Birth control symptoms and conditions

Hi, For those who are wondering if you can experience sudden, intense emotional changes as soon as you begin using the NuvaRing, here is my story:

I was on NuvaRing for 2 months. I put the 1st one in on Friday and by the following Tuesday, I had severe irritability, anxiety, anger control problems. I blamed myself but looking back now, having found websites and forums where other people talk about going through the same thing, I know it was the ring. I remember that Tuesday, thinking I had gone too far with my boyfriend by blowing up at him and being extremelly anxious, unable to deal witht he stress i was facing that day. After I blew up at him, I was so remorseful and I cried and cried. The following evening, the Wednesday, again I became frightingly aggressive toward him, followed by intense crying. I felt so bad, so angry with myself for treating him that way. These outbursts continued and I became increasingly tired. I ended up going on the pill because the Ring gave me intense burning during sex. it was very painful. 4 months later, I was diagnosed with major depression and put on antidepressants and work arrest.

I warn everybody not to use hormonal birth control. If you decide to use it, be aware of the signs if your mood changes. It is so easy to blame yourself when it comes to emotional problems, but they are related to physical health (brain chemistry). It's all a big whole which you cannot seperate. So if you play with hormones, you can become very screwed up emotionally. And don't expect the doctors/pharmacists/psychiatrists to listen or to recommend you go off the pill. For me nobody listened. it was my own decision to stop everything.

i have had mirena for about 8 mnths and im ready to get it out...its the worst thing ever! i am only 18 yrs old so i was kinda worried about getting it(but my Dr kept telling me its the most effective birth control out there) and not to mention it was about 4 mnths after i had my daughter and I talked to a nurse and she told me that it was probably put in to early..now i suffer with chest pains,depression,headaches,backaches,very bad mood swings,really horrible periods,weight gain, and the worst smell down there.I called the DR that put mirena in for me and they told me i would have to pay almost $300 and that they most likely wont remove it.i dont know what else to do...besides deal with it.

Let me just tell you how much I feel better after reading this. I swear I thought I was losing it. My husband was the one that pinpointed my overnight changes started in July/August. I suffered from extreme hemorraging and my doctor prescribed Nuvaring as a last resort before opting for minor surgery (Novasure). I HATE IT! I snap at everything. I cry for everything. I can't sleep at night, nightmares and my mind just won't stop going, going, going. I could sleep all day and still feel tired. I'm a stress case, both at home and at work. The severe cramping that makes me want to roll into a ball. I'm a wreck. My poor kids are stuck at home because I don't feel like changing out of my pajamas. My sex drive is virtually non-existent. Trying to explain what's happening to your husband who doesn't understand at all what i'm going through is difficult and I feel so bad for him having to deal with me. I'm 29 years old and have tried my fair share of birth control but NEVER have I experienced the side effects that Nuvaring has given me. And the gross discharge, not smelly, but definitely nasty. I haven't experienced the nausea but I'm calling my doctor to get me off this crap. Right now the option for surgery doesn't sound half as bad as this.

I was on Nuvaring for 2 months and it changed my mood drastically. I recommend that women not go on this medication. Within 4 days of inserting my first ring, I experienced severe mood swings including hostility and anger and sadness. The emotional pain was unbearable. All my insecurities and anxieties were amplified and I found I became aggressive with mainly my boyfriend. I experienced severe anxiety. Then the sex: PAINFUL, BURNING during and after sex. Vaginal driness, or more like the little lube I did have was very thick and unslipery. At first I thought I was making it up because I was nervous about being on hormonal birth control (I had wanted to avoid it but the gynecologist said my uterus was too small for an IUD). But several times we tried to have sex and the pain kept coming back. It felt like being stabbed. And then I had constant burning while peeing. I was finally put on some kind of special yeast medication. The NuvaRing severelly impaired my life and relationship. I urge you to be CAREFUL and INSIST if your doctor tells you "it's not your birth control". I went of the pill after the Nuvaring and ended up being diagnosed with MAJOR DEPRESSION. I went off the pill 4 days ago and will NEVER ever use hormonal contraception again.

Thank You!!! I'm not the only one! I had the Mirena inserted in 2005,removed in Sept 2008. Painful cramping immediatly that continued at odd times throughout time I had it. Bleeding for the first 4 months. Back Pain followed and landed me in the ER. At the ER I was told that I had blood in my urine. Antibiotics had no effect. Back pain continues today but is markedly less. Major mood swings leading to depression. Took Zolft at increasing doses with no effect. Never been prone to any of these before. Rages would come on over the littlest things. Extreme anxity attacks leading into panic that left me completly irrational. Almost lost my husband and kids due to mood swings. Joint pain came then in my lower back and shoulders and wrists. Saw DR, no reason ever found. Lumps showed up in my breasts that would swell and receed with my monthly cycle. Extreme sensitivity during sex with bleeding and cramping after. Cysts on my face and large acne bumps on my back that were so painful to the touch i could not even wear a bra. These spots took weeks to go away. Headaches that left me sick and weak on the couch seeing spots. Dr's insisted these symptoms were not related to my birth control.I had tons of fatique but chalked that up to the depression. I also started having alot of trouble with dryness in all of my mucus membranes. Even my eyes hurt. Over and over saw many dr's never could find what was wrong. This birth control nearly ruined my life and cost me three important years with my kids that i should have been at the top of my game. I have girlfriends who have received the mirena with almost exactly the same progression as me. I feel deceived by the listings in the information pamplets I received. I expected bleeding and slighter periods but never did they list these symptoms. I even looked at their website before I received it and they are not listed there either. I even had an argument with my gyno about having it removed because he knew of none of these side effects. I have seen a significant change since the removal. Mood swings down, energy back up. Kids say I'm like a whole new mom. To those ladies interested..contact Kris J Balekian in Texas to find out information about a class action law suit being filed.1(214)828-2800. Don't let anyone else be hurt by this product. Who knows how long this is going to negativly affect our bodies?

I have been feeling most of these symtoms for a while but thought it was just in my head or that I was going through early menopause but I am only 38.
Immediately I gained weight in my stomach area which made me mad but I dealt with it. I have have really long periods where I used to have a 3 day period. Now I have anxiety and mood swings where I just feel like being mean. I hate how I am to my husband, mom and kids. I feel like I can't concentrate and I can't remember a conversation that I had 2 days ago. I really feel like I was deceived of all these bad side effects. I just called to have this bitch removed and the nurse said she has never heard of any bad side effects. I guess I am one of the unlucky ones. I also excercise and diet constantly and can't seem to lose the extra weight I put on. It's so frustrating when I try so hard.Now I am a little nervous about getting it taken out. I plan on taking a xanex b.c it hurt so bad when I had it put in! I also am a little nervous about what birth control to use next. I don't want to deal with hormones again. It's not worth it. ALso the sex drive is very low for me. I really wish I would have seen this blog ahead of time. I would NEVER of had the mirena inserted and I wouldn't have wasted a year and a half of my life on being miserable!! I'm getting this removed 9am on Friday!!

I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo for not even a month before I had problems. bled, literally, 14 days straight before I stopped taking it. My OB-GYN prescribed Loestrin 24 Fe, and for the first few months it was okay. I am now on my last day of my 6 month on it and I cannot even handle it. My period comes twice a month, or so it seems with spotting. I do NOT get my period when I take the brown pills, as I supposed to. I feel moody, sick, tired yet I cannot sleep, I go to the bathroom several times a day, I throw up, feel short of breath, I get headaches, TERRIBLE stomach pains and I don't feel like going to work or school ever. It's hell. Maybe my body is not right for birth control, but I am DONE with this pill. It's been HELL.

wow, guys, so...i have had mirena in since April 08, and experiences minimal side effects that i was told would happen. slowly but surely though other things kept coming around, including:
-10-15 day periods
-constant cramping, extremely painful at least 2-3x a day on either left or right side
-no sex drive
-high irritability at unpredictable times
-muscle cramps
-headaches about 2x a week
-nausea at least 3x a week
-fatigue about 2x a week

When i first got on i thought all these people complaining were whiney, whusses. but now i see that all these little annoying things add up, and aren't good.

so i am getting mine taking out tomorrow, and the only form of birth control i will use is the easy fertility awareness method. charting your cycles is natural and fairly easy, and can help you avoid pregnancy, or get prego. Taking Charge of Your fertility, by Toni Weschler is the book i use, It is totally the fertility bible! Man-made hormones are just going to screw you over eventually, why not try just educating yourself and knowing when not to have sex, or to be protected? It worked enough for me before i got prego, i got pregnant exactly when i wanted to. I just went on mirena cuz it was easy, paid for by insurance, and i didn't have to avoid sex with my hubby that one week a month, haha now i don't even want it. funny stuff, eh?

I will try to up date after i get it taken out to see if i get the same relief that many of you felt!

I started NuvaRing last week, it had been years since I've used a hormone birth control method, but now, as a recent single decide it was time to start again to be on the safe side. The nurse, a user herself, encouraged me to ask the doctor about it, and I was really excited about the prospect of not having to remember a pill every night. That night, after inserting the NR I experienced a migraine, and I typically get headaches, but not migraines. I think I've had 2 in my life. The very next day, I'm nauseated, and yet strangely hungry. I'm not pregnant! I have also had a tingling in my right toe, and nightmares that keep me awake all night. I thought it was the stress, but after reading about some others who experienced the same side effects I'm relieved that I'm not losing my mind, but seriously reconsidering the NR.

I'm 31 years old & started taking FEMCON FE for ovarian cysts detected on an ultrasound 10 days ago which my RE now tells me due to my hormonal profile which came back could have possibly been my ovaries in fact finally ovulating. Little too late. Within the 1st few days of taking it I did notice a "big" change in my attitude towards others, particularly my boss, hubby & kids. I am no longer the patient & loving one but an emotional, irritable wreck. I cry for no good reason, my hair is falling out & somehow everything that I or anyone else does is wrong wrong wrong. I have road rage which is something I have NEVER experienced & I've generally been a nasty person in which I've been fully aware & feel horrible about. Now I remember why I've always refused birth control to regulate my cycles. YESTERDAY was the last night Femcon will ever enter my body. Good luck to the rest of you!
content with my"as is condition"

I just started the NuvaRing about two weeks ago and have since have had severe headaches, and stomach cramps.. I haven't been on birth control for about 6 months but even when I started to pill I didn't get headaches. Also today I started bleeding and I put the ring in that Sunday after I started my period (which was done by that day) I've never had bleeding between my periods on the pill or when I wasn't on any BC. Anyone else have this happen to them? I do feel a little down but I figured that might be because I've been working overnight the past week and last time I went on overnights this happened to me too. I don't think I want to take any more risks with this thing. I didn't have the dryness or lack of sex drive, but I don't want to get to that point either. Thanks ladies.

I used nuvaring for 7 months straight and never had any problems. My period always came exactly the same day every time and I loved that since without it im pretty irregular meaning I could get my period between usually 3-5 days after I was supposed to. Last month I decided to stop Nuvaring and had my period exactly when I was supposed to have it (September 8). It is now October 10 and I still haven't had my period. I just had sex twice a week ago and with a condom. I'm also feeling some cramping like when I usually get my period only that when i usually feel that, my period comes within minutes but I've been having this cramping the whole day. i also have been peeing very often today. Yesterday (Oct 9) I took a pregnancy test and was negative. Why am I having cramping? Why is my period already 5 days late? Why do i have to pee so often? Is this because I stopped using nuvaring a month ago?

I have read a lot of these responses and here and have noticed a common thread among all responses. This may or may not help.

You need to give any new pill a full 3 months before judging it. Your body needs to stabilize with the new hormones that you are giving it. It generally takes about 3 cycles to do so. ANY pill, whether it is Femcon, Loestrin, Yaz, Yasmin, or any other will have the same side effects. So, for that matter, will Nuvaring or other hormonal based birth control methods.

I had problems with Femcon during the first month as well, just like I did with Yasmin. The solution to the problem is giving it a full three months before making your decision. Anything else, and you are simply not making an education decision. Good luck ladies!

I had an injection into a Bursae about a week and a half ago. My face was hot and bright red for about three days, if i went out in the sun it made it worst almost like i was allergic to the sun. I have had headaches daily, since. Vicodin will not help these headaches, my heartburn was so bad i stopped taking all medicines, birth control, antibiotic, pain meds. My stomach hurt so bad the second night that i could not make a sudden movement. and i couldn't stand straight up. i have been so nauseated, ive thrown up twice, once i was taking a sip of milk to get rid of the side effects and as soon as i swallowed i puked, the second time i just smelled something. i have been bouncing around in the bed all night. and so depressed i need to be committed. my head has hurt so bad many days i don't want to hear my one and a half yr old speak. but i am stay at home mom and i have to do what i have to do. i had told my doctor that i had these effects, but another physician treated me. i told him and he assured me it would be a very small amount. also a my ankles hurt especially, feel like they are gonna snap, as well as all my other joints when i come off of these. someone email me plz *******

Most comments on here are from women who recently started taking Yaz. Their opinions are biased. When you start taking a new pill of any kind, your body has to adjust to it. Yaz, along with other birth control pills are going to have some unpleasant side effects because look at what they are doing to your body. They are stopping a natural occurring process that your body has done for years. So if you just started taking Yaz, and the symptoms are unpleasant, but bearable, keep taking it. You will feel better. However, if you are on the extreme end, then stop. Coming here to complain really is not going to make you feel any better, because yes, we are all having side effects. When i first started taking Yaz, I was an emotional/anxious mess. My breasts and back were sore, nausea, and flu like symptoms. Yes, they sucked. But now, they were worth it. I feel good. People just need to give their bodies the necessary amount of time for their bodys to adjust, and if you don't want to, stop taking the pill.

I suffered from major depression last spring. The worse in my life ever, with a lot of anxiety.
I have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for 6 months. My main problems are :
LOW SEX DRIVE 9could also be from the birth control pill), SHORT TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS (a bad one), DIZZINESS.
My doctor felt that i needed to increase to 150mg because she thought i still had problems (like lack of motivation and negative thoughts): we started by adding 37.5mg extra. By day 2 or 3 of this increase, I was waking up constantly during the night, and felt extremely agitated. Like I would crawl right out of my skin. I couldn't lie still and moved about a lot in my bed, especially my legs. By day 6 of this increase, my anxiety was SO BAD, I was back to nearly the same anxiety I had in the spring before starting treatment. BE CAREFUL about increasing your dosage. TELL SOMEONE to watch if your mood changes and to take you to the ER if necessary. thank goodness I didn't need to go.
I now take fish oil (omega 3) and within a couple months of that, I noticed that my anger/impulsive and concentration seemed better. I am also going off the birth control pill this month 9ortho tri cyclen lo). I brought it up to my GP, to a psychiatrist and to my opharmacist that I was depressed and could there be a link with the birth control pills and they all said "I don't think so."; "no", "very unlikely". Well my major depression, MAJOR MOOD FLUCTUATIONS, anxiety and ANGER control problems all started with the beginning of the birth control pill.

My boyfriend's mom who is an OBGYN gave me 12 samples of this pill (a year's worth) after I ran out of my Ortho Lo. So I said "Sweet! Free birth control!" Not so sweet.... I have been on this pill for only 2 months and I have experience a huge change in my personality. I feel like a zombie, I don't feel like myself at all! The most severe uncontrollable mood swings ever. I go from very happy and loving to a total train wreck! It's really sad... My boyfriend cannot handle me. I am usually always calm and mellow and this has made me feel like I am going insane. I have weird thoughts in my head, weird dreams, night sweats. I cry over anything petty! I do have lighter periods and they only last for 2 or 3 days but it is definitely not worth my mental health and happiness. It is the worst pill, I cannot discredit this pill enough! Avoid this at all costs, unless you want to be moody and depressed all the time.

I can't even type fast enough to describe how astonished (and relieved) I was to run across NUMEROUS web sites with women describing the same symptoms as have been perplexing me the past few weeks. I had the marina iud inserted a little over a month ago and the past couple of weeks I"ve noticed such a dramatic change in myself, but couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. Depression, lethargy, extreme irritability, mood swings, cramping, back pain, swelling in my abdomen, abnormal and irregular bleeding, headaches, nausea, dizziness, lack of motivation, reduced interest in sex...these just top the list. I thought maybe I was pregnant again, but knowing that it wasn't possible when you haven't had sex because I've either been bleeding, in pain from cramping, irritable, or just couldn't get "excited". These are all things that I've never experienced before and I cannot place blame to post partum depression because I had 6 weeks post partum that I felt "normal"....energized, happy, motivated, patient...all the things that are "normal" to me. I wish I had done further research about iud placement before I decided to go with this form of birth control, but the pamphlet made it sound so dreamy and my doctor swore by the thing. Before this thing does any permanent damage to my body, or my relationships; I'm having it removed. Pregnancy is a better option for me at this point (at least without the iud I wouldn't be so frustrated with my children!) I couldn't imagine dealing with these symptoms for years. I've read of women even being driven to attempted suicide and being on the verge of divorce. NOT ME....I knew from the beginning I had a bad feeling about getting the iud....and I wish I had listened to my intuition!

I've had Mirena for nearly two and a half years now. About 6 weeks after I got it in I had to take a pregnancy test because I was dizzy, nauseous, bloated, and had sore breasts. I was not pregnant. But I've had a repeat experience every few months since then. Sometimes I feel so sick and tired that I can't do anything but lie on the sofa. After I stopped nursing I got bad pregnancy symptoms and cramps so horrible I thought my IUD had punctured something. Currently I feel sick to my stomach, and I've been getting headaches, and I'm tired and terribly thirsty all the time. I've read about others who had the same problem. I've also had nearly continuous yeast infections and vaginal irritation since I got it in. My libido has dropped incredibly and I'm always kind of dry during sex. I had problems with depression before getting the Mirena, but now I have anxiety on top of that. At the two-year mark I started getting nasty under-the-skin acne under my chin, and I've gained ten pounds since then. Some of that might have been my own fault, but I currently eat healthily and exercise 1 to 1 1/2 hours most days, and it's taken weeks for me to stop gaining, and I know I'm losing way slower than is natural. I put up with it this long because I haven't gained huge amounts of weight or had really bad mood swings, and I'm afraid of what might happen with other types of birth control, but I am sick of being sick all the time. I'm getting this thing out!

I had Mirena inserted 2 years ago. When I first had it fitted, I bled heavy, straight for 7 months. The cramps were almost unbearable. I went to my doctor several times during this 7 month period, which he told me that all of my symptoms were normal. I decided to wait it out.
The bleeding stopped but the cramping never really eased.
I got used to being in constant pain.
I also had severe migraines that would keep me from doing anything until the pain subsided.
My libido was non-existent (which in my opinion, is probably why this form of birth control is so effective). My relationship with my husband deteriorated partially because of this.
Fatigue is an understatement. I could never get enough sleep.
I also felt depressed most of the time and became VERY moody.

After coming to this site a few days ago, I decided to get this thing out of me. It was removed yesterday. It kind of hurt but not as bad as putting it in.
Cramps are gone. I feel energized and HAPPY today!!! I'm SO ready to get romantic with my husband again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

First of all, some people are right.... some birth control pills are different for everyone.. and i have to totally agree with TOWN...right on the button!
I had some nausea in the beginning, but hell..I have been on every birth control pill, Iud, depo fat shot, and they all still made me bleed heavy and cramp.....My family are heavy bleeders big time...My insurance finally approved Loestrin for me and this is a blessing in disguise! I have no periods! I may have occasional lil, I mean lil, spotting every now an then, but it is worth it. Sex drive? You can't get horny? Think of something... And every birth control pill there are chances of depression in every one, read. I have a tubaligation so I am only on this pill for period purpose only, but I am staying on it.

I have had the Mirena since October 2006. My Public Health Nurse suggested it...It was to help with my mood swings, such as crying all the time, and the feeling that something bad was going to happen. Once I got it,,,I noticed that I did not cry on a whim, in fact I could hardly cry! My nose and sinuses would actually hurt if I did have the need to cry...almost like my body was fighting the urge to cry. I did get neck pains and also I was not having my period for MONTHS! Until, I went to see a traditional healer and he told me that I was very sick...he gave me a special root to help me...and I bleed for 7 days straight..I felt so much better! and lost a little weight. But, the feeling of panic went away. But, now i notice that I am getting dizzy constantly, I cannot even bend to put my socks on. I walk with my hand on the wall to help me just in case I do fall....I have fallen 2 this week alone. I did have some neck pain recently, and I went to the doctor he basically told me I have fluid in my ear and it would take 6 weeks to go away...I told him about the neck pain in my neck on the right side...he never even bothered to check it. I am starting to wonder now If this birth control is even worth it...and I am seriously thinking of having it removed and then getting my tubes tied. I hope anyone out there who has the same symptoms like me would send me a message....******

I got anxiety when I took birth control pills so I had to stop taking them. I'd hoped that with an IUD that the progesterone would be so low that I could handle it. Unfortunately, the anxiety kicked in within a day of getting the IUD put in (painless for me btw).

Has anyone managed to ride through the anxiety and have this symptom go away? Can my body get used to it since it is lower than bcp?

My doctor doesn't think that the anxiety is a result of the IUD but I haven't had any anxiety since I took bcp a year ago. Why doesn't she believe me?

Just food for thought, with any hormone that you take into your body you will have side effects and it will change your body. Not just Yaz, but all birth control. There are blood clot and stroke risks with all of it if you look up other brands. Best bet to not suffer is to not take any

I'm in the middle of my third month on Loestrin 24 Fe. I used to be on Estrostep years ago, before I had children, and now am on this because of the low dose and my age (37). The first month, there was some staining near the end, then a lighter period (mine used to be 7-10 days, around 5 oz of fluid). On Loestrin, it's about 4 days, only a couple of oz. However, month 2, in the first week of pills, I took one pill about 8 hours late, then a few days later, took a pill about 6 hours late. The day of the second late pill, by two hours after I normally took the pill, I was cramping pretty badly and started bleeding like a full period. The bleeding lessened over the month, but never went away. Light period following. Now, on month 3, about 2 weeks in without having been late on any pills, I have had spotting the last few days and light cramping. Plus, the one time my husband and I had sex about a week after my period, there was some brownish blood afterwards, which he hates. So basically, he now refuses to touch me.

I have also noticed being more emotional, like I felt the two weeks after giving birth, crying more easily. I think that might be lessening now, though.

I am going to call my doctor to see if he recommends trying it one more month. I do remember that it takes around three months for a person's body to get used to oral contraceptives, although the first pill I was ever on (Ortho Novum 7-7-7) made me bleed lightly the entire six months I was on it, and when I switched to Nordette 28 that problem was solved. I just know that I can't have this spotting continue since my husband is so sensitive to any hint of blood, and I don't relish the idea of never having sex again. NOT the way birth control pills are supposed to work!! ;-)