[leahbia_83008]

hello ladies, i haven't posted in a while so let me clear up a few things before i begin my rant... as some of you may know, i had the paragard iud inserted in may of 2011. after a long, painful 6 months i finally had it removed only to find out it was starting to attach itself to the inside of my uterus (ouch!). my doctor then prescribed me lo loestrin 24 fe for pregnancy prevention & to help regulate my cycles. i am now on week 2 and have been experiencing nothing but horrible cramping, headaches and nausea. i did miss one pill but took it as soon as i remembered... all the other pills have been taken on time. my boyfriend & i have been having unprotected sex but he has not been ejaculating in me, although he has came on my vulva (sorry if that's tmi but i think you deserve the whole story). also, a couple days ago upon using the restroom, i noticed some very light pink spotting on the toilet paper. i have been on LLE in the past but it made me bleed heavily and frequently throughout the month, this spotting lasted less than 12 hours, if that.

i had thought maybe the cramping was due to ovulation, but it is more of a generalized, menstrual cramping sensation rather than noticeably on one side or the other. i also suffer from stage I endometriosis so i do not know if the pills could be aggravating it, causing me pain. i do plan on switching pills since my insurance doesn't cover LLE ($56 a pack!) but i'm going to have to deal with it in the mean time. has anyone else been on LLE & had mild cramping and light spotting the first few weeks of use? i am not due for my period for another 2 weeks or so, so i'm trying to stay level headed but anything would help thanks!

[Ashlee T.]

I hated LO FE 24. I practically needed a part time job to pay for all the pregnancy tests I bought while I was on it. It's well known for causing you to skip periods altogether, but doesn't take away the symptoms. So though I wasn't having periods, I was having cramping, sore boobs, SEVERE mood swings, that seemed to never relieve because I never started. I did a lot of spotting. I noticed on this pill my mood swings were different than usual. It was as if I had more testosterone. I would get ANGRY rather than my normal sad and pouty during pms. It was continual.

You should not be ovulating if you were instantly put on the pill after coming of paragard. You are most likely experiencing the negative effects of Lo Fe 24. Docs say "wait three months and see if you adjust". But what I found is that if I was MISERABLE on a pill for the first three months, it was not the pill for me. It's normal to have some spotting and cramping when you're adjusting to a pill, but if you're experiecing all kinds of bad side effects, you may want to consider switching.

I got off bc all together... and haven't regreted it for a moment.

[leahbia_83008]

thanks BD for your reply. like i stated in my OP, i was on LO LE FE 24 prior to this and it REALLY did not agree with me... like you said, i was getting angry on the verge of violent during my cycle & spotted throughout the month. i'm assuming the pain is from the pills but i don't see how the two co-relate? i've never had a pill make me feel the way this one does. i think it's possible i'm ovulating because the paragard has no hormones & does not prevent your body from ovulating, it more so creates a hostile environment to kill sperm and keep any possible fertilized eggs from implanting in the uterus, so unless the pill has fully kicked into my system, i feel as of right now anything is possible. the only form of birth control i have ever been satisfied with was yaz but my doctor doesn't prescribe it to his patients anymore & after trial and error multiple times, i feel on the verge of giving up

[ScothIrish]

This pill has caused severe mood swings. I am only on it for Ovarian Cysts. My man is fixed so I do not need birth control. This pill causes blood pressure to surge, rage, spotting. leahbia, get on something else!!!! I will never take this awful pull again. I am thinking of writing the pharmaceutical company to see if anything can be done. I hope it is removed from the market!!!

[Tee!]

I've been on LLE for about 16 days! My doctor asked me to start on the 1st day of my cycle, which was 16 days ago! My cycle usually lasts 3-5 days but noa its been down since I've started these pills! It is really light, but is it because my body is adjusting? Is this normal? Should I stop taking it?

[TaraBear]

This pill has caused severe mood swings. I am only on it for Ovarian Cysts. My man is fixed so I do not need birth control. This pill causes blood pressure to surge, rage, spotting. leahbia, get on something else!!!! I will never take this awful pull again. I am thinking of writing the pharmaceutical company to see if anything can be done. I hope it is removed from the market!!!

girl, let me know when you do cause im about to raise all hell with this pill. It has completely ruined my life for the time being. I was on it for ovarian cysts and i too also have the paraguard. I got that put in 5 years ago with no problems whatsoever. But this pill, ugh, i was put on it for 3 months (i stopped 3 days ago) and in 3 months i have litterly lost my mind.
I had a total nervous breakdown for no reason at all. My 4yr old daughter has asked me why i am so angry and mean all the time and I have had to explain to her that i was taking a medicine to make my 'tummy' feel better and it ended up making me be angry all the time. I mean how do you explain this to a little child!
Im completely space cadet- like im in a total daze. The panic attacks are so intense that i think im having a heart attack and my left arm goes numb, talk about scary. I have anxiety already so im blowing through my xanax like there tic tacs, which in turn I will have to go through all the fun feelings of weaning off that. The migraines are terrible the headache never really goes away either.

I was fine the first month and a half, my breasts got 2 cup sizes bigger which was a cool 'perk' but come mid-second month.... all hell....
im actually really going through some crazy feelings even as i write this so excuse my lack in grammar, I feel completely out of it thats why i ran into this forum and am reaching out. Someone tell me how long after i quit will my brain return to normal and not skitzoid....

[BETHS18]

My daughter started Lo Loestrin and she had horrible cramps and headaches and now that she is used to it, she tried to purchase using her Blue Shield insurance and unfortunately it does not cover it. She had to pay $ 85.00 which was way too hefty for my daughter who is still a student.. Any suggestion on how she can get the meds without breaking the bank? I read it is $ 56.00 for you which is ok but $ 85.00 a month ?

[Maephire]

I have been taking Lo Loestrin for severe abdominal pain during my menstrual cycle. Well the pain has lessened slightly but i think that may be because now my periods have turned into very light bleeding that lasts for two weeks. I have gained 20 pounds. Started having terrible chest pains, headaches and nausea. And like others have said I also have become very angry at everyone and everything. I am quitting this pill and going back to my doctor to switch to something else. I would rather take the laying in bed for four days in extreme pain than continue with the way this drug makes me feel.

[Mbermayze]

I took Lo Loestrin for a week to help with ovarian cysts and I already have to quit. I'm prone to migraines, so I was a little iffy to try this. But it wasn't the headaches... it was the 5 (and counting) canker sores that started the day after the first pill. I had some crazy emotions, too... on the verge of crying over very menial stuff. I'd rather be bleeding than have to deal with the side effects.

[hollyh]

Everyone, just wanted to let you know this pill is a godsend for me. I have high estrogen and low progesterone, so the combination in Lo Loestrin of low estrogen and high progesterone really works for me. If they took it off the market, I would be upset! If you are having issues with this pill, it's probably because you have a different hormone balance than I do and need a pill with more estrogen in it. Hope you find one that works for you! Also, research the type of synthetic estrogens and progesterones in your pills. I happen to know that ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone work for me from other pills I've taken, but other synthetic estrogens and progesterones absorb in the body quite differently. A little googling about comparative pills might help in directing your doctor about alternative pills you could take.