Hair loss symptoms and conditions

Ladies,

God gave us all that "little voice inside" that we call a woman's intuition. LISTEN TO IT! Unfortunately, I did not when it came to choosing Mirena as my first and only choice of birth control since I was a young teen first experimenting with sex. Well now, I am a day away from my 31st birthday and have been married to my high-school sweetheart for ten-plus years. After two kids and a miscarriage of twins, I decided I just didn't want to go through pregnancy again. So, little ol' me decided to be hip and choose a form of birth control that allowed me to be free and not have to worry about the likes of condoms...or spermicide...or those wretched birth control pills. If only I knew back then what I know now, however.

I first got Mirena inserted the end of March 2007. Since then, my sex life with my husband suffered dramatically, because, first, I bled inconsistently (that is, I didn't know when my period was going to show up---every week, every two weeks, etc.); second, when my period did show up, it would last 8-11 days; and third, the wire attached to the device was painfully uncomfortable for my husband during sex to where we were limited to just a few positions, which made for a pretty mundane sex life.

From a health standpoint, like so many other posters, I suffered severe hair loss. It had gotten to the point where I literally had a receding hair line and had to wear very weird-looking bangs just to cover up my hair loss.

I stayed bloated and on edge from the anxiety I felt from feeling like the start of my period was just imminently hanging over my head, because it seemed as though I was always on it (because I did bleed more times times than not).

The weight gain was horrible. I always felt insatiably hungry and looked up one day and realized I was a size 16...and barely squeezing into my clothes. I went on a diet, which went fine. However, I ended up coming to a standstill even after increasing and intensifying my exercise and lowering my calorie intake even more than I had. NO ONE 'til the day I die will be able to convince me it wasn't Mirena's fault for causing the initial weight gain and later stagnating my progress to lose weight.

And, yes, there was a change in my personality. I went from a laid-back, independent, self-sufficient woman to one who was totally clingy, overbearing, and extremely jealous. But then, I turned into the worst person I had ever seen myself becoming: I then turned into a woman who just wanted to be by herself. And so, I was one phone call away from hiring a divorce attorney and leaving my husband and kids, because I just couldn't handle my every day life as it was. I did not know what was going on with me; I just knew I found myself having a total change of heart about everything in my life, even though my life was a pretty dang good one, according to all of my friends and family and even people on the street who would observe how well my husband treated me.

Enough was enough, and I finally had Mirena taken out Friday, July 11, 2008, at approximately 11:00 AM!

My life has totally changed.

No lies. No embellishments. No exaggerations. I lost three pounds by that Tuesday, July 15. So, my efforts to reach my weight loss goal don't seem so futile now. Furthermore, my husband and I are as happy together as we were back when we were in high school; and, I can't even imagine not having the kids and him in my life. Oh, and my hair.... I no longer have a receding hair line. It's still going through that annoying growing-out phase, but at least it exists again!!!

Looking back, particularly at some of these posts, something told me I was in for a nightmare come to life when my doctor was amazed at how I felt hardly any pain while he inserted Mirena. And even now how he and his nurse act totally shocked and surprised at all of the problems that I had while using Mirena just sickens me to the point of wanting to punch something. These medical professionals know. They get very nice perks for being in cahoots with these drug representatives and manufacturers by going along with making us, the patients, guinea pigs. Such low-life scum! I am hurt and totally pissed off by the whole thing. But still, I am thankful my life has returned to normal since having Mirena taken out.

Nevertheless, be warned! Mirena is a steep, pricey sentence on one's life. So, you'd better be prepared.

HEY EVERYBODY, IVE BEEN ON FEMCON FE FOR THE PAST 6MNTHS AND I HATE IT. MOST OF THE SYMPTOMS ALL YOU LADIES HAVE, I HAVE HAD AND DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE IT COULD BE THE PILL: WEIGHT GAIN, DIZZINESS, LEG CRAMPS, GROWTH AND TENDERNESS OF THE BREAST, NO SEX DRIVE, ACHNE, AND THE WORST OF ALL AND THAT WORRIES ME THE MOST IS THE GREAT AMOUNT OF HAIR LOSS IM EXPERIENCING!!! IM 22 AND FEEL THAT I SHOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. IM JUST WONDERING IF ANY OF YOU HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM AND IF YOU HAVE WHEN YOU GOT OFF THE PILL, DID YOUR HAIR COME BACK? YOUR REPLY IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!

I had my Mirena placed in Jan. 11, 2008. I had my son Sept. 20, 2007. Since I had it placed I gained over 15 pounds, after losing most of my baby weight. I had continuous bleeding for about 4-5 months and than really bad odor started that medication didn't cure. I have very dry skin and unusual amount of acne, I've always had pretty clear skin. I've had a noticeable amount of hair loss and regular headaches. I've also had really low energy and different forms of depression and irritability. Also the biggest thing that really bothers me is I have very low to almost non-existent sex drive.

I just called my doctor tonight to schedule an appointment after doing some research on my symptoms. I will never get an IUD again.

I had my Mirena put in 1/07 and I had it removed 08/08 because my hair would not stop falling out. At first I thought that it was from just having the
baby but after 20 months it just wasn't that. The doctors tried telling me that hair loss is not a side effect from mirena but i beg to differ. My hair has stopped falling out and I am glad I had the Mirena removed before I went completely bald. Now I am taking Yaz which seems to be ok.

43 year old lady taking this drug about 2 months first a low dose but without doctor seeing me he put me on 40mg a day getting bad headaches and hair loss anyone else suffing hair loss

I have had this thing in for 6 months and feel the side effects have gotten worse. I spoke to my doctor about the hair loss, fatigue, weight gain and general feeling that nothing makes me happy, she suggested I check my thyroid levels. My results came back as in the normal range, she said maybe I should check with my primary care to discuss other possibilities. She said the hormone in the Mirena is a really low dose and shouldn't be causing these side effects.
I still made an appointment to have this taken out because after doing a little more research I am completely freaked out by this thing. I have an appointment in 2 weeks and will let you know if I go through with it and if it does make a difference.

Well I had my mirena inserted in 5/08 and I went to doctor today for my yearly exam and to get it removed because of depression, hair loss, tiredness, joint ach and headaches all of that stuff. So while when he went to do my pap he was looking for the strings and he couldn't find them and he couldn't feel them either so he asked me if it fell out and I said not that I know of so now I have a lost mirena somewhere. So he said he would start the process to have it removed and I told he had to find it first. It was all I could do not to cry but I just have to laugh cause crying is bad I will see what happens

OMG- I wish I had read this before I had this thing put in. Its been in about 4 months, I bled for 6 weeks after having it put in (which was painful), my cramps during that time felt like someone was stabbing me (worse then labor pains) I lost so much of my hair, which is coming back ( I thought the hair loss was from the after pregnancy) that I still have a receding hairline. The bottoms of my feet always hurt, my stomach always looks bloated and I cant loose the extra 10 pounds (which I gained after having it put in) I have absolute NO DRIVE, feel depressed all the time, feel no pleasure in anything that I cant even enjoy my infant son. My boyfriend calls me crazy and unstable because I am so moody. WOW, I am calling to make an appointment to have this taken out ASAP

okinawak so sorry to hear about your daughter. All I can relate to you guys is my personal experience. I was on Norimin for a couple of years from the age of 19. For the last year (up until a couple of months ago) I was on Yasmin. I experienced anxiety whilst taking these pills which I attributed to stress, but since I have been off the pills I am feeling fantastic. I stopped taking Yasmin because I was experiencing other things like pains in my calves, hair loss and getting spider veins, loss of libido (I'm only 23). :-( I decided upon reading other experiences on this page to stop taking Yasmin. I am happy to report back that I am feeling great... Fantastic in fact. I won't say that its directly related to Yasmin as I have no way of proving that. All I can say is how I felt during and after. And for the last three months I have felt greater confidence in my ability to deal with what life throws at me. I am feeling happier all the time, and I think my libido is improving. All the best to you guys, and all those out there worried about symptoms, please go see your doctor!

so i posted on here a week ago to see if i was going crazy. turns out i wasn't. i have had this horrible mirena for a month now and the side effects are not getting better so i called the doctor today and said i wanted it out. the girl that answered the phone put me on hold went to talk to the doctor and said the doctor was going to call me and she scheduled me a day to get it out. the doctor called me this evening asked me what was going on and i told her that i was feeling really depressed, having a hard time sleeping, horrible back pain that my kidneys hurt and that i was sick of this bc and want it out. she told me that the mirena should not be causing these side effects that that it had to be something else. i told her that i have never had these issues before getting the mirena. i don't see why all these doctors think we are the ones that are going nuts. what is the big deal in wanting it taken out if its not right for you? she finally agreed to take it so i have an apt thurs so we shall see if i go back to being NORMAL after its removed. i will keep you posted.

also does anyone know of any other bc that does not have a risk for blood clots? that was the whole reason for me being put on mirena cause there was no risk for that. i have had them in the past from and IV and no doctor will put me back on normal bc.

I hate mirena. I had mirena for a year and a half. I had bleeding with intercourse, headaches, cramping, hair loss, depression, and swollen lymph nodes. I overall just didn't feel good. The strings migrated upward into my uterus. The doctor tried to "fish" the strings out, but had no luck and had to schedule a d&c to remove it. It ended up costing me about 4-5 grand for a small piece of plastic that has gave me nothing but trouble. I still have not had a period and can't get pregnant and it has been 5 months post mirena. My lymph nodes have gone back to normal now..just no period and no baby.

Hi l have it all too and more!! I am so fed up :( lm cracking up! Does any one get sternum area pain cramps? They scare me the most l cant move :( Sick of docs passing me off grrrrrr

Did anybody have horrible hair loss? I only had mine in for 6 weeks and i got it removed yesterday!!I have a 4 month old and i am following weight watchers and going to curves fitness centres 4 times a week . When my daughter was 2 and a half months old i had lost all my baby weight plus 17lbs..since Mirena i have continued my program and gained 7lbs!! in 6 weeks!! my joints are screwed up it hurts to stand up my knees are so bad..Nausea..depressed..but the worst would have the be the hair loss!!! my hair line had receded over an inch in the last 6 weeks..unbelievable..why are doctors so quick to say it's not the Mirena..I live in Canada and the dam brochure did nto even mention hair loss..i am a Pharmacy Tech and my CPS which is a reference the doctor's use does not mention it either...so horrible iam now 25 and balding..i have post phoned my wedding scheduled for mar 2009 indefinalty until i get my hair back..i can't believe how much this product has ruined my life in 6 weeks...

Has anyone experienced hair loss due to taking Yaz?
I feel like I'm losing a lot more hair than normal these days. (I'm 34).
A ton of hair comes out after a shower, but quite a bit during the day as well. HELP!!!!

i started on warfarin 10 weeks ago for a single medium P.E. on my left lung (this could be because i have had difficulty in moving around for the past three years following spinal surgery). However, at first i felt fine on warfarin, but in the past four weeks i have noticed changes. Sometimes i get fluttering in my chest but only last for about 2-3 seconds then goes away, Doctors told me this is how my body reacts to the clot. I also have some aches in my limbs and back (put this down to the new job). Furthermore, i have noticed hair loss and damaged, fragile hair.
When this P.E. occurred i was walking with a stick due to the spinal surgery. But once i started taking warfarin my back has recovered so much so that i have returned to work after 3 long years. The job i perform now is doing removals and H.G.V. driving.
I am only 34 years of age and i am taking 9 mg of warfarin a day (with a INR of 2.6) and 30mg of Lansoprazole a day for my stomach (you can feel a bit bloated sometimes).

I was also on advair and I contracted alopecia universalis. I lost ALL my hair. I am sure there is a connection between these side effects and ADVAIR!! By the way. I stopped taking any steroid inhalers, and my breathing is better. What does that say?? Some of my hair has also started growing back since I stopped the steroid inhalers. Not much, but why is it growing now? This is a very devastating side effect, and I think there should be some legal action taken here. My life performing on stage has been ruined. My image shot. Now, i wasn't a "star", but still, I really can't enjoy performing anymore.

I have had lots of the side effects that most women described. The most severe for me was the dramatic hair loss that I suffered while taking, first Aviane in the beginning then being switched to Lutera really did'nt make much of a difference, however I have lost weight which was a plus, but the hair loss and restlessness made it a minus not to mention the depression and low sex drive. So I have decided to finish my last pack, then just completely go off of birth control pills and hope my cycle lightens up, otherwise I will try some Homeopathic remedy and see how that goes. Good luck to all, hope you find what works for you, sometimes you do have to experiment, before you reach that ultimate goal... Take care all...

I had my Mirena removed just this past Wednesday after suffering for 2 1/2 years with every single one of the symptoms all of you have complained of. Major weight gain and inability to lose any; acne; constant flu-like muscle aches; extreme irritablity; bloated; leg, face, hands & ankle edema; random nausea & dizziness; forgetfulness; cold intolerance; eczema on my hands; elevated blood pressure; hair loss ... I felt like a 90 year old 36 year old.

After endless complaining to a very dear friend (who is 42 and was researching BC because her doctor took her off of the pill) she had come across this forum as well as the few others like this and sent me the links. It never dawned on me that it could be the Mirena, so I made an appointment to have it removed.

So, I had it removed this past Wednesday ... just a slight twinge and it was out...nothing at all like having it inserted ... and feel better already. I started my period pretty much as soon as I got home from the doctor (hadn't had one in 1 1/2 years), although I've read some women take a few days/weeks to start up again ... and for the last couple of evenings I've had some pretty intense cramps (never had them before) ... but at least the bloat this time feels NORMAL for me for being on my period.

My doctor said it'll take probably 2-3 months to get back to normal as far as everything else is concerned, but she wasn't surprised at all of all of the symptoms I had being Mirena-related, especially when I'd told her that my periods stopped completely. It's my own guess that the 20% who stop bleeding altogether are the ones most sensitive to the hormone and will more than likely have the most problems from it. I figured for me, anyway, if something is too good to be true, it's because it is. *lol*

I'm just thankful my darling husband has been so supportive and has had no problem weathering out my storm, so to speak.

Good luck to all of you that are having problems ... and listen to your bodies. This might be the perfect alternative for some women, but everyone's body is different.

I was relieved at first to be off atenlol(?) and hoping lisinopril would control my hpb. Instead, the dry, choking cough, up all night was not the worst for me. I had CHRONIC diarrhea, I mean constant. If I ate, I had immediate diarrhea, if I drank something, water, coffee, whatever, I had diarrhea. The doctor kept wanting me to get a colonoscopy but I felt it was the lisinopril as I knew when it started. You know we all know our bodies better than the doctor so I insisted 2 weeks ago that she give me something else. I am on Norvasc now. I took the last lisinopril on a Friday morning and by Sunday morning the diarrhea had stopped not to be experienced again to date. Thank goodness. That sure drains you quickly, being tired besides not always convenient to find a bathroom. I could not eat lunch at work because of the loud rolling stomach and gurgling noises my stomach made every time I ate or drank anything, IT was not only a worry but it was horribly embarrassing as I share an office and the quiet was broken with my stomach noises, just awful. I had the hair loss, aching in muscles , couldn't walk upstairs without being out of breath not to mention my throat would get extremely dry and my voice would crack, love to sing in church and can't do that anymore. I was a mess and still have not gotten my voice back. Anyone else have these problems?

I have been taking Topomax for migraines for about 3 years now. Staying at the 75mg at night dosage. Going to 100mg just does not work for me. GI disturbances too severe. Diarrhea mostly. Early on same as a lot of the other reports, tingling in hands, bad tasting soda, some hair loss, and intermittent upset stomach and diarrhea. Memory not as good as without the med and balance a little off. All of these have diminished in intensity and frequency. Up side, weekly headaches that forced me to go to bed gone. Being an irritable wretch because my head hurt, was about to begin to hurt, or just got over hurting gone. At this point in my life the pros still outweigh the cons and as long as that is true I will continue with the regimine.

I have to say, this drug was made for me. I did quite well on it. I was on it for a few months to control my progesterone levels, which was elevated about 6 months ago. I stopped growing so much chin hair, I lost about 30 lbs and I felt sexy and vibrant. However, getting off them has been the hardest part. I am constantly spotting, my breast hurt so much and I am beginning to see the hair loss again. It's like a cruel joke. I am enduring this to give my body time to get off them but it will be a tough road ahead of me.

I have been taking HCTZ for 8 years due to having problems with swelling after having my first child. A good while later, I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension but having irregular heartbeats. My cardiologist added Lisinopril.

I had the same problem with cough and feeling like something was stuck in my throat. I went to an ENT and they could find nothing wrong - but I've been taking major amounts of Musenix for years to help clear my lungs. The feeling that my throat was scratched or something stuck in it have never gone away. Why didn't any of my doctors put two-and-two together???

It just clicked in my head recently that I had also started to have hair loss around that same time I started taking HCTZ. I had a lot of hair so it wasn't that much of a concern for years but is now more of an issue. I spoke to my internist 2 weeks ago and she thought it may be the HCTZ. She said to stop taking it that night. I questioned if I should taper it off and she said no reason to wait. (No mention of the Lisinopril and hair loss).

Two days later, I could hear a crackling sound in my chest/lungs when I opened my mouth. I called the doctor and her assitant said to let me know if it didn't get any better. Two nights later, I was extremely restless and coughing. I couldn't get a breath. Lots of crackling noise - fluid in my lungs. I had to stand up and work hard to get deep breaths - all night. Around 4 am, I decided I better take the HCTZ or I was going to die - so I did and the fluid started to leave my lungs and I was better by noon the following day.

I want to get off both of these medicines asap - I don't want to wind up a bald, dead 41 year old women leaving behind two young children and a husband.

Anyone else have similar issue when stopping HCTZ? What results have you had with resolution to hair loss after getting off the medicine?

Oh, also have had a headache going on 10 days for the first time in my life. I think it was from quitting the HCTZ "Cold Turkey".

Extreme hair loss. I have been off and on bupropion for over 10 years. It works so well for depression but does make my hair fall out. Does anyone know of any substitutes for this drug??? Any other drugs in the same class?

I am a 72 year old white female who has been on Fosamax over 5 years for osteoporosis which runs in my family. In December, I had severe discomfort in the thigh area of my right leg. X-rays ordered by my GP showed nothing. Sent me to orthopedic surgeon whose x-rays also showed nothing. He ordered bone dye test which showed stress fractures of BOTH femurs. No one, NOT EVEN THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, could figure out how it happened since I had not fallen or had other trauma. When I began to do my own research, I found answers to other problems I had been experiencing, for which no one had answers.....bone and muscle pain, hair loss, depression. I realize doctors are overwhelmed with info but I am especially disappointed in the orth. surgeon who should have known this was a possibility since the study came out in The Orthopedic Journal. As I continued my research, I find that women have been experiencing these side effects for years. I was previously very active and a dedicated walker, but this has robbed me of my confidence since I fear breaking other bones. The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body and if I broke both of those with no trauma, what else could happen? I want to get the word out to women but am not sure the best vehicle for that. Any suggestions? There are Fosamax lawyers anxious to jump on this but I am more interested in spreading the word, not litigation, however I think there are possibly many unreported cases of the Fosamax side effects just because people don't know where to turn.

Hi ladies,

I just finished my last pack of Yasmin on Thursday because I felt I was pumped with hormones. I googled "coming off the pill Yasmin" and came across your comments.
I was originally put on Yasmin by my Doctor as I had put on a few pounds. I lost that weight with exercise (can't diet) but I have never lost my DD breasts (I was a C cup before Yasmin) and I've a tummy which when I bloat the week before my period, I look pregnant!
I've been experiencing a lot of the negative side effects of Yasmin over the last year and I was beginning to think I was going mad.
I suffer from very bad headaches, water retention, bloating and loss of sex drive.
In the last 2 or 3 months I'm now suffering with nausea, leg cramps, sore breasts, anxiety and feeling down.
As most of these symptoms have occurred in the last year, I just got fed up. I've been on the pill for 14 years (on and off), and on Yasmin for at least 6 years. I'm now 32, I'm married and would love a child.
I feel by coming off this pill, my body will settling into a routine before I hopefully conceive.
So glad I found your comments and I'm not alone in how my body feels.
Thank You.