually only give reviews with a bad occurence. Raily do people seek out these sites to give a positive one. Nevertheless I was scared. I thought I was going to gain weight, be an emotional crazy person, suffer from bad eye sight, etc etc. I was especially scared because I would take the pill at noon and at 5 pm everyday I would feel nauseous. I changed my time to 5pm, and hey problem solved. I am usually in bed by the time the nausea would start. Other than that, no weight gain, no headaches, no lose of sexual interest, and no breast tenderness. Everyone is different and their bodies react differently. I would say I am very satisfied with this birth control.	F	27	1 months		12/30/2009
3	to prevent pregnancy, ovarian cyst	loss some of my sex drive and gained weight but its better than yaz which i was on for 9 months before i started loestrin. on yaz, i got yeast infections every month and i was an emotional mess.		F	19	3 months		12/29/2009 Email
2	birth control	irritability, spottiness,decreased sex drive, light-headedness, fatigue, bacterial vaginitis, depression	I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen from the age of 18-27. The last year I began getting horrible headaches so I stopped taking the pill. I recently started it again but tried loestrin, to stop the headaches. Between the spottiness, vaginal infections, and loss of sex drive I'm barely having sex anymore. Not quite worth it.	F	27	2.5 months		12/23/2009
3	contraception	worked as contraceptive, super LOW sex drive, irritability, weight gain	To be fair, I did quit smoking right as I began taking Loestrin so I cannot blame all of my weight gain on the pill. When I first started taking Loestrin I went into a depression for a couple of months. I quit taking the pill last week when the almost non existent sex drive continued becoming a major issue between my husband and me. I have been off the pill 7 days and I can already see a major difference - so can he! We'll see if I can lose some of that weight now. No major adverse physical side effects that i can tell.	F	30	2 years		12/14/2009 Email
1	Birth Control	Really bad breakout on forehead first few months. Pain in my chest. Really really bad anxiety, all the time. Headaches.	Made me have anxiety at about the same time every night. Had pain in my chest. Stopped taking it 3 days ago. Hopefully I feel better. I think I'm staying off birth control for awhile.	F	20	4 months		12/14/2009
1	Lessen heavy periods	While this pill did succeed in allowing me to experience light periods, I developed a Retinal Occlusion in my eye...a blood clot. I will forever have impaired eyesight and am very lucky to be alive. Please read the insert where it states under severe side effects that blood clots are possible. By the way, I am a non-smoker and in my mid-30's.	Please, find an alternative to this pill. It's not worth the risk to your health and life.	F	35	2 years		12/12/2009
2	Horrible period cramps and sex	The pill was not bad at first until I started having anxiety attacks and my breasts began to ache and never stopped.	I took it for 3 weeks then decided to give up on it because I didn't like the way I felt. Is it bad that I didn't finish the pack? I also have yet to start my period but it feels as if I have cramps from now and then plus my breasts ache horribly like they did on the pill. It's been 2 weeks since I've stopped the pill (I only took it for 3 weeks) and my question is could it have stopped my period? I already took 2 pregnancy tests last week and both were negative, should I take another? Or could it stop my period for this month? thank you!	F	22	3 weeks		12/11/2009 Email
5	Contraception	Random, tiny tiny pimples in random places on my body. They're hardly noticeable and few and far between! For the first pack I would feel a little nauseated in the mornings right after I woke up, but it didn't happen again after having my period and starting the second pack.	On this pill I was able to protect myself from having babies when I didn't want them and was also delighted by having noticeably shorter, lighter periods! I didn't notice any skin benefits nor did I gain any weight. If anything I've lost a bit of weight since I started taking this pill. Maybe it's because I can carelessly have sex with my boyfriend whenever I want.	F	19	6 months		12/10/2009
1	Contraception	Severe bloating, anxiety, IBS flare up, yeast infection, tiredness, tearful one minute then angry the next, resistance to contact lenses.	This pill is horrible! It is the 4th pill I've tried in the last year and I hate it! After changing from Yasmin; which gave me awful migranes constantly but with no other side effects. I have been taking it now continuously (tricycling because if I don't I get really bad migranes) and it was fine for the first 3 packets (some spotting in the first packet) but after I had a break with no period it's all gone downhill. I've been really bloated, feeling sick and had lots of stomach cramps. Along with massive anxiety attacks mainly due to worrying about being pregnant despite 3 negative pregnancy tests all well after when my period is due. I look 4 months pregnant by the end of everyday. I have gained 6Ibs due to huge sugar cravings. My contact lenses now annoy the hell out of me. My IBS has flared up; I think mainly due to all the anxiety to do with no periods and possibly being pregnant. I have been crying at the smallest things and getting annoyed really easily. I had a yeast infection for about a month when I started this pill then followed by cystitis for 2 weeks. Now that I have typed all this I'm beginning to wonder why I'm still on this pill! So I can guarantee I will be switching as soon as possible.	F	23	4 months		12/8/2009 Email
1		Acne, tiredness, hair loss, rashes on my hands and neck, headaches, missed periods, lack of sex drive, dryness, sadness, tender breasts.	The first three months of this pill were great. All the previous (5) pill brands had given me terrible headaches and mood swings, so my doctor decided to try me out with a lower dose. After three months I started to break out on my chin, but I figured I could deal with it once a month in return for a 2 day period and clear head, but from then it only got worse. It's now been six months and I'm constantly tired, have reoccuring headaches and the spots have spread from my chin to my whole face, huge, red and painful spots that linger for weeks at a time. It's getting me so down, but I thought I'd give my body the change to adjust, which is why I've waited so long. I'm now missing periods, suffering from incredibly sore breasts and a lack of sex drive and am truly worried about the amount of hair that I'm losing every day. I'm going to the doctor as soon as I possibly can to get this changed. I'm just worried that the side effects will take months to disappear now. I'm so miserable.	F	22	6 months		12/6/2009
5	good effects	No negative side effects, all positive, i lost weight =)	First off i would like to tell you my history with two other BC, First birth control i ever took was Yaz/Yasmin= mood swings, weight gain especially in breast. After taking that for a year i switched to the nuva ring, and i had no negative side effects except for low sex drive and dryness and was using that method for about 2 years. I recently have started taking Loestrin and let me tell you what i todl the doctor, i had told her how the nuva ring made me dry down there and not able to have a sex drive. and my doctor said i should try loestrin since it is suppose to have less symptoms than the rest, although it really depends on how your body chemicals react to loestrin's chemicals. So far, i havent had any bad side effects and ive only been on this method for 7 days, some good things is that i have lower appeotite and ive actually lost 2 1/2 pounds. i havent had any negative side effects so im super happy. I wonder if anyone else is in this position =) Also im curious is people who have had taken yaz/yasmin and experienced bad side effects like i did and if they switched to loestrin and notice no bad side effects. That would be interesting for all of us to know. I hope this helps!!	F	20	7 days		11/30/2009 Email
1	Lessen period pain	Body aches, depression, crying jags, constant nausea	I was othro tri cyclen for years but it stopped helping my heavy periods. My doc switched me to loestrin 3 weeks ago. I have had constant nausea, headaches, and joint pain. I have decided to take myself off this horrid pill. I never had these problems with ortho tri cyclen	F	26	3 weeks		11/28/2009
1	Dr recommended lower estrogren pill	After taking it for 3 days, I had horrible all over body itching and burning skin - but nothing visible to the eye. It was awful. Subsided about 2 after I stopped taking. I am posting this so other women know this is possible - as there was very little about itching posted online. It is listed on the meds as one of the unlikely but severe side effects.	My dr had been pushing me to try this pill for a few years. I was doing fine on Yasmin. I finally said sure, I will try a lower dose and this is what happened. I called his office 3 days in a row and did not get a call back! I wonder if he has some financial interest in this drug... I am no longer going back to his practice.	F	45	3 days		11/27/2009
4	heavy periods, acne, birth control	I really haven't had too many side effects on this drug. Vaginal dryness and decreased lubrication, some negative effect on sex drive (but not as bad as some other pills). My biggest complaint is that I am having a LOT of trouble with hair loss but I'm not sure that I can totally blame this pill. I had pneumonia (and was sick for 2 months, went through multiple rounds of antibiotics and steroids) and then a job loss (talk about stress) around the time I started taking this medication. Both of those things could have been the cause. I'm still under a great deal of stress, so I could still be having hair loss effects from that. If it doesn't let up soon I'm going to get my hormones and thyroid tested. I do suspect there may be a connection since it's lasting this long. If that's the case, I may have to stop the drug.	I have taken a lot of birth control pills. This one has been one of the best for my acne, even though the androgen level is supposedly very high. I love the light periods...they are only 2-3 days and that's it. Although they don't seem to come until I'm almost done w/ the sugar pills.	F	29	4 months		11/25/2009
1	control irregular periods	depression, acne, constant bleeding, anxiety.	To say I HATE this pill would be an understatement. It made me depressed, filled with anxiety, mad and unable to think clearly. It made me dizzy, something I did not feel prior to taking this medication. Then my OBGY said you need an EKG...please I was not suffering dizzy spells until this pill. I bled 3 weeks non stop and she told me to stick with it and it would improve, it did not. Now I am suffering from Bacterial Vaginosus (BV) which I believe was caused from this pill. BV is caused by an over growth of bad bacteria in the womb, i really think this was caused by the constant bleeding and this pill. I know i am not a doctor but I just blame it on this pill. I would advise NO ONE to try this pill from hell.	F	47	3 months		11/25/2009
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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 Email
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	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	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	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 Email
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

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Average rating for drug: 2.5. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

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.

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