Low sex drive symptoms and conditions

I definitely could relate.
i like nuvaring. It is the first birth control i've ever been on. i started it when i was 28 - just gotten married..
the only thing recently that have made me doubt it is that i heard in the news that some young woman have suffered blood clots and just die.
But im also reading the other birth controls effects and they are pretty wild as well..
the only side effect so far after 2 yrs and a few month is about 10lbs heavier.., i had mood swings my first week of being on it., occasional headaches when my period is about to start which lasts up to 4 days, low sex drive ( but i still manage to have sex and enjoy it), some dry moments ( i use to be a fountain) so it is different but eventually it goes back to normal. ( harder to have orgasms.., )
so overall nuvaring has worked for me. I just pray it continues to do so.. now i feel like there's no point in switching right now especially - going through a career change.. now is not the time to try a new one just because i hear someone died ( although that 's a pretty good darn reason).
Eventually my goal is once i start having kids God willing.. that i can stay off all these darn drugs and either tell my husband to go tie his dingy or condom it is.. its so not fair that we have to put all that crap in our bodies.. and then we wonder why we have certain weird complications.. "Lord take care of all us..we are just not trying to have 15 little kids running around...".. the researcher..

This is the first time I have actually looked up side effects to NuvaRing. I have been on it since March of 2006, so about 2.5 years. I never really noticed side effects, and I have been to the doctor more than once and told them about the same side effects that have been discussed here. They blamed it on lack of vitamins, lifestyle changes and other random facts of life. Maybe that is the cause of my problems, however, why would they all happen at once???

Until today, I was soooo happy with NuvaRing, and I still am. I am just more aware of why I feel the way I do....It is soo easy to use!! I would NEVER remember to take a pill everyday, I would not like the patch, and the shot wouldn't go with me very well either.

Seems as if every birth control has side effects...here are mine from NR

EXTREME fatigue..
I asked my doctor about this. It has been going on since January. I sleep for 13 hours a day and am still exhausted. I cannot get enough sleep. I am a 20 year old that used to lead a pretty active lifestyle, but it seems the last few months that I have slowed waaaaaaay down. It isn't like me. I usually stay busy

Weight gain
I can accurately say that I have not been as active as I was in the past...but in one year I have put on about 17 lbs, and no matter what I do, the scale keeps climbing....I joined a gym for about 4 months, and I didn't lose a single pound. Before, I was able to LOOK at a treadmill and get in shape, now I spend an hour a day on it, and it does nothing for me.

SEVERE Headaches...with sensitivity to light and sound
I have not had this bad of headaches. EVER. It usually starts in the back of my head and moves to only one side. My doctor told me to wean off the caffeine. I did and they are still there. I drink no caffeine daily and I still am getting these terrible headaches. I work at a casino, so sometimes it really interrupts my daily life, with the lights and sounds and everything.

I AM ALWAYS THIRSTY!!!!!

I have NO sex drive
My boyfriend and I used to have sex every single day when I just started the NR, but now I NEVER want to. I have to pretend that I want to have sex, just so his feelings are not hurt. Sometimes I even catch myself thinking "is it over yet??" That is SOOOO not like me. I was an animal the first few months I was on NR. Now I have no desire.

I feel as if I am just living the motions of life sometimes instead of participating in it. Like I am just here everyday, not always feeling what is going on around me. I am semi moody, but nothing out of the ordinary. Week 3 of the ring is ALWAYS emotional, but the week before my period has ALWAYS been like that. I find it very normal.

My periods are WONDERFUL. I used to have a full 7 day period from hell. Now they last only 3-4 days, and I can basically tell you when I am going to start to the hour. It is AMAZING.

All in all, I love NR still. I am not going to stop taking it yet. I am just glad I found this site so I know the reason behind all of these changes in me. I have never put two and two together....that NR was causing all of these things...but now I know it could be. Or maybe it isn't. Who knows, but as long as I keep an eye on symptoms, I think I will be okay...

If any of you have any questions I have been on NR for quite a while, so feel free to email me at ******

I have had the Merina IUD for almost a year now ,, when I got it put it I thought I was gonna faint it was so painful,, I have had severe cramps non stop since I have had the IUD,, I have made several trips to the ER and they try to make it out like ive just got an infection ,well things never got any better so i kept on going until they told me something that was worth hearing well sure enough about 6mnths after having my IUD I got told that I had a 3cm by 3cm mass on my uteras that some women experience with an IUD and still its in my uteras right along with the IUD ,, and like all the other women out there having problems ,, I have experienced low sex drive , sever irritability, weight gain, and im just plain oumit miserable. I have been having an awful fishy smelling discharge for the past 3 months, and like most women my OBGYN tries to throw the truth of the matter off and try to make it out like im crazy,, heck no!! im not crazy and I know my body and I know this just aint normal,,so I made me an appointment at my local Health Dept to get this thing out of Sooo!!! to all the women out there that want an IUD I don't recommend it,, Its dangerous and all it does is destroy your body and your life :(.....I hope all goes well with all of you , best wishes and good luck!! Im ending my miserary ASAP!!!,,

Well I've taken the Nuvaring for the last four months, 23 yrs old. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. I just recently woke up w/ a severe headache, numbness in hands and let side of my face and tongue. I went to the ER, which informed that it was a mild stroke. This was my 1st time on any contraceptive. I think I stick w/ the condoms. Due to the NR I've had vaginal infections, dryness, low sex drive, burning, and itching.

BAD.... I hate it, and you should too.
I was on other BC pills in the past and they also cause the same side effects on me, I took them for 4 years and I quitted, four month later a got pregnant, two month after giving birth I had to get my gall bladder removed ( also a side effect of birth control). I started back on birth control because I in a serious relationship now and we don’t want to have kids at this time.
This pill is giving me lots of problems. I love to have sex with my boyfriend to the point I though I was a nympho and now my sex drive is BAD.....We start very good, and after a few minutes.....I get very dry and that’s the end of it. I hate it. My BF is the hottest men in the world (to me), and we had very good sex, we were like rabbits lol, I always had one or two orgasms, always natural lubricated. Now I get dry and we have to stop, I started the pill a month ago, I take it everyday at the same time, my breast is itching (I guess its growing) as the rest of body too, back pain and very irritable. I'm ready to quite, I’m going to try the IUD or the ring, Today I have the worst migraine and yesterday I had very bad mood swings all day, for not reason, I was seating in a meeting and all the sudden I want it to scream and run and just go off at everybody but a seat there and talk my self out of doing it, by telling my self it was the BC and I need it to come down cuz its nobody’s fault but the stupid hormones, I cry this morning also for no reason. IM DONE WITH THIS PILL. I won’t even recommend to my enemy.(migraines, mood swings, vaginal dryness, low sex drive, back pain, nausea, hungry all the time, breast tenderness, and I guess with all that depression its just natural)

I am the husband of a women with a Mirena, it is not fun. I am living with someone that I was not married to. I love my wife and in the name of love and a Christian marriage I wil stand by her for better and for worse. I am not saying that I haven't thought of ending it all by leaving home, I have done that several times. But I am thinking of my children and the woman that I was married to 15 years ago.

The lord created women to protect the baby in the womb and that is exactly what is happening. The Mirena is touching the side of the womb, imitating pregnancy, so the woman will protect the unborn and "kill" of everything that come close to the "baby". That explain the low sex drive of all the woman on this site.

I hope Bayer receive all this emails and take responsibility for all the broken marriages they created with this device straight from hell.

Thank you for this site

DJ

I am 30 years old and have been put on Depo Lupron after a laproscopy to help with endometriosis. I am 2 months into a 6 month course (one shot every 3 months) of Depo Lupron and my life has drastically changed. I started feeling life altering hot flashes and night sweats two days after the first shot and nearly drown myself in sweat 24 hours a day. I experienced a little postpardum depression after giving birth 6 years ago but have found myself sunk into a sinking hole of depression and anger like I've never felt before. I bawl at McDonald's commercials and become enraged if the dishwasher isn't loaded properly! I am ecstatic one minute and severely depressed the next. I have even had thought of suicide since being on this shot. I am normally a very outgoing, athletic, cheerful, happy person - but since taking this shot, I have become a stanger in my own head. I tell my family all the time that I need to "go stick my head in the freezer" to cool off because of the horrific hot flashes. I have to carry a handheld fan with me 24 hours a day and sleep with ice packs to keep cool. Since the shot started 2 months ago, I have lost all sexual drive, am thoroughly exhausted by 9am and find myself crying at my desk at work by late afternoon because I am so tired. My family thinks I am going crazy and I've never fought more with my husband. My daughter has gone to grandma's for awhile because I'm just so tired and irritable that I feel like an awful mother. Migraines have also come full circle since the onset of the shot as well as blurred vision and shaky hands. I'm a little achy throughout the as well. I know that everyone responds to medication differently, but I'm finding a lot of people with the same side effects as myself and have to wonder why the doctors don't warn patients about these types of problems before prescribing medications such as Depo Lupron. I don't think I'll be going back for the second shot. Could it get any worse?

Hi All! I am very excited that I came across this site because if I wouldn't have, I think I would have driven myself crazy. I was on Yasmin for about 8 months before I started feeling VERY anxious, suffering from panic attacks, always crying, very low sex drive, palpitations. I couldn't even go to the grocery store without having a panic attack. I went to see my doctor and he put me on anxiety medication (which is a concern for me because I do not want to be addicted to Xanax). I have now been off Yasmin for close to 3 months. I do feel somewhat better, but I have noticed that when I am close to getting my period and on it, my anxiety level increases. ITS DRIVING ME CRAZY! Does anyone know how long it takes for this awful medication to leave your system? I want to feel normal. If anyone has any idea…PLEASE HELP!!!!

Hi all I am so glad I found this site. I had my Mirena in for 3 yrs and could not figure out why I was falling apart. I had a constant headache, lower back pain , night sweats, insomnia,weight gain(30 lbs.,), low sex drive I thought I was getting ready to go thru menopause then I found this site. I called the Dr. that inserted the demon and .they could not give me an appt. for 1 month . I found another Dr. and he saw me right away and removed it no questions asked other than ,"Why did the Dr. offer you a BC loaded with progesterone knowing you were already depressed...this was just making you feel worse" Having it removed was the best thing I actually feel a lot better a week later . No weight loss yet but no more headaches , back aches ,night sweats that is a blessing already.

I had Mirena inserted after my first child was born on April 28, 2008. It has been approximately a month and I have complaints. Some of which are cramps all day everyday which has me resorting to taking 1600mg of Ibuprofen a day, low sex drive, crying at anything and everything, and bleeding non-stop, heavy to spotting. To say the least, my relationship is suffering, because rather than having sex four times a week, it is barely once a week. I contacted my GYN today as to discuss the aforementioned side effects as to determine if this is normal. I admit to not doing my research prior to inserting Mirena as I assumed that it was the most effective and safe form of contraceptive. See, I have tried several different pills and it was not effective and the side effects were more then I could bare. I decided today to research Mirena and realized I might have made a big mistake...Will write again when or if I have the Mirena removed after consulting with my GYN.

I have had the mirena in for almost exactly one year now. I too had bad breakouts, low sex drive, fatigue, mood swings and cramps but they were all less than what I had had on the pill. However, I have LOST weight because the dizzy spells that I have been experiencing lately make me loose my appetite. I also feel like my sense of smell is much more sensitive (especially to gross stuff) near my period.
I would just like to hear from someone who stopped experiencing these adverse effects after having the Mirena removed or someone whose symptoms went away with time before I choose to remove my own.
Every form of birth control has some sort of side-effect, you just have to choose the one with side-effects that you can deal with I guess.

whoa...this site should be called Nuvaring Nightmares!! I'm 26 years old and got switched to Nuvaring because I had headaches and low sex drive from the pill. 2-3 weeks after inserting the ring, i started feeling extremely depressed to the point of wanting to commit suicide! what is it with this ring??. I did notice that my hair grew and became much shinier though. I just don't know if it's worth the cost...Anyways, i decided to no longer use it and have been off birth control for a year! My sex drive is great, my boyfriend is having a hard time keeping up!

I had the Mirena put in in Feb 07 and while at first it was all great and a great thought of not having to take a daily pill and such a good form of bc I thought why not? I have adenomiosis which is in the inner lining of the uterus (like endometriosis but inside instead of outside) which causes many issues like extra pain/cramping, my body bloating even more during ovulation, and then irritating all of the other organs in there since the uterus is irritated which leads to more swelling and discomfort, as well as pain during intercourse. This was prior to my last pregnancy which was in May 06. I've been pregnant 6 times and have 4 children. We aren't in a position to have anymore right now. Since Oct/Nov 07 I have begun gaining weight - mainly at the times I am probably 'ovulating' and the bloat can last about 3 weeks out of the month - I'm talking 15+ pounds. Mood swings out that wazoo and pain during intercourse which I think is what has led to my very low sex drive. Also, and I don't know where this is coming from or if there is any normalcy to it, but my breasts are leaking (I haven't breastfed since Dec 06). My GP put me on Prozac and I tried them but didn't find myself any better, just more tired. Now I'm taking some vitamins, but don't know what else to do. I had an ultrasound last week that showed all is fine and that the Mirena is in its right position. I re-meet with my Ob/Gyn the 19th to see where to go next. This sucks.

I have been taking femcon fe for about a month. A week before i was supposed to start taking my brown inactive pills, i passed out and had what they call convulsive syncope. I had an EEG and MRI done to rule out a seizure. Both came back normal. I have experienced anxiety,passing out, muscle twitching, nausea, headaches, a bad taste in my mouth, low sex drive, dizziness, stomach pains, fear and fatigue. I did not have any of these side effects before I started taking Femcon FE. I am going to continue taking another month of this pill to see if the side effects are still there. I just wanted to let everyone know what i have experienced in case someone else has had the same thing happen to them.

My symptoms are the same as all (anxiety, mood swings, low sex drive) and I plan to have this thing taken out ASAP. It has been so bad lately that I cannot function. I've had more panic attacks than I can count in the last couple of weeks. What I want to know is how people fare on the other side of things. I would imagine it takes a while for your body to regulate after removal, but how long. And to echo- no more artificial things in my body.
Side note- has anyone tried cold shower therapy, apple cider vinegar or lemon balm for the anxiety? (******)

I have three kids and this is my second time on Mirena... first time was great other than bleeding non-stop for a month and half, this time same thing, but I also bleed brown after sex. Low sex drive, lots of mood swings, lack of motivation, fatigue, apathy. But it's still better than the pill or Norplant...plus the ob-gyn cut the string too short and it irritates my husband when we make love. If this continues past one year, I will ask my husband to get a vasectomy.

Hi, I know this section is for posting side effects but I was wondering if someone could please help me and provide me with some information. I am very athletic and active so any type of spotting/bleeding is NOT FOR ME. I am trying to eliminate my monthly period. I was on Depo Provera for several years and loved it. No periods everything fine except for a low sex drive. Then I ran into some problems and had to stop that. Plus my doctor said it causes osteoporosis.
Then I tried Seasonique which was awful as I had instant weight gain and breast tenderness like crazy. Was only on that for a few weeks!!!
Then I heard about Lybrel which is supposed to stop your periods after some time so I started that at the end of December last year (2007). I had spotting and some bleeding EVERY DAY and a few days ago had a lot of bleeding but I also played with the dosage per doctor's request. So I saw my doctor today and I said enough is enough what else can I try? So she gave me the Loestrin 24 Fe and I will start that Sunday. She said many people stop having periods after a few months of use. HOWEVER, after reading these posts, I am thinking NO BC is right for me now. If anyone can help me on my goal of eliminating the curse or convince me that this pill is OKAY after 3 months I would appreciate it. Please email me at escarle1@hotmail.com. Thank and I hope to hear back soon!

I had an experience with Loestrin 24 Fe that caused me to have to stop taking it. I'm 43, in good health, non-smoker, no weight issues, no blood pressure issues. My longtime OB/GYN said that there were 2 types of BC pills for women "of my age", Yaz and Loestrin 24 Fe. He mentioned that more women have reported to him that they had sex drive issues with Yaz but that more were reporting skin (acne) issues with the Loestrin....figuring it was counter to the point if I had low sex drive issues, I opted for the Loestrin. Started on it in March of last year...spotted pretty much every day for 6 weeks...then moderate spotting with light "periods". At about month 3, I started having moderate headaches. At month 5, I was in a movie theater seeing a movie with my boyfriend and all of a sudden, I felt what was like a wave of heat start at my toes and radiated up to my head....and then I felt paralyzed....couldn't move and felt like the room was spinning. An hour later when the movie was over, I was having trouble walking straight and remained shaky and dizzy. The next day, I had a migraine for only the 2nd time in my life, the first one having been 4 years earlier. Went to my regular doctor the next week and she gave me some migraine meds and told me that my blood pressure was up and my blood sugar was off the charts. She advised me that if I stopped taking the pill, it could make my symptoms worse. At this point, I was at my 4 days with the brown iron pills. To test the theory, once my 4 days were done, I took the first white pill of a new pack. Within 30 minutes, it felt like someone had hit me in the back of the head with a 2 x 4! That was all I needed to know. Later that week, I went in to give blood for a cholesterol test and to do a glucose tolerance test (never had any issues with this in my life to this point). The glucose tolerance test results were normal but my cholesterol was 239. That was July. Called my OB/GYN and he said no more pill...we could try the Mirena IUD once I had my next cycle. Went to see him in Sept to have it installed but ended up having it removed the first week of Feb of this year because I was dizzy, bloated, had acne, had severe headaches again, was extremely fatigued and my sex drive was in the toilet. The day it was removed, my stomach flattened back out and my fogginess lifted. Sex drive is back, skin is clear...feel like a real person again...AND my cholesterol was down to 196 without any real changes. My research tells me that the estrogen has an effect on your blood lipids so for me it impacted my cholesterol. The progestins in both the Loestrin and in the Mirena are what gave me the headaches.....I just can't take that drug. Good luck to all of you....I just don't think most of us "of a certain age" can take hormonal birth control.

I am so relieved to come across this forum. I have been on Yasmin for about 3 years. After reading several postings here to my husband, we were both horrified to hear that I wasn't the only one having strange issues without a clear cause. I too have had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, uncontrollable mood swings, inability to concentrate at work or deal with normal work stress, back pain, trouble falling asleep, low sex drive, and most recently, horrible depression. I have been to psychiatrists, allergists, chiropractors and physical therapy - all to try to find the cause. I have just gone off the pill, and have noticed improvement so far, and am very excited to see it hopefully improve. Hopefully I will be able to find a hormone-free birth control, instead of dealing with this. I can't believe doctors do not discuss these possible symptoms with their patients. I never would have thought bc pills would cause anxiety, depression, etc. A huge thanks to all of you for your candid comments... and helping me find an answer to my life-altering side affects!!!

I have been on nuvaring for 2 years, switched from the patch because I was having this wierd discharge that resembled blood but not red enough to be sure that it was spotting. I love the ring; I do have a low sex drive but I blamed that on my being tired from working 2 jobs and going to school full time, plus household responsibilities and stuff...So now I'll have to see somehow if the ring is what is really taking that away. But am I the only one on here that is experiencing a super dry irritated itchy vagina? I have had this problem for the last 3-4 months, and I have had a pap and exam and I don't have anything bacterial...this itch is borderline yeast-infection intense. I have been on BC since I was 16 (I'm 29 now) and I have tried everything..I will get pregnant on the pill since I will forget to take it, the patch problem is mentioned above, the shot made me spot FOREVER, I must agree with the girl that said this may be God's way of telling her it's time for a baby, cuz this itch is about ready to make me throw in the towel. If it were not for the itch I wouldn't have any complaints.

Thank you to all that have posted. I have been on Yasmin for over five years and have never considered going off it. I asked my OB/GYN whether my body needed a 'break' like I had heard about girls taking, and he said 'take a break if you want to get pregnant.' I was having no problems with it (that I could discern) and I didn't want to get pregnant so I agreed. That was about three years ago. I have ZERO interest in sex and I have no idea whether it is because it has become too painful because of vaginal dryness or if it is because of the drug in the Yasmin that decreases sex drive. These symptoms have kind of snuck up on me because I never thought to connect them to them bc I was taking. So, withdrawal symptoms or not I am going off them. that is the only way to find out whether they are from Yasmin or not.

Has anyone had a High White Blood count due to the Mirena? I was given the Mirena to help with the Progesterone because I'm so young and I didn't want to have a hysterectomy. I haven't had children and want to try even though I've been told it's not possible. I have a 1% chance which is why I want to give it a try, but I'm almost 34 years old, so I only have a little time since I'm already in Pre-Menapause. I have had horrible headaches and also bloating, but I thought it was from my GI problem I've been dealing with for over a year now. I had the Mirena insert on February 11th, but my White Blood Count has skyrocketed to the point they want me to go on to a Hematologist. I was on Seasonable and I almost had a heart attack because my blood pressure went up to high because of the side effects. Just be careful. Now reading this website has me suspicious, so now it maybe hysterectomy time. This was my last chance to try something.

Hey I'm 20 years old and ,I just had Mirena inserted in me September 07.I was skeptical to get it ,but I got it because I had 2 children in a row by c-section.I didn't want to get pregnant again right away .I notice that I never knew when or if I'm going to have my period.So that kind of freaks me out but that isn't my problem all that much .Lately after my husband and I have sex it seems like I will have throbbing sensations right after in my vagina.Ive been trying to see if anyone has this problem too,but haven't had any luck yet.I'm going to get Mirena taken out soon but I don't know when.My sex drive is like dead and Ive want to sleep more than I want too.-Courtney (Tn)

I have had my Mirena for almost a year now. I have not had a child and got the iuc because my blood pressure was high and this was a better alternative then the pill i was on. But not I have acne like i have never had before! I don't even know how I got to this sight I go online to look at how much proactive would cost because I break out every month right before i spot for a few days and it take my skin three weeks to clear up, just in time for me to break out again it sucks. I see that a lot of you have had a low sex drive, which I have experienced also, and just brushed it off as stress, or whatever other reason, but now am beginning to wonder if it is my Mirena. these are pretty much the only side effects I have, but the acne is driving me crazy!!!! I still have somewhat of a period. I never really know what to expect one month i might not have one at all the next month i might spot for a day or two, then stop for a day, then spot again for a few days. It kind of sucks because its not enough to use a tampon and its on and off for about a week and a half. I don't know what to do, right now I am really missing my ortho tricyclin!

Hi Ladies,
I am 35 and went on Loestrin to help reduce mood swings and horrible PMS and lighten my periods. We are done having kids and my husband had a Vasectomy, so we are not worried about getting pregnant. My OBGYN wanted me on Loestrin b/c she said Yaz was 'too strong' for me. The first month I had bleeding for 14 days straight and was really confused. But my DR said try it for 3 months. I am in my third month now and my periods are about 4 days now, and light, which is good. My mood swings are gone, which is GREAT. My sex drive is gone too, which is NOT great. My boobs are a lot bigger, which is GREAT...but not without my sex drive. I missed a pill one day and was very horny all day! That's when I realized I had the 'low sex drive' side effect. And I def have the munchies a few times a month as well. We are all going to have different side effects from BC pills, the trick is finding one you are happy on. And if you find it, don't switch!